Patents by Inventor Melody Kuna
Melody Kuna 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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Patent number: 11031195Abstract: An electronic device such as a cover for a portable device or other electronic equipment may have circuitry mounted in a housing. The housing may be formed from layers of material such as fabric and polymer layers. The circuitry of the electronic device may include components mounted on a printed circuit. The components may include movable components such as keys in a keyboard. A fabric layer may overlap the keys. Border regions of the fabric layer that surround each key may be characterized by a stiffness. To ensure that the keys or other movable components in the device exhibit satisfactory stiffness levels, the keys can be tested and selected border regions or other fabric layer portions may be laser ablated or otherwise processed to locally reduce fabric layer stiffness.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2018Date of Patent: June 8, 2021Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Joel N. Ruscher, Christopher T. Lebedeff, Sean Murphy, Melody Kuna
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Patent number: 10796863Abstract: An input device, such as a keyboard, includes one or more keys that each includes a keycap operable to move within an aperture of a frame to activate a switch and fabric disposed over the frame and keycap. A first region of the fabric is bonded to the keycap and a second region of the fabric is bonded to the frame. The first region may be an embossed region and the second region may be an unembossed region. The fabric may dampen sound from within the keyboard, such as noise related to movement of the keycap, activation of the switch, and so on. The fabric may also form a barrier that restricts passage of contaminants into the aperture and/or other portions of the input device.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2015Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Christopher J. Stringer, Daniel J. Coster, Benjamin A. Shaffer, Benjamin A. Cousins, Melody Kuna, Sean S. Corbin, John M. Brock, Robert S. Murphy, Thomas W. Wilson, Jr.
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Patent number: 10362670Abstract: An electronic device such as a cover for a portable device may be provided with a body having hinge portions. The hinge portions may allow the body to bend about one or more bend axes. The cover may have electrical components such as a keyboard. A keyboard may be mounted at one end of the cover and a connector may be mounted at an opposing end of the cover. A flexible fabric signal path structure may be formed from metal traces on a flexible fabric substrate. At one end of the cover, the flexible fabric signal path structure may be coupled to a printed circuit in the keyboard using conductive adhesive. At the opposing end of the cover, the metal traces on the flexible fabric substrate may be coupled to the connector.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2018Date of Patent: July 23, 2019Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Benjamin A. Cousins, Kurt R. Stiehl, Samuel G. Smith, Kirk M. Mayer, Siddhartha Hegde, Melody Kuna
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Publication number: 20180337010Abstract: An electronic device such as a cover for a portable device or other electronic equipment may have circuitry mounted in a housing. The housing may be formed from layers of material such as fabric and polymer layers. The circuitry of the electronic device may include components mounted on a printed circuit. The components may include movable components such as keys in a keyboard. A fabric layer may overlap the keys. Border regions of the fabric layer that surround each key may be characterized by a stiffness. To ensure that the keys or other movable components in the device exhibit satisfactory stiffness levels, the keys can be tested and selected border regions or other fabric layer portions may be laser ablated or otherwise processed to locally reduce fabric layer stiffness.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2018Publication date: November 22, 2018Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Joel N. Ruscher, Christopher T. Lebedeff, Sean Murphy, Melody Kuna
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Patent number: 10056205Abstract: An electronic device such as a cover for a portable device or other electronic equipment may have circuitry mounted in a housing. The housing may be formed from layers of material such as fabric and polymer layers. The fabric may be formed from woven polymer yarn. The fabric may be treated with chemicals to improve stain resistance and wear resistance, may be provided with a polymer backing layer, and may receive molded plastic structures. Patterned areas may be woven into the fabric, may be formed by placing coatings on selected portions of the fabric, or may be formed by embroidering or otherwise locally processing the fabric. The patterned areas may form labels for keyboard keys, logos, key trim patterns, and other features for an electronic device. Patterned areas may have locally enhanced light transmission characteristics and may be backlit.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2017Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Siddhartha Hegde, Benjamin A. Cousins, Benjamin A. Shaffer, Samuel G. Smith, Melody Kuna
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Publication number: 20180168027Abstract: An electronic device such as a cover for a portable device may be provided with a body having hinge portions. The hinge portions may allow the body to bend about one or more bend axes. The cover may have electrical components such as a keyboard. A keyboard may be mounted at one end of the cover and a connector may be mounted at an opposing end of the cover. A flexible fabric signal path structure may be formed from metal traces on a flexible fabric substrate. At one end of the cover, the flexible fabric signal path structure may be coupled to a printed circuit in the keyboard using conductive adhesive. At the opposing end of the cover, the metal traces on the flexible fabric substrate may be coupled to the connector.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2018Publication date: June 14, 2018Inventors: Benjamin A. Cousins, Kurt R. Stiehl, Samuel G. Smith, Kirk M. Mayer, Siddhartha Hegde, Melody Kuna
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Patent number: 9997305Abstract: An electronic device such as a cover for a portable device or other electronic equipment may have circuitry mounted in a housing. The housing may be formed from layers of material such as fabric and polymer layers. The circuitry of the electronic device may include components mounted on a printed circuit. The components may include movable components such as keys in a keyboard. A fabric layer may overlap the keys. Border regions of the fabric layer that surround each key may be characterized by a stiffness. To ensure that the keys or other movable components in the device exhibit satisfactory stiffness levels, the keys can be tested and selected border regions or other fabric layer portions may be laser ablated or otherwise processed to locally reduce fabric layer stiffness.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2015Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Joel N. Ruscher, Christopher T. Lebedeff, Sean Murphy, Melody Kuna
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Patent number: 9883583Abstract: An electronic device such as a cover for a portable device may be provided with a body having hinge portions. The hinge portions may allow the body to bend about one or more bend axes. The cover may have electrical components such as a keyboard. A keyboard may be mounted at one end of the cover and a connector may be mounted at an opposing end of the cover. A flexible fabric signal path structure may be formed from metal traces on a flexible fabric substrate. At one end of the cover, the flexible fabric signal path structure may be coupled to a printed circuit in the keyboard using conductive adhesive. At the opposing end of the cover, the metal traces on the flexible fabric substrate may be coupled to the connector.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2015Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Benjamin A. Cousins, Kurt R. Stiehl, Samuel G. Smith, Kirk M. Mayer, Siddhartha Hegde, Melody Kuna
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Publication number: 20170178840Abstract: An electronic device such as a cover for a portable device or other electronic equipment may have circuitry mounted in a housing. The housing may be formed from layers of material such as fabric and polymer layers. The fabric may be formed from woven polymer yarn. The fabric may be treated with chemicals to improve stain resistance and wear resistance, may be provided with a polymer backing layer, and may receive molded plastic structures. Patterned areas ma be woven into the fabric, may be formed by placing coatings on selected portions of the fabric, or may be formed by embroidering or otherwise locally processing the fabric. The patterned, areas may tot labels for keyboard keys, logos, key trim patterns, and other features for an electronic device. Patterned areas may have locally enhanced light transmission characteristics and may be backlit.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2017Publication date: June 22, 2017Inventors: Siddhartha Hegde, Benjamin A. Cousins, Benjamin A. Shaffer, Samuel G. Smith, Melody Kuna
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Publication number: 20170069442Abstract: An electronic device such as a cover for a portable device or other electronic equipment may have circuitry mounted in a housing. The housing may be formed from layers of material such as fabric and polymer layers. The circuitry of the electronic device may include components mounted on a printed circuit. The components may include movable components such as keys in a keyboard. A fabric layer may overlap the keys. Border regions of the fabric layer that surround each key may be characterized by a stiffness. To ensure that the keys or other movable components in the device exhibit satisfactory stiffness levels, the keys can be tested and selected border regions or other fabric layer portions may be laser ablated or otherwise processed to locally reduce fabric layer stiffness.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2015Publication date: March 9, 2017Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Joel N. Ruscher, Christopher T. Lebedeff, Sean Murphy, Melody Kuna
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Patent number: 9588551Abstract: An electronic device such as a cover for a portable device or other electronic equipment may have circuitry mounted in a housing. The housing may be formed from layers of material such as fabric and polymer layers. The fabric may be formed from woven polymer yarn. The fabric may be treated with chemicals to improve stain resistance and wear resistance, may be provided with a polymer backing layer, and may receive molded plastic structures. Patterned areas may be woven into the fabric, may be formed by placing coatings on selected portions of the fabric, or may be formed by embroidering or otherwise locally processing the fabric. The patterned areas may form labels for keyboard keys, logos, key trim patterns, and other features for an electronic device. Patterned areas may have locally enhanced light transmission characteristics and may be backlit.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2015Date of Patent: March 7, 2017Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Siddhartha Hegde, Benjamin A. Cousins, Benjamin A. Shaffer, Samuel G. Smith, Melody Kuna
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Publication number: 20170060192Abstract: An electronic device such as a cover for a portable device may be provided with a body having hinge portions. The hinge portions may allow the body to bend about one or more bend axes. The cover may have electrical components such as a keyboard. A keyboard may be mounted at one end of the cover and a connector may be mounted at an opposing end of the cover. A flexible fabric signal path structure may be formed from metal traces on a flexible fabric substrate. At one end of the cover, the flexible fabric signal path structure may be coupled to a printed circuit in the keyboard using conductive adhesive. At the opposing end of the cover, the metal traces on the flexible fabric substrate may be coupled to the connector.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2015Publication date: March 2, 2017Inventors: Benjamin A. Cousins, Kurt R. Stiehl, Samuel G. Smith, Kirk M. Mayer, Siddhartha Hegde, Melody Kuna
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Publication number: 20170060190Abstract: An electronic device such as a cover for a portable device or other electronic equipment may have circuitry mounted in a housing. The housing may be formed from layers of material such as fabric and polymer layers. The fabric may be formed from woven polymer yarn. The fabric may be treated with chemicals to improve stain resistance and wear resistance, may be provided with a polymer backing layer, and may receive molded plastic structures. Patterned areas may be woven into the fabric, may be formed by placing coatings on selected portions of the fabric, or may be formed by embroidering or otherwise locally processing the fabric. The patterned areas may form labels for keyboard keys, logos, key trim patterns, and other features for an electronic device. Patterned areas may have locally enhanced light transmission characteristics and may be backlit.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2015Publication date: March 2, 2017Inventors: Siddhartha Hegde, Benjamin A. Cousins, Benjamin A. Shaffer, Samuel G. Smith, Melody Kuna
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Patent number: 9380369Abstract: A microphone includes elements to protect against overpressure, such as from sudden physical shock. A cavity between ambient atmosphere and the microphone diaphragm includes a movable seal, which blocks overpressure from reaching the diaphragm when closed, and allows ordinary pressure to reach the diaphragm when open. The cavity can also have an entrance from ambient atmosphere offset from an exit to the diaphragm, and can include a valve which vents overpressure, or balloons in response to overpressure, so that overpressure does not directly reach the diaphragm. The seal or valve can be kept open or kept closed, and moved between states in response to whether the microphone should be in use or protected.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2013Date of Patent: June 28, 2016Assignee: APPLE INC.Inventors: Erik Utterman, Melody Kuna
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Publication number: 20160049266Abstract: An input device, such as a keyboard, includes one or more keys that each includes a keycap operable to move within an aperture of a frame to activate a switch and fabric disposed over the frame and keycap. A first region of the fabric is bonded to the keycap and a second region of the fabric is bonded to the frame. The first region may be an embossed region and the second region may be an unembossed region. The fabric may dampen sound from within the keyboard, such as noise related to movement of the keycap, activation of the switch, and so on. The fabric may also form a barrier that restricts passage of contaminants into the aperture and/or other portions of the input device.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2015Publication date: February 18, 2016Inventors: Christopher J. Stringer, Daniel J. Coster, Benjamin A. Shaffer, Benjamin A. Cousins, Melody Kuna, Sean S. Corbin, John M. Brock, Robert S. Murphy, Thomas W. Wilson, JR.
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Publication number: 20140226826Abstract: A microphone includes elements to protect against overpressure, such as from sudden physical shock. A cavity between ambient atmosphere and the microphone diaphragm includes a movable seal, which blocks overpressure from reaching the diaphragm when closed, and allows ordinary pressure to reach the diaphragm when open. The cavity can also have an entrance from ambient atmosphere offset from an exit to the diaphragm, and can include a valve which vents overpressure, or balloons in response to overpressure, so that overpressure does not directly reach the diaphragm. The seal or valve can be kept open or kept closed, and moved between states in response to whether the microphone should be in use or protected.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2013Publication date: August 14, 2014Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Erik Utterman, Melody Kuna