Patents by Inventor Donald L. Olmstead
Donald L. Olmstead 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: 20240074549Abstract: A watchband can comfortably secure an electronic device to a wrist of a user. The watchband can include a base having a contact surface opposite an engagement surface, contact loops on the contact surface for contacting a user, and engagement loops on the engagement surface for engaging hooks. The hooks can be provided on the engagement surface, opposite some of the contact loops. Edge sections of the base can wrap around a central section to define an end of the base. A tab can extend from an end of the base to facilitate attachment, adjustment, and/or removal of the watch band. The tab can further help maintain the assembled parts in place to enhance durability of the watchband.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2023Publication date: March 7, 2024Inventors: Donald L. OLMSTEAD, Ayumi KUSANO, Clement C. TISSANDIER, Eiryo SHIRAISHI, Mengxi ZHAO, Molly J. ANDERSON, Osamu YABE, Seul Bi KIM, Tirshathah A. HUNTER, Yoji HAMADA
-
Publication number: 20240074550Abstract: A watchband can comfortably secure an electronic device to a wrist of a user. The watchband can include a base having a contact surface opposite an engagement surface and an engagement ribbon forming loops on the engagement surface of the base for receiving a hook of a buckle. The engagement ribbon can be interwoven with the base to provide secure anchoring for the hook within one of the loops. The woven portions of the watchband can be securely coupled to end structures, such as the buckle, retaining rings, and/or a connector. The watchband provides adjustable lengths to accommodate different fit configurations as desired.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2023Publication date: March 7, 2024Inventors: Timothy S. Lui, Clement C. Tissandier, Donald L. Olmstead, Molly J. Anderson, Osamu Yabe, Seul Bi Kim, Yoji Hamada
-
Publication number: 20240074551Abstract: A watchband can comfortably secure an electronic device to a wrist of a user. The watchband can include a base having a contact surface opposite an engagement surface and an engagement ribbon forming loops on the engagement surface of the base for receiving a hook of a buckle. The engagement ribbon can be interwoven with the base to provide secure anchoring for the hook within one of the loops. The woven portions of the watchband can be securely coupled to end structures, such as the buckle, retaining rings, and/or a connector. The watchband provides adjustable lengths to accommodate different fit configurations as desired.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2023Publication date: March 7, 2024Inventors: Seul Bi KIM, Camille I. HENROT, Clement C. TISSANDIER, Donald L. OLMSTEAD, Jessica J. LU, Kristen L. CRETELLA, Molly J. ANDERSON, Tirshathah A. HUNTER, Yoji HAMADA
-
Publication number: 20230413959Abstract: Bands for electronic devices, including wearable devices, are designed to dynamically alter their shape (e.g., lengthen) in response to an external force. A band may include one or more interior structures disposed in an exterior structure. The interior structure(s) is/are pulled in tension by the exterior structure. When the interior structure(s) is/are pulled in tension, an additional force (e.g., by a user) that applies tension to the interior structure(s) may cause a relatively small change in tension to the interior structure(s). As a result, the band may appear to provide the same amount to users, despite users having a different wrist size/diameter. A similar phenomenon may occur to a single user when the user's wrist changes in size. Accordingly, based on the interior structure(s) being placed in tension by the exterior structure(s), the force provided by the band may appear constant to users.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2022Publication date: December 28, 2023Inventors: William LEITH, Camille I. Henrot, Donald L. Olmstead, Jessica J. Lu, John S. Camp, Seul Bi Kim, Joseph B. Walker
-
Patent number: 11838716Abstract: An electronic device such as a pair of headphones may be configured to be worn on a head of a user. The headphones may have a headband and earcups that are coupled to the headband. The headband may have a frame and a headband frame cover that is removably attached to the frame. The cover may have protrusions, may be inflated using a pump, may include a battery and other components, and may include sensors. An earcup movement synchronization mechanism may be used to synchronize movement of a left earcup with a right earcup. A torsion spring with a stop mechanisms or other bend limiter may be configured to prevent overbending of the headband.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2021Date of Patent: December 5, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Kendall L. Helbert, Benjamin C. Creed, Chad J. Miller, Jenna L. Withrow, Joshua A. Hoover, Lee M. Panecki, Donald L. Olmstead, Bryan A. Cloyd
-
Patent number: 11504945Abstract: An item may be formed from structures that include holes. Stitching may be used to form a seam that joins the structures. The stitching may be formed from a chain stitch that passes through the holes. The holes may be formed from loops of knit fabric or other holes. Leather layers, polymer layers, fabric layers, and other structures with holes may be joined using the stitching. During fabrication, a layer of material with holes may be placed on an adjustable-shape fixture having a bed of needles. The shape of the bed of nails in the adjustable-shape fixture may then be changed. After the fixture has been used to transform the shape of one or more of the structures, the structures may be placed on needles in an assembly fixture and the stitching between the structures may be formed. The item may be an electronic device cover or other item.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2019Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Sofiane Berlat, Aedhan M. Loomis, Peter F. Coxeter, Sarah J. Montplaisir, Timon A. Wright, Yohji Hamada, Patrick Perry, Chad J. Miller, Andrew L. Rosenberg, Daniel A. Podhajny, Daniel D. Sunshine, Jessica J. Lu, Lia M. Uesato, Donald L. Olmstead
-
Publication number: 20220240016Abstract: A wearable electronic device may be formed from a layer of fabric having opposing first and second ends. The ends may have first and second respective ear openings that receive a user's ears and may have speakers for playing audio. A soft central portion of the fabric between the ends may overlap the user's eyes. The wearable electronic device may have control circuitry that receives power from a power source. Sensors may be used to gather sensor information such as biometric sensor information. The sensors, control circuitry, and power source may be mounted in a stiff edge portion of the fabric. The stiff edge portion of the fabric may have an elongated strip shape and may extend along an upper edge of the central and the electronic device. Stiffener structures sandwiched between inner and outer layers of the fabric may be used to support speakers.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2022Publication date: July 28, 2022Inventors: Andrea L. Blakemore, Amit S. Barve, Donald L. Olmstead, Joshua A. Hoover, Samuel G. Smith, Seulbi Kim
-
Patent number: 11381892Abstract: An enclosure may be provided with a housing. The housing may have an opening that separates and joins along a seam. A magnetic closure may have a pair of mating flexible magnetic members such as flexible rings or strips that run along the seam. Magnetic-field shunts may be provided in the flexible magnetic members. Multiple magnetic elements may be formed along the length of each magnetic member to form a multipole permanent magnet. Magnetic attraction may be varied along the lengths of the magnetic members and may be varied as a function of the separation between opposing magnet members. A magnetic clasp may be provided on the housing. The magnetic clasp may have attracting magnets to help close the opening in the housing. Protruding clasp portions may be formed from flexible material and may have embedded magnets configured to repel each other to facilitate use of the clasp.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2018Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Timothy W. Scales, Kodiak D. Burke, Linda D. Benavente-Notaro, Nicholas R. Trincia, Benjamin A. Stevenson, Clayton McCoy, Donald L. Olmstead, Hao Zhu, William H. Chui, Jack Pickup
-
Patent number: 11290818Abstract: A wearable electronic device may be formed from a layer of fabric having opposing first and second ends. The ends may have first and second respective ear openings that receive a user's ears and may have speakers for playing audio. A soft central portion of the fabric between the ends may overlap the user's eyes. The wearable electronic device may have control circuitry that receives power from a power source. Sensors may be used to gather sensor information such as biometric sensor information. The sensors, control circuitry, and power source may be mounted in a stiff edge portion of the fabric. The stiff edge portion of the fabric may have an elongated strip shape and may extend along an upper edge of the central and the electronic device. Stiffener structures sandwiched between inner and outer layers of the fabric may be used to support speakers.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2019Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Andrea L. Blakemore, Amit S. Barve, Donald L. Olmstead, Joshua A. Hoover, Samuel G. Smith, Seulbi Kim
-
Publication number: 20190344536Abstract: An item may be formed from structures that include holes. Stitching may be used to form a seam that joins the structures. The stitching may be formed from a chain stitch that passes through the holes. The holes may be formed from loops of knit fabric or other holes. Leather layers, polymer layers, fabric layers, and other structures with holes may be joined using the stitching. During fabrication, a layer of material with holes may be placed on an adjustable-shape fixture having a bed of needles. The shape of the bed of nails in the adjustable-shape fixture may then be changed. After the fixture has been used to transform the shape of one or more of the structures, the structures may be placed on needles in an assembly fixture and the stitching between the structures may be formed. The item may be an electronic device cover or other item.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2019Publication date: November 14, 2019Inventors: Sofiane Berlat, Aedhan M. Loomis, Peter F. Coxeter, Sarah J. Montplaisir, Timon A. Wright, Yohji Hamada, Patrick Perry, Chad J. Miller, Andrew L. Rosenberg, Daniel A. Podhajny, Daniel D. Sunshine, Jessica J. Lu, Lia M. Uesato, Donald L. Olmstead
-
Patent number: 10427374Abstract: Electronic equipment may include seamless spacer fabric. Seamless spacer fabric may be used as a protective case or cosmetic cover for an electronic device such as a speaker. A seamless spacer fabric may include a seamless fabric outer layer, a spacer fabric inner layer, and an adhesive layer that bonds the seamless outer layer to the spacer fabric inner layer. The spacer fabric layer may have a seam region where one portion of the spacer fabric layer is joined with another portion of the fabric layer. The seamless fabric outer layer may cover the seam region to hide it from view. One or more additional seam hiding layers or strips may be formed on opposing sides of the spacer fabric layer to cover the seam. The seamless spacer fabric may have an array of openings that extends uniformly around the perimeter of the seamless spacer fabric.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2018Date of Patent: October 1, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Yohji Hamada, Siddhartha Hegde, Zebinah P. Masse, Rimple Bhatia, Peter F. Coxeter, Amit S. Barve, Donald L. Olmstead, Javier Mendez
-
Publication number: 20180272644Abstract: Electronic equipment may include seamless spacer fabric. Seamless spacer fabric may be used as a protective case or cosmetic cover for an electronic device such as a speaker. A seamless spacer fabric may include a seamless fabric outer layer, a spacer fabric inner layer, and an adhesive layer that bonds the seamless outer layer to the spacer fabric inner layer. The spacer fabric layer may have a seam region where one portion of the spacer fabric layer is joined with another portion of the fabric layer. The seamless fabric outer layer may cover the seam region to hide it from view. One or more additional seam hiding layers or strips may be formed on opposing sides of the spacer fabric layer to cover the seam. The seamless spacer fabric may have an array of openings that extends uniformly around the perimeter of the seamless spacer fabric.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2018Publication date: September 27, 2018Inventors: Yohji Hamada, Siddhartha Hegde, Zebinah P. Masse, Rimple Bhatia, Peter F. Coxeter, Amit S. Barve, Donald L. Olmstead, Javier Mendez