CN216700088U

CN216700088U - Drainage apparatus, drainage system, and image capturing apparatus

Info

Publication number: CN216700088U
Application number: CN202122362878.8U
Authority: CN
Inventors: E·彭罗德; N·维塔莱; A·桑托斯
Original assignee: GoPro Inc
Current assignee: GoPro Inc
Priority date: 2020-10-19
Filing date: 2021-09-28
Publication date: 2022-06-07
Anticipated expiration: 2031-09-28
Also published as: DE202021104242U1

Abstract

An apparatus includes an audio component and a housing defining an aperture that engages the audio component at an interior surface of the housing. The apparatus includes a post coupled to an exterior surface of the housing at a location of the aperture and a cover coupled to the post but not in contact with the housing. The apparatus includes a drain channel extending between the cover, an exterior surface of the housing, and the post. The drain includes a first portion defining an inlet of the drain and having a first width defined by the brace. The drain includes a second portion defining an outlet of the drain and having a second width defined by the brace. The shape of the struts is tapered such that the first width is wider than the second width.

Description

Drainage apparatus, drainage system, and image capturing apparatus

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application No. 16/372,611 filed on 2.4.2019, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to audio systems for diving equipment. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a drain system for a microphone or speaker that removes liquid from the microphone or speaker after the device has emerged from the water.

Background

By using a camera that is simple to operate, light in weight and compact, photography during physical activity is improved. These cameras can be used in a variety of environments, including environments where the camera may be exposed to water, such as beaches, lakes, swimming pools, oceans, and so forth. In these environments, the camera may become splashed, submerged, or otherwise flooded with water, thereby affecting the performance of audio components within the camera that rely on air as a transmission medium to provide ambient audio to the audio components in the form of, for example, audio signals and/or sound waves. The presence of a liquid such as water may distort or prevent ambient audio from reaching audio components within the camera.

Disclosure of Invention

Embodiments of an audio component drain system for an electronic device are disclosed herein.

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an audio component and a housing defining an aperture that engages the audio component at an interior surface of the housing. The apparatus includes a post coupled to an exterior surface of the housing at a location of the aperture and a cover coupled to the post but not in contact with the housing. The apparatus includes a drain channel extending between the cover, an exterior surface of the housing, and the post. The drain includes a first portion defining an inlet of the drain and having a first width defined by the brace. The drain includes a second portion defining an outlet of the drain and having a second width defined by the brace. The shape of the strut is tapered such that the first width is wider than the second width.

In one embodiment, a drain system includes a cover recess having an upper layer and a lower layer defined in a housing of an apparatus, and the upper layer extends across apertures defined through the housing and staggered into the housing relative to a depth of the lower layer. The device comprises an audio component, which is located at the position of the aperture. The drain system includes a cover extending over the cover recess to define a drain channel extending from the inlet, across the audio assembly, across upper and lower layers of the cover recess, and to the outlet to drain moisture from the audio assembly. The inlet is joined to the upper layer and the outlet is joined to the lower layer.

In one embodiment, an image capture device includes a housing including an exterior surface defining a recess, an opening within the recess, and a sloped structure along the recess. The image capture device includes an audio component disposed adjacent to the opening; and a cover coupled with the housing through the recess. The image capture device includes an inlet located between the first edge of the cover and the housing and for facilitating a flow of liquid within the recess and over the audio component. The image capture device includes an outlet located between the second edge of the cover and the housing and for facilitating a flow of liquid across the audio assembly and out of the recess. The image capturing device includes a drainage channel fluidly connecting the inlet and the outlet between the housing and the cover, the drainage channel having a shape that gradually narrows from the inlet to the outlet.

Additional embodiments are described in more detail below.

Drawings

The disclosure can be best understood from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It should be emphasized that, according to common practice, the various features of the drawings are not to scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the various features are arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity.

Fig. 1A to 1B are isometric views of an example of an image capturing apparatus.

Fig. 1C is a sectional view of the image capturing apparatus of fig. 1A to 1B.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram of an example of an image capture system.

Fig. 3A is a detailed front view of the drainage system.

FIG. 3B is a detailed front view of the drain system of FIG. 3A without the cover.

Fig. 4A to 4C are sectional views of the drainage system of fig. 3A to 3B when the drainage system moves from submerged to floating.

Fig. 5A is a detailed front view of another drainage system.

FIG. 5B is a detailed front view of the drain system of FIG. 5A without the cover.

Fig. 6A is a detailed front view of the drainage system.

FIG. 6B is a detailed front view of the drain system of FIG. 6A without the cover.

Fig. 6C is a cross-sectional view of the drainage system of fig. 6A-6B.

Detailed Description

The performance of audio components disposed within the housing of an image capture device or other electronic device having audio components may be improved using an efficiently designed drainage system that both allows ambient audio (e.g., audio signals and/or sound waves) to reach the audio components and removes moisture from the audio components. For example, an image capture device using a drain system may include a housing defining an audio aperture and an audio component coupled to the housing at a location of the audio aperture. The drain system may include a cover coupled to the housing, wherein the cover is configured to protect the audio component from an environment external to the image capture device. The cover may define an aperture that allows both air and liquid to flow through the cover to the audio assembly. The drainage system may include a drainage channel defined between the cover and the housing, the drainage channel configured to allow air to reach the audio component and to drain moisture from the audio component when the image capture device is floating out of liquid, such as water.

Fig. 1A to 1B illustrate an example of an image capturing apparatus 100. The image capture device 100 includes a housing or body 102 and two

camera lenses

104, 106 disposed on opposite surfaces of the body 102, for example in a back-to-back or Janus configuration.

The image capture device may include electronics (e.g., imaging electronics, power electronics, etc.) internal to the body 102 for capturing images and/or performing other functions via the

lenses

104, 106. The image capture device may include various indicators, such as an LED light 112 and an LCD display 114.

Image capture device 100 may include various input mechanisms, such as buttons, switches, and touch screen mechanisms. For example, image capture device 100 may include a button 116, the button 116 configured to allow a user of image capture device 100 to interact with image capture device 100 to turn image capture device 100 on, and otherwise configure the operational mode of image capture device 100. In one implementation, image capture device 100 includes a power button and a mode button. However, it should be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, the image capture device 100 may include additional buttons to support and/or control additional functions.

Image capture device 100 may also include one or more audio components 118, such as a microphone configured to receive and record audio signals (e.g., voice or other audio commands) in combination with recording video or in conjunction with audible control commands, and/or a speaker configured to provide alerts or notifications. In the example shown in fig. 1A and 1B, four audio components 118 are shown using a representative pattern of apertures or recesses extending partially into or completely through the housing or body 102, although any number of audio components 118, such as one, two, four, or six, may be used. The aperture or recess may be a combination of design features formed as a recess in the housing or body 102 and an aperture extending completely through the housing or body 102. The pattern of apertures and recesses is designed to allow an audio component 118 (e.g., a microphone) disposed within the housing or body 102 proximate (i.e., proximate) the location of the apertures and recesses to capture ambient audio from the environment outside of the housing or body 102 of the image capture device 100.

Image capture device 100 may include an interactive display 120, which interactive display 120 allows interaction with image capture device 100 while displaying information on a surface of image capture device 100.

Image capture device 100 may be made of a rigid material such as plastic, aluminum, steel, or fiberglass. In some embodiments, the image capture device 100 described herein includes features that are different from the features described. For example, image capture device 100 may include additional interfaces or different interface features, such as I/O interfaces, in place of or in addition to interactive display 120. In another example, the image capture device 100 may include additional buttons or different interface features, such as interchangeable lenses, cold and hot boots, etc., that may add functional features to the image capture device 100. In another example, image capture device 100 may include a single image sensor and/or lens or more than two image sensors and/or lenses.

Fig. 1C is a sectional view of the image capturing apparatus 100 of fig. 1A to 1B. The image capturing device 100 is configured to capture spherical images and thus comprises a first image capturing device 124 and a second image capturing device 126. The first image capture device 124 defines a first field of view 128 as shown in FIG. 1C and includes a lens 104 that receives light and directs the light onto a first image sensor 130.

Likewise, the second image capture device 126 defines a second field of view 132 as shown in FIG. 1C and includes a lens 106 that receives light and directs the light onto a second image sensor 134. To facilitate the capture of spherical images, the image capture devices 124, 126 (and related components) may be arranged in a back-to-back (Janus) configuration such that the

lenses

104, 106 face in generally opposite directions.

The fields of

view

128, 132 of the

lenses

104, 106 are shown above and below the

boundaries

136, 138, respectively. Behind the first lens 104, the first image sensor 130 may capture a first hyper-hemispherical image plane from light entering the first lens 104, and behind the second lens 106, the second image sensor 134 may capture a second hyper-hemispherical image plane from light entering the second lens 106.

One or more regions, such as

blind spots

140, 142, may be outside the field of

view

128, 132 of the

lenses

104, 106, thereby defining a "dead zone". In the dead zone, light from the

lenses

104, 106 and

corresponding image sensors

130, 134 may be obscured, and content in the

blind spots

140, 142 may be omitted from capture. In some implementations, the

image capture devices

124, 126 may be configured to minimize the

blind spots

140, 142.

The fields of

view

128, 132 may overlap. The stitch points 144, 146 proximate to the image capture device 100 may be referred to herein as overlap points or stitch points where the fields of

view

128, 132 overlap. The content captured by the

respective lenses

104, 106 distal to the stitch points 144, 146 may overlap.

The images simultaneously captured by the

respective image sensors

130, 134 may be combined to form a combined image. Combining the respective images may include: correlating the overlapping areas captured by the

respective image sensors

130, 134, aligning the captured fields of

view

128, 132, and stitching the images together to form a combined image with adhesive forces.

Slight changes in alignment (such as position and/or tilt) such as of the

lenses

104, 106, the

image sensors

130, 134, or both, may change the relative position of their respective fields of

view

128, 132 and the position of the stitch points 144, 146. Alignment changes may affect the size of the

blind spots

140, 142, which may include unequally changing the size of the

blind spots

140, 142.

Incomplete or inaccurate information indicating alignment of the

image capture devices

124, 126, such as the location of the stitch points 144, 146, may reduce the accuracy, efficiency, or both of generating the combined image. In some implementations, the image capture device 100 may maintain information indicative of the position and orientation of the

lenses

104, 106 and the

image sensors

130, 134 such that the fields of

view

128, 132, the stitch points 144, 146, or both may be accurately determined, which may improve the accuracy, efficiency, or both of generating the combined image.

The

lenses

104, 106 may be laterally offset from each other, may be off-center from a central axis of the image capture device 100, or may be laterally offset and off-center from the central axis. An image capture device including laterally offset lenses may include a thickness that is significantly reduced relative to the length of a lens barrel that secures the lenses, as compared to an image capture device having back-to-back lenses (such as lenses aligned along the same axis). For example, the overall thickness of the image capture device 100 may be close to the length of a single lens barrel, rather than twice the length of a single lens barrel as in a back-to-back configuration. Reducing the lateral distance between the

lenses

104, 106 may improve the overlap in the fields of

view

128, 132.

The images or frames captured by the

image capture devices

124, 126 may be combined, merged, or stitched together to produce a combined image, such as a spherical image or a panoramic image, which may be an equidistant rectangular planar image. In some implementations, generating the combined image may include three-dimensional or spatiotemporal noise reduction (3 DNR). In some implementations, pixels along the stitched boundary may be precisely matched to minimize boundary discontinuities.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram of an example of an image capture system 200. The image capturing system 200 includes an image capturing device 210, and the image capturing device 210 may be, for example, the image capturing device 100 shown in fig. 1A to 1C.

The image capturing device 210 comprises a processing means 212, the processing means 212 being configured to receive a first image from a first image sensor 214 and a second image from a second image sensor 216. Image capture device 210 includes a communication interface 218 for communicating images to other devices. The image capture device 210 includes a user interface 220 to allow a user to control the image capture function and/or view images. Image capture device 210 includes a battery 222, and battery 222 is used to power image capture device 210. The components of image capture device 210 may communicate with each other via bus 224.

The processing device 212 may be configured to perform image signal processing (e.g., filtering, tone mapping, stitching, and/or encoding) to generate an output image based on the image data from the

image sensors

214 and 216. The processing device 212 may include one or more processors having a single processing core or multiple processing cores. The processing apparatus 212 may include a memory, such as a random access memory device (RAM), a flash memory, or other suitable type of storage device (such as a non-transitory computer-readable memory). The memory of processing device 212 may include executable instructions and data that may be accessed by one or more processors of processing device 212.

For example, the processing device 212 may include one or more Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) modules, such as double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM). In some implementations, the processing device 212 may include a Digital Signal Processor (DSP). In some implementations, the processing device 212 may include an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). For example, the processing device 212 may include a custom image signal processor.

The first image sensor 214 and the second image sensor 216 may be configured to detect light of a particular spectrum (e.g., visible spectrum or infrared spectrum) and communicate information constituting an image as an electrical signal (e.g., an analog signal or a digital signal). For example,

image sensors

214 and 216 may include a CCD or active pixel sensor in CMOS. The

image sensors

214 and 216 may detect light incident through the respective lenses (e.g., fisheye lenses). In some implementations, the

image sensors

214 and 216 include digital-to-analog converters. In some implementations, the

image sensors

214 and 216 remain in a fixed orientation with overlapping respective fields of view.

Communication interface 218 may enable communication with a personal computing device (e.g., a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer). For example, the communication interface 218 may be used to receive commands that control image capture and processing in the image capture device 210. For example, communication interface 218 may be used to transfer image data to a personal computing device. For example, the communication interface 218 may include a wired interface, such as a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, or a firewire interface. For example, the communication interface 218 may include a wireless interface, such as a bluetooth interface, a ZigBee interface, and/or a Wi-Fi interface.

The user interface 220 may include an LCD display for presenting images and/or messages to a user. For example, the user interface 220 may include a button or switch that enables a person to manually turn the image capture device 210 on and off. For example, the user interface 220 may include a shutter button for taking pictures.

The battery 222 may power the image capture device 210 and/or its peripherals or functional features, such as a microphone and a speaker for the audio component 118 of fig. 1A and 1B. The battery 222 may be charged wirelessly or through a micro-USB interface.

Fig. 3A and 3B are detailed front views of a drainage system 300 for an image capture device. The image capturing device may be similar to the image capturing device 100 described with reference to fig. 1A to 1C. For example, the image capture device may include electronics (e.g., imaging electronics, power electronics, etc.) located inside the body or housing 302 for capturing images via the lens and/or performing other functions such as image processing. The image capture device may also include various indicators and interfaces, such as lights, buttons, and/or displays elsewhere on the housing 302 (not shown in fig. 3A and 3B), which allow a user to interact with the image capture device. Only a portion of the housing 302 is shown in the detailed views of fig. 3A and 3B to allow for a clear depiction of the drain system 300.

The drain system 300 shown in fig. 3A and 3B is used to drain liquid, such as water, from an audio component 304 (fig. 3B) disposed within, on, and/or through a housing 302 of an image capture device. The drain system 300 and the audio assembly 304 may be located on a surface of the image capture device, such as a front or back of the housing 302, in a position similar to that shown for the audio component 118 positioned adjacent to the

lenses

104, 106 of the image capture device 100 in fig. 1A and 1B. Other locations of the drain system 300 and the audio assembly 304 on the image capture device are possible. Additionally, there may be multiple drainage systems 300 to drain liquid from multiple audio components 304 on a single image capture device.

The drain system 300 includes a cover 306 (fig. 3A), the cover 306 protecting an audio component 304 disposed below the cover 306 from the environment outside of the image capture device. For example, the audio component 304 may be fragile, flexible, and/or otherwise susceptible to damage based on impact from touch, debris, and the like. The cover 306 may include one or more cover apertures 308a, the one or more cover apertures 308a configured to allow ambient audio to pass through the cover 306 to the audio component 304, for example, when the image capture device is operating outside of a liquid environment. When the cover 306 is secured to the housing 302, the cover aperture 308a shown in fig. 3A is positioned both adjacent to and outside of the audio component 304 shown in fig. 3B relative to the housing 302, allowing ambient audio to travel to a short path of the audio component 304 through the cover aperture 308a in the cover 306.

The cover 306 may define additional cover apertures 308b, the additional cover apertures 308b being adjacent to the cover apertures 308a and/or spaced apart from the cover apertures 308a, the additional cover apertures 308b being arranged in a pattern configured to drain moisture through the cover 306 when the image capture device is floated off of liquid. In the example of fig. 3A, the

cover apertures

308a, 308b are shown as part of a rectangular pattern of rows and columns, although other patterns are possible. Additionally, some or all of the

cover apertures

308a, 308b may be formed as detents in the cover 306, rather than through holes, in which case neither ambient audio nor liquid will pass through the cover 306 at the locations where the dummy or only detent cover apertures (not shown) are located. Dummy-type or only detent-type cover apertures may be used as an industrial design feature of the image capture device, while through-hole-

type cover apertures

308a, 308b allow air, liquid, or both to travel through the cover 306.

The housing 302 may define an audio aperture 310. The audio component 304 may be coupled to the housing 302 at the location of the audio aperture 310. As such, ambient audio may pass through or around the cover 306 and enter the audio assembly 304 via the audio aperture 310. A single audio aperture 310 is shown through the housing 302 in fig. 3B as defined, but multiple audio apertures are possible, and the size, shape, and number of audio apertures depends on the configuration and location of the audio component 304. For example, the audio component 304 may include a single microphone (not shown) configured to convert ambient audio into an electrical signal. The microphone may be coupled to the interior surface of the housing 302 at the location of the single audio aperture 310.

The audio assembly 304 may also include a waterproof membrane 312, the waterproof membrane 312 configured to allow ambient audio to pass through the audio aperture 310 to the components of the audio assembly 304. At the same time, the waterproof membrane 312 prevents moisture from passing through the audio aperture 310 to prevent damage or hindering performance of, for example, a microphone disposed within the housing 302. In the example shown in fig. 3B, a waterproof membrane 312 is coupled to the exterior surface of the housing 302 in a manner covering the audio aperture 310 and is sized larger than the audio aperture 310 in order to provide a waterproof feature.

The drain system 300 includes an inlet 314 defined between the housing 302 and the cover 306. The inlet 314 is an opening between a first edge 316 of the cover 306 and a cover recess 318 defined in the housing 302. In the example shown in fig. 3A, the first edge 316 is an upper edge, although other edges of the cover 306 may also be used as the first edge. Lid recess 318 is shown as receiving a rounded-edge bowl or basin of lid 306 such that the exterior surface of lid 306 is coplanar with the exterior surface of housing 302. The inlet 314 allows both air and fluid to enter. When the image capture device including the housing 302 is held in the orientation shown in fig. 3A and 3B, the drain system 300 may be the path of least resistance for ambient audio to enter the audio component 304.

The drain system 300 includes an outlet 320 defined between the housing 302 and the cover 306. The outlet 320 is an opening between a second edge 322 of the cover 306 and a cover recess 318 defined in the housing 302. In the example shown in fig. 3A, the second edge 322 is a lower edge that extends generally parallel to the first edge 316, although other edges of the cover 306 may also be used as the second edge (e.g., edges that are perpendicular rather than parallel to the first edge 316). The outlet 320 allows fluid to exit the drainage system 300 when the image capture device including the housing 302 is held in the orientation shown in fig. 3A and 3B. Additional details regarding the movement of fluid through the drainage system 300 are described with respect to fig. 4A-4C, as indicated by the cross-sectional markings in fig. 3A.

The drainage system 300 includes a drainage channel 324 extending between an interior surface of the cover 306 and an exterior surface of the housing 302 from the inlet 314 to the outlet 320 to drain moisture from the audio assembly 304 when the image capture device including the housing 302 is floated off liquid (e.g., out of water). In the example of fig. 3B, the exterior surface of the housing 302 is an exterior surface of a cover recess 318 defined in the housing 302. The drain passage 324 also extends between

cover posts

326, 328 rising from the cover recess 318 to allow the cover 306 to be secured over the drain passage 324, for example using

adhesive pads

330, 332 coupled to the tops of the cover posts 326, 328. The width W of the drainage channel 324 may be, for example, between 5mm and 10 mm. Although two

cover posts

326, 328 and

adhesive pads

330, 332 are shown for adhering the cover 306 to the housing 302 and defining sides of the drain passage 324, other numbers and/or locations of these components are possible.

The inlet 314 and the outlet 320 are sized and shaped such that ambient audio can pass through the inlet 314 along the drain 324 to the audio assembly 304 a predetermined period of time after the image capture device including the housing 302 is floated off of liquid (e.g., water) even though the

cover apertures

308a, 308b and the lower portion of the drain 324 remain obstructed by the liquid. For example, the predetermined period of time may be from 0 to 3 seconds or from 0 to 5 seconds. This is an improvement over the time period required to allow the orifice exposed to the liquid to air dry. For example, air drying a wet orifice may take from 15 minutes to 30 minutes, depending on the environmental conditions. Due to the presence of the drain channel 324, the performance of the audio assembly 304 is greatly improved after the image capture device has floated liquid.

Fig. 4A-4C are cross-sectional views of the drainage system 300 of fig. 3A-3B as the drainage system 300 moves from submerged as shown in fig. 4A to floating as shown in fig. 4C. The housing 302 of the image capture device is shown in cross-section with the audio component 304 disposed below the cover 306. When the image capture device including housing 302 is floated out of, for example, water, the upper cover aperture 308a moves from being obstructed by liquid in fig. 4A to being emptied of liquid in fig. 4C. Because the predetermined time period between the positions in each of fig. 4A-4C is short (such as 0-5 seconds) and surface tension prevents some liquid from escaping from the lower cover orifice 308b, the lower cover orifice 308b remains obstructed by liquid in all three of fig. 4A-4C.

The audio components 304 are shown in detail as being disposed on both sides of the audio aperture 310. For example, since audio aperture 310 is defined in housing 302, waterproof membrane 312 is shown in a position outside of audio aperture 310 and microphone 400 is shown in a position inside of audio aperture 310. The microphone 400 may be coupled to the housing 302, for example, by being disposed on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB)402 that is press-fit or otherwise secured to the housing 302 using a gasket 404. Other ways of aligning and securing the microphone 400 to the housing 302 are also possible. Waterproof membrane 312 may be coupled to housing 302, for example, using adhesive 406 for securing waterproof membrane 312 to housing 302 across audio aperture 310. Other ways of aligning and securing the waterproofing membrane 312 to the housing 302 are also possible.

The drain system 300 includes an inlet 314, the inlet 314 defined between a first edge 316 of the cover 306 and a surface of a cover recess 318; an outlet 320, the outlet 320 defined between a second edge 322 of the lid 306 and a surface of the lid recess 318; and a drain channel 324, the drain channel 324 extending along the outer surfaces of the waterproofing membrane 312 and the cover recess 318, behind the cover 306, between the inlet 314 and the outlet 320. In this example, the outer surfaces of the waterproofing membrane 312 and the cover recess 318 are generally coplanar to encourage drainage of liquid through the drainage channel 324, as shown by the progression of the water levels in fig. 4A-4C.

To encourage rapid removal of fluid (e.g., water) from the waterproof membrane 312 of the audio assembly 304 while constraining the overall size of the drain system 300, the audio assembly 304 and the audio aperture 310 may be located a predetermined distance a from the outlet 320 of the drain system 300. For example, the distance a may be between 5mm and 10 mm. In contrast, the depth B of the drain 324, the thickness C of the cap 306, and the height D of the cap apertures 308a, 308B may have smaller values, e.g., ranging between 0.5mm and 2mm, in order to allow the inlet 314, outlet 320, and drain 324 to encourage fluid flow across and away from the audio assembly 304 in a manner that utilizes both gravity and adequately overcomes surface tension over a short period of time (e.g., a period of time between 0 seconds and 5 seconds). As shown in fig. 4B and 4C, although water remains in the lower end of the drain channel 324 and the lower cover aperture 308B due to surface tension, the ambient audio can reach the audio assembly 304 very quickly via both the inlet 314 and the upper cover aperture 308a, taking into account the configuration of the drain channel 324.

Fig. 5A and 5B are detailed front views of another drainage system 500 for an image capture device. The drainage system 500 may be similar to the drainage system 300 described with reference to fig. 3A-3B and 4A-4C. Only a portion of the housing 502 is shown in the detailed views of fig. 5A and 5B to allow for a clear description of the drain system 500. The drainage system 500 is used to drain liquid from an audio assembly 504 (fig. 5B) disposed within, on, and/or through a housing 502 of the image capture device.

The drain system 500 includes a cover 506 (fig. 5A), the cover 506 protecting an audio assembly 504 disposed below the cover 506 from the environment outside of the image capture device. The cover 506 may include one or more cover apertures 508, the one or more cover apertures 508 configured to allow ambient audio to pass through the cover 506 to the audio assembly 504, for example, when the image capture device is operating outside of a liquid environment. When the cover 506 is secured to the housing 502, the cover aperture 508 shown in fig. 5A is positioned both adjacent to and outside of the audio component 504 shown in fig. 5B relative to the housing 502, allowing a short path for ambient audio to reach the audio component 504 through the cover aperture 508 in the cover 506.

In the example of fig. 5A, the cover apertures 508 are shown as part of a cross-shaped pattern of rows and columns, but other patterns are possible. Additionally, some or all of the cover apertures 508 may be detents in the cover 506, rather than through holes, in which case neither ambient audio nor liquid may pass through the cover 506 at the location of a dummy or detent-only cover aperture (not shown). A dummy or only detent cover aperture may be used as an industrial design feature of the image capture device, while a through-hole cover aperture 508 allows air, liquid, or both to travel through the cover 506.

The housing 502 may define an audio aperture 510. The audio component 504 may be coupled to the housing 502 at the location of the audio aperture 310. As such, ambient audio may pass through or around the cover 506 and enter the audio assembly 504 via the audio aperture 510. A single centrally located audio aperture 510 is shown through the housing 502 in fig. 5B as defined, but multiple audio apertures are possible, and the size, shape, location, and number of audio apertures depends on the configuration and location of the audio component 504. For example, the audio component 504 may include a single microphone (not shown) configured to convert ambient audio into an electrical signal. The microphone may be coupled to the interior surface of the housing 502 at the location of the single audio aperture 510.

The audio assembly 504 may also include a waterproof membrane 512, the waterproof membrane 512 being configured to allow ambient audio to pass through the audio aperture 510 to the components of the audio assembly 504. At the same time, the waterproof membrane 512 prevents moisture from passing through the audio port 510 to prevent damage or performance impediments to, for example, a microphone disposed within the housing 502. In the example shown in fig. 5B, a waterproof membrane 512 is coupled to an exterior surface of the housing 502 in a manner covering the audio aperture 510 and is sized larger than the audio aperture 510 in order to provide a waterproof feature. For example, the coupling of the waterproof membrane 512 and the housing may be achieved using an adhesive (not shown).

The drain system 500 includes an inlet 514, the inlet 514 being defined between the housing 502 and the cover 506. Inlet 514 is an opening between first edge 516 of cover 506 and a cover recess 518 defined in housing 502. In the example shown in fig. 5A, the first edge 516 is an upper edge, although other edges of the cover 506 may also be used as the first edge. Lid recess 518 is shown as a rounded-edge bowl or basin that receives lid 506 such that the exterior surface of lid 506 is coplanar with the exterior surface of housing 502. The inlet 514 allows both air and fluid to enter the drain system 500.

The drain system 500 includes an outlet 520, the outlet 520 being defined between the housing 502 and the cover 506. Outlet 520 is an opening between second edge 522 of cover 506 and cover recess 518 defined in housing 502. In the example shown in fig. 5A, the second edge 522 is a side edge that is both adjacent to the first edge 516 and extends substantially perpendicular, although other edges of the cover 506 may also be used as the second edge (e.g., edges that are parallel rather than perpendicular to the first edge 516). The outlet 520 allows fluid to exit the drainage system 500 when the image capture device including the housing 502 is floated out of liquid in an orientation rotated ninety degrees counterclockwise from the orientation shown in fig. 5A and 5B. In other words, the outlet 520 allows liquid to drain from the drainage system 500 when the imaging device including the housing 502 is floated off of the liquid while being held laterally, for example, by a user pulling the imaging device out of the liquid.

The drainage system 500 includes a drainage channel 524 that extends between an interior surface of the cover 506 and an exterior surface of the housing 502 from the inlet 514 to the outlet 520 to drain moisture from the audio assembly 504 when the image capture device including the housing 502 is floated off of liquid (e.g., water). In the example of fig. 5B, the exterior surface of the housing 502 is an exterior surface of a cap recess 518 defined in the housing 502. The drain channel 524 also extends between cover struts 526, 528 that rise from the cover recess 518 to allow the cover 506 to be secured over the drain channel 524, for example, using

adhesive pads

530, 532 coupled to the tops of the cover struts 526, 528.

Although two

cover posts

526, 528 and

adhesive pads

530, 532 are numbered in fig. 5B, there are a total of four cover posts and adhesive pads to adhere the cover 506 to the housing 502 and to define the sides of various possible drainage channels (including the drainage channel 524) that will serve to allow air to reach and remove liquid from the audio assembly 504 depending on its orientation as the housing 502 of the image capture device is floated off of liquid. In the example of fig. 5B, there are four possible drainage channels, some of which will drain liquid simultaneously if the housing 502 floats liquid in a certain orientation (e.g., forty-five degrees from the orientation shown in fig. 5A and 5B). Also, although the inlet 514 and outlet 520 are as shown, there are four possible inlets and outlets for the drainage system 500 of fig. 5A and 5B, with the entry and exit of air and liquid depending on the orientation of the housing 502. Other numbers and/or locations of struts and adhesive members are possible.

The size and shape of the inlet 514 and outlet 520 enable ambient audio to pass through the inlet 514 along the drain channel 524 to the audio assembly 504 within a predetermined period of time after the image capture device including the housing 502 is floated off of liquid (e.g., water) even though a portion of the cover aperture 508 and drain channel 524 are still obstructed by liquid. For example, the predetermined period of time may be from 0 seconds to 3 seconds. The distance between the cover struts 526, 528 may have a similar value as the distance between the cover struts 326, 328 of fig. 3A and 3B, such that the width of the drain 524 is similar to the width W of the drain 324 at the location of the

struts

326, 328.

Fig. 6A and 6B are detailed front views of the drainage system 600. The drainage system 600 moves a liquid (e.g., water or another liquid, not shown) across or through the housing 602 to keep the audio assembly 604 (fig. 6B and 6C) clear of the liquid. A cover 606 (fig. 6A and 6C) disposed over the housing 602 and covering the audio assembly 604 forms an upper portion of the drain 600, while the housing 602 forms a bottom portion and/or a side portion of the drain 600. Thus, the audio component 604 is protected from physical external interference. In this configuration, the cover 606 includes apertures 608 (fig. 6A and 6C), which apertures 608 are similar to the

apertures

308a, 308b, 508 of fig. 3A, 4A-4C, and 5A to help drain or move liquid away from the audio component 604 while still protecting the audio component 604. In some examples, the apertures 608 are patterned on the audio component 604 to improve audio projection and reception, and to drain liquid from the drainage system 600. In other configurations, the aperture 608 may not be in the cover 606.

The audio component 604 is used to receive sound from below the surface of the housing 602, project sound, or both, and the audio component 604 may be similar to the

audio components

304, 504 of fig. 3B, 4A-4C, and 5B. The housing 602 includes an audio aperture 610 defined within the housing 602 or defined through the housing 602. An audio device 611 (fig. 6C) (e.g., a microphone) of the audio assembly 604 attached to the interior portion of the housing 602 may be located within the audio aperture 610 (fig. 6B and 6C) and protected by a waterproof membrane 612 (fig. 6B and 6C).

The entire drain system 600 is used to move liquid quickly and efficiently over the audio assembly 604 so that the audio assembly 604 remains partially unobstructed by the liquid. At the inlet 614 between the first edge 616 (fig. 6A) of the cover 606 and the edge of the housing 602, liquid may pass through the cover recess 618 (fig. 6A and 6B) defined within the housing 602 because the cover recess 618 is in a plane below the cover 606. On the other side of the cover 606, the outlet 620 is located between a second edge 622 (fig. 6A) of the cover 606 and the housing 602. The outlet 620 is used to move liquid away from the audio assembly 604 and the drain system 600. With this configuration, liquid may be flushed from the audio assembly 604 through the inlet 614, between the cover 606 and the audio assembly 604, and out the outlet 620, thereby enhancing the audio function of the audio assembly 604.

The inlet 614, cover 606, housing 602, and outlet 620 collectively form a drain passage 624 (fig. 6B and 6C) that passes through posts 626, 628 (fig. 6B) that facilitate movement of the liquid and support the cover 606 above the housing 602. The

struts

626, 628 may couple the cover 606 to the housing 602. The

struts

626, 628 may be similar or function similar to the

struts

326, 328, 526, 528 of fig. 3B and 5B. The

struts

626, 628 form in series a tapered or funnel shape for the drain channel 624 for directing liquid downstream of the audio assembly 604. While directing liquid downstream, some liquid may be drained through the orifice 608, creating a combined drainage configuration that leaves the audio assembly 604 unobstructed by liquid. In some configurations, more than two struts (e.g., fig. 5B) may be used to direct liquid both along a tapered or funnel-shaped path and between multiple inlets or outlets (e.g., fig. 5B). As an example, the pillars (not shown) may be patterned in groups of four and fully support the cover 606 such that the cover 606 is not in contact with the housing 602 and liquid is discharged between the pillars (not shown) and along a cone or funnel. In this example, liquid may be discharged from multiple inlets or outlets (not shown), thereby increasing the speed of the liquid flow. In another example, the

struts

626, 628 may have a tapered configuration, that is, funnel shaped, to form the sides of the drainage channel 624 such that liquid is directed downstream of the audio component 604.

The drain passage 624 has a tapered shape so that liquid effectively funnels from the inlet 614 to the outlet 620 when the drain system 600 is in the orientation shown. Near the inlet 614, the width W1 of the first portion 630 (fig. 6B and 6C) of the drain 624 is large so that more liquid may flow through the inlet 614 and along the drain 624. At the outlet 620, the liquid flows to a second portion 632 having a width W2 that is less than the width W1 (fig. 6B and 6C). Between the first portion 630 and the second portion 632, the liquid funnels through the audio assembly 604 at a third portion 634 (fig. 6B and 6C) of the drainage channel 624 (e.g., audio portion or audio channel) having a width W3, the width W3 being less than the width W1 of the first portion 630 and greater than the width W2 of the second portion 632. In this configuration, a liquid bottleneck is under at least a portion of the audio component 604, such that the audio component 604 is partially unobstructed while liquid is being discharged from the exit passage 624. The width W1 may range between about 4mm and about 10 mm. The width W2 may range between about 0.5mm and about 6 mm. The width W3 may range between about 4mm and about 8 mm. At one end of the drain 624, flanges 636, 638 (fig. 6B) adjacent to or forming a portion of the

struts

626, 628 are configured to direct liquid out of the second portion 632 and into the large section 624 of the drain adjacent to the outlet 620 or integral with the outlet 620 so that liquid can be drained from the drain 624.

Fig. 6C is a cross-sectional view of the drainage system 600 of fig. 6A-6B. The housing 602 supporting the drain 600 includes an audio assembly 604 with an audio device 611 located below the exterior surface of the housing 602 and at the location of an audio aperture 610 within the housing 602. At the outer surface of the housing 602, a waterproof membrane 612 covers the audio aperture 610 and the audio assembly 604, where these components are protected by a cover 606.

At the inlet 614, the cover 606 and the housing 602 are separated by a length L that controls the amount of liquid that can flow into the drain system 600 and then between the first portion 630, the third portion 634, and the second portion 632 of the continuous drain passage 624. As described with respect to fig. 6A to 6B, the drainage channel 624 at the widths W1, W2, W3 is gradually narrowed. As shown in fig. 6C, the height H of the drain passage 624 is relatively uniform along the first portion 630, the third portion 634, and the second portion 632. The height H and/or length L may range between about 0.5mm to about 2 mm. The length L may be equal to, greater than, or less than the height H. In some examples (not shown), the height H of the drain passage 624 may taper to control the flow of liquid through the drain passage 624 in a manner similar to the widths W1, W2, W3.

To further control the flow in the drain passage 624, the housing 602 includes a surface having a ramp 640 (fig. 6C) adjacent to or integral with the second portion 632. For example, when the drainage system 600 is located on a side of an image capture device, such as the image capture device 100 of fig. 1A-1C, and the front and rear surfaces of the image capture device are positioned in a generally horizontal direction (e.g., when the image capture device rests on the front or rear of the image device rather than on the top or bottom), the ramp 640 may facilitate the flow of liquid away from the audio component 604. Any other portion of the housing 602 may include another surface with a ramp (not shown) that supports flow from the inlet 614 to the outlet 620.

In the example shown in fig. 6C, a ramp 640, which may also be referred to as a connecting layer or ramp structure, divides the drain 624 into a first layer 642 (fig. 6C) associated with the audio component 604 and the inlet 614 and a second layer 644 (fig. 6C) associated with the outlet 620. The first layer 642 and the second layer 644 are shown as being parallel to each other. In other examples, the

layers

642, 644 can be positioned in another non-parallel vertically staggered configuration in which the depth of the first layer 642 into the housing 602 is less than the depth of the second layer 644. The

layers

642, 644 may be connected by a ramp 640 that gradually transitions between depths into the housing 602. In other configurations, the drainage passage 624 may include more or fewer layers (not shown) to increase the flow efficiency from the inlet 614 to the outlet 620. As liquid flows from first layer 642 along slope 640 to second layer 644, the liquid may gain momentum to more efficiently flush drainage system 600.

The cover 606 in fig. 6C is shown as extending parallel to the entire surface of the housing 602, including the ramp 640, such that the cover 606 also includes a ramp surface and liquid is effectively directed to the outlet 620. However, in other configurations, a plane (not shown) extending through the cover 606 may be offset from a plane (not shown) extending through the ramp 640 or any other surface of the housing 602 to more effectively move liquid to the outlet 620. The inlet 614 and outlet 620 are shown as being generally perpendicular to each other such that when liquid flows through the drainage passage 624, the liquid exits the outlet 620 unimpeded by walls or surfaces of the housing 602, the outlet 620, or both. In other configurations, the inlet 614 and the outlet 620 may be parallel such that the cover 606, the inlet 614, and the outlet 620 are in the same plane (e.g., in the examples described with respect to fig. 4A-4C).

The

drainage system

300, 500, 600 in the present application is described as being associated with an image capture device, such as the image capture device 100 or the image capture device 210. The

drain system

300, 500, 600 may also be used with other electronic devices that include audio components that may benefit from rapid removal of liquid (e.g., image capture devices with a single image sensor and/or portable electronic devices without an image sensor that include audio components). Additional examples of electronic devices that may implement the

drain systems

300, 500, 600 described herein include hand-held sound recorders, remote control devices with voice control, and smart phones. Other electronic devices are also possible.

While the disclosure has been described in connection with certain embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is permitted under the law.

Claims

1. A drain apparatus, characterized in that the drain apparatus comprises:

an audio component;

a housing defining an aperture at an interior surface of the housing that engages the audio component;

a post coupled to an exterior surface of the housing at a location of the aperture;

a cover coupled to the post and not in contact with the housing; and

a drain channel extending between the cover, the exterior surface of the housing, and the post, the drain channel comprising:

a first portion defining an inlet of the drain channel, the first portion having a first width defined by the strut; and

a second portion defining an outlet of the drain channel, the second portion having a second width defined by the brace,

wherein the strut is tapered in shape such that the first width is greater than the second width.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second portion comprises a flange proximate the outlet, the flange configured to direct liquid away from the outlet.

3. The drain of claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion are separated by a third portion, the third portion being located between the audio assembly and the cover.

4. The drain of claim 3, wherein the second portion slopes from the third portion to the outlet to drain liquid from the third portion along the second portion to the outlet.

5. The drain of claim 3, wherein the first, second, and third portions form the drain channel that is continuous and has a height that is consistent throughout the drain channel.

6. The drain of claim 3, wherein the first portion tapers from the inlet to the third portion, and wherein the second portion tapers from the third portion to the outlet.

7. The drain of claim 3, wherein the audio assembly comprises:

an audio device received within the interior surface of the housing at the aperture; and

a waterproof membrane spaced a distance from the audio device and contacting the exterior surface of the housing, the waterproof membrane separating the third portion from the audio device.

8. The drain of claim 3, wherein the cover includes apertures patterned on the audio component to improve audio projection and reception and to drain liquid from the third portion.

9. The drain of claim 1, wherein the cover includes an aperture that is a detent.

10. The drain of claim 1, wherein the inlet and the outlet are perpendicular with respect to each other.

11. A drainage system, characterized in that the drainage system comprises:

a cover recess having an upper layer and a lower layer defined in a housing of a device, the upper layer extending across an aperture defined through the housing and staggered in depth into the housing relative to the lower layer, wherein the device comprises an audio component located at a position of the aperture;

a cover extending over the cover recess to define a drain channel extending from an inlet, across the audio component, across the upper and lower layers of the cover recess, and to an outlet to drain moisture from the audio component,

wherein the inlet is engaged with the upper layer and the outlet is engaged with the lower layer.

12. The drainage system of claim 11, wherein the cover recess comprises a connecting layer between the upper layer and the lower layer, the connecting layer configured as a chamfer between the upper layer and the lower layer.

13. The drainage system of claim 11, wherein the drainage channel comprises a first portion associated with the upper layer and a second portion associated with the lower layer, the first portion having a width and the second portion having a width, and wherein the width of the first portion is greater than the width of the second portion.

14. The drain system of claim 13, wherein the cover includes an aperture patterned on the audio component and the first portion such that the aperture and the outlet in combination drain liquid from the audio component.

15. The drainage system of claim 11, further comprising:

a strut connecting the cover to the cover recess, the strut having a tapered configuration from the inlet to the outlet.

16. An image capturing apparatus characterized in that the image capturing apparatus comprises:

a housing including an exterior surface defining a recess, an opening within the recess, and a sloped structure along the recess;

an audio assembly disposed adjacent to the opening;

a cover coupled with the housing through the recess;

an inlet located between the first edge of the cover and the housing and configured to facilitate flow of liquid within the recess and over the audio component;

an outlet located between the second edge of the cover and the housing and configured to facilitate flow of the liquid across the audio component and out of the recess; and

a drain passage fluidly connecting the inlet and the outlet between the housing and the cover, the drain passage being shaped to gradually narrow from the inlet to the outlet.

17. The image capture device of claim 16, wherein the angled structure is located between the audio component and the outlet.

18. The image capture device of claim 16, wherein the cover is coupled to the housing by a strut, and wherein the strut has a tapered configuration at a side of the drainage channel to cause liquid to be directed downstream of the audio component.

19. The image capture device of claim 16, wherein the cover includes a ramp, and wherein the ramp of the cover is parallel to the sloped structure of the exterior surface.

20. The image capture device of claim 16, wherein the drainage channel has a height measured between the cover and the exterior surface of the housing, and wherein the height of the drainage channel is substantially uniform between the outlet and the inlet.

21. An image capturing apparatus characterized in that the image capturing apparatus comprises:

an audio component;

a housing defining an aperture and including the audio component connected with an interior surface of the housing;

a drain channel extending between the exterior surface of the housing and the strut, the drain channel comprising:

a first portion defining an inlet of the drain channel, the first portion having a first width defined by the strut;

a second portion defining an outlet of the drain channel, the second portion having a second width defined by the leg; and

a third portion having a ramp structure extending downwardly from the first portion to the second portion, the third portion having a third width defined by the strut; and

a cover coupled to the strut and not in contact with the housing at the inlet and the outlet, the cover including an aperture configured to drain water from the drainage channel;

wherein the struts are tapered in shape such that the first width is greater than the second width and the third width is greater than the second width.

22. The image capture device of claim 21, wherein a height of the first portion, a height of the second portion, and a height of the third portion are uniform between the inlet and the outlet.

23. The image capture device of claim 21, wherein the first portion and the third portion are adjacent to the aperture of the housing.

24. The image capture device of claim 21, wherein the aperture of the housing has a length, and wherein the length of the aperture and the third width of the third portion are the same.

25. The image capture device of claim 21, wherein the aperture of the cover has a patterned arrangement.

26. The image capture device of claim 21, wherein the inlet and the outlet are perpendicular to each other, wherein the inlet has a length, wherein the outlet has a height, and wherein the length of the inlet and the height of the outlet are the same.

27. The image capture device of claim 21, wherein the drainage channel and the audio component are separated by a membrane.

28. The image capture device of claim 21, wherein the image capture device comprises two struts at positions below the cover.

29. The image capture device of claim 28, wherein the struts each comprise a flange at the location of the outlet.

30. The image capture device of claim 21, wherein the struts each have a length, wherein the cover has a length, and wherein the length of each of the struts is less than the length of the cover.