公开(公告)号：US20210087719A1

公开(公告)日：2021-03-25

申请号：US16985042

申请日：2020-08-04

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Benjamin J. Grena ,  Didio V. Gomes ,  Joshua A. Hoover ,  Seul Bi Kim ,  David M. Kindlon ,  Kevin T. Pham ,  Daniel A. Podhajny ,  Robert J. Rose ,  Andrew L. Rosenberg ,  Miikka O. Tikander

IPC: D03D1/00 ,  B32B5/26 ,  B32B5/02 ,  B32B3/08 ,  D03D7/00 ,  D03D11/00 ,  D03D15/08 ,  D03D17/00 ,  H01B7/06

Abstract: A stretchable fabric signal path may include a conductive strand located between first and second outer fabric layers. The outer fabric layers may be formed from intertwined strands of elastic material. The conductive strand may have a wavy shape to accommodate stretching of the stretchable fabric signal path. First and second inner fabric layers may be located between the outer stretchable fabric layers. The inner fabric layers may be formed from intertwined strands of non-elastic material. The inner fabric layers may have strands that are intertwined with the outer fabric layers to serve as anchor points for maintaining the shape of the conductive strand as the stretchable fabric signal path expands and contracts. The outer fabric layers and inner fabric layers may be woven. The conductive strand may convey electrical signals such as audio signals, power signals, data signals, or other suitable signals.

公开(公告)号：US20210079569A1

公开(公告)日：2021-03-18

申请号：US17094614

申请日：2020-11-10

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Daniel D. Sunshine ,  Daniel A. Podhajny ,  David M. Kindlon ,  Kathryn P. Crews ,  Joseph B. Walker

IPC: D03D15/00 ,  D03D1/00 ,  H05K1/03 ,  H05K1/09 ,  H05K1/11 ,  H05K3/10 ,  H05K3/00

Abstract: An item may include fabric or other materials formed from intertwined strands of material. The item may include circuitry that produces signals. The strands of material may include non-conductive strands and conductive strands. The conductive strands may carry the signals produced by the circuitry. Each conductive strand may have a strand core, a conductive coating on the strand core, and an insulating layer on the conductive coating. The strand cores may be strands formed from polymer. The conductive coating may be formed from metal. Electrical connections may be made between intertwined conductive strands by selectively removing portions of the outer insulating layer to expose the conductive cores of overlapping conductive strands. A conductive material such as solder or conductive epoxy may be applied to the exposed portions of the conductive cores to electrically and mechanically connect the overlapping conductive strands.

公开(公告)号：US20200084886A1

公开(公告)日：2020-03-12

申请号：US16685846

申请日：2019-11-15

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Daniel D. Sunshine ,  David M. Kindlon ,  Michael B. Nussbaum ,  Andrew L. Rosenberg ,  Andrew Sterian ,  Breton M. Saunders ,  Christopher A. Schultz ,  David A. Bolt ,  Mark J. Beesley ,  Peter W. Mash ,  Steven Keating ,  Chang Liu ,  Lan Hoang

IPC: H05K1/03 ,  A41D1/00 ,  D03D1/00 ,  H01L23/498 ,  H05K1/02 ,  H01L23/31 ,  H05K1/11 ,  H05K1/18

Abstract: An item may include fabric having insulating and conductive yarns or other strands of material. The conductive strands may form signal paths. Electrical components can be mounted to the fabric. Each electrical component may have an electrical device such as a semiconductor die that is mounted on an interposer substrate. The interposer may have contacts that are soldered to the conductive strands. A protective cover may encapsulate portions of the electrical component. To create a robust connection between the electrical component and the fabric, the conductive strands may be threaded through recesses in the electrical component. The recesses may be formed in the interposer or may be formed in a protective cover on the interposer. Conductive material in the recess may be used to electrically and/or mechanically connect the conductive strand to a bond pad in the recess. Thermoplastic material may be used to seal the solder joint.

公开(公告)号：US20190013275A1

公开(公告)日：2019-01-10

申请号：US15752480

申请日：2015-08-20

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Daniel D. Sunshine ,  Paul S. Drzaic ,  Daniel A. Podhajny ,  David M. Kindlon ,  Hoon Sik Kim ,  Kathryn P. Crews ,  Yung-Yu Hsu

IPC: H01L23/538 ,  H01L23/31 ,  H01L25/075 ,  H01L33/62 ,  H01L33/56 ,  D02G3/44 ,  G01D11/30

Abstract: A fabric-based item may include fabric layers and other layers of material. An array of electrical components may be mounted in the fabric-based item. The electrical components may be mounted to a support structure such as a flexible printed circuit. The flexible printed circuit may have a mesh shape formed from an array of openings. Serpentine flexible printed circuit segments may extend between the openings. The electrical components may be light-emitting diodes or other electrical devices. Polymer with light-scattering particles or other materials may cover the electrical components. The flexible printed circuit may be laminated between fabric layers or other layers of material in the fabric-based item.

公开(公告)号：US12018412B2

公开(公告)日：2024-06-25

申请号：US18145215

申请日：2022-12-22

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Daniel D. Sunshine ,  Daniel A. Podhajny ,  Didio V. Gomes ,  Maurice Philip May ,  David M. Kindlon ,  Andrew L. Rosenberg

IPC: D03D49/04 ,  D03D51/06 ,  B32B5/02 ,  D03D15/56

CPC classification number: D03D49/04 ,  D03D51/06 ,  B32B5/024 ,  D03D15/56 ,  G05B2219/49384

Abstract: Weaving equipment may include warp strand positioning equipment that positions warp strands and weft strand positioning equipment that inserts weft strands among the warp strands to form fabric. The fabric may include insulating strands and conductive strands. The conductive strands may be coupled to electrical components. The warp strand positioning equipment may position the warp strands to form a shed. Component insertion equipment may be used to insert electrical components into the shed. The weaving equipment may have a reed. The reed may be used to help position an electrical component in the fabric. The weaving equipment may have take-down equipment and individually controllable warp fiber positioning and tensioning devices.

公开(公告)号：US11967561B2

公开(公告)日：2024-04-23

申请号：US18330276

申请日：2023-06-06

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Daniel D. Sunshine ,  Paul S. Drzaic ,  Daniel A. Podhajny ,  David M. Kindlon ,  Hoon Sik Kim ,  Kathryn P. Crews ,  Yung-Yu Hsu

IPC: H01L23/538 ,  D02G3/44 ,  G01D11/30 ,  H01L23/31 ,  H01L25/075 ,  H01L33/56 ,  H05K1/03 ,  H05K1/18 ,  A41D1/00 ,  F21Y115/10 ,  H01L21/48 ,  H01L23/00 ,  H01L33/62 ,  H05K1/02 ,  H05K3/28

CPC classification number: H01L23/5387 ,  D02G3/441 ,  G01D11/30 ,  H01L23/3121 ,  H01L23/5386 ,  H01L25/0753 ,  H01L33/56 ,  H05K1/038 ,  H05K1/189 ,  A41D1/005 ,  F21Y2115/10 ,  H01L21/4853 ,  H01L24/16 ,  H01L33/62 ,  H01L2224/16225 ,  H01L2224/16227 ,  H01L2924/15174 ,  H01L2933/0091 ,  H05K1/0283 ,  H05K3/284 ,  H05K2201/10106 ,  H05K2201/2009

Abstract: A fabric-based item may include fabric layers and other layers of material. An array of electrical components may be mounted in the fabric-based item. The electrical components may be mounted to a support structure such as a flexible printed circuit. The flexible printed circuit may have a mesh shape formed from an array of openings. Serpentine flexible printed circuit segments may extend between the openings. The electrical components may be light-emitting diodes or other electrical devices. Polymer with light-scattering particles or other materials may cover the electrical components. The flexible printed circuit may be laminated between fabric layers or other layers of material in the fabric-based item.

公开(公告)号：US20240032203A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-25

申请号：US18480303

申请日：2023-10-03

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Bilal Mohamed Ibrahim Kani ,  Benjamin J. Grena ,  Kyusang Kim ,  David M. Kindlon ,  Pierpaolo Lupo ,  Kishore N. Renjan ,  Manoj Vadeentavida

IPC: H05K1/18 ,  H05K1/02

CPC classification number: H05K1/186 ,  H05K1/189 ,  H05K1/0298 ,  H05K2201/10121 ,  H05K2201/10159 ,  H05K2201/10083 ,  H05K2201/10106 ,  H05K2201/10151 ,  H05K1/0274

Abstract: Fabric may include one or more conductive strands. An insertion tool may insert an electrical component into the fabric during formation of the fabric. The electrical component may include an electrical device mounted to a substrate and encapsulated by a protective structure. An interconnect structure such as a metal via or printed circuit layers may pass through an opening in the protective structure and may be used to couple a conductive strand to a contact pad on the substrate. The protective structure may be transparent or may include an opening so that light can be detected by or emitted from an optical device on the substrate. The protective structure may be formed using a molding tool that provides the protective structure with grooves or may be molded around a hollow conductive structure to create grooves. An electrical component mounted to the fabric may be embedded within printed circuit layers.

公开(公告)号：US11821115B2

公开(公告)日：2023-11-21

申请号：US16985042

申请日：2020-08-04

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Benjamin J. Grena ,  Didio V. Gomes ,  Joshua A. Hoover ,  Seul Bi Kim ,  David M. Kindlon ,  Kevin T. Pham ,  Daniel A. Podhajny ,  Robert J. Rose ,  Andrew L. Rosenberg ,  Miikka O. Tikander

IPC: D03D7/00 ,  D03D1/00 ,  B32B5/02 ,  B32B3/08 ,  D03D11/00 ,  D03D17/00 ,  H01B7/06 ,  D03D15/56

CPC classification number: D03D1/0088 ,  B32B3/08 ,  B32B5/02 ,  B32B5/024 ,  D03D7/00 ,  D03D11/00 ,  D03D15/56 ,  D03D17/00 ,  H01B7/06 ,  B32B2250/02 ,  B32B2250/03 ,  B32B2250/04 ,  B32B2262/02 ,  B32B2262/0276 ,  B32B2262/103 ,  B32B2307/202 ,  B32B2457/00 ,  D10B2331/04 ,  D10B2331/06 ,  D10B2331/12

Abstract: A stretchable fabric signal path may include a conductive strand located between first and second outer fabric layers. The outer fabric layers may be formed from intertwined strands of elastic material. The conductive strand may have a wavy shape to accommodate stretching of the stretchable fabric signal path. First and second inner fabric layers may be located between the outer stretchable fabric layers. The inner fabric layers may be formed from intertwined strands of non-elastic material. The inner fabric layers may have strands that are intertwined with the outer fabric layers to serve as anchor points for maintaining the shape of the conductive strand as the stretchable fabric signal path expands and contracts. The outer fabric layers and inner fabric layers may be woven. The conductive strand may convey electrical signals such as audio signals, power signals, data signals, or other suitable signals.

公开(公告)号：US20230061553A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-02

申请号：US17862249

申请日：2022-07-11

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Yue Chen ,  Didio V. Gomes ,  Benjamin J. Grena ,  Storrs T. Hoen ,  David M. Kindlon ,  Daniel A. Podhajny ,  Andrew L. Rosenberg

IPC: D03D1/00

Abstract: One or more electrical components may be incorporated into a piece of fabric. The electrical component may include an internal portion that is located inside of the fabric, an external portion that is located on an exterior surface of the fabric, and protrusions that extend through the fabric to electrically and/or mechanically couple the internal and external portions of the electrical component. The internal portion of the component may be inserted into the fabric during formation of the fabric. The external portion of the component may be coupled to the internal portion after the fabric is formed by inserting the protrusions on the internal portion into recesses in the external portion. The external portion of the component may contain skin-facing and/or viewer-facing input-output devices, while the internal portion may contain circuitry that electrically communicates with the input-output devices in the external portion.

公开(公告)号：US20230000435A1

公开(公告)日：2023-01-05

申请号：US17900733

申请日：2022-08-31

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Steven J. Keating ,  Daniel D. Sunshine ,  Benjamin J. Grena ,  Daniel A. Podhajny ,  Jerzy S. Guterman ,  Jessica J. Lu ,  David M. Kindlon

IPC: A61B5/00 ,  A61B5/0205 ,  A61B5/021 ,  A61B5/024 ,  A61B5/08 ,  D03D1/00 ,  D03D7/00 ,  H04B1/3827 ,  H04W4/80 ,  A61B5/01 ,  A61B5/113 ,  D02G3/44 ,  D03D15/56 ,  A61B5/25

Abstract: A fabric-based item may be provided with a stretchable band. The stretchable band may be formed from a ring-shaped strip of stretchable fabric having an opening configured to fit around a body part of a user. Circuitry may be coupled to strands of material in the stretchable band. The circuitry may include sensor circuitry for making measurements on the body part such as electrocardiogram measurements, blood pressure measurements, and respiration rate measurements. Wireless communications circuitry in the fabric-based item may be used to communicate wirelessly with external electronic equipment. A wireless power transmitting device may transmit wireless power. A coil formed from conductive strands in the fabric-based item may be used by wireless power receiving circuitry in the fabric-based item to receive the wireless power. The coil may have one or more turns that run around the ring-shaped strip of stretchable fabric.