IP Library Granted Patent US 12,157,663
Granted Patent B2
US 12,157,663 · App. 18/638,730 · Granted Dec 3, 2024

Venting device, manufacturing method of venting device, venting method and device

Inventors: Chun-I Chang (Hsinchu County, TW); Wen-Chien Chen (New Taipei, TW); Chiung C. Lo (San Jose, CA); Kuan-Ju Tseng (Hsinchu, TW); Jemm Yue Liang (Sunnyvale, CA); Martin George Lim (Hillsborough, CA)
Assignee: xMEMS Labs, Inc.
B81B3/0021B81B3/0051B81B3/0072H04R31/00B81B2201/0257B81B2203/0127B81B2203/0163B81B2207/03
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,157,663
App. No.
18/638,730
Granted
Dec 3, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A venting device includes an anchor structure and a membrane. The membrane is anchored on the anchor structure and configured to form a first vent and a second vent. The membrane includes a first flap, a second flap and a third flap. The membrane partitions a space into a first volume and a second volume, and the first volume and the second volume are connected when the first vent and the second vent are formed. The first flap is actuated to move toward a first direction and the second flap is actuated to move toward a second direction opposite to the first direction, so as to form the first vent. The first flap is actuated to move toward the first direction and the third flap is actuated to move toward the second direction opposite to the first direction, so as to form the second vent.

Claims (81)

1. A venting device, comprising:

an anchor structure; and

a membrane anchored on the anchor structure and configured to form a first vent and a second vent;

wherein the membrane comprises a first flap, a second flap and a third flap;

wherein the membrane partitions a space into a first volume and a second volume, and the first volume and the second volume are connected when the first vent and the second vent are formed;

wherein the first flap is actuated to move toward a first direction and the second flap is actuated to move toward a second direction opposite to the first direction, so as to form the first vent;

wherein the first flap is actuated to move toward the first direction and the third flap is actuated to move toward the second direction opposite to the first direction, so as to form the second vent.

2. The venting device of claim 1 , wherein the first flap is adjacent to the second flap, and the first flap is adjacent to the third flap.

3. The venting device of claim 1 , wherein the membrane further comprises a fourth flap separated from the first flap, the second flap and the third flap.

4. The venting device of claim 1 , wherein the first flap comprises a first free edge adjacent to the second flap and a second free edge adjacent to the third flap, the first vent is formed between the first free edge of the first flap and the second flap, and the second vent is formed between the second free edge of the first flap and the third flap.

5. The venting device of claim 4 , wherein the first flap comprises a first anchor edge, the first free edge is opposite to the first anchor edge, and the second free edge is between the first free edge and the first anchor edge.

6. The venting device of claim 5 ,

wherein the second flap comprises a second anchor edge, a third free edge opposite to the second anchor edge and a fourth free edge between the third free edge and the second anchor edge;

wherein the third flap comprises a third anchor edge, a fifth free edge opposite to the third anchor edge and a sixth free edge between the fifth free edge and the third anchor edge;

wherein the first vent is formed between the first free edge of the first flap and the fourth free edge of the second flap, and the second vent is formed between the second free edge of the first flap and the fifth free edge of the third flap.

7. The venting device of claim 5 ,

wherein the second flap comprises a second anchor edge and a third free edge opposite to the second anchor edge;

wherein the third flap comprises a third anchor edge, a fifth free edge opposite to the third anchor edge and a sixth free edge between the fifth free edge and the third anchor edge;

wherein the first vent is formed between the first free edge of the first flap and the third free edge of the second flap, and the second vent is formed between the second free edge of the first flap and the sixth free edge of the third flap.

8. The venting device of claim 5 ,

wherein the second flap comprises a second anchor edge, a third free edge opposite to the second anchor edge and a fourth free edge between the third free edge and the second anchor edge;

wherein the third flap comprises a third anchor edge, a fifth free edge opposite to the third anchor edge and a sixth free edge between the fifth free edge and the third anchor edge;

wherein the first vent is formed between the first free edge of the first flap and the third free edge of the second flap, and the second vent is formed between the second free edge of the first flap and the fifth free edge of the third flap.

9. The venting device of claim 5 ,

wherein the second flap comprises a second anchor edge, a third free edge opposite to the second anchor edge and a fourth free edge between the third free edge and the second anchor edge;

wherein the third flap comprises a third anchor edge, a fifth free edge opposite to the third anchor edge and a sixth free edge between the fifth free edge and the third anchor edge;

wherein the first vent is formed between the first free edge of the first flap and the fourth free edge of the second flap, and the second vent is formed between the second free edge of the first flap and the sixth free edge of the third flap.

10. The venting device of claim 1 , wherein the first flap has a free edge adjacent to the second flap, the second flap has an edge adjacent to the first flap, the first vent is formed between the free edge of the first flap and the edge of the second flap, and the free edge of the first flap and the edge of the second flap are saw-shaped edges.

11. The venting device of claim 1 , wherein the first flap has a free edge adjacent to the third flap, the third flap has an edge adjacent to the first flap, the second vent is formed between the free edge of the first flap and the edge of the third flap, and the free edge of the first flap and the edge of the third flap are saw-shaped edges.

12. The venting device of claim 1 , wherein the venting device is operated in a first mode, a second mode or a third mode.

13. The venting device of claim 12 , wherein in the first mode, the membrane is actuated to be maintained as a first position, and the first position is parallel to a base on which the venting device is disposed.

14. The venting device of claim 12 , wherein in the second mode, the first flap is actuated to move toward the first direction, and the second flap and the third flap are actuated to move toward the second direction opposite to the first direction, such that the first vent and the second vent are formed.

15. The venting device of claim 12 , wherein in the third mode, no power is applied to actuators disposed on the membrane or the first flap, the second flap and the third flap are below a first position, and the first position is parallel to a base on which the venting device is disposed.

16. The venting device of claim 12 , wherein a total size of the first vent and the second vent in the second mode is greater than a total size of the first vent and the second vent in the third mode, and the total size of the first vent and the second vent in the third mode is greater than a total size of the first vent and the second vent in the first mode.

17. The venting device of claim 1 ,

wherein the venting device is disposed within a wearable sound device or to be disposed within the wearable sound device;

wherein the wearable sound device is an earbud or a hearing aid;

wherein the wearable sound device comprises an acoustic transducer configured to perform an acoustic transformation.

18. The venting device of claim 1 ,

wherein the first flap comprises a first anchor edge, the second flap comprises a second anchor edge, and the third flap comprises a third anchor edge;

wherein the first anchor edge, the second anchor edge and the third anchor edge are anchored on the anchor structure;

wherein the second anchor edge and the third anchor edge are parallel to the first anchor edge.

19. The venting device of claim 1 ,

wherein the first flap comprises a first anchor edge, the second flap comprises a second anchor edge, and the third flap comprises a third anchor edge;

wherein the first anchor edge, the second anchor edge and the third anchor edge are anchored on the anchor structure;

wherein the second anchor edge and the third anchor edge are perpendicular to the first anchor edge.

20. The venting device of claim 1 ,

wherein the first flap comprises a first anchor edge, the second flap comprises a second anchor edge, and the third flap comprises a third anchor edge;

wherein the first anchor edge, the second anchor edge and the third anchor edge are anchored on the anchor structure;

wherein the first anchor edge and the second anchor edge are perpendicular to the third anchor edge.

21. The venting device of claim 1 ,

wherein the first flap comprises a first anchor edge, the second flap comprises a second anchor edge, and the third flap comprises a third anchor edge;

wherein the first anchor edge, the second anchor edge and the third anchor edge are anchored on the anchor structure;

wherein the first anchor edge and the third anchor edge are perpendicular to the second anchor edge.

22. A venting device, comprising:

an anchor structure; and

a membrane anchored on the anchor structure and configured to form a vent, wherein the membrane comprises a first flap and a second flap;

wherein the membrane partitions a space into a first volume and a second volume, and the first volume and the second volume are connected via the vent when the vent is formed;

wherein a slit is formed on the membrane and the vent is formed because of the slit;

wherein a segment of the slit zigzags on the membrane;

wherein the first flap is actuated to move toward a first direction and the second flap is actuated to move toward a second direction opposite to the first direction, so as to form the vent.

23. The venting device of claim 22 , wherein the slit has a zigzagging pattern which is a saw pattern, a tooth pattern, a trapezoidal pattern, a rectangular pattern, a sinusoidal pattern or a polynomial pattern.

24. A manufacturing method of a venting device, comprising:

providing a wafer comprising a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer comprises a membrane; and

patterning the first layer of the wafer to form a plurality of slits, such that the membrane comprises a first flap, a second flap and a third flap separated from each other by the slits;

wherein the membrane is configured to be controlled to form a plurality vents because of the plurality of slits;

wherein the slits comprises a first slit and a second slit, and the vents comprise a first vent and a second vent;

wherein the first slit is formed between the first flap and the second flap, and the second slit is formed between the first flap and the third flap;

wherein the first flap is actuated to move toward a first direction and the second flap is actuated to move toward a second direction opposite to the first direction, so as to form the first vent;

wherein the first flap is actuated to move toward the first direction and the third flap is actuated to move toward the second direction opposite to the first direction, so as to form the second vent.

25. The manufacturing method of claim 24 , comprising:

forming the first slit or the second slit to have a pattern which is one of a saw pattern, a tooth pattern, a trapezoidal pattern, a rectangular pattern, a polynomial pattern and a sinusoidal pattern.

26. A venting method, applied in the venting device manufactured via the manufacturing method of claim 24 , the venting method comprising:

actuating the first flap toward the first direction; and

actuating the second flap and the third flap toward the second direction opposite to the first direction;

wherein the first vent is formed between the first flap and the second flap because of the first slit, and the second vent is formed between the first flap and the third flap because of the second slit.

27. A manufacturing method of a venting device, comprising:

providing a wafer comprising a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer comprises a membrane; and

patterning the first layer of the wafer to form a zigzagging slit, wherein the zigzagging slit zigzags on the membrane and extends toward a direction, and the membrane comprises a first flap and a second flap separated from each other by the zigzagging slit;

wherein the membrane is configured to be controlled to form a vent, and the vent is formed because of the zigzagging slit;

wherein the first flap is actuated to move toward a first direction and the second flap is actuated to move toward a second direction opposite to the first direction, so as to form the vent.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 18, 2024
From: CHANG, CHUN-I; CHEN, WEN-CHIEN; LO, CHIUNG C.; TSENG, KUAN-JU; LIANG, JEMM YUE; LIM, MARTIN GEORGE
To: XMEMS LABS, INC.
Reel/Frame 067157/0865 →
Continuity (10)
Continuation In Part 17955562 · Sep 29, 2022
Division 17842810 · Jun 17, 2022
Continuation In Part 17344980 · Jun 11, 2021
Provisional Application 63050763 · Jul 11, 2020
Provisional Application 63051885 · Jul 14, 2020
Provisional Application 63171919 · Apr 7, 2021
Provisional Application 63320703 · Mar 17, 2022
Provisional Application 63468277 · May 23, 2023
Provisional Application 63536480 · Sep 4, 2023
Related Publication 20240262679A1 · Aug 8, 2024
Cited By (1)
US 12,501,203