Fabric control device
    81.
    发明授权

    公开(公告)号:US10156029B1

    公开(公告)日:2018-12-18

    申请号:US15940842

    申请日:2018-03-29

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: A fabric-based item may include a housing that is covered in fabric. Areas of the fabric may overlap input circuitry such as button switches, touch sensors, force sensors, proximity sensors, and other sensing circuitry and may overlap other components such as light-emitting components and haptic output devices. The fabric-based item may include control circuitry that gathers user input from the input circuitry and wireless communications circuitry that the control circuitry uses to transmit remote control commands and other wireless signals in response information from the input circuitry. The fabric-based item may have a weight that is located in the housing to orient the housing in a desired direction when the housing rests on a surface. A movable weight may tilt the housing in response to proximity sensor signals or other input. Portions of the fabric may overlap light-emitting components and optical fiber configured to emit light.

    Items with conductive yarn
    82.
    发明授权

    公开(公告)号:US10145036B1

    公开(公告)日:2018-12-04

    申请号:US15586121

    申请日:2017-05-03

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: A fabric-based item may have fabric with conductive strands of material. The conductive strands of material may include conductive yarn formed from insulating fibers and conductive fibers. The conductive fibers may be metal wires. The insulating fibers in the conductive yarn may hide the conductive fibers from view. The fabric may be woven fabric or other fabric with intertwined strands of material. The woven fabric may include conductive and insulating warp yarns and conductive and insulating weft yarns. Conductive yarn may be coupled to capacitive touch sensor circuitry and may form a capacitive touch sensor grid or other capacitive touch sensor electrode structures. Conductive yarn may also be soldered or otherwise coupled to electrical components.

    Closing Mechanism
    84.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20250151856A1

    公开(公告)日:2025-05-15

    申请号:US18926092

    申请日:2024-10-24

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: A strap may include fabric and may be configured to attach an electronic device such as a wristwatch or head-mounted device to a user's body. The fabric strap may include a closing mechanism that attaches a first fabric portion of the strap to a second fabric portion of the strap. The closing mechanism may include a first array of posts on the first fabric portion and a second array of posts on the second fabric portion. The first array of posts may engage with the second array of posts to attach the first fabric portion to the second fabric portion. The posts may be printed on the fabric using additive manufacturing equipment, which allows the closing mechanism to be integrated into the fabric. Each post may include a rigid core and soft covering that deforms when the posts are engaged.

    Earbuds
    87.
    发明公开
    Earbuds 审中-公开

    公开(公告)号:US20240040298A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-02-01

    申请号:US18484007

    申请日:2023-10-10

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: Wireless earbuds may be provided with adjustable-shape housings. The housings may have bendable portions. Bendable metal members, hinges, or other flexible structures may be used in forming bendable structures for the earbuds. Electrical components may be covered by a layer of molded foam. A cover such as a fabric cover may be used to cover the molded foam. Spacer fabric or other soft material may be interposed between the fabric cover and the foam. The housing may be bent or otherwise adjusted between two or more states such as a normal, non-sleep, walking state in which the housing is expanded for normal operation while a user is sitting or walking and a sleep state in which the housing is bent to enhance comfort while sleeping. The wireless earbuds may have illumination systems, sensors, and other components.

    Fabric with embedded electrical components

    公开(公告)号:US11617268B2

    公开(公告)日:2023-03-28

    申请号:US16926565

    申请日:2020-07-10

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: Electrical components may have plastic packages. Contacts may be formed on exterior surfaces of the plastic packages. A plastic package for an electrical component may have an elongated shape that extends along a longitudinal axis. A first groove may run parallel to the longitudinal axis on a lower surface of the plastic package. A second groove may run perpendicular to the first groove on an opposing upper surface of the plastic package. The electrical components may be coupled to fibers in a fabric such as a woven fabric. A first solder connection may be formed between the first groove and a first fiber such as a weft fiber. A second solder connection may be formed between the second groove and a second fiber such as a warp fiber.

    Fabric Control Device
    90.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20220127761A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-04-28

    申请号:US17570191

    申请日:2022-01-06

    Applicant: Apple Inc.

    Abstract: A fabric-based item may include a housing that is covered in fabric. Areas of the fabric may overlap input circuitry such as button switches, touch sensors, force sensors, proximity sensors, and other sensing circuitry and may overlap other components such as light-emitting components and haptic output devices. The fabric-based item may include control circuitry that gathers user input from the input circuitry and wireless communications circuitry that the control circuitry uses to transmit remote control commands and other wireless signals in response information from the input circuitry. The fabric-based item may have a weight that is located in the housing to orient the housing in a desired direction when the housing rests on a surface. A movable weight may tilt the housing in response to proximity sensor signals or other input. Portions of the fabric may overlap light-emitting components and optical fiber configured to emit light.

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