Microphone with hydrophobic ingress protection
AssigneeKnowles Electronics, LLC
InventorsSagnik Pal, Sung Bok Lee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A microphone includes a base with a port extending therethrough, and a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device coupled to the base. The MEMS device includes a diaphragm, a back plate, and a substrate. The substrate forms a back-hole. A capillary structure is disposed in the back-hole of the substrate, the cover, adjacent to the MEMS, or combinations thereof. The capillary structure includes a plurality of capillaries extending through the capillary structure. The capillary structure may have at least one hydrophobic surface and is configured to inhibit contaminants from outside the microphone from reaching the diaphragm via the port. In some embodiments, the capillary structure may protect against EMI.
Claims15
A microphone, the microphone comprising:
- a base, the base having a port extending therethrough;
- a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device coupled to the base, the MEMS device including a diaphragm, a back plate, and a substrate, the substrate forming a back-hole;
- and
- a capillary structure disposed in the back-hole of the substrate and integral to the substrate, the capillary structure including a plurality of capillaries extending through the capillary structure, the capillary structure configured to inhibit contaminants from outside the microphone from reaching the diaphragm via the port.
A microphone, the microphone comprising:
- a base, the base having a port disposed therethrough;
- a cover;
- a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device coupled to the base, the MEMS device including a substrate forming a back-hole, a diaphragm and a back plate;
- and
- a capillary structure connected to the MEMS device, the capillary structure including a plurality of capillaries extending through the capillary structure, the capillary structure configured to inhibit contaminants from outside the microphone from reaching the diaphragm, wherein substantially all of the back-hole is filled with at least a portion of the capillary structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.