Patents by Inventor Todd S. Mintz

Todd S. Mintz 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
  • 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
  • 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: 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: 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: 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: 11178781
    Abstract: This application relates to a composite part that can include a non-metal layer having attachment features, and a metal part that is joined with the non-metal layer. The metal part can include a plurality of interlocking structures that are disposed at an external surface of the metal part, where each of the interlocking structures can include an opening characterized as having a first width, and an undercut region, where the opening leads into the undercut region, and the undercut region is characterized as having a second width that is greater than the first width such that the undercut region captures and retains one of the attachment features of the non-metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Todd S. Mintz, Shi Hua Zhang, Abhijeet Misra, Eric W. Hamann
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11032930
    Abstract: This application relates to a method for forming an enclosure for a portable electronic device. The enclosure includes a metal substrate having a first b* value. The method includes forming an anodized layer that overlays and is formed from the metal substrate, wherein the anodized layer has a second b* value that is no greater than 0.3 of the first b* value and no less than 0.3 less than the first *b value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: James A. Curran, Todd S. Mintz, Daniel T. McDonald
  • Publication number: 20210109568
    Abstract: This application relates to an enclosure for a portable electronic device. The enclosure 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: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: James A. CURRAN, Sonja R. POSTAK, Todd S. MINTZ
  • Patent number: 10901458
    Abstract: This application relates to an enclosure for a portable electronic device. The enclosure 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: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: James A. Curran, Sonja R. Postak, Todd S. Mintz
  • Publication number: 20210010151
    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: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: James A. CURRAN, Todd S. MINTZ, Isabel YANG
  • Publication number: 20200383223
    Abstract: This application relates to a method for forming an enclosure for a portable electronic device. The enclosure includes a metal substrate having a first b* value. The method includes forming an anodized layer that overlays and is formed from the metal substrate, wherein the anodized layer has a second b* value that is no greater than 0.3 of the first b* value and no less than 0.3 less than the first *b value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: James A. CURRAN, Todd S. MINTZ, Daniel T. MCDONALD
  • Patent number: 10842035
    Abstract: This application relates to an enclosure for a portable electronic device. The enclosure includes a titanium substrate having interstitial nitrogen atoms, where the titanium substrate is characterized as having an a* value that is less than 1, a b* value that is less than 5, and an L* value that is more than 70.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: James A. Curran, Zechariah D. Feinberg, Todd S. Mintz
  • Publication number: 20200103937
    Abstract: This application relates to an enclosure for a portable electronic device. The enclosure 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: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: James A. CURRAN, Sonja R. POSTAK, Todd S. MINTZ
  • Publication number: 20200107462
    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: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: James A. CURRAN, Sonja R. POSTAK, Todd S. MINTZ
  • Publication number: 20200056300
    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: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Inventors: James A. CURRAN, James A. DEAN, Todd S. MINTZ