Liquid-resistant packaging for electro-acoustic transducers and electronic devices

Abstract

A liquid-resistant microphone assembly includes a substrate defining a sound-entry region and a microphone transducer coupled with the substrate. The transducer has a sound-responsive region acoustically coupled with the sound-entry opening defined by the substrate. A liquid-resistant port membrane spans across the sound-entry opening defined by the substrate. The membrane is gas-permeable. An adhesive layer is positioned between the substrate and the liquid-resistant port membrane, coupling the liquid-resistant port membrane with the substrate and spacing the liquid-resistant port membrane from the substrate to form a gap between the membrane and the substrate. The adhesive layer defines an aperture having a periphery extending around and positioned outward of the sound-entry region. Modules and electronic devices incorporating such a microphone transducer also are disclosed.

Description

FIELD[0001]This application and related subject matter (collectively referred to as the “disclosure”) generally concern liquid-resistant packaging for electronic devices, electro-acoustic transducers, and related systems.BACKGROUND INFORMATION[0002]In general, sound (sometimes also referred to as an acoustic signal) constitutes a vibration that propagates through a carrier medium, such as, for example, a gas, a liquid, or a solid. An electro-acoustic transducer, in turn, is a device configured to convert an incoming acoustic signal to an electrical signal, or vice-versa. Thus, an acoustic transducer in the form of a loudspeaker can convert an incoming signal (e.g., an electrical signal) to an emitted acoustic signal, while an acoustic transducer in the form of a microphone can be configured to convert an incoming acoustic signal to an electrical (or other) signal.[0003]Some electronic devices that incorporate an electro-acoustic transducer may be exposed to environments other than d...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent describes a way to make products that are resistant to water and other liquids, which can damage or malfunction. This is useful for making things like microphone transducers that can be used in electronic devices. By testing the components before they are assembled with the rest of the device, and using liquid-resistant materials, the number of malfunctions can be reduced. Overall, this technology helps make better and more reliable electronic devices that can resist water and other liquids.

Problems solved by technology

As an example, users of some electronic devices may wish to fully immerse their electronic device in water during certain activities (e.g., when participating in a water sport, like swimming, surfing, rafting, wake boarding, etc.) Nonetheless, intrusion of water or another liquid into an electronic device can damage components in the device, including electro-acoustic transducers.

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