Apple Inc.

Min Chul Kim

Zheng Gao

Nathan Nicholas Ng

Greg Springer

Joshua R Funamura

Paul Z Yuan

Colin J Abraham

Mahmoud R Amini

Joshua D Banko

Bartley K Andre

John C Difonzo

Stewart Shannon Fields

George Tziviskos

Joshua J Pong

Steve McClure

Josh Pong

Chris A Ligtenberg

Bradley Joseph Hamel

Gregory Allen Springer

George V Anastas

John C DiFonzo

Xuan Liu

Joseph Tang

Robert V Weber

John Raff

Colin Whitby-Strevens

Laura M DeForest

Richard J Middlehurst

Glenn Wheelock

Matthew K Herndon

Brian L Chuang

Anilkumar Raman Pannikkat

Eric Monsef

Vincent Duperron

Ron Larson

Caleb J Flori

Andrew M Weidner

Adrianne M Ruggiero

Dave Narajowski

Jonathan P Ive

Duncan Robert Kerr

Richard P Howarth

Eugene Antony Whang

Peter N Russell-Clarke

Christopher J Stringer

Martha Evans Hankey

Rico L Zorkendorfer

Daniele De Iuliis

Daniel J Coster

Jody R Akana

Matthew Dean Rohrbach

Jeremy D Bataillou

Julian Hoenig

Shin Nishibori

Charles A Schwalbach

Houtan R Farahani

William P Cornelius

Kevin Scott Fetterman

Paul A Baker

Ricardo Alba Mariano

David B Kosecoff

Ian P Colahan

Steven Charles Michalske

Sean Thomas McIntosh

David Samuel Kumka

Paul Joseph Hack

Robert Scritzky

William O Ferry

George Marc Simmel

Todd F Gotham

Patrick T Ryan

Clayton R Woosley

Aditya Rao

Ariadne Smith

Joseph I Briskey

Yufan Liao

Vince Duperron

Larry A Barham

Sridhar Sundaram

Unhyi Yang

Jay E Sha

Samuel W Yuen

Bo Feng

Eric H Wong

My Vu

Jason Squire

Rian Leichter

Vincent D Duperron

This application relates to cable assemblies with an outer (exterior) layer formed from braiding materials together. To achieve a desired pattern, a machine tool forming the outer layer undergoes several modifications. For a machine tool with two tracks (e.g., inner and outer track) with multiple carriers of material to be braided, each carrier position may include multiple bobbins, with each bobbin carrying a spool/coil of the material. During a braiding operation performed by the machine tool, each track rotates in opposite directions. Moreover, some bobbins include an arm that guides the material in a particular manner. For example, during rotation of the track, the arm provides a swinging motion, causing the material carried by the arm to move in a periodic (e.g., sinusoidal) motion. An additional track may be used to guide the arms.

Braided electronic device cable, braiding machine and method for braiding an electronic device cable

A user input device may include a shaft carried by a housing and having a first end extending outwardly beyond the housing for manipulation by a user and a second end within the housing. A set of one or more sensors may be carried by the housing to sense shaft movement. A first contact member may be within the housing, and a spring may be coupled between the first contact member and the shaft to urge the first contact member and the shaft apart. A motor may be carried within the housing and may have a rotatable output extending therefrom. A second contact member may be coupled to the rotatable output and may be in contact with the first contact member to be selectively moveable based upon motor rotation to set a spring compression and thereby set a return-to-center bias for the shaft while being manipulated.

User input device and related methods

Accessory devices for portable electronic devices are herein described. An accessory device may include a receptacle used to receive and carry an electronic device. Further, the accessory device may include a cover that is pivotally coupled to the receptacle. The cover is designed to protect a front surface of the electronic device, including a cover glass. The accessory device may further include a power supply (such as a battery) that is located on the cover. The power supply is designed to provide power to the electronic device, and subsequently charge a battery of the electronic device. The power supply can also provide power to different devices. In this regard, the accessory device may include an inductive charging coil that can inductively charge a battery of a device located on the accessory device. The inductive charging coil can be integrated into the receptacle or the cover.

Accessory case with a power supply

A thumbstick user input device may include a shaft carried by a housing and having an upper end extending outwardly beyond the housing for manipulation by the user's thumb and a lower end within the housing. Sensors may be carried by the housing to sense shaft movement. A first contact member may be within the housing, and a spring may be between the first contact member and the shaft to urge the first contact member and the shaft apart. A motor may be carried at a bottom of the housing and may have a rotatable output extending upwardly therefrom. A second contact member may be coupled to the rotatable output and in contact with the first contact member to be selectively moveable upward or downward based upon motor rotation to set a spring compression and thereby set a return-to-center bias for the shaft while being manipulated by the user's thumb.

Thumbstick user input device and related methods

Structures, methods, and apparatus that provide connector receptacles that have a reduced tendency to scratch and otherwise mar connector inserts, have an aesthetically-pleasing appearance, and have an improved tactile response when inserts are inserted. Various examples reduce scratches and wear by utilizing domes, cylinders, balls, or other structures as finger contacts in a connector receptacle. Another example provides aesthetically-pleasing connector receptacle enclosures by forming receptacle enclosures using the same type of material, or material having the same or similar color or texture, as is used for enclosing the electronic device that includes the receptacle. Another example provides an aesthetically-pleasing receptacle enclosure by forming receptacle enclosures that are, in part or in whole, contiguous or formed with the housing. Another embodiment provides a connector receptacle having a housing where a portion of the housing has been removed to save space.

Simplified connector receptacle housings

Connector inserts having retention features with good reliability and holding force. These connector inserts may include ground contacts that provide an insertion portion having a reduced length. These connector inserts may be reliable, have an attractive appearance, and be readily manufactured.

Connector insert assembly

Connector systems may include a connector receptacle and connector plug or insert. The connector receptacle may include a tongue. A first plurality of contacts may be formed on a top surface of the tongue. A first ground pad may be located on a top surface of tongue, and a shield may be formed around the tongue. The connector insert may include a housing and a conductive shield around the housing behind a leading edge of the connector insert. A front edge of the shield may be folded into an opening at the leading edge. In other examples, the receptacle shield may include one or more fingers. These fingers may contact the connector insert shield to form a ground path. One or more of these fingers may engage openings in the insert shield to provide a retention force between the connector insert and receptacle.

Connector receptacle having a shield

Spring-loaded contacts having an improved reliability. One example may provide spring-loaded contacts having a reduced likelihood of entanglement between a spring and a plunger. For example, a piston may be placed between a plunger and a spring. The piston may have a head portion that is wider than the diameter of the spring and located between the spring and the plunger to isolate the spring and the plunger. In these and other examples, an additional object, such as a sphere, may be placed between the plunger and spring. In another example, two additional objects, such as two spheres, may be placed between a plunger and piston.

Spring-loaded contacts

Systems for presenting electrically supported devices and methods for assembling the same are provided. A platform assembly may be equipped with one or more features for enabling a support module assembly to be easily removed from a bottom table surface of a table and replaced with another support module subassembly (e.g., to physically upgrade the support module assembly) while maintaining the position of a user device and/or cable assembly with respect to the table).

System for presenting electrically supported devices

Circuits, methods, and apparatus that may reduce the number of connector receptacles that are needed on an electronic device. One example may provide a unified connector and circuitry that may be capable of communicating with more than one interface.

Unified connector for multiple interfaces

High speed connector inserts and cables having improved heat conduction, high strength, and may be manufactured in a reliable manner. One example may provide a connector insert having several paths by which heat may be removed from circuitry in the cable insert. In one example, heat may be removed from one or more circuits by forming a thermal path between a circuit and a shield of the connector insert. Another path may include one or more pads on a side of an integrated circuit board that are soldered directly to the shield. A braiding surrounding a cable may be soldered or otherwise thermally connected to the shield. Another example may provide a cable having a braiding that includes one or more types of fibers, such as aramid fibers. Another example may provide for increased manufacturability by using a wire comb and a solder bar.

High-speed connector inserts and cables

Cable assemblies, systems, and methods for making the same are provided.

Cable assemblies, systems, and methods for making the same

Power cables that include plug housings having an improved appearance as well as employ a halogen-free cable while providing adequate fire resistance. One example provides a power cable having cable plug with a substantially unitary body. Another example provides a power cable that is formed using halogen-free materials. To provide adequate fire protection, a strain relief formed using multiple materials is used.

Magnetic connector having a unitary housing

Growing community of inventors

Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Min Chul Kim