Fabric-based earbuds
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.
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.
2 . The method defined in claim 1 further comprising:
identifying ear features in the three-dimensional ear image, wherein the ear features include tragus dimensions, antitragus dimensions, and concha bowl dimensions.
3 . The method defined in claim 2 wherein weaving the stack of warp strand segments with weft strand segments comprises forming a three-dimensionally woven antitragus portion.
4 . The method defined in claim 3 wherein the three-dimensionally woven tragus portion and the three-dimensionally woven antitragus portion match the tragus dimensions and the antitragus dimensions, respectively.
5 . The method defined in claim 3 wherein the three-dimensionally woven concha portion is larger than the concha bowl dimensions.
6 . The method defined in claim 1 wherein the three-dimensional weaving equipment includes:
an array of needles;
warp laying equipment that guides the warp strand segments around the array of needles to form the stack of warp loops on the needles; and
weft insertion equipment that inserts the weft strand segments through the stack of warp loops.
7 . The method defined in claim 6 wherein the warp laying equipment comprises a computer-controlled positioner that positions the warp strand segments around the array of needles and wherein at least some of the warp strand segments and the weft strand segments are formed from a single continuous strand.
8 . The method defined in claim 6 wherein the stack of warp loops comprises multiple layers of warp loops stacked on top of one another at different locations along lengths of the needles.
9 . The method defined in claim 8 wherein each of the layers of warp loops extends in a plane that is perpendicular to the lengths of the needles.
10 . The method defined in claim 6 further comprising support plates that support the array of needles.
11 . A fabric-based earbud, comprising:
layers of warp strand segments; and
weft strand segments woven with the warp strand segments, wherein at least some of the warp strand segments and the weft strand segments are formed from a single continuous strand, wherein the layers of warp strand segments and the weft strand segments form a three-dimensionally woven tragus portion and a three-dimensionally woven antitragus portion of the fabric-based earbud, and wherein the three-dimensionally woven tragus portion and the three-dimensionally woven antitragus portion are structural portions for holding circuitry of the fabric-based earbud.
12 . The fabric-based earbud defined in claim 11 wherein the layers of warp strand segments and the weft strand segments form a three-dimensionally woven concha bowl portion.
13 . The fabric-based earbud defined in claim 12 wherein the three-dimensionally woven tragus portion, the three-dimensionally woven antitragus portion, and the three-dimensionally woven concha bowl portion have dimensions that are based on a three-dimensional ear image.
14 . The fabric-based earbud defined in claim 13 wherein the three-dimensional ear image indicates tragus and antitragus dimensions and wherein the three-dimensionally woven tragus portion and the three-dimensionally woven antitragus portion match the respective tragus and antitragus dimensions.
15 . The fabric-based earbud defined in claim 13 wherein the three-dimensional ear image indicates concha bowl dimensions wherein the three-dimensionally woven concha bowl portion is larger than the concha bowl dimensions.
16 . A three-dimensional woven fabric earbud, comprising:
a stack of warp strand segments; and
weft strand segments woven with the warp 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 a 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.
17 . The three-dimensional woven fabric earbud defined in claim 16 wherein the stack of warp strand segments forms at least part of a tube.
18 . The three-dimensional woven fabric earbud defined in claim 16 wherein three-dimensional ear image indicates tragus dimensions and concha dimensions, wherein the three-dimensionally woven tragus portion matches the tragus dimensions, and wherein the three-dimensionally woven concha portion is larger than the concha dimensions.
19 . The three-dimensional woven fabric earbud defined in claim 16 wherein the warp strand segments form finished warp ends without stitches at an edge of the three-dimensional woven fabric earbud.
20 . The three-dimensional woven fabric earbud defined in claim 16 wherein the stack of warp strand segments comprises multiple layers of loops arranged on top of one another and wherein each of the weft strand segments passes through the multiple layers of loops.