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US 9,331,422 B2Granted
Electronic device with hidden connector
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsDavid I. Nazzaro, Tyler S. Bushnell, Ibuki Kamei
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic device has a self-healing elastomer applied over one or more external electronic connectors. The self-healing elastomer may obscure the electronic connectors from the user as well as provide environmental protection for the connector and the electronic device. Electronic probes may temporarily penetrate the self-healing elastomer to mate with the electronic connector. After removal of the probes the self-healing elastomer may elastically reform and self-heal.
Claims20
An electronic device comprising:
- a housing having an opening;
- electronic circuitry disposed within the housing;
- an electrical connector operatively coupled to the electronic circuitry, the electrical connector comprising a plurality of contacts accessible through the opening in the housing;
- and a layer of self-healing elastomer having one or more conductively doped regions, the layer arranged to cover the opening and the plurality of contacts.
1 more element
An electronic device comprising:
- a housing having an opening;
- electronic circuitry disposed within the housing;
- an electrical connector operatively coupled to the electronic circuitry, the electrical connector comprising a cavity having a plurality of contacts sequentially positioned within and spaced apart along a depth of the cavity and accessible through the opening in the housing;
- and
- a layer of self-healing elastomer that includes one or more conductively doped regions is disposed over each of the plurality of contacts.
2 more elements
An electronic device comprising;
- a housing having an opening;
- a substrate disposed adjacent to the housing, the substrate having one or more electrically conductive contacts arranged to be accessible through the opening;
- and
- a self-healing elastomer disposed over the one or more contacts and comprising one or more conductively doped regions, the elastomer having a penetration region that is temporarily penetrable by one or more probes, the elastomer capable of reforming chemical bonds in the penetration region after the one or more probes are removed such that at least 50 percent of the self-healing elastomer's tensile strength is regained in the penetration region.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.