Patents by Inventor Darin Bradley Ritter

Darin Bradley Ritter has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20170181265
    Abstract: An improved heat transfer system for components an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a printed circuit board, a component shield and a heatsink or heat spreader. An open heat transfer window is positioned in the component shield so as to enable the heat sink to directly contact a thermal pad for a component requiring heat dissipation. Grounding fingers between the shield and the heatsink may be provided to connect the shield to the heatsink, thereby protecting the component against electromagnetic interference and electrostatic discharge from the outside while preventing the component from leaking radio frequency radiation to the outside resulting from the creation of the open heat transfer window in the shield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: MICKEY HUNT, Joseph Lee CARPENTER, Darin Bradley RITTER
  • Publication number: 20170181266
    Abstract: An improved heat transfer system for components an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a printed circuit board, a component shield and a heatsink or heat spreader. An open heat transfer window is positioned in the component shield so as to enable a depression in the heat sink to pass through the window and directly contact a thermal pad for a component requiring heat dissipation. A grounding connection between the shield and the heatsink is provided to prevent radiation loss in the radio frequency shielding capability resulting from the creation of the open heat transfer window in the shield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Mickey Jay Hunt, Joseph Lee Carpenter, Darin Bradley Ritter
  • Publication number: 20170149128
    Abstract: An antenna bracket for electronic devices includes a solid bracket having an aperture formed therethrough. The solid antenna bracket has side walls that are rounded to a predetermined radius, and at least one antenna pocket positioned on said side walls. The antenna pocket receives and secures at least one antenna. The antenna bracket has a polygon shape that follows the contours of the electronic device housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Mickey HUNT, Julianne Luna So, William P. Dernier, Randy Wayne Craig, Darin Bradley Ritter, Kevin M. Williams, Michael Francis Barry
  • Patent number: 9661791
    Abstract: An RF interference suppressor for satellite receivers and more specifically those that employ the MOCA standard is provided. The RF interference suppressor shields the connection point of the center conductor of the F-connector to the PC board from spurious signals emanating from the high speed digital portions of the receiver. In addition, the RF interference suppressor shield includes a tab portion that encompasses the threaded portion of the F-connector and operates to shield the path for RF interference resulting from the gap between the F-connector body and the inner shield wall of the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: THOMSON Licensing DTV
    Inventors: Max Ward Muterspaugh, William John Testin, Darin Bradley Ritter, Mickey Jay Hunt
  • Patent number: 9603270
    Abstract: A docking mechanism for locking and undocking multiple electronic instruments is provided which includes upper and lower instruments. The upper electronic instrument docks on a top cover of the lower electronic instrument. The upper electronic instrument comprises at least one hook receiving aperture. The lower electronic instrument has at least one hook aperture and at least one lift pusher aperture in the top cover; a button aperture on a side wall of the lower electronic instrument; and a sliding hook piece including a button at an end of the sliding hook piece that extends through the button aperture, at least one hook that extends through the hook aperture, and at least one lift pusher that extends through the lift pusher aperture. The sliding hook piece is slidably attached to the top cover and includes lifting means on the top cover that causes the lift pusher to move upward when the button is pressed to safely lift the upper electronic instrument off of the lower electronic instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: THOMSON LICENSING
    Inventor: Darin Bradley Ritter
  • Patent number: 9578783
    Abstract: A passive cooling arrangement for an electronic housing assembly is provided. The assembly includes a frame disposed in the housing assembly; a circuit board supported in the frame; a heat generating component disposed on the circuit board; and a heat sink configured with a substantially flat peripheral portion and a depression portion. The substantially flat peripheral portion faces and is nearly coextensive with an outer wall of said housing assembly, and the depression portion is in thermal engagement with the heat generating component on the circuit board. The frame includes a base having embosses which support the circuit board in a position enabling thermal engagement of the heat generating component and the depression portion of the heat sink. The outer wall of the housing assembly is preferably unvented and the housing assembly is preferably oriented in use with the outer wall facing upwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Darin Bradley Ritter, Mickey Jay Hunt, Mark William Gysin
  • Publication number: 20160295738
    Abstract: An electronic device, such as a set top box comprises an enclosure that houses a circuit board having a peripheral edge positioned in the set top box. A heat sink has orientation features on its periphery that contact and orient the circuit board. Further, the heat sink has positioning tabs at a leading edge that contact a control surface on a rear wall of the set top box enclosure and orients the heat sink within the set top box. Antenna assemblies are positioned in corners of the set top box enclosure and adjacent to one of the vertically oriented walls, wherein the antenna assemblies are positioned outside the peripheral edge of the circuit board and the periphery of the heat sink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Darin Bradley RITTER, Mickey Jay HUNT, Kevin Michael WILLIAMS
  • Publication number: 20160278227
    Abstract: An electronic device assembly comprises an electronic device having a bottom and back side, wherein the bottom includes apertures and the back side includes a panel jack for connecting to cables; and a cable retainer having a base and a back upstanding wall extending from the base. The base is attached to the bottom of the electronic device. The back upstanding wall faces the back side, the back upstanding wall is spaced from the back side, and the back upstanding wall has slots for supporting the cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Darin Bradley RITTER, Mickey Jay Hunt
  • Publication number: 20160260555
    Abstract: A button assembly includes a button structure (110) mounted to a frame (104) by a flexible hinge (108), where the button structure (110) has a clear external surface (102) and a graphical overlay (112) behind the external surface; and a light pipe (114) mounted to the button structure (110) and contacting 5 an actuator (118) that is configured to trigger when pressure is applied, where the light pipe (114) is configured to trigger the actuator (118) when pressure is applied to the button structure (110) and where the light pipe (114) is further configured to propagate light from a light source (116) to the button structure (110) to illuminate the graphical 10 overlay (112) and to minimize light leakage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: Darin Bradley RITTER, Mickey Jay HUNT
  • Publication number: 20160255300
    Abstract: Devices and methods for routing cables through a printed circuit board (PCB) include an enclosure having at least one cable guide and a cable duct. A PCB is mounted in the enclosure, such that the cable duct penetrates the PCB through a hole in the PCB. At least one additional component is mounted in the enclosure and connected to at least one cable that is attached to the at least one cable guide and the cable duct. The at least one cable enters the duct on a first side of the PCB and exits the duct on a second side of the PCB.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Darin Bradley RITTER, Mickey Jay HUNT
  • Publication number: 20160248145
    Abstract: A set top box comprises multiple antennae (15) are positioned outside the periphery of the printed circuit board (5). The antennae can be vertically oriented (15V) or horizontally oriented (15H). The antennae (15) are maintained at least 20 mm from a heatsink (6) and the printed circuit board (5) to prevent electrostatic discharge. The set top box includes vents (14) in the bottom frame (2) outside the periphery of the printed circuit board (5) to promote heat dissipation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Applicant: THOMSON LICENSING
    Inventors: Darin Bradley RITTER, Mickey Jay HUNT, William P. DERNIER
  • Publication number: 20160205762
    Abstract: An assembly of two or more heatspreaders is attached to a printed circuit board in a compact electronic enclosure. The heatspreaders include fins which assist in convecting heat out of the enclosure through vents. The printed circuit board is shielded from the outer case by the heatspreaders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventors: Darin Bradley Ritter, Mark Robert Anderson
  • Patent number: 9220185
    Abstract: A set-top box is provided that comprises a housing having a first vertical outer wall with a first vent and a second vertical outer wall with a second vent; a circuit board having a first heat source element and a second heat source element; a contoured heatsink in thermal engagement with the first heat source element, wherein the contoured heatsink overlies at least one-third of the circuit board and extends along the first vertical side wall; and a second heatsink contacting the second heat source element, wherein the second heatsink is located in only one half of the device and is aligned with the second vent. The multiple heatsinks and associated vents work in concert to improve heat dissipation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: THOMSON LICENSING
    Inventors: Darin Bradley Ritter, Mickey Jay Hunt, Mark William Gysin, Rodger Anthony Diemer
  • Publication number: 20150282352
    Abstract: A docking mechanism for locking and undocking multiple electronic instruments is provided which includes upper and lower instruments. The upper electronic instrument docks on a top cover of the lower electronic instrument. The upper electronic instrument comprises at least one hook receiving aperture. The lower electronic instrument has at least one hook aperture and at least one lift pusher aperture in the top cover; a button aperture on a side wall of the lower electronic instrument; and a sliding hook piece including a button at an end of the sliding hook piece that extends through the button aperture, at least one hook that extends through the hook aperture, and at least one lift pusher that extends through the lift pusher aperture. The sliding hook piece is slidably attached to the top cover and includes lifting means on the top cover that causes the lift pusher to move upward when the button is pressed to safely lift the upper electronic instrument off of the lower electronic instrument.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventor: Darin Bradley Ritter
  • Patent number: 8902588
    Abstract: The set-top box includes an outer casing having micro-perforations, an interior bottom frame having a centrally located heatsink, a circuit board on the bottom frame and a louvered heatsinking element over the circuit board and in thermal contact with the heatsink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Darin Bradley Ritter, Mickey Jay Hunt, Mark William Gysin
  • Publication number: 20130063895
    Abstract: A set-top box is provided that comprises a housing having a first vertical outer wall with a first vent and a second vertical outer wall with a second vent; a circuit board having a first heat source element and a second heat source element; a contoured heatsink in thermal engagement with the first heat source element, wherein the contoured heatsink overlies at least one-third of the circuit board and extends along the first vertical side wall; and a second heatsink contacting the second heat source element, wherein the second heatsink is located in only one half of the device and is aligned with the second vent. The multiple heatsinks and associated vents work in concert to improve heat dissipation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: THOMSON LICENSING
    Inventors: Darin Bradley Ritter, Mickey Jay Hunt, Mark William Gysin, Rodger Anthony Diemer
  • Publication number: 20120307455
    Abstract: A passive cooling arrangement for an electronic housing assembly is disclosed which comprises a frame disposed in the housing assembly; a circuit board supported in the frame; a heat generating component disposed on the circuit board; and a heat sink configured with a substantially flat peripheral portion and a depression portion, the substantially flat peripheral portion facing and being nearly coextensive with an outer wall of said housing assembly, and the depression portion being in thermal engagement with the heat generating component on the circuit board, whereby heat generated by the heat generating component can be passively thermally conducted through the depression portion and into the substantially flat peripheral portion of the heat sink, and thereafter dissipated in a generally uniform manner through the outer wall of the housing assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventors: Darin Bradley Ritter, Mickey Jay Hunt, Mark William Gysin
  • Publication number: 20120287588
    Abstract: An RF interference suppressor for satellite receivers and more specifically those that employ the MOCA standard is provided. The RF interference suppressor shields the connection point of the center conductor of the F-connector to the PC board from spurious signals emanating from the high speed digital portions of the receiver. In addition, the RF interference suppressor shield includes a tab portion that encompasses the threaded portion of the F-connector and operates to shield the path for RF interference resulting from the gap between the F-connector body and the inner shield wall of the receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Inventors: Max Ward Muterspaugh, William John Testin, Darin Bradley Ritter, Mickey Jay Hunt
  • Publication number: 20120243176
    Abstract: The set-top box includes an outer casing having micro-perforations, an interior bottom frame having a centrally located heatsink, a circuit board on the bottom frame and a louvered heatsinking element over the circuit board and in thermal contact with the heatsink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: THOMSON-LICENSING
    Inventors: Darin Bradley Ritter, Mickey Jay Hunt, Mark William Gysin
  • Publication number: 20090001858
    Abstract: Strip mounts on the top and bottom screen mounting brackets for holding a projection display screen in place while accommodating screen tolerances are disclosed. The strip mounts have a C-shaped profile that holds the display screen in place. The screen mounting brackets are elongate, stiff members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventors: Scott Joseph Duggan, Darin Bradley Ritter