Apple's new patent is more advanced than Apple Watch 2 waterproof system

This week, Apple won a new patent on hardware waterproofing for current and future products, while one patent for liquid evacuation through a unique speaker, very similar to the just-released Apple Watch Series 2 smart watch.

According to Nanjing Huaxun, at the press conference earlier this month, one of the biggest highlights of Apple Watch Series 2 smart watch released by Apple is the unique waterproof technology. The speaker will discharge water through a special design after water enters.

Through the modification of the previous product, this technology allows the wearer to discharge the remaining liquid by clicking on the pulse voice coil at the port (used to play the recording) if liquid is detected entering the speaker during underwater activities.

Now in Apple's new patent, the system has been further improved and the waterproof problem has been solved in a more ingenious way. It is reported that this patent has been approved by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and the patent is called "excluding liquid pores".

According to the patent description, if water enters the speaker hole of the device, Apple will use sound and special sensors to analyze whether liquid enters the device, then provide different currents to the conductive materials located around the jack, and then repel or attract the liquid flowing into the speaker hole by releasing positive and negative charges. This charge-discharge operation can make the water in the earphone hole automatically flow out under the action of repulsion or attraction.

In addition, in some other parts, such as speakers, Apple will also use a "sonic energy pulse" method to drain the water. In this case, water and other liquids may be forced into the channels of the pulsed output energy and propagation through the sound waves.

It is unclear whether Apple uses hydrophobic conductive elements in this patent, but at least similar technology has been applied to the latest Apple Watch Series 2 smart watch. In fact, Apple has had many other forms of waterproof patents before, such as the use of a self-healing elastomer material to protect the interfaces of electrical equipment. At present, these interfaces are usually exposed to the air and are easily damaged by hard objects or currents, such as Apple's Lightning interface.

The probe for charging, data transmission or audio transmission on the device can easily penetrate this elastomer material. After the probe is used and contracted, the elastomer material can self-repair the hole caused by the probe passing through and become a closed state again, so as to protect the interface and the probe and prevent water and dust.

In addition, this material is doped with conductive particles of the probe in the region through which the probe passes, improves electrical contact, and enhances reliability. On the connector side, the sharp probe designed to pierce the self-healing elastomer may be integrated into the connector body or interface, such as Apple's Lightning interface, and of course, it can also be designed as an independent probe interface instead of the lightning interface.

This patent was first proposed by Apple in April 2014. The inventors are Stephen P.Zadesky, Fletcher R.Rothkopf and Ashley E. Fletcher.

In addition to the above waterproof patent, Apple has another patent that has also passed the approval, and is also related to Apple Watch, and is very useful for users. The patent is called "Portable Electronic Device Connector". According to the patent description, consumers can connect other devices through the diagnostic interface of Apple Watch to expand more functions.

The diagnostic interface was originally applied to the first generation of Apple Watch smart watches, and now Apple has begun to plan to use this interface to connect more accessories to achieve more functions. At present, according to the patent, this interface has six application prospects, including data transmission, power expansion, built-in GPS radio function strap and cellular network modem. A few months later, Apple confirmed the existence of the diagnostic interface and could demonstrate specific functions in Apple retail stores, including that each Apple Watch was connected to the iPad Mini through a Lightning interface converter.

In this patent, this diagnostic interface can be connected to various accessories through a retractable intelligent six-pin connector. Although Apple has not introduced embedded watchbands at present, it is believed that more functional accessories will use the connection method of this patent in the future.