Apple Inc.

Brett A Rosenthal

Wayne Cowan

Michael Brickner

Mathias W Schmidt

Richard Walter Heley

Chien-Ming Huang

Brandon J Van Asseldonk

Simon Harnett

Methods are provided for manufacturing a shell assembly for an electrical connector. First and second shells of a shell assembly may be formed from metal sheets via a stamping process. The stamping process may produce a number of first shells attached to a section of metal sheet remaining after the stamping process&#x2014;a guide rail&#x2014;with the front end opening of the first shell being oriented at 90 degrees relative to the guide rail. A second shell may be formed and severed from a metal sheet as a result of the stamping process. One end of the first shells may be exposed after the stamping process such that the second shells may be assembled over the exposed end of the first shells to form a shell assembly. Additional operations can be performed on the shell assembly.

Method of manufacturing a shell assembly for an electrical connector

Housings for electronic devices including adaptive plugs, and the use of adaptive plugs in methods of manufacturing housings. The housing may include an opening, and an adaptive plug releasably positioned within the opening. A method of forming a housing may include forming an opening within the housing, disposing a curable material within the opening of the housing, and curing the material to form an adaptive plug. The adaptive plug may be positioned within the opening of the housing. The method may also include performing at least one surface treatment on the housing. A method of protecting an edge of an opening in a housing may include providing the housing including the opening, forming an adaptive plug within the opening of the housing, and forming a barrier on the edge of the opening using the adaptive plug.

Adaptive plug for edge protection

Frames for plug connectors capable of being a reduced size may include features to support contacts, house circuitry for coupling with the contacts, facilitate the flow of molten material during the molding of the frame, and allow for ease of insertion and removal of the plug connector to and from a corresponding receptacle connector. For example, a frame may include ledges, interlocks, and rounded and tapered openings. Methods for manufacturing the frame are also provided.

Connectors and methods for manufacturing connectors

Frames for plug connectors capable of being a reduced size may include features to support contacts, house circuitry for coupling with the contacts, facilitate the flow of molten material during the molding of the frame, and allow for ease of insertion and removal of the plug connector to and from a corresponding receptacle connector. For example, a frame may include ledges, interlocks and rounded and tapered openings. Methods for manufacturing the frame are also provided.

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Brett A Rosenthal