Patents by Inventor David S. Wilkes, JR.
David S. Wilkes, JR. 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: 20240007796Abstract: A transducer assembly comprising: a magnet motor assembly comprising a first magnet plate and a second magnet plate arranged along an axis, a first support plate positioned between inward facing surfaces of the first magnet plate and the second magnet plate, a second support plate positioned along an outward facing surface of the first magnet plate to form a first magnetic gap between the first support plate and the second support plate, and a third support plate positioned along an outward facing surface of the second magnet plate to form a second magnetic gap between the first support plate and the third support plate; a voice coil coupled to the magnet motor assembly, wherein the voice coil is positioned around the first support plate and within the first magnetic gap and the second magnetic gap; and a piston coupled to the voice coil, wherein the piston is operable to vibrate in a direction parallel to the axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2023Publication date: January 4, 2024Inventors: Rebecca J. Mikolajczyk, Onur I. Ilkorur, David S. Wilkes, JR., Christopher Wilk, Michael J. Newman
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Patent number: 11785392Abstract: A transducer assembly comprising: a magnet motor assembly comprising a first magnet plate and a second magnet plate arranged along an axis, a first support plate positioned between inward facing surfaces of the first magnet plate and the second magnet plate, a second support plate positioned along an outward facing surface of the first magnet plate to form a first magnetic gap between the first support plate and the second support plate, and a third support plate positioned along an outward facing surface of the second magnet plate to form a second magnetic gap between the first support plate and the third support plate; a voice coil coupled to the magnet motor assembly, wherein the voice coil is positioned around the first support plate and within the first magnetic gap and the second magnetic gap; and a piston coupled to the voice coil, wherein the piston is operable to vibrate in a direction parallel to the axis.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2019Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Rebecca J. Mikolajczyk, Onur I. Ilkorur, David S. Wilkes, Jr., Christopher Wilk, Michael J. Newman
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Patent number: 11070920Abstract: A dual function transducer assembly comprising: a magnet motor assembly comprising a first magnet plate and a second magnet plate arranged in parallel to one another along a first axis; a sound output assembly coupled to the magnet motor assembly, the sound output assembly comprising a piston and a voice coil, and wherein the voice coil is arranged to cause a vibration of the piston in a direction parallel to the first axis; and a shaker assembly coupled to the magnet motor assembly, the shaker assembly comprising a first shaker coil and a second shaker coil arranged to cause a vibration of the magnet assembly in a direction parallel to a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2019Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Rebecca J. Mikolajczyk, Onur I. Ilkorur, David S. Wilkes, Jr., Christopher Wilk, Michael J Newman
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Publication number: 20210099804Abstract: A dual function transducer assembly comprising: a magnet motor assembly comprising a first magnet plate and a second magnet plate arranged in parallel to one another along a first axis; a sound output assembly coupled to the magnet motor assembly, the sound output assembly comprising a piston and a voice coil, and wherein the voice coil is arranged to cause a vibration of the piston in a direction parallel to the first axis; and a shaker assembly coupled to the magnet motor assembly, the shaker assembly comprising a first shaker coil and a second shaker coil arranged to cause a vibration of the magnet assembly in a direction parallel to a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2019Publication date: April 1, 2021Inventors: Rebecca J. Mikolajczyk, Onur I. Ilkorur, David S. Wilkes, JR., Christopher Wilk, Michael J Newman
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Publication number: 20210099805Abstract: A transducer assembly comprising: a magnet motor assembly comprising a first magnet plate and a second magnet plate arranged along an axis, a first support plate positioned between inward facing surfaces of the first magnet plate and the second magnet plate, a second support plate positioned along an outward facing surface of the first magnet plate to form a first magnetic gap between the first support plate and the second support plate, and a third support plate positioned along an outward facing surface of the second magnet plate to form a second magnetic gap between the first support plate and the third support plate; a voice coil coupled to the magnet motor assembly, wherein the voice coil is positioned around the first support plate and within the first magnetic gap and the second magnetic gap; and a piston coupled to the voice coil, wherein the piston is operable to vibrate in a direction parallel to the axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2019Publication date: April 1, 2021Inventors: Rebecca J. Mikolajczyk, Onur I. Ilkorur, David S. Wilkes, JR., Christopher Wilk, Michael J. Newman
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Publication number: 20200107096Abstract: A liquid-resistant microphone assembly includes a substrate defining a sound-entry region and a microphone transducer coupled with the substrate. The transducer has a sound-responsive region acoustically coupled with the sound-entry opening defined by the substrate. A liquid-resistant port membrane spans across the sound-entry opening defined by the substrate. The membrane is gas-permeable. An adhesive layer is positioned between the substrate and the liquid-resistant port membrane, coupling the liquid-resistant port membrane with the substrate and spacing the liquid-resistant port membrane from the substrate to form a gap between the membrane and the substrate. The adhesive layer defines an aperture having a periphery extending around and positioned outward of the sound-entry region. Modules and electronic devices incorporating such a microphone transducer also are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2018Publication date: April 2, 2020Inventors: Anthony D. Minervini, David S. Wilkes, JR., Nikolas T. Vitt, Peter C. Hrudey, Ruchir M. Dave, Amin M. Younes
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Patent number: 10587942Abstract: A liquid-resistant microphone assembly includes a substrate defining a sound-entry region and a microphone transducer coupled with the substrate. The transducer has a sound-responsive region acoustically coupled with the sound-entry opening defined by the substrate. A liquid-resistant port membrane spans across the sound-entry opening defined by the substrate. The membrane is gas-permeable. An adhesive layer is positioned between the substrate and the liquid-resistant port membrane, coupling the liquid-resistant port membrane with the substrate and spacing the liquid-resistant port membrane from the substrate to form a gap between the membrane and the substrate. The adhesive layer defines an aperture having a periphery extending around and positioned outward of the sound-entry region. Modules and electronic devices incorporating such a microphone transducer also are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2018Date of Patent: March 10, 2020Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Anthony D. Minervini, David S. Wilkes, Jr., Nikolas T. Vitt, Peter C. Hrudey, Ruchir M. Dave, Amin M. Younes
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Patent number: 10209123Abstract: An acoustic module is coupled to an acoustic passage. The acoustic module includes an acoustic transducer coupled to a diaphragm. A controller or other circuitry measures an impedance of the acoustic transducer. Based on the impedance, the controller determines whether the impedance indicates that the acoustic passage is blocked. The controller may determine that the acoustic passage is blocked by liquid that is present in the acoustic passage. When the controller determines based on the impedance that liquid is present in the acoustic passage, the controller may drive out, purge, and/or otherwise remove the liquid, such as by using the acoustic transducer to vibrate the diaphragm.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2016Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Nikolas T. Vitt, Ruchir M Dave, Jesse A. Lippert, Brad G. Boozer, Neal D. Evans, David S. Wilkes, Jr.
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Publication number: 20180058918Abstract: An acoustic module is coupled to an acoustic passage. The acoustic module includes an acoustic transducer coupled to a diaphragm. A controller or other circuitry measures an impedance of the acoustic transducer. Based on the impedance, the controller determines whether the impedance indicates that the acoustic passage is blocked. The controller may determine that the acoustic passage is blocked by liquid that is present in the acoustic passage. When the controller determines based on the impedance that liquid is present in the acoustic passage, the controller may drive out, purge, and/or otherwise remove the liquid, such as by using the acoustic transducer to vibrate the diaphragm.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2016Publication date: March 1, 2018Inventors: Nikolas T. Vitt, Ruchir M. Dave, Jesse A. Lippert, Brad G. Boozer, Neal D. Evans, David S. Wilkes, JR.
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Patent number: 9380387Abstract: A speaker is disclosed that can be positioned as either a right or left front surround or a right or left rear surround in any surround sound system. The speaker includes a housing including a first driver, a second driver, a third driver, and a fourth driver. A high pass filter is connected with the first and third drivers and the first and third drivers are wired having opposite polarities from one another such that the first driver is out of phase with the third driver by 180 degrees. A low pass filter is connected with a lattice filter, wherein the low pass filter is configured to shift a phase of an input signal ?90 degrees and the lattice filter is configured to shift the phase by adding +45 degrees thereby forming a ?45 degree phase shift. An output of the lattice filter is connected with the second and fourth drivers.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2014Date of Patent: June 28, 2016Assignee: Klipsch Group, Inc.Inventor: David S. Wilkes, Jr.
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Publication number: 20160037258Abstract: A speaker is disclosed that can be positioned as either a right or left front surround or a right or left rear surround in any surround sound system. The speaker includes a housing including a first driver, a second driver, a third driver, and a fourth driver. A high pass filter is connected with the first and third drivers and the first and third drivers are wired having opposite polarities from one another such that the first driver is out of phase with the third driver by 180 degrees. A low pass filter is connected with a lattice filter, wherein the low pass filter is configured to shift a phase of an input signal ?90 degrees and the lattice filter is configured to shift the phase by adding +45 degrees thereby forming a ?45 degree phase shift. An output of the lattice filter is connected with the second and fourth drivers.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2014Publication date: February 4, 2016Applicant: KLIPSCH GROUP, INC.Inventor: David S. Wilkes, JR.