Patents by Inventor Eric A. Knopf

Eric A. Knopf 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: 11071228
    Abstract: A rack system for one or more computing systems is described. The rack system may include support structures, or rack structures, and a housing affixed or un-affixed to the support structures. The rack system may include rails, including telescoping rails, affixed to the support structures and coupled to the computing system. When the rack system is in a closed position, the computing system is positioned within the housing. When the rack system is in an open position, the computing system is removed from the housing and the components of the computing system are accessible. In the open position, only components on one surface of the circuit board are accessible. However, the computing system can rotate, thereby placing the components on the opposing surface of the circuit board in an accessible position. Alternatively, the housing can be affixed to the computing system, and include modifications for access to the computing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel D. Hershey, Christoph M. Pistor, Bartley K. Andre, Richard D. Kosoglow, Michael D. McBroom, Shravan Bharadwaj, Jonathan L. Berk, Houtan R. Farahani, James M. Cuseo, William R. Allan, II, David C. Parell, Eric A. Knopf, Seth G. McFarland
  • Publication number: 20210119296
    Abstract: A portable electronic device is described. This portable electronic device includes an external housing with a cavity defined by an edge. A keyboard, having a front surface and a back surface, is disposed in the cavity with the front surface facing the external housing. Moreover, a tray is disposed over the back surface of the keyboard, and is mechanically coupled to the external housing adjacent to the edge. Furthermore, battery cells are mechanically coupled to an opposite side of the tray from the back surface of the keyboard. The tray may allow the battery cells to be removed from the portable electronic device without damaging the keyboard. In addition, the tray may increase the compression strength and/or the bending strength of the portable electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ron Alan Hopkinson, Brett William Degner, Robert Sean Murphy, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Matthew P. Casebolt, Peter M. Arnold, Eric A. Knopf
  • Publication number: 20200379526
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a frame configured to receive and support an electronic component, a shell defining an internal volume sized to encompass the frame and the electronic component, the shell being slidably removable from the frame, the electronic component positioned within the internal volume and including an aperture, and a sealing member including a seal body and a compressible lip extending from the seal body, the sealing member at least partially surrounding the electronic component. The compressible lip is oriented such that the shell compresses the lip in a direction against the seal body at a first position adjacent to the electronic component and in the direction against the seal body at a second position adjacent to the electronic component opposite the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Bart K. Andre, Edward J. Cooper, Brett W. Degner, Houtan R. Farahani, Steven A. Gerasimoff, William H. Greenbaum, James T. Handy, Daniel D. Hershey, PengYuan Huang, Eric A. Knopf, Richard D. Kosoglow, Mariel L. Lanas, Michael E. Leclerc, Michael D. McBroom, Rodrigo Dutervil Mubarak, David C. Parell, Sabrina K. Paseman, Eric R. Prather, Jacob W. Rutheiser, Christopher G. Siegel, Cheng-Han Yang, James M. Cuseo, Francesco Ferretti
  • Patent number: 10741344
    Abstract: An input mechanism is disclosed. The input mechanism includes a dome support structure defining an opening that extends through the dome support structure, a collapsible dome positioned in the opening and engaged with the dome support structure, and a cover member coupled to the dome support structure and covering the collapsible dome, thereby retaining the collapsible dome within the opening of the dome support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Eric A. Knopf, Matthew P. Casebolt, Craig C. Leong, Robert Y. Cao, Bradford J. Zercoe, Dinesh C. Mathew, Zheng Gao, Ryan P. Brooks, Paul X. Wang, Bruce E. Berg
  • Patent number: 10673035
    Abstract: A portable electronic device is described. This portable electronic device includes an external housing with a cavity defined by an edge. A keyboard, having a front surface and a back surface, is disposed in the cavity with the front surface facing the external housing. Moreover, a tray is disposed over the back surface of the keyboard, and is mechanically coupled to the external housing adjacent to the edge. Furthermore, battery cells are mechanically coupled to an opposite side of the tray from the back surface of the keyboard. The tray may allow the battery cells to be removed from the portable electronic device without damaging the keyboard. In addition, the tray may increase the compression strength and/or the bending strength of the portable electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ron A. Hopkinson, Brett W. Degner, Robert S. Murphy, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Matthew P. Casebolt, Peter M. Arnold, Eric A. Knopf
  • Publication number: 20200100383
    Abstract: A rack system for one or more computing systems is described. The rack system may include support structures, or rack structures, and a housing affixed or un-affixed to the support structures. The rack system may include rails, including telescoping rails, affixed to the support structures and coupled to the computing system. When the rack system is in a closed position, the computing system is positioned within the housing. When the rack system is in an open position, the computing system is removed from the housing and the components of the computing system are accessible. In the open position, only components on one surface of the circuit board are accessible. However, the computing system can rotate, thereby placing the components on the opposing surface of the circuit board in an accessible position. Alternatively, the housing can be affixed to the computing system, and include modifications for access to the computing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Inventors: Daniel D. HERSHEY, Christoph M. PISTOR, Bartley K. ANDRE, Richard D. KOSOGLOW, Michael D. MCBROOM, Shravan BHARADWAJ, Jonathan L. BERK, Houtan R. FARAHANI, James M. CUSEO, William R. ALLAN, II, David C. PARELL, Eric A. KNOPF, Seth G. MCFARLAND
  • Patent number: 10375853
    Abstract: In an exemplary electronic device with a cooling fan, a fan assembly is attached to a keyboard assembly of the electronic device. The fan assembly includes an impeller at least partially inside a fan enclosure. The fan enclosure has, on a surface, an inlet opening and an external protrusion. The electronic device further includes a bottom case. The fan assembly is positioned between the keyboard assembly and the bottom case and oriented such that the inlet opening and the external protrusion face the bottom case. The external protrusion maintains a passage between the fan enclosure and the bottom case that allows air to enter the inlet opening and also resists interference between the rotating impeller and the stationary bottom case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony J. Aiello, Jonathan L. Berk, Karen Cheng, Jesse T. Dybenko, Trevor Edmonds, Kwonil D. Fleischman, Richard A. Herms, Eric A. Knopf, Arash Naghib Lahouti, Brad L. Patton
  • Publication number: 20190027325
    Abstract: An input mechanism is disclosed. The input mechanism includes a dome support structure defining an opening that extends through the dome support structure, a collapsible dome positioned in the opening and engaged with the dome support structure, and a cover member coupled to the dome support structure and covering the collapsible dome, thereby retaining the collapsible dome within the opening of the dome support structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventors: Eric A. Knopf, Matthew P. Casebolt, Craig C. Leong, Robert Y. Cao, Bradford J. Zercoe, Dinesh C. Mathew, Zheng Gao, Ryan P. Brooks, Paul X. Wang, Bruce E. Berg
  • Patent number: 10083806
    Abstract: An input mechanism is disclosed. The input mechanism includes a dome support structure defining an opening that extends through the dome support structure, a collapsible dome positioned in the opening and engaged with the dome support structure, and a cover member coupled to the dome support structure and covering the collapsible dome, thereby retaining the collapsible dome within the opening of the dome support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Eric A. Knopf, Matthew P. Casebolt, Craig C. Leong, Robert Y. Cao, Bradford J. Zercoe, Dinesh C. Mathew, Zheng Gao, Ryan P. Brooks, Paul X. Wang, Bruce E. Berg
  • Patent number: 10083805
    Abstract: An input mechanism is disclosed. The input mechanism includes a dome support structure defining an opening that extends through the dome support structure, a collapsible dome positioned in the opening and engaged with the dome support structure, and a cover member coupled to the dome support structure and covering the collapsible dome, thereby retaining the collapsible dome within the opening of the dome support structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Eric A. Knopf, Matthew P. Casebolt, Craig C. Leong, Robert Y. Cao, Bradford J. Zercoe, Dinesh C. Mathew, Zheng Gao, Ryan P. Brooks, Paul X. Wang
  • Patent number: 9970328
    Abstract: A method for barring a rotor of a thermally loaded turbomachine includes stopping normal operation of the turbomachine; providing a barring device for rotating the rotor about a machine axis; coupling the barring device to the rotor; letting the rotor cool down during cool down of the rotor rotating the rotor by means of the barring device. A damage of the machine due to thermally induced buckling during the barring process is avoided by consecutively determining the force or torque applied to the rotor by the barring device for rotating the rotor and/or the circumferential speed of the rotor during barring. The rotation of the rotor is controlled by means of the barring device in dependence of the determined force or torque and/or circumferential speed in order to reduce a bending or imbalance of the rotor, which is due to a nonuniform temperature distribution on the rotor during cool down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA IP UK LIMITED
    Inventors: Axel Haerms, Felix Staehli, Marc Rauch, Eric Knopf
  • Publication number: 20180070472
    Abstract: In an exemplary electronic device with a cooling fan, a fan assembly is attached to a keyboard assembly of the electronic device. The fan assembly includes an impeller at least partially inside a fan enclosure. The fan enclosure has, on a surface, an inlet opening and an external protrusion. The electronic device further includes a bottom case. The fan assembly is positioned between the keyboard assembly and the bottom case and oriented such that the inlet opening and the external protrusion face the bottom case. The external protrusion maintains a passage between the fan enclosure and the bottom case that allows air to enter the inlet opening and also resists interference between the rotating impeller and the stationary bottom case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventors: Anthony J. AIELLO, Jonathan L. BERK, Karen CHENG, Jesse T. DYBENKO, Trevor EDMONDS, Kwonil D. FLEISCHMAN, Richard A. HERMS, Eric A. KNOPF, Arash NAGHIB LAHOUTI, Brad L. PATTON
  • Patent number: 9904333
    Abstract: A removable assembly for quickly inserting and removing a mass storage device from a compartment situated on the case of a portable computing device is described. The removable assembly is made of a mass storage device, a bracket which serves as a carrier for the mass storage device, and a metal plate. In some embodiments, the mass storage device is a solid state drive (SSD) card. The bracket is a single-piece plastic structure that is deflected for snap insertion into the compartment and snap removal from the compartment. The metal plate conducts heat from the solid state drive (SSD) card to prevent the SSD from overheating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Eric A. Knopf, Bartley K. Andre, Matthew P. Casebolt, Houtan R. Farahani, William F. Leggett, Gavin J. Reid, Mikael M. Silvanto, Derek J. Yap
  • Publication number: 20170279097
    Abstract: A portable electronic device is described. This portable electronic device includes an external housing with a cavity defined by an edge. A keyboard, having a front surface and a back surface, is disposed in the cavity with the front surface facing the external housing. Moreover, a tray is disposed over the back surface of the keyboard, and is mechanically coupled to the external housing adjacent to the edge. Furthermore, battery cells are mechanically coupled to an opposite side of the tray from the back surface of the keyboard. The tray may allow the battery cells to be removed from the portable electronic device without damaging the keyboard. In addition, the tray may increase the compression strength and/or the bending strength of the portable electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Ron A. Hopkinson, Brett W. Degner, Robert S. Murphy, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Matthew P. Casebolt, Peter M. Arnold, Eric A. Knopf
  • Patent number: 9735528
    Abstract: An interposer for electrically coupling a battery-management circuit board in a power supply and a motherboard is described. The interposer includes: a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface; first spring connectors, disposed on the top surface, which electrically couple to the battery-management circuit board; and second spring connectors, disposed on the bottom surface and electrically coupled to the first spring connectors, which electrically couple to the motherboard. Spring connectors in a first subset of the first and second spring connectors that convey power signals have a first vertical height, and spring connectors in a second subset of the first and second spring connectors that convey monitoring signals for the power supply have a second, smaller vertical height. In this way, the first subset is activated before the second subset is activated, thereby ensuring that an electrical path for the power signals is established first.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ron A. Hopkinson, Eric A. Knopf, Eugene Kim, Peter M. Arnold, Jim Hwang, Matthew P. Casebolt
  • Patent number: 9705115
    Abstract: A portable electronic device is described. This portable electronic device includes an external housing with a cavity defined by an edge. A keyboard, having a front surface and a back surface, is disposed in the cavity with the front surface facing the external housing. Moreover, a tray is disposed over the back surface of the keyboard, and is mechanically coupled to the external housing adjacent to the edge. Furthermore, battery cells are mechanically coupled to an opposite side of the tray from the back surface of the keyboard. The tray may allow the battery cells to be removed from the portable electronic device without damaging the keyboard. In addition, the tray may increase the compression strength and/or the bending strength of the portable electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Ron A. Hopkinson, Brett W. Degner, Robert S. Murphy, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Matthew P. Casebolt, Peter M. Arnold, Eric A. Knopf
  • Publication number: 20170011869
    Abstract: An input mechanism is disclosed. The input mechanism includes a dome support structure defining an opening that extends through the dome support structure, a collapsible dome positioned in the opening and engaged with the dome support structure, and a cover member coupled to the dome support structure and covering the collapsible dome, thereby retaining the collapsible dome within the opening of the dome support structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: Eric A. Knopf, Matthew P. Casebolt, Craig C. Leong, Robert Y. Cao, Bradford J. Zercoe, Dinesh C. Mathew, Zheng Gao, Ryan P. Brooks, Paul X. Wang, Bruce E. Berg
  • Publication number: 20160351360
    Abstract: An input mechanism is disclosed. The input mechanism includes a dome support structure defining an opening that extends through the dome support structure, a collapsible dome positioned in the opening and engaged with the dome support structure, and a cover member coupled to the dome support structure and covering the collapsible dome, thereby retaining the collapsible dome within the opening of the dome support structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Eric A. Knopf, Matthew P. Casebolt, Craig C. Leong, Robert Y. Cao, Bradford J. Zercoe, Dinesh C. Mathew, Zheng Gao, Ryan P. Brooks, Paul X. Wang
  • Publication number: 20160307819
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a system that facilitates thermal conductance in a system that includes a module comprising a circuit board with integrated circuits, such as a solid-state drive. A thermal-coupling material between one side of the circuit board and an adjacent baseplate is used to increase thermal conduction between the circuit board and the baseplate. Furthermore, the module may include another thermal-coupling material between the baseplate and a housing that at least in part surrounds the circuit board, thereby increasing thermal conduction between the baseplate and the housing. In these ways, the baseplate and/or the housing may be used as a heat-transfer surfaces or heat spreaders that reduce hotspots associated with operation of the integrated circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: Jay S. NIGEN, Ron A. HOPKINSON, Derek J. YAP, Eric A. KNOPF, William F. LEGGETT, Richard H. TAN
  • Patent number: D901484
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Bartley K. Andre, Matthew Phillip Casebolt, Houtan Farahani, Ron Alan Hopkinson, Eric Knopf, Jay Scott Nigen, Gavin John Reid, Mikael Silvanto, Richard Hing Tan, Eric Joel Weirshauser