Protect sensitive electronics for improved performance
and reliability
Today’s active consumers expect portable electronic devices to
function in any environment. Laptop computers, PDAs, two-way
radios and other devices must withstand water, dust, liquids,
and harsh weather without compromising their performance
and reliability.
Performance is affected by pressure differentials that are created
from temperature variations in weatherproof housings.
The internal electronics could generate heat, or the internal
temperature could increase due to external environmental
conditions like direct sun exposure. Either situation could cause
the pressure to build inside the enclosure. The resulting pressure
differentials could eventually affect the life and reliability of the
device due to the stress placed on the seals of the housing. This
stress may cause gaps in the seals, allowing contaminants to
enter the device and damage the components. If the internal
pressure is not equalized, the device could ultimately fail.
Venting for Protection
Installing a vent in the device housing helps equalize internal
pressure and minimizes the risk of contamination, without
compromising sound transmission quality. GORE Protective
Vents are the ideal solution for portable electronic devices that
require high-quality sound transmission and protection from
harsh, everyday environmental contaminants.
®
GORE Protective Vents contain a proprietary GORE Membrane
made of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) that allows
air and gases to flow freely through the vent. Venting ports
in the housings protect devices from dust, splashes and
water immersion. Without significantly compromising sound
transmission, integrity or quality, the membrane also protects
components from a variety of everyday liquids, such as
carbonated and alcoholic beverages, cleaning fluids and
coffee. The result — increased reliability, preserved sound
quality and longer product life.
®
Gas molecules
pass through the
membrane.
™
Liquid and
particles are
repelled.
GORE Protective
Vents equalize
pressure while
protecting
sensitive
electronics
®
Realize the Benefits of
GORE Protective Vents:
®
•High-quality sound transmission because of acoustically
transparent materials
•Improved reliability and longer, trouble-free service life,
even in extreme conditions, due to reduced stress on
enclosure seals
•Superior protection against condensation and display
fogging due to vapor-permeable membrane
•Reduced stress on enclosure seals through rapid equalization
of pressure
• Protection of internal components from contaminants and
everyday liquids through hydrophobic and oleophobic properties
• Easy integration for design and manufacturing with multiple
vent options
• Superior global technical support and broad application
knowledge from Gore’s engineering experts, with over
200 million installations world-wide
Diverse Product Line
Engineered for Simple Integration
GORE Protective Vents are manufactured in many different sizes
and shapes, making it easy to choose the right vent for any
application. With a diverse product portfolio, these vents are easy
to integrate into new or existing designs to meet the needs of a
broad range of applications and markets. The versatility of GORE
Protective Vents is apparent in both their range of protection and
their ease of installation. For example, these vents:
®
GORE Protective Vents provide value
to a wide array of portable electronic
devices including:
®
®
•tolerate temperatures ranging from –40°C to 125°C
•perform to protection standards up to IP69K*
•provide maximum protection for applications in harsh
environments through molded plastic or metal vents
Consumer audio and video devices
Navigational devices
Handheld communications systems
Portable data devices
Ruggedized electronic equipment
Digital cameras
Two-way radios
•install easily by being adhered, threaded, snapped, bolted or
heat/ultrasonic-welded to a variety of enclosure materials
•adhere to the device with adhesive backing for applications with
insufficient free space to install a vent inside
Proven Application Expertise and Experience
With more than fifty years in membrane research and technology,
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., has combined this expertise with
an extensive understanding of electronic device design to
create innovative, leading-edge venting solutions. Gore continues
to study the design and manufacturing needs of the electronic
products industry in areas such as temperature and pressure
fluctuations, reliability, testing methods, product standards and
performance requirements.
international contacts
Korea 82.2.393.3411
Scandinavia 46.31.706.7800
Singapore 65.6733.2882
South America 55.11.5502.7800
Spain 34.93.480.6900
Taiwan 886.2.8771.7799
United Kingdom 44.1506.460123
USA 1.410.392.4440
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
401 Airport Road • Elkton, MD 21921 USA
Phone: 410.392.4440 • Toll-Free: 1.800.455.4684
Fax: 410.506.8749 • Email: protectivevents@wlgore.com
gore.com/protectivevents
*IP ratings are product housing design dependent. Please contact a Gore representative for more information.
FOR INDUSTRIAL USE ONLY. Not for use in food, drug, cosmetic or
medical device manufacturing, processing, or packaging operations.
All technical information and advice given here is based on Gore’s previous experiences and/or test results. Gore gives this
information to the best of its knowledge, but assumes no legal responsibility. Customers are asked to check the suitability
and usability in the specific application, since the performance of the product can only be judged when all necessary
operating data are available. The above information is subject to change and is not to be used for specification purposes.
Gore’s terms and conditions of sale apply to the sale of the products by Gore.
® GORE and designs are trademarks of W. L. Gore & Associates.
© 2011 W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
PTV-017-R5-SGM-US-FEB11
Australia 61.2.9473.6800
Benelux 49.89.4612.2211
Central America 52.81.8288.1281
China 86.21.5172.8299
France 33.1.5695.6565
Germany 49.89.4612.2211
India 91.22.6768.7000
Italy 39.045.6209.240
Japan 81.3.3327.0011