PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10550497-B1
Application Number: US-201715467991-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B1

Title: Weaving equipment

Abstract:
Weaving equipment may include warp strand positioning equipment that positions warp strands and weft strand positioning equipment that inserts weft strands among the warp strands to form fabric. The fabric may include insulating strands and conductive strands. The conductive strands may be coupled to electrical devices using solder joints or other conductive connections. During weaving, an electrically controlled shuttle may dispense weft strands between warp strands. The electrically controlled shuttle may include control circuitry and communications circuitry. The communications circuitry may be used to support communications between the control circuitry and equipment external to the shuttle. Movable arms, cutters, heaters, soldering devices, strand dispensers, intertwining devices, and other electrically controlled devices may be incorporated into the shuttle and controlled by control signals from the control circuitry.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronically controllable shuttle that is configured to dispense an amount of a weft strand while passing through warp fibers in weaving equipment, comprising:
 control circuitry; and 
 an electronically controlled weft strand dispenser that is coupled to the control circuitry and that is configured to control the amount of the weft strand that is dispensed. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronically controllable shuttle defined in  claim 1  wherein the weft strand dispenser is configured to monitor the amount of weft strand that is dispensed. 
     
     
       3. The electronically controllable shuttle defined in  claim 1  further comprising:
 a component dispenser configured to provide electrical components; and 
 a soldering device configured to receive control signals from the control circuitry and configured to solder the electrical components to the weft strand. 
 
     
     
       4. The electrically controllable shuttle defined in  claim 3  further comprising at least one groove that is configured to receive one of the warp fibers during weaving with the weaving equipment. 
     
     
       5. The electronically controllable shuttle defined in  claim 1  wherein the weaving equipment comprises a heddle with a rotating structure that twists at least two of the warp fibers as the weft strand is dispensed by the electronically controlled weft strand dispenser. 
     
     
       6. A weaving shuttle for forming fabric having strands of material, wherein the strands of material include weft strands and warp strands, and wherein the weaving shuttle dispenses the weft strands while passing by the warp strands as the shuttle moves back and forth in a shuttle track in a shuttle support structure in weaving equipment, the weaving shuttle comprising:
 control circuitry; and 
 an electrically adjustable device coupled to the control circuitry, wherein the adjustable device processes at least one of the strands of material in response to control signals from the control circuitry. 
 
     
     
       7. The weaving shuttle defined in  claim 6  wherein the electrically adjustable device comprises an actuator. 
     
     
       8. The weaving shuttle defined in  claim 6  the electrically adjustable device comprises a cutter that is configured to cut the strands of material. 
     
     
       9. The weaving shuttle defined in  claim 6  wherein the electrically adjustable device comprises a heater that is configured to apply heat to the strands of material. 
     
     
       10. The weaving shuttle defined in  claim 6  further comprising a shuttle housing having at least one groove that is configured to receive the at least one of the strands of material as the shuttle moves in the shuttle track. 
     
     
       11. The weaving shuttle defined in  claim 6  further comprising a soldering device that is configured to solder electrical components to conductive strands within the strands of material. 
     
     
       12. The weaving shuttle defined in  claim 6  further comprising wireless communications circuitry coupled to the control circuitry. 
     
     
       13. An electronically controllable fabric weaving shuttle that is configured to dispense a length of a weft strand while passing through warp strands in weaving equipment, comprising:
 control circuitry; and 
 an electronically controlled weft strand dispenser that is coupled to the control circuitry and that is configured to adjust the length of the weft strand that is dispensed. 
 
     
     
       14. The electronically controllable fabric weaving shuttle of  claim 13  further comprising:
 a movable gripper; and 
 an actuator that is configured to move the gripper in response to control signals from the control circuitry. 
 
     
     
       15. The electronically controllable fabric weaving shuttle defined in  claim 14  wherein the movable gripper has an arm that is configured to rotate. 
     
     
       16. The electronically controllable fabric weaving shuttle defined in  claim 14  wherein the movable gripper comprises an extendable arm with a hook. 
     
     
       17. The electronically controllable fabric weaving shuttle defined in  claim 13  further comprising:
 communications circuitry coupled to the control circuitry that receives communications signals from external equipment. 
 
     
     
       18. The electronically controllable fabric weaving shuttle defined in  claim 13  further comprising a battery and wireless communications circuitry coupled to the control circuitry. 
     
     
       19. The electronically controllable fabric weaving shuttle defined in  claim 13  further comprising contacts that are configured to mate with signal paths in a shuttle track. 
     
     
       20. The electronically controllable fabric weaving shuttle defined in  claim 13  further comprising a pair of bobbins that dispense a pair of strands and wherein a motor twists the pair of strands by rotating the bobbins as the bobbins dispense the pair of strands. 
     
     
       21. The weaving shuttle defined in  claim 6  wherein the adjustable device processes at least one of the warp strands in response to the control signals from the control circuitry.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 62/342,501, filed May 27, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to weaving and, more particularly, to equipment for creating woven fabric. 
     It may be desirable to form electrical devices, enclosures, and other items from fabric. The fabric may contain strands of insulating material and strands of conductive material. In some situations, it may be desirable to form signal paths and other circuitry using the conductive strands. It can be challenging, however, to create desired paths for strands of material in woven fabric. If care is not taken, strands of material will not be routed along desired paths and will not be interconnected as desired. 
     SUMMARY 
     Weaving equipment may include warp strand positioning equipment that positions warp strands and weft strand positioning equipment that inserts weft strands among the warp strands to form fabric. The fabric may include insulating strands and conductive strands. The conductive strands may be used to carry power and data signals. 
     The conductive strands may be coupled to electrical devices in the fabric using solder joints or other conductive connections. During weaving, an electrically controlled shuttle may dispense weft strands between warp strands. The electrically controlled shuttle may include control circuitry and communications circuitry. The communications circuitry may be used to support communications between the control circuitry and equipment external to the shuttle. 
     The control circuitry may be used to control electrical devices in the shuttle. The control circuitry may, for example, use an electrically controllable gripper in the shuttle to hold onto a conductive warp strand so that the shuttle can adjust the placement of the conductive warp strand within the fabric. The electrical devices controlled by the control circuitry may include grippers, movable arms such as pivoting arms and extending arms with hook-shaped ends, cutters, heaters, soldering tools, strand dispensing and twisting devices, and other devices. Devices that are controlled by the control circuitry and passive structures such as shuttle housing grooves for receiving warp strands during weaving may be incorporated into the shuttle. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of illustrative weaving equipment that may be used to form fabric in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of an electrically controllable shuttle in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram of illustrative weaving equipment with a shuttle in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a view of an illustrative shuttle with electrical contacts that are coupled to a signal bus for providing power and data to the shuttle in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative woven fabric in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of a portion of a woven fabric in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 7 and 8  are side views of illustrative electrical components coupled to conductive strands of material in a fabric in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a side view of an illustrative shuttle as the shuttle is moving through a shed formed between two sets of warp strands in a weaving machine in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a side view of an illustrative shuttle with recesses for capturing and temporarily gripping warp strands in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a side view of an illustrative shuttle with an electrically controllable gripper having a pivoting gripper arm in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a side view of an illustrative shuttle having multiple gripper arms in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a side view of an illustrative shuttle with vertically deployable grippers in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 14  is a side view of an illustrative shuttle with a heated gripper member in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 15  is a side view of an illustrative shuttle with a cutter in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 16  is a side view of an illustrative shuttle that dispenses electrical components for attachment to strands of material in a fabric in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 17  is a side view of an illustrative shuttle cavity with sidewalls having a curved profile to guide warp strands into alignment with electrical component contacts in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 18  is a side view of an illustrative shuttle having spinning bobbins and component attachment equipment for dispensing twisted strands of material with attached components in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 19  is a side view of an illustrative shuttle having a strand dispenser that can perform tasks such as strand metering and/or strand tensioning in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 20  is a side view of an illustrative heddle with spinning eyes for twisting warp strands together in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices, enclosures, and other items may be formed from fabric such as woven fabric. The woven fabric may include strands of insulating and conductive material. Conductive strands may form signal paths through the fabric and may be coupled to electrical components such as light-emitting diodes and other light-emitting devices, integrated circuits, sensors, haptic output devices, and other circuitry. 
     Weaving equipment may be provided with a electronically controlled shuttle. The shuttle may have control circuitry that supplies control signals to electrically controlled components to assist in manipulating warp and weft strands during weaving, to form connections between electrical components and conductive strands, to couple insulating strands to components, to route weft and warp strands to desired locations within a fabric layer, to dispense components, to temporarily grip strands, to control the dispensing of strands of material (e.g., to control tension and/or strand lengths during strand dispensing operations), to apply heat to strands (e.g., to melt away insulating, to form solder joints, etc.), to cut, knot, weld, twist, braid, and otherwise manipulate strands, or to perform other operations during weaving. 
     Illustrative weaving equipment is shown in  FIG. 1 . Weaving equipment  22  may be used to form fabric  60 . The strands of material used in forming fabric  60  may be single-filament strands (sometimes referred to as fibers) or may be threads, yarns, or other strands that have been formed by intertwining multiple filaments of material together. Strands may be formed from polymer, metal, glass, graphite, ceramic, natural strands such as cotton or bamboo, or other organic and/or inorganic materials and combinations of these materials. Conductive coatings such as metal coatings may be formed on non-conductive strands (e.g., plastic cores) to make them conductive. Reflective coatings such as metal coatings may be applied to strands to make them reflective. Strands may also be formed from single-filament metal wire (e.g., bare metal wire), multifilament wire, or combinations of different materials. Strands may be insulating or conductive. 
     Strands in fabric  60  may be conductive along their entire length or may have conductive segments. Strands may have metal portions that are selectively exposed by locally removing insulation (e.g., to form connections with other conductive strand portions). Strands may also be formed by selectively adding a conductive layer to a portion of a non-conductive strand.). Threads and other multifilament yarns that have been formed from intertwined filaments may contain mixtures of conductive strands and insulating strands (e.g., metal strands or metal coated strands with or without exterior insulating layers may be used in combination with solid plastic strands or natural strands that are insulating). 
     In general, the strands of material that are intertwined to form fabric  60  may be single filaments of material or may be threads, yarns, or other multifilament strands that have been formed by intertwining multiple single-filament strands. Strands may be formed from insulating materials, conductive materials, and combinations of insulating and conductive materials. The strands that are used in forming fabric  60  may include warp strands  28  and weft strands  64 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , weaving equipment  22  includes a warp strand source such as warp strand source  24 . Source  24  may supply warp strands  28  from a warp beam or other strand dispensing structure. Source  24  may, for example, dispense warp strands  28  through rollers  26  and other mechanisms as drum  80  rotates about rotational axis  78  in direction  76 . 
     Warp strands  28  may be positioned using warp strand positioning equipment  74 . 
     Equipment  74  may include heddles  36 . Heddles  36  may each include an eye  30  mounted on a wire or other support structure that extends between respective positioners  42  (or a positioner  42  and an associated spring or other tensioner). Positioners  42  may be motors (e.g., stepper motors) or other electromechanical actuators. Positioners  42  may be controlled by a controller during weaving operations so that warp strands  28  are placed in desired positions during weaving. In particular, control circuitry in weaving equipment  22  may supply control signals that move each heddle  36  by a desired amount up or down in directions  32 . By raising and lowering heddles  36  in various patterns in response to control signals from the control circuitry, different patterns of gaps (sheds)  66  between warp strands  28  may be created to adjust the characteristics of the fabric produced by equipment  22 . 
     Weft strands such as weft strand  64  may be inserted into shed  66  during weaving to form fabric  60 . Weft strand positioning equipment  62  may be used to place one or more weft strands  64  between the warp strands forming each shed  66 . Weft strand positioning equipment for equipment  22  may include one or more shuttles and/or may include shuttleless weft strand positioning equipment (e.g., needle weft strand positioning equipment, rapier weft strand positioning equipment, or other weft strand positioning equipment such as equipment based on projectiles, air or water jets, etc.). For example, the weft strand positioning equipment of equipment  22  may include an electrically controllable shuttle (shuttle  62 ) that has control circuitry, actuators, and other electrically controllable devices for processing strands during weaving. 
     After each pass of weft strand  64  is made through shed  66 , reed  48  may be moved in direction  50  by positioner  38  to push the weft strand that has just been inserted into the shed between respective warp strands  28  against previously woven fabric  60 , thereby ensuring that a satisfactorily tight weave is produced. Fabric  60  that has been woven in this way may be gathered on fabric collection equipment such as take-down roller  82 . Roller  82  may collect woven fabric  60  as roller  82  rotates in direction  86  about rotational axis  84 . Reed  48  and shuttle  62  and/or other weft strand positioning equipment may be controlled by the control circuitry that controls heddles  36 , so that warp strand position, weft strand positioning, and reed movement can be controlled in a coordinated fashion. 
     Positioners  42  may be used to control the vertical position of warp strands  28  when forming fabric  60 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , for example, heddle  36 - 2  may be placed above heddle  36 - 1 , so that warp strand  28 - 2  is placed above warp strand  28 - 1 . The ability to determine the heights of warp strands  28  within shed  66  during weaving may be used to help determine which warp strands interact with electrically controllable shuttle  62 , so that weaving equipment  22  can manipulate conductive and insulating strands within fabric  60 . This allows short circuits and open circuits to be selectively formed at various warp-weft strand intersections, allows electrical components to be coupled to the strands, allows conductive structures such as signal paths (e.g., electrodes, data lines, power paths, etc.) to be formed in fabric  60 , and allows other fabric structures to be formed. If desired, some of heddles  36  may contain eyes  30  that are mounted on a common wire. The use of independently adjustable heddles is merely illustrative. 
     A schematic diagram of an illustrative electrically controlled shuttle of the type that may be used in weaving equipment  22  of  FIG. 1  is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , electrically controlled shuttle  62  may include control circuitry such as control circuitry  90 . Control circuitry  90  may include processing circuitry such as one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, application-specific integrated circuits, and other processors and may include storage such as random access memory, flash storage (e.g., flash disk drives), hard disk drives, and other memory. Control circuitry  90  may run software to control the operation of the components of shuttle  62  during weaving (e.g., to control actuators, etc.). Shuttle  62  may operate autonomously (e.g., by executing preprogrammed instructions) and/or may receive real time commands from external sources (e.g., control circuitry in weaving equipment  22  that is external to shuttle  62 ). During operation, control circuitry  90  may supply control signals (e.g., analog signals, digital commands, etc.) to control the operation of electrically controllable devices in shuttle  62 . 
     Power source  92  may be used to supply control circuitry  90  and other components in shuttle  62  with power. Power source  92  may include power storage devices such as batteries, capacitors, etc., may include wireless power receiver circuitry for wirelessly receiving power from elsewhere in equipment  22  (i.e., shuttle  62  may include a coil and wireless power receiver to receive transmitted wireless power), may include contacts for receiving power from a bus, or may receive other power source circuitry. 
     Communications circuitry  94  may be used to transmit information from shuttle  62  to other portions of weaving equipment  22  and/or to external equipment and/or may be used to receive information from equipment  22  or external equipment. For example, sensor data, other data, control information, and other information may be supplied from shuttle  62  to corresponding control circuitry in weaving equipment  22  and/or sensor data, control information, and other information may be supplied from control circuitry in weaving equipment  22  to control circuitry  90  in shuttle  62 . Communications circuitry  94  may include antennas and wireless local area network transceiver circuitry (e.g., WiFi® circuitry), Bluetooth® transceiver circuitry, cellular telephone transceiver circuitry, other radio-frequency transceiver circuitry (e.g., circuitry operating in bands from 700 MHz to 2700 MHz, below 700 MHz, above 2700 MHz, or other suitable wireless communications frequencies). If desired, circuitry  94  may include light sources and light detectors for handling wireless communications using light. Communications circuitry  94  may also include wired communications circuitry to support communications between shuttle  62  and external equipment over a wired path (e.g., a cable, a signal bus integrated into a shuttle track, etc.). 
     Shuttle  62  may include strand source(s) such as strand source(s)  96 . Source(s)  96  may include bobbins or other sources of strands of material such as weft strands  64 . During operation, shuttle  62  may dispense weft strands  64  between warp strands  28  to form fabric  60 . The tension and/or the length of the strands of dispensed material may be monitored and controlled in real time (e.g., using strand sensors, adjustable wheels, and other strand dispensing equipment in strand source(s)  96 . 
     Shuttle  62  may include one or more electrically controlled grippers such as grippers  98 . Grippers  98  may be used to temporarily grip warp strands  28 , so that warp strands  28  can be moved into a desired position by movement of shuttle  62 . Grippers  98  and other movable devices in shuttle  62  may be controlled using electromagnetic actuators or other electrically controllable positioners (e.g., motors, solenoids, other electromagnetic actuators, and/or other positioners  100 ). 
     Connection formation components such as connection formation device  102  of  FIG. 2  may be used in forming mechanical and/or electrical connections between strands in fabric  60 . As an example, device  102  may include equipment for forming crimped connections, equipment for stripping insulation from strands of material (e.g., to expose underlying metal layers), a heating tool for soldering conductive strands to each other, tools for forming knots in strands of material, a cutter for cutting strands, a heating device for applying heat to electrical components, solder joints, conductive strands, and/or other structures, a device for forming welds, a device for applying laser light (e.g., to form welds, to ablate material, etc.), and other electrically controllable components for forming electrical connections between respective conductive strands and performing other strand and component processing tasks. Actuators  100  may be used in equipment  102 , grippers  98 , strand source  96 , and other components in shuttle  62 . Actuators  100  and the other components of shuttle  62  may be coupled to control circuitry  90  and may be controlled with control signals supplied by control circuitry  90 . Control circuitry  90  may gather sensor data and other data from these electrical components during weaving operations. 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram of a portion of weaving equipment  22  showing how shuttle  62  may dispense weft strands  64  while moving past warp strands  28  during operation. Shuttle  62  may, for example, be guided along a shuttle track (sometimes referred to as a shuttle box) such as track  123  in shuttle support structure  106  (which may, if desired, be coupled to reed  48 ). Pneumatic equipment, electromagnetic actuator equipment, or other positioning equipment may be used to move shuttle  62  back and forth in directions  108  and  110  while heddles  36  place each of warp strands  28  in a desired location (e.g., to form shed  66 ). Shuttle  62  may, for example, be moved from the location shown in  FIG. 3  to location  112  (i.e., by moving shuttle  62  in direction  108 ). During shuttle movement, shuttle  62  may dispense weft strands such as strand  64  into shed  66 , which is formed between opposing upper and lower sets of warp strands  28 . 
     Weaving equipment  22  may have equipment such as equipment  114  and  116  for mounting electrical components to warp strands  28  and weft strands  64  and for performing other operations on strands  28  and  64 . These operations may, for example, be performed when shuttle  62  is located at the ends of track  123  (as an example). Processing operations may also be performed with equipment  114  and  116  when shuttle  62  is passing along the central portion of track  123 . 
     Equipment  114  and  116  may include, for example, equipment for applying heat, laser equipment, cutting equipment, knot formation equipment, soldering tools, etc. Equipment  114  may be used to load fresh bobbins and fresh magazines of electrical components into shuttle  62 , may be used to recharge an energy storage device in shuttle  62 , may be used to solder components to conductive strands of material that shuttle  62  has brought into alignment with equipment  114 , and/or may be used in otherwise processing the strands of material in fabric  60 . Equipment  116  may be used in mounting electrical components and otherwise processing warp and weft strands. As shown in  FIG. 3 , equipment  116  may include positioner  118  and tool  120 . Tool  120  may be a laser for applying laser light, a hot bar, heated air source, or other soldering tool, a cutter, a knot forming tool, or other equipment for processing strands in fabric  60 . Equipment  116  may, if desired, move tool  120  to location  122  to supply heated air to solder paste in location  122 , thereby forming solder joints (e.g., to solder conductive strands to electrical component contacts). If desired, tool  120  may perform other operations (e.g., laser welding, laser removal of plastic or other material, etc.). 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram showing how shuttle  62  may have contacts such as contacts  130  that mate with respective signal lines  132  in track  123 . During operation, contacts  130  may slide along the surface of lines  132  while remaining shorted to lines  132 . In this way, lines  132  may be used to supply power signals (e.g., positive and ground power supply voltages) and/or communications signals (e.g., data). As an example, a controller in weaving equipment  22  may supply control signals to shuttle  62  via contacts  124  and/or power may be supplied to shuttle  62  via contacts  124 . Wireless power and/or wireless data may also be transmitted and received by shuttle  62 . 
     Strands in fabric  60  may be intertwined using any suitable weaving technique.  FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of fabric  60  in a configuration in which a plain weave has been used in forming fabric  60 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , fabric  60  may have warp fibers  28  and perpendicularly extending weft fibers  64 . Fabric  60  may have a plain weave, a basket weave, or other suitable woven construction. If desired, fabric  60  may be a three-dimensional fabric (e.g., a spacer fabric) or other woven fabric. 
     Warp strands  28  and weft strands  64  may include insulating strands and conductive strands. For example, fabric  60  may include conductive strands such as conductive warp strand  140  and conductive weft strand  142 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . Solder or other conductive material may be used to couple strands such as strands  140  and  142  together and/or may be used to couple strands such as strands  140  and  142  to respective contacts on an electrical component. 
     Shuttle  62  may be used to route segments of warp strands through fabric  60  parallel to weft strands  64 . For example, warp strand  130  may have a portion such as segment  132  that has been routed horizontally parallel to weft fibers  64 . Warp strand  130  and warp strand  134  may be conductive. An electrical component in a region such as region  128  may have a first contact that is coupled to segment  132  of warp strand  130  and may have a second contact that is coupled to warp strand  134  (as an example). 
     If desired, strands in fabric  60  may be intertwined (e.g., by shuttle  62 ) using twisting, braiding, or other strand intertwining techniques. Twisted pairs of conductive strands (or intertwined conductive strands in a braided set of strands) may be used in carrying control signals or other signals and may be less susceptible to interference than untwisted strands. In the example of  FIG. 6 , strand  136  has been twisted about strand  138  by repetitive back and forth movement of shuttle  62  while moving warp strand  138  up and down with a heddle. Strands  136  and  138  may be conductive. 
     One or more shuttles (e.g., shuttle  62 , etc.) may be used to form fabric  60  in equipment  22 . Fabric  60  may have any suitable pattern of insulating and/or conductive strands of material, may have any suitable pattern of coupled electrical components, may have any suitable pattern of horizontally routed warp fiber segments, may have cut strands, soldered strands, strands that have portions that are stripped of insulation, and/or other structures. The configuration of fabric  60  in  FIG. 6  is merely illustrative. 
     Electrical connections between electrical components and conductive strands of material in fabric  60  may be made using crimped contacts, welded contacts, or other suitable conductive connection structures. As an example, electrical components in fabric  60  may have two or more metal contact pads (contacts) and may be electrically shorted to respective conductive strands in fabric  60  using two or more respective solder joints.  FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electrical component that has been soldered to conductive strands. As shown in  FIG. 7 , electrical component  144  may have a pair of contacts  146  (e.g., metal solder pads). Conductive strands  148  may be coupled to contacts  146  using solder  150 . In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 7 , contacts  146  are both formed on the lower surface of component  144 . If desired, contacts  146  may be formed on opposing sides of component  144  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 8 ). 
       FIG. 9  shows how shuttle  62  may move parallel to axis X in direction  108  to dispense weft strand  64  in shed  66 . In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 9 , shed  66  has been formed between opposing upper and lower sets of warp strands  28  (i.e., between upper set of warp strands  28 A and lower set of warp strands  28 B). Heddles  36  may be used to move warp strands  28 A into position above shuttle  62  and to move warp strands  28 B into position below shuttle  62  before shuttle  62  passes through shed  66 . 
     Shuttle  62  may have grippers and/or other components that process warp strands and other strands of material. If it is desired to grip or otherwise manipulate certain warp strands, heddles  36  may be adjusted to move those particular strand(s) into the path of shuttle  62  (e.g., into the path of an electrically controllable component such as a gripper). 
     Consider, as an example, illustrative shuttle  62  of  FIG. 10 . The body of shuttle  62  may be formed from materials such as plastic, metal, and/or other materials. As shown in  FIG. 10 , the body (housing) of shuttle  62  may have recesses such as grooves  152  and  156 . Grooves  152  and  156  may have tapered profiles or other shapes that are configured to receive warp strands such as strands  158  and  160 . Before shuttle  62  is moved across the warp strands in equipment  22 , heddles  36  may move warp strands  28 A above shuttle  62  and may move warp strands  28 B below shuttle  62  to form shed  66 . One of heddles  36  may move strand  158  into alignment with groove  152  and another of heddles  36  may move strand  160  into alignment with groove  156 . When shuttle  62  is moved in direction  108 , warp strand  158  will be received within groove  152  along path  162  and warp strand  160  will be received within groove  156  along path  164 . Grooves  152  and  156  may then grip strands  158  and  160  while shuttle  62  is moved further in direction  108  (e.g., to pull strands  158  and  160  parallel to the weft strands  64 ). 
     If desired, shuttle  62  may be provided with an electrically controlled gripper device such as gripper  166  of  FIG. 11 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , gripper  166  may have a movable gripper arm such as pivotable arm  170 . Gripper arm actuator  168  may rotate arm  170  in direction  172  about pivot  174  when it is desired to grip a warp fiber such as warp fiber  176 . This moves arm  170  from position  170 ′ within shuttle  62  to the deployed position shown in  FIG. 11 . Heddles  36  may be used to position warp strands  28 A above shuttle  62  and to position warp strands  28 B below shuttle  62  to form shed  66  before moving shuttle  62  in direction  108 . One of the heddles  36  may be used to position warp strand  176  in alignment with arm  170 , so that warp strand  176  is gripped by arm  170  along path  178  when shuttle  62  is moved in direction  108 . If desired, actuator  168  may be used to close arm  170  on top of warp strand  176  to help firmly hold strand  176  as shuttle  62  is moved. 
       FIG. 12  is a side view of shuttle  62  in an illustrative configuration in which shuttle  62  has multiple grippers each with a respective adjustable-position actuator-controlled arm  170 . Arms  170  in  FIG. 12  have all been extended outwardly from the body of shuttle  62 . When not in use, arms  170  may be retracted into or against the body of shuttle  62 . The body of shuttle  62  may be formed from plastic, metal, and/or other materials. 
       FIG. 13  shows how shuttle  62  may be provided with extendable arms such as illustrative vertically extendable L-shaped arm  180 . The position of L-shaped arm  180  and other movable members in shuttle  62  may be controlled using electrically controlled actuators (see, e.g., actuators  100  of  FIG. 1 ). Actuators  100  and other electrically controllable devices in shuttle  62  may be controlled by control signals from control circuitry  90 . Illustrative arm  180  has been deployed in the example of  FIG. 13 . Illustrative arm  182  in the example of  FIG. 13  has been retracted into the body of shuttle  62  in direction  184 . If desired, arms may be partially retracted to help hold in place any strands of material that have been captured by the hook-shaped tips of the arms. 
     In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 14 , shuttle  62  has movable hook-shaped arm  186 . Arm  186  may be controlled using circuitry  194 . Circuitry  194  may be controlled by control signals from control circuitry  90 . Circuitry  194  may include an actuator for positioning arm  186 . The actuator may, for example, raise arm  186  out of the housing of shuttle  36  in direction  196  when it is desired to capture warp strand  188 . Circuitry  194  may also include an ohmic heater or other heater element for heating arm  186 . 
     Strand  188  may be a conductive strand having metal core  190  and polymer insulating coating  192 . When strand  188  is captured by arm  186  as shown in  FIG. 14 , heat from arm  186  may be used to selectively remove insulating coating  192  from a portion of core  190  (e.g., by melting, etc.). In general, heating elements may be incorporated into any suitable portion of shuttle  62  (e.g., at the ends of grooves  152  and  156  in  FIG. 10 , in or adjacent to arm  170  of  FIG. 12 , within arms with hooks, etc.). 
       FIG. 15  shows how a cutter may be formed at the bottom of a groove that receives a warp fiber. As shown in  FIG. 15 , shuttle  62  may have a groove such as groove  196 . A heddle may move warp strand  200  into alignment with opening  218  of groove  198 , so that strand  200  is guided to end  206  of groove  198  when shuttle  62  is moved in direction  202 . Cutter  208  may have upper cutter blade  210  and corresponding lower cutter blade  212 . After strand  200  has been received within groove  198  and is being held at end  206  of groove  198 , blade  210  may be moved downwardly in direction  214  and/or blade  212  may be moved upwardly in direction  216  by one or more electrically controlled actuators in shuttle  62  to cut strand  200 . After cutting, a knot may be formed to attach the cut end of strand  200  to another strand of material in fabric  60 , the cut end of strand  200  may be soldered or otherwise coupled to a contact on an electrical component, etc. 
     As shown in  FIG. 16 , shuttle  62  may, if desired, contain a reservoir of electrical components such as components  220 . Components  220  may be dispensed from a length of tape, from a replaceable magazine of stacked components, or from other suitable component sources in shuttle  62 . Each component  220  may have contacts such as contacts  222  and may be coupled to conductive strands in fabric  60 . As an example, conductive warp strands  224  may be soldered to contacts  22  using solder  226 . Heating tool  228  (e.g., an inductive heater, a heater that produces laser light or hot air for heating solder  226 , or other suitable heater) may be used to solder strands  224  to contacts  222 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 17 , conductive warp strands  230  have been received within recess  236  of the housing of shuttle  62 . Component  220  has contacts  222  and is positioned at the bottom of recess  236 . Movement of heddles  36  and/or movement of shuttle  62  may be used to cause strands  230  to be guided along sloped inner sidewalls surfaces  238  in directions  240  onto contacts  222  on component  220 . After conductive warp strands  230  of other conductive strands have been aligned with contacts  222  as shown in  FIG. 17 , a source of hot air, a heated metal member, a laser, an inductive heater, or other electrically controllable soldering device may be used to solder strands  230  to contacts  222 . Heddles  36  may then be moved to release component  220  from recess  236 . 
     If desired, shuttle  62  may dispense intertwined strands of material (e.g., intertwined weft strands, intertwined strands that have segments that are routed parallel to weft strands  64  and that have segments that are routed parallel to warp strands twisted strands of material (e.g., twisted pairs of conductive strands). To produce intertwined strands such as these, shuttle  62  may be provided with a strand braising device, a strand twisting device, or other strand intertwining device. 
     As shown in  FIG. 18 , for example, shuttle  62  may have a source of multiple strands such as first strand bobbin  252 B for dispensing first strand  252  and second strand bobbin  250 B for dispensing second strand  250 . Bobbins  250 B and  252 B may be mounted in bobbin housing  260 . Motor  258  may be used to rotate housing  260  in direction  262  about rotational axis  264 , thereby twisting strands  250  and  252  about each other as strands  250  and  252  are being dispensed by shuttle  62 . If desired, components may be mounted to strands  250  and  252  during strand dispensing. As shown in  FIG. 18 , components such as electrical component  220  may be dispensed onto strands  250  and  252  in direction  256  from component dispenser  254  (e.g., a tape with components, a stacked magazine containing components, etc.). Soldering device  266  may produce heat (e.g., hot air, light, etc.) that solders contacts on components  220  to strands  250  and  252 . Twisted strand pair  268  may serve as weft strands  64  in fabric  60 , may have portions that are wrapped around warp strands (see, e.g., wrapped strand  136  of  FIG. 6 ), may have segments that run perpendicular to warp strands and segments that run parallel to warp strands, etc. 
     Shuttle  62  may contain an electronically controlled strand dispenser such as strand dispenser  270  of  FIG. 19 . Strand dispenser  270  may have sensors and motors that measure and adjust the amount of strand  64  that is dispensed from shuttle  62 . In the example of  FIG. 19 , strand  64  is being dispensed in direction  274 . Sensors and actuators in dispenser  270  may be coupled to rotating structures such as wheels  272  and may be coupled to control circuitry  90 . By measuring the amount (i.e., the length) of strand  64  dispensed in direction  274  per unit time (or per pass through shed  66  or per other suitable unit of time, distance, etc.) control circuitry  90  and supplied control signals to dispenser  270  that adjust the dispensing of strands  64  so as to prevent over-tensioning and under-tensioning of strand  64 , thereby avoiding the production of uneven areas in fabric  60 . Wheels  272  or other dispensing structures in dispenser  274  may meter out particular amounts of strand  64 , may measure and/or adjust strand tension, may measure and/or adjust strand velocity, and/or may otherwise monitor and adjust the dispensing of strands of material from shuttle  62 . 
       FIG. 20  is a perspective view of an illustrative heddle with a rotating disk with multiple eyes. As shown in  FIG. 20 , heddle  36 H has a wire such as wire  276  that is coupled to heddle disk housing  278 . Wire  276  may be moved up and down in directions  280  using positioners  42  ( FIG. 1 ). Heddle disk  284  may be rotated in directions  288  about rotational axis  290  by a motor or other actuator in heddle disk housing  278 . Heddle disk  284  may have a first opening such as eye  286 - 1  that receives a first warp strand such as stand  28 - 1  and may have a second opening such as eye  286 - 2  that receives a second warp strand such as strand  28 - 2 . As strands  28 - 1  and  28 - 2  move through heddle  36 H in direction  282 , disk  284  rotates and twists strands  28 - 1  and  28 - 2  about each other as shown by twisted warp strands  292 . Twisted warp strands  292  may be woven into fabric  60  with other warp strands  28 , as described in connection with  FIG. 1 . 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20170323
Publication Date: 20200204
Grant Date: 20200204
Priority Date: 20160527
Inventors: SUNSHINE, Daniel D.
ROSENBERG, ANDREW L.
PODHAJNY, DANIEL A.
Gomes, Didio V.
May, Maurice P.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "D03D49/44", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D03J5/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D03D51/34", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D03D1/0088", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D03D1/0088", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D03J5/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D03D51/34", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D03D49/44", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D03J5/24", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D03J5/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D03J1/04", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D03D49/44", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D03D45/50", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D03D1/0088", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D03C19/005", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D10B2401/18", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "D10B2401/16", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 69230322