Apple applies a patent for waterproofing Lightning connector

Apple has applied to the US Patent and Trademark Office that it has filed a "patent for waterproofing treatment" on the Lightning connector used to charge and synchronize Apple products such as iPhone and iPad It was.

Apple Invents Next-Gen Lightning Connector tip that could expand to create a Liquid-Tight Seal - Patently Apple
http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2018/03/apple-invents-next-gen-lightning-connector-tip-that-could-expand-to-create-a-liquid-tight-seal.html


Apple could vacuum seal Lightning connections for additional waterproofing - The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/3/8/17097822/iphone-vacuum-seal-lightning-connector-patent-apple

iPhone 7 first for iPhoneWaterproof and waterproof performanceAlthough it is an iPhone which does not break down with a little or gently wetting, if it drops into the water in the state that it is physically connected with the other accessories during charging, the Lightning connector itself gets wet and can be short-circuited There is sex. In addition, there is also the possibility that the connector part will be damaged by moisture even if it does not fall into the water.

However, on March 8, 2018, the Patent and Trademark Office published a patent application for waterproofing processing of Lightning connector submitted by Apple. According to this patent, Apple seems to be planning to waterproof lightning cables and connectors in two ways.

The first idea is as shown below. The connector part is covered with a deformable flexible material and becomes thinner towards the tip. When inserting this connector into a terminal such as iPhone, the flexible material deforms so as to fill up the "gap" between the terminal and the connector, so as long as the lightning connector is inserted in the terminal, water etc. from the terminal part There is no worry that the invasion will happen.


Another idea is to "make vacuum sealed state" at the terminal part when Lightning cable etc is connected. It seems to be able to form a vacuum state at the terminal part by generating vibration by mounting a generator and a piston inside the connector. The "generator and piston" to form this vacuum state is not built in the Lightning terminal part of the iPhone, iPad, etc. It is planned to be installed on the "side equipped with connectors" such as Lightning cable. Also, when using an accessory capable of forming this vacuum state, it is also stated that the user can activate and release the vacuum state from the interface of the iPhone or the like.

This patent application was filed in September 2016, when Apple just released iPhone 7. Apple has filed a number of patents so far, some of which have been adopted in Apple products, others are not adopted, so the "waterproofed terminal" patent actually Whether it is reflected in Apple's product is unknown at the time of article creation.