公开(公告)号：US10275068B2

公开(公告)日：2019-04-30

申请号：US15933113

申请日：2018-03-22

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Storrs T. Hoen ,  Kristina A. Babiarz ,  Miguel C. Christophy ,  Romain A. Teil ,  Sinan Filiz ,  Vivek Katiyar

IPC: G06F3/041 ,  G06F3/0488

Abstract: An electronic device has a force sensor that determines a measure of applied force from a user contacting a cover glass of the device. In one embodiment, a frame at least partially encloses an interior of the electronic device and has an open end. A cover glass covers the open end of the frame and is movably connected to the frame to allow movement of the cover glass in response to one or more forces applied to an external surface of the cover glass. A plurality of strain probes is positioned under the cover glass, between the cover glass and the frame, and is arranged to output a plurality of strain signals response to the one or more forces applied to the cover glass. A force processing module is configured to at least calculate an amount of force applied to the cover glass based on the plurality of strain signals.

公开(公告)号：US10088937B2

公开(公告)日：2018-10-02

申请号：US14398720

申请日：2013-03-15

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Storrs T. Hoen ,  Peteris K. Augenbergs ,  John M. Brock ,  Jonah A. Harley ,  Sam Rhea Sarcia

IPC: G06F3/041 ,  G01L1/22 ,  H05K13/00 ,  G06F3/0354 ,  G06F3/044

Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating a bending beam sensor coupled to a touch input device. The method includes providing a bending beam. The method also includes placing a first strain gauge and a second strain gauge on a surface of the beam near a first end of the beam, and aligning the first strain gauge and the second strain gauge with the beam along an axis. The first end is attached to a base. The method further includes coupling the first strain gauge and the second strain gauge to a plate of the touch input device and electrically connecting the first strain gauge and the second strain gauge such that a differential signal is obtained from the first strain gauge and the second strain gauge when a load is applied on the plate of the touch input device.

公开(公告)号：US09830782B2

公开(公告)日：2017-11-28

申请号：US14841582

申请日：2015-08-31

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： John B. Morrell ,  Jonah A. Harley ,  Storrs T. Hoen ,  Brett W. Degner ,  Camille Moussette ,  Anthony Guetta ,  Samuel B Weiss ,  Douglas A. Scott

IPC: H04B3/36 ,  G08B6/00 ,  G06F3/01 ,  H04L12/18 ,  H04M19/04 ,  H01H3/00

CPC classification number: G08B6/00 ,  G06F3/016 ,  H01H2003/008 ,  H04L12/1895 ,  H04M19/047

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a haptic actuator or a device having a haptic actuator that is capable of producing short, sharp and crisp pulses in a short amount of time.

公开(公告)号：US20160063826A1

公开(公告)日：2016-03-03

申请号：US14841582

申请日：2015-08-31

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： John B. Morrell ,  Jonah A. Harley ,  Storrs T. Hoen ,  Brett W. Degner ,  Camille Moussette ,  Anthony Guetta ,  Samuel B. Weiss ,  Douglas A. Scott

IPC: G08B6/00

CPC classification number: G08B6/00 ,  G06F3/016 ,  H01H2003/008 ,  H04L12/1895 ,  H04M19/047

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a haptic actuator or a device having a haptic actuator that is capable of producing short, sharp and crisp pulses in a short amount of time.

公开(公告)号：US11747950B2

公开(公告)日：2023-09-05

申请号：US16544692

申请日：2019-08-19

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Jonah A. Harley ,  Peter W. Richards ,  Brian Q. Huppi ,  Omar Sze Leung ,  Dhaval N. Shah ,  Martin P. Grunthaner ,  Steven P. Hotelling ,  Miguel C. Christophy ,  Vivek Katiyar ,  Tang Yew Tan ,  Christopher J. Butler ,  Erik G. De Jong ,  Ming Sartee ,  Rui Qiao ,  Steven J. Martisauskas ,  Storrs T. Hoen ,  Richard Hung Minh Dinh ,  Lee E. Hooton ,  Ian A. Spraggs ,  Sawyer I. Cohen ,  David A. Pakula

IPC: G06F3/044

CPC classification number: G06F3/0447 ,  G06F2203/04105

Abstract: A device configured to determine the location and magnitude of a touch on a surface of the device. The device includes a transparent touch sensor that is configured to detect a location of a touch on the transparent touch sensor. The device also includes a force-sensing structure disposed at the periphery of the transparent touch sensor. The force sensor includes an upper capacitive plate and a compressible element disposed on one side of the upper capacitive plate. The force sensor also includes a lower capacitive plate disposed on a side of the compressible element that is opposite the upper capacitive plate.

公开(公告)号：US20230061553A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-02

申请号：US17862249

申请日：2022-07-11

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Yue Chen ,  Didio V. Gomes ,  Benjamin J. Grena ,  Storrs T. Hoen ,  David M. Kindlon ,  Daniel A. Podhajny ,  Andrew L. Rosenberg

IPC: D03D1/00

Abstract: One or more electrical components may be incorporated into a piece of fabric. The electrical component may include an internal portion that is located inside of the fabric, an external portion that is located on an exterior surface of the fabric, and protrusions that extend through the fabric to electrically and/or mechanically couple the internal and external portions of the electrical component. The internal portion of the component may be inserted into the fabric during formation of the fabric. The external portion of the component may be coupled to the internal portion after the fabric is formed by inserting the protrusions on the internal portion into recesses in the external portion. The external portion of the component may contain skin-facing and/or viewer-facing input-output devices, while the internal portion may contain circuitry that electrically communicates with the input-output devices in the external portion.

公开(公告)号：US20200283935A1

公开(公告)日：2020-09-10

申请号：US16809445

申请日：2020-03-04

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Kyle L. Chatham ,  Kathryn P. Crews ,  Didio V. Gomes ,  Benjamin J. Grena ,  Storrs T. Hoen ,  Steven J. Keating ,  David M. Kindlon ,  Daniel A. Podhajny ,  Andrew L. Rosenberg ,  Daniel D. Sunshine ,  Lia M. Uesato ,  Joseph B. Walker ,  Felix Binder ,  Bertram Wendisch ,  Martin Latta ,  Ulrich Schläpfer ,  Franck Robin ,  Michael Baumann ,  Helen Wächter Fischer

IPC: D03D1/00 ,  H05K1/03

Abstract: Interlacing equipment may be used to form fabric and to create a gap in the fabric. The fabric may include one or more conductive strands. An insertion tool may be used to align an electrical component with the conductive strands during interlacing operations. A soldering tool may be used to remove insulation from the conductive strands to expose conductive segments on the conductive strands. The soldering tool may be used to solder the conductive segments to the electrical component. The solder connections may be located in grooves in the electrical component. An encapsulation tool may dispense encapsulation material in the grooves to encapsulate the solder connections. After the electrical component is electrically connected to the conductive strands, the insertion tool may position and release the electrical component in the gap. A component retention tool may temporarily be used to retain the electrical component in the gap as interlacing operations continue.

公开(公告)号：US10659866B2

公开(公告)日：2020-05-19

申请号：US16131996

申请日：2018-09-14

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： John Stephen Smith ,  Storrs T. Hoen

IPC: H04R1/10 ,  G01L9/04 ,  G01L1/02 ,  H04R9/06 ,  G01L9/12 ,  G01L9/06 ,  G01L9/08

Abstract: Disclosed herein are electronic devices having a deformable surfaces through which a user can provide inputs to the device by applying a force such as a pinch or a squeeze. A particular embodiment is an earpiece with the deformable surface part of an elongate section extending from an earbud. The deformable surface includes an incompressible hyperelastic material and a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor includes a pressure sensing element and a void defined between the pressure sensing element and the incompressible hyperelastic material. An applied force is transferred by the incompressible hyperelastic material to compress the void and change an internal pressure thereof. The changed pressure is detected by the pressure sensor, and can result in changed operation of the electronic device.

公开(公告)号：US10649528B2

公开(公告)日：2020-05-12

申请号：US16524741

申请日：2019-07-29

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Storrs T. Hoen ,  Daniel D. Sunshine ,  Aidan N. Zimmerman ,  Daniel A. Podhajny ,  Maurice P. May

IPC: G06F3/01 ,  G01L1/14 ,  A41D1/00 ,  A41D31/02 ,  A61B5/00 ,  D03D1/00 ,  G06F3/041 ,  G06F3/044 ,  G06F3/045 ,  G06F3/0488 ,  A61B5/021 ,  A61B5/08 ,  A61B5/024 ,  D02G3/44 ,  G06F1/16

Abstract: A fabric-based item such as a fabric glove may include force sensing circuitry. The force sensing circuitry may include force sensor elements formed from electrodes on a compressible substrate such as an elastomeric polymer substrate. The fabric may include intertwined strands of material including conductive strands. Signals from the force sensing circuitry may be conveyed to control circuitry in the item using the conductive strands. Wireless circuitry in the fabric-based item may be used to convey force sensor information to external equipment. The compressible substrate may have opposing upper and lower surfaces. Electrodes for the force sensor elements may be formed on the upper and lower surfaces. Stiffeners may overlap the electrodes to help decouple adjacent force sensor elements from each other. Integrated circuits can be attached to respective force sensing elements using adhesive.

公开(公告)号：US10437331B2

公开(公告)日：2019-10-08

申请号：US16206851

申请日：2018-11-30

Applicant: Apple Inc.

Inventor： Storrs T. Hoen ,  Daniel D. Sunshine ,  Aidan N. Zimmerman ,  Daniel A. Podhajny ,  Maurice P. May

IPC: G06F3/01 ,  A41D1/00 ,  A41D31/02 ,  A61B5/00 ,  D03D1/00 ,  G06F1/16 ,  G06F3/041 ,  G06F3/044 ,  G06F3/045 ,  G06F3/0488 ,  G01L1/14 ,  D02G3/44

Abstract: A fabric-based item such as a fabric glove may include force sensing circuitry. The force sensing circuitry may include force sensor elements formed from electrodes on a compressible substrate such as an elastomeric polymer substrate. The fabric may include intertwined strands of material including conductive strands. Signals from the force sensing circuitry may be conveyed to control circuitry in the item using the conductive strands. Wireless circuitry in the fabric-based item may be used to convey force sensor information to external equipment. The compressible substrate may have opposing upper and lower surfaces. Electrodes for the force sensor elements may be formed on the upper and lower surfaces. Stiffeners may overlap the electrodes to help decouple adjacent force sensor elements from each other. Integrated circuits can be attached to respective force sensing elements using adhesive.