Patents by Inventor Peter A. Dvorak

Peter A. Dvorak 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: 20240079778
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with an antenna having a resonating element formed from a segment of peripheral conductive housing structures. A speaker may be aligned with first openings in the segment. A vent may be aligned with second openings in the segment. A connector may protrude through the segment. A trace combiner for the antenna may be patterned onto the speaker and may be coupled to the segment. Tuners for the antenna may be disposed on first and second flexible printed circuits that extend along opposing sides of the connector. The tuners may be controlled through the speaker. The second flexible printed circuit may extend along the vent. The vent may have a vent cowling with a cut-out region next to the tuner on the second flexible printed circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Enrique Ayala Vazquez, Ming-Ju Tsai, Yiren Wang, Yuan Tao, Hao Xu, Sidharath Jain, Haozhan Tian, Yuancheng Xu, Eric W. Bates, Peter A. Dvorak, Harlan S. Dannenberg, Rees S. Parker, Obinna O. Onyemepu, Victor C. Lee, Han Wang, Hongfei Hu
  • Publication number: 20240079790
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with peripheral conductive housing structures having a segment that forms a resonating element for an antenna. A speaker may be mounted to a mid-chassis of the electronic device. A printed circuit may be mounted to the speaker and may have a ground trace for the antenna. A conductive spring may extend through the printed circuit and the speaker to couple the ground trace to the mid-chassis. A conductive contact pad may be welded to an aluminum layer such as an aluminum layer used to form the mid-chassis. A conductive spring such as the conductive spring coupled to the ground traces may press against the contact pad. The contact pad may include gold or nickel-plated stainless steel. The contact pad may provide a strong electrical connection between the conductive spring and the aluminum layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Peter A Dvorak, Eric W Bates, McKinley McQuaide, Ronald Lam, Ana Papio Toda, Yiren Wang, Hao Xu, Han Wang, Yuan Tao, Jack R Lanzi, Jingni Zhong
  • Publication number: 20240079777
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with an antenna having a resonating element formed from a segment of peripheral conductive housing structures. A speaker may be aligned with first openings in the segment. A vent may be aligned with second openings in the segment. A connector may protrude through the segment. A trace combiner for the antenna may be patterned onto the speaker and may be coupled to the segment. Tuners for the antenna may be disposed on first and second flexible printed circuits that extend along opposing sides of the connector. The tuners may be controlled through the speaker. The second flexible printed circuit may extend along the vent. The vent may have a vent cowling with a cut-out region next to the tuner on the second flexible printed circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Yiren Wang, Yuan Tao, Hao Xu, Hongfei Hu, Enrique Ayala Vazquez, Ming-Ju Tsai, Sidharath Jain, Haozhan Tian, Yuancheng Xu, Harlan S Dannenberg, Eric W Bates, Peter A Dvorak, Nicole E Cazares, Obinna O Onyemepu, Victor C Lee, Han Wang
  • Publication number: 20240080976
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) printed circuit having conductive trace and a hole. A conductive flange may be soldered to the conductive trace and may extend into the hole. The end of the conductive flange may laterally surround a central opening within the hole. A conductive contact may be inserted into the central opening. Solder may be deposited over the conductive flange and in the central opening. The solder may couple the conductive contact to the conductive flange and thus the conductive trace. This may ensure a robust mechanical and electrical connection between the conductive contact and the conductive trace on the printed circuit despite the printed circuit being formed from LCP, which may not support copper-plated through vias for coupling to the conductive contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Peter A. Dvorak, Eric W. Bates, Ana Papio Toda, Yiren Wang, Hao Xu, Yuan Tao, Han Wang, Jack R Lanzi, Ronald Lam
  • Publication number: 20240079779
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a sensor module and an antenna having an antenna arm, ground structures, and a tuner. The tuner may be mounted to a printed circuit overlapping the sensor module. A spring may be mounted to the printed circuit and may couple the tuner to a conductive chassis of the sensor module. The sensor module may include optical sensors that gather sensor data through a display and may form ground paths from the tuner to the ground structures. Conductive interconnect structures such as springs may exert biasing forces in different directions to couple the ground paths to different layers of the ground structures. This may serve to couple the antenna to the ground structures as close as possible to the tuner, thereby maximizing antenna performance, despite the presence of the sensor module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Yuan Tao, Yiren Wang, Ana Papio Toda, Jingni Zhong, Han Wang, Hao Xu, Hongfei Hu, Mattia Pascolini, Eric W. Bates, Peter A. Dvorak, Allegra Shum
  • Publication number: 20240079785
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with an antenna having a resonating element formed from a segment of peripheral conductive housing structures. A speaker may be aligned with first openings in the segment. A vent may be aligned with second openings in the segment. A connector may protrude through the segment. A trace combiner for the antenna may be patterned onto the speaker and may be coupled to the segment. Tuners for the antenna may be disposed on first and second flexible printed circuits that extend along opposing sides of the connector. The tuners may be controlled through the speaker. The second flexible printed circuit may extend along the vent. The vent may have a vent cowling with a cut-out region next to the tuner on the second flexible printed circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Yiren Wang, Yuan Tao, Hao Xu, Yuancheng Xu, Enrique Ayala Vazquez, Nikolaj P. Kammersgaard, Eric W. Bates, Peter A. Dvorak, Victor C. Lee, Han Wang
  • Patent number: 11516929
    Abstract: A power adapter is disclosed. The power adapter includes housing parts that carries electronic components. To secure the housing parts together, one housing part includes snaps and another housing part includes protrusions and rails. During assembly, the protrusions slide under the snap, causing the snap to deflect in one direction, while the rails slide over the snap, which keeps the snap partially flat but also causes the snap to deflect in another direction. The engagement (during assembly) of the rails and the protrusions to opposing surfaces of the snap cause bi-directional deflection/bending of the snap. When each protrusion is positioned into an opening of the snap, the snap returns to a flat, non-deflected state, and the housing parts are secured together by the snap, protrusions, and rails. The rails support the snaps by limiting or preventing additional deflection of the snap, which subsequently promotes the housing remaining together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Peter A. Dvorak, Jeremy M. Dahl, Michael A. Foote, Brian K. Thorne, Cesar Lozano Villarreal
  • Publication number: 20220061171
    Abstract: A power adapter is disclosed. The power adapter includes housing parts that carries electronic components. To secure the housing parts together, one housing part includes snaps and another housing part includes protrusions and rails. During assembly, the protrusions slide under the snap, causing the snap to deflect in one direction, while the rails slide over the snap, which keeps the snap partially flat but also causes the snap to deflect in another direction. The engagement (during assembly) of the rails and the protrusions to opposing surfaces of the snap cause bi-directional deflection/bending of the snap. When each protrusion is positioned into an opening of the snap, the snap returns to a flat, non-deflected state, and the housing parts are secured together by the snap, protrusions, and rails. The rails support the snaps by limiting or preventing additional deflection of the snap, which subsequently promotes the housing remaining together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: Peter A. DVORAK, Jeremy M. DAHL, Michael A. FOOTE, Brian K. THORNE, Cesar LOZANO VILLARREAL
  • Patent number: 10622752
    Abstract: An enclosure for an electronic device includes a housing having wall defining a cavity that is configured to receive an electronic assembly therein. The wall includes a plurality of housing steps formed in an interior surface. A cap includes a side surface extending around a perimeter of the cap with a plurality of cap steps formed in the side surface. The cap is positioned at an entrance to the cavity such that the plurality of housing steps align with the plurality of cap steps and welded in place. Flash from the weld is captured in a flash trap so that no weld flash is visible on the exterior surface of the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Peter A. Dvorak, Christopher J. Pawlowski, Ross C. Heyman, Mathieu P. Roy, Arun R. Varma
  • Patent number: 10505308
    Abstract: An enclosure for an electronic device includes a housing having a wall that defines a cavity that is configured to receive an electronic assembly therein. The wall includes tongue formed at a distal end. A cover includes a top wall and a side surface extending from the top wall to form a chamber. The housing is at least partially received within the chamber and the tongue of the housing is welded to a groove positioned within the chamber. Flash from the weld is contained within the enclosure so that no weld flash is visible on the exterior surface of the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Peter A. Dvorak, Joshua K. Anderson, Michael A. Foote, Christopher J. Pawlowski, Ross C. Heyman
  • Publication number: 20190372263
    Abstract: An enclosure for an electronic device includes a housing having wall defining a cavity that is configured to receive an electronic assembly therein. The wall includes a plurality of housing steps formed in an interior surface. A cap includes a side surface extending around a perimeter of the cap with a plurality of cap steps formed in the side surface. The cap is positioned at an entrance to the cavity such that the plurality of housing steps align with the plurality of cap steps and welded in place. Flash from the weld is captured in a flash trap so that no weld flash is visible on the exterior surface of the enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Peter A. Dvorak, Christopher J. Pawlowski, Ross C. Heyman, Mathieu P. Roy, Arun R. Varma
  • Publication number: 20190372264
    Abstract: An enclosure for an electronic device includes a housing having a wall that defines a cavity that is configured to receive an electronic assembly therein. The wall includes tongue formed at a distal end. A cover includes a top wall and a side surface extending from the top wall to form a chamber. The housing is at least partially received within the chamber and the tongue of the housing is welded to a groove positioned within the chamber. Flash from the weld is contained within the enclosure so that no weld flash is visible on the exterior surface of the enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Peter A. Dvorak, Joshua K. Anderson, Michael A. Foote, Christopher J. Pawlowski, Ross C. Heyman
  • Patent number: 9882302
    Abstract: An enclosure for an AC to DC adapter has a continuous and apparently seamless exterior surface. The enclosure includes a housing and a cap that are joined by a pair of weld joints. One weld is formed on an interior portion of the enclosure providing strength and one weld joint is formed on the exterior surface providing a seamless appearance for the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Alexander M. Kwan, Cesar Lozano Villarreal, Siri Amrit Ramos, Xuyang Zhang, Peter A. Dvorak
  • Patent number: 9680249
    Abstract: An enclosure for an AC to DC adapter has a continuous and seamless exterior surface. The enclosure includes a housing and a front wall that are joined by a bonded interface. The front wall is formed from a metallic interface plate and an exterior layer of plastic that is formed over the metallic interface plate and bonded to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Peter A. Dvorak, Siri Amrit Ramos, Xuyang Zhang, Cesar Lozano Villarreal, Ciaran J. Keane, Alexander M. Kwan
  • Publication number: 20170093078
    Abstract: An enclosure for an AC to DC adapter has a continuous and seamless exterior surface. The enclosure includes a housing and a front wall that are joined by a bonded interface. The front wall is formed from a metallic interface plate and an exterior layer of plastic that is formed over the metallic interface plate and bonded to the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Peter A. Dvorak, Siri Amrit Ramos, Xuyang Zhang, Cesar Lozano Villarreal, Ciaran J. Keane, Alexander M. Kwan
  • Publication number: 20170093077
    Abstract: An enclosure for an AC to DC adapter has a continuous and apparently seamless exterior surface. The enclosure includes a housing and a cap that are joined by a pair of weld joints. One weld is formed on an interior portion of the enclosure providing strength and one weld joint is formed on the exterior surface providing a seamless appearance for the enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Alexander M. Kwan, Cesar Lozano Villarreal, Siri Amrit Ramos, Xuyang Zhang, Peter A. Dvorak