Patents by Inventor Zhicong Yao

Zhicong Yao 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: 20240307942
    Abstract: Enclosure covers for mobile computing devices are often formed from planar sections of sheet metal that form opposing outer-most layers thereof. The enclosure covers generally enclose and protect internal components. Enclosure covers for mobile computing devices are typically made from planar extrusions of aluminum with subsequent computer numerical control (CNC) machining and other processing steps to achieve complex shapes. Machining can be particularly wasteful of material and numerous processing steps are time-consuming and costly. The presently disclosed variable thickness enclosure covers sourced from extruded sheets of variable thickness reduce or eliminate machining and other processing steps typically required to achieve a desired complex shape. This is accomplished by extruding a shape closer to the desired shape of the variable thickness enclosure cover than presently known.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2024
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Inventors: Zhicong YAO, Kenneth Charles BOMAN, Massood NIKKHAH
  • Patent number: 12030101
    Abstract: Enclosure covers for mobile computing devices are often formed from planar sections of sheet metal that form opposing outer-most layers thereof. The enclosure covers generally enclose and protect internal components. Enclosure covers for mobile computing devices are typically made from planar extrusions of aluminum with subsequent computer numerical control (CNC) machining and other processing steps to achieve complex shapes. Machining can be particularly wasteful of material and numerous processing steps are time-consuming and costly. The presently disclosed variable thickness enclosure covers sourced from extruded sheets of variable thickness reduce or eliminate machining and other processing steps typically required to achieve a desired complex shape. This is accomplished by extruding a shape closer to the desired shape of the variable thickness enclosure cover than presently known.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Zhicong Yao, Kenneth Charles Boman, Massood Nikkhah
  • Publication number: 20230354569
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electronic device housing includes obtaining a monolithic body of RF transparent material and plating a surface of the monolithic body with a nanograin coating to increase the structural rigidity of the monolithic body. A portion of the nanograin coating is thereafter removed to create an RF window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Zhicong YAO, Han LI, Scott Douglas BOWERS, Massood NIKKHAH, Joseph Benjamin GAULT
  • Patent number: 11744058
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electronic device housing includes obtaining a monolithic body of RF transparent material and plating a surface of the monolithic body with a nanograin coating to increase the structural rigidity of the monolithic body. A portion of the nanograin coating is thereafter removed to create an RF window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Zhicong Yao, Han Li, Scott Douglas Bowers, Massood Nikkhah, Joseph Benjamin Gault
  • Publication number: 20230262913
    Abstract: Housings for electronic devices may include a steel body, such as a stainless steel body, that has an outer portion and an inner portion. The outer portion may exhibit an average Vickers hardness of 200 HV or higher. The inner portion may exhibit an average Vickers hardness of 180 HV or lower. The lower hardness of the inner portion may facilitate working the material of the inner portion, such as to form attachment points, protrusions, holes, or other features. Various additional devices, methods, and systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Zhicong Yao, Luke Murphy, Robert Liang, Eric Santini
  • Publication number: 20230185336
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a display with a glass planar portion and a second material position at an outer edge of the glass planar portion. The glass planar portion defines a majority of a display surface of the display, and the second material is molded to the outer edge of the glass planar portion and defines at least part of a border portion. The second material is curved in a direction perpendicular to the display surface. The second material is composed of a first plurality of segments and a second plurality of segments. Each segment of the second plurality of segments is interposed between adjacent segments of the first plurality of segments, and the first plurality of segments interlock with the second plurality of segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2022
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Zhicong YAO, Kenneth Charles BOMAN
  • Publication number: 20230051228
    Abstract: Enclosure covers for mobile computing devices are often formed from planar sections of sheet metal that form opposing outer-most layers thereof. The enclosure covers generally enclose and protect internal components. Enclosure covers for mobile computing devices are typically made from planar extrusions of aluminum with subsequent computer numerical control (CNC) machining and other processing steps to achieve complex shapes. Machining can be particularly wasteful of material and numerous processing steps are time-consuming and costly. The presently disclosed variable thickness enclosure covers sourced from extruded sheets of variable thickness reduce or eliminate machining and other processing steps typically required to achieve a desired complex shape. This is accomplished by extruding a shape closer to the desired shape of the variable thickness enclosure cover than presently known.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventors: Zhicong YAO, Kenneth Charles BOMAN, Massood NIKKHAH
  • Publication number: 20210161038
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electronic device housing includes obtaining a monolithic body of RF transparent material and plating a surface of the monolithic body with a nanograin coating to increase the structural rigidity of the monolithic body. A portion of the nanograin coating is thereafter removed to create an RF window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventors: Zhicong YAO, Han LI, Scott Douglas BOWERS, Massood NIKKHAH, Joseph Benjamin GAULT
  • Publication number: 20200187393
    Abstract: The description relates to devices, such as computing devices that can include structural assemblies. One example can include a structural component defining a periphery of the structural assembly and an internal region of the structural assembly. The example can also include a sacrificial component positioned in the internal region and secured to the structural component by a breakaway connector that defines a first void and an opposing second void that is at least partially offset from the first void.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Zhicong YAO, Guang Lei WANG, Tianyu Zhao
  • Patent number: 10674647
    Abstract: The description relates to devices, such as computing devices that can include structural assemblies. One example can include a structural component defining a periphery of the structural assembly and an internal region of the structural assembly. The example can also include a sacrificial component positioned in the internal region and secured to the structural component by a breakaway connector that defines a first void and an opposing second void that is at least partially offset from the first void.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Zhicong Yao, Guang Lei Wang, Tianyu Zhao
  • Publication number: 20200032373
    Abstract: An article comprises a bulk layer of an aluminum-alloy composite and a surface layer. The bulk layer comprises an aggregate dispersed in an aluminum-alloy matrix, the aggregate being solid and unreactive in a melt of the aluminum-alloy matrix, and having an average particle size of 100 microns or less. The surface layer comprises an anodized form of the bulk layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Zhicong YAO, Massood NIKKHAH
  • Publication number: 20190351475
    Abstract: A method for use in manufacturing a metal part is provided. The method may include casting liquid metal in a ceramic mold. The ceramic mold may be formed via an investment casting process in which a wax mold is used to as a form for the ceramic mold, and the wax is melted away from the ceramic mold prior to its use. The method may further include cooling the liquid metal in the ceramic mold to form a solid metal part, and then divesting the ceramic mold to release the metal part. The metal part may include an imperfection in a shape of the metal part. To correct the imperfection, the method may include shaping the metal part by near-net shape forging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Zhicong YAO, Malcolm Stewart EARLY, Byungkwan MIN, Luke Michael MURPHY
  • Publication number: 20130270120
    Abstract: A system and process for reducing cosmetic defects such as black lines, and otherwise improving the final cosmetic appearance of anodized parts is disclosed. The process can include degreasing an aluminum or other metal part in a neutral to low alkaline solution having a mild detergent, chemically polishing the metal part with a specialized solution having one or more additives at an increased temperature for a reduced amount of time, and anodizing the metal part at a reduced voltage and for a reduced amount of time. An activating step can also be performed as part of the overall process. Tap water rinse, deionized water rinse, desmut, seal and bake procedures can also be performed on the metal part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Zhicong Yao, Chi-Hsiang Chang
  • Patent number: 6745609
    Abstract: An improved stamping die assembly is provided for controlling the flow of sheet metal during the draw forming process. The die assembly includes a textured die surface on the one or both sides of the binder mating surfaces that replaces conventional draw and lock beads. The textured die surface can be formed using direct metal deposition of a hard material, harder than the existing die surfaces, on the existing die base material to achieve an engineered textured surface. The textured die surface optimizes the performance of the die by enabling longer die life, higher coefficients of friction between the mating binder surfaces and reduction of wrinkles and stringers typically caused by draw and lock beads in the draw forming process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Mark D Garnett, William A Marttila, Zhicong Yao
  • Publication number: 20040083786
    Abstract: An improved stamping die assembly is provided for controlling the flow of sheet metal during the draw forming process. The die assembly includes a textured die surface on the one or both sides of the binder mating surfaces that replaces conventional draw and lock beads. The textured die surface can be formed using direct metal deposition of a hard material, harder than the existing die surfaces, on the existing die base material to achieve an engineered textured surface. The textured die surface optimizes the performance of the die by enabling longer die life, higher coefficients of friction between the mating binder surfaces and reduction of wrinkles and stringers typically caused by draw and lock beads in the draw forming process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventors: Mark D. Garnett, William A. Marttila, Zhicong Yao