Apple invention uses self-healing elastomers to weatherproof iPhone connectors, audio jack
An Apple patent application on Thursday suggests a method of portable device weatherproofing that buries sensitive electrical device contacts beneath a layer of self-healing elastomer, allowing connectors to penetrate without leaving lasting aesthetic or structural damage.
Published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Apple's application for an "Electronic device with hidden connector" details a method of protecting electrical device connections commonly exposed to the elements with specialized self-healing elastomeric material. Probes attached to power, data or audio feeds are able to puncture the elastomer, which re-seals itself upon their extraction.
Specified as a silicone material, or polymerized siloxane, in Apple's invention, such substrates have the ability to "heal" themselves after penetration or other structural damage by reforming chemical bonds to regain mechanical properties. According to the document, an ideal elastomer would be able to regain at least 90 percent of its original tensile strength in the penetration region.
Ideal elastomers would be mixed with other materials to achieve a color matching that of the portable device to which it will be applied, for example black or white for iPhone. Some manufacturing techniques call for the material to be applied over sensitive contacts in liquid form, while others allow for installation of pre-molded attachments.
In other embodiments, regions of the elastomer in contact with exposed traces are doped with conductive particulates into which the connector probe is inserted. This method provides improved electrical contact and enhanced reliability.
On the connector side, sharp probes designed to pierce the self-healing elastomer might be integrated into a connector body or plug, such as Apple's Lightning protocol. Alternatively, a separate device might be used to the same effect.
Of particular interest is a well detailed example involving common 3.5mm audio plugs. According to Apple's document, self-healing elastomers can be applied to the opening of a headphone jack, as well as inside the cylindrical housing, to protect the exposed contacts from liquid, dust and other contaminants. The layer or layers of elastomer can be penetrated by a headphone plug, then reseal when the connector is removed.
In another example the entire audio jack is completely filled with elastomer, with conductively doped bands of material interspersed over audio jack contacts to better interface with tip-ring-ring-sleeve (TRRS) conductors on a 3.5mm audio plug. Ports are disposed within the audio jack housing to accept elastomer displaced when the plug is inserted. Once the plug is removed, the self-healing material regains its initial mechanical properties, protecting the contacts therein from contaminants.
It remains unclear if Apple intends to implement self-healing elastomers in its product lineup, but the company has been rumored to be working on a weatherproof iPhone. Other smartphone manufacturers have experimented with self-healing materials, the most notable being LG's Flex, but the requisite characteristics Apple describes are far beyond any contemporary commercial application.
Apple's self-healing elastomer patent application was fist filed for in June 2014 and credits David I. Nazzaro, Tyler S. Bushnell and Ibuki Kamei as its inventors.
Published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Apple's application for an "Electronic device with hidden connector" details a method of protecting electrical device connections commonly exposed to the elements with specialized self-healing elastomeric material. Probes attached to power, data or audio feeds are able to puncture the elastomer, which re-seals itself upon their extraction.
Specified as a silicone material, or polymerized siloxane, in Apple's invention, such substrates have the ability to "heal" themselves after penetration or other structural damage by reforming chemical bonds to regain mechanical properties. According to the document, an ideal elastomer would be able to regain at least 90 percent of its original tensile strength in the penetration region.
Ideal elastomers would be mixed with other materials to achieve a color matching that of the portable device to which it will be applied, for example black or white for iPhone. Some manufacturing techniques call for the material to be applied over sensitive contacts in liquid form, while others allow for installation of pre-molded attachments.
In other embodiments, regions of the elastomer in contact with exposed traces are doped with conductive particulates into which the connector probe is inserted. This method provides improved electrical contact and enhanced reliability.
On the connector side, sharp probes designed to pierce the self-healing elastomer might be integrated into a connector body or plug, such as Apple's Lightning protocol. Alternatively, a separate device might be used to the same effect.
Of particular interest is a well detailed example involving common 3.5mm audio plugs. According to Apple's document, self-healing elastomers can be applied to the opening of a headphone jack, as well as inside the cylindrical housing, to protect the exposed contacts from liquid, dust and other contaminants. The layer or layers of elastomer can be penetrated by a headphone plug, then reseal when the connector is removed.
In another example the entire audio jack is completely filled with elastomer, with conductively doped bands of material interspersed over audio jack contacts to better interface with tip-ring-ring-sleeve (TRRS) conductors on a 3.5mm audio plug. Ports are disposed within the audio jack housing to accept elastomer displaced when the plug is inserted. Once the plug is removed, the self-healing material regains its initial mechanical properties, protecting the contacts therein from contaminants.
It remains unclear if Apple intends to implement self-healing elastomers in its product lineup, but the company has been rumored to be working on a weatherproof iPhone. Other smartphone manufacturers have experimented with self-healing materials, the most notable being LG's Flex, but the requisite characteristics Apple describes are far beyond any contemporary commercial application.
Apple's self-healing elastomer patent application was fist filed for in June 2014 and credits David I. Nazzaro, Tyler S. Bushnell and Ibuki Kamei as its inventors.
Comments
Also, how do users intuit where they're supposed to violate the device and where such penetration attempts are just going to result in damage?
This reeks of patent application for no reason other than to get there first in case someone else thinks up the idea.
im sick of patents.
Svu im sick of autocorrect and text selection sucking so much on websites/forums.
loiuf at that. The first word on every line gets no autocorrection.
its like the Apple forum where every first line has two capital letters.
ny fascination with Apple has run out.
.....that's what she said
Apparently not.
Oh and additional weatherproofing would be a guard against device damage BETWEEN those every year purchases you're assuming.
ibe been wondering why autocorrect doesn't work sometimes.
ehat a shame
Oh please.
Apple does what every other tech company in the Valley does, and for the same reasons. The only difference is when Google/Alphabet/Larry Page wastes his time, money, and resources on jetpacks and cardboard VR, the tech press and the gadget-obsessed spurt their load all over the Internet about how great and innovative Google's Chocolate Factory is.
Secondly, it has nothing to do with any of the supposed ills, bugs, or annoyances that you have with (insert Apple product name). It's not "innovation/patents or bug fixes but not both." That's a false dilemma. Surely you know this.
Whatever product defects Apple has are legitimate gripes, and should be directed to Apple's feedback pages.
It has NOTHING to do with patent applications, R&D, Tim Cook getting a humanitarian award, or Jony Ivy attending fashion events, or whatever else supposedly disgusts you about Apple. Not everyone at Apple has the job of fixing software bugs, but you guys sure think that is the case. Conflating these unrelated things into a single, hand-waving justification to be allegedly disillusioned with Apple on a Web forum just reeks of concern trolling. What a shame.
I used my first gen naked for seven years. Not a scratch. I expect to use my 6 for the same amount of time.