Portable Speaker Light Guide and Acoustic Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic devices with multiple microphone ports are prone to damage from moisture and detract from their aesthetic appearance, while numerous indicator lights increase costs and the likelihood of failure, and flexible exterior materials with seams are weak and unappealing.
Innovation Solution
A portable audio input/output device with a seamless exterior material and a light guide system that evenly illuminates indicators using fewer light sources, incorporating acoustically-sealed input/output interface modules and a seamless fabric or mesh wrapping the housing to prevent moisture and enhance aesthetics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple microphone ports are provided in the enclosure, then acoustic signal reception is improved, but the device becomes vulnerable to moisture damage and aesthetic appearance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible membrane or thin film material to cover the microphone ports. This membrane allows acoustic signals to pass through while providing a protective barrier against moisture and other harmful factors. The membrane can be made of hydrophobic materials that repel water while maintaining acoustic transparency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary protective layer (membrane, mesh, or grille) between the microphone ports and the external environment. This intermediary element allows acoustic waves to pass through while blocking moisture, dust, and other contaminants from reaching the microphones.
2Loss of information
If multiple indicator lights are provided, then information display to user is improved, but device cost increases and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple indicator functions into a single multi-color LED or a small array of LEDs that can display different information through color combinations. This reduces the total number of indicator components while maintaining comprehensive information display capability, thereby reducing cost and improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses multi-functional indicator elements that can serve multiple purposes. For example, a single multi-color LED can indicate power status, battery level, connectivity state, and audio playback status through different color patterns, replacing what would traditionally require multiple separate indicators.
3Ease of manufacture
If flexible exterior material is used with multiple panels, then manufacturing ease is improved, but structural strength decreases and aesthetic appearance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the flexible exterior into multiple panels that can be separately manufactured and then joined together. The segmentation allows each panel to be optimized for strength and flexibility while maintaining ease of assembly. Connection elements like overlapping edges or interlocking features maintain structural integrity while allowing flexible material construction.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution protects the device from moisture, reduces the risk of indicator failure, and provides a strong, aesthetically pleasing exterior while improving sound quality and reducing unwanted acoustic signals.
Implementation Method 1
a light guide system that evenly illuminates indicators using fewer light sources
Implementation Method 2
a seamless fabric or mesh wrapping the housing to prevent moisture
Implementation Method 3
incorporating acoustically-sealed input/output interface modules and a seamless fabric or mesh wrapping the housing to prevent moisture and enhance aesthetics
Data Source
AI summary
A portable audio input/output device may include one or more openings that extend through a cover of the device and allow acoustic signals outside a housing of the device to reach a microphone disposed within the housing. The opening(s) may be illuminated by a light guide disposed within the housing, which scatters light emitted from lights disposed within the housing. In some instances, a hole may pass through a printed circuit board to allow acoustic signals to be received by the microphone disposed below the printed circuit board. An input/output (I/O) interface module with multiple buttons and inputs may be installed in the hole. The multiple buttons and I/O ports of the I/O interface module may be aligned along an axis vertical relative to the housing and centered with respect to each other.