PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11838709-B1
Application Number: US-202117391555-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B1

Title: Systems with hidden openings

Abstract:
A system such as a vehicle, building, vessel, aircraft, or electronic device system may have a layer of material with invisible laser-drilled openings. The layer of material may include an outer layer of fabric overlapping an inner layer such as an inner foam layer. Laser-drilled openings may include outer openings in the fabric layer and inner openings in the foam layer. Each of the inner openings may be overlapped by multiple outer openings. The exposed surface of the fabric layer may have strands of material of different appearances and/or may otherwise be configured to help visually hide the laser-drilled openings. Laser-drilled openings may also have small sizes to help make the laser-drilled openings invisible. Laser-drilled openings may overlap components such as audio components, heating and cooling components, and/or light-emitting components.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicle system comprising:
 a component comprising an audio component; and 
 a layer with openings that overlaps the component, wherein the layer with openings comprises a fabric outer layer and a foam inner layer, wherein the foam inner layer has first openings, wherein the fabric outer layer has second openings that overlap the first openings and that are smaller than the first openings, and wherein the first openings include some openings that overlap the audio component and some openings that do not overlap the audio component. 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicle system defined in  claim 1  wherein the component comprises a speaker configured to emit sound, wherein the fabric outer layer has first and second strands with different appearances on an outermost surface of the fabric outer layer, and wherein more of the first openings pass through the first strands on the outermost surface than pass through the second strands on the outermost surface. 
     
     
       3. The vehicle system defined in  claim 2  wherein the layer is configured to form a headrest covering layer. 
     
     
       4. The vehicle system defined in  claim 1  wherein the first openings that do not overlap the audio component have a density that decreases as a function of increasing distance from the openings that do overlap the audio component. 
     
     
       5. The vehicle system defined in  claim 1  wherein the fabric outer layer comprises multifilament strands of material comprising polymer strands and non-polymer strands. 
     
     
       6. The vehicle system defined in  claim 5  wherein the first openings comprise laser-drilled openings with edges that include melted portions of the polymer strands. 
     
     
       7. The vehicle system defined in  claim 6  wherein the first openings are configured to be invisible to an unaided eye. 
     
     
       8. The vehicle system defined in  claim 7  wherein the first openings have diameters of less than 500 microns and wherein the fabric outer layer has an outer surface with first and second areas of different appearances configured to visually hide the first openings. 
     
     
       9. The vehicle system defined in  claim 8  wherein the first areas correspond to locations where a first type of strand in the fabric outer layer is exposed on the outer surface and wherein the second areas correspond to locations where a second type of strand is exposed on the outer surface. 
     
     
       10. The vehicle system defined in  claim 9  wherein the first type of strand comprises a weft strand and wherein the second type of strand comprises a warp strand. 
     
     
       11. The vehicle system defined in  claim 1  further comprising a fan configured to move air through the first openings. 
     
     
       12. The vehicle system defined in  claim 11  wherein the layer is configured to form a seat covering. 
     
     
       13. The vehicle system defined in  claim 1  wherein the component further comprises a light-emitting component. 
     
     
       14. A vehicle headrest, comprising:
 a speaker; and 
 a layer having invisible laser-drilled sound openings that overlap the speaker, wherein the layer comprises a fabric layer, and wherein the invisible laser-drilled sound openings have edges that include melted portions of the fabric layer. 
 
     
     
       15. The vehicle headrest defined in  claim 14  wherein the fabric layer is a fabric outer layer and wherein the layer further comprises an inner layer. 
     
     
       16. The vehicle headrest defined in  claim 15  wherein the invisible laser-drilled sound openings include first openings in the fabric outer layer and second openings that are larger than the first openings in the inner layer. 
     
     
       17. The vehicle headrest defined in  claim 16  wherein each of the second openings is overlapped by 3-10 of the first openings and wherein the fabric outer layer has cotton strands and has polymer strands that are melted along edge portions of the first openings. 
     
     
       18. The vehicle headrest defined in  claim 15  wherein the inner layer comprises a foam layer. 
     
     
       19. A vehicle seat, comprising:
 a fan; and 
 a seat covering layer that has invisible laser-drilled openings that overlap the fan, wherein the fan is configured to draw air through the invisible laser-drilled openings, wherein the seat covering layer comprises first and second strands with different appearances on an outermost surface of the seat cover layer, and wherein more of the invisible laser-drilled openings pass through the first strands on the outermost surface than pass through the second strands on the outermost surface. 
 
     
     
       20. The vehicle seat defined in  claim 19  wherein the seat covering layer comprises a foam layer and a fabric layer covering the foam layer and wherein the invisible laser-drilled openings comprise first openings in the fabric layer and second openings in the foam layer. 
     
     
       21. The vehicle seat defined in  claim 19  wherein the first strands are darker than the second strands. 
     
     
       22. The vehicle seat defined in  claim 20  wherein the invisible laser-drilled openings comprise laser-drilled openings in the fabric layer.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 63/082,770, filed Sep. 24, 2020, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This relates generally to structures with openings and, more particularly, to structures with openings that overlap components. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Systems such as vehicles and other systems have electronic components and components that handle tasks such as heating and cooling. In a vehicle interior, these components may be overlapped by layers of material such as cloth, polymer, or leather. 
     SUMMARY 
     A system such as a vehicle, building, or electronic device system may have a layer of material with invisible openings. The layer of material may form a covering for part of a vehicle seat such as a seat cushion, backrest, or headrest or may form other suitable covering structures. 
     The invisible openings may be laser-drilled openings. The layer of material may include an outer layer of fabric overlapping an inner layer such as an inner foam layer. The laser-drilled openings may have an outer openings in the fabric layer and inner openings in the foam layer. Each of the inner openings may be overlapped by multiple outer openings. The exposed surface of the fabric layer may have strands of material of different appearances and/or may otherwise be configured to help visually hide the laser-drilled openings. Laser-drilled openings may also have small sizes to help make the laser-drilled openings invisible. 
     Laser-drilled openings may overlap components such as audio components, heating and cooling components and/or light-emitting components. During operation of the system, sound, air, and/or light may pass through the openings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram of an illustrative system in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  2    is a cross-sectional side view of a component overlapped by an illustrative layer that may be provided with openings in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  3    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer with openings overlapping a component that causes air to flow through the openings in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  4    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer with openings overlapping an audio component in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  5    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer with openings overlapping a light-emitting component in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  6    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer with openings that pass only partly through the layer and that overlaps a light-emitting component in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  7    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer with sublayers having overlapping openings in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS.  8  and  9    are top views of illustrative layers with openings in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  10    is a diagram showing how opening density may be varied laterally across the surface of an illustrative layer to help ensure that openings are invisible in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  11    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer with openings that are angled at a non-zero angle with respect to a surface normal for the layer to help hide the openings in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS.  12  and  13    are cross-sectional views of illustrative strands of material in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  14    is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative fabric of the type that may be formed from strands of material such as the strands of  FIG.  12    and/or  FIG.  13    in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  15    is a top view of an illustrative layer of fabric having openings in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  16    is a top view of an illustrative system showing illustrative locations for ports formed from arrays of openings in accordance with embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A system may have components. The components may be electrical components such as microphones, speakers or other audio components, electrical components such as displays and other components that emit light, heating and/or cooling system components that cool and/or heat the system, and/or other components. To help hide these components from view by a user of the system, the components may be covered with a layer of material. The layer of material may include one or more sublayers. Openings in the layer may be used to allow signals to pass through the layer (e.g., sound and/or light) and/or openings in the layer may be used to allow air to flow through the layer (e.g., to support heating and/or cooling operations). The layer of material and the openings in the layer of material may be configured to help visually hide the presence of the openings. For example, openings may be formed in the layer so as to ensure that airflow ports, acoustic ports, and/or light-transmitting window areas formed form the openings are invisible to the unaided eye of a user. 
     Systems that that may be provided with layers of material having openings may include buildings, vehicles, vessels (e.g., ships, boats, yachts, or other watercraft), aircraft (e.g., planes or helicopters), electronic devices systems (e.g., portable electronic devices such as cellular telephones, tablet computers, removable covers for cellular telephones and tablet computers, etc.), and other suitable systems. Illustrative configurations in which systems such as vehicles are provided with layers having openings may sometimes be described herein as an example. This is merely illustrative. Layers with openings may be formed in any suitable systems. 
     An illustrative system of the type that may include a layer with openings is shown in  FIG.  1   . As shown in  FIG.  1   , system  10  may have a support structure such as support structure  12  that supports one or more windows such as window  24  (e.g., a vehicle window). Support structure  12  and window  24  separate interior region  18  from exterior region  14 . 
     Structure  12  may form walls of a building, a vehicle body, a vessel body, an aircraft body, an electronic device housing or other supporting structures. In arrangements in which structure  12  forms a vehicle body, structure  12  may include a chassis to which wheels, propulsion systems, steering systems, and other vehicle systems are mounted and may include doors, trunk structures, a hood, side body panels, a roof, and/or other body structures. If desired, seats  16  may be formed in interior region  18 . Seats  16  may include a driver&#39;s side seat and one or more passenger seats. Each seat may have a seat cushion  16 F, a backrest  16 B, and a headrest  16 HR (as an example). 
     System  10  may include control circuitry  20  and input-output devices  22 . Input-output devices  22  may include sensors (e.g., touch sensors, a microphone, buttons, etc.), may include audio components such as speakers and microphones, may include light-emitting components such as lamps, light-emitting diodes, lasers, and other light-emitting devices, light-emitting diode displays and other displays, and/or other light-emitting components, and may include other components for providing output to an occupant of system  10 , for making measurements of the environment surrounding system  10 , and for gathering input from an occupant of system  10 . If desired, system  10  may include heating and cooling components such as fans, heating systems, air conditioning systems, and other heating and/or cooling devices. 
     Control circuitry  20  may include storage and processing circuitry such as volatile and non-volatile memory, microprocessors, application-specific integrated circuits, digital signal processors, microcontroller, and other circuitry for controlling the operation of system  10 . In scenarios in which system  10  is a vehicle, control circuitry  20  may control the components of the vehicle based on user input and other input from input-output device  22  (e.g., to adjust the vehicle&#39;s steering, brakes, throttle, and other controls associated with driving the vehicle and/or to adjust the operation of one or more components that in system  10  (e.g., components that are overlapped by a layer with openings, etc.). If desired, system  10  may be an autonomously driven vehicle. 
       FIG.  2    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative layer of the type that may be provided with openings overlapping a component in system  10 . As shown in  FIG.  2   , layer  40  may have one or more sublayers such as layers  40 - 1 ,  40 - 2 , . . .  40 -N. These sublayers may include layers of material such as polymer (e.g. solid sheets of rigid and/or flexible polymer, polymer foam, elastomeric polymer materials such as silicone, polymer adhesive, etc.), metal, fiberglass and other fiber composite materials, textiles such as woven fabric, knit fabric, braided items, and/or other fabric, glass, ceramic, cotton, leather, wood, and other natural materials, ceramic, glass, other materials, and/or combinations of these materials. Illustrative configurations in which layer  40  includes a soft layer such as a layer of foam (e.g., inner layer  40 - 2 ) may sometimes be described herein as an example. Inclusion of a soft layer of material into layer  40  may help provide layer  40  with a soft feel to the touch and thereby provide comfort for a user who is touching layer  40 . Layer  40  may be incorporated into seats  16  ( FIG.  1   ), footwell structures, headliner structures, dashboard structures, doors, and/or other walls or other layers exposed to interior  18  of system  10  (as examples). In an illustrative configuration, which may sometimes be described herein as an example, layer  40  may be incorporated into the headrests or cushions of seat  16 . 
     System  10  (e.g., seats  16 , and/or other structures in system  10 ) may include components such as system component  42 . System component  42  may be, for example, mounted inside a seat or other portion of system  10 . Layer  40  may form a covering layer. At least some of layer  40  in area  44  overlapping system component  42  may be provided with openings that pass completely through layer  40  or partly through layer  40 . Component  42  may include one or more input-output devices  22 , heating and/or cooling system components, control circuitry  20 , electrical components, optical components, audio components, and/or other component(s). By incorporating openings in some or all of an area such as area  44  of layer  40  that overlaps component  42 , component  42  can operate through layer  40  while remaining hidden behind layer  40 . 
     The openings in layer  40  may be configured to be invisible to a user (e.g., an occupant of system  10  such as a vehicle occupant). By configuring layer  40  so that the openings in area  44  are not visually discernable to the unaided eye, the presence of the openings does not create an undesirably unsightly appearance for layer  40  (e.g., portions of seat  16  such as headrest  16 HR may have an attractive appearance that is unmarred by visible openings). 
     Illustrative configurations in which different types of system component  42  are located under layer  40  are shown in  FIGS.  3 ,  4 ,  5 , and  6   . 
     In the example of  FIG.  3   , component  42  is a component that heats, cools, and/or causes air to flow (e.g. a fan, an air conditioning unit, a heater, etc.). As show in  FIG.  3   , openings  46  may pass through layer  40  in alignment with component  42 . During operation, hot and/or cold air associated with component  42  may pass through openings  46 . For example, if component  42  is a fan, the fan may cause air to pass inwardly or outwardly through openings  46  to cool a seat or other structure that incorporates layer  40 . To help prevent openings  46  from creating an undesired appearance to the surface of layer  40 , openings  46  may be relatively small and/or layer  40  may be provided with visual features that help hide openings  46  from view. A user such as viewer  48  who is viewing the surface of layer  40  in direction  50  may, as an example, be unable to visually detect the presence of openings  46  in layer  40  (e.g., openings  46  may be invisible to the naked eye by virtue of the small size of openings  46  and/or the presence of visually distracting features such as areas of different appearance on the surface of layer  40 . These areas of different appearance may include, for example, areas such as areas  52  and areas such as areas  54 . Areas  52  and  54  may have different appearances (e.g., different colors, different textures, etc.). Due to the presence of areas of different appearance such as areas  52  and  54 , particularly in scenarios in which the sizes of areas  52  and  54  is comparable to that of openings  46  (e.g., within a factor of 1-10), openings  46  may be invisible to the user. 
     Openings  46  may have circular footprints (outlines when viewed from above) or may have other shapes (e., openings  46  may be rectangular, etc.). Openings  46  may all have the same size or different openings  46  may have different sizes. In an illustrative configuration, openings  46  have the same size (within +/−25% or other suitable tolerance) and have diameters D 1 , whereas areas  52  and  54  have lateral dimensions D 2  that are 2-6 times the size of diameter D 1 , that are 0.5-2 times the size of diameter D 1 , that are 0.2-5 times the size of diameter D 1 , that are 1-10 times the size of diameter D 1 , that are at least 5 times the size of diameter D 1 , that are less than 25 times the size of diameter D 1  and/or that have other suitable sizes relative to the size of diameter D 1 . The value of diameter D 1  (or other lateral dimension associated with the size of openings  46 ) may be less than 0.5 mm, less than 0.4 mm, less than 0.3 mm, less than 0.2 mm, less than 0.1 mm, at least 0.05 mm, or other suitable size. 
     In the illustrative configuration of  FIG.  4   , component  42  is an audio component (e.g., a speaker that emits sound that passes through openings  46  and/or a microphone that detects sound that passes through openings  46 ). 
       FIG.  5    is a cross-sectional side view of layer  40  in an illustrative configuration in which component  42  is an optical component that emits or detects light. Component  42  may be, for example, a light-emitting component that includes multiple light-emitting devices  42 L. Devices  42 L may be crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diode dies, may be thin-film organic light-emitting diodes, may be laser diodes, and/or may be other components that emit light. Devices  42 L may emit light through a light guide plate or other light distribution structure, may be located under a diffuser layer, may be aligned with lenses or other components that spread light laterally before the light passes through openings  46  in layer  40 , may emit light through a stencil or other patterned layer (e.g., an ink layer with openings that define desired shapes for icons, etc.), and/or may be small pixel-sized light-emitting devices that are arranged to form a pixel array that can display text, graphics, and/or other visual content (e.g., images). The pitch (pixel-center-to-pixel-center spacing) of pixel-sized devices  42 L may be selected, as an example, to create a display with at least 50 pixels per inch, at least 150 pixels per inch, less than 400 pixels per inch, or other suitable display resolution). A display formed from devices  42 L may have at least 1000 or at least 10,000 pixels (as examples). When used as a status indicator (e.g., a power indicator or other light-emitting component that emits light to convey operating status) or other light-emitting component where image-quality resolution is not needed, there may be relatively fewer devices  42 L (e.g., fewer than 25, fewer than 10, etc.). 
     In the example of  FIG.  5   , openings  46  are through holes that pass entirely through layer  40 . If desired, openings  46  for optical components such as component  42  of  FIG.  5    may pass only partway through layer  40  as shown in  FIG.  6   . The presence of partial openings such as openings  46  in layer  40  may allow light to selectively pass to or from component  42  through openings  46  while being blocked by thicker surrounding portions of layer  40  (e.g., the thinned portion of layer  40  that remains for each opening may be sufficiently thin to transmit light that is visible to a user). Although openings  46  of  FIGS.  5  and  6    are able to pass light, openings  46  of  FIGS.  5  and  6    are preferably not directly visible to the user because, as described in connection with  FIG.  3   , the diameters of openings  46  and the optional presence of areas of differing appearance such as areas  52  and  54  that create a pattern on the surface of layer  40  make openings  46  invisible. 
     If desired, openings  46  may pass through multiple sublayers of material. Each sublayer may have openings and the openings of each sublayer may be aligned with each other to form openings  46 . Openings in different sublayers may be the same size and shape or may have different sizes and shapes. 
     Consider, as an example, the cross-sectional side view of illustrative layer  40  of  FIG.  7   . In this example, openings  46  are formed in layer  40 , which overlaps component  42 . Component  42  may, as an example, be located in the interior of a vehicle headrest or other vehicle seating structure and layer  40  may form a cover layer for the vehicle headrest or other vehicle seating structure. 
     As shown in  FIG.  7   , layer  40  may include an outermost (top) layer such as layer  40 - 1 , a second-to-outermost layer such as layer  40 - 2  and optional additional sublayer(s) such as layer  40 ′. Layer  40 - 1  may be a layer of fabric, a layer of polymer, or other layer of material. Layer  40 - 2  may be a layer of polymer foam (open cell and/or closed cell foam), may be an elastomeric material, may be a soft layer of fabric, or may be any other suitable layer of material. Layer  40 - 1  may have openings that are configured to avoid visual detection such as openings  46 - 1 . These openings may be made invisible to viewers using small opening dimensions and/or by configuring layer  40 - 1  to exhibit a visually distracting surface pattern (e.g., fabric strands of different colors, printed patterns, surface texture, etc.). Layer  40 - 1  may be attached to layer  40 - 2  using adhesive  60 . 
     To ensure that sound, air, and/or light may pass through openings  46 , openings  46 - 1  are aligned with corresponding openings  46 - 2  in layer  40 - 2 . The size of openings  46 - 2  may be larger or smaller than the size of openings  46 - 1  or may be the same size as openings  46 - 1 . In the example of  FIG.  7   , openings  46 - 2  are larger than openings  46 - 1 . This may facilitate alignment between openings  46 - 1  and  46 - 2  when attaching layer  40 - 1  to layer  40 - 2 . In an illustrative configuration, the diameters of openings  46 - 2  may be 1-10 mm, 3 mm, at least 1.5 mm, at least 2 mm, less than 7 mm, less than 5 mm, less than 4 mm, less than 2 mm, or other suitable size. The smaller diameters of openings  46 - 1  (which establish the opening sizes for openings  46 ) may be less than 0.5 mm, less than 0.4 mm, less than 0.3 mm, less than 0.2 mm, less than 0.1 mm, at least 0.05 mm, or other suitable size. 
     Optional inner layers in layer  40  such as optional layer  40 ′ may have openings that overlap openings  46 - 2  so that openings  46  are not blocked. The sizes of the openings in additional layers such as layer  40 ′ may, as an example, be larger than the sizes of openings  46 - 2 . 
     There may be any suitable number of openings  46 - 1  per opening  46 - 2  (e.g., at least 1, at least 2, at least 3, at least 4, 3-10, 2-10, fewer than 25, fewer than 6, etc.). In the illustrative top view of layer  40  in  FIG.  8   , there are three openings  46 - 1  per opening  46 - 2  and openings  46 - 1  are positioned randomly across the surface of layer  40  to help reduce the visibility of openings  46 . In the example of  FIG.  9   , there are five openings  46 - 1  per opening  46 - 2  and openings  46 - 1  are organized more regularly (e.g., to form cross-shaped patterns of openings  46 - 1  within each opening  46 - 2 ). The use of regular opening patterns such as the pattern of openings  46 - 1  overlapping openings  46 - 2  in  FIG.  9    may help enhance the fraction of the surface area of layer  46  that is occupied by openings  46  (e.g., the  FIG.  9    arrangement may allow for a potentially larger number of openings  46 - 1  per unit area), thereby enhancing the efficiency of openings  46  in passing air, sound, and/or light. 
     The region of layer  40  that contains openings  46  may cover all of layer  40  or a part of layer  40  that overlaps component  42 . Because air, sound, and/or light may pass through openings  46  in the area overlapping component  42 , this area of layer  40  may sometimes be referred to as forming a port or window in layer  40  (e.g. a ventilation port, audio port, or optical window). The port (or window) in this type of configuration contains openings  46 , whereas remaining portions of layer  40  that do not overlap component  42  need not contain openings  46 . Nevertheless, to help visually hide the port or window formed from openings  46  over component  42 , the region containing openings  46  may be extended beyond the borders of component  42 . If desired, the density of openings  46  just beyond the borders of components  42  may be decreased as a function of increasing distance from the port or window that overlaps component  42 . This may help hide the presence of the port or window. 
     Consider, as an example, the illustrative arrangement of the port or window formed from area  40 P of  FIG.  10   , which overlaps an underlying component  42 . In area  42 P, openings  46 - 1  in layer  40 - 1  overlap corresponding larger openings  46 - 2  in layer  40 - 2 , thereby forming openings  46 . The positions of openings  46  within area  40 P may be randomized (e.g., dithered slightly) about a regular grid pattern of locations, thereby helping to visually hide openings  46  in area  40 P 
     Curve  64  of the graph of  FIG.  10    shows how there may be a constant density (openings per unit area) DN of openings  64  between the left edge (X=0) and opposing right edge (X=W) of area  40 P. Abruptly terminating the presence of openings  46  at the edges of area  40 P creates a risk that the edges of area  40 P will be visible. Accordingly, in the example of  FIG.  10   , additional openings  46  are formed outside of area  40 P (e.g., in surrounding areas such as area  62 ). As shown by curve  64 , the density DN of openings  46  may be decreased smoothly and gradually at increasing distances from area  40 P to make the location of the edges of area  40 P invisible. 
     Another way that openings  46  may be visually obscured is by creating some or all of openings  46  using angled holes of the type shown in  FIG.  11   . As shown in the cross-sectional side view of layer  40  of  FIG.  11   , openings  46  may, as an example, be oriented at a non-zero angle (e.g., an angle of 45°, 20-70°, or other suitable non-zero angle) with respect to the surface normal of layer  40 , thereby making holes  40  less visible when viewed by viewer  48  in an on-axis direction such as direction  50 . 
     Any suitable strands of material (e.g., monofilaments, multifilament yarn, etc.) may be used in forming fabric for layer  40  (e.g., upper layer  40 - 1 ).  FIG.  12    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative strand of material for forming a fabric layer for layer  40 . In the example of  FIG.  12   , strand  30  is a monofilament. Multi-filament strands may also be used. Multi-filament strands contain multiple strands each of which may be a monofilament or a multi-filament strand. Multi-filament strands may contain strands of a single type or of more than one type. As shown in  FIG.  13   , strand  30  may include strands  30 - 1  of a first type (e.g., polymer monofilaments such as monofilaments of nylon, polyester, polyethylene, cellulose triacetate, or polyethylene terephthalate) and strands  30 - 2  of a second type (e.g., multifilament yarn of cotton or other natural material having a different appearance than the strands of the first type to help create a surface pattern that visually hides openings  46 ). 
       FIG.  14    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative fabric layer of the type that may be used in forming some or all of layer  40  (e.g., fabric for forming layer  40 - 1 ). As shown in  FIG.  14   , fabric  32  may be woven fabric having warp strands  30 A and weft strands  30 B. Any type of weave may be used in forming fabric  32 . For example, fabric  32  may have a plain weave, a twill weave (where one or more warp strands alternately pass over and under two or more weft strands) to provide a diagonal pattern on the face of fabric  32 , or other types of weave. If desired, fabric  32  may include knit fabric, braided fabric, felt, and/or other types of interlaced (intertwined) strands of material. Configurations in which layer  40 - 1  is woven fabric may sometimes be described herein as an example. 
     Any suitable technique may be used in forming openings  46  in layer  40  (e.g., drilling, punching, cutting, etc.). In an illustrative configuration, laser drilling techniques are used (e.g., using a carbon dioxide laser producing infrared light or other suitable laser source). During laser drilling, meltable material such as polymer material may melt and resolidify, thereby effectively cauterizing the edges of the cut fabric and helping to suppress fraying of the fabric. In forming openings  46  of the type shown in  FIG.  7   , laser drilling may be performed through a tool having an array of openings sufficiently large to pass laser beams that form openings  46 - 2  in layer  40 - 2 . After forming openings  46 - 2  in layer  40 - 2  and removing any debris produced (e.g., under vacuum pressure) openings  46 - 1  may be laser drilled through layer  40 - 1 . 
     Using machine vision and a computer-controlled beam steerer, the laser beam used in a laser drilling tool may be used to selectively form holes through some parts of layer  40  and not others. For example, in scenarios in which openings  46  appear dark, it may be desirable to form openings  46  areas of the surface of layer  40  that have darker appearances (whether due to the material used to form those areas, surface texture variations, printed coatings, etc.). This type of arrangement is shown in the top view of layer  40  of  FIG.  15   . In the example of  FIG.  15   , the outer surface of layer  40  is covered with fabric  32 . The fabric has warp strands  30 A and weft strands  30 B with different appearances. Warp strands  30 A may be, for example, darker in appearance than weft strands  30 B. To help hide openings  46  from view in an arrangement such as this in which strands  30 B are darker than strands  30 A, most or all of openings  46  may be laser drilled in darker strands  30 B. 
       FIG.  16    shows how layers  40  with areas  40 P containing openings  46  may be formed in structures in system  10 . Layers  40  may, as an example, be used in forming a covering layer for seat  16  such as a layer in seat cushion  16 F, backrest  16 B, and/or headrest  16 HR. Areas  40 P may be formed on a front portion of headrest  16 HR that faces forward (towards seat cushion  16 F) to provide left and right audio channels for midrange and/or base frequencies and areas  40 P may be formed on opposing left and right side portions of headrest  16 HR (e.g., surfaces that are perpendicular to the front portion) to provide left and right audio channels for high-frequency drivers (e.g., tweeters). Areas  40 P in cushion  16 F and backrest  16 B may overlap components for heating, cooling, and/or ventilation. Areas  40 P on layer  40  in structure  70  (e.g., a dashboard, door portion, footwell, etc.) may overlap light-emitting components, as described in connection with the examples of  FIGS.  5  and  6    (as an example). 
     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: 20210802
Publication Date: 20231205
Grant Date: 20231205
Priority Date: 20200924
Inventors: Griffin, II, James G.
SATAS, LUKAS
NASHNER, MICHAEL S.
CHEN, ZUGUANG
PARKER, JASON T.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H04R1/023", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60N2/5642", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60N2/70", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60N2/879", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60Q3/233", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R1/023", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60N2/879", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60Q3/233", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60N2/70", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60N2/5642", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R5/023", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R2499/13", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R1/023", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60N2/879", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60N2/5657", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60N2/565", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B60N2/5891", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 88980050