Patents by Inventor John Raff

John Raff 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: 10088863
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a display cover layer mounted to the device using an adhesive bond with a display. The display may be a flexible display. The flexible display may include Organic Light Emitting Diode display technology. The display may be mounted to a rigid support structure. The rigid support structure may be mounted to a device housing member. Mounting the display cover layer to the display may eliminate the need to mount the display cover layer to the device housing and may allow active display pixels to be visible under the display cover layer closer to the device housing than in conventional devices. Providing the electronic device with active display pixels closer to the device housing may reduce the need for an inactive border around the display and may improve the aesthetic appeal of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin M. Rappoport, Jeremy C. Franklin, Stephen Brian Lynch, Scott A. Myers, John Raff, Richard P. Howarth, Wei Chen, Christopher J. Stringer, Julian Hoenig
  • Patent number: 10059179
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a movable panel that is movable between a closed position and an open position, a first track, a second track, and an arm that is connected to the movable panel, the first track, and the second track. A lateral spacing between the first track and the second track varies along the first track and the second track in a front-to-rear direction. The arm pivots with respect to the first track and the second track in correspondence with the lateral spacing between the first track and the second track during movement of the arm along the first track and the second track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Philipp J. Wolf, John Raff, Donald R. Monroe
  • Patent number: 10061361
    Abstract: A portable computing device includes at least a base portion of a lightweight material that includes at least a wedge shaped top case having a trough formed at an interfacing edge thereof. The trough includes a raised portion having a first contact surface and a receiving area, and a bottom case coupled to the top case to form a complete housing for at least a portion of the portable computing device for enclosing at least a plurality of operational components and a plurality of structural components. The portable computing device also includes at least a lid portion pivotally connected to the base portion by a hinge assembly. In the described embodiments, the lid portion has a display in communication with one or more of the plurality of components in the base portion by way of or more electrical conductors that electrically connect the base portion to the lid portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Brett W. Degner, Euan Abraham, John M. Brock, Matthew P. Casebolt, Robert L. Coish, Laura M. DeForest, Michelle Goldberg, Bradley Joseph Hamel, Ron Hopkinson, Jim Hwang, Caitlin E. Kalinowski, Steven Keiper, Patrick Kessler, Eugene Kim, Chris Ligtenberg, Jay K. Osborn, John Raff, Nicholas A. Rundle, David J. Yeh
  • Patent number: 10054985
    Abstract: A multipart computer housing is described. The multipart computer housing includes at least a structural support layer and a body. The body includes at least an outer layer formed of lightweight flexible material and an inner layer attached to the outer layer. The inner layer is connected to the support layer forming a load path between the inner layer and the structural support layer. A load applied to the multipart computer housing is transferred by way of the load path to the support layer without substantially affecting the outer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: John Raff, Bartley K. Andre, Laura Deforest, John C. DiFonzo, Zheng Gao, Michelle Goldberg, Bradley J. Hamel, Timothy S. Hibbard, Ron Hopkinson, William F. Leggett, Chris Ligtenberg, Gavin J. Reid, Charles A. Schwalbach
  • Patent number: 10021480
    Abstract: An enclosure for an electronic device is enclosed. The enclosure includes rib structures configured to improve structural support to prevent damage and to dissipate vibration throughout the enclosure. The rib structure can receive a speaker module and a cap member. The rib structure and the speaker module can combine to form a three-dimensional volume allowing the speaker module in which the speaker module may project sound, thereby enhancing acoustic performance. Also, the cap member may be adhesively attached to the rib structure to provide additional structural support against vibration and abuse caused by load forces associated with a drop event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: G. Kyle Lobisser, Jason S. Keats, Ryan J. Mihelich, Pablo Seoane Vieites, Kevin M. Kenney, John Raff, Erik A. Uttermann, Melody L. Kuna, Oliver C. Ross
  • Publication number: 20180157291
    Abstract: An enclosure for a portable computing device can include a cover glass affixed to an enclosure without trim pieces disposed between the cover glass and the disclosure. In one embodiment, the enclosure can include an edge profile that can define a relatively large contact pad about the enclosure. The contact pad can distribute impact forces over a relatively large area and thereby protect the cover glass integrity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventor: John Raff
  • Publication number: 20180126704
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a three-dimensional glass feature. In one embodiment, the three-dimensional glass feature is a cavity formed on the inside portion of a cover glass of an electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Li Zhang, John Raff, Florence W. Ow, Guangtao Zhang, Soyoung Kim, Victor Luzzato, Dan Sargent
  • Patent number: 9928762
    Abstract: Electronic devices may include displays. A display may include backlight structures that generate light and display layers that generate images using the generated light. An electronic device may include an opaque flexible printed circuit that is wrapped around one or more edges of the backlight structures. The opaque flexible printed circuit may prevent light from the backlight structures from reaching other electronic components or escaping from the device. The opaque flexible printed circuit may include signal lines that communicate signals between a printed circuit board and the display. The opaque flexible printed circuit may be a layer of the printed circuit board that extends from an edge of the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board may include an additional flexible extended printed circuit layer that wraps around a surface of the printed circuit board and forms a portion of a conductive shield over that surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy C. Franklin, Kevin D. Gibbs, Amy Qian, John Raff, Carl R. Peterson
  • Publication number: 20180067523
    Abstract: A portable computing device having a substantially non-conducting outer housing and alternative electrical grounding and audio system architectures is disclosed. The device can be a laptop computer having a main logic board, a keyboard assembly, an audio source positioned below the keyboard assembly, and an equalizer electrically coupled to the audio source, with each of these components being electrically coupled to a universal grounding structure. The audio source emits sound waves that are propagated through the keyboard assembly and between gaps between keyboard keys and the outer housing. Settings for the equalizer can be selected to account for sound absorption and amplification characteristics of the sound waves along these sound transmission paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Thomason, Kevin S. Fetterman, Laura M. DeForest, Ron Hopkinson, Michelle Goldberg, Ruchi Goel, John Raff, Timothy S. Hibbard
  • Publication number: 20180059729
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a display having a flexible substrate with fastened bent edges. The flexible substrate may have an active region that includes an array of light-emitting elements such as organic light-emitting diodes. The flexible substrate may also have inactive regions that lie outside of the active region. The bent edges may include portions of the inactive regions and portions of the active region. The bent edges may be wrapped to conform to the shape of an internal support structure. The bent edges may be fastened to the support structure with fastening members that attach a housing member or an internal clamp to the support structure. The bent edges may be secured between the housing member or the internal clamp and the support structure. The fastening members may be engaged in openings in the support structure and may pass through or alongside the bent edges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: John Raff, Scott A. Myers, Christopher Stringer
  • Patent number: 9886065
    Abstract: An enclosure for a portable computing device can include a cover glass affixed to an enclosure without trim pieces disposed between the cover glass and the disclosure. In one embodiment, the enclosure can include an edge profile that can define a relatively large contact pad about the enclosure. The contact pad can distribute impact forces over a relatively large area and thereby protect the cover glass integrity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventor: John Raff
  • Patent number: 9829932
    Abstract: A portable computing device includes at least a base portion of a lightweight material that includes at least a wedge shaped top case having a trough formed at an interfacing edge thereof. The trough includes a raised portion having a first contact surface and a receiving area, and a bottom case coupled to the top case to form a complete housing for at least a portion of the portable computing device for enclosing at least a plurality of operational components and a plurality of structural components. The portable computing device also includes at least a lid portion pivotally connected to the base portion by a hinge assembly. In the described embodiments, the lid portion has a display in communication with one or more of the plurality of components in the base portion by way of or more electrical conductors that electrically connect the base portion to the lid portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Brett W. Degner, Euan Abraham, John M. Brock, Matthew P. Casebolt, Robert L. Coish, Laura M. DeForest, Michelle Goldberg, Bradley Joseph Hamel, Ron Hopkinson, Jim Hwang, Caitlin E. Kalinowski, Steven Keiper, Patrick Kessler, Eugene Kim, Chris Ligtenberg, Jay K. Osborn, John Raff, Nicholas A. Rundle, David J. Yeh
  • Patent number: 9831573
    Abstract: An electrical board-to-board connector including a flexible cable assembly having a low profile or dimensionally reduced configuration. The connector body of a cable assembly may be widened to provide the structural rigidity sufficient to support an array of solder lead connections. Other support elements may be omitted from the cable assembly, which results in a reduced height dimension. The flexible cable assembly may also include a cowling used to retain the cable assembly against a circuit board. The cowling may also be configured to reduce the dimensions or dimensional footprint of the connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Emery A. Sanford, Tyson B. Manullang, David G. Havskjold, Tyler S. Bushnell, Eric S. Jol, Anthony S. Montevirgen, John Raff
  • Patent number: 9829930
    Abstract: A portable computing device having a substantially non-conducting outer housing and alternative electrical grounding and audio system architectures is disclosed. The device can be a laptop computer having a main logic board, a keyboard assembly, an audio source positioned below the keyboard assembly, and an equalizer electrically coupled to the audio source, with each of these components being electrically coupled to a universal grounding structure. The audio source emits sound waves that are propagated through the keyboard assembly and between gaps between keyboard keys and the outer housing. Settings for the equalizer can be selected to account for sound absorption and amplification characteristics of the sound waves along these sound transmission paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Thomason, Kevin S. Fetterman, Laura M. DeForest, Ron Hopkinson, Michelle Goldberg, Ruchi Goel, John Raff, Timothy S. Hibbard
  • Patent number: 9825410
    Abstract: Connector receptacles, examples of which comprise a housing having a first plurality of slots in a top side and a second plurality of slots in a bottom side, a top row of contacts positioned in the first plurality of slots in the housing, a bottom row of contacts positioned in the second plurality of slots in the housing, a top shell portion over the top of the housing, the top shell portion comprising first and second electromagnetic contacts extending from a front of the top shell and passing through openings in the top side of the housing, and a bottom shell portion under the bottom of the housing, the bottom shell portion comprising third and fourth electromagnetic contacts extending from a front of the bottom shell and passing through openings in the bottom side of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Scritzky, John Raff, Cuneyt Bakan, Eric T. SooHoo, Erik A. Uttermann, Patrick J. Quinn
  • Patent number: 9817444
    Abstract: An electronic device may be provided with a display having a flexible substrate with fastened bent edges. The flexible substrate may have an active region that includes an array of light-emitting elements such as organic light-emitting diodes. The flexible substrate may also have inactive regions that lie outside of the active region. The bent edges may include portions of the inactive regions and portions of the active region. The bent edges may be wrapped to conform to the shape of an internal support structure. The bent edges may be fastened to the support structure with fastening members that attach a housing member or an internal clamp to the support structure. The bent edges may be secured between the housing member or the internal clamp and the support structure. The fastening members may be engaged in openings in the support structure and may pass through or alongside the bent edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: John Raff, Scott A. Myers, Christopher Stringer
  • Publication number: 20170308123
    Abstract: A portable computing device is disclosed. The portable computing device can take many forms such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and so on. The portable computing device can include at least a single piece housing. The single piece housing can be machined from a single billet of material, such as a billet of aluminum. The single piece housing can include ledges with a surface receiving a trim bead and a cover. Corner brackets can be attached to the single piece housing to improve the damage resistance of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Stephen R. McClure, Sean S. Corbin, John P. Ternus, Kevin D. Gibbs, Jeremy C. Franklin, Elvis M. Kibiti, John Raff, Jules B. Henry, Benjamin Rappoport, Derek W. Wright, Erik A. Utterman, Ming Yu, Carl R. Peterson
  • Patent number: 9710017
    Abstract: A portable computing device is disclosed. The portable computing device can take many forms such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and so on. The portable computing device can include at least a single piece housing. The single piece housing can be machined from a single billet of material, such as a billet of aluminum. The single piece housing can include ledges with a surface receiving a trim bead and a cover. Corner brackets can be attached to the single piece housing to improve the damage resistance of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Stephen R. McClure, Sean S. Corbin, John P. Ternus, Kevin D. Gibbs, Jeremy C. Franklin, Elvis M. Kibiti, John Raff, Jules B. Henry, Benjamin Rappoport, Derek W. Wright, Erik A. Utterman, Ming Yu, Carl R. Peterson
  • Patent number: 9681570
    Abstract: An electronic device may have printed circuits to which electrical components are mounted. The printed circuits may have metal traces that form signal lines and contact pads. Vias or other conductive structures may be used in interconnecting the signal lines to the contact pads. The contact pads may have elongated shapes or other shapes and may be formed in arrays on the printed circuits. Laser welds or other electrical connections may be used to join contact pads on a first printed circuit to respective contact pads on a second printed circuit. The laser welds may form part of a rectangular region of welds or may form part of a non-rectangular region of welds such as a region with a curved edge. Alignment marks may be used in aligning the contact pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: William F. Leggett, John Raff
  • Patent number: D826235
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jody Akana, Bartley K. Andre, Jeremy Bataillou, Sean Stewart Corbin, Daniel J. Coster, Daniele De Iuliis, M. Evans Hankey, Julian Hoenig, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Duncan Robert Kerr, Stephen McClure, Shin Nishibori, Florence Wong Ow, John Raff, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Peter Russell-Clarke, Mikael Silvanto, Christopher J. Stringer, Eugene Antony Whang, Alex Chun Lap Yeung, Rico Zörkendörfer