In 2020 an Apple customer wrote: “My AirPods mesh fell out, what do I do?” Reply in-part: “The mesh can not be replaced.” Well, times may be changing because it was revealed in a patent filing published Thursday that replaceable mesh could be on the way in the future. This report also briefly covers a patent relating to Apple’s friction mechanism for Pro Display XDR.
On Thursday the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple titled “Replaceable Mesh in Portable Electronic Devices.”
Apple notes that in general, portable listening devices typically include a mesh covering disposed over the audio openings, such as those described above, to protect the speaker and/or the microphone. The mesh can prevent dust, debris, and other foreign objects from reaching sensitive components of the speaker and microphone, such as the speaker diaphragm or microphone membrane.
Mesh coverings, however, can get clogged by the foreign objects they are designed to trap which can lead to decreased performance of a speaker or microphone since audio waves cannot penetrate the foreign objects clogging the mesh.
Apple’s invention covers future AirPods that will include a removable mesh disposed over audio openings in its housing. The audio opening can be an opening through which a speaker can transmit audio waves, an opening through which a microphone can receive audio waves, an opening that allows audio pressure from within the housing to vent, or any other opening through the housing for which a mesh can beneficially provide protection.
The mesh can be removably coupled to the portable listening device so that, if the mesh becomes fully or partially clogged or otherwise damaged, the mesh can quickly and easily be removed from the portable listening device and replaced with a new mesh.
The mesh assembly can include a permanent assembly coupled to the housing and a replaceable assembly removably coupled to the permanent assembly and including a mesh. In some instances, the mesh can be a multilayer mesh that includes an acoustic mesh and a cosmetic mesh.
The replaceable assembly can be removably coupled to the permanent assembly by a wire form attachment. The replaceable assembly can be removably coupled to the permanent assembly by an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer can include a debondable pressure sensitive adhesive section. The replaceable assembly can be removably coupled to the permanent assembly by one or more magnets.
Apple’s patent FIG. 8A above is a perspective view of a mesh assembly #800 that can be magnetically secured to AirPods. The permanent assembly (#830) can include a flange #822 and one or more magnets #824. The flange can couple the permanent assembly to an acoustic housing (as shown in FIGS. 8A or 8B) or, in other embodiments, directly to the housing of an earphone.
The magnets can be adhesively secured to the flange and positioned to magnetically couple with base plate #812 when replaceable assembly #810 is positioned within the opening. The magnets can be selected to generate a sufficiently strong magnetic field to secure base plate during normal operation and during a drop event or similar impact event while still enabling the replaceable assembly to be removed from the earphone when replacement is desired.
Apple’s patent FIGS. 14A and 14B below are simplified cross-sectional views of the replaceable mesh assembly; FIG. 10C is a simplified exploded view of a multi-layer snorkel mesh that can be included in AirPods.
For more details, review Apple’s patent application 20220103930. Considering that this is a patent application, the timing of such a product to market is unknown at this time.
Patent Relating to Apple’s Pro Display XDR
While we’re on the topic of magnets, another Apple patent was published on Thursday covering the Pro Display XDR. While Apple was granted a design patent for their high-end display back in December 2021 and granted their first utility patent for their display’s magnetic Attachment Mechanism in February 2022, Thursday’s patent application, while covering the mechanics of magnets, covers a “friction member” that’s designed to provide a generally scratch-resistant buffer between the electronic device and the stand.
Apple’s patent FIG. 7 above illustrates an exploded view of the electronic device, showing the features used to secure the friction member with the housing.
For more on this, review Apple’s patent application 20220104368.
