Textile product having reduced density

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11499255-B2
Application number	US-202016858375-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2020
Priority date	Mar 13, 2013
Publication date	Nov 15, 2022
Grant date	Nov 15, 2022

Abstract

Embodiments described herein may take the form of a textile product having one or more regions of reduced density. These reduced density volumes may form one or more features in the product. For example, the reduced density volumes may have better acoustic transmission properties, optical transmission properties, flexibility, and the like. Sound transmission may be enhanced not only in terms of clarity, but also overall range. That is, certain audio frequencies that the textile may normally block when in an unaltered state may pass through a textile having reduced density or reduced density regions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device having a surface, the electronic device comprising:
a speaker that emits sound; and
a layer of fabric that overlaps the speaker, wherein the layer of fabric has first and second opposing surfaces, wherein the layer of fabric has an array of openings and wherein a planar portion of the layer of fabric comprises:
a first portion, wherein first openings of the array of openings are in the first portion and have a first density, wherein the first openings extend partially through the layer of fabric, and wherein the first openings extend at a right angle between the first and second surfaces, and
a second portion, wherein second openings of the array of openings are in the second portion and have a second density that is greater than the first density, and wherein the sound from the speaker is emitted through the second portion, wherein the first and second portions of the layer of fabric overlap the surface wherein the second openings comprise diamond-shaped openings that form an acoustic outlet for the speaker, wherein the diamond-shaped openings extend from the first surface to the second surface, and wherein the diamond-shaped openings are defined by intersecting perforations in the layer fabric.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein and the second openings of the array of openings extend completely through the layer of fabric from the first surface to the second surface.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein each second opening in the second portion of the layer of fabric extends at a non-right angle between the first and second surfaces of the layer of fabric.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the array of openings is configured to channel the sound from the speaker from an entrance point at the first layer to an exit point at the second layer.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 4 wherein the exit point is offset from the entrance point in multiple directions.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising a sidewall, wherein the first and second portions of the fabric layer cover the sidewall.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising a light source, wherein the layer of fabric comprises a third portion that covers the light source.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the third portion of the fabric layer has an additional array of openings and wherein the third portion has a greater light transmission than the first portion.

9. An electronic device comprising:
a speaker; and
a layer of fabric that overlaps the speaker wherein the layer of fabric has first and second opposing surfaces, wherein the layer of fabric has a first fabric portion and a second fabric portion, wherein the layer of fabric has an array of openings in the first and second fabric portions, wherein the openings in the first fabric portion have a first density and extend partially through the layer of fabric at a right angle between the first and second surfaces, and wherein the openings in the second fabric portion have a second density that is greater than the first density to form an acoustic outlet for the speaker, wherein the openings in the second fabric portion comprise diamond-shaped openings that form the acoustic outlet for the speaker, wherein the diamond-shaped openings extend from the first surface to the second surface, and wherein the diamond-shaped openings are defined by intersecting perforations in the layer of fabric.

10. An electronic device comprising:
a speaker that emits sound; and
a layer of fabric having an array of openings, wherein the layer of fabric has opposing first and second surfaces, and wherein the layer of fabric comprises:
a first portion, wherein first openings of the array of openings are in the first portion and extend at a right angle between the first and second surfaces of the layer of fabric phrase wherein the first openings have a first density and extend partially through the layer of fabric, and
a second portion, wherein second openings of the array of openings are in the second portion and comprise diamond-shaped openings that extend from the first surface to the second phrase surface of the layer of fabric, wherein the second openings have a second density that is greater than the first density, wherein the diamond-shaped openings form an acoustic outlet for the speaker, and wherein the diamond-shaped openings are defined by intersecting perforations in the layer of fabric.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Baker John J
• Howes Michael B
• Nashner Michael S
• Hamada Yoji

Classifications

• Y10T428/13

  Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.] · CPC title

• D04H1/00

  Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres · CPC title

• Y10T428/24992

  Density or compression of components · CPC title

• D04H13/00 Primary

  Other non-woven fabrics · CPC title