Apple patents fabric earbuds woven to fit your ear shape
Apple describes a method for creating custom earbuds by scanning a user's ear and weaving fabric strands into a 3D shape. The design specifically matches the sensitive parts of the ear while allowing slight compression in other areas for comfort.
In the filing’s own words
A three-dimensional weaving system may be used to form customized earbuds for a user. An electronic device with a three-dimensional sensor may be used to capture three-dimensional images of one or both of the user's ears. The three-dimensional ear images may be provided to computing equipment that analyzes the images to determine the dimensions of the ear such as tragus and antitragus dimensions and concha dimensions. Three-dimensional weaving equipment may be used to weave customized earbuds for the user based on the ear images. The customized earbuds may include a tragus and antitragus portion that matches the dimensions of the tragus and antitragus in the ear images, as these areas of the ear are more sensitive. The concha portion of the customized earbuds may be woven with slightly larger dimensions than the user's actual concha, as the concha area can withstand some compression without discomfort.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method for forming a three-dimensional woven fabric earbud, the method comprising: with a sensor, capturing a three-dimensional ear image; and with three-dimensional weaving equipment, weaving a stack of warp strand segments with weft strand segments, wherein the warp strand segments and the weft strand segments are configured to form a three-dimensionally woven tragus portion and a three-dimensionally woven concha portion having dimensions that are based on the three-dimensional ear image, and wherein the three-dimensionally woven tragus portion and the three-dimensionally woven concha portion are structural portions for holding circuitry of the three-dimensional woven fabric earbud.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- Fabric-based earbuds
- Patent number
- US12726751B1
- Application number
- 18171107
- Filed
- Feb 17, 2023
- Granted
- Sep 1, 2026
- Inventors
- 3
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
H04R 1/1016 Electricity & electronicsD03D 25/005 Textiles & paperG06F 30/12 Physics & computingH04R 1/1058 Electricity & electronicsD10B 2403/033 Textiles & paperG06F 2111/16 Physics & computingMore from Apple in Wearables
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.