Compressible seal for rotatable and translatable input mechanisms

• US 9,952,558 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2016
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ely, Colin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kayes, Sean
• Application Number:
  US15/064,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20160259301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 368319-321
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 27/02 by making use of the winding means winding by hand or mechanically G04B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 3/04 Rigidly-mounted keys, knobs or crowns jointed winding-stem G04B37/06
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/081 Complete encasings for wrist or pocket watches also comprising means for hermetic sealing of the winding stem and crown hermetic sealing of the stem or crown G04B37/10
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/106 of push buttons winding up by push button G04B3/001; crown in the form of push button G04B3/046; construction of push buttons G04B3/048
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/005 Multiple switches G04C3/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/00 Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/025 actuated by sliding movement
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/08 Controlling members for hand actuation by rotary movement, e.g. hand wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 25/04 Sealing against entry of dust, weather or the like in selector apparatus for gearings, F16H59/0213
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 5/05 Means for returning or tending to return controlling members to an inoperative or neutral position, e.g. by providing return springs or resilient end-stops G05G5/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/04 in which movement in two or more ways can occur simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/016 Application timepiece
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/06 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being along the axis of angular movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/065 using separate operating parts, e.g. a push button surrounded by a rotating knob

Abstract

An electronic device has a housing and a rotatable and translatable input mechanism. The housing has an aperture and the rotatable and translatable input mechanism has a shaft positioned at least partially within the aperture and a manipulation structure coupled to the shaft. The manipulation structure may be manipulated to rotationally and translationally move the shaft to provide rotational and translational input to the electronic device. A compressible seal is positioned in a gap between the housing and the rotatable and translatable input mechanism. The compressible seal may resist and/or prevent passage of contaminants into the aperture and/or obscure one or more internal components. The compressible seal may be configured to collapse or bend when the rotatable and translatable member translates.

Claims

1. A wearable electronic device, comprising:

a housing defining an aperture;

an input mechanism including a shaft extending into the aperture, the input mechanism configured to allow smooth rotation;

an optical sensing element within the housing and configured to detect a rotation of the shaft;

a tactile dome switch within the housing and configured to detect an inward translation of the shaft;

a first gasket positioned around the shaft and within a portion of the aperture that defines a minimum internal diameter of the aperture;

a second gasket positioned around the shaft, within the portion of the aperture and separated from the first gasket by an offset; and

a display positioned at least partially within the housing and configured to provide an output that is responsive to each of;

the inward translation of the shaft; and

the rotation of the shaft.

2. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the aperture defines a smooth cylindrically shaped surface that extends from an external surface of the housing to an internal surface of the housing; and

the cylindrically shaped surface has a constant radius that is equal to the minimum internal diameter of the aperture.

3. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second gaskets are configured to move within the aperture in response to the inward translation of the input mechanism; and

the first and second gaskets are configured to move within the aperture in response to the rotation of the input mechanism.

4. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first and second gaskets provide a structural support for the shaft during the inward translation and the rotation of the input mechanism.

5. The wearable electronic device of claim 4, wherein the first and second gaskets provide a barrier to contaminants entering through the aperture.

6. The wearable electronic device of claim 4, wherein the first and second gaskets form a seal to prevent ingress of liquids through the aperture.

7. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first and second gaskets are at least partially compressed between a surface of the aperture and a corresponding surface of the shaft.

8. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the shaft defines a first groove and a second groove;

the first gasket is a first O-ring positioned in the first groove; and

the second gasket is a second O-ring positioned in the second groove.

9. A watch, comprising:

a housing defining an opening and an aperture;

a display positioned within the opening;

an input mechanism having a shaft positioned at least partially within the aperture, the input mechanism configured to rotate without tactile feedback;

a tactile dome switch configured to actuate in response to an inward translation of the input mechanism;

an optical sensor positioned along a side of the shaft and configured to produce an output that varies in response to a rotation of the input mechanism;

a first O-ring gasket positioned between a surface of the shaft and a smallest diameter portion of an inner surface of the aperture;

a second O-ring gasket positioned between the surface of the shaft and the smallest diameter portion of the inner surface of the aperture, the second O-ring separated from the first O-ring gasket by an offset; and

a processing element configured to modify an output of the display in response to each of;

the actuation of the tactile dome switch due to the inward translation of the input mechanism; and

the output of the optical sensor in response to the rotation of the input mechanism.

10. The watch of claim 9, wherein the smallest diameter portion of the aperture extends through a wall of the housing.

11. The watch of claim 9, wherein:

the shaft defines an annular groove; and

the first O-ring gasket is retained within the annular groove.

12. The watch of claim 11, wherein the annular groove has a rounded shape that corresponds to a profile of the first O-ring gasket.

13. The watch of claim 9, wherein:

the first O-ring gasket is at least partially compressed between the shaft and the inner surface of the aperture; and

the first O-ring gasket is configured to maintain a seal between the shaft and the inner surface of the aperture during the inward translation and the rotation of the input mechanism.

14. The watch of claim 9, wherein:

the input mechanism further comprises a flanged component; and

the flanged component has a flange diameter that is greater than a diameter of the aperture.

15. The watch of claim 14, wherein the flanged component limits an outward translation of the input mechanism in a direction that is opposite to a direction of the inward translation of the input mechanism.

16. The watch of claim 9, wherein the input mechanism further comprises:

a manipulation structure coupled to the shaft and positioned along a side of the housing; and

a cap positioned within a recess of the manipulation structure and forming a portion of an exterior surface of the input mechanism.

17. A watch comprising:

a housing defining an aperture that extends from an external surface to an internal surface;

a display positioned at least partially within the housing;

an input mechanism comprising a shaft that extends through the aperture;

a first gasket positioned along the shaft at a first position within the aperture;

a second gasket positioned along the shaft at a second position within the aperture, the first and second positions located at a smallest diameter portion of the aperture and separated by an offset;

a tactile dome switch configured to detect a translation of the input mechanism; and

an optical sensing element configured to detect a rotation of the input mechanism;

wherein;

the first and second gaskets are configured to support the input mechanism within the aperture of the housing during the translation of the input mechanism and the rotation of the input mechanism; and

an output of the display is responsive to each of;

the translation of the input mechanism; and

the rotation of the input mechanism.

18. The watch of claim 17, wherein the first and second gaskets are configured to block ingress of contaminants through the aperture.

19. The watch of claim 17, wherein the first and second gaskets are configured to prevent ingress of liquid through the aperture.

20. The watch of claim 19, wherein:

the shaft defines first and second grooves;

the first and second gaskets are positioned within the first and second grooves, respectively;

the first gasket is at least partially compressed between a first surface of the first groove and an inner surface of the aperture; and

the second gasket is at least partially compressed between a second surface of the second groove and the inner surface of the aperture.

21. The watch of claim 19, wherein:

the input mechanism further defines a flange that is configured to contact an inner surface of the housing surrounding the aperture; and

the flange restricts an outward translation of the input mechanism.

22. The watch of claim 21, wherein the flange is defined by an annular component attached to the shaft.