Patents by Inventor Christopher Alan Schafer

Christopher Alan Schafer 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).

  • Patent number: 11791591
    Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to connector systems, magnetic plug assemblies and methods for mating a magnetic plug assembly with a plurality of receptacles. In one example, a magnetic plug assembly comprises a moveable member comprising an aperture and one or more magnets. A plug tip extends through the aperture, and one or more biasing elements urge the moveable member and the one or more magnets toward a distal end of the plug tip, with the moveable member being moveable relative to the plug tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Chee Kiong Fong, Sujuan Tang, Leonardo Gilbert Del Castillo, Richard F. Johnson, Edward C. Giaimo, III, Thomas K. Mehrkens, Kurt David Wrisley, Christopher Alan Schafer, Akash Atul Shah, Mohammed Nadir Haq
  • Publication number: 20210399466
    Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to connector systems, magnetic plug assemblies and methods for mating a magnetic plug assembly with a plurality of receptacles. In one example, a magnetic plug assembly comprises a moveable member comprising an aperture and one or more magnets. A plug tip extends through the aperture, and one or more biasing elements urge the moveable member and the one or more magnets toward a distal end of the plug tip, with the moveable member being moveable relative to the plug tip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Chee Kiong FONG, Sujuan TANG, Leonardo Gilbert DEL CASTILLO, Richard F. JOHNSON, Edward C. GIAIMO, III, Thomas K. MEHRKENS, Kurt David WRISLEY, Christopher Alan SCHAFER, Akash Atul SHAH, Mohammed Nadir HAQ
  • Patent number: 11144092
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure include connection mechanisms for a peripheral computing device to connect with a mobile computing device. The peripheral computing device may include a device interface component that defines part of the connection mechanisms, and an electrical connection protrusion extending from the device interface component and configured to insert in a corresponding electrical receptacle of a computing device. The device interface component may also include a magnetically connectable docking member configured to magnetically attract or to be magnetically attracted to a corresponding docking component on the computing device. The device interface component may further include a support rail configured to support the electrical connection protrusion and the magnetically connectable docking member. The support rail may comprise a shoulder configured to define a pivot point to guide connecting the peripheral computing device with the computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Anthony James Hewett, Katherine Margaret Bailey, Ketan R. Shah, Yajing Liu, Karsten Aagaard, Scott Jeffrey Korn, Christopher Alan Schafer, Cesar Ambriz Rios, Alex Sai Cheong Cheng
  • Publication number: 20200409414
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure include connection mechanisms for a peripheral computing device to connect with a mobile computing device. The peripheral computing device may include a device interface component that defines part of the connection mechanisms, and an electrical connection protrusion extending from the device interface component and configured to insert in a corresponding electrical receptacle of a computing device. The device interface component may also include a magnetically connectable docking member configured to magnetically attract or to be magnetically attracted to a corresponding docking component on the computing device. The device interface component may further include a support rail configured to support the electrical connection protrusion and the magnetically connectable docking member. The support rail may comprise a shoulder configured to define a pivot point to guide connecting the peripheral computing device with the computing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Anthony James Hewett, Katherine Margaret Bailey, Ketan R. Shah, Yajing Liu, Karsten Aagaard, Scott Jeffrey Korn, Christopher Alan Schafer, Cesar Ambriz Rios, Alex Sai Cheong Cheng
  • Patent number: 10483688
    Abstract: A magnetic receptacle is described. The receptacle includes an electronic connector having an engagement feature on one or more sides of the electronic connector. The engagement feature is configured to engage a latching feature on a magnetic protrusion. The receptacle includes one or more receptacle magnets positioned adjacent the magnetic receptacle configured to deactivate the latching feature on the magnetic protrusion. In one implementation, a magnetic plug is described. The plug includes a plug tip. The plug includes one or more latching features. The plug includes one or more plug magnets positioned adjacent the plug tip. The one or more plug magnets are configured to cooperate with one or more receptacle magnets to transition the one or more latching features between an engaged state and a disengaged state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Kurt David Wrisley, Akash Atul Shah, Christopher Alan Schafer
  • Patent number: 10324500
    Abstract: A high strength hinge mechanism is described herein. In one or more implementations, a computing device includes a display portion which includes a display device, and a base portion which includes a keyboard. A hinge mechanism is attached to the display portion and the base portion to enable rotation of the display portion relative to the base portion. The hinge mechanism includes a friction element and a cylindrical shaft secured to the friction element and to a chassis of the display portion. The friction element is configured to apply friction to the shaft in a radial direction as the shaft is rotated. The rotation of the shaft enables the display portion to be rotated from a closed position to a fully-open position. The hinge mechanism also includes a frame structure to support the friction element and the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Alan Schafer, Prasad Raghavendra
  • Publication number: 20180375251
    Abstract: A magnetic receptacle is described. The receptacle includes an electronic connector having an engagement feature on one or more sides of the electronic connector. The engagement feature is configured to engage a latching feature on a magnetic protrusion. The receptacle includes one or more receptacle magnets positioned adjacent the magnetic receptacle configured to deactivate the latching feature on the magnetic protrusion. In one implementation, a magnetic plug is described. The plug includes a plug tip. The plug includes one or more latching features. The plug includes one or more plug magnets positioned adjacent the plug tip. The one or more plug magnets are configured to cooperate with one or more receptacle magnets to transition the one or more latching features between an engaged state and a disengaged state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Kurt David WRISLEY, Akash Atul SHAH, Christopher Alan SCHAFER
  • Publication number: 20180196478
    Abstract: A high strength hinge mechanism is described herein. In one or more implementations, a computing device includes a display portion which includes a display device, and a base portion which includes a keyboard. A hinge mechanism is attached to the display portion and the base portion to enable rotation of the display portion relative to the base portion. The hinge mechanism includes a friction element and a cylindrical shaft secured to the friction element and to a chassis of the display portion. The friction element is configured to apply friction to the shaft in a radial direction as the shaft is rotated. The rotation of the shaft enables the display portion to be rotated from a closed position to a fully-open position. The hinge mechanism also includes a frame structure to support the friction element and the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Alan Schafer, Prasad Raghavendra
  • Patent number: 7516975
    Abstract: A drawbar pin adapter which can allow a smaller drawbar pin to be used with a larger drawbar. A drawbar pin adapter is provided for a tractor drawbar having a lower strap, an upper strap and a drawbar pin bore which extends through the upper and lower straps and which receives a drawbar pin. The adapter includes a cylindrical bushing mountable in the drawbar pin bore in the lower strap and a hollow housing which is mountable over the lower strap. The housing includes a lower plate, an upper plate and left and right side plates. The upper plate has an upper bore formed therein, and the lower plate has a lower bore formed therein. The upper and lower bores have a diameter which is smaller than an outer diameter of the bushing so that the upper and lower plates hold the bushing within the drawbar pin bore in the lower strap. The bushing and the upper and lower bores receive the drawbar pin when it is inserted through the upper and lower straps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Rodney D. Lair, Michael Carl Harting, Deepak Bhoir, Gerald Ray Kinney, Michael Kollath, Peter Kosmicki, Scott L. Cook, Christopher Alan Schafer
  • Publication number: 20090058044
    Abstract: The invention relates to a drawbar pin adapter. There is a need for a drawbar pin adapter which can allow a smaller drawbar pin to be used with a larger drawbar. A drawbar pin adapter is provided for a tractor drawbar having a lower strap, an upper strap and a drawbar pin bore which extends through the upper and lower straps and which receives a drawbar pin. The adapter includes a cylindrical bushing mountable in the drawbar pin bore in the lower strap and a hollow housing which is mountable over the lower strap. The housing includes a lower plate, an upper plate and left and right side plates. The upper plate has an upper bore formed therein, and the lower plate has a lower bore formed therein. The upper and lower bores have a diameter which is smaller than an outer diameter of the bushing so that the upper and lower plates hold the bushing within the drawbar pin bore in the lower strap. The bushing and the upper and lower bores receive the drawbar pin when it is inserted through the upper and lower straps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: Rodney D. Lair, Michael Carl Harting, Deepak Bhoir, Gerald Ray Kinney, Michael Kollath, Peter Kosmicki, Scott L. Cook, Christopher Alan Schafer
  • Patent number: 6915873
    Abstract: A suspended drive axle and agricultural tractor having same including a central housing having inboard final drives and left and right axle housing suspended therefrom by upper and lower control arms with axle shafts extending outwardly therefrom to which wheel and tire assemblies are mounted. A constant velocity universal joint is provided between the inboard final drives and the axle shafts. The universal joint having a pair of journal members and a coupling yoke that radially surround the drive and driven yokes of the joint whereby the axial length of the universal joint is minimized to enable the wheels to be located on the axle shafts at 60 inch tread spacing. This allows the drive axle to be used on a row crop tractor without altering the structure of the vehicle from a conventional row crop tractor whereby the characteristics of a row crop tractor are maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Terrill Wayne Woods, Dennis Aaron Bowman, Mervin Peter Kizlyk, Norman Frederick Lemmon, Kendall Lee Giesmann, Aaron James Peterson, George Nick Schmitz, Peter Alan Kosmicki, Joe L. Schutte, William Guy Alexander, Christopher Alan Schafer, Dennis Lee Jeffries, Jeffrey Kahle Brown
  • Patent number: 6779623
    Abstract: A suspended drive axle and agricultural tractor having same including a central housing having inboard final drives and left and right axle housing suspended therefrom by upper and lower control arms with axle shafts extending outwardly therefrom to which wheel and tire assemblies are mounted. A constant velocity universal joint is provided between the inboard final drives and the axle shafts. The universal joint having a pair of journal members and a coupling yoke that radially surround the drive and driven yokes of the joint whereby the axial length of the universal joint is minimized to enable the wheels to be located on the axle shafts at 60 inch tread spacing. This allows the drive axle to be used on a row crop tractor without altering the structure of the vehicle from a conventional row crop tractor whereby the characteristics of a row crop tractor are maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Terrill Wayne Woods, Dennis Aaron Bowman, Mervin Peter Kizlyk, Norman Frederick Lemmon, Kendall Lee Giesmann, Aaron James Peterson, George Nick Schmitz, Peter Alan Kosmicki, Joe L. Schutte, William Guy Alexander, Christopher Alan Schafer, Dennis Lee Jeffries, Jeffrey Kahle Brown
  • Patent number: 6722994
    Abstract: A suspended drive axle and agricultural tractor having same including a central housing having inboard final drives and left and right axle housing suspended therefrom by upper and lower control arms with axle shafts extending outwardly therefrom to which wheel and tire assemblies are mounted. A constant velocity universal joint is provided between the inboard final drives and the axle shafts. The universal joint having a pair of journal members and a coupling yoke that radially surround the drive and driven yokes of the joint whereby the axial length of the universal joint is minimized to enable the wheels to be located on the axle shafts at 60 inch tread spacing. This allows the drive axle to be used on a row crop tractor without altering the structure of the vehicle from a conventional row crop tractor whereby the characteristics of a row crop tractor are maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Deer & Co.
    Inventors: Terrill Wayne Woods, Dennis Aaron Bowman, Mervin Peter Kizlyk, Norman Frederick Lemmon, Kendall Lee Giesmann, Aaron James Peterson, George Nick Schmitz, Peter Alan Kosmicki, Joe L. Schutte, William Guy Alexander, Christopher Alan Schafer, Dennis Lee Jeffries, Jeffrey Kahle Brown
  • Publication number: 20040045763
    Abstract: A suspended drive axle and agricultural tractor having same including a central housing having inboard final drives and left and right axle housing suspended therefrom by upper and lower control arms with axle shafts extending outwardly therefrom to which wheel and tire assemblies are mounted. A constant velocity universal joint is provided between the inboard final drives and the axle shafts. The universal joint having a pair of journal members and a coupling yoke that radially surround the drive and driven yokes of the joint whereby the axial length of the universal joint is minimized to enable the wheels to be located on the axle shafts at 60 inch tread spacing. This allows the drive axle to be used on a row crop tractor without altering the structure of the vehicle from a conventional row crop tractor whereby the characteristics of a row crop tractor are maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: Terrill Wayne Woods, Dennis Aaron Bowman, Mervin Peter Kizlyk, Norman Frederick Lemmon, Kendall Lee Giesmann, Aaron James Peterson, George Nick Schmitz, Peter Alan Kosmicki, Joe L. Schutte, William Guy Alexander, Christopher Alan Schafer, Dennis Lee Jeffries, Jeffrey Kahle Brown
  • Publication number: 20030150664
    Abstract: A suspended drive axle and agricultural tractor having same including a central housing having inboard final drives and left and right axle housing suspended therefrom by upper and lower control arms with axle shafts extending outwardly therefrom to which wheel and tire assemblies are mounted. A constant velocity universal joint is provided between the inboard final drives and the axle shafts. The universal joint having a pair of journal members and a coupling yoke that radially surround the drive and driven yokes of the joint whereby the axial length of the universal joint is minimized to enable the wheels to be located on the axle shafts at 60 inch tread spacing. This allows the drive axle to be used on a row crop tractor without altering the structure of the vehicle from a conventional row crop tractor whereby the characteristics of a row crop tractor are maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventors: Terrill Wayne Woods, Dennis Aaron Bowman, Mervin Peter Kizlyk, Norman Frederick Lemmon, Kendall Lee Giesmann, Aaron James Peterson, George Nick Schmitz, Peter Alan Kosmicki, Joe L. Schutte, William Guy Alexander, Christopher Alan Schafer, Dennis Lee Jeffries, Jeffrey Kahle Brown
  • Publication number: 20030132050
    Abstract: A suspended drive axle and agricultural tractor having same including a central housing having inboard final drives and left and right axle housing suspended therefrom by upper and lower control arms with axle shafts extending outwardly therefrom to which wheel and tire assemblies are mounted. A constant velocity universal joint is provided between the inboard final drives and the axle shafts. The universal joint having a pair of journal members and a coupling yoke that radially surround the drive and driven yokes of the joint whereby the axial length of the universal joint is minimized to enable the wheels to be located on the axle shafts at 60 inch tread spacing. This allows the drive axle to be used on a row crop tractor without altering the structure of the vehicle from a conventional row crop tractor whereby the characteristics of a row crop tractor are maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Publication date: July 17, 2003
    Inventors: Terrill Wayne Woods, Dennis Aaron Bowman, Mervin Peter Kizlyk, Norman Frederick Lemmon, Kendall Lee Giesmann, Aaron James Peterson, George Nick Schmitz, Peter Alan Kosmicki, Joe L. Schutte, William Guy Alexander, Christopher Alan Schafer, Dennis Lee Jeffries, Jeffrey Kahle Brown
  • Patent number: 6470991
    Abstract: A tractor with a front wheel suspension and mechanical front wheel drive wherein the front wheel drive differential case includes an engine oil sump replacing the need for a separate engine oil sump and wherein the suspension control arms are mounted to the differential case through integrally formed mounting structures in the differential case. These mounting. structures reduce the number of front end components thereby improving the packaging of the suspension, steering and front wheel drive. The elimination of the oil: pan allows the front axle ground clearance to be increased while improving ground visibility in front of the tractor over the hood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Dennis Aaron Bowman, Christopher Alan Schafer, Dennis Lee Jeffries, Jeffery Kahle Brown
  • Publication number: 20020125056
    Abstract: A suspended drive axle and agricultural tractor having same including a central housing having inboard final drives and left and right axle housing suspended therefrom by upper and lower control arms with axle shafts extending outwardly therefrom to which wheel and tire assemblies are mounted. A constant velocity universal joint is provided between the inboard final drives and the axle shafts. The universal joint having a pair of journal members and a coupling yoke that radially surround the drive and driven yokes of the joint whereby the axial length of the universal joint is minimized to enable the wheels to be located on the axle shafts at 60 inch tread spacing. This allows the drive axle to be used on a row crop tractor without altering the structure of the vehicle from a conventional row crop tractor whereby the characteristics of a row crop tractor are maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2001
    Publication date: September 12, 2002
    Applicant: Deere & Company a Delaware corporation
    Inventors: Terrill Wayne Woods, Dennis Aaron Bowman, Mervin Peter Kizlyk, Norman Frederick Lemmon, Kendall Lee Giesmann, Aaron James Peterson, George Nick Schmitz, Peter Alan Kosmicki, Joe L. Schutte, William Guy Alexander, Christopher Alan Schafer, Dennis Lee Jeffries, Jeffrey Kahle Brown
  • Patent number: 6402169
    Abstract: A steering knuckle and ball joint assembly for a tractor is provided in which the ball stud has a spherical ball portion and a pair of studs extending oppositely therefrom for attachment to the steering knuckle. The double studded ball stud enables the overall size of the ball studs to be reduced compared to a ball stud having a single stud and still accommodate the loads applied to the ball joint by the dual front wheels. Ball joints are used for both steering tie rods and suspension control arms. The steering knuckle is pan shaped to surround the ball joints on all but the interior side of the knuckle where the steering and suspension arms are connected. This shielding of the ball joints protect the ball joints from dirt and debris, especially from the mud and dirt thrown by the front tires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Christopher Alan Schafer, Dennis Aaron Bowman