Fabric Adhesion to an Apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016187933-A1
Application number	US-201414584777-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 29, 2014
Priority date	Dec 29, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Techniques for fabric adhesion to an apparatus are described. According to one or more embodiments, an apparatus is laminated with fabric utilizing one or more fabric layers. In at least some embodiments, multiple adhesive zones are defined on a fabric layer. Each adhesive zone, for instance, has a particular set of properties, such as a particular location on a fabric layer, a particular adhesive thickness, a particular adhesive type, and so forth. In at least some embodiments, different adhesive zones differ from one another based on one or more of their respective properties and thus enable different fabric characteristics to be specified at different adhesive zones.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
a computing device; an input device flexibly attached to the computing device via a flexible hinge such that the input device is rotatable to multiple orientations relative to the computing device, the input device being laminated with a fabric layer via adhesive zones that differ based on adhesive thickness at the respective adhesive zones, the adhesive zones including:
a first adhesive zone that adheres a peripheral edge of the fabric layer to the input device; and
a second adhesive zone that adheres the fabric layer to the flexible hinge, an adhesive thickness at the second adhesive zone being less than an adhesive thickness at the first adhesive zone.

2 . An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the input device comprises a keyboard operably attached to the computing device.

3 . An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the input device is detachably attached to the computing device.

4 . An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fabric layer comprises an integrated sheet of fabric.

5 . An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first adhesive zone is formed utilizing a heat activated film positioned along the peripheral edge of the fabric layer.

6 . An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the adhesive zones include a third adhesive zone that adheres the fabric layer to one or more internal components of the input device, an adhesive thickness of the third adhesive zone being less than the adhesive thickness of the first adhesive zone.

7 . An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein an adhesive type utilized in the first adhesive zone is different than an adhesive type utilized in the second adhesive zone.

8 . An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fabric layer is laminated to a first side of internal components of the input device, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a different fabric layer laminated to a second side of the internal components, a peripheral edge of the different fabric layer being laminated to the peripheral edge of the fabric layer at the first adhesive zone to form a peripheral edge of the input device.

9 . An apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fabric layer is laminated to a first side of internal components of the input device, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a different fabric layer laminated to a second side of the internal components, the different fabric layer being at least partially laminated to the fabric layer at the second adhesive zone to form at least a part of the flexible hinge.

10 . An input device comprising:
one or more internal components; an interface connected the one or more internal components and configured to connect the input device to a computing device; a first fabric layer laminated to a first side of the one or more internal components; and a second fabric layer laminated to a second side of the one or more internal components, one or more of the first fabric layer or the second fabric layer including:
a first adhesive zone that adheres a peripheral edge of the first fabric layer to a peripheral edge of the second fabric layer to form a peripheral edge of the input device; and
a second adhesive zone that at least partially adheres the first fabric layer to the second fabric layer to form a flexible hinge that enables flexible attachment of the input device to the computing device, an adhesive thickness of the second adhesive zone being less than an adhesive thickness of the first adhesive zone.

11 . An input device as recited in claim 10 , wherein the interface is selected from a group consisting of a wireless transceiver and an electronic connector.

12 . An input device as recited in claim 10 , wherein the first adhesive zone comprises a heat activated film that adheres the peripheral edge of the first fabric layer to the peripheral edge of the second fabric.

13 . An input device as recited in claim 10 , wherein the one or more of the first fabric layer or the second fabric layer comprises an integrated sheet of fabric with the first adhesive zone and the second adhesive zone thereon.

14 . An input device as recited in claim 10 , wherein the one or more of the first fabric layer or the second fabric layer further comprises a third adhesive zone that adheres the one or more of the first fabric layer or the second fabric layer to the one or more internal components.

15 . An apparatus comprising:
a chassis including a flexible region; and a fabric layer laminated to the chassis via multiple adhesive zones including a first adhesive zone that laminates the fabric layer to a peripheral edge of the chassis, and a second adhesive zone that laminates the fabric layer to the flexible region, the second adhesive zone having an adhesive thickness that is thinner than an adhesive thickness of the first adhesive zone.

16 . An apparatus as described in claim 15 , wherein the apparatus comprises an input device configured to be detachably attached to a computing device.

17 . An apparatus as described in claim 15 , wherein the apparatus comprises a wearable device.

18 . An apparatus as described in claim 15 , wherein the first adhesive zone includes a heat activated film layer that is thicker than a heat activated film layer of the second adhesive zone.

19 . An apparatus as described in claim 15 , wherein the first adhesive zone includes a different type of adhesive than the second adhesive zone.

20 . An apparatus as described in claim 15 , wherein the fabric layer includes a third adhesive zone that laminates the fabric layer to the chassis adjacent to the flexible region.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Nelson John Jacob
• Mccracken Ivan Andrew
• Whitt Iii David Otto
• Shaw Timothy Carlyle
• Marwah Rahul
• Longo Thomas Joseph
• Lee Eugene

Classifications

• B32B5/02

  characterised by structural features of a {fibrous or filamentary} layer {(layer formed of metallic wires B32B15/02; layer formed of natural mineral fibres B32B19/02; layer formed of wood fibres B32B21/02)} · CPC title

• B32B7/14

  applied in spaced arrangements, e.g. in stripes · CPC title

• G06F3/0202 Primary

  Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device · CPC title

• G06F1/1662

  Details related to the integrated keyboard · CPC title

• B32B2457/00

  Electrical equipment · CPC title