Seamless spacer fabrics for electronic devices

US10427374B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Apple Inc. · US

Inventors

• Yohji Hamada · Wakayama, JP
• Siddhartha Hegde · San Jose, US
• Zebinah P. Masse · San Jose, US
• Rimple Bhatia · Woodside, US
• Peter F. Coxeter · Sunnyvale, US
• Amit S. Barve · Santa Clara, US
• Donald L. Olmstead · Rio Del Mar, US
• Javier Mendez · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 13, 2018
• Grant date: Oct 1, 2019
• Expiry date: Mar 13, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04R2499/10
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Electronic equipment may include seamless spacer fabric. Seamless spacer fabric may be used as a protective case or cosmetic cover for an electronic device such as a speaker. A seamless spacer fabric may include a seamless fabric outer layer, a spacer fabric inner layer, and an adhesive layer that bonds the seamless outer layer to the spacer fabric inner layer. The spacer fabric layer may have a seam region where one portion of the spacer fabric layer is joined with another portion of the fabric layer. The seamless fabric outer layer may cover the seam region to hide it from view. One or more additional seam hiding layers or strips may be formed on opposing sides of the spacer fabric layer to cover the seam. The seamless spacer fabric may have an array of openings that extends uniformly around the perimeter of the seamless spacer fabric.