Apple Inc.

Hilbert T Kwan

Keith J Hendren

Craig C Leong

Derrick T Jue

Houtan R Farahani

James J Niu

Feng Zhao

Jeffrey L Yen

Yanyang Yuan

Wanshan Li

Ze Hong

Bartley K Andre

Zheng Gao

Michael D McBroom

Charles A Schwalbach

Gavin J Reid

Stephen Vincent Jayanathan

Brandon S Smith

Joss Nathan Giddings

Ming Kun Shi

Jing Zhang

Christopher Bruni

Lindsay D Corbet

Howard Bujtor

Katherine Spriggs

Hsinhan Wu

You Fu Tan

Jason O Mettler

Qi Tian

An illuminated glass keycap having a glyph diffuser layer that may diffuse light through a glyph window opened in a background layer. The background layer may be opaque and the glyph window may be transparent. The keycap is adhered to a scissor mechanism positioned above electrical switch circuitry. Included within, below, or adjacent to the scissor mechanism may be one or more light sources positioned to emit light through the keycap, around the perimeter of the keycap, and/or through the background layer.

Keycaps having reduced thickness

The present application describes various embodiments regarding systems and methods for providing a lightweight and durable portable computing device having a thin profile. The portable computing device can take the form of a laptop computer. The portable computing device can include a case snap system configured to movably attach two portions of a base of the computing device together. The portable computing device can include a lid portion with a support structure having a shaped profile configured to support a display. The portable computing device can include locating features disposed within the base portion configured to locate internal components.

Enclosure features for a portable computing device

An illuminated metal keycap having a legend diffuser material that may diffuse light through a legend opened in a background layer. The background layer may be opaque and the legend may be transparent. The metal keycap is adhered to a scissor mechanism positioned above electrical switch circuitry. Included within, below, or adjacent to the scissor mechanism may be one or more light sources positioned to emit light through the metal keycap, around the perimeter of the metal keycap, and/or through the background layer.

Keycaps with reduced thickness

An enclosure for a portable computing device is disclosed. The enclosure includes an indicium (e.g., logo) positioned in an opening extending partially through the enclosure. The enclosure includes multiple material removal processes. First, a tool (e.g., laser ablation tool) can be used to ablate the opening defining an ablation having a shape or profile similar to that of the indicium. A second material removal process can remove a region within the ablation to define an indicium support. The second material removal process may be performed by a CNC cutting tool capable of forming the indicium support to a desired precision. As a result, when the indicium is secured with the indicium support, the indicium includes a desired flatness that prevents an undesired reflectivity. In order to ensure the indicium properly fits in the opening, a third material removal process may be performed to define an indention region around the opening.

Logo features of a portable computer

Perforated structures and methods for forming perforated structures are disclosed. The perforated structures include partial holes or blind-holes that pass partially through the substrate. The partial holes can be positioned proximate to through-holes that pass entirely through the substrate. The partial holes add mechanical strength to the perforated substrate. Described are methods for modifying the optical appearance of the partial holes such that the partial holes appear indistinguishable from the through-holes, which allows for flexibility in designing cosmetically appealing patterns within the perforated structures.

Treatment of substrate sub-surface

Growing community of inventors

Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Hilbert T Kwan