Portable electronic device with moisture infiltration indication system

• US 9,300,773 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2008
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mittleman, Adam D., Wang, Erik L., Sloey, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer, Firmin
• Assistant Examiner(s): TUN, NAY L
• Application Number:
  US12/113,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20090273480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,889 Days
• Field of Search: 340/602, 340/604, 73 73- 77, 200/308, 200310-317, 379/451, 455/575.1, 439490-491
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0274 for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/18 Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment H04M1/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality

Abstract

A portable electronic device may have a dock connector moisture infiltration indication structure for indicating whether moisture has infiltrated the device. The structure may be located within a dock connector port. The dock connector may have a viewing hole that enables viewing of the moisture indicator. The moisture indicator may have four layers: upper and lower moisture barriers, a wicking layer and a dyeing layer. After becoming wet, the moisture indicator may change from one color to another color. A menu button in the device may have a transparent and opaque member with a viewing aperture. A moisture indicator may be formed on the button and may be viewed through the viewing aperture.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

a housing having a dock connector comprising a viewing hole inside the dock connector; and

a moisture indication structure attached to the dock connector and viewable through the viewing hole inside the dock connector.

2. The portable electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the moisture indication structure comprises:

a wicking layer that covers the viewing hole; and

a dyeing layer adjacent to the wicking layer.

3. The portable electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the moisture indication structure comprises a transparent moisture barrier layer attached to the dock connector and covering the viewing hole.

4. The portable electronic device defined in claim 3 wherein the moisture indication structure further comprises:

an additional moisture barrier layer adjacent to the dyeing layer;

a wicking layer; and

a dyeing layer, wherein the wicking layer and the dyeing layer are interposed between the transparent moisture barrier layer and the additional moisture barrier layer.

5. The portable electronic device defined in claim 4 wherein the moisture indication structure further comprises an adhesive layer that attaches the moisture indication structure to the dock connector.

6. The portable electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the dock connector comprises alignment posts and wherein the moisture indication structure comprises alignment holes for receiving the alignment posts.

7. The portable electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the moisture indication structure comprises:

a first moisture barrier layer, the first moisture barrier layer being transparent;

a wicking layer adjacent to the first moisture barrier layer;

a dyeing layer adjacent to the wicking layer; and

a second moisture barrier layer adjacent to the dyeing layer and operable to inhibit moisture from an interior region of the portable electronic device from reaching the dyeing layer, wherein the wicking layer is viewable through the first moisture barrier layer and has a first appearance before exposure to moisture and a second appearance when dyed with dye from the dyeing layer after exposure to moisture, wherein the dyeing layer has a surface in contact with the second moisture barrier layer.

8. The portable electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the first moisture barrier layer covers the viewing hole.

9. The portable electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the dock connector comprises a metal frame in which the viewing hole is formed and a plurality of pins.

10. A button in an electronic device, the button comprising:

a button structure having opposing interior and exterior surfaces and operable to receive user input at the exterior surface; and

a moisture indication structure attached to the interior surface of the button structure, wherein the button structure comprises a transparent member through which the moisture indication structure is viewed, wherein the moisture indication structure comprises an opaque member with an inner portion and an outer portion that surrounds the inner portion, wherein the inner and outer portions of the opaque member define a ring-shaped viewing aperture, and wherein the inner portion of the opaque member is connected to the moisture indication structure with an opaque adhesive layer.

11. The button defined in claim 10 wherein the moisture indication structure comprises a wicking layer and a dyeing layer adjacent to the wicking layer and wherein the wicking layer is viewable through the transparent member.

12. The button defined in claim 11 wherein the moisture indication structure further comprises a moisture barrier layer adjacent to the dyeing layer.

13. The button defined in claim 12 wherein the opaque member is connected between the transparent member and the moisture indication structure so that the moisture indication structure is viewable through the viewing aperture.

14. The button defined in claim 13, wherein the opaque adhesive layer is in direct contact with the inner portion of the opaque member and is not in direct contact with the outer portion of the opaque member.

15. The button defined in claim 13, wherein the inner portion of the opaque member overlaps the opaque adhesive layer, and wherein the outer portion of the opaque member does not overlap the opaque adhesive layer.

16. A portable electronic device comprising:

a housing having a port comprising a viewing hole inside the port; and

a moisture indication structure attached to the port and viewable through the viewing hole inside the port.

17. The portable electronic device defined in claim 16, wherein the port comprises an input-output port.

18. The portable electronic device defined in claim 16, wherein the port comprises a 30-pin data port connector.

19. The portable electronic device defined in claim 16, wherein the port is configured to receive a mating plug.