Evacuation of Liquid from Acoustic Space
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsJesse A. Lippert, Nikolas T. Vitt, Christopher Wilk, Rex T. Ehman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An acoustic module, such as a microphone or speaker module, includes an acoustic membrane that vibrates to produce acoustic waves and an acoustic cavity through which acoustic waves produced by the membrane travel. A liquid removal mechanism removes liquid from the acoustic cavity. Such a liquid removal mechanism may include the acoustic membrane, heating elements, hydrophobic and/or hydrophilic surfaces, and so on. In some cases, the liquid removal mechanism may remove liquid from the acoustic cavity upon connection of the acoustic module and/or an associated electronic device to an external power source.
Claims21
1-20. (canceled)
A wearable device, comprising:
- a housing defining an acoustic port:
- a speaker module coupled to the acoustic port within the housing;
- a screen element positioned within the housing between the speaker module and the port;
- a non-transitory storage medium that stores instructions;
- and
- a processing unit, disposed within the housing, that executes the instructions stored in the non-transitory storage medium to cause the speaker module to produce:
- a first frequency to force liquid out of the acoustic port through the screen element;
- and
- a second frequency following the first frequency to force the liquid out of the acoustic port through the screen element.
A mobile computer, comprising:
- a housing defining:
- an acoustic cavity disposed within the housing;
- and
- passages extending through the housing from the acoustic cavity to an external environment;
- a speaker module coupled to the acoustic cavity within the housing;
- a screen element positioned within the housing between the speaker module and the passages;
- a non-transitory storage medium that stores instructions;
- and
- a processing unit, disposed within the housing that executes the instructions stored in the non-transitory storage medium to cause the speaker module to produce a sequence of frequencies to force liquid from the acoustic cavity;
- wherein:
- the sequence of frequencies includes two different frequencies that are outside a range of human hearing;
- and
- the processing unit causes the speaker module to produce the two different frequencies sequentially.
An electronic device, comprising:
- a housing defining:
- an acoustic space within the housing;
- and
- passages between the acoustic space and an external environment;
- a speaker module coupled to the acoustic space within the housing;
- a non-transitory storage medium that stores instructions;
- and
- a processing unit, disposed within the housing, that executes the instructions stored in the non-transitory storage medium to cause the speaker module to operate in:
- a first mode where the speaker module transmits sound waves within a range of human hearing;
- and
- a second mode where the speaker module transmits a first frequency and then a second frequency to force liquid out of the acoustic space;
- wherein:
- the first and second frequencies are outside the range of human hearing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.