Apple Inc.

Michael W Barnstead

Hani Esmaeili

Eric Steven Jol

Christoph Werner

Raymund W M Kwok

Lucy Elizabeth Browning

Duy P Le

Daniel C Wagman

Benjamin J Kallman

Masashige Tatebe

Daniel T McDonald

Robert Scritzky

Takahiro Oshima

Stefan A Kowalski

Thomas Johannessen

Shi Hua Zhang

Andrew J Meschke

Sean R Novak

Ida Y Lo

Richard M Bretherton

Kenneth Michael Bagwell

Sean A Backs

Holly Ubellacker

Xiaoqiang Huang

Judy Hsien-Chih Liu

Christoph Bitterlich

Methods of coating contacts to have a specific color. The color can be selected to match a color of a portion of a device enclosure for an electronic device housing the contacts. Examples can instead provide methods of coating contacts to have a color to contrast with a color of a portion of the device enclosure. These methods can provide electrical contacts having a low contact resistance and good corrosion and scratch resistance.

Electrical contact appearance and protection

Contacts that can be highly corrosion resistant, can be readily manufactured, and can conserve precious materials. One example can provide contacts having a layer of a precious-metal alloy to improve corrosion resistance. The precious-metal-alloy layer can be plated with a hard, durable, wear and corrosion resistant plating stack for further corrosion resistance and wear improvement. The resources consumed by a contact can be reduced by forming a bulk or substrate region of the contact using a more readily available material, such as copper or a material that is primarily copper based.

Precious-metal-alloy contacts

Contacts that may be highly corrosion resistant, may be readily manufactured, and may conserve precious materials. One example may provide contacts having a layer of a precious-metal alloy to improve corrosion resistance. The precious-metal-alloy layer may be plated with a hard, durable, wear and corrosion resistant plating stack for further corrosion resistance and wear improvement. The resources consumed by a contact may be reduced by forming a bulk or substrate region of the contact using a more readily available material, such as copper or a material that is primarily copper based.

Manufacturing methods related to anodizing of metal parts are described. In particular, pre-anodizing and post-anodizing methods for forming a consistent and defect-free interface between metal and non-metal sections of a part are described. Methods involve preventing residues from various manufacturing processes from entering a gap or space at the interface between the metal and non-metal section of the part and that can disrupt subsequent anodizing and anodic film dyeing processes. In particular embodiments, methods involve forming a barrier layer or filler layer between the metal and non-metal sections. Portions of the barrier layer or filler layer can be removed prior to anodizing. The resultant part has a well-defined and uniform space between the metal and non-metal sections that is free from visual defects.

Methods for forming defect-free anodized parts

Growing community of inventors

Pleasanton, CA, United States of America

Michael W Barnstead