ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 26 -- United States Patent no. 12,638,892, issued on May 26, was assigned to Apple Inc. (Cupertino, Calif.).

"Computer housing" was invented by Eugene A. Whang (San Francisco), Christopher J. Stringer (Woodside, Calif.), Brett W. Degner (Menlo Park, Calif.), David H. Narajowski (Los Gatos, Calif.), Patrick Kessler (San Francisco), Eric R. Prather (Santa Clara, Calif.), Caitlin Elizabeth Kalinowski (San Francisco), Adam T. Stagnaro (Santa Cruz, Calif.), Daniel L. McBroom (Leonard, Texas), Matthew P. Casebolt (Fremont, Calif.) and Michael D. McBroom (Leonard, Texas).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A desktop computing system having at least a central core surrounded by housing...