Patents by Inventor Nicholas A. Rundle

Nicholas A. Rundle 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: 11950036
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a housing defining an aperture and a display positioned in the aperture. The display and the housing can define an internal volume in which a speaker assembly is positioned. The speaker assembly can include a speaker module and a speaker enclosure in fluid communication, with the speaker enclosure at least partially defining a speaker volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Chanjuan Feng, Christopher Wilk, Dinesh C. Mathew, Keith J. Hendren, Stuart M. Nevill, Daniel K. Boothe, Nicholas A Rundle, Simon S. Lee, Xiang Zhang, Thomas H. Tsang, Rebecca J. Mikolajczyk
  • Publication number: 20240094765
    Abstract: A laptop computer may include a base portion including a keyboard, and a display portion flexibly coupled to the base portion. The display portion may include a housing component formed of metal and defining a set of side surfaces, a front cover assembly coupled to the housing component and including a first glass member defining at least a portion of a front exterior surface of the display portion, and a display coupled to the first glass member, and a rear cover assembly coupled to the housing component and including a second glass member defining at least a portion of a rear exterior surface of the display portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Michael E. Leclerc, Simon J. Trivett, Lauren M. Farrell, Nicholas A. Rundle
  • Patent number: 11886235
    Abstract: An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device includes a shield that provides thermal and electromagnetic interference (“EMI”) shielding benefits. The shield is secured with fan assemblies by airtight seals to prevent air leakage and promote a pressured volume when the fan assemblies are running. Further, the shield can direct airflow from the fan assemblies to one or more thermally conductive components, where the airflow can convectively cool the thermally conductive components and exit the electronic device. The shield is made from a metal, and when the shield covers a circuit board, the shield protects an EMI barrier for integrated circuits located on the circuit board. Moreover, the shield can provide a single-piece, monolithic body that provides advantages over multiple shields, such as eliminating gaps in the shield for air leakage and EMI intrusion, increasing air circulation efficiency, and decreasing costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Adam T. Garelli, Paul X. Wang, Pooja B. Patel, Nicholas A. Rundle, Eric R. Prather, Simon S. Lee
  • Publication number: 20230188877
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a housing defining an aperture and a display positioned in the aperture. The display and the housing can define an internal volume in which a speaker assembly is positioned. The speaker assembly can include a speaker module and a speaker enclosure in fluid communication, with the speaker enclosure at least partially defining a speaker volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2023
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Chanjuan Feng, Christopher Wilk, Dinesh C. Mathew, Keith J. Hendren, Stuart M. Nevill, Daniel K. Boothe, Nicholas A. Rundle, Simon S. Lee, Xiang Zhang, Thomas H. Tsang, Rebecca J. Mikolajczyk
  • Patent number: 11606633
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a housing defining an aperture and a display positioned in the aperture. The display and the housing can define an internal volume in which a speaker assembly is positioned. The speaker assembly can include a speaker module and a speaker enclosure in fluid communication, with the speaker enclosure at least partially defining a speaker volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Chanjuan Feng, Christopher Wilk, Dinesh C. Mathew, Keith J. Hendren, Stuart M. Nevill, Daniel K. Boothe, Nicholas A. Rundle, Simon S. Lee, Xiang Zhang, Thomas H. Tsang, Rebecca J. Mikolajczyk
  • Patent number: 11513383
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a housing that at least partially defines an exterior surface and an internal volume of the electronic device, and a display assembly at least partially disposed in the internal volume. The display assembly can include a transparent cover that at least partially defines the exterior surface of the electronic device, a backlight unit disposed between the cover and the housing, a frame coupling the cover to the backlight unit, a portion of the frame at least partially defining an aperture, and an electronic component disposed in the internal volume and extending through the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Lauren M. Farrell, Adam T. Garelli, Brian P. Graves, David P. Tarkington, Eric L. Benson, Erik A. Zweigle, Kwonil D. Fleischman, Paul X. Wang, Simon S. Lee, Tingjun Xu, Nicholas A. Rundle
  • Patent number: 11415825
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a housing at least partially defining an exterior surface and an internal volume of the electronic device, and an engagement feature affixed to the housing, the engagement feature including a shaft having a first diameter and a top portion having a second, larger diameter. A display component can be disposed in the internal volume and can define a retention feature including a first orifice having a diameter at least as large as the second diameter and a second orifice having a diameter less than the second diameter and at least as large as the first diameter, the first orifice intersecting the second orifice. The shaft can be disposed in the second orifice, and a securing component can be disposed between the display component and the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas A. Rundle, David P. Tarkington
  • Publication number: 20220091457
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a housing that at least partially defines an exterior surface and an internal volume of the electronic device, and a display assembly at least partially disposed in the internal volume. The display assembly can include a transparent cover that at least partially defines the exterior surface of the electronic device, a backlight unit disposed between the cover and the housing, a frame coupling the cover to the backlight unit, a portion of the frame at least partially defining an aperture, and an electronic component disposed in the internal volume and extending through the aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: Lauren M. Farrell, Adam T. Garelli, Brian P. Graves, David P. Tarkington, Eric L. Benson, Erik A. Zweigle, Kwonil D. Fleischman, Paul X. Wang, Simon S. Lee, Tingjun Xu, Nicholas A. Rundle
  • Publication number: 20220050513
    Abstract: An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device includes a shield that provides thermal and electromagnetic interference (“EMI”) shielding benefits. The shield is secured with fan assemblies by airtight seals to prevent air leakage and promote a pressured volume when the fan assemblies are running. Further, the shield can direct airflow from the fan assemblies to one or more thermally conductive components, where the airflow can convectively cool the thermally conductive components and exit the electronic device. The shield is made from a metal, and when the shield covers a circuit board, the shield protects an EMI barrier for integrated circuits located on the circuit board. Moreover, the shield can provide a single-piece, monolithic body that provides advantages over multiple shields, such as eliminating gaps in the shield for air leakage and EMI intrusion, increasing air circulation efficiency, and decreasing costs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Inventors: Adam T. GARELLI, Paul X. WANG, Pooja B. PATEL, Nicholas A. RUNDLE, Eric R. PRATHER, Simon S. LEE
  • Patent number: 11108130
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a desktop computer may have a housing with a conductive housing wall and a display mounted to the housing opposite the conductive housing wall. A conductive tongue may extend through an opening in the housing wall to secure the housing to a hinge barrel on a desktop stand. A slot antenna may be formed from a slot element in the conductive tongue. The antenna may be fed by a flexible printed circuit coupled across the slot element or by a feed printed circuit in the housing that is coupled to the conductive tongue by a conductive screw. A conductive sleeve may be placed over the conductive tongue. The stand may be replaced with a mounting bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Bradley J. Hamel, Jerzy S. Guterman, Joel D. Barrera, Nicholas A. Rundle, Nikolaos Chiotellis, Simon S. Lee
  • Publication number: 20210265719
    Abstract: An electronic device such as a desktop computer may have a housing with a conductive housing wall and a display mounted to the housing opposite the conductive housing wall. A conductive tongue may extend through an opening in the housing wall to secure the housing to a hinge barrel on a desktop stand. A slot antenna may be formed from a slot element in the conductive tongue. The antenna may be fed by a flexible printed circuit coupled across the slot element or by a feed printed circuit in the housing that is coupled to the conductive tongue by a conductive screw. A conductive sleeve may be placed over the conductive tongue. The stand may be replaced with a mounting bracket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Bradley J. Hamel, Jerzy S. Guterman, Joel D. Barrera, Nicholas A. Rundle, Nikolaos Chiotellis, Simon S. Lee
  • Publication number: 20210176547
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a housing defining an aperture and a display positioned in the aperture. The display and the housing can define an internal volume in which a speaker assembly is positioned. The speaker assembly can include a speaker module and a speaker enclosure in fluid communication, with the speaker enclosure at least partially defining a speaker volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: Paul X. Wang, Chanjuan Feng, Christopher Wilk, Dinesh C. Mathew, Keith J. Hendren, Stuart M. Nevill, Daniel K. Boothe, Nicholas A. Rundle, Simon S. Lee, Xiang Zhang, Thomas H. Tsang, Rebecca J. Mikolajczyk
  • Patent number: 10966343
    Abstract: A structure can include a body having a first surface and a second opposing surface. The three-dimensional structure can include the body defining a first pattern of first cavities extending into the body from the first surface and the body defining a second pattern of second cavities extending into the body from the second surface. One or more first cavities can eccentrically intersect with one or more second cavities to define a pattern of apertures in the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Richard P. Howarth, Nicholas A. Rundle, Bartley K. Andre, Sung-Ho Tan, Lauren M. Farrell, Kevin J. Ryan, David H. Narajowski
  • Patent number: 10959334
    Abstract: An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device may include a first part coupled to a second part by a fastener. The first part may include a through hole and several spring elements that define the first through hole. The second part may include a through hole and several extensions that define the through hole. The electronic device may include a fastener used to secure the first part with the second part. In this manner, the fastener passes through respective through holes of the first part and the second part. Further, the fastener can engage and deform the spring elements such that the spring elements extend into the through hole of the second part. As a result, the spring elements are displaced and the fastener engages not only the spring elements but also the extensions. The parts may include circuit boards or sheet metal, as non-limiting examples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas A. Rundle, Mackenzie D. Porter
  • Patent number: 10948953
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments related to a component for use in a portable electronic device. The component includes a wall of the portable electronic device, containing an intake zone that includes a set of intake vents. The wall also includes an exhaust zone containing a set of exhaust vents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brett W. Degner, Bartley K. Andre, Jeremy D. Bataillou, Jay S. Nigen, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Ron A. Hopkinson, Charles A. Schwalbach, Matthew P. Casebolt, Nicholas A. Rundle, Frank F. Liang
  • Publication number: 20200379290
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a housing at least partially defining an exterior surface and an internal volume of the electronic device, and an engagement feature affixed to the housing, the engagement feature including a shaft having a first diameter and a top portion having a second, larger diameter. A display component can be disposed in the internal volume and can define a retention feature including a first orifice having a diameter at least as large as the second diameter and a second orifice having a diameter less than the second diameter and at least as large as the first diameter, the first orifice intersecting the second orifice. The shaft can be disposed in the second orifice, and a securing component can be disposed between the display component and the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Nicholas A. Rundle, David P. Tarkington
  • Patent number: 10761356
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a housing at least partially defining an exterior surface and an internal volume of the electronic device, and an engagement feature affixed to the housing, the engagement feature including a shaft having a first diameter and a top portion having a second, larger diameter. A display component can be disposed in the internal volume and can define a retention feature including a first orifice having a diameter at least as large as the second diameter and a second orifice having a diameter less than the second diameter and at least as large as the first diameter, the first orifice intersecting the second orifice. The shaft can be disposed in the second orifice, and a securing component can be disposed between the display component and the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Nicholas A. Rundle, David P. Tarkington
  • Publication number: 20200245497
    Abstract: A structure can include a body having a first surface and a second opposing surface. The three-dimensional structure can include the body defining a first pattern of first cavities extending into the body from the first surface and the body defining a second pattern of second cavities extending into the body from the second surface. One or more first cavities can eccentrically intersect with one or more second cavities to define a pattern of apertures in the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Richard P. Howarth, Nicholas A. Rundle, Bartley K. Andre, Sung-Ho Tan, Lauren M. Farrell, Kevin J. Ryan, David H. Narajowski
  • Publication number: 20200187381
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments related to a component for use in a portable electronic device. The component includes a wall of the portable electronic device, containing an intake zone that includes a set of intake vents. The wall also includes an exhaust zone containing a set of exhaust vents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Brett W. Degner, Bartley K. Andre, Jeremy D. Bataillou, Jay S. Nigen, Christiaan A. Ligtenberg, Ron A. Hopkinson, Charles A. Schwalbach, Matthew P. Casebolt, Nicholas A. Rundle, Frank F. Liang
  • Patent number: 10667426
    Abstract: A structure can include a body having a first surface and a second opposing surface. The three-dimensional structure can include the body defining a first pattern of first cavities extending into the body from the first surface and the body defining a second pattern of second cavities extending into the body from the second surface. One or more first cavities can eccentrically intersect with one or more second cavities to define a pattern of apertures in the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Richard P. Howarth, Nicholas A. Rundle, Bartley K. Andre, Sung-Ho Tan, Lauren M. Farrell, Kevin J. Ryan, David H. Narajowski