公开(公告)号：US10484793B1

公开(公告)日：2019-11-19

申请号：US15245582

申请日：2016-08-24

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Jonathan R. Peterson ,  Daniel D. Sunshine ,  Yohji Hamada ,  Daniel A. Podhajny ,  Kathryn P. Crews ,  Jahan C. Minoo

IPC: H04R5/04 ,  H04R5/033 ,  G06F3/044

Abstract: An electronic device such as a pair of headphones may be provided with left and right speakers for playing audio to a user. Control circuitry in the electronic device may play audio through the speakers in an unreversed configuration in which left channel audio is played through a first of the speakers that is adjacent to a left ear of the user and right channel audio is played through a second of the speakers that is adjacent to a right ear of the user or a reversed configuration in which these channel assignments are reversed. The headphones may have ear cups that house the speakers. Capacitive touch sensors, force sensors, and other sensors on the ear cups may measure ear shapes and finger grip positions on the ear cups to determine whether to operate in the unreversed or reversed configuration. Sensors may gather gestures and other user touch input.

公开(公告)号：US10180721B2

公开(公告)日：2019-01-15

申请号：US15940876

申请日：2018-03-29

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Storrs T. Hoen ,  Daniel D. Sunshine ,  Aidan N. Zimmerman ,  Daniel A. Podhajny ,  Maurice P. May

IPC: G06F3/01 ,  A61B5/00 ,  G06F1/16 ,  G06F3/045 ,  D03D1/00 ,  A41D1/00 ,  A41D31/02 ,  G06F3/041 ,  G06F3/044 ,  G06F3/0488 ,  D02G3/44

Abstract: A fabric-based item such as a fabric glove may include force sensing circuitry. The force sensing circuitry may include force sensor elements formed from electrodes on a compressible substrate such as an elastomeric polymer substrate. The fabric may include intertwined strands of material including conductive strands. Signals from the force sensing circuitry may be conveyed to control circuitry in the item using the conductive strands. Wireless circuitry in the fabric-based item may be used to convey force sensor information to external equipment. The compressible substrate may have opposing upper and lower surfaces. Electrodes for the force sensor elements may be formed on the upper and lower surfaces. Stiffeners may overlap the electrodes to help decouple adjacent force sensor elements from each other. Integrated circuits can be attached to respective force sensing elements using adhesive.

公开(公告)号：US10174444B1

公开(公告)日：2019-01-08

申请号：US14938661

申请日：2015-11-11

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Daniel A. Podhajny ,  Kathryn P. Crews ,  Yohji Hamada

IPC: D03D15/00 ,  D03J1/14 ,  D02H5/02

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. One or more of the warp strands may be selectively modified along its length using a warp strand modification unit. The warp strand modification unit may be interposed between the fabric and a reed, may be interposed between the fabric and the warp strand positioning equipment, may be mounted to the reed, or may be incorporated elsewhere in the weaving equipment. Warp strand modifications may include adding segments of metallic paint coatings or other conductive coatings, adding insulating coatings, applying other liquids to segments of the warp strand, modifying the stretchiness of warp strands, removing material from segments of the warp strand, and attaching electrical components to the warp strand.

公开(公告)号：US09974170B1

公开(公告)日：2018-05-15

申请号：US15146601

申请日：2016-05-04

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Daniel D. Sunshine ,  Daniel A. Podhajny ,  Kathryn P. Crews ,  Kirk M. Mayer ,  John Arthur Maasberg

IPC: C23C18/16 ,  H05K1/03 ,  H01B13/00

CPC classification number: H05K1/038 ,  C23C18/16 ,  C23C18/1633 ,  C25D7/0607 ,  H01B13/0026 ,  H01B13/0036 ,  H05K3/103 ,  H05K2201/0281

Abstract: Strands of material may be intertwined using weaving techniques, knitting techniques, non-woven or entanglement techniques, or braiding techniques. Fabric that is formed from the strands of material may be used in forming a fabric-based item. The fabric based item may include electrical components. The strands may include conductive strands that form signal paths. The signal paths can carry electrical signals associated with operation of the electrical components. Each strand may have an elongated core and a coating. Strands may also include intermediate layers between the cores and coatings. The cores, intermediate layers, and coatings may be formed from polymer without conductive filler, polymer with conductive filler, and/or metal. A polymer core may be provided with recesses to help retain subsequently deposited layers such as a metal coating layer. The recesses may be grooves that extend along the longitudinal axis of the core.

公开(公告)号：US20170247820A1

公开(公告)日：2017-08-31

申请号：US15512530

申请日：2015-09-16

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Daniel A. Podhajny ,  James G. Griffin, II

IPC: D03D1/00 ,  D03D25/00 ,  D03D15/02 ,  D03D11/02

CPC classification number: D03D1/0088 ,  D03D11/02 ,  D03D15/02 ,  D03D25/005 ,  D10B2401/18 ,  D10B2403/023 ,  H01H13/702 ,  H01H2203/0085 ,  H01H2221/04

Abstract: Three-dimensional weaving, knitting, or braiding tools may be used to create three-dimensional fabric (24) with internal pockets (56). The pockets (56) may be shaped to receive electrical components such as switch electrodes (46A, 46B) for a switch (18). The fabric (24) may have adjacent first and second layers that are interposed between the switch electrodes (46A, 46B). The switch electrodes (46A, 46B) may be biased apart using magnets (46A-1, 46B-1) or other biasing structure. In a region of the fabric (24) that overlaps the first and second switch electrodes (46A, 46B), the first and second layers of fabric may be disconnected from each other. This allows the first and second layers to pull away from each other so that the electrodes (46A, 46B) are separated by the biasing force from the biasing structure. The switch (18) can be closed by pressing the electrodes (46A, 46B) together.

公开(公告)号：US11979721B2

公开(公告)日：2024-05-07

申请号：US18208217

申请日：2023-06-09

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Daniel A. Podhajny ,  Joshua A. Hoover ,  Nicholas R. Trincia ,  Yue Chen ,  Seul Bi Kim ,  Chad J. Miller ,  Kristen L. Cretella ,  Yi Zou ,  William Leith

IPC: H04R3/12 ,  G10L25/78 ,  H04R1/02 ,  H04R1/40 ,  H04R3/00

CPC classification number: H04R3/12 ,  G10L25/78 ,  H04R1/023 ,  H04R1/403 ,  H04R1/406 ,  H04R3/005 ,  H04R2201/025 ,  H04R2201/401 ,  H04R2420/07

Abstract: A wearable device can provide an audio module that is operable to provide audio output from a distance away from the ears of the user. For example, the wearable device can be worn on clothing of the user and direct audio waves to the ears of the user. Such audio waves can be focused by a parametric array of speakers that limit audibility by others. Thus, the privacy of the audio directed to the user can be maintained without requiring the user to wear audio headsets on, over, or in the ears of the user. The wearable device can further include microphones and/or connections to other devices that facilitate calibration of the audio module of the wearable device. The wearable device can further include user sensors that are configured to detect, measure, and/or track one or more properties of the user.

公开(公告)号：US11818528B1

公开(公告)日：2023-11-14

申请号：US17407691

申请日：2021-08-20

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Yi Zou ,  Chad J. Miller ,  Daniel A. Podhajny ,  Joshua A. Hoover ,  Kristen L. Cretella ,  Nicholas R. Trincia ,  Seul Bi Kim ,  William Leith ,  Yue Chen

IPC: H04R1/10 ,  H04R31/00 ,  H04R1/04 ,  H04R1/02 ,  F21V33/00

CPC classification number: H04R1/1016 ,  H04R1/04 ,  H04R1/1041 ,  H04R31/00 ,  F21V33/0056 ,  H04R1/028 ,  H04R2420/07

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.

公开(公告)号：US20230317626A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-05

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: H05K1/03 ,  G01D11/30 ,  H01L23/538 ,  H01L33/56 ,  H05K1/18 ,  D02G3/44 ,  H01L23/31 ,  H01L25/075

CPC classification number: H01L23/5387 ,  D02G3/441 ,  G01D11/30 ,  H01L23/3121 ,  H01L23/5386 ,  H01L25/0753 ,  H01L33/56 ,  H05K1/038 ,  H05K1/189 ,  A41D1/005 ,  H05K2201/10106

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：US11710703B2

公开(公告)日：2023-07-25

申请号：US17472223

申请日：2021-09-10

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

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：US11668026B2

公开(公告)日：2023-06-06

申请号：US16415486

申请日：2019-05-17

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Peter F. Coxeter ,  Didio V. Gomes ,  Benjamin J. Grena ,  Steven J. Keating ,  David M. Kindlon ,  Maurice P. May ,  Daniel A. Podhajny ,  Andrew L. Rosenberg ,  Daniel D. Sunshine

IPC: D03D1/00 ,  D02G3/44 ,  H05K1/03 ,  H05K3/34

CPC classification number: D03D1/0088 ,  D02G3/441 ,  H05K1/038 ,  H05K3/34 ,  H05K2201/029

Abstract: A fabric-based item may include fabric formed from intertwined strands of material. The fabric may include first and second fabric layers that at least partially surround a pocket. Initially, the pocket may be completely enclosed by the first and second layers of fabric. A shim may be placed in the pocket before the pocket is closed. An opening may be formed in the first layer of fabric to expose a conductive strand in the pocket. The shim may prevent the cutting tool from cutting all the way through to the second layer of fabric. After cutting the hole in the first layer of fabric, the shim may be removed and an electrical component may be soldered to the conductive strand in the pocket. A polymer material may be injected into the pocket to encapsulate the electrical component. The polymer material may interlock with the surrounding pocket walls.