Fabric cases for electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10439667-B1
Application number	US-201816056309-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 6, 2018
Priority date	Aug 28, 2017
Publication date	Oct 8, 2019
Grant date	Oct 8, 2019

Abstract

A fabric case for an electronic device may include a back panel having a periphery and a sidewall that extends around the periphery. The back panel and the sidewall may be joined monolithically or may be joined using seams. A monolithic fabric case may be formed by knitting rows of loops to create a sidewall, knitting rows of loops to create a back panel, and joining the loops of the sidewall with the loops of the back panel as the back panel is being knitted. A fabric case with seams may be formed by attaching a fabric sidewall to a fabric back panel using a seam such as a chain stitch. The sidewall may be a seamless tube of fabric that extends continuously around the back panel. The seamless tube may be folded to create interior and exterior walls. A stiffener may be interposed between the interior and exterior walls.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fabric case for an electronic device, comprising:
a knit back panel having a periphery; and
a knit peripheral wall that extends around the periphery of the knit back panel, wherein the knit back panel and the knit peripheral wall are monolithically joined.

2. The fabric case defined in claim 1 wherein the knit peripheral wall comprises a first row of loops, wherein the knit back panel comprises a second row of loops, and wherein the first row has a portion that extends perpendicular to the second row.

3. The fabric case defined in claim 2 wherein the first row has an additional portion that extends parallel to the second row.

4. The fabric case defined in claim 2 wherein the first row of loops comprises a first left loop and a first right loop, wherein the second row or loops comprises a second left loop and a second right loop, wherein the first left loop and second left loop are captured together on a left edge of the knit back panel, and wherein the first right loop and second right loop are captured together on a right side of the knit back panel.

5. The fabric case defined in claim 4 wherein the knit back panel comprises a third row of loops including a third left loop and a third right loop, wherein the first left loop and second left loop are captured by a third left loop in the third row of loops, and wherein the first right loop and the second right loop are captured by a third right loop in the third row of loops.

6. The fabric case defined in claim 1 wherein the knit peripheral wall comprises a first plurality of rows of loops, wherein the knit back panel comprises a second plurality of rows of loops, and wherein each loop in a top row of the first plurality of rows of loops is joined with an associated loop in the second plurality of rows loops.

7. The fabric case defined in claim 6 wherein each row in the first plurality of rows extends around the periphery of the knit back panel.

8. The fabric case defined in claim 1 wherein the knit peripheral wall extends perpendicular to the knit back panel.

9. A case for an electronic device, comprising:
a fabric panel having a periphery;
a fabric sidewall that extends around the periphery, wherein the fabric sidewall comprises an exterior layer and an interior layer; and
a stiffener interposed between the interior layer and the exterior layer.

10. The case defined in claim 9 further comprising a chain stitch that joins the fabric panel and the fabric sidewall.

11. The case defined in claim 10 wherein the interior layer and the exterior layer of the fabric sidewall are captured in the chain stitch.

12. The case defined in claim 10 wherein the fabric case has interior and exterior surfaces, wherein the fabric panel has a first end that is captured by the chain stitch and the fabric sidewall has a second end that is captured by the chain stitch, and wherein the first and second ends are located on the exterior surface of the fabric case.

13. The case defined in claim 10 wherein the fabric case has interior and exterior surfaces, wherein the fabric panel has a first end that is captured by the chain stitch and the fabric sidewall has a second end that is captured by the chain stitch, and wherein the first and second ends are located on the interior surface of the fabric case.

14. The case defined in claim 10 wherein the fabric case has interior and exterior surfaces, wherein the fabric panel has a first end that is captured by the chain stitch and the fabric sidewall has a second end that is captured by the chain stitch, and wherein only one of the first and second ends is located on the exterior surface of the fabric case.

15. The case defined in claim 9 wherein the stiffener comprises plastic.

16. The case defined in claim 9 wherein the fabric sidewall comprises a seamless tube of fabric that extends continuously around the periphery of the fabric panel.

17. The case defined in claim 16 wherein the seamless tube of fabric is folded.

18. A method for forming a fabric case for an electronic device, comprising:
knitting a peripheral sidewall;
knitting a back panel; and
while knitting the back panel, attaching the peripheral sidewall to the back panel.

19. The method defined in claim 18 wherein the peripheral sidewall comprises a first loop held by a first needle and the back panel comprises a second loop held by a second needle, and wherein attaching the peripheral sidewall to the back panel comprises transferring the first loop from the first needle to the second needle.

20. The method defined in claim 19 wherein knitting the back panel comprises knitting a row of loops, wherein the row of loops captures the first and second loops together.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Lu Jessica J
• Podhajny Daniel A
• Sunshine Daniel D

Classifications

• H04B1/3888 Primary

  Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers · CPC title

• A45C11/00 Primary

  Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 (specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48) · CPC title

• D10B2403/03

  Shape features · CPC title

• H05K5/0217

  Mechanical details of casings (covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03) · CPC title

• D10B2101/06

  Glass · CPC title