MEMS-based flow systems in waterproof devices
AssigneeFrore Systems Inc.
InventorsPrabhu Sathyamurthy, Suryaprakash Ganti, Seshagiri Rao Madhavapeddy, Nilesh Sudhir Hasabnis, Shekhar Halakatti
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A computing device includes a housing having a plurality of apertures therein, an active cooling system, and at least one of a plurality of membranes or a plurality of valves. The membranes and/or valves are coupled with the apertures. Each of the membranes is watertight and gas breathable. The valves are configured to prevent entry of water through the apertures. The active cooling system is in the housing. When activated, the active cooling system drives a gas through a membrane but does not drive water through the membrane.
Claims18
A computing device, comprising:
- a housing having a plurality of apertures therein;
- at least one of a plurality of membranes or a plurality of valves coupled with the plurality of apertures, each of the plurality of membranes being watertight and gas breathable, the plurality of valves being configured to prevent entry of water through the plurality of apertures;
- an active cooling system in the housing that when activated drives a gas through a membrane of the plurality of membranes but does not drive the water through the membrane;
- and a water immersion sensor that determines whether the computing device is immersed in water, the active cooling system being deactivated in response to a determination that the computing device is immersed in water.
A smart phone, comprising:
- a housing having a plurality of apertures therein;
- at least one of a plurality of membranes or a plurality of valves coupled with the plurality of apertures, each of the plurality of membranes being watertight and gas breathable, the plurality of valves being configured to prevent entry of water through the plurality of apertures, the housing being watertight;
- an active cooling system in the housing that when activated drives a gas through a membrane of the plurality of membranes but does not drive the water through the membrane;
- and a water immersion sensor that determines whether the smart phone is immersed in water, the active cooling system being deactivated in response to a determination that the smart phone is immersed in water.
A method, comprising:
- driving at least one cooling element of an active cooling system to undergo vibrational motion;
- wherein the active cooling system is in a smart phone including the active cooling system, a housing having a plurality of apertures therein, and at least one of a plurality of membranes or a plurality of valves coupled with the plurality of apertures, each of the plurality of membranes being watertight and gas breathable, the plurality of valves being configured to prevent entry of water through the plurality of apertures, when activated the vibrational motion of the at least one cooling element driving a gas through a membrane of the plurality of membranes but not driving the water through the membrane;
- wherein the active cooling system includes a water immersion sensor that determines whether the smart phone is immersed in water, the active cooling system being deactivated in response to a determination that the smart phone is immersed in water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.