# US 11,079,659 B2 · Sliding cover with inclined-plane seal for weather sealed consumer electronics device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,079,659 B2 - Document ID: US11079659B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/981,171 - Filed: 2018-05-16 - Published: 2019-11-21 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-16 - Assignees: Arlo Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Netgear, Inc. - Inventors: Andrew Tetzel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079659B2 ## CPC - G03B 17/08: Waterproof bodies or housings - G03B 17/56: Accessories (carrying-cases A45C11/38) - H01M 50/24: adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion (thermal insulation H01M10/658) - H01M 50/247: specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers - H01M 2220/30: Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract An outdoors consumer electronics device such as a camera contains electrical equipment this is isolated from exterior moisture. The consumer electronics device includes a housing configured to contain the electrical equipment, a seal mounted to the housing, and a cover that is releasably installable onto the housing. The seal includes a top surface that forms an inclined plane related to a bottom plane extending through the bottom edges of the seal. When the cover is installed onto the housing, the seal is compressed along a planar surface. Once the seal is compressed, moisture is prevented from entering the interior of the housing. While the seal that is formed when the cover is mounted to the housing is planar, the sealed area is non-planar. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A weather-sealed consumer electronics device containing electrical equipment comprising: a housing having a rear wall defining a first plane; a seal mounted to the housing, the seal having a front edge extending along the first plane and a rear surface opposite the front edge that extends along a second plane that is acute to the first plane; and a cover releasably movable relative to the housing between a first, opened position and a second, closed position; wherein the cover and the seal are configured such that the cover contacts the rear surface of the seal and compresses the rear surface of the seal along a planar surface when the cover is moved to the closed position; and wherein, in the closed position of the cover, the seal defines a sealing area that extends from the front edge in the first plane to the rear surface of the seal that is compressed along the planar surface that is non-parallel to the front edge. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The weather-sealed consumer electronics device of claim 1, wherein the rear surface of the seal that is compressed along the planar surface in the closed position of the cover is parallel to the second plane. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The weather-sealed consumer electronics device of claim 1, wherein, in the open position of the cover, the rear surface extends at an angle between 2-7 degrees relative to the first plane. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The weather-sealed consumer electronics device of claim 3, wherein the angle between the first plane and the rear surface is approximately 5 degrees. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The weather-sealed consumer electronics device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises: an opening formed therein; and a mounting lip formed around the perimeter of the opening; wherein the seal is seated against the mounting lip. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The weather-sealed consumer electronics device of claim 5, wherein the cover further comprises a rib extending inwardly from an interior surface of the cover, the rib having an inner surface that is of at least generally the same size and shape as an outer surface of the mounting lip; and wherein the rib compresses the seal against the mounting lip when the cover is moved to the closed position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The weather-sealed consumer electronics device of claim 1, further comprising at least one fastener configured to releasably hold the cover in the closed position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The weather-sealed consumer electronics device of claim 7, wherein the at least one fastener comprises: a catch; and a hook configured to releasably engage the catch to releasably hold the cover in place in the second closed position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The weather-sealed consumer electronics device of claim 1, wherein the weather-sealed consumer electronics device comprises a battery-operated camera having electronics, a battery, and a lens. ### Claim 10 A camera comprising: a housing with an opening formed in a rear wall thereof, the opening lying in a first plane of the rear wall and defining a battery compartment within the housing, the opening being bordered by a lip extending rearwardly of the first plane; an electronics lens mounted in the housing; a seal mounted on the housing in an overlying relationship with the lip, the seal having a front edge extending along the first plane and a rear surface opposite the front edge and extending along a second plane that is acute to the first plane; a cover releasably movable relative to the housing between a first, opened position and a second, closed position; and a sealing area that extends from the front edge of the seal to the rear surface of the seal and that is compressed along a planar surface when the cover is in the second, closed position; and wherein the rear surface of the seal that is compressed along the planar surface is non-parallel to the front edge when the cover is in the closed position thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The camera of claim 10, wherein the cover travels a distance of between 2 millimeters and 4 millimeters from the opened position to the closed position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The camera of claim 10, wherein the seal is made of a silicon having a shore A durometer value of 30-60. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The camera of claim 10, wherein the cover further comprises a rib extending inwardly from an inner surface thereof; and wherein the rib is dimensioned to compress the rear surface of the seal towards the lip when the cover is moved to the second, closed position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The camera of claim 10, wherein the housing includes at least one socket formed adjacent to the opening; wherein the seal has at least one tab extending therefrom that bears a lug; wherein the seal is seated against the lip; and wherein the lug fits within the socket to form an interference fit. ### Claim 15 A method of installing a cover onto a housing of a consumer electronics device comprising the steps of: locating a front edge of a compressible seal adjacent to an opening in a wall of the housing defining a first plane, orienting the cover in a first, opened position directly adjacent the wall of the housing, wherein a rear surface of the compressible seal, opposite the front edge, extends along a second plane that is acute to the first plane when the cover is in the opened position there; sliding the cover relative to the housing and the compressible seal to a second, closed position of the cover; during the sliding, compressing the rear surface of the compressible seal along a planar surface between the housing and the cover; forming an environmental seal between the housing and the cover in the closed position of the cover with the rear surface of the compressible seal compressed along the planar surface that is non-parallel to the front edge; and releasably locking the cover relative to the housing in the closed position of the cover. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the locating step comprises aligning a lug associated with the compressible seal with a socket located in the housing; and inserting the lug into the socket. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the locating step comprises aligning a finger extending from the compressible seal to abut against a catch extending from the housing; and inserting the catch into a groove formed into the compressible seal; wherein the groove is located directly adjacent to the at least one finger. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of engaging at least one hook with at least one catch to secure the cover in the closed configuration. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of: aligning an opening in the seal with the opening in the housing; and removably inserting electronic equipment into the opening in the seal and the opening in the housing.