Patents by Inventor James Curran

James Curran 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: 11795564
    Abstract: This application relates to an enclosure for a portable electronic device. The enclosure includes an aluminum alloy substrate and an anodized layer overlaying and formed from the aluminum alloy substrate. The anodized layer includes pores, where the pores include (i) dye particles that impart the anodized layer with a color, and (ii) divalent metal cations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: James A. Curran, James A. Dean, Todd S. Mintz
  • Patent number: 11751349
    Abstract: This application relates to an anodized part. The anodized part includes a metal substrate and an anodized layer overlaying and formed from the metal substrate. The anodized layer includes (i) an external surface that includes randomly distributed light-absorbing features that are capable of absorbing visible light incident upon the external surface, and (ii) pores defined by pore walls, where color particles are infused within the pores. The anodized layer is characterized as having a color having an L* value using a CIE L*a*b* color space that is less than 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: James A. Curran, Aaron D. Paterson, Sonja R. Postak
  • Publication number: 20230227947
    Abstract: The disclosure provides aluminum alloys having varying ranges of alloying elements and properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Inventors: Herng-Jeng Jou, Isabel Yang, Sonja R. Postak, Tyler J. Harrington, James A. Curran, Todd S. Mintz, Abhijeet Misra
  • Patent number: 11614778
    Abstract: This application relates to an enclosure for a portable electronic device. The enclosure includes a metal substrate, and an anodized layer overlaying the metal substrate and including pores having a near-infrared (NIR) light-absorbing material therein, where an average specular reflectance of NIR light that is incident upon an external surface of the anodized layer is less than 3%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: James A. Curran, Alan Kleiman-Shwarsctein, Leon J. Garcia, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20230092781
    Abstract: A chemical treatment process has been identified as a simple and effective means of improving the bonding of injection-molded polymer to titanium surfaces. This process forms an oxide layer on a titanium surface that includes a layered double hydroxide. The layered double hydroxide both raises the bond strength and minimizes air or water leakage. The process enables the use of titanium alloys with injection molded polymer structural bonds in strong, lightweight, and water-resistant enclosures for consumer electronics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: James A. Curran, James A. Yurko, Todd S. Mintz
  • Patent number: 11549191
    Abstract: Anodic oxide coatings that provide corrosion resistance to parts having protruding features, such as edges, corners and convex-shaped features, are described. According to some embodiments, the anodic oxide coatings include an inner porous layer and an outer porous layer. The inner layer is adjacent to an underlying metal substrate and is formed under compressive stress anodizing conditions that allow the inner porous layer to be formed generally crack-free. In this way, the inner porous layer acts as a barrier that prevents water or other corrosion-inducing agents from reaching the underlying metal substrate. The outer porous layer can be thicker and harder than the inner porous layer, thereby increasing the overall hardness of the anodic oxide coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: James A. Curran, Zechariah D. Feinberg, Sonja R. Postak
  • Patent number: 11547005
    Abstract: This application relates to a multi-piece enclosure for a portable electronic device. The enclosure includes a metal part including a metal substrate and a metal oxide layer overlaying the metal substrate, the metal oxide layer having an external surface that includes openings that lead into undercut regions. The openings are characterized as having a first width, and the undercut regions are characterized as having a second width that is greater than the first width. The enclosure further includes a non-metallic bulk layer including protruding portions that extend into the undercut regions such that the non-metallic bulk layer is interlocked with the metal part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: James A. Curran, Todd S. Mintz, Isabel Yang
  • Publication number: 20220410535
    Abstract: A component for an electronic device can include a part including a first metal and a second metal diffusion bonded to the first metal. The first metal can be aluminum and the second metal can be different from the first metal. A porous aluminum oxide layer can overlie a portion of the first metal and can be disposed adjacent to an interface between the first metal and the second metal. The component can further include a non-metallic material bonded to the part and extending into pores defined by the porous aluminum oxide layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: James A. Curran, Isabel Yang, Todd S. Mintz
  • Patent number: 11514455
    Abstract: Method, system and non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to store instructions for implementing a method for providing automated collateral eligibility services implemented by one or more collateral management service (CMS) devices between a client and at least one other party. The method includes receiving a collateral eligibility schedule setup request from a client device. The collateral eligibility schedule setup request includes one or more attributes and one or more rules. The method further includes initiating a current collateral eligibility schedule based on the received collateral eligibility schedule setup request; transmitting a notification to the at least one other party to review the current collateral eligibility schedule; receiving approval of the current collateral eligibility schedule from the at least one other party; and activating the approved current collateral eligibility schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
    Inventors: James Curran Dickinson, Talia Faye Klein
  • Patent number: 11511519
    Abstract: This application relates to a part for a portable electronic device. The part includes a titanium alloy substrate including a network of branching channels. The branching channels include a first channel and a second channel, where the first channel is defined by a first channel wall that extends away from a first opening in the exterior surface, and the second channel is defined by a second channel wall that extends away from a second opening in the first channel wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: James A. Curran, Todd S. Mintz, Isabel Yang
  • Patent number: 11493957
    Abstract: An enclosure for a portable electronic device includes a titanium substrate having a textured surface that includes peaks separated by valleys, where the textured surface is characterized as having (i) an Sdq (root mean square gradient) that is greater than 0.2 micrometers, and (ii) a gloss value that is greater than 90 gloss units as measured at 60 degrees by a gloss meter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: James A. Curran, Sonja R. Postak, Todd S. Mintz
  • Patent number: 11459668
    Abstract: An enclosure for a portable electronic device can include a titanium substrate defining a textured surface and a nominal surface. The titanium substrate can include a first region that extends above the nominal surface and a second region adjacent to the first region and extending below the nominal surface. A separation distance between an apex of the first region and a bottom of a trough defined by the second region can be at least 1 micrometer. A metal oxide layer can overlay the trough defined by the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE, INC.
    Inventors: Zechariah D. Feinberg, James A. Curran, Todd S. Mintz, Justin Memar-Makhsous
  • Patent number: 11371157
    Abstract: This application relates to a method for forming an enclosure for a portable electronic device, the enclosure including a metal substrate that is overlaid by an anodized layer. The method includes dyeing the anodized layer by exposing pores of the anodized layer to a dye. The method further includes sealing the dye within the pores by exposing the anodized layer to a zinc-based sealing solution, where an external surface of the anodized layer having the pores that are sealed includes an amount of zinc between about 3 wt % to about 6 wt %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Curran, Sonja R. Postak, Karin H. Rasmussen, James A. Dean
  • Patent number: 11352708
    Abstract: Colored oxide coatings having multiple oxide layers are described. Processes for forming the multilayer oxide coating can include converting a portion of a metal substrate to a primary oxide layer, coloring the primary oxide layer, and depositing a secondary oxide layer on the primary oxide layer. The primary oxide layer and the secondary oxide layer can be at least partially transparent such that a texture of an underlying metal substrate surface is visible through the multilayer oxide coating. A top surface of the secondary oxide layer can be polished to a high gloss to give the multilayer oxide coating an appearance of depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Curran, Karin H. Rasmussen, Zechariah D. Feinberg
  • Patent number: 11340652
    Abstract: This application relates to an enclosure for a portable electronic device. The enclosure includes a titanium substrate having a textured surface that includes randomly distributed peaks separated from each other by valleys, where tops of the peaks are separated from bottoms of the valleys by at least a minimum separation distance such that the textured surface is characterized as having an Sq (root mean square height) that is greater than 0.3 micrometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Curran, Sonja R. Postak, Todd S. Mintz
  • Patent number: 11312107
    Abstract: This application relates to an enclosure for a portable electronic device. The enclosure includes a metal substrate and a dehydrated anodized layer overlaying the metal substrate. The dehydrated anodized layer includes pores having openings that extend from an external surface of the dehydrated anodized layer and towards the metal substrate, and a metal oxide material that plugs the openings of the pores, where a concentration of the metal oxide material is between about 3 wt % to about 10 wt %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Curran, Hoishun Li, Nathaniel A. Dixon
  • Patent number: 11268188
    Abstract: A method of forming a surface coating on a component of an electronic device can include depositing an aluminum layer including at least about 0.05 weight percent (wt %) of a grain refiner on a surface of the component by a physical vapor deposition process, and anodizing the aluminum layer to form an anodized aluminum oxide layer having a L* value greater than about 85 in the CIELAB color space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brian S. Tryon, Alexander W. Williams, James A. Curran, Sonja R. Postak
  • Patent number: 11242614
    Abstract: Anodic oxide coatings that provide corrosion resistance to parts having protruding features, such as edges, corners and convex-shaped features, are described. According to some embodiments, the anodic oxide coatings include an inner porous layer and an outer porous layer. The inner layer is adjacent to an underlying metal substrate and is formed under compressive stress anodizing conditions that allow the inner porous layer to be formed generally crack-free. In this way, the inner porous layer acts as a barrier that prevents water or other corrosion-inducing agents from reaching the underlying metal substrate. The outer porous layer can be thicker and harder than the inner porous layer, thereby increasing the overall hardness of the anodic oxide coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Curran, Aaron D. Paterson, Brian M. Gable
  • Patent number: 11214886
    Abstract: This application relates to an enclosure for a portable electronic device. The enclosure includes an aluminum alloy substrate and an anodized layer overlaying and formed from the aluminum alloy substrate, wherein the anodized layer has an external surface that has a concentration of zinc that is between about 3 wt % to about 7 wt %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Curran, Rohit G. Puranik, Shi Hua Zhang, James A. Dean, Karin H. Rasmussen
  • Publication number: 20210348294
    Abstract: An enclosure for a portable electronic device can include a titanium substrate defining a textured surface and a nominal surface. The titanium substrate can include a first region that extends above the nominal surface and a second region adjacent to the first region and extending below the nominal surface. A separation distance between an apex of the first region and a bottom of a trough defined by the second region can be at least 1 micrometer. A metal oxide layer can overlay the trough defined by the second region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventors: Zechariah D. FEINBERG, James A. CURRAN, Todd S. MINTZ, Justin MEMAR-MAKHSOUS