PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10637977-B1
Application Number: US-201715685826-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B1

Title: Illumination systems for items with leather

Abstract:
An item such as a leather-based item may have a layer of leather with one or more transparent portions that are illuminated by a light source. The transparent portions of the leather may be formed by a single continuous opening in the leather or may be formed by an array of smaller openings. A flexible light guide may be attached to a lower surface of the leather. The light guide may be used to add structure and heft to a thinned portion of the leather while still allowing the leather to remain flexible and soft. The light guide may be attached to a lower surface of the leather and may diffuse and guide light from a light source towards the leather. The light guide may be formed from one or more waveguide “pipes” or may be formed form a plate-light light guide layer that extends continuously under the leather.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An item, comprising:
 leather having a first region with a first thickness and a second region with a second thickness that is less than the first thickness; 
 a light guide attached to the leather; and 
 a light source coupled to the light guide, wherein the light guide receives light from the light source and guides the light through the light guide, wherein the light guide has light extraction features that cause the light to escape the light guide and pass through the second region of the leather. 
 
     
     
       2. The item defined in  claim 1  wherein the light guide is flexible. 
     
     
       3. The item defined in  claim 1  wherein the light extraction features protrude into the leather. 
     
     
       4. An item, comprising:
 leather; 
 a light guide attached to the leather; and 
 a light source coupled to the light guide, wherein the light guide receives light from the light source and guides the light through the light guide, wherein the light guide has light extraction features that cause the light to escape the light guide and pass through the leather, wherein the light guide comprises an elongated waveguide having a shape, and wherein the light that passes through the leather forms an illuminated symbol that matches the shape of the waveguide. 
 
     
     
       5. The item defined in  claim 4  wherein the waveguide is embedded in the leather. 
     
     
       6. A cover for an electronic device, comprising:
 leather having an array of openings, wherein the openings are arranged to form a symbol, wherein the openings are filled with a material that is at least partially transparent, and wherein the openings pass only partially through the leather; and 
 a light source that emits light through the array of openings, wherein the light illuminates the symbol. 
 
     
     
       7. The cover defined in  claim 6  wherein the openings are tapered. 
     
     
       8. The cover defined in  claim 6  wherein the light source comprises an array of light-emitting diodes. 
     
     
       9. The cover defined in  claim 6  wherein the leather comprises skived leather from which corium has been removed. 
     
     
       10. The cover defined in  claim 6  further comprising a waveguide that receives the light from the light source and that guides the light towards the leather. 
     
     
       11. The cover defined in  claim 6  wherein the material comprises a filler material doped with phosphor material. 
     
     
       12. The cover defined in  claim 11  wherein the phosphor material emits light in response to being illuminated with the light from the light source. 
     
     
       13. A cover for an electronic device having an input-output device, comprising:
 leather; 
 light-transmissive portions in the leather, wherein the light-transmissive portions are arranged to form an alphanumeric symbol that overlaps the input-output device; and 
 a light source that emits light through the light-transmissive portions. 
 
     
     
       14. The cover defined in  claim 13  wherein the light-transmissive portions are formed from openings in the leather. 
     
     
       15. The cover defined in  claim 13  further comprising an opaque layer interposed between the leather and the light source, wherein the light-transmissive portions of the leather overlap openings in the opaque layer. 
     
     
       16. The cover defined in  claim 13  further comprising a light-sensitive coating on the leather, wherein the light-sensitive coating emits light when illuminated with the light from the light source. 
     
     
       17. The cover defined in  claim 16  wherein the light source comprises an ultraviolet light source and the light-sensitive coating comprises a material that emits visible light when illuminated with ultraviolet light.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 62/382,161, filed Aug. 31, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This relates generally to leather-based items, and, more particularly, to systems for providing leather-based items with illumination. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Soft and flexible materials such as leather are sometimes used in forming structures in electronic equipment. A layer of leather may, for example, be used as a case for an electronic device such as a cellular telephone or a laptop computer. Leather tends to be soft to the touch and pleasing to the eye, making it an ideal material for carrying or covering electronic equipment. 
     It can be challenging to incorporate leather in electronic equipment. If care is not taken, a light-based output device or other illumination system may be blocked by the leather, making it difficult to provide light-based output to a user. Some leather cases include large openings for providing access to input-output components of an electronic device. However, large openings can be unsightly and can degrade the overall look and feel of the leather. 
     SUMMARY 
     An item such as a leather-based item may have a layer of leather with one or more transparent portions that are illuminated by a light source. The transparent portions of the leather may be formed by a single continuous opening in the leather or may be formed by an array of smaller openings. Openings may be tapered or straight. Transparent portions of leather may also be formed by thinning (e.g., skiving) the leather to the point of transparency. 
     A flexible light guide may be attached to a lower surface of the leather. The light guide may be used to add structure and heft to a thinned portion of the leather while still allowing the leather to remain flexible and soft. The light guide may be attached to a lower surface of the leather and may diffuse and guide light from a light source towards the leather. The light guide may be formed from one or more waveguide “pipes” or may be formed form a plate-light light guide layer that extends continuously under the leather. 
     The transparent portions of the leather may be used to illuminate a symbol (e.g., a glyph a logo, or other symbol) or may be used to illuminate other patterns or shapes. Waveguides that provide light to the leather may be in the shape of the desired symbol or may have other suitable shapes. Waveguides may be embedded in the leather or may be attached to a lower surface of the leather. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of an illustrative leather-based item with circuitry in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative leather in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative leather that has been thinned in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of illustrative equipment of the type that may be used in processing structures for an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of an illustrative leather structure with an illuminated portion such as an illuminated symbol in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of an illustrative leather structure with an array of small illuminated regions that are arranged to form a symbol or other desired shape in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of leather with an illuminated region formed from an opening in the leather in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of leather with an illuminated region formed from thinned portion of the leather in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of leather with an illuminated region formed from openings in an opaque layer on the layer of leather in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of leather with an illuminated region formed from a light-sensitive coating on the leather in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of leather with an illuminated region formed from an array of tapered openings in the leather in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of leather with an illuminated region formed from a gradually thinned portion of the leather in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of leather with an illuminated region formed from an array of openings with varied spacing and varied diameters in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of an illustrative layer of leather with an illuminated region formed from a waveguide in the leather in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of leather with an illuminated region formed from a waveguide in the leather in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of leather with an illuminated region formed from waveguides that are located in respective openings in the leather in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 17  is a diagram of illustrative steps involved in embedded waveguides in a layer of lab-grown leather in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 18  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of leather with an illuminated region formed using a light guide layer with protruding light extraction features in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 19  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of leather with an illuminated region formed using a light guide layer with recessed light extraction features in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 20  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of leather with an illuminated region formed using a light guide layer with light extraction features that protrude into the leather in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 21  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of leather with an illuminated region formed using multiple individual waveguides that are attached to the lower surface of the leather in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 22  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of leather with an illuminated region formed using a light guide layer and top-firing light-emitting diodes in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 23  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of leather with an illuminated region formed using top-firing light-emitting diodes that are attached to the lower surface of the leather in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 24  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of leather with an illuminated region formed using side-firing light-emitting diodes that emit light towards a reflective surface that reflects the light towards the leather in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Leather and other materials may be used in forming leather-based items. For example, leather may be used in forming portions of a stand-alone electronic device such as a cellular telephone, tablet computer, wrist-watch device, laptop computer, media player, pendant device, a device embedded in eyeglasses or other equipment worn on a user&#39;s head, or other electronic equipment, may be used in forming a strap, a case, a cover, or other accessory for an electronic device (e.g., a cover or other accessory that includes a keyboard), may be used in forming accessories such as headphones, may be used in forming straps, pockets, walls in a bag, or parts of other enclosures, may be used in forming seating or other furniture for a home or office, may be used in forming a seat, dashboard, steering wheel, seatbelt, or other item in a vehicle, may be used in forming part of an embedded system such as a system in which leather-based equipment is mounted in a kiosk, may be used in forming wearable items such as a necklace, wrist band, arm band, shoe, or other item of clothing, may be used in forming a wallet or purse, may be used in forming cushions, blankets, or other household items, may be used in forming toys, may be used in forming other equipment with circuitry, or may be used in forming structures that implement the functionality of two or more of these items. 
     Items such as these may include circuitry for supporting input-output features and other functionality. In some configurations, the circuitry may contain a light source for generating light that is viewable by a user of the item. The light may be used as general purpose illumination (e.g., light to illuminate an interior portion of a bag or other enclosure), may be used as light that illuminates a user&#39;s ambient environment (as with a flashlight), may be used to illuminate a symbol, or other patterned structure on the surface of a keyboard or other item (e.g., a keyboard key label), may serve as backlight illumination or per-pixel illumination for a display having an array of individually adjustable pixels, may provide illumination for a status indicator (e.g., a one-element or multi-element battery strength indicator, a wireless signal strength indicator, a power status indicator, or other symbol for a status indicator), may support wireless light-based communications (e.g., with external equipment), and/or may be used in other light-based applications. Arrangements in which the circuitry of an item includes one or more light sources for providing illumination for a patterned opening in a leather-based item such as a symbol (glyph) on a keyboard key (e.g., a keyboard key label or other label, etc.) or other pattern may sometimes be described herein as an example. This is, however, merely illustrative. Arrangements in which the light source structures are included in the circuitry of other types of items (e.g., other suitable structures having illuminated symbols and other patterns) and in which other types of illumination are generated may be used, if desired. 
     An illustrative arrangement for an item that includes circuitry with one or more light sources is shown in  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , item  10  may be a leather-based item (as an example). The leather of item  10  may form all or part of a housing wall for item  10 , may form internal structures for item  10 , may form surface structures for item  10 , or may form other leather-based structures. The leather of item  10  may be soft (e.g., item  10  may have a leather 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 leather), may be coarse, may be smooth, may have ribs or other patterned textures, and/or may be formed as part of a structure that has portions formed from non-leather materials such as plastic, metal, glass, crystalline materials, ceramics, or other materials. 
     Item  10  may have control circuitry  14 . Control circuitry  14  may include storage and processing circuitry for supporting the operation of item  10 . The storage and processing circuitry may include storage such as hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form a solid state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Processing circuitry in control circuitry  14  may be used to control the operation of item  10 . The processing circuitry may be based on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, baseband processors and other wireless communications circuits, power management units, audio chips, application specific integrated circuits, etc. 
     Input-output circuitry in item  10  such as input-output devices  16  may be used to allow data to be supplied to item  10  and to allow data to be provided from item  10  to external devices. During operation, control circuitry  14  may use input-output devices  16  to gather input from a user, external equipment, and/or the environment around item  10 . Control circuitry  14  may also use input-output devices  16  to provide output to a user or external equipment. 
     Input-output devices  16  may include switches, buttons, joysticks, scrolling wheels, touch pads, key pads, keyboards, microphones, speakers, tone generators, vibrators, cameras, sensors such as touch sensors, capacitive proximity sensors, light-based proximity sensors, ambient light sensors, compasses, gyroscopes, accelerometers, moisture sensors, force sensors, data ports, displays, and other input-output devices. Keys, buttons, status indicators, displays, trim structures, and other portions of item  16  may be illuminated. For example, light-emitting diodes, lamps, electroluminescent panels, or other sources of light may be used in illuminating patterned openings. The patterned openings may pass through leather in item  10  and/or other layers of material and may form symbols (e.g., letters and other alphanumeric characters, icons, etc.) or other illuminated shapes. The symbols or other patterned openings may form labels on keys, buttons, or other input-output devices, may form labels on other illuminated structures, may form trim for a component (e.g., a halo surrounding a key), or may form other suitable illuminated area. Arrangements in which patterned openings or other transparent structures in one or more leather layers in item  10  are used in forming illuminated letters or other symbols that serve as labels for input-output components such as keys and buttons may sometimes be described herein as an example. In general, however, input-output devices  16  may include one or more light sources that provide any suitable type of illumination for a user of item  10 . 
     A cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of leather for item  10  is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , leather  12  may include multiple layers. The outer layer of leather  12  such as layer  18  is sometimes referred to as the grain. The inner layer of leather  12  such as layer  22  is sometimes referred to as the corium. Grain layer  18  may be darker and smoother than corium layer  22 , whereas corium layer  22  may be fleshier than grain layer  18 . The fibers that make up leather  12  may be thin, flexible, and loosely packed in corium layer  22  and may become more tightly packed and stiff as they move up toward grain layer  18 . Layer  20  may be the junction of grain and corium (e.g., a transition layer that includes some tightly packed grain fibers and some loosely packed corium fibers). 
     If desired, the thickness of leather  12  may be reduced by removing some of grain layer  18  and/or corium layer  22  (e.g., using skiving equipment or other equipment).  FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of leather  12  in which corium layer  22  has been removed. Leather  12  may be skived uniformly across the length of leather  12  or local skiving may be used to thin localized portions of leather  12 . If desired, the top part of grain layer  18  may be buffed off (e.g., sanded and finished). This type of leather is sometimes referred to as top-grain leather. This is, however, merely illustrative. If desired, leather  12  may be full-grain leather in which grain layer  18  is left intact without any buffing or sanding. Arrangements in which artificial grain is applied to grain layer  18  may also be used. In general, any suitable grade or type of leather may be used in item  10  of  FIG. 1  (top-grain, full-grain, split leather, suede, nubuck, bonded leather, artificial leather, etc.). 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , structures  52  (e.g., device components, partly assembled devices such as leather  12  and other structures, and/or fully assembled devices  10 ) may be processed using equipment  50 . 
     Equipment  50  may include equipment for applying heat to structures  52  such as equipment  58 . Equipment  58  may include a hot tool or other tool that produces heat to soften, melt, cure, or otherwise modify structures  52 . A hot tool may include a heated metal member that can be placed into contact with a portion of structures  52 . Heated embossing equipment (e.g., heated metal die structures that can be used to emboss a desired pattern onto a layer of leather or other material that is compressed between the die structures) and/or other heated structures may be included in equipment  50 . 
     Light-based tools  60  may also be used to process structures  52 . Tools  60  may include sources of light such as lasers, light-emitting diodes, and lamps. Tools  60  may emit ultraviolet light, visible light, and/or infrared light. The light emitted by tools  60  may include wide area illumination and/or focused beams. Light may be emitted continuously (e.g., using a continuous wave laser) or may be emitted in pulses (e.g., to perform laser ablation operations). Tools  60  may emit laser pulses having durations of 10 −15 -10 −12  seconds, 10 −15 -10 −9  seconds, longer than one picosecond, shorter than one picosecond, longer than one nanosecond, shorter than one nanosecond, between one femtosecond and one millisecond, or other suitable durations. Short pulses may have high energy densities and may be suitable for ablating (vaporizing) leather fibers, polymers, and other materials without melting nearby structures. Short pulses, longer duration pulses, and/or continuous wave light beams may be used in softening and/or melting leather fibers, polymers, and other materials. 
     If desired structures  52  may be processed using additional tools  56  such as cutting tools (e.g., a skiving machine, a milling machine, drill, grinding equipment, etc.), molding tools (e.g., leather shaping and molding equipment), polishing equipment, tumbling equipment (e.g., equipment for softening leather), chemical baths (e.g., for etching, for electroplating, for modifying the surfaces of structures  52 , etc.), printing equipment (e.g., screen printing tools, inkjet printing tools, etc.), photolithographic tools, ovens, and/or other equipment for processing structures  52 . 
     Assembly tools  54  may be used in attaching components together to form assemblies and may be used in joining components and/or assemblies to form finished devices. Assembly tools  54  may include manually controlled tools and computer-controlled robotic assembly equipment. 
     To allow light to pass through leather  12  in item  10 , leather  12  and/or other layers of material in item  10  may be provided with transparent portions. The transparent portions may be formed from air-filled openings in leather  12 , may be formed from openings in leather  12  that are filled with transparent material (e.g., haze-free clear material or hazy translucent material), or may be formed from other structures that allow light to pass. In some configurations, an opaque leather coating or other opaque layer may be provided with one or more openings in addition to or instead of providing leather  12  with patterned openings. Combinations of these approaches and/or other arrangements for providing illuminated structures in item  10  may be used, if desired. 
       FIG. 5  is a top view of an illustrative transparent portion  34  of leather  12 . Transparent portion  34  may be fully transparent or semi-transparent so that light from a light-source can pass through leather  12 . Leather  12  may overlap an input-output component such as a key in a keyboard in item  10  (e.g., item  10  may be an accessory such as a cover that contains a keyboard or other device that contains keys). Transparent portion  34  of leather  12  may form a symbol or other pattern. In the example of  FIG. 5 , transparent portion  34  has the shape of the letter “A” and may form a label for the “A” key in a keyboard. This is, however, merely illustrative. If desired, transparent portion  34  of leather  12  may form illuminated regions of other shapes and patterns and may be used in other types of electronic devices. Transparent region  34  may have any suitable size and shape, may be formed on any suitable portion of item  10 , may form labels, symbols, text, decorative patterns (e.g., trim), parts of status indicators, parts of displays, parts of buttons (e.g., buttons such as power buttons, volume buttons, sleep/wake buttons, and other buttons besides the keys in a keyboard), may be formed on surfaces of item  10  that are not associated with keys or buttons, etc. The illuminated key configuration of  FIG. 5  is merely an example. 
     Illuminable portions of leather  12  may be formed from one or more larger (e.g., symbol-sized) continuous transparent regions  34 , as shown in the example of  FIG. 5 , or may be formed from a set of smaller transparent regions  34 , as shown in the example of  FIG. 6 . Transparent regions  34  of  FIG. 6  may be arranged together to form a symbol or other desired shape. Transparent regions  34  of  FIG. 6  may be closely-packed and may have relatively small dimensions. The size and spacing of transparent regions  34  of  FIG. 6  may, for example, be small enough that the human eye cannot distinguish individual transparent regions  34  (e.g., separate transparent regions  34  may give the appearance of a single continuous transparent region of the type shown in  FIG. 5 ). When transparent regions  34  are not illuminated, transparent regions  34  may blend in with the surrounding leather  12  and the human eye may be unable to detect regions  34  at all. If desired, transparent region  34  of  FIG. 5  may also be configured to blend in with surrounding leather  12  when not illuminated. 
     A side view of illustrative leather having a transparent region of the type shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  is shown in  FIG. 7 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , a viewer such as viewer  24  may view exterior surface  44  of item  10  in direction  26 . Item  10  may include a layer material such as leather  12  that forms outer surface  44 . A light source such as light source  30  may be formed in the interior of item  10 . Light source  30  may be formed from one or more light-emitting diodes (e.g., organic light-emitting diodes, light-emitting diode dies formed from crystalline semiconductor, quantum dot light-emitting diodes, etc.), may be formed from one or more lamps, may be formed from one or more electroluminescent panels, may be formed from diode lasers or other laser light sources, or may be formed from other suitable light generating devices. Light source  30  may generate light at visible wavelengths, infrared wavelengths, and/or ultraviolet wavelengths. For example, light source  30  may generate visible light illumination  28 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 7 , transparent portion  34  of leather  12  is formed from one or more openings such as opening  32 . Opening  32  (or a set of openings such as opening  32 ) may have the shape of an alphanumeric character or other symbol (glyph), may serve as a label for a component or other label or trim, may have the shape of a logo, or may have any other suitable shape. As shown in  FIG. 7 , opening  32  of transparent region  34  (i.e., the symbol, label, or other patterned structure formed from opening  32  or set of openings  32 ) may be illuminated with illumination  28  (i.e., illumination  28  may serve as backlight for opening  32 ). Because opening  32  may have a shape that forms a symbol or other desired pattern, openings such as opening  32  of  FIG. 7  may sometimes be referred to as patterned openings. 
     Openings such as opening  32  of  FIG. 7  may be formed by stamping (punching), cutting, machining, plasma cutting, waterjet cutting, heating, ablation, chemical removal (e.g., chemical etching techniques, etc.), laser-based techniques (sometimes referred to as laser hole formation or laser drilling), and/or other suitable material removal techniques. 
     Opening  32  may be filled with transparent material  36  (e.g., material through which light  28  may pass from light source  30 ). The transparent material may be formed from a haze-free clear material (e.g., air or a clear material such as plastic, glass, sapphire or other crystalline materials, etc., with a haze value that is sufficiently low to appear clear and haze-free to the naked eye) or may be formed from translucent material (e.g., a hazy transparent polymer that includes light-scattering particles such as particles of white inorganic materials, light scattering particles of other colors, or other attributes that contribute to a hazy, translucent appearance). If desired, openings  32  may be filled with other leather material (e.g., leather scraps, leather fiber, bonded leather, artificial leather, and/or other leather material) or may be filled with filler material that is doped with phosphor material that emits light in response to being excited by light from light source  30 . 
     If desired, the body of an illuminated shape (e.g., the illustrative “A” symbol of  FIG. 5 ) can be filled with an array of perforations  32  or can be filled entirely from a single opening  32 . In general, illuminated patterns in item  10  may have contiguous large illuminated openings (e.g., symbol-sized opening for forming a symbol that is entirely illuminated, etc.) and/or may have symbol-sized portions filled with arrays of smaller perforations or sets of perforations that run along the edges of the patterns. The width of a portion of a character (e.g., the letter “A”) or other symbol may be, for example, 0.1 to 0.5 mm, more than 0.2 mm, more than 0.3 mm, less than 1 mm, less than 5 mm, or other suitable size. The diameter of perforations such as perforations  32  may be 40 microns, 30-60 microns, more than 25 microns, more than 35 microns, more than 50 microns, 50-100 microns, 5-50 microns, less than 200 microns, more than 100 microns, or other suitable diameter. Perforations  32  may have circular shapes or may have other shapes. In configurations in which perforations  32  are arranged in an array to provide a symbol or other pattern with illumination, perforations  32  may be spaced apart from each other by 150 microns, by 100-150 microns, by 50-300 microns, by more than 25 microns, by less than 400 microns, or by other suitable amounts. 
     If desired, openings  32  may be formed using a cutting tool, may be formed by chemical etching, or may be formed using a laser tool such as laser tool  60  of  FIG. 4 . Laser tool  60  may be a pulsed laser, a continuous wave laser, an infrared laser, a visible-light laser, or an ultraviolet laser. Laser tool  60  may include focusing optics to focus a laser beam from a laser to a small spot (e.g., a spot having a diameter of 1-100 microns, less than 10 microns, more than 5 microns, etc.). During operations with laser tool  60 , a symbol-shaped opening  32  and/or an array of smaller perforations  32  having the shape of a symbol (e.g., a solidly filled symbol or a symbol in which perforations  32  are arranged along the symbol edges) may be formed to allow illumination  28  to pass through leather  12 . One or more pulses of light from laser tool  60  may be used in drilling each perforation or other opening in leather  12 . 
     In arrangements where a laser is used to form openings  32 , a shielding spacer or stencil having openings may be placed between leather  12  and the laser. The laser may be used to ablate the portions of leather  12  that are exposed through the shielding spacer or stencil. 
     Laser-drilled openings may pass fully or part way through one or more leather layers and/or one or more non-leather layers.  FIG. 8  shows an illustrative example in which opening  32  does not pass all the way through leather  12 . Laser tool  60  of  FIG. 4  may be used to create openings  32  that pass only partially through layer  12  so that thickness T 1  of leather  12  is reduced to thickness T 2  in transparent region  34 . Thickness T 2  of leather  12  in regions  34  may be sufficiently small that light  28  from light source  30  can pass through leather  12  towards viewer  24 . 
     Material  36  may be formed in openings  32  using any suitable method. If desired, an autoclave or pressure-based system may be used to fill openings  32  with material  36  to provide an even fill in opening  32  and minimize voids in material  36 . The viscosity of material  36  can be tuned (i.e., adjusted) to achieve the desired fill result of material  36  in openings  32 . In another suitable arrangement, material  36  may be formed in openings  32  using in-mold decorating techniques. 
     In the example of  FIG. 9 , leather  12  is thin enough to be transparent or semi-transparent. To create the desired shape of illuminated region  34 , one or more opaque layers such as opaque layer  46  may be formed leather  12 . Opaque layer  46  may have openings  48  to allow light  28  to pass through leather  12 . In regions where opaque layer  46  is present, light  28  is blocked and leather  12  will be dark in appearance. Opening  48  may be a symbol-sized continuous opening in the desired shape or may be one of an array of openings that are arranged inside of the desired shape. Opaque layer  46  may be formed on the upper and/or lower surface of leather  12 . 
     In some arrangements, opaque layer  46  may be a surface of leather  12  that has been dyed, tanned, or otherwise treated to be opaque. In other arrangements, opaque layer  46  may be a separate layer that is formed on leather  12 . For example, layer  46  may be an opaque layer of material such as a polymer layer, metal layer, or other layer of material. As an example, layer  46  may be formed from an opaque polymer layer such as a layer of black ink (e.g., a polymer binder containing black particles of material such as particles of carbon black, etc.) or a polymer containing other opaque materials. Layer  46  may be deposited by printing techniques (e.g., screen printing, pad printing, inkjet printing, etc.) or other suitable deposition techniques. Layer  46  may be deposited as a coating on leather  12 , may be attached to leather  12  by a layer of adhesive, and/or may be mounted within item  10  adjacent to leather  12  without attaching layer  46  directly to leather  12 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 10 , leather  12  is also thin enough to be transparent or semi-transparent. To create the desired shape of illuminated region  34 , one or more light-sensitive coatings such as light-sensitive coating  50  may be formed on leather  12 . Light source  30  may produce light  28 ′ that causes coating  50  to emit light  28 . Light source  30  may, for example, be an ultraviolet light source that produces ultraviolet light  28 ′. Coating  50  may be a fluorescent or phosphorescent paint that emits visible light  28  when exposed to ultraviolet light  28 ′. Since ultraviolet light  28 ′ is invisible to the human eye, viewer  24  may only be able to see visible light  28  in regions where coating  50  is located. Thus, regions without coating  50  may be dark in appearance, whereas regions with coating  50  may be illuminated when light source  30  is turned on. Coating  50  may have any desired pattern or shape depending on the desired pattern or shape of illuminable region  34 . Coating  50  may be deposited by printing techniques (e.g., screen printing, pad printing, inkjet printing, etc.) or other suitable deposition techniques. 
       FIG. 11  shows an illustrative arrangement in which an array of openings  32  is formed in a thinned region of leather  12 . In the example of  FIG. 11 , openings  32  are tapered. Openings  32  may have diameter D 1  at inner surface  62  of leather  12  and diameter D 2  at outer surface  44  of leather  12 . D 2  may be larger than D 1 , as shown in  FIG. 11 , or D 2  may be smaller than D 1 . Each opening  32  may be illuminated by an associated light source  30 , as shown in  FIG. 11 , or one light source  30  may be used to illuminate two or more openings  32 . Light sources  30  may all be the same color or light sources  30  may include different color light sources (e.g., a red light source, a green light source, a blue light source, a white light source, and/or light sources of other colors). 
     Each opening  32  may be surrounded by walls  64  of leather material. Walls  64  may be sloped at an angle θ relative to optical axis  66  of openings  32  (e.g., an axis that is perpendicular to outer surface  44  of leather  12 ). The angle θ at which walls  64  are sloped relative to axis  66  may be adjusted to achieve the desired viewing angle (e.g., the angle at which viewer  24  can see light  28  passing through openings  32 ). A larger angle θ will yield a larger viewing angle, whereas a smaller angle θ will yield a smaller viewing angle. If desired, all openings  32  in region  34  may have the same angle θ or some openings  32  in region  34  may have one angle θ and other openings  32  in region  34  may have a different angle θ. 
     In the example of  FIG. 12 , openings  32  is formed from a gradual thinning of leather  12  in region  34 . In other words, the thickness of leather  12  may transition gradually from larger thickness T 1  outside of region  34  to smaller thickness T 2  inside of region  34 . This type of gradient thickness may produce illuminated regions  34  with softer edges. In other words, rather than changing abruptly from a fully illuminated region  34  to a fully opaque region, the amount of light transmitted through region  34  may be greatest at the thinnest point (at thickness T 2 ) and may gradually decrease until little to no light is transmitted outside of region  34  (at thickness T 1 ). 
       FIG. 13  shows how the spacing and diameter of openings  32  may be adjusted to achieve a desired illumination effect in region  34 . Some openings  32  may be spaced apart at distance P 1 , while other openings  32  may be spaced apart at distance P 2  (e.g., a distance less than P 1 ). Some openings  32  may have diameter D 1 , while other openings  32  may have diameter D 2  (e.g., a smaller diameter than D 1 ). This is, however, merely illustrative. In general, any suitable property associated with openings  32  may be varied to achieve the desired illumination effect (e.g., the thickness of layer  12 , the diameter of openings  32 , the spacing or pitch of openings  32 , the color of light  28  emitted through openings  32 , the angle θ at which walls around openings  32  are sloped relative to optical axis  66 , etc.). Properties such as leather thickness and the taper/slope of walls around openings  32  may determine how light  28  is guided through leather  12  and the angle at which it exits leather  12 . 
     If desired, illuminated symbols and other illuminated shapes may be formed in leather  12  using transparent material that serves as an optical waveguide. Consider, as an example, the arrangement of  FIG. 14 . As shown in  FIG. 14 , transparent material that forms one or more waveguides such as waveguides  38  (sometimes referred to as an optical fiber) may be incorporated into selected areas of leather  12 . Waveguides  38  may be formed from glass, clear polymer, or other transparent material. Light source  30  (e.g., a light-emitting diode, etc.) may emit light that is coupled into the ends of one or more of waveguides  38 . Due to the principle of total internal reflection, light  28  from light source  30  may be confined within waveguide  38  and may be distributed throughout waveguide  38 . 
     Waveguides  38  may be incorporated into leather  12  in a pattern associated with a symbol, label, or other desired pattern or shape (e.g., the illustrative character “N” in the example of  FIG. 14 ). Waveguides  38  may have roughened surfaces, gratings, or other light scattering features to promote the extraction of the light from waveguides  38  that has been emitted into waveguides  38  by light source  30 . The incorporation of light scattering features into appropriate portions of waveguides  38  ensures that waveguides  38  will emit light outwardly from leather  12 . If desired, an illuminated symbol may be formed by providing waveguides  38  with light scattering features in selected portions of leather  12  and/or by covering certain portions of waveguides  38  with an opaque layer material (opaque portions of leather  12  or other material) while forming patterned openings in the opaque layer of material to form the symbol. If desired, waveguides (optical fibers) may be used in distributing light  28  from light source  30  to openings  32  in leather  12 . For example, a light-distributing layer including waveguides  38  may serve as a backlight layer for an overlapping opaque leather layer with openings and/or patterned transparent leather regions, etc. 
       FIG. 15  shows how waveguide  38  may be embedded in leather  12 . For example, waveguide  38  may be interposed between upper portion  12 A of leather  12  and lower portion  12 B of leather  12 . This type of configuration may be achieved by splitting a single piece of leather  12  into two layers (e.g., layer  12 A and  12 B) and attaching each layer to a respective side of waveguides  38  or by attaching two separate pieces of leather to respectively form layer  12 A and layer  12 B. 
     If desired, waveguides  38  may be located in openings or recesses in leather  12 , as shown in  FIG. 16 . In the example of  FIG. 16 , leather  12  includes openings  32  in which waveguides  38  are located. Each waveguide  38  may guide light to a respective portion of leather  12 . The extraction features of waveguides  38  may cause light  28  to exit waveguides  38  and pass through thinned portions of leather  12  (e.g., the thinned portions created by openings  32 ). An additional layer such as layer  60  may be attached to inner surface  62  of leather  12 . Layer  60  may be an additional layer of leather, may be a fabric layer, may be a layer of coating, or may be any other suitable layer (e.g., a layer of polymer, metal, glass, etc.). 
       FIG. 17  illustrates a method of embedding waveguides in lab-grown leather. At step  100 , a layer of animal skin cells  70 A may be placed in container  68 . In some arrangements, layer  70 A may be isolated cells that multiply in container  68 , thereby producing connective tissue (e.g., collagen) between cells. In other arrangements, layer  70 A may be a pre-formed sheet of cells and connective tissue. 
     At step  102 , waveguides  38  may be placed in container  68  over layer  70 A. The example of  FIG. 17  in which a set of waveguides  38  are placed in container  68  is merely illustrative. If desired, only one waveguide may be placed in container  68  or a plate-like light guide layer (rather than a fiber-like waveguide) may be placed in container  68 . 
     At step  104 , one or more additional layers of animal skin cells such as layer  70 B may be placed over waveguides  38 . The cells of layer  70 B may be isolated cells that multiply and grow and produce collagen in container  68  or the cells of layer  70 B may have been previously grown in a cell culture medium and may be in sheet-form when placed in container  68 . Layers  70 A and  70 B may mature together (e.g., connective tissue may form between the cells of layer  70 A and the cells of layer  70 B) to form a multi-layer leather material in which waveguides  38  are embedded. 
     If desired, waveguides  38  may be formed as a single continuous light guide layer rather than individual light guide “pipes” of the type shown in  FIG. 16 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 18 , light guide  38  may be a plate-like layer that extends continuously underneath leather layer  12 . This type of arrangement may help add structure to leather  12  after leather  12  has been thinned (e.g., skived). For example, if care is not taken, leather that has been sliced very thinly can be flimsy and can lose the characteristic look and feel of leather. The addition of a compliant light guide layer  38  (e.g., a thin layer of polymer or other clear material such as polydimethylsiloxane or other clear silicone) may help add heft to leather  12  while still allowing leather  12  to be flexible and soft. This is, however, merely illustrative. If desired, light guide layer  38  may be stiff and rigid. 
     Light guide layer  38  may be attached to leather  12  with adhesive or other suitable attachment means. Light guiding layer  38  may receive light  28  from one or more light sources  30  (e.g., light-emitting diodes) and may guide light  28  via total internal reflection. Light extraction features  40  may cause light to scatter and escape through the upper surface of light guide layer  38  to leather  12 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 18 , light extraction features  40  on waveguides  38  are formed from protrusions on the upper surface of waveguides  38 .  FIG. 19  shows how light extraction features  40  on light guide layer  38  may be formed form pits or recesses in the upper surface of light guide layer  38 . In the example of  FIG. 20 , light extraction features  40  are formed from protruding portions of light guide layer  38  that extend into leather layer  12 . This type of protruding element  40  can help localize light in certain regions of layer  12 . If desired, the size, shape, spacing, or other property of light extraction features  40  may be varied along the length of waveguide  38  to produce uniform light extraction along the length of waveguide  38 . 
     If desired, individual waveguides  38  may be attached to a lower surface of leather  12  and may be used to provide leather  12  with structure while allowing leather  12  to remain compliant. For example, as shown in  FIG. 21 , waveguides  38  may be attached to a lower surface of leather  12  and may direct light  28  upwards through leather  12 . Waveguides  38  may be rigid or flexible. In arrangements where waveguides  38  are rigid, leather  12  may be stiff in locations that overlap waveguides  38  and may be flexible and bendable in regions that do not overlap waveguides  38  (e.g., in the areas between waveguides  38 ). In arrangements where waveguides  38  are flexible, the presence of waveguides  38  may provide some structure and support for leather  12  while still allowing leather  12  to bend and flex in different directions. 
     In the example of  FIG. 22 , light sources  30  have been attached to the lower surface of light guide  38  (e.g., a fiber-like waveguide, a plate-like light guide layer, or other light guiding/diffusing element). Light sources  30  may, for example, be top-firing light-emitting diodes (e.g., crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diodes, sometimes referred to as micro-LEDs, or other suitable light-emitting diodes). Light sources  30  may emit light  28  into light guide  38 , which may diffuse light  28  and guide light  28  out of layer  38  towards leather  12 . If desired, layer  38  may be used purely as a diffuser and may not be used to guide light via total internal reflection. 
     In the example of  FIG. 23 , light sources  30  have been attached to the lower surface of leather  12 . Light sources  30  may be top-firing light-emitting diodes (e.g., micro-LEDs) that emit light  28  directly through leather  12 . The proximity of light source  30  to leather  12  may help ensure that more of light  28  is transmitted through leather  12 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 24 , light sources  30  are side-firing light-emitting diodes (e.g., micro-LEDs) that emit light  28  in a direction parallel to outer surface  44  of leather  12 . Light sources  30  may be mounted in a housing  70  having one or more reflective surfaces  42  (e.g., a sidewall with a reflective coating of metal or other material or a sidewall formed from reflective material such as metal). Light  28  from light sources  30  may reflect off of reflective surfaces  42 , which may be angled towards leather  12  so that light  28  is redirected through leather  12 . If desired, light sources  30  may be ultraviolet light sources and surfaces  42  may be covered with a ultraviolet-light-sensitive coating that produces visible light when exposed to ultraviolet light from light sources  30 . 
     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: 20170824
Publication Date: 20200428
Grant Date: 20200428
Priority Date: 20160831
Inventors: WANG, PAUL X.
MATTSON, WHITNEY D.
Lebedeff, Christopher T.
LEONG, Craig C.
WHITLEY, JAMES C.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H04M1/22", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/185", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0283", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0264", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0249", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/3888", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0264", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0249", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/185", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0283", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0249", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0283", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/0264", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/185", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/3888", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04B1/3888", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 70332475