New Apple patent would allow touch-sensing surfaces made using Liquidmetal tech
An Apple patent published on Tuesday could potentially be applied to building touch-sensing surfaces, including screens, using material concepts first developed by Liquidmetal Technology.
Originally filed in 2012, the patent describes a way of using "bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys" in substrates and arrays. "Discrete areas of crystalline alloy" could be used to form sense, drive, and/or multi-function circuit elements.
The patent is credited to five people, at least two of whom -- Christopher Prest and Joseph Poole -- were formerly with Liquidmetal before joining Apple. Years ago a licensing agreement gave Apple access to Liquidmetal's patents, presumably including today's. Another credited inventor though is Steve Zadesky, formerly an iPhone and iPod designer and briefly the head of the "Apple Car" project.
It's not clear how or even if Apple might make use of the patent, at least in any noticeable manner. In fact the company has made very little use of Liquidmetal's technology so far, the only known one being pins for iPhone SIM card trays. In 2013 Apple won a patent on a mass-manufacturing technique, but building larger parts out of Liquidmetal material is likely still difficult in terms of scale and cost, even if it could result in tougher devices.
Originally filed in 2012, the patent describes a way of using "bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys" in substrates and arrays. "Discrete areas of crystalline alloy" could be used to form sense, drive, and/or multi-function circuit elements.
The patent is credited to five people, at least two of whom -- Christopher Prest and Joseph Poole -- were formerly with Liquidmetal before joining Apple. Years ago a licensing agreement gave Apple access to Liquidmetal's patents, presumably including today's. Another credited inventor though is Steve Zadesky, formerly an iPhone and iPod designer and briefly the head of the "Apple Car" project.
It's not clear how or even if Apple might make use of the patent, at least in any noticeable manner. In fact the company has made very little use of Liquidmetal's technology so far, the only known one being pins for iPhone SIM card trays. In 2013 Apple won a patent on a mass-manufacturing technique, but building larger parts out of Liquidmetal material is likely still difficult in terms of scale and cost, even if it could result in tougher devices.
Comments
In fact if you try to bend it with your fingers you will fail and hurt yourself, as LiquidMetal is 2-3x stronger than titanium.
But why didn't their CEO just say that?
Can any contract lawyers in the house say how a "Capture Period", originally defined to be 18-months after a date certain
(modified in Amendment #2 to be "Date of Closing" = Feb. 26, 2015 + 18 months" [which would be about now]) plays with section 9(A) rights?
I suppose we can global replace all the verbiage from MTA to MTA Amendments 1, 2, and 3, plus "attachments" and then re-interpret, egads.
Apple should just buy LM already.
http://www.idownloadblog.com/2015/09/25/fixit-iphone-6s-teardown/
describes 96 "capacitive pressure sensors" buried in the iPhone LCD display.
Unless someone "de-bonds" that how might we know whether the 6s
matrix is plain vanilla non-BMG alloy (always "incorporated by reference"
from prior Apple patents), or the new & improved stuff?
There's also an X-ray pic in that link of the linear actuator "Taptic Engine"
coil (or is it a spring?). Could be LM, but then if so, why wouldn't some leak
from China (say from an metal-injection molder) or basic engineering pride, reveal such?
As for iPhone 7, the mechanical dome-switch made of LM in another cited
patent may be a no-go in favor of the "force touch" way, of whatever provenance.
Further, it would be useful to teardown the speaker grilles from the
forthcoming 7, also potentially made of LM as teased from yet another patent
from Apple/Liquid Metal/Crucible collaboration.