Patents by Inventor Christopher A. Schultz
Christopher A. Schultz 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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Publication number: 20220346228Abstract: An item may include fabric having insulating and conductive yarns or other strands of material. The conductive strands may form signal paths. Electrical components can be mounted to the fabric. Each electrical component may have an electrical device such as a semiconductor die that is mounted on an interposer substrate. The interposer may have contacts that are soldered to the conductive strands. A protective cover may encapsulate portions of the electrical component. To create a robust connection between the electrical component and the fabric, the conductive strands may be threaded through recesses in the electrical component. The recesses may be formed in the interposer or may be formed in a protective cover on the interposer. Conductive material in the recess may be used to electrically and/or mechanically connect the conductive strand to a bond pad in the recess. Thermoplastic material may be used to seal the solder joint.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2022Publication date: October 27, 2022Inventors: Daniel D. Sunshine, David M. Kindlon, Michael B. Nussbaum, Andrew L. Rosenberg, Andrew Sterian, Breton M. Saunders, Christopher A. Schultz, David A. Bolt, Mark J. Beesley, Peter W. Mash, Steven Keating, Chang Liu, Lan Hoang
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Patent number: 11388817Abstract: An item may include fabric having insulating and conductive yarns or other strands of material. The conductive strands may form signal paths. Electrical components can be mounted to the fabric. Each electrical component may have an electrical device such as a semiconductor die that is mounted on an interposer substrate. The interposer may have contacts that are soldered to the conductive strands. A protective cover may encapsulate portions of the electrical component. To create a robust connection between the electrical component and the fabric, the conductive strands may be threaded through recesses in the electrical component. The recesses may be formed in the interposer or may be formed in a protective cover on the interposer. Conductive material in the recess may be used to electrically and/or mechanically connect the conductive strand to a bond pad in the recess. Thermoplastic material may be used to seal the solder joint.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2021Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Daniel D. Sunshine, David M. Kindlon, Michael B. Nussbaum, Andrew L. Rosenberg, Andrew Sterian, Breton M. Saunders, Christopher A. Schultz, David A. Bolt, Mark J. Beesley, Peter W. Mash, Steven Keating, Chang Liu, Lan Hoang
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Publication number: 20210185808Abstract: An item may include fabric having insulating and conductive yarns or other strands of material. The conductive strands may form signal paths. Electrical components can be mounted to the fabric. Each electrical component may have an electrical device such as a semiconductor die that is mounted on an interposer substrate. The interposer may have contacts that are soldered to the conductive strands. A protective cover may encapsulate portions of the electrical component. To create a robust connection between the electrical component and the fabric, the conductive strands may be threaded through recesses in the electrical component. The recesses may be formed in the interposer or may be formed in a protective cover on the interposer. Conductive material in the recess may be used to electrically and/or mechanically connect the conductive strand to a bond pad in the recess. Thermoplastic material may be used to seal the solder joint.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2021Publication date: June 17, 2021Inventors: Daniel D. Sunshine, David M. Kindlon, Michael B. Nussbaum, Andrew L. Rosenberg, Andrew Sterian, Breton M. Saunders, Christopher A. Schultz, David A. Bolt, Mark J. Beesley, Peter W. Mash, Steven Keating, Chang Liu, Lan Hoang
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Patent number: 10959331Abstract: An item may include fabric having insulating and conductive yarns or other strands of material. The conductive strands may form signal paths. Electrical components can be mounted to the fabric. Each electrical component may have an electrical device such as a semiconductor die that is mounted on an interposer substrate. The interposer may have contacts that are soldered to the conductive strands. A protective cover may encapsulate portions of the electrical component. To create a robust connection between the electrical component and the fabric, the conductive strands may be threaded through recesses in the electrical component. The recesses may be formed in the interposer or may be formed in a protective cover on the interposer. Conductive material in the recess may be used to electrically and/or mechanically connect the conductive strand to a bond pad in the recess. Thermoplastic material may be used to seal the solder joint.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2020Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Daniel D. Sunshine, David M. Kindlon, Michael B. Nussbaum, Andrew L. Rosenberg, Andrew Sterian, Breton M. Saunders, Christopher A. Schultz, David A. Bolt, Mark J. Beesley, Peter W. Mash, Steven Keating, Chang Liu, Lan Hoang
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Publication number: 20200329559Abstract: An item may include fabric having insulating and conductive yarns or other strands of material. The conductive strands may form signal paths. Electrical components can be mounted to the fabric. Each electrical component may have an electrical device such as a semiconductor die that is mounted on an interposer substrate. The interposer may have contacts that are soldered to the conductive strands. A protective cover may encapsulate portions of the electrical component. To create a robust connection between the electrical component and the fabric, the conductive strands may be threaded through recesses in the electrical component. The recesses may be formed in the interposer or may be formed in a protective cover on the interposer. Conductive material in the recess may be used to electrically and/or mechanically connect the conductive strand to a bond pad in the recess. Thermoplastic material may be used to seal the solder joint.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2020Publication date: October 15, 2020Inventors: Daniel D. Sunshine, David M. Kindlon, Michael B. Nussbaum, Andrew L. Rosenberg, Andrew Sterian, Breton M. Saunders, Christopher A. Schultz, David A. Bolt, Mark J. Beesley, Peter W. Mash, Steven Keating, Chang Liu, Lan Hoang
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Patent number: 10701802Abstract: An item may include fabric having insulating and conductive yarns or other strands of material. The conductive strands may form signal paths. Electrical components can be mounted to the fabric. Each electrical component may have an electrical device such as a semiconductor die that is mounted on an interposer substrate. The interposer may have contacts that are soldered to the conductive strands. A protective cover may encapsulate portions of the electrical component. To create a robust connection between the electrical component and the fabric, the conductive strands may be threaded through recesses in the electrical component. The recesses may be formed in the interposer or may be formed in a protective cover on the interposer. Conductive material in the recess may be used to electrically and/or mechanically connect the conductive strand to a bond pad in the recess. Thermoplastic material may be used to seal the solder joint.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2019Date of Patent: June 30, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Daniel D. Sunshine, David M. Kindlon, Michael B. Nussbaum, Andrew L. Rosenberg, Andrew Sterian, Breton M. Saunders, Christopher A. Schultz, David A. Bolt, Mark J. Beesley, Peter W. Mash, Steven Keating, Chang Liu, Lan Hoang
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Publication number: 20200084886Abstract: An item may include fabric having insulating and conductive yarns or other strands of material. The conductive strands may form signal paths. Electrical components can be mounted to the fabric. Each electrical component may have an electrical device such as a semiconductor die that is mounted on an interposer substrate. The interposer may have contacts that are soldered to the conductive strands. A protective cover may encapsulate portions of the electrical component. To create a robust connection between the electrical component and the fabric, the conductive strands may be threaded through recesses in the electrical component. The recesses may be formed in the interposer or may be formed in a protective cover on the interposer. Conductive material in the recess may be used to electrically and/or mechanically connect the conductive strand to a bond pad in the recess. Thermoplastic material may be used to seal the solder joint.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2019Publication date: March 12, 2020Inventors: Daniel D. Sunshine, David M. Kindlon, Michael B. Nussbaum, Andrew L. Rosenberg, Andrew Sterian, Breton M. Saunders, Christopher A. Schultz, David A. Bolt, Mark J. Beesley, Peter W. Mash, Steven Keating, Chang Liu, Lan Hoang
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Patent number: 10485103Abstract: An item may include fabric having insulating and conductive yarns or other strands of material. The conductive strands may form signal paths. Electrical components can be mounted to the fabric. Each electrical component may have an electrical device such as a semiconductor die that is mounted on an interposer substrate. The interposer may have contacts that are soldered to the conductive strands. A protective cover may encapsulate portions of the electrical component. To create a robust connection between the electrical component and the fabric, the conductive strands may be threaded through recesses in the electrical component. The recesses may be formed in the interposer or may be formed in a protective cover on the interposer. Conductive material in the recess may be used to electrically and/or mechanically connect the conductive strand to a bond pad in the recess. Thermoplastic material may be used to seal the solder joint.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2017Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Daniel D. Sunshine, David M. Kindlon, Michael B. Nussbaum, Andrew L. Rosenberg, Andrew Sterian, Breton M. Saunders, Christopher A. Schultz, David A. Bolt, Mark J. Beesley, Peter W. Mash, Steven Keating, Chang Liu, Lan Hoang
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Patent number: 10199323Abstract: An item may have a flexible support structure and may include a flexible component. The flexible component may have electrical components mounted on component mounting regions in a flexible circuit substrate. The component mounting regions may be interconnected by serpentine interconnect paths or other flexible interconnect paths. The flexible circuit substrate and component mounting regions may extend along a longitudinal axis of the flexible component or may form a two-dimensional array. Two-dimensional mesh-shaped flexible circuit substrates may be used in forming displays. The mesh-shaped flexible circuit substrates may be auxetic substrates that widen when stretched (e.g., structures with a negative Poisson's ratio that become thicker perpendicular to applied force when stretched) and that therefore reduce image distortion. Temporary tethers may help hold flexible circuit substrates together until intentionally broken following assembly of a flexible component into the flexible support structure.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2017Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Yung-Yu Hsu, Hoon Sik Kim, Christopher A. Schultz, David M. Kindlon, Daniel D. Sunshine, Paul S. Drzaic, Sinan Alousi, Terry C. Shyu
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Patent number: 10191550Abstract: An electronic device may have haptic output devices based on shape memory alloy wire. The electronic device may have control circuitry that supplies current to the shape memory alloy wire to heat and thereby contract the shape memory wire to create vibrations for a user's finger. The vibrations may serve as haptic feedback in a device such as a keyboard, a strap with embedded buttons, or other electronic devices. The shape memory alloy wire may run between upper and lower fabric layers in a spacer fabric, may form loops that attached to a fabric layer, or may be tensioned across an opening in a printed circuit or other rigid support structure.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2017Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Michael B. Nussbaum, Mark J. Beesley, Daniel D. Sunshine, Christopher A. Schultz, Daniel A. Podhajny
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Patent number: 10145036Abstract: A fabric-based item may have fabric with conductive strands of material. The conductive strands of material may include conductive yarn formed from insulating fibers and conductive fibers. The conductive fibers may be metal wires. The insulating fibers in the conductive yarn may hide the conductive fibers from view. The fabric may be woven fabric or other fabric with intertwined strands of material. The woven fabric may include conductive and insulating warp yarns and conductive and insulating weft yarns. Conductive yarn may be coupled to capacitive touch sensor circuitry and may form a capacitive touch sensor grid or other capacitive touch sensor electrode structures. Conductive yarn may also be soldered or otherwise coupled to electrical components.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2017Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Daniel D. Sunshine, Daniel A. Podhajny, Joseph B. Walker, Srinivasan Venkatraman, Christopher A. Schultz
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Publication number: 20180061743Abstract: An item may have a flexible support structure and may include a flexible component. The flexible component may have electrical components mounted on component mounting regions in a flexible circuit substrate. The component mounting regions may be interconnected by serpentine interconnect paths or other flexible interconnect paths. The flexible circuit substrate and component mounting regions may extend along a longitudinal axis of the flexible component or may form a two-dimensional array. Two-dimensional mesh-shaped flexible circuit substrates may be used in forming displays. The mesh-shaped flexible circuit substrates may be auxetic substrates that widen when stretched (e.g., structures with a negative Poisson's ratio that become thicker perpendicular to applied force when stretched) and that therefore reduce image distortion. Temporary tethers may help hold flexible circuit substrates together until intentionally broken following assembly of a flexible component into the flexible support structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2017Publication date: March 1, 2018Inventors: Yung-Yu Hsu, Hoon Sik Kim, Christopher A. Schultz, David M. Kindlon, Daniel D. Sunshine, Paul S. Drzaic, Sinan Alousi, Terry C. Shyu
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Publication number: 20100257812Abstract: An embed for embedding in a base is provided. The embed comprises a box defining a top face and at least one side face, the top face configured to be placed flush with an upper surface of the base, and the at least one side face configured to be placed flush with an edge of the base. The embed may be part of an adjustable attachment system comprising an embed for positioning in a base and a bridging clip configured for insertion in the embed and adapted for coupling to a unit. A kit is also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2009Publication date: October 14, 2010Inventors: Christopher A. Schultz, Michel Michno, Tejav Dehghanyar