PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10756020-B2
Application Number: US-201916584537-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Fabric-based items with electrical component arrays

Abstract:
A fabric-based item may include fabric layers and other layers of material. An array of electrical components may be mounted in the fabric-based item. The electrical components may be mounted to a support structure such as a flexible printed circuit. The flexible printed circuit may have a mesh shape formed from an array of openings. Serpentine flexible printed circuit segments may extend between the openings. The electrical components may be light-emitting diodes or other electrical devices. Polymer with light-scattering particles or other materials may cover the electrical components. The flexible printed circuit may be laminated between fabric layers or other layers of material in the fabric-based item.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus, comprising:
 a substrate that has an array of openings; 
 an array of electrical components mounted on the substrate; and 
 a fabric layer attached to the substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a flexible printed circuit having portions to which the electrical components are attached and having segments extending between the portions to which the electrical components are attached and wherein each one of the segments has a curved portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein the electrical components include light-emitting diodes. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus defined in  claim 2 , further comprising translucent polymer covering the light-emitting diodes. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus defined in  claim 3 , further comprising a layer of adhesive interposed between the fabric layer and the substrate with the array of openings. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein the electrical components comprise actuators. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein the electrical components comprise sensors. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein the electrical components are soldered to the portions to which the electrical components are attached. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus defined in  claim 1 , wherein the substrate includes metal traces that route signals between the array of electrical components. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus, comprising:
 a substrate that has an array of openings; 
 an array of electrical components mounted on the substrate; and 
 a fabric layer attached to the substrate, wherein the substrate is formed from a continuous grid of component support regions and interconnect regions that couple the component support regions, wherein each electrical component of the array of electrical components is mounted on one of the component support regions of the substrate, and wherein each one of the interconnect regions has a curved portion.

Description:
This application is a continuation of U.S. non-provisional patent application Ser. No. 15/752,480, filed Feb. 13, 2018, which is a 371 of PCT patent application No. PCT/US2016/047259, filed Aug. 17, 2016, which claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/207,499, filed Aug. 20, 2015, which are all hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to fabric-based items and, more particularly, to fabric-based items with arrays of electrical components. 
     It may be desirable to form furniture, clothing, and other items from materials such as fabric. Fabric-based items generally do not include electrical components. It may be desirable, however, to incorporate electrical components into a fabric-based item to provide a user of a fabric-based item with enhanced functionality. 
     It can be challenging to incorporate electrical components into a fabric-based item. Fabric is flexible, so it can be difficult to mount structures to fabric. Electrical components must be coupled to signal paths, but unless care is taken, signal paths will be damaged as fabric is bent and stretched. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved techniques for incorporating electrical components into fabric-based items. 
     SUMMARY 
     A fabric-based item may include electrical components. A fabric-based item may, for example, have an array of electrical components and one or more layers of fabric. Fabric layers may serve as substrates for electrical components or may be coupled to support structures on which electrical components have been mounted. 
     The electrical components may be mounted to a support structure such as a flexible printed circuit. The flexible printed circuit may have a mesh pattern formed from an array of openings. Serpentine flexible printed circuit segments may extend between the openings and may interconnect portions of the flexible printed circuit to which the electrical components have been soldered. 
     The electrical components may be light-emitting diodes or other electrical devices. Polymer with light-scattering particles or other materials may cover the electrical components. The flexible printed circuit and array of components may be laminated between fabric layers or other layers of material. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative fabric-based item in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of illustrative fabric in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of layers of material that may be incorporated into a fabric-based item in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electrical component in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electrical component having an electrical device mounted on an interposer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electrical component having multiple electrical devices mounted on an interposer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electrical component mounted on a substrate and covered with a bead of polymer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electrical component that is covered with a bead of polymer such as a translucent polymer and that overlaps a bead of polymer such as an opaque polymer bead in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a layer of material in a fabric-based item that includes an array of electrical components in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative fabric layer showing how a conductive strand of material such as a conductive yarn may be selectively brought to the surface of the fabric layer and used to form a contact such as a solder pad for coupling to an electrical component in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of fabric having an area into which extra strands of material such as floating conductive warp yarns are being incorporated to form a contact such as a solder pad in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side view of an array of electrical components covered with beads of polymer and embedded within polymer or other materials in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative substrate layer populated with an array of electrical components and covered with a layer of material such as a polymer layer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative substrate layer populated with an array of electrical components and having a lower surface covered with a layer of material such as a polymer layer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative array of electrical components mounted on a substrate such as a flexible polymer substrate of the type that may be provided with an optional array of openings to enhance flexibility in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view of an illustrative mesh-shaped (mesh-patterned) flexible substrate populated with an array of electrical components in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 17  is an exploded perspective view of an illustrative mesh-shaped (mesh-patterned) flexible substrate and associated layer of material such as a fabric layer or other flexible layer with mating contact pads in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 18  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative array of components mounted on a flexible substrate and laminated between layers of fabric in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Items such as item  10  of  FIG. 1  may be based on fabric. Item  10  may be an electronic device or an accessory for an electronic device such as a laptop computer, a computer monitor containing an embedded computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, a media player, or other handheld or portable electronic device, a smaller device such as a wrist-watch device, a pendant device, a headphone or earpiece device, a device embedded in eyeglasses or other equipment worn on a user&#39;s head, or other wearable or miniature device, a television, a computer display that does not contain an embedded computer, a gaming device, a navigation device, an embedded system such as a system in which fabric-based item  10  is mounted in a kiosk, in an automobile, airplane, or other vehicle, other electronic equipment, or equipment that implements the functionality of two or more of these devices. If desired, item  10  may be a removable external case for electronic equipment, may be a strap, may be a wrist band or head band, may be a removable cover for a device, may be a case or bag that has straps or that has other structures to receive and carry electronic equipment and other items, may be a necklace or arm band, may be a wallet, sleeve, pocket, or other structure into which electronic equipment or other items may be inserted, may be part of a chair, sofa, or other seating (e.g., cushions or other seating structures), may be part of an item of clothing or other wearable item (e.g., a hat, belt, wrist band, headband, etc.), or may be any other suitable fabric-based item. 
     Item  10  may include intertwined strands of material such as monofilaments and yarns that form fabric  12 . Fabric  12  may form all or part of a housing wall or other layer in an electronic device, may form internal structures in an electronic device, or may form other fabric-based structures. Item  10  may be soft (e.g., item  10  may have a fabric surface that yields to a light touch), may have a rigid feel (e.g., the surface of item  10  may be formed from a stiff fabric), may be coarse, may be smooth, may have ribs or other patterned textures, and/or may be formed as part of a device that has portions formed from non-fabric structures of plastic, metal, glass, crystalline materials, ceramics, or other materials. 
     The strands of material in fabric  12  may be single-filament strands (sometimes referred to as fibers) or may be yarns or other strands that have been formed by intertwining multiple filaments of material together. Examples of fabric  12  formed from yarn are sometimes described herein as an example. This is, however, merely illustrative. Yarn-based fabric for item  10  may, if desired, be partly or completely formed from monofilaments. 
     The yarns in fabric  12  may be formed from polymer, metal, glass, graphite, ceramic, natural materials 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 material. For example, plastic yarns and monofilaments in fabric  12  may be coated with metal to make them conductive. Reflective coatings such as metal coatings may be applied to make yarns and monofilaments reflective. Yarns may be formed from a bundle of bare metal wires or metal wire intertwined with insulating monofilaments (as examples). 
     Yarn may be intertwined to form fabric  12  using intertwining equipment such as weaving equipment, knitting equipment, or braiding equipment. Intertwined yarn may, for example, form woven fabric. Conductive yarn and insulating yarn may be woven, knit, or otherwise intertwined to form contact pads that can be electrically coupled to conductive structures in item  10  such as the contact pads of an electrical component. 
     Conductive yarn and insulating yarn may also be woven, knit, or otherwise intertwined to form conductive paths. The conductive paths may be used in forming signal paths (e.g., signal buses, power lines, etc.), may be used in forming part of a capacitive touch sensor electrode, a resistive touch sensor electrode, or other input-output device, or may be used in forming other patterned conductive structures. Conductive structures in fabric  12  may be used in carrying power signals, digital signals, analog signals, sensor signals, control signals, data, input signals, output signals, or other suitable electrical signals. 
     Item  10  may include additional mechanical structures  14  such as polymer binder to hold yarns in fabric  12  together, support structures such as frame members, housing structures (e.g., an electronic device housing), and other mechanical structures. 
     To enhance mechanical robustness and electrical conductivity at yarn-to-yarn connections, additional structures and materials (e.g., solder, crimped metal connections, welds, conductive adhesive such as anisotropic conductive film and other conductive adhesive, non-conductive adhesive, fasteners, etc.) may be used to help form yarn-to-yarn connections. These yarn-to-yarn connections may be formed where yarns cross each other perpendicularly or at other yarn intersections where connections are desired. Insulating material can be interposed between intersecting conductive yarns at locations in which it is not desired to form a yarn-to-yarn connection. The insulating material may be plastic or other dielectric, may include an insulating yarn or a conductive yarn with an insulating coating or insulated conductive monofilaments, etc. Solder connections may be formed between conductive yarns by melting solder so that the solder flows over conductive yarns. The solder may be melted using an inductive soldering head to heat the solder, using a reflow oven to heat the solder, using a laser or hot bar to heat the solder, or using other soldering equipment. During soldering, outer dielectric coating layers (e.g., outer polymer layers) may be melted away in the presence of molten solder, thereby allowing underlying metal yarns to be soldered together. 
     Circuitry  16  may be included in item  10 . Circuitry  16  may include electrical components that are coupled to fabric  12 , electrical components that are housed within an enclosure formed by fabric  12 , electrical components that are attached to fabric  12  using welds, solder joints, adhesive bonds (e.g., conductive adhesive bonds such as anisotropic conductive adhesive bonds or other conductive adhesive bonds), crimped connections, or other electrical and/or mechanical bonds. Circuitry  16  may include metal structures for carrying current, electrical components such as integrated circuits, light-emitting diodes, sensors, and other electrical devices. Control circuitry in circuitry  16  may be used to control the operation of item  10  and/or to support communications with item  18  and/or other devices. 
     Item  10  may interact with electronic equipment or other additional items  18 . Items  18  may be attached to item  10  or item  10  and item  18  may be separate items that are configured to operate with each other (e.g., when one item is a case and the other is a device that fits within the case, etc.). Circuitry  16  may include antennas and other structures for supporting wireless communications with item  18 . Item  18  may also interact with item  10  using a wired communications link or other connection that allows information to be exchanged. 
     In some situations, item  18  may be an electronic device such as a cellular telephone, computer, or other portable electronic device and item  10  may form a cover, case, bag, or other structure that receives the electronic device in a pocket, an interior cavity, or other portion of item  10 . In other situations, item  18  may be a wrist-watch device or other electronic device and item  10  may be a strap or other fabric-based item that is attached to item  18  (e.g., item  10  and item  18  may together form a fabric-based item such as a wristwatch with a strap). In still other situations, item  10  may be an electronic device, fabric  12  may be used in forming the electronic device, and additional items  18  may include accessories or other devices that interact with item  10 . Signal paths formed from conductive yarns and monofilaments may be used to route signals in item  10  and/or item(s)  18 . 
     The fabric that makes up item  10  may be formed from yarns and/or monofilaments that are intertwined using any suitable intertwining equipment. With one suitable arrangement, which may sometimes be described herein as an example, fabric  12  may be woven fabric formed using a weaving machine. In this type of illustrative configuration, fabric may have a plain weave, a basket weave, a satin weave, a twill weave, or variations of these weaves, may be a three-dimensional woven fabric, or may be other suitable fabric. 
     A cross-sectional side view of illustrative woven fabric  12  is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , fabric  12  may include yarns or other strands of material such as warp yarns  20  and weft yarns  22 . In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 2 , fabric  12  has a single layer of woven yarns. Multi-layer fabric constructions may be used for fabric  12  if desired. 
     Fabric-based item  10  may include non-fabric materials (e.g., structures formed from plastic, metal, glass, ceramic, crystalline materials such as sapphire, etc.). These materials may be formed using molding operations, machining, laser processing, and other fabrication techniques. In some configurations, some or all of fabric-based item  10  may include one or more layers of material such as layers  24  of  FIG. 3 . Layers  24  may include layers of polymer, metal, glass, fabric, adhesive, crystalline materials, ceramic, substrates on which components have been mounted, patterned layers of material, layers of material containing patterned metal traces, thin-film devices such as transistors, and/or other layers. 
     A side view of an illustrative electrical component of the type that may be used in fabric-based item  10  is shown in  FIG. 4 . Electrical components in item  10  such as illustrative electrical component  26  of  FIG. 4  may include discrete electrical components such as resistors, capacitors, and inductors, may include connectors, may include input-output devices such as switches, buttons, light-emitting components such as light-emitting diodes, audio components such as microphones and speakers, vibrators (e.g., piezoelectric actuators that can vibrate), solenoids, electromechanical actuators, motors, and other electromechanical devices, microelectromechanical systems (MEMs) devices, pressure sensors, light detectors, proximity sensors (light-based proximity sensors, capacitive proximity sensors, etc.), force sensors (e.g., piezoelectric force sensors), strain gauges, moisture sensors, temperature sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, compasses, magnetic sensors (e.g., Hall effect sensors and magnetoresistance sensors such as giant magnetoresistance sensors), touch sensors, and other sensors, components that form displays, touch sensors arrays (e.g., arrays of capacitive touch sensor electrodes to form a touch sensor that detects touch events in two dimensions), and other input-output devices, electrical components that form control circuitry such as non-volatile and volatile memory, microprocessors, application-specific integrated circuits, system-on-chip devices, baseband processors, wired and wireless communications circuitry, and other integrated circuits. Electrical components such as component  26  may be bare semiconductor dies (e.g., laser dies, light-emitting diode dies, integrated circuits, etc.) or packaged components (e.g. semiconductor dies or other devices packaged within plastic packages, ceramic packages, or other packaging structures). One or more electrical terminals such as contact pads  30  may be formed on body  28  of component  26 . Body  28  may be a semiconductor die (e.g., a laser die, light-emitting diode die, integrated circuit, etc.) or may be a package for a component (e.g., a plastic package or other dielectric package that contains one or more semiconductor dies or other electrical devices). Contacts for body  28  such as pads  30  may be protruding leads, may be planar contacts, may be formed in an array, may be formed on any suitable surfaces of body  28 , or may be any other suitable contacts for forming electrical connections to component  26 . For example, pads  30  may be metal solder pads. 
     As shown in the example of  FIG. 5 , body  28  may be mounted on a support structure such as interposer  36 . Interposer  36  may be a printed circuit, ceramic carrier, or other dielectric substrate. Interposer  36  may be larger than body  28  or may have other suitable sizes. Interposer  36  may have a planar shape with a thickness of 700 microns, more than 500 microns, less than 500 microns, or other suitable thickness. The thickness of body  28  may be 500 microns, more than 300 microns, less than 1000 microns, or other suitable thickness. The footprint (area viewed from above) of body  28  and interposer  36  may be 10 microns×10 microns, 100 microns×100 microns, more than 1 mm×1 mm, less than 10 mm×10 mm, may be rectangular, may be square, may have L-shapes, or may have other suitable shapes and sizes. 
     Interposer  36  may contain signal paths such as metal traces  38 . Metal traces  38  may have portions forming contacts such as pads  34  and  40 . Pads  34  and  40  may be formed on the upper surface of interposer  36 , on the lower surface of interposer  36 , or on the sides of interposer  36 . Conductive material such as conductive material  32  may be used in mounting body  28  to interposer  36 . Conductive material  32  may be solder (e.g., low temperature or high temperature solder), may be conductive adhesive (isotropic conductive adhesive or anisotropic conductive film), may be formed during welding, or may be other conductive material for coupling electrical device pads (body pads) such as pads  30  on body  28  to interposer pads  34 . Metal traces  38  in interposer  36  may couple pads  34  to other pads such as pads  40 . If desired, pads  40  may be larger and/or more widely spaced than pads  34 , thereby facilitating attachment of interposer  36  to conductive yarns and/or other conductive paths in item  10 . Solder, conductive adhesive, or other conductive connections may be used in coupling pads  40  to conductive yarn, conductive monofilament, printed circuit traces, or other conductive path materials in fabric-based item  10 . 
       FIG. 6  shows how interposer  36  may be sufficiently large to accommodate multiple electrical devices each with a respective body  28 . For example, multiple light-emitting diodes, sensors, and/or other electrical devices may be mounted to a common interposer such as interposer  36  of  FIG. 6 . The light-emitting diodes may be micro-light-emitting diodes (e.g., light-emitting diode semiconductor dies having footprints of about 10 microns×10 microns, more than 5 microns×5 microns, less than 100 microns×100 microns, or other suitable sizes). The light-emitting diodes may include light-emitting diodes of different colors (e.g., red, green, blue, white, etc.). Redundant light-emitting diodes or other redundant circuitry may be included on interposer  36 . In configurations of the type shown in  FIG. 6  in which multiple electrical devices (each with a respective body  28 ) are mounted on a common interposer, electrical component  26  may include any suitable combination of electrical devices (e.g., light-emitting diodes, sensors, integrated circuits, actuators, and/or other devices of the type described in connection with electrical component  26  of  FIG. 4 ). 
     Electrical components may be coupled to fabric structures, individual yarns or monofilaments, printed circuits (e.g., rigid printed circuits formed from fiberglass-filled epoxy or other rigid printed circuit board material or flexible printed circuits formed from polyimide substrate layers or other sheets of flexible polymer materials), metal or plastic parts with signal traces, or other structures in item  10 . In the configuration of  FIG. 7 , component  26  has been mounted to support structure  40  (e.g., a layer of fabric, a printed circuit, etc.). 
     It may be desired to cover component  26  with one or more layers of material. For example, in configurations in which component  26  is sensitive to moisture, it may be desirable to seal component  26  within a waterproof material. In configurations in which component  26  emits light, it may be desirable to cover component  26  with a light-diffusing layer such as a polymer layer including metal oxide particles (e.g., white particles of titanium dioxide, colored particles, or other light-diffusing particles). Opaque materials and/or materials with other optical, mechanical, and/or electrical properties may also be used to cover some or all of component  26 . In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 7 , a bead of polymer such as polymer  42  has been used to cover component  26  and an adjacent portion of the upper surface of support structure  40 . Polymer  42  may be, for example, a light-diffusing material such as a white potting compound (e.g., a polymer with white light scattering particles). Other materials may be used to cover electrical components on support structure  40  if desired. The configuration of  FIG. 7  in which a bead of light-diffusing polymer has been used to cover electrical component  26  is merely illustrative. 
       FIG. 8  shows how beads of polymer or other materials may be formed above and below component  26 . Upper bead  42  may cover component  26  and adjacent portions of support structure  40 . Lower bead  44  may cover the rear of support structure  40  under component  26 . With one illustrative arrangement, support structure  40  of  FIG. 8  is a flexible substrate layer (e.g., a flexible printed circuit layer), upper bead  42  is a light-diffusing bead of polymer, and lower bead  44  is an opaque (e.g., black) bead of light-absorbing polymer. Bead  42  may help diffuse and homogenize light emitted by component  26  in the upwards direction and bead  44  may help to block stray light that might otherwise propagate in the downwards direction (in the orientation of  FIG. 8 ). 
     The surface of support structure  40  to which bead  42  is attached may sometimes be referred to as a top surface, front surface, or outer surface of structure  40  and the surface of structure  40  to which bead  44  is attached may sometimes be referred to as a bottom surface, rear surface, or inner surface of structure  40 . Arrangements in which an opaque bead of polymer is formed on an outer surface of structure  40  and a translucent bead of polymer is formed on the inner surface (backside) of structure  40  may be used, if desired. The configuration of  FIG. 8  is presented as an example. If desired, beads of polymer or other material may be used to encapsulate component  26  and thereby protect component  26  from moisture, dust, and other contaminants, to help adhere component  26  to support structure  40 , etc. 
     One or more electrical components  26  may be included in item  10 . In some configurations, housing walls, interior housing structures, planar layers of material, and/or other layers of material may be provided with multiple components  26 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , for example, structure  46  may be provided with an array of electrical components  26 . Structure  46  may include a support structure such as support structure  40  of  FIGS. 7 and 8  (or may be a structure such as support structure  40 ). Components  26  may be arranged in a two-dimensional array (e.g., an array having rows and columns), may be arranged in a pseudo-random pattern, may be arranged in circles, lines, or triangles, or other shapes, or may be organized in other patterns. Structure  46  may be flexible and stretchable and may include outer layers of fabric or other materials. Structure  46  may be used in forming a wall for a bag, a portion of a strap, a layer in a piece of clothing or other item, or other portion of fabric-based item  10 . 
     Components  26  may be mounted on the outermost surface of structure  46 , or may be mounted in an interior portion of structure  46 . For example, structure  46  may include multiple layers of material (plastic layers, printed circuit layers, adhesive layers, fabric layers, etc.). In this type of arrangement, structure  46  may include window structures in alignment with components  26 . For example, structure  46  may include an array of light-transparent windows in a configuration in which components  26  are light-emitting diodes or other light sources and/or are light detectors. As another example, components  26  may be antennas or other components that use radio-frequency electromagnetic signals. In this type of arrangement, structure  46  may include radio-transparent windows (e.g. windows formed from plastic or other dielectric that allows radio-frequency signals to pass). In configurations in which electrical components  26  are temperature sensors, the windows in structure  46  may be thermally conductive windows that allow temperature measurements to be made by components  26 . Windows may be circular, square, may form part of elongated shapes (e.g., strips of window material), may have shapes with combinations of curved and straight sides, and/or may have other suitable shapes. Configurations for structure  46  in which structure  46  has a uniform appearance (with no discernable windows) may also be used (e.g., by providing all of a fabric layer or other outer layer in structure  46  with appropriate light-transmission properties, radio-transparency properties, and/or thermal conductivity properties or other properties that are compatible with components  26 ). 
     In some configurations, item  10  may include electrical connections between components  26  and conductive paths in fabric  12 . Fabric  12  may include conductive yarns and/or conductive monofilaments for carrying signals. The yarns and/or monofilaments may be used to form fabric contact pads. Consider, as an example, fabric  12  of  FIG. 10 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , fabric  12  may contain strands of material such as warp yarns  20  and weft yarns  22 . One or more of these yarns may be conductive and may be exposed on the surface of fabric  12  to form a contact pad. In the example of  FIG. 10 , conductive yarn  22 ′ has been woven in a pattern that causes portion  22 ″ of yarn  22 ′ to form a contact pad on upper surface  50  of fabric layer  12  in region  52 . Component  26  may have contact pads such as pad  56 . Solder or other conductive material  54  may be used to couple pad  56  to the pad formed by portion  22 ″ of yarn  22 ′. In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 10 , pad  22 ′ has been formed by selectively raising weft yarn  22 ′ to surface  50  in region  52  (e.g., using a three-dimensional weaving machine). If desired, warp yarns or other suitable strands of material in fabric  12  may be used to form contact pad  22 ′. As shown in  FIG. 11 , for example, portion  20 ′ of floating warp yarn  20  may be used in forming a contact pad on surface  50  of fabric  12  (and remaining portions of yarn  20  may be trimmed away). Embossing techniques (e.g., techniques for incorporating conductive yarns into fabric  12  using sewing equipment) may also be used to form fabric contact pads in fabric  12 . If desired, transparent yarns or yarns having other desired properties may likewise be patterned to form surface structures such as pad  22 ′ of  FIG. 11  (e.g., to from transparent windows for underlying components  26 ). The use of weaving techniques and other patterning techniques to form solder pads is merely illustrative. 
     As shown in  FIG. 12 , components  26  on support structure  40  may, if desired, be embedded within layers of material such as layer  60 . Layer  60  may be an elastomeric material such as a stretchy polymer (e.g., silicone, polyurethane, acrylic, or other low modulus polymer that can stretch without failing). If desired, beads of polymer or other material such as beads  42  and/or  44  may be formed over and/or under components  26  (e.g., to help encapsulate components  26 , to adjust the optical characteristics of the materials near components  26 , etc.). Layer  60  may cover beads  42  and/or beads  44 . Layer  40  may be formed from fabric (e.g., fabric with contact pads formed using conductive yarns as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 ), may be a flexible printed circuit layer, or may be other suitable support layer. Layer  60  may be formed on the upper and lower surfaces of support structure  40  (e.g., in an arrangement that covers beads  42  and/or  44 ), may be formed only on the upper surface of structure  40  (as shown in  FIG. 13 ), or may be formed only on the lower surface of structure  40  (as shown in  FIG. 14 ). 
     An array of components  26  may be mounted to a layer of fabric or other material that is flexible and/or stretchable (see, e.g., structure  46  of  FIG. 9 ). As described in connection with  FIG. 9 , windows may be provided in the material to which components  26  are mounted in alignment with components  26  (if desired) or windows may be omitted from structure  46  (e.g., in configurations where structure  46  has suitable properties such as desired levels of light transmission, etc.). 
     To accommodate configurations in which components  26  are mounted within layers of flexible and/or stretchable material, it may be desirable to form support structure  40  using a flexible and/or stretchable structure. If desired, the flexibility and/or stretchability of support structure  40  may be enhanced by forming openings in structure  40 . As shown in  FIG. 15 , openings that pass completely or partly through support structure  40  may be formed in regions of support structure  40  such as region  62  that are located between electrical components  26 . With one illustrative configuration, support structure  40  is a flexible printed circuit (e.g., a layer of polyimide or a sheet of other flexible printed circuit polymer) and openings  62  are organized in an array to provide the printed circuit layer with a mesh shape having enhanced flexibility and stretchability. 
       FIG. 15  also shows how support structure  40  may include metal traces  70 . Metal traces  70  may be used to interconnect components  26  and to route signals between components  26  and other circuitry in item  10 . Portions of metal traces  70  may be used to form contact pads such as pads  68  on the upper and/or lower surfaces of structure  40 . Solder  57  may be used to couple pads  68  to mating pads on other structures in item  10  (e.g., fabric contact pads, printed circuit contact pads, component contact pads such as pads  56 , etc.). 
     A perspective view of support structure  40  (e.g., a printed circuit substrate or other substrate layer) having a mesh shape formed from an array of openings  62  is shown in  FIG. 16 . As shown in  FIG. 16 , the array of openings  62  may have regions  40 - 1  (sometimes referred to as islands, island regions, or component support regions) to which components  26  are mounted (see, e.g., components  26  of  FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 ). Regions  40 - 1  may be interconnected by elongated portions of support structure  40  such as segments  40 - 2 . Segments  40 - 2  may extend between openings  62  and may be straight, may be curved, or may have both straight and curved portions. In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 16 , segments  40 - 2  have serpentine shapes to help enhance the flexibility and stretchability of structure  40  without damaging structure  40  or components  26 . Other mesh-shaped support structures may be used, if desired (e.g., mesh substrates with circular openings, triangular openings, mesh patterns with a combination of circular and square openings, meshes with non-regular patterns of openings, etc.). 
     As shown in  FIG. 17 , a mesh-shaped flexible printed circuit or other support structure  40  that is populated with an array of components  26  may be coupled to fabric layer  12 . Fabric layer  12  may contain an array of pads such as pads  64 . Pads  64  may be formed using conductive yarns (e.g., conductive warp or weft yarns) or may be formed from other conductive pad structures. Pads  64  may be patterned in an array that matches a corresponding array of printed circuit pads on the lower surface of structure  40  such as pads  68  of  FIG. 15 . Solder may be used to join the pads of structure  40  and pads  64  when structure  40  is moved in direction  66  of  FIG. 17 . As shown by optional layer  60 , structure  40 , components  26 , and/or layer  12  may be embedded within a layer of polymer or other flexible and stretchable material. Layer  60  may be clear, translucent, opaque, may have white light-scattering particles, may have colored light-scattering particles, or may have other suitable optical, electrical, and mechanical properties. 
     As described in connection with  FIG. 9 , components  26  may be mounted in a structure such as structure  46  (e.g., a wall or other layer of material in item  10 , part of a band or strap, etc.). Structure  46  may be, for example, a flexible and stretchable layer that is used in forming the outermost layer(s) of material in item  10  or other flexible and stretchable portions of item  10 . A mesh-shaped (mesh-patterned) flexible printed circuit substrate or other support layer  40  may be laminated to layers of fabric, plastic, metal, and/or other materials to form a multilayer flexible and stretchable structure such as structure  46 . 
     A cross-sectional side view of a flexible and stretchable structure of this type is shown in  FIG. 18 . As shown in  FIG. 18 , flexible and stretchable layer  46  may include structure  40 . Structure  40  may be a mesh-shaped flexible printed circuit (e.g., a mesh formed from a patterned layer of polyimide or other polymer with an array of openings  62 , islands  40 - 1  with pads to which pads on components  26  are soldered or otherwise coupled using conductive material, and elongated portions such as serpentine segments  40 - 2  that couple respective islands  40 - 1 ). Components  26  may be mounted on structure  40  using solder, anisotropic conductive adhesive, isotropic conductive adhesive, or other conductive material. Optional beads of polymer may be provided on structure  40 , such as beads  42  over components  26 . Beads  42  may contain light scattering particles (e.g., beads  42  may be translucent light-scattering material such as a polymer containing titanium diode particles or other light-scattering particles that scatter light emitted by component  26 ). 
     An elastomeric layer such as optional elastomeric polymer layer  60  may be formed over and under structure  40  (i.e., structure  40  may be embedded within layer  60 ). Layer  60  may be a clear stretchable polymer or other suitable material. Fabric layers or other layers of material may be attached to structure  40 . In the example of  FIG. 18 , structure  46  has an outer surface formed by outer fabric layer  12 A and has an inner surface formed by inner fabric layer  12 B. Layer  12 A may have windows  80 . Windows  80  may be formed from regions of lowered yarn density, regions of enhanced yarn transparency, regions with different types of yarn, regions in which perforations or other openings have been formed in fabric  12 A, regions into which clear polymer or other polymer has been embedded into fabric  12 A (e.g., regions with an embedded polymer that differs from a polymer embedded in adjacent portions of fabric  12 A), or other window structures. If desired, windows  80  may be omitted (e.g., in configurations in which fabric  12 A is sufficiently transparent to allow light from components  26  to pass or has other desired properties). Adhesive layer  82  may be used to attach fabric  12 A to layer  60  (and thereby mount fabric  12 A to structure  40 ). Adhesive layer  76  may be used to attach fabric  12 B (or other layer of material such as a polymer sheet, etc.) to layer  60  (and thereby mount fabric  12 B to structure  40 ). 
     Adhesive layers such as layers  82  and  76  may be pressure sensitive adhesive layers, liquid adhesive, or other suitable adhesive. If desired, polymer layer  60  may be omitted from one or both sides of structure  40 , polymer beads  42  may be omitted, additional polymer beads  44  may be included, and/or one or more intervening layers of material and adhesive layers may be interposed between the layers of  FIG. 18  and/or otherwise attached to structure  46 . The configuration of  FIG. 18  is merely illustrative. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a fabric-based item is provided that includes an array of electrical components mounted on a flexible substrate, a polymer layer in which the array of electrical components and flexible substrate are embedded, and a fabric layer to which the polymer layer is attached. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the flexible substrate includes a flexible printed circuit having an array of openings. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the electrical components include light-emitting diodes and the polymer layer includes a clear polymer layer. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the fabric-based item includes a bead of translucent polymer covering each of the electrical components. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the beads of translucent polymer are embedded within the clear polymer layer. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the fabric-based item includes opaque beads of polymer each of which is overlapped by a respective one of electrical components. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the fabric-based item includes a layer of adhesive interposed between the fabric layer and the polymer layer. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the flexible substrate includes a substrate layer with an array of openings and metal traces that form solder pads and the electrical components have solder pads that are soldered to the solder pads on the substrate layer. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, each of the electrical components includes an interposer to which multiple semiconductor dies are mounted. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the flexible substrate layer includes a fabric substrate. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the fabric substrate has contact pads to which the electrical components are electrically coupled. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the contact pads of the fabric substrate are formed from conductive yarn in the fabric substrate and the fabric-based item includes solder with which the contact pads of the fabric substrate are soldered to solder pads in the electrical component. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, apparatus is provided that includes an array of electrical components mounted on a substrate that has an array of openings, and a fabric layer attached to the substrate. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the substrate includes a flexible printed circuit having portions to which the electrical components are soldered and having serpentine segments extending between the portions to which the electrical components are soldered. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the electrical components include light-emitting diodes. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the apparatus includes translucent polymer covering the light-emitting diodes. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the apparatus includes a layer of adhesive interposed between the fabric layer and the substrate with the array of openings. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the electrical components include actuators. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the electrical components include sensors. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a fabric-based item is provided that includes a fabric layer, a layer of material, electrical components, and a flexible printed circuit to which the electrical components are mounted, the flexible printed circuit has a plurality of openings and is mounted between the fabric layer and the layer of material. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the layer of material includes fabric. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the electrical components are soldered to the flexible printed circuit, the fabric-based item includes a first layer of adhesive between the fabric layer and the flexible printed circuit, and a second layer of adhesive between the layer of material and the flexible printed circuit. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the fabric-based item includes polymer that contains light-scattering particles and that overlaps the electrical components. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the electrical components include actuators and sensors. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, a fabric-based item is provided that includes a first fabric layer, a second fabric layer, electrical components, a flexible printed circuit to which the electrical components are attached, the flexible printed circuit has an array of openings and is mounted between the fabric layer and the layer of material, a first layer of adhesive between the first fabric layer and the flexible printed circuit, and a second layer of adhesive between the second fabric layer and flexible printed circuit. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the electrical components are soldered to the flexible printed circuit and include sensors, the fabric-based item includes polymer that contains light-scattering particles and that overlaps the electrical components. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20190926
Publication Date: 20200825
Grant Date: 20200825
Priority Date: 20150820
Inventors: SUNSHINE, Daniel D.
DRZAIC, PAUL S.
PODHAJNY, DANIEL A.
KINDLON, DAVID M.
KIM, HOON SIK
CREWS, KATHRYN P.
HSU, YUNG-YU
Assignee: APPLE INC
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Family ID: 56926257