公开(公告)号：US20190287910A1

公开(公告)日：2019-09-19

申请号：US16134839

申请日：2018-09-18

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Steven J. Keating ,  Daniel D. Sunshine ,  Benjamin J. Grena

IPC: H01L23/538 ,  D02G3/12 ,  D02G3/36 ,  D02G3/44 ,  G01D11/24 ,  H01L33/62 ,  H01L25/065 ,  H01L25/18 ,  H01L25/16 ,  H01L25/075

Abstract: A fabric-based item may include fabric formed from intertwined strands of material with embedded circuitry. The strands of material may be formed from dielectric materials such as polymers. The strands of material may be formed from joined segments of polymer strand material or other material. Each joined segment may contain a potentially distinct circuit. Some joined segments may include one or more conductive lines. The conductive lines may run parallel to each other along the length of the joined segments to form circuit interconnects. Conductive lines may be joined to contact pads on integrated circuits and other embedded components formed from semiconductor dies. Control circuitry formed from the integrated circuits embedded in strands of material in the fabric and other control circuitry may be used to control the circuitry embedded in the fabric.

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.

公开(公告)号：US11484264B2

公开(公告)日：2022-11-01

申请号：US17088457

申请日：2020-11-03

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: A61B5/024 ,  A61B5/00 ,  A61B5/0205 ,  A61B5/021 ,  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 provide 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.

公开(公告)号：US11233012B2

公开(公告)日：2022-01-25

申请号：US16134839

申请日：2018-09-18

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Steven J. Keating ,  Daniel D. Sunshine ,  Benjamin J. Grena

IPC: H01L23/538 ,  D02G3/12 ,  D02G3/36 ,  D02G3/44 ,  H01L33/62 ,  H01L25/065 ,  H01L25/18 ,  H01L25/16 ,  H01L25/075 ,  D03D1/00 ,  D03D15/47

Abstract: A fabric-based item may include fabric formed from intertwined strands of material with embedded circuitry. The strands of material may be formed from dielectric materials such as polymers. The strands of material may be formed from joined segments of polymer strand material or other material. Each joined segment may contain a potentially distinct circuit. Some joined segments may include one or more conductive lines. The conductive lines may run parallel to each other along the length of the joined segments to form circuit interconnects. Conductive lines may be joined to contact pads on integrated circuits and other embedded components formed from semiconductor dies. Control circuitry formed from the integrated circuits embedded in strands of material in the fabric and other control circuitry may be used to control the circuitry embedded in the fabric.

公开(公告)号：US10849557B2

公开(公告)日：2020-12-01

申请号：US16140419

申请日：2018-09-24

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 ,  A61B5/0408 ,  A61B5/08 ,  D03D1/00 ,  D03D7/00 ,  D03D15/08 ,  H04B1/3827 ,  H04W4/80 ,  A61B5/01 ,  A61B5/113 ,  D02G3/44

Abstract: A fabric-based item may be provide 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.

公开(公告)号：US20200283935A1

公开(公告)日：2020-09-10

申请号：US16809445

申请日：2020-03-04

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Kyle L. Chatham ,  Kathryn P. Crews ,  Didio V. Gomes ,  Benjamin J. Grena ,  Storrs T. Hoen ,  Steven J. Keating ,  David M. Kindlon ,  Daniel A. Podhajny ,  Andrew L. Rosenberg ,  Daniel D. Sunshine ,  Lia M. Uesato ,  Joseph B. Walker ,  Felix Binder ,  Bertram Wendisch ,  Martin Latta ,  Ulrich Schläpfer ,  Franck Robin ,  Michael Baumann ,  Helen Wächter Fischer

IPC: D03D1/00 ,  H05K1/03

Abstract: Interlacing equipment may be used to form fabric and to create a gap in the fabric. The fabric may include one or more conductive strands. An insertion tool may be used to align an electrical component with the conductive strands during interlacing operations. A soldering tool may be used to remove insulation from the conductive strands to expose conductive segments on the conductive strands. The soldering tool may be used to solder the conductive segments to the electrical component. The solder connections may be located in grooves in the electrical component. An encapsulation tool may dispense encapsulation material in the grooves to encapsulate the solder connections. After the electrical component is electrically connected to the conductive strands, the insertion tool may position and release the electrical component in the gap. A component retention tool may temporarily be used to retain the electrical component in the gap as interlacing operations continue.