PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11653128-B2
Application Number: US-202117475094-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Fabric-covered electronic device

Abstract:
An electronic device such as a voice-controlled speaker device may have a housing characterized by a vertical longitudinal axis. A flexible substrate such as a flexible mesh substrate with component support regions coupled by flexible segments may be wrapped around the housing and the vertical axis. The housing may have surface regions with compound curvature. The flexible substrate may conform to the regions with compound curvature. A fabric spacer layer may be interposed between the flexible substrate and the housing. Electrical components such as input-output devices may be mounted to the component support regions. A display may be formed from an array of light-emitting devices that are mounted on respective component support regions. Light from the light-emitting devices may pass through the fabric spacer layer toward the housing and back out away from the housing. An outer fabric layer may cover the mesh.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing having a housing wall with a surface region having compound curvature; 
 a speaker in the housing configured to emit sound; 
 a flexible polymer mesh having openings that form component support regions coupled by flexible polymer segments, wherein the flexible polymer mesh conforms to the surface region having compound curvature; 
 electrical components mounted on the flexible polymer mesh; 
 a first fabric layer interposed between the flexible polymer mesh and the housing wall; and 
 a second fabric layer, wherein the flexible polymer mesh is interposed between the second fabric layer and the first fabric layer, wherein the electrical components are configured to emit light that passes through the first fabric layer before passing through the second fabric layer. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the speaker is configured to emit the sound through the housing wall and the flexible polymer mesh, and wherein the electronic device further comprises:
 at least one reflective acoustically transparent component-hiding layer interposed between the first fabric layer and the housing wall, wherein the reflective acoustically transparent component-hiding layer is configured to reflect the emitted light that passes through the first fabric layer back through the first fabric layer toward the flexible polymer mesh. 
 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the speaker is configured to emit the sound through the housing wall and the flexible polymer mesh. 
     
     
       4. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing having a housing wall with a surface region having compound curvature; 
 a speaker in the housing configured to emit sound; 
 a flexible polymer mesh having openings that form component support regions coupled by flexible polymer segments, wherein the flexible polymer mesh conforms to the surface region having compound curvature; 
 electrical components mounted on the flexible polymer mesh; 
 a first fabric layer interposed between the flexible polymer mesh and the housing wall; and 
 at least one reflective acoustically transparent component-hiding layer interposed between the first fabric layer and the housing wall, wherein the reflective acoustically transparent component-hiding layer is configured to reflect emitted light that passes through the first fabric layer back through the first fabric layer toward the flexible polymer mesh. 
 
     
     
       5. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing having a surface region having compound curvature, wherein the housing has first openings; 
 a flexible polymer mesh having second openings defined by component support regions and flexible polymer segments between the component support regions, wherein the flexible polymer mesh conforms to the surface region having compound curvature; 
 a fabric layer that overlaps an exterior surface of the housing, wherein the fabric layer has third openings; 
 a speaker in the housing configured to emit sound through the first openings in the housing, the second openings in the flexible polymer mesh, and the third openings in the fabric layer; and 
 light-emitting devices mounted on the flexible polymer mesh. 
 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 5 , wherein the flexible polymer mesh is interposed between the housing and the fabric layer. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 6 , wherein the electronic device further comprises:
 an additional fabric layer interposed between the flexible polymer mesh and the housing. 
 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 7 , wherein the light-emitting devices are configured to emit light that passes through the additional fabric layer before passing through the fabric layer. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 5 , wherein the electronic device further comprises:
 a reflective acoustically transparent component-hiding layer interposed between the flexible polymer mesh and the housing. 
 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 9 , wherein the reflective acoustically transparent component-hiding layer is configured to reflect emitted light from the light-emitting devices through the flexible polymer mesh and the fabric layer. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in  claim 5 , wherein the electronic device further comprises:
 a reflective layer interposed between the flexible polymer mesh and the housing. 
 
     
     
       12. The electronic device defined in  claim 11 , wherein the reflective layer is configured to reflect emitted light from the light-emitting devices through the flexible polymer mesh and the fabric layer. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device defined in  claim 11 , wherein the reflective layer comprises a polymer layer and a reflective coating.

Description:
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/140,409, filed Sep. 24, 2018, which claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 62/653,148, filed Apr. 5, 2018, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to electronic devices with fabric. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Electronic devices such as voice-controlled assistant devices may include fabric. As an example, the housing of a voice-controlled assistant device may be covered with a layer of fabric. Openings may be provided in the fabric to allow sound to be emitted from within the device. 
     It may be challenging to enhance the functionality of a voice-controlled assistant device. For example, it may be difficult to integrated light-emitting devices into a voice-controlled assistant device with a fabric layer. If care is not taken, the fabric may impart an undesired appearance to emitted light or may block emitted light entirely, thereby preventing a light-emitting device from effectively conveying information to a user. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device such as a voice-controlled speaker device may have a housing characterized by a vertical axis. The housing may have a cylindrical shape with upper and lower ends that have surface regions of compound curvature. The housing may be covered by a fabric layer such as a knit fabric layer with diamond-shaped openings. 
     A flexible substrate such as a flexible mesh substrate with component support regions that are coupled by flexible segments may be wrapped around the housing and the vertical axis. The flexible substrate may conform to the regions with compound curvature. The knit fabric layer may cover the flexible substrate. 
     A spacer fabric layer may be interposed between the flexible mesh substrate and the housing. Electrical components such as input-output devices may be mounted to the component support regions of the flexible mesh fabric. The input-output devices may include sensors and antennas and other wireless communications circuitry. 
     A display may be formed from an array of light-emitting devices that are mounted on respective component support regions in the flexible mesh substrate. The display may provide visual feedback as a user interacts with the electronic device by providing voice commands to the electronic device. In some configurations, the display may display images with text, moving content, icons, and other information. 
     The light-emitting devices may be configured so that light from the light-emitting devices passes inwardly through the fabric spacer layer toward the housing. A reflective layer such as a polymer layer that is configured to hide internal components from view may reflect the emitted light back through the fabric spacer layer. The electronic device may also be configured so that the light-emitting devices are oriented outwardly. Diffuser layers, reflective layers such as reflective acoustically transparent component hiding layers, adhesive layers, and/or other layers may also be incorporated into a stack of layers wrapped around the outer surface of the housing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of an illustrative voice-controlled electronic device having a housing covered with a fabric layer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  2    is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the device of  FIG.  1    covered with illustrative layers of material in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  3    is a diagram of a portion of an illustrative layer of warp knit fabric in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  4    shows how a layer of fabric may have openings such as diamond-shaped openings in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view of an illustrative mesh layer formed from a flexible printed circuit having an array of openings patterned to form component mounting areas interconnected with serpentine paths in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  6    is a graph showing how the density of components mounting areas on a flexible substrate and/or the density of other characteristics of the substrate may be varied as a function of position in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  7    is a top view of a portion of an illustrative mesh substrate layer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  8    is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the device of  FIG.  1    in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  9    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative component in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  10    is a side view of an illustrative light-emitting component such as a light-emitting diode emitting light that is coupled into and out of an associated lossy optical fiber in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Items such as item  10  of  FIG.  1    may include fabric. For example, fabric may be used in forming one or more covering layers for item  10  of  FIG.  1   . Item  10  may be an electronic device or an accessory for an electronic device such as a voice-controlled electronic device (sometimes referred to as a digital assistant or voice-controlled speaker), 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 wristwatch 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, shirt, pants, shoes, etc.), or may be any other suitable fabric-based item. In the illustrative configuration of  FIG.  1   , item  10  is a voice-controlled electronic device such as a voice-controlled speaker with internet access. Other types of device may incorporate fabric, if desired. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , item  10  may include a housing such as housing  12 . Housing  12  may have a cylindrical shape with rounded upper and lower ends of the type shown in  FIG.  1    or other suitable shape (e.g., a pyramidal shape, a conical shape, a box shape such as a rectangular box shape, a spherical shape, etc.). Housing  12  may include support structures formed from metal, polymer, ceramic, glass, wood, other materials, and/or combinations of these materials. The shape of housing  12  may be selected to form an enclosure suited to the type of item  10  for which the housing is being used. As an example, in scenarios in which item  10  is a voice-controlled electronic device, housing  12  may be cylindrical, pyramidal, box-shaped, conical, spherical, or other shapes suitable for enclosing one or more speakers, in configurations in which item  10  is a laptop computer, housing  12  may have upper and lower thin box-shaped portions that are joined with a hinge and that can respectively house a display and a keyboard, in configurations in which item  10  is a computer monitor containing an embedded computer, housing  12  may have a slender box shape with optionally curved rear housing walls that can hold a display and be mounted on a stand, in configurations in which item  10  is a tablet computer, cellular telephone, media player, or other handheld or portable electronic device, housing  12  may have a rectangular outline and a thin depth, in configurations in which item  10  is a smaller device such as a wristwatch device or a pendant device, housing  12  may have a thin profile and an outline that is rectangular, square, hexagonal, triangular, oval, or circular, in configurations in which item  10  is a headphone or earpiece device, housing  12  may have a shape configured to fit on or in a user&#39;s ear, in configurations in which item  10  is a pair of eyeglasses or other equipment worn on a user&#39;s head, housing  12  may have a head-mountable shape, in configurations in which item  10  is a jacket or other item of clothing (e.g., a hat, belt, wrist band, headband, shirt, pants, shoes, etc.), housing  12  may be formed from layers of fabric or other material configured to allow item  10  to be worn on a user&#39;s body, in configurations in which item  10  is a television, a computer display that does not contain an embedded computer, a gaming device, or a navigation device, housing  12  may have a rectangular outline, an outline with curved sides and/or straight sides, a box shape, a cylindrical shape, and/or other suitable shapes, in configurations in which item  10  is a kiosk, housing  12  can form a pedestal or other shape suitable for a kiosk, in configurations in which item  10  forms part of an automobile, airplane, or other vehicle, housing  12  may form a dashboard, console, door, window, seat, body panel, or other portion of the vehicle, in configurations in which item  10  is a removable external case for electronic equipment, housing  12  may have the shape of a sleeve or other structure with a recess for receiving the electronic equipment, in configurations in which item  10  is a strap, wrist band, necklace or headband, housing  12  may have a strip shape, in configurations in which item  10  forms a case, bag, or wallet, housing  12  may have surfaces that form the walls of the case and/or sides of the bag or wallet and/or that forms straps and/or other structures for the case or bag, and in configurations in which item  10  is part of furniture, housing  12  may be configured to form a part of a chair, sofa, or other seating (e.g., cushions or other seating structures). In the illustrative configuration of  FIG.  1   , housing  12  has a cylindrical shape suitable for an item such as a voice-controlled speaker with internet access. Housing  12  may have other shapes and may be incorporated into other items, if desired. The configuration of  FIG.  1    is presented as an example. 
     Item  10  may include fabric  14 . Fabric  14  may form all or part of a housing wall or other layer in an electronic device, may form the outermost layer of item  10 , may form one or more inner covering layers, 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. In an illustrative configuration, some or all of the upper surface of housing  12  such as portion  12 P may be formed from rigid polymer or other non-fabric structure and the sidewall surfaces of housing  12  may be covered with fabric  14 . Portion  12 P may include touch sensors, light-emitting devices (e.g., light-emitting diodes that backlight button icons and/or that produce other visual output for a user), and/or other input-output components. If desired, fabric  12  may cover some or all of portion  12 P. Fabric  14  may serve as a cosmetic cover for item  10  that overlaps audio components (microphones and/or speakers) and is permeable to sound and and/or may be incorporated into other portions of item  10 . 
     Fabric  14  may include intertwined strands of material such as strands  16 . Fabric  14  may, for example, include warp knit fabric that is formed by warp knitting of strands  16  and/or may include woven fabric, fabric with braided strands of material, etc. Strands  16  may be single-filament strands (sometimes referred to as fibers or monofilaments) or may be strands of material formed by intertwining multiple monofilaments of material together (sometimes referred to as yarns). 
     Strands  16  may be formed from polymer, metal, glass, graphite, ceramic, natural materials such as cotton or bamboo, or other organic and/or inorganic materials and combinations of these materials. Conductive coatings such as metal coatings may be formed on non-conductive material. For example, plastic strands in fabric  14  may be coated with metal to make them conductive. Reflective coatings such as metal coatings may be applied to make strands reflective. Strands formed from white polymer (e.g., light-scattering particles in polymer) and/or that are coated with white polymer may help reflect light in some configurations. If desired, strands may be formed from bare metal wires or metal wire intertwined with insulating monofilaments (as examples). Bare metal strands and strands of polymer covered with conductive coatings may be provided with insulating polymer jackets. In some configuration, strands  16  may include optical fibers (e.g., lossy optical fibers with surface roughening or other features that allow the strands to guide light while emitting portion of the guided light outwardly). Optical waveguide strands (e.g., lossy optical fibers formed from glass, transparent polymer, etc.) can be provided with light from light sources such as light-emitting diodes to display information (e.g., desired patterns of light). In some cases, it may be desirable for lossy fiber to appear dark or colored in reflection when illuminated by external light, so that the lossy fiber may match the appearance of other fibers. In these cases, the lossy fiber can include regions that are colored on the outside of the fiber but only leak light slightly or not at all and other regions that emit light due to roughen of the fiber surface or localized adjustments to the cladding of the fiber in that region (e.g., localized cladding thinning). 
     Items such as item  10  may, if desired, include control circuitry  20 . Control circuitry  20  may include microprocessors, microcontrollers, application-specific integrated-circuits, digital signal processors, baseband processors, and/or other controllers and may include storage such as random-access memory, read-only memory, solid state drives, and/or other storage and processing circuitry. 
     Control circuitry  20  may gather information from sensors and other circuitry in input-output devices  18  and may use input-output devices  18  to supply output. Input-output devices  18  may, for example, include audio devices such as microphones and speakers. Microphones can gather audio input (e.g., sound that passes through fabric  14  such as voice commands for controlling the operation of item  10 ). Speakers can produce audio output (e.g., sound that passes through fabric  14 ). Sensors in input-output devices  18  may include touch sensors, force sensors, capacitive sensors, optical sensors, proximity sensors, strain gauges, temperature sensors, moisture sensors, gas sensors pressure sensors, magnetic sensors, position and orientation sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes, and/or compasses), and/or other sensors. Light-emitting diodes, displays, and other visual output devices may be used in supply visual output to a user. As an example, visual output devices may be used to form illuminated buttons, displays that display images, visual feedback areas that display still and/or moving patterns of light to indicate to a user that a command has been received and/or is being processed by control circuitry  20 , etc. Buttons, joysticks, haptic output components, and/or other input-output components may be provided in input-output devices  18  to gather input from a user and to provide a user with output. Wireless circuitry in circuitry  20  (e.g., wireless local area network circuitry, cellular telephone circuitry, etc.) may be used to support wireless communications with external equipment. 
     Light-emitting devices (e.g., lasers or light-emitting diodes) may be arranged in an array of pixels to form a display or other light-based output device. As an example, light-emitting devices may be formed under one or more covering layers (e.g., fabric) on item  10 . The light-emitting devices may be formed just in a ring-shaped upper region  12 W- 1  that runs around the upper edge of item  10  and/or may be formed on one or more other portions of item  10  (e.g., on some or all of exterior sidewall surface  12 W- 2 ). In general, the surfaces of item  10  such as the surface of housing portion  12 P and the sidewalls of item  10  may be provided with any suitable input-output devices  18 . Sidewall locations in item  10  (e.g., the upper sidewall area associated with region  12 W- 1  and/or the sidewall areas associated with region  12 W- 2 ) may, as an example, be provided with light-emitting devices (e.g., to form a pixel array for displaying images that include text, still image content, moving image content, icons, etc.), may be provided with sensors (e.g., an array of force sensors, touch sensors, proximity sensors, gesture sensors, accelerometers for gathering touch/tap input, domes switches or other pressure-activated switches, etc.), and/or other input-output devices  18 . These sidewall locations in item  10  may wrap partly or entirely around the periphery of item  10  (e.g., light-emitting devices, sensors, and/or other components may be provided on sidewall areas that wrap around a longitudinal axis of item  10  such as vertical axis  22  and extend along some or all of the circumference of item  10 ). Some or all of the surfaces of item  10  may be covered with one or more layers of material including fabric and/or other layer(s) such as polymer layers, metal layers, etc. If desired, light-emitting devices in item  10  may emit light in the infrared, which is invisible to the user, but can be detected by external sensors and devices to support light-based communication between item  10  and external devices. Item  10  may also include infrared light-detectors to support infrared light-based communications. 
     A cross-sectional side view of a portion of item  10  is shown in  FIG.  2   . In the example of  FIG.  2   , item  10  includes internal components such as one or more speakers  32  in interior  24  of item  10 . Wall structures  28  (e.g., sidewall structures) may separate interior  24  from exterior  26 . A user of item  10  (e.g., user  34 ) may view the exterior of item  10  in direction  36  and may listen to sound that has been emitted from speaker  32  and that has passed through wall structures  28 . 
     Wall structures  28  may include a housing formed from one or more rigid support structures (e.g., a metal housing wall, a plastic housing wall, a housing wall formed from other material and/or combinations of these materials). As shown in  FIG.  2   , for example, wall structures  28  may include housing  12  (e.g., a housing wall such as a housing sidewall and/or other housing wall structures). Housing  12  may have acoustic openings  30  to allow sound to pass through housing  12 . Openings  30  may be circular, square, diamond-shaped, or may have other suitable shapes. The lateral dimensions of openings  30  may be at least 0.1 mm, at least 1 mm, at least 5 mm, at least 15 mm, less than 30 mm, less than 60 mm, or other suitable size. 
     Covering layers  38  may overlap the exterior surface of housing  12 . Covering layers  38  may have openings  40 . The outermost of covering layers  38  may, as an example, serve as a cosmetic layer (e.g., a layer that provides item  10  with a desired color, texture, etc.). Inner covering layers (e.g., layers  38  that are interposed between the outermost layer and housing  12 ) may include adhesive layers for attaching layers together, cushioning layers (e.g., layers of foam and/or fabric to provide layers  38  with a cushiony feel), component layers (e.g., substrates with electrodes, metal traces forming interconnects, integrated circuits, light-emitting components, sensors such as touch sensor arrays or force sensors, and/or other circuitry), light-modifying layers (e.g., diffuser layers, reflective layers, layers for hiding internal components from view, etc.), component-hiding layers or other layers such as acoustically transparent layers that block light and/or that block moisture, dust, and other environmental contaminants, and/or other covering layer structures. Layers  38  may, if desired, include coating layers (e.g., one or more layers of liquid polymer containing light-scattering particles, dye, pigment, and/or other materials that can be applied in liquid form and cured to form solid coatings, coating layers of metal or other materials deposited using physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, and/or electrochemical deposition, and/or other coatings. 
     One or more of layers  38  may include fabric  14 . Fabric  14  may, for example, overlap some or all of the exterior of housing  12  (e.g., fabric  14  may overlap at least region  12 W- 2  of  FIG.  1   ). Fabric  14  may also be used in forming straps, covers, wearable items, and/or other structures for item  10 . 
     A warp knitting machine or other equipment (e.g., weaving equipment, braiding equipment, weft knitting equipment, etc.) may be used in intertwining strands  16  to form fabric  14 . In general, fabric  14  may be any suitable type of fabric (e.g., woven fabric, knit fabric, braided fabric, etc.). A layer of illustrative warp knit fabric  14  is shown in  FIG.  3   . An illustrative strand  16 ′ among strands  16  has been highlighted to show the zig-zag path taken by each strand in fabric  14 . 
     During the process of forming fabric  14  (e.g., during knitting), a warp knitting machine or other fabric fabrication equipment that is forming fabric  14  may, if desired, direct positioners in the equipment to incorporate openings into fabric  14 . As an example, the equipment may be directed to form knit fabric or other fabric that includes diamond-shaped openings or openings of other suitable shapes, as illustrated by openings  42  in warp knit fabric  14  of  FIG.  4   . In configurations in which fabric  14  forms one of layers  38 , openings  42  may serve as openings  40  of  FIG.  2   . 
     One or more of layers  38  of  FIG.  2    may include a fabric layer or a polymer layer (e.g., a perforated polymer sheet) or other substrate layer with openings (e.g., openings that are sufficiently large to allow acoustic signals to pass). A polymer layer may, as an example, have a coating for reflecting and/or blocking light (e.g., one of layers  38  may be a polymer substrate and another of layers  38  may be a coating on the polymer substrate). In some configurations, metal traces and/or electrical components may be incorporated into a substrate. Flexible polymer substrates with metal traces (e.g., flexible layers of polyimide or other sheets of flexible polymer with metal traces) may sometimes be referred to as flexible printed circuits. 
     A perspective view of an illustrative flexible substrate layer with openings is shown in  FIG.  5   . Layer  44  of  FIG.  5    may be a flexible printed circuit substrate or other substrate layer with an array of openings forming a mesh shape (sometimes referred to as a mesh layer, mesh, or flexible mesh). One or more layers such as mesh layer  44  of  FIG.  5    may be included in layers  38  of  FIG.  2   . For example, one or more layers such as layer  44  of  FIG.  5    may be interposed in layers  38  between an outer layer of fabric  14  (see, e.g.,  FIG.  4   ) and housing  12 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  5   , layer  44  may have an array of openings  46 . Layer  44  may have regions  44 - 1  (sometimes referred to as islands, island regions, component mounting areas, or component support regions) to which components  48  are soldered or otherwise mounted (see, e.g., the circuitry forming input-output devices  18  and/or control circuitry  20  of  FIG.  1   ). Components  48  may be, for example, packaged or unpackaged semiconductor dies for forming integrated circuits, sensors, light-emitting devices, and/or other circuitry. With one illustrative configuration, components  48  are semiconductor dies forming one or more light-emitting devices such as light-emitting diodes or lasers (e.g., vertical cavity surface emitting lasers or other lasers) that emit light  50  (e.g., light  50  that exits layer  44  vertically, parallel to the surface normal of layer  44 ). Components  48  may also include sensors (e.g., capacitive touch sensors, etc.) and/or other input-output devices  18 . If desired, a component  48  may include multiple semiconductor dies and/or other electrical components in a common package. For example, red, green, and blue light-emitting diodes and an optional control circuit and/or sensor circuits such as capacitive touch sensors can be placed in a common package. Electrostatic discharge protection circuitry can be incorporated into components  48  and/or the circuitry coupled to components  48  to help protected light-emitting diodes, touch sensors and other sensitive circuitry from electrical damage during electrostatic discharge events (e.g., when a user is touching the surface of item  10 ). 
     To enhance flexibility in mesh layer  44 , regions  44 - 1  may be interconnected by elongated portions of layer  44  such as segments  44 - 2 . Segments  44 - 2  may extend from one of regions  44 - 1  to another and may extend between openings  46 . Segments  44 - 2  may be straight, may be curved, or may have both straight and curved portions. In the illustrative configuration of  FIG.  5   , segments  44 - 2  have serpentine shapes to help enhance the flexibility and stretchability of layer  44  without damaging layer  44  or components  48 . Other mesh-shaped support structures may be used, if desired (e.g., mesh substrates with circular openings, triangular openings, hexagonal openings, mesh patterns with a combination of circular and square openings, meshes with non-regular patterns of openings, etc.). In some arrangements, layers  38  may include one or more layers such as layer  44  or other layers  38  (e.g., fabric layers) that serve to block internal components in housing  12  (e.g., speakers  32 ) from view by user  34  while allowing sound from speakers  32  to pass to user  34 . These internal layers (which may sometimes be referred to as mesh layers or component-hiding layers) may be free of components  48 . Coatings (e.g., white ink or other reflective coating layers) may be formed on the outwardly facing surfaces of the internal layer(s) to reflect light  50  outwardly (e.g., in scenarios in which one or more components  48  emit light  50  as shown in  FIG.  5   ). As an example, a perforated flexible sheet of polymer may be coated with metal or a reflective white coating to reflect light  50  and/or a fabric with an array of openings and/or a coarse acoustically transparent structure may be provided with metalized strands, white strands, and/or reflective binder material to reflect light  50 . 
     Housing  12  may have curved surfaces (e.g., surfaces with compound curvature as shown by the curved surfaces of item  10  of  FIG.  1   ). Flexible substrates such as substrate  44  of  FIG.  5    and other flexible layers  38  may have an array of openings  46  that is configured to help the layer(s) conform to the curved surfaces of housing  12 . If desired, the density of openings  46  (e.g., the number, size, and/or shape of openings  46  per unit area) may be varied as a function of lateral distance across the surface of substrate  44  (or other flexible layer  38 ) when substrate  44  is in a planar configuration. As shown in  FIG.  6   , for example, the density of openings  46  may be decreased at the portions of layer  44  at the upper and lower ends of item  10  (e.g., near where vertical dimension Z is equal to 0 at the base of item  10  and where vertical dimension Z is equal to height H of item  10 ). For example, openings  46  may be larger (and components  48  spaced farther apart) on the portions of layer  44  that are to be coupled to the ends of item  10 . When layer  44  is subsequently attached to the outer surface of housing  12 , the lower-density portions of layer  44  will increase in density (because the spacing between portions of layer  44  will decrease as layer  44  laterally contracts when it conforms to the surfaces of housing  12  at the ends of item  10 ). As a result, following assembly of item  10  by attaching layer  44  to housing  12 , components  48  that are located at the curved ends of item  10  will have an identical or nearly identical pitch (component-to-component spacing) as those components  48  that are located in the middle of item  10  (e.g., midway up the height of item  10 ). 
       FIG.  7    is a top view of layer  44  showing how structures such as metal traces  52  and components  48  may be formed on layer  44 . Metal traces  52  and components  48  may, for example, be formed on component support regions  44 - 1 . In some configurations, portions of metal traces  52  (and, if desired, circuit components) may extend onto segments  44 - 2 . Metal traces  52  may be used in forming antennas, capacitive sensing electrodes for a capacitive touch sensor and/or capacitive proximity sensor, or electrodes for making other measurements such as force measurements, moisture measurements, temperature measurements, etc. Metal traces  52  can route signals between components  48  and can be used to interconnect components  48  with control circuitry  20 . Components  48  may include light-emitting devices, sensor circuitry, haptic output components and other input-output circuitry (see, e.g., devices  18  of  FIG.  1   ), and/or other circuitry in item  10 . 
       FIG.  8    is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the sidewalls of item  10  showing how layers  38  may cover housing  12 . Layers  38  may include layer  14 - 2  (e.g., a fabric spacer layer or other layer), layer  54  (e.g., an acoustically transparent component-hiding layer interposed between layer  14 - 2  and housing  12 ), adhesive layers  38 A, layer  44  (e.g., a flexible printed circuit mesh layer such as layer  44  of  FIG.  5    interposed between adhesive layers  38 A), and layer  14 - 1  (e.g., a cosmetic fabric layer). 
     Layer  14 - 1  may be an outer cosmetic fabric layer such as layer  14  of  FIG.  4   . Openings  42  may be configured to allow sound to pass through layer  14 - 1 . As shown in  FIG.  8   , other covering layers  38  may be interposed between outer layer  14 - 1  and housing  12 . 
     Layer  54  may be a component-hiding layer such as a perforated polymer layer or a fabric layer formed from polymer strands or other strands of material. Layer  54  may help hide internal components in item  10  such as speaker  32  ( FIG.  2   ) from view by users  34  as user  34  views item  10  in direction  36 . The polymer of layer  54  may be provided with light-scattering particles and/or may be coated with a reflective coating (e.g., a polymer coating with light-scattering particles, a metal coating, etc.), so that layer  54  serves as a reflective acoustically transparent component-hiding layer that reflects light (e.g., a layer with a visible light reflectivity of at least 50%, at least 70%, at least 85%, less than 99.9%, etc.). 
     Fabric spacer layer  14 - 2  may be formed from a cushiony layer of fabric (e.g., an outer layer of fabric, an opposing inner layer of fabric, and a spacer layer formed from spacer strands that extend back and forth between the outer and inner fabric layers). Fabric spacer layer  14 - 2  may be sufficiently porous to allow sound to pass or may be provided with openings such as openings  42  of  FIG.  4    to allow sound to pass. 
     Layer  44  may be interposed between an outer adhesive layer  38 A and an inner adhesive layer  38 A. Adhesive layers  38 A may have openings that allow sound to pass. The outer layer of adhesive  38 A may be used to attach layer  14 - 1  to layer  44 . The inner adhesive layer  38 A may be used to attach layer  44  to spacer fabric layer  14 - 2 . 
     Layer  44  may be a flexible printed circuit such as layer  44  of  FIG.  5   . Layer  44  may include light-emitting components that emit light  50 . For example, layer  44  may have light-emitting devices (components  48 ) that are configured to emit light  50  inwardly toward housing  12 . The emitted light may be diffused by the strands of material in fabric spacer layer  14 - 2  as light  50  passes inwardly toward housing  12  and again as light  50  passes outwardly from housing  12  to users  34  after reflecting from reflective structures such as layer  54 . Optional additional light diffusion layers may be included in layers  38 , if desired. For example, one or more light diffusing layers may be located between housing  12  and layer  54 , between layers  14 - 2  and  54 , between layers  14 - 2  and  44 , between layers  44  and  14 - 1  and/or in other locations in layers  38 . In one illustrative configuration, a diffuser formed from a frosted polymer film may be interposed between one or more, two or more, or three or more of any of the interfaces between layers  38  of  FIG.  8    to help diffuse light  50  as light  50  passes through the diffuser layer. In another illustrative configuration, layers  38  contains no frosted polymer films. 
     In general, light diffusing material, component-hiding material, dust-blocking material, additional flexible substrate(s) with electrical components, adhesive and/or coating structures (e.g., reflective coatings such as coatings of white ink, metal, etc.), may be located at one or more, two or more, or three or more of the interfaces between layers  38  of  FIG.  8    and may be coupled to the outwardly facing and/or inwardly facing surfaces at each of these interfaces. If desired, a flexible mesh substrate such as layer  44  may include antenna traces (e.g., metal traces for forming patch antennas, inverted-F antennas, loop antennas, coils for inductive power transfer, monopoles, dipoles, etc.), metal traces forming capacitive sensor electrodes and/or signal interconnect traces, and/or other metal traces. Flexible mesh substrate layers in layers  38  such as layer  44  may also include electrical components such as components for forming input-output devices  18  and/or control circuitry  20  of  FIG.  1   . If desired, multiple layers such as layer  44  may be interposed in the stack of layer  38  in  FIG.  8   . 
     In some configurations, layer  44  may be located between layer  54  and housing  12  and/or between layer  14 - 2  and layer  54 . In these arrangements, light  50  can be emitted outwardly towards user  34  and diffused while passing through layer  14 - 2  and/or through  54  and other layers  38  covering housing  12  and/or light  50  can be directed inwardly before reflecting outwardly through layer  14 - 2  and/or  54  and any other layers  38  covering housing  12 . 
     Layer  44  may extend around the circumference of housing  12  (e.g., in a ring-shaped region such as region  12 W- 1  or region  12 W- 2  of  FIG.  1   . The density of light-emitting devices in layer  44  may be sufficient to form a display that is configured to display images for user  34  such as images containing text, graphics, moving images. In some configurations, the density of light-emitting devices on some or all of layer  44  may be low so that the light-emitting devices are used mainly for displaying diffuse fixed or moving patterns of light that serve as visual feedback (e.g., abstract light patterns of one or more colors). 
     Each component  48  may emit light for one or more pixels. The display formed by layer  44  may have any suitable number of pixels. For example, there may be an array of 11 by 128 pixels on layer  44  in region  12 W- 1  for forming a display with 1408 pixels. As another example, layer  44  may include an array of 128 by 71 pixels for forming a display with 8960 pixels in region  12 W- 2 . In general, layer  44  may include at least 500 pixels, at least 1000 pixels, at least 2000 pixels, at least 5000 pixels, at least 9000 pixels, less than 10000 pixels, less than 50000 pixels, less than 400000 pixels, or other suitable number of pixels. Diffuse light emitted from item  10  may have a pleasing appearance and may help the emitted light to pass through fabric layer  14 - 1 . The process of diffusing emitted light  50  may help item produce a satisfactory output without using an excessive number of pixels. 
       FIG.  9    is a cross-sectional side view of component  48  in an illustrative configuration in which multiple light sources have been packaged in a common package. As shown in  FIG.  9   , component  48  may include a substrate such as substrate  60  (e.g., a printed circuit). Light-emitting diodes  62  and other electrical components (e.g., control circuits, touch sensors and other input devices, haptic output devices, etc.) can be mounted on substrate  60 . For example, each components  48  may include a red light-emitting diode  62 , a green light-emitting diode  62 , and a blue light-emitting diode  62 , thereby allowing component  48  to emit light of an adjustable color by adjusting the relative strengths of the red, green, and blue light emitted from diodes  62 . Diodes  62  may be covered with polymer and/or other materials (e.g., for encapsulation, light diffusion, etc.). In the example of  FIG.  9   , diodes  62  are covered with a layer of polymer 66. Light-scattering particles  68  (e.g., high refractive index particles formed from titanium oxide or other inorganic materials, etc.) may be embedded in polymer 66 to scatter and thereby diffuse emitted light  50 . If desired, optional sidewalls  70  may be included in the package for component  48 . Sidewalls  70  may reflect emitted light  50  upwards and may thereby help concentrate emitted light  50  in a particular direction. 
     If desired, strands  16  in fabric  14  and/or elsewhere in item  10  may include optical fibers such as optical fiber  16 F. Light  50  that is emitted from component  48  may be coupled into the interior of fiber  16 F and may be guided within the interior of fiber  16 F in accordance with the principal of total internal reflection. Fiber  16 F may be a lossy fiber that tends to scatter and emit guided light along its length. As a result, light  50  that has been coupled into fiber  16 F may be emitted and viewed by a user of item  10 . If desired, light  50  may be launched into the ends of one or more fibers such as fiber  16 F by coupling components to the ends of the fibers. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20210914
Publication Date: 20230516
Grant Date: 20230516
Priority Date: 20180405
Inventors: SUNSHINE, Daniel D.
CREWS, KATHRYN P.
HUNTER, Tirshathah A.
BERGERON, KATHLEEN A.
HA, Mingjing
GANDHI, Shubham A.
DRZAIC, PAUL S.
HSU, YUNG-YU
LUM, DAVID W.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H04R1/028", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K1/0283", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R2499/15", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K1/189", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/181", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R5/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/10106", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1605", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G10L15/20", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K2201/09263", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1605", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/181", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R1/023", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R5/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R1/023", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1605", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/181", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G10L15/20", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R1/025", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K1/03", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K5/03", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R2201/025", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 68097565