Apparatus for reducing fabric dimpling in electronic devices and associated methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11260639-B2
Application number	US-202016983529-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 3, 2020
Priority date	Aug 3, 2020
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

The present document describes an apparatus for reducing fabric dimpling in electronic devices and associated methods. The apparatus is used during assembly to prevent fabric, which is stretched over a perforated part (e.g., speaker housing), from dimpling into the holes (e.g., perforations) of the perforated part. The apparatus includes protrusions (e.g., pins), which act as a negative of the holes in the perforated part, to support the fabric as it is stretched over the perforated part. In particular, the protrusions are inserted through the perforations via an interior surface of the perforated part such that the protrusions are “proud” (slightly projecting from a surface) with respect to an exterior surface of the perforated part. The proudness of the protrusions may vary based on a degree of curvature of the perforated part at a location corresponding to a respective protrusion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for reducing fabric dimpling, the method comprising:
assembling a perforated housing component onto an apparatus including a plurality of protrusions configured to be inserted into a plurality of holes in an interior surface of the perforated housing component and to extend past an exterior surface of the perforated housing component, a predefined distance between the exterior surface and a respective protrusion defined based on a degree of curvature of the exterior surface of the perforated housing component within a region of the exterior surface of the perforated housing component corresponding to the respective protrusion;
subsequent to the perforated housing component being assembled onto the apparatus, stretching fabric over the exterior surface of the perforated housing component and the plurality of protrusions projecting from the exterior surface of the perforated housing component;
bonding the stretched fabric to the housing component; and
removing the housing component from the apparatus.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein assembling the perforated housing component onto the apparatus causes:
a first subset of the plurality of protrusions to extend past the exterior surface of the perforated housing component by a first distance; and
a second subset of the plurality of protrusions to extend past the exterior surface of the perforated housing component by a second distance that is different than the first distance.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein assembling the perforated housing component onto the apparatus further causes:
at least a third subset of the plurality of protrusions to extend past the exterior surface of the perforated housing component by a third distance that is different than the first and second distances.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protrusions project from the exterior surface of the perforated housing component by a greater distance at corner regions of the perforated housing component than at a center region of the perforated housing component.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the protrusions are configured to support the fabric when the fabric is stretched over the exterior surface of the perforated housing component.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the bonding comprises applying heat to a bonding material positioned between the fabric and the perforated housing component to adhere the fabric to the perforated housing component.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the bonding material is dry when stretching the fabric over the exterior surface of the perforated housing component and the plurality of protrusions projecting from the exterior surface of the perforated housing component.

8. The method as recited in claim 6 , wherein the bonding material is a spray adhesive.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protrusions extend longitudinally in a first direction that is substantially parallel to a second direction in which the fabric is assembled to the exterior surface of the perforated housing component.

10. An apparatus configured to reduce fabric dimpling in fabric that is stretched over a perforated housing component, the apparatus comprising:
a body having an outer surface, the body configured to support the perforated housing component for assembly of the fabric onto an exterior surface of the perforated housing component; and
a plurality of protrusions longitudinally extending from the outer surface of the body in a first direction that is substantially parallel to a second direction in which the fabric traveling on a fabric press is pressed onto the the perforated housing component that is supported by the body,
the plurality of protrusions configured to be inserted into a plurality of holes in the interior surface of the perforated housing component and project past the exterior surface of the perforated housing component to support the fabric as the fabric is stretched over the perforated housing component,
a first subset of protrusions of the plurality of protrusions being located in a central region of the body that is substantially planar,
a second subset of protrusions of the plurality of protrusions being located proximate to a periphery of the body that is curved and having greater longitudinal lengths than those of the first subset of protrusions, and
a respective protrusion of the plurality of protrusions having a longitudinal length sufficient to project past the exterior surface of the perforated housing component by a predefined distance that is defined based on a degree of curvature of the exterior surface of the perforated housing component within a region of the exterior surface of the perforated housing component corresponding to the respective protrusion.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the predefined distance of the respective protrusion of the plurality of protrusions is defined to prevent the fabric from sagging into a corresponding hole of the plurality of holes when the fabric is stretched over the exterior surface of the housing component.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein:
the first subset of protrusions project past the exterior surface of the perforated housing component by a first distance when the perforated housing component and the apparatus are assembled together;
the second subset of protrusions extend past the exterior surface of the perforated housing component by a second distance when the perforated housing component and the apparatus are assembled together; and
the second distance is different than the first distance.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 12 , wherein:
the first distance is correlated to the curvature of the exterior surface of the perforated housing component at a first region corresponding to the first subset of protrusions;
the second distance is correlated to the curvature of the exterior surface of the perforated housing component at a second region corresponding to the second subset of protrusions; and
the second distance is greater than the first distance based on the exterior surface of the perforated housing component having a greater degree of curvature at the second region in comparison to another degree of curvature at the first region.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the plurality of protrusions project past the exterior surface of the perforated housing component by different predefined distances when the perforated housing component and the apparatus are assembled together, and wherein the different predefined distances include greater distances at corner regions of the perforated housing component in comparison to a center region of the perforated housing component.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 10 , wherein the longitudinal length of the respective protrusion is defined to have a proudness relative to the exterior surface of the perforated housing component that:
is within a first range of approximately 0.0 millimeters to 0.03 millimeters in substantially planar regions of the perforated housing component;
is within a second range of approximately 0.04 millimeters to approximately 0.1 millimeters in low-curvature regions of the perforated housing component;
is within a third range of approximately 0.11 millimeters to approximately 0.17 millimeters in moderate-curvature regions of the perforated housing component; and
is within a fourth range of approximately 0.17 millimeters to approximately 0.23 millimeters in high-curvature regions of the perforated housing component.

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Ancha Phanindraja
• Chen Yu Wei
• Huynh Brian

Classifications

• H04R2231/001

  Moulding aspects of diaphragm or surround · CPC title

• H04R31/00

  Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of transducers or diaphragms therefor {(manufacture of microstructural arrangements of deformable or non-deformable structures in general B81C1/00182)} · CPC title

• B32B37/1207

  Heat-activated adhesive (B32B37/04 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04R1/023 Primary

  Screens for loudspeakers · CPC title

• B32B37/0023 Primary

  around holes, apertures or channels present in at least one layer · CPC title