US 12,114,127 B2
Dynamic valve for an electronic device
Gokhan Hatipoglu, Santa Clara, CA (US); Peter C. Hrudey, San Mateo, CA (US); Scott C. Grinker, Belmont, CA (US); Ankur Jain, Los Gatos, CA (US); and Patrick B. Wright, Dartmouth (CA)
Assigned to Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 23, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/482,818.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/245,570, filed on Sep. 17, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0093626 A1, Mar. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. H04R 1/28 (2006.01); F16K 15/16 (2006.01); H04R 1/02 (2006.01); H04R 3/00 (2006.01); H10N 30/00 (2023.01)
CPC H04R 1/2826 (2013.01) [F16K 15/16 (2013.01); H04R 1/025 (2013.01); H04R 3/00 (2013.01); H10N 30/00 (2023.02)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A portable electronic device comprising:
an enclosure having an enclosure wall that forms an interior chamber and a sound output port to an ambient environment;
a transducer positioned within the interior chamber and dividing the interior chamber into a front volume chamber coupling a first side of the transducer to the sound output port and a back volume chamber coupled to a second side of the transducer; and
an electromechanical valve comprising a flap coupled to the enclosure wall by a hinge and operable to rotate about the hinge to open and close a vent to the interior chamber, the front volume chamber or the back volume chamber, and the hinge biases the flap to a closed position, and
wherein the enclosure wall comprises a first width that increases to a second width in a direction away from the hinge to form a sloped surface and reduce a voltage required to transition the flap to an open position in which the flap is coupled to the sloped surface, and
wherein the flap comprises an electrode layer fixedly coupled to a structural material layer and the flap maintains a flat shape when rotating about the hinge to close the vent.