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Apple Received New Patents Hinge Design for Foldable Devices Apple has continued exploring the design of foldable devices as shown in a recently granted patent today titled (Hinges for folding display devices) (US 12,164,344). For many years Apple has received many patents about foldable technology, yet it has not produced any foldable device, allegedly because the company has been unable to launch the product due to reported delays.
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The newly filed patent outlines a hinge mechanism that is characterized by links that are interconnected through a friction clutch and interlocked (fingers). One of the primary innovations of this design is a crescent-shaped slot that lets each link rotate relative to others. This configuration, in turn, moves the axis of rotation out of the link itself to solve some important problems related to hinge functioning.
According to the patent, this hinge design can be applied broadly to different devices, such as phones, laptops, tablets, watches, and other wearables. Although this shows that Apple has intent to cover many possibilities, it is still not clear if this hinge is an improved version of previous designs or if it will coexist with other patented hinge systems for other devices.
A L S O R E A D
The patent further details the interaction between the fingers, pins, and gears that enables a compact yet effective clutch mechanism. This system gives precise friction control, enabling the hinge to maintain the desired folding angle. Both sides of the hinge have gears ensuring an equal turn, thereby folding and unfolding seamlessly.
There have been reports that Apple is working on a flip-style IPhone and larger foldable devices such as an IPad or MacBook. The company has (technical challenges) according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in developing reliable display and hinge mechanisms. It will be interesting to see if this patent will solve some of those challenges but it shows Apple's ongoing efforts in the foldable technology space.