Apple Inc.

Ming Kun Shi

Christopher Bruni

Collin D Chan

Lindsay D Corbet

William Francis Leggett

Simon Regis Louis Lancaster-Larocque

Houtan R Farahani

Stephen Vincent Jayanathan

Richard A Davis

Hilbert T Kwan

Jing Zhang

Howard Bujtor

Craig A Horton

Jason O Mettler

Qi Tian

Cole J Bowden

An electronic watch may include a housing and a crown configured to receive a rotational input. The crown may include a knob external to the housing, a rotor coupled to the knob and configured to rotate in response to the rotational input, the rotor defining a recess extending about a circumference of the rotor, and a coating positioned in the recess and configured to reflect at least a portion of light incident on the coating. The electronic watch may further include an optical sensing system configured to detect the rotational input using the reflected portion of the light.

Rotation sensor for a crown of an electronic watch

Methods for modifying contours of substrate surfaces are disclosed. Methods include depositing filler material on a critical mating surface of a substrate so as to render the mating surface more mateable with a matching substrate. The filler material can be deposited within or around features or defects on the mating surface such that a final desired surface contour is achieved. In some cases, the final surface contour of the mating surface is planar. This can prevent gaps associated with the features or defects from forming between the substrate and the matching substrate when they are joined together. The final surface contour of the mating surface can be determined by comparing dimensions of the mating surface to dimensions of a reference surface. In some cases, ink jet printing techniques are used to deposit the filler material accurately in prescribed locations and with precise thickness control.

Method for smoothing substrate surface

A housing for an electronic device that allows electromagnetic waves to pass through the housing is disclosed. The housing may include a first portion having an opening, a second portion positioned within the opening, and an insert including a protrusion extending into at least a portion of a gap formed between the first portion and the second portion. The housing also may include a first ink layer disposed within the gap and substantially surrounding the protrusion, and a second ink layer disposed within the gap and over the first ink. The first portion, second ink layer, and second portion may cooperate to form a substantially contiguous surface, and the second ink layer may be positioned approximately 5 microns (&#x3bc;m) or less below an exposed surface of the first portion and an exposed surface of the second portion.

Multi-part electronic device housing having contiguous filled surface

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

Morgan Hill, CA, United States of America

Ming Kun Shi