Patents by Inventor Kevin M. Robinson
Kevin M. Robinson 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).
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Patent number: 10635141Abstract: Cable assemblies for providing electrical communication between hinged sections of an electronic device are described. The cable assemblies can include a cover that covers one or more cables that run through a hinge region of the electronic device. The cable and cover can be drawn over a mandrel of the hinge region. The cover and the portions of the mandrel can be visible to a user at the hinge region of the electronic device. The cover can be sufficiently rigid to guide a path of the cable and protect the cable from bending beyond a prescribed angle during rotation of the electronic device at the hinge region. The cover can also be sufficiently rigid to prevent ceasing or folding of the cover and the cable during rotation of the electronic device at the hinge region. The cable assemblies can also include a hinged cover that can be pivoted to close a gap between two hinged sections of the electronic device.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2016Date of Patent: April 28, 2020Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Mikael M. Silvanto, Bartley K. Andre, Adam T. Garelli, Simon Regis Louis Lancaster-Larocque, Robert Y. Cao, Dinesh C. Mathew, Jacob S. Kononiuk, Robert J. Lockwood, Bryan W. Posner, Kevin M. Keeler, Bruce E. Berg, Yi-Chen Kuo, Kevin M. Robinson, Houtan R. Farahani
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Publication number: 20200097050Abstract: An accessory device for an electronic device is disclosed. The accessory device may include one or more bodies, or segments, that are rotationally coupled to each other. One segment may include a keyboard used to provide an input or command to the electronic device. The accessory device may include an additional segment with a hinge assembly and a panel coupled to the hinge assembly. The panel is designed to receive and couple with the electronic device. The hinge assembly is designed to move the panel into different positions. For instance, the hinge assembly and the panel can be stored with a segment of the accessory device when not in use. The hinge assembly can subsequently deploy, and place the panel in a position to receive the electronic device such that the electronic device is positioned for use with the keyboard.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2019Publication date: March 26, 2020Inventors: Kevin M. ROBINSON, James A. STRYKER
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Patent number: 10324501Abstract: A hinge assembly includes a first and a second set of friction elements engaged each other by an applied force perpendicular to the friction elements. The first and the second set of friction elements are capable of rotational movement about a cylindrical element that passes through each of the friction elements. Also, the first set of friction elements is capable of movement relative to the second set of friction elements. However, the first set friction elements can remain in a fixed position based upon the applied force, until an external force overcomes the applied. During rotation of the first set of friction elements about the cylindrical element, the frictional engagement that controls the position of the first set of friction elements is based primarily on engagement between the friction elements, as opposed to engagement, if any, between the friction elements and the cylindrical element.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2018Date of Patent: June 18, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Aidan N. Zimmerman, Kevin M. Robinson, Scott J. Krahn, Chien-Tsun Chen, Bradley J. Hamel, Arthur Stanley Brigham
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Patent number: 10268236Abstract: An electronic device may have a metal housing. The metal housing may have an upper housing in which a component such as a display is mounted and a lower housing in which a component such as a keyboard is mounted. Hinges may be used to mount the upper housing to the lower housing for rotation about a rotational axis. A slot-shaped opening may separate the upper and lower housing. Flexible printed circuits with ground traces may bisect the slot-shaped opening to form three electrically isolated slots each of which is aligned with a respective cavity antenna. The antennas may have antenna grounds formed from portions of the metal housing and other conductive structures. Resonating elements for the antennas may be supported by an elongated ventilation port structure along the rear edge of the lower housing.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2016Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Jerzy S. Guterman, Joel D. Barrera, Kevin M. Robinson, Daniel D. Hershey
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Publication number: 20190101960Abstract: An electronic device includes an enclosure formed of a plurality of layers cooperating to define an interior volume. The enclosure includes a first layer formed of a first material and defining a user input surface of the enclosure and a first portion of a side surface of the enclosure. The enclosure also includes a second layer, formed of a second material different from the first material, positioned below the first layer and defining a second portion of the side surface of the enclosure. The enclosure also includes a third layer, formed of a third material different from the first and second materials, positioned below the second layer and defining a bottom surface of the enclosure and a third portion of the side surface of the enclosure.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2018Publication date: April 4, 2019Inventors: Mikael M. Silvanto, Simon R. Trivett, Matthew S. Theobald, Dinesh C. Mathew, Simon R. Lancaster-Larocque, Robert Y. Cao, Ari P. Miller, Kevin M. Robinson, Houtan R. Farahani, Francesco Ferretti, John Raff, Robert J. Lockwood, Genie Kim, Karan Bir, Keith J. Hendren, Gurshan Deol, Antonio Clarke, Prabhu Sathyamurthy, William A. Counts
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Publication number: 20190094973Abstract: An electronic device has a housing that forms an exterior surface of the electronic device. An array of actuators is coupled to the housing and is operable to move the housing in order to produce sound waves and/or haptic output via the exterior surface. In this way, less space is consumed by acoustic and haptic devices as compared to similar conventional devices, thereby allowing for thinner electronic devices and/or room for other components within the housing. The actuators may be operable to move different regions of the housing to produce sound waves and/or haptic output within different frequency ranges.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2018Publication date: March 28, 2019Inventors: Ari P. Miller, Justin D. Crosby, Daniel K. Boothe, Houtan R. Farahani, Kevin M. Robinson, Ryan J. Mihelich, Robert J. Lockwood
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Patent number: 10228721Abstract: A portable electronic device having several features is disclosed. The device can include a retention member that retains flexible circuits extending from a top portion to a bottom portion of the device, thereby allowing some components to be moved from a top portion of the device to a bottom portion. The device may include a cover plate can be secured with a display in the top portion to cover the retention member and other internal components. The device can include an omni-directional port designed to receive a connector different orientations and provide power to the device. The device can include a flexible keyboard having butterfly keycaps. The device can include an array of openings for an audio driver, with some of the array including through holes and blind holes. The device can also include a touch pad having a force feedback sensor and a haptic device.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2016Date of Patent: March 12, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Houtan R. Farahani, Craig C. Leong, Matthew W. Blum, Zheng Gao, Kevin M. Robinson, Keith J. Hendren
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Patent number: 10133314Abstract: A portable electronic device having several features is disclosed. The device can include a retention member that retains flexible circuits extending from a top portion to a bottom portion of the device, thereby allowing some components to be moved from a top portion of the device to a bottom portion. The device may include a cover plate can be secured with a display in the top portion to cover the retention member and other internal components. The device can include an omni-directional port designed to receive a connector different orientations and provide power to the device. The device can include a flexible keyboard having butterfly keycaps. The device can include an array of openings for an audio driver, with some of the array including through holes and blind holes. The device can also include a touch pad having a force feedback sensor and a haptic device.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2015Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Houtan R. Farahani, Craig C. Leong, Matthew W. Blum, Zheng Gao, Kevin M. Robinson, Keith J. Hendren
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Patent number: 10126783Abstract: A portable electronic device having several features is disclosed. The device can include a retention member that retains flexible circuits extending from a top portion to a bottom portion of the device, thereby allowing some components to be moved from a top portion of the device to a bottom portion. The device may include a cover plate can be secured with a display in the top portion to cover the retention member and other internal components. The device can include an omni-directional port designed to receive a connector different orientations and provide power to the device. The device can include a flexible keyboard having butterfly keycaps. The device can include an array of openings for an audio driver, with some of the array including through holes and blind holes. The device can also include a touch pad having a force feedback sensor and a haptic device.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2016Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Houtan R. Farahani, Craig C. Leong, Matthew W. Blum, Zheng Gao, Kevin M. Robinson, Keith J. Hendren
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Patent number: 10001812Abstract: A cover plate for a portable electronic device is disclosed. The cover plate can be used as a cosmetic feature disposed on a display or cover glass of the portable computing device. For instance, the cover plate may include one or may layers disposed on a surface of the cover plate. In some cases, the layers are formed on a rear surface of the cover plate. In addition to enhancing the appearance of the portable electronic device, the cover plate provides additional a protective layer to internal components positioned behind the cover plate. Moreover, the cover plate may formed from an electromagnetically transparent material such as glass to allow receipt and/or transmission of electromagnetic waves in the form of radio frequencies. Also, the cover plate offers protection to the display and cover glass when the portable electronic device is in a closed configuration.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2015Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Bartley K. Andre, Kevin M. Robinson, Mikael M. Silvanto, Robert Y. Cao, Bryan W. Posner, Wey-Jiun Lin, Dinesh C. Mathew
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Publication number: 20180113493Abstract: Cable assemblies for providing electrical communication between hinged sections of an electronic device are described. The cable assemblies can include a cover that covers one or more cables that run through a hinge region of the electronic device. The cable and cover can be drawn over a mandrel of the hinge region. The cover and the portions of the mandrel can be visible to a user at the hinge region of the electronic device. The cover can be sufficiently rigid to guide a path of the cable and protect the cable from bending beyond a prescribed angle during rotation of the electronic device at the hinge region. The cover can also be sufficiently rigid to prevent ceasing or folding of the cover and the cable during rotation of the electronic device at the hinge region. The cable assemblies can also include a hinged cover that can be pivoted to close a gap between two hinged sections of the electronic device.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2016Publication date: April 26, 2018Inventors: Mikael M. SILVANTO, Bartley K. ANDRE, Adam T. GARELLI, Simon Regis Louis LANCASTER-LAROCQUE, Robert Y. CAO, Dinesh C. MATHEW, Jacob S. KONONIUK, Robert J. LOCKWOOD, Bryan W. POSNER, Kevin M. KEELER, Bruce E. BERG, Yi-Chen KUO, Kevin M. ROBINSON, Houtan R. FARAHANI
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Patent number: 9787032Abstract: Ground springs for connector receptacles. The ground springs may protect circuitry in an electronic device from stray voltages when a connector insert is inserted into a connector receptacle housed in the electronic device. One example may have a contacting portion located such that when a connector insert is mated with the connector receptacle, the contacting portion of the ground spring electrically connects to a shield of the connector insert before a ground contact of the connector insert electrically connects to a signal contact on a tongue of the connector receptacle.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2016Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Anton Talalayev, George Tziviskos, Kevin M. Robinson, Daniel A. Bergvall, Edward J. Cooper, Brett W. Degner, David H. Narajowski, Ari Miller, Houtan R. Farahani
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Publication number: 20170212554Abstract: An electronic device may have a metal housing. The metal housing may have an upper housing in which a component such as a display is mounted and a lower housing in which a component such as a keyboard is mounted. Hinges may be used to mount the upper housing to the lower housing for rotation about a rotational axis. A slot-shaped opening may separate the upper and lower housing. Flexible printed circuits with ground traces may bisect the slot-shaped opening to form three electrically isolated slots each of which is aligned with a respective cavity antenna. The antennas may have antenna grounds formed from portions of the metal housing and other conductive structures. Resonating elements for the antennas may be supported by an elongated ventilation port structure along the rear edge of the lower housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2016Publication date: July 27, 2017Inventors: Jerzy S. Guterman, Joel D. Barrera, Kevin M. Robinson, Daniel D. Hershey
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Patent number: 9575514Abstract: An enclosure for a portable computing device is disclosed. The enclosure includes a top case and a bottom case. The bottom case includes a retention feature that receives a snap member. The top case includes a tapered protrusion that is received by the snap member in order to secure the top case to the bottom case. Other features may be included. For example, the retention feature may also receive a tab member that secures the snap member to the retention feature. The retention feature and the tapered protrusion allow for alternate securing means between the top case and the bottom case. As a result, fewer fasteners are required to secure the top case with the bottom case.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2015Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Kevin M. Robinson, Houtan R. Farahani
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Publication number: 20170003718Abstract: A portable electronic device having several features is disclosed. The device can include a retention member that retains flexible circuits extending from a top portion to a bottom portion of the device, thereby allowing some components to be moved from a top portion of the device to a bottom portion. The device may include a cover plate can be secured with a display in the top portion to cover the retention member and other internal components. The device can include an omni-directional port designed to receive a connector different orientations and provide power to the device. The device can include a flexible keyboard having butterfly keycaps. The device can include an array of openings for an audio driver, with some of the array including through holes and blind holes. The device can also include a touch pad having a force feedback sensor and a haptic device.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2016Publication date: January 5, 2017Inventors: Houtan R. FARAHANI, Craig C. LEONG, Matthew W. BLUM, Zheng GAO, Kevin M. ROBINSON, Keith J. HENDREN
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Publication number: 20160327986Abstract: A portable electronic device having several features is disclosed. The device can include a retention member that retains flexible circuits extending from a top portion to a bottom portion of the device, thereby allowing some components to be moved from a top portion of the device to a bottom portion. The device may include a cover plate can be secured with a display in the top portion to cover the retention member and other internal components. The device can include an omni-directional port designed to receive a connector different orientations and provide power to the device. The device can include a flexible keyboard having butterfly keycaps. The device can include an array of openings for an audio driver, with some of the array including through holes and blind holes. The device can also include a touch pad having a force feedback sensor and a haptic device.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2016Publication date: November 10, 2016Inventors: Houtan R. FARAHANI, Craig C. LEONG, Matthew W. BLUM, Zheng GAO, Kevin M. ROBINSON, Keith J. HENDREN
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Publication number: 20160327980Abstract: A portable electronic device having several features is disclosed. The device can include a retention member that retains flexible circuits extending from a top portion to a bottom portion of the device, thereby allowing some components to be moved from a top portion of the device to a bottom portion. The device may include a cover plate can be secured with a display in the top portion to cover the retention member and other internal components. The device can include an omni-directional port designed to receive a connector different orientations and provide power to the device. The device can include a flexible keyboard having butterfly keycaps. The device can include an array of openings for an audio driver, with some of the array including through holes and blind holes. The device can also include a touch pad having a force feedback sensor and a haptic device.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2016Publication date: November 10, 2016Inventors: Houtan R. FARAHANI, Craig C. LEONG, Matthew W. BLUM, Zheng GAO, Kevin M. ROBINSON, Keith J. HENDREN
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Publication number: 20160259375Abstract: A cover plate for a portable electronic device is disclosed. The cover plate can be used as a cosmetic feature disposed on a display or cover glass of the portable computing device. For instance, the cover plate may include one or may layers disposed on a surface of the cover plate. In some cases, the layers are formed on a rear surface of the cover plate. In addition to enhancing the appearance of the portable electronic device, the cover plate provides additional a protective layer to internal components positioned behind the cover plate. Moreover, the cover plate may formed from an electromagnetically transparent material such as glass to allow receipt and/or transmission of electromagnetic waves in the form of radio frequencies. Also, the cover plate offers protection to the display and cover glass when the portable electronic device is in a closed configuration.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2015Publication date: September 8, 2016Inventors: Bartley K. ANDRE, Kevin M. ROBINSON, Mikael M. SILVANTO, Robert Y. CAO, Bryan W. POSNER, Wey-Jiun LIN, Dinesh C. MATHEW
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Patent number: 9427032Abstract: A casual aesthetic garment constructed with hidden panels of padded material. The padding is some kind of open or closed cell foam. The outer fabric is made of a blend or nonblended fabric including cotton and/or polyester. The padding is affixed to the inside of the garment to be hidden from the outside of the garment, to give the appearance of the user not wearing a padded garment. The internal pads are affixed, and cannot be removed, to ensure the user is more protected then when not having any pads present.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2014Date of Patent: August 30, 2016Assignee: Grindzco, LLCInventors: Kevin M. Robinson, Robin H. Robinson
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Patent number: 9411380Abstract: A portable electronic device having several features is disclosed. The device can include a retention member that retains flexible circuits extending from a top portion to a bottom portion of the device, thereby allowing some components to be moved from a top portion of the device to a bottom portion. The device may include a cover plate can be secured with a display in the top portion to cover the retention member and other internal components. The device can include an omni-directional port designed to receive a connector different orientations and provide power to the device. The device can include a flexible keyboard having butterfly keycaps. The device can include an array of openings for an audio driver, with some of the array including through holes and blind holes. The device can also include a touch pad having a force feedback sensor and a haptic device.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2015Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Houtan R. Farahani, Craig C. Leong, Matthew W. Blum, Zheng Gao, Kevin M. Robinson, Keith J. Hendren