Electronic devices with internal moisture resistant coatings

Abstract

A moisture-resistant electronic device includes at least one electronic component at least partially covered by a moisture-resistant coating. The moisture-resistant coating may be located within an interior of the electronic device. The moisture-resistant coating may cover only portions of a boundary of an internal space within the electronic device. A moisture-resistant-coating may include one or more discernible boundaries, or seams, which may be located at or adjacent to locations where two or more components of the electronic device interface with each other. Assembly methods are also disclosed.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An electronic subassembly, comprising:
 a circuit board;   an electronic component assembled with the circuit board;   an intermediate conductive element electrically coupling a conductive element of the circuit board with a conductive element of the electronic component; and   a moisture-resistant coating over at least an exposed portion of the conductive element of the circuit board, the intermediate conductive element and an exposed portion of the conductive element of the electronic component, at a least portion of the electronic component being exposed laterally beyond a periphery of the moisture-resistant coating.   
     
     
         2 . The electronic subassembly of  claim 1 , wherein a surface of the moisture-resistant coating has a water contact angle of about 90° or greater. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic subassembly of  claim 1 , wherein the moisture-resistant coating comprises a conformal coating of at least one of an organic material, a halogenated organic material or a ceramic material. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic subassembly of  claim 1 , wherein the moisture-resistant coating substantially covers and conforms to a surface of the circuit board, all electronic components carried by the surface of the circuit board and all intermediate conductive elements extending across the surface of the circuit board. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic subassembly of  claim 4 , wherein the moisture-resistant coating has a substantially uniform thickness. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic subassembly of  claim 4 , wherein the moisture-resistant coating includes:
 first regions of a first thickness located over first features; and   second regions of a second thickness located over second features, the first thickness exceeding the second thickness, the first features being more susceptible to damage from moisture than the second features.   
     
     
         7 . An electronic device, comprising:
 an exterior surface;   at least one interior space including boundaries defined by a internal surfaces of a plurality of components of the electronic device; and   a moisture-resistant coating on only portions of the boundaries of the at least one internal space.   
     
     
         8 . The electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein a surface of the moisture-resistant coating has a water contact angle of about 90° or greater. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic device of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 another moisture-resistant coating on other portions of the boundaries of the at least one internal space.   
     
     
         10 . The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the moisture-resistant coating and the another moisture-resistant coating reside on surfaces of different components of the electronic device. 
     
     
         11 . The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein at least one discernible boundary separates the moisture-resistant coating from the another moisture-resistant coating. 
     
     
         12 . The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the moisture-resistant coating and the another moisture-resistant coating resist moisture in different ways. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the moisture-resistant coating and the another moisture-resistant coating at least partially overlap one another. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic device of  claim 13 , wherein at least one discernible boundary separates the moisture-resistant coating from the another moisture-resistant coating. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic device of  claim 13 , wherein the moisture-resistant coating and the another moisture-resistant coating have different properties. 
     
     
         16 . The electronic device of  claim 13 , wherein the moisture-resistant coating provides a moisture barrier and the another moisture-resistant coating repels moisture. 
     
     
         17 . An electronic device, comprising:
 an exterior surface;   at least one interior space including boundaries defined by a internal surfaces of a plurality of components of the electronic device; and   a moisture-resistant coating on the boundaries of the at least one internal space, the moisture-resistant coating including at least one discernible boundary at an interface between two or more components of the electronic device.   
     
     
         18 . The electronic device of  claim 17 , wherein a surface of the moisture-resistant coating has a water contact angle of about 90° or greater. 
     
     
         19 . The electronic device of  claim 17 , wherein the moisture-resistant coating comprises sections on opposite sides of the at least one discernible boundary, the sections of the moisture-resistant coating comprising different materials from one another. 
     
     
         20 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing defining at least a portion of an interior of an electronic device and at least a portion of an exterior of the electronic device;   a power supply including at least one internal surface exposed to an interior of the electronic device;   a radiofrequency device within the interior of the electronic device and including at least one internal surface exposed to the interior of the electronic device; and   at least one moisture-resistant coating on at least a portion of the at least one internal surface of the power supply and the at least one internal surface of the radiofrequency device.   
     
     
         21 . The electronic device of  claim 20 , wherein a surface of the moisture-resistant coating has a water contact angle of about 90° or greater. 
     
     
         22 . The electronic device of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 a display assembled within the housing and including at least one internal surface exposed to the interior of the electronic device, the at least one moisture-resistant coating also being located on at least a portion of the at least one internal surface of the display.   
     
     
         23 . The electronic device of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one moisture-resistant coating also covers at least portions of electrical connections to and from at least one of the display, the power supply and the radiofrequency device. 
     
     
         24 . The electronic device of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 a wireless power system, at least a portion of which includes at least one internal surface exposed to an interior of the electronic device, the at least one moisture-resistant coating covering at least a portion of the at least one internal surface.   
     
     
         25 . The electronic device of  claim 24 , lacking externally accessible contacts. 
     
     
         26 . An electronic subassembly, comprising:
 a circuit board;   an electronic component assembled with the circuit board;   conductive elements on the circuit board electrically coupled with corresponding conductive elements of the electronic component; and   a moisture-resistant coating over at least exposed portions of at least some of the conductive elements of the circuit board and over at least a portion of the electronic component, at least a portion of the electronic component being exposed laterally beyond a periphery of the moisture-resistant coating.   
     
     
         27 . A method for assembling an electronic device, comprising:
 applying a first moisture-resistant coating to at least a portion of a surface of a first component of an electronic device;   applying a second moisture-resistant coating to at least a portion of a surface of a second component of the electronic device; and   after applying the first and second moisture-resistant coatings, assembling the first component and the second component.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein applying the first moisture-resistant coating comprises applying a first moisture-resistant coating with a surface having a water contact angle of about 90° or greater. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 assembling a third component of the electronic device, which third component lacks a moisture-resistant coating, with at least one of the first component and the second component.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein applying the first and second moisture-resistant coatings comprise applying the same material to the surfaces of the first and second components. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein applying the first and second moisture-resistant coatings comprise applying different materials to the surfaces of the first and second components. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein applying the first and second moisture-resistant coatings comprises applying conformal coatings to at least portions of surfaces of the first component and the second component of the electronic device.