Patents by Inventor Phillip M. Hobson

Phillip M. Hobson 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).

  • Publication number: 20250017326
    Abstract: A removable module and a housing for an attachment system of a consumer product is described. The removable module includes a locking mechanism comprising a first portion having a substantially planar top surface and second portion that comprises a substantially non-planar bottom surface. The first portion and the second portion are coupled together. The locking mechanism also includes a first spring mechanism coupled between the first portion and the second portion. The first spring mechanism causes the first portion to be biased away from the second portion. The locking mechanism also includes a second spring mechanism. The second spring mechanism causes the substantially planar top surface of the first portion to be biased substantially flush with respect to the removable module and also causes the substantially non-planar bottom surface of the second portion to be biased proud with respect to the removable module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2024
    Publication date: January 16, 2025
    Inventors: Ryan C. PERKINS, Phillip M. HOBSON, Michael J. WEBB
  • Publication number: 20240422926
    Abstract: A cold worked stainless steel bezel for a portable electronic device is provided. The bezel is secured flush to a housing to form part of the case of the portable electronic device. A brace that includes a slot for receiving a wall extending from the bezel is fixed to the housing. When the bezel engages the housing, the wall of the bezel is inserted in the slot of the brace and releasably held by a spring that engages both the brace and the wall. The bezel can be released by disengaging the spring, (e.g., using a special tool or a magnetic field). Because the bezel is manufactured from cold worked stainless steel, it is hard and resistant to impacts. Cold worked steel also facilitates manufacturing within design constraints and tolerances, and requires very little machining after manufacturing to comply with those constraints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2024
    Publication date: December 19, 2024
    Inventors: Stephen P. Zadesky, Phillip M. Hobson, Tang Yew Tan
  • Patent number: 12127636
    Abstract: A removable module and a housing for an attachment system of a consumer product is described. The removable module includes a locking mechanism comprising a first portion having a substantially planar top surface and second portion that comprises a substantially non-planar bottom surface. The first portion and the second portion are coupled together. The locking mechanism also includes a first spring mechanism coupled between the first portion and the second portion. The first spring mechanism causes the first portion to be biased away from the second portion. The locking mechanism also includes a second spring mechanism. The second spring mechanism causes the substantially planar top surface of the first portion to be biased substantially flush with respect to the removable module and also causes the substantially non-planar bottom surface of the second portion to be biased proud with respect to the removable module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan C. Perkins, Phillip M. Hobson, Michael J. Webb
  • Patent number: 12114444
    Abstract: A cold worked stainless steel bezel for a portable electronic device is provided. The bezel is secured flush to a housing to form part of the case of the portable electronic device. A brace that includes a slot for receiving a wall extending from the bezel is fixed to the housing. When the bezel engages the housing, the wall of the bezel is inserted in the slot of the brace and releasably held by a spring that engages both the brace and the wall. The bezel can be released by disengaging the spring, (e.g., using a special tool or a magnetic field). Because the bezel is manufactured from cold worked stainless steel, it is hard and resistant to impacts. Cold worked steel also facilitates manufacturing within design constraints and tolerances, and requires very little machining after manufacturing to comply with those constraints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Stephen P. Zadesky, Phillip M. Hobson, Tang Yew Tan
  • Publication number: 20240057271
    Abstract: A cold worked stainless steel bezel for a portable electronic device is provided. The bezel is secured flush to a housing to form part of the case of the portable electronic device. A brace that includes a slot for receiving a wall extending from the bezel is fixed to the housing. When the bezel engages the housing, the wall of the bezel is inserted in the slot of the brace and releasably held by a spring that engages both the brace and the wall. The bezel can be released by disengaging the spring, (e.g., using a special tool or a magnetic field). Because the bezel is manufactured from cold worked stainless steel, it is hard and resistant to impacts. Cold worked steel also facilitates manufacturing within design constraints and tolerances, and requires very little machining after manufacturing to comply with those constraints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: Stephen P. Zadesky, Phillip M. Hobson, Tang Yew Tan
  • Patent number: 11805613
    Abstract: A cold worked stainless steel bezel for a portable electronic device is provided. The bezel is secured flush to a housing to form part of the case of the portable electronic device. A brace that includes a slot for receiving a wall extending from the bezel is fixed to the housing. When the bezel engages the housing, the wall of the bezel is inserted in the slot of the brace and releasably held by a spring that engages both the brace and the wall. The bezel can be released by disengaging the spring, (e.g., using a special tool or a magnetic field). Because the bezel is manufactured from cold worked stainless steel, it is hard and resistant to impacts. Cold worked steel also facilitates manufacturing within design constraints and tolerances, and requires very little machining after manufacturing to comply with those constraints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Stephen P. Zadesky, Phillip M. Hobson, Tang Yew Tan
  • Publication number: 20230329400
    Abstract: A removable module and a housing for an attachment system of a consumer product is described. The removable module includes a locking mechanism comprising a first portion having a substantially planar top surface and second portion that comprises a substantially non-planar bottom surface. The first portion and the second portion are coupled together. The locking mechanism also includes a first spring mechanism coupled between the first portion and the second portion. The first spring mechanism causes the first portion to be biased away from the second portion. The locking mechanism also includes a second spring mechanism. The second spring mechanism causes the substantially planar top surface of the first portion to be biased substantially flush with respect to the removable module and also causes the substantially non-planar bottom surface of the second portion to be biased proud with respect to the removable module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Ryan C. PERKINS, Phillip M. Hobson, Michael J. Webb
  • Patent number: 11717060
    Abstract: A removable module and a housing for an attachment system of a consumer product is described. The removable module includes a locking mechanism comprising a first portion having a substantially planar top surface and second portion that comprises a substantially non-planar bottom surface. The first portion and the second portion are coupled together. The locking mechanism also includes a first spring mechanism coupled between the first portion and the second portion. The first spring mechanism causes the first portion to be biased away from the second portion. The locking mechanism also includes a second spring mechanism. The second spring mechanism causes the substantially planar top surface of the first portion to be biased substantially flush with respect to the removable module and also causes the substantially non-planar bottom surface of the second portion to be biased proud with respect to the removable module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Ryan C. Perkins, Phillip M. Hobson, Michael J. Webb
  • Publication number: 20230189461
    Abstract: A cold worked stainless steel bezel for a portable electronic device is provided. The bezel is secured flush to a housing to form part of the case of the portable electronic device. A brace that includes a slot for receiving a wall extending from the bezel is fixed to the housing. When the bezel engages the housing, the wall of the bezel is inserted in the slot of the brace and releasably held by a spring that engages both the brace and the wall. The bezel can be released by disengaging the spring, (e.g., using a special tool or a magnetic field). Because the bezel is manufactured from cold worked stainless steel, it is hard and resistant to impacts. Cold worked steel also facilitates manufacturing within design constraints and tolerances, and requires very little machining after manufacturing to comply with those constraints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2023
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Stephen P. Zadesky, Phillip M. Hobson, Tang Yew Tan
  • Patent number: 11576271
    Abstract: A cold worked stainless steel bezel for a portable electronic device is provided. The bezel is secured flush to a housing to form part of the case of the portable electronic device. A brace that includes a slot for receiving a wall extending from the bezel is fixed to the housing. When the bezel engages the housing, the wall of the bezel is inserted in the slot of the brace and releasably held by a spring that engages both the brace and the wall. The bezel can be released by disengaging the spring, (e.g., using a special tool or a magnetic field). Because the bezel is manufactured from cold worked stainless steel, it is hard and resistant to impacts. Cold worked steel also facilitates manufacturing within design constraints and tolerances, and requires very little machining after manufacturing to comply with those constraints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Stephen P. Zadesky, Phillip M. Hobson, Tang Yew Tan
  • Publication number: 20210251349
    Abstract: A removable module and a housing for an attachment system of a consumer product is described. The removable module includes a locking mechanism comprising a first portion having a substantially planar top surface and second portion that comprises a substantially non-planar bottom surface. The first portion and the second portion are coupled together. The locking mechanism also includes a first spring mechanism coupled between the first portion and the second portion. The first spring mechanism causes the first portion to be biased away from the second portion. The locking mechanism also includes a second spring mechanism. The second spring mechanism causes the substantially planar top surface of the first portion to be biased substantially flush with respect to the removable module and also causes the substantially non-planar bottom surface of the second portion to be biased proud with respect to the removable module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Inventors: Ryan C. Perkins, Phillip M. Hobson, Michael J. Webb
  • Publication number: 20210176876
    Abstract: A cold worked stainless steel bezel for a portable electronic device is provided. The bezel is secured flush to a housing to form part of the case of the portable electronic device. A brace that includes a slot for receiving a wall extending from the bezel is fixed to the housing. When the bezel engages the housing, the wall of the bezel is inserted in the slot of the brace and releasably held by a spring that engages both the brace and the wall. The bezel can be released by disengaging the spring, (e.g., using a special tool or a magnetic field). Because the bezel is manufactured from cold worked stainless steel, it is hard and resistant to impacts. Cold worked steel also facilitates manufacturing within design constraints and tolerances, and requires very little machining after manufacturing to comply with those constraints.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: Stephen P. Zadesky, Phillip M. Hobson, Tang Yew Tan
  • Patent number: 11026484
    Abstract: A removable module and a housing for an attachment system of a consumer product is described. The removable module includes a locking mechanism comprising a first portion having a substantially planar top surface and second portion that comprises a substantially non-planar bottom surface. The first portion and the second portion are coupled together. The locking mechanism also includes a first spring mechanism coupled between the first portion and the second portion. The first spring mechanism causes the first portion to be biased away from the second portion. The locking mechanism also includes a second spring mechanism. The second spring mechanism causes the substantially planar top surface of the first portion to be biased substantially flush with respect to the removable module and also causes the substantially non-planar bottom surface of the second portion to be biased proud with respect to the removable module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan C. Perkins, Phillip M. Hobson, Michael J. Webb
  • Patent number: 10932382
    Abstract: A cold worked stainless steel bezel for a portable electronic device is provided. The bezel is secured flush to a housing to form part of the case of the portable electronic device. A brace that includes a slot for receiving a wall extending from the bezel is fixed to the housing. When the bezel engages the housing, the wall of the bezel is inserted in the slot of the brace and releasably held by a spring that engages both the brace and the wall. The bezel can be released by disengaging the spring, (e.g., using a special tool or a magnetic field). Because the bezel is manufactured from cold worked stainless steel, it is hard and resistant to impacts. Cold worked steel also facilitates manufacturing within design constraints and tolerances, and requires very little machining after manufacturing to comply with those constraints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Stephen P. Zadesky, Phillip M. Hobson, Tang Yew Tan
  • Patent number: D947839
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jody Akana, Bartley K. Andre, Shota Aoyagi, Anthony Michael Ashcroft, Jeremy Bataillou, Brad G. Boozer, Makiko Kawamura Brzezinski, Tyler Scott Bushnell, Daniel J. Coster, Daniele De Iuliis, Colin Ely, M. Evans Hankey, Phillip M. Hobson, Julian Hoenig, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Eric Steven Jol, Benjamin Jordan Kallman, Duncan Robert Kerr, David Nazzaro, Trevor Jordan Ness, Marc A. Newson, David Pelletier, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Fletcher Rothkopf, Peter Russell-Clarke, Jason Christopher Sauers, Benjamin Andrew Shaffer, Anna-Katrina Shedletsky, Mikael Silvanto, Christopher J. Stringer, Samuel Bruce Weiss, Christopher M. Werner, Eugene Antony Whang, Michael Benjamin Wittenberg, Stephen Paul Zadesky, Rico Zörkendörfer
  • Patent number: D1043666
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jody Akana, Bartley K. Andre, Shota Aoyagi, Anthony Michael Ashcroft, Jeremy Bataillou, Brad G. Boozer, Makiko Kawamura Brzezinski, Tyler Scott Bushnell, Daniel J. Coster, Daniele De Iuliis, Colin Ely, M. Evans Hankey, Phillip M. Hobson, Julian Hoenig, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Eric Steven Jol, Benjamin Jordan Kallman, Duncan Robert Kerr, David Nazzaro, Trevor Jordan Ness, Marc A. Newson, David Pelletier, Matthew Dean Rohrbach, Fletcher Rothkopf, Peter Russell-Clarke, Jason Christopher Sauers, Benjamin Andrew Shaffer, Anna-Katrina Shedletsky, Mikael Silvanto, Christopher J. Stringer, Samuel Bruce Weiss, Christopher M. Werner, Eugene Antony Whang, Michael Benjamin Wittenberg, Stephen Paul Zadesky, Rico Zörkendörfer
  • Patent number: D1077802
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jody Akana, Molly Anderson, Bartley K. Andre, Shota Aoyagi, Anthony Michael Ashcroft, Marine C. Bataille, Jeremy Bataillou, Abidur Rahman Chowdhury, Clara Geneviève Marine Courtaigne, Markus Diebel, Alexandre B. Girard, Jonathan Gomez Garcia, M. Evans Hankey, Anne-Marie Heck, Moises Hernandez Hernandez, Julian Hoenig, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Julian Jaede, Duncan Robert Kerr, Kainoa Kwon-Perez, Nicolas Pedro Lylyk, Marc A. Newson, Peter Russell-Clarke, Benjamin Andrew Shaffer, Joe Sung-Ho Tan, Clement Tissandier, Eugene Antony Whang, Timothy Y. Chang, Devinne Cullinane, Teodor Dabov, Jeremy Contini Franklin, Phillip M. Hobson, Edward Siyuan Huo, Anthony S. Montevirgen, Jeffrey C. Olson, Yamile Pariente Monalli, Ritu Shah, Divakar Singamsetty, Jason L. Slupeiks
  • Patent number: D1086130
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jody Akana, Molly Anderson, Bartley K. Andre, Shota Aoyagi, Anthony Michael Ashcroft, Marine C. Bataille, Jeremy Bataillou, Abidur Rahman Chowdhury, Clara Geneviève Marine Courtaigne, Markus Diebel, Alexandre B. Girard, Jonathan Gomez Garcia, M. Evans Hankey, Anne-Marie Heck, Moises Hernandez Hernandez, Julian Hoenig, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Julian Jaede, Duncan Robert Kerr, Kainoa Kwon-Perez, Nicolas Pedro Lylyk, Marc A. Newson, Peter Russell-Clarke, Benjamin Andrew Shaffer, Joe Sung-Ho Tan, Clement Tissandier, Eugene Antony Whang, Laura M. Campo, David J. Dunsmoor, Phillip M. Hobson, Jason C. Sauers, Sivesh Selvakumar, Jason L. Slupeiks
  • Patent number: D1087961
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2024
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2025
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Molly Anderson, Bartley K. Andre, Shota Aoyagi, Marine C. Bataille, Abidur Rahman Chowdhury, Clara Geneviève Marine Courtaigne, Markus Diebel, Alexandre B. Girard, M. Evans Hankey, Anne-Marie Heck, Moises Hernandez Hernandez, Richard P. Howarth, Julian Jaede, Duncan Robert Kerr, Kainoa Kwon-Perez, Nicolas Pedro Lylyk, Peter Russell-Clarke, Benjamin Andrew Shaffer, Clement Tissandier, Kristine S. Atom, Kristina A. Babiarz, Phillip M. Hobson, Jonathan M. Lee, Shirley S. Lu, Ivan S. Maric, Jan K. Quijalvo, Matin Sedat Beheshti, Blake N. Trekell, Forrest C. Wang, Paul X. Wang, Aidan N. Zimmerman
  • Patent number: D1087963
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2024
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2025
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jody Akana, Molly Anderson, Bartley K. Andre, Shota Aoyagi, Anthony Michael Ashcroft, Marine C. Bataille, Jeremy Bataillou, Abidur Rahman Chowdhury, Clara Geneviève Marine Courtaigne, Markus Diebel, Alexandre B. Girard, Jonathan Gomez Garcia, M. Evans Hankey, Anne-Marie Heck, Moises Hernandez Hernandez, Julian Hoenig, Richard P. Howarth, Jonathan P. Ive, Julian Jaede, Duncan Robert Kerr, Kainoa Kwon-Perez, Nicolas Pedro Lylyk, Marc A. Newson, Peter Russell-Clarke, Benjamin Andrew Shaffer, Joe Sung-Ho Tan, Clement Tissandier, Eugene Antony Whang, Timothy Y. Chang, Devinne Cullinane, Jeremy Contini Franklin, Phillip M. Hobson, Edward Siyuan Huo, Anthony S. Montevirgen, Jeffrey C. Olson, Yamile Pariente Monalli, Ritu Shah, Divakar Singamsetty, Jason L. Slupeiks