Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile

Apple patent shows ideas for crack-resistant iPhone airbags

Jeff Hughes
By

Good news for the Donald LeBuhns of the world, newly uncovered patents filed by Apple show the company has been thinking about upping durability for portables. Future iOS devices may even be getting little airbags installed to prevent your precious mobile electronics from shattering on the first drop.

The patent was apparently filed in 2010’s Q2, and dug up by Pattently Apple who says that one of the patent inventors, Stephen Lynch, worked on the iPod touch and inductive charging projects.

Related Videos

One pathway the patent points to for enhancing the durability of devices—assuming scratch attracting plastic isn’t considered—is to strengthen the glass. The thinner the device becomes, the thinner the glass cover window which can mean impact will crack or shatter it more readily. Alumino silicate, known as Gorilla Glass, is suggested, but future options to resist thermal shock include sodalime and borosilicate.

shock mount via cnet

The main focus in the patent seems to be concerned with types of “apparatus, systems and methods for shock mounting a cover glass for an electronic device.” One method involves cover glass and a shock mount—which is an elastic fastener—that buffers between the glass and the rest of the electronic mass. Another method discussed in the patent involves glass, shock mount and sensors which can sense a drop and retract and protect the cover glass.

There is also a tunable shock mount option which would create “compression and dampening, so as to isolate the cover glass from the remaining mass of the electronic device.” The tunable option could have a shock mount made of polymyer, gel, foam, shape memory material, silicone rubber, viscoelastic material and other suitable types. The shock mount could also be made of an inflatable rubber bladder, or one filled with fluid that expands in shock events, e.g. an air-bag.

Of course, just because it’s a patent doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll be implemented, but its nice to see some of the ideas being juggled by the Apple think tank.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
I love the Galaxy S23 — here are 5 things the iPhone still does better
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and Apple iPhone 14 Pro

Samsung’s Galaxy S23 has arrived to the masses, and it’s one of the best Android phones you can get right now, especially the S23 Ultra. However, for those who don’t need all of the fancy bells and whistles, like the S Pen and 200MP main camera, the regular S23 is also plenty powerful for the average person, especially if you prefer smaller devices.

I’ve been using the Galaxy S23 for the past few weeks, and so far, my experience has been delightful. I know that it’s still early on in the year, but for me, the S23’s small size is perfect and comfortable. Android also does a lot of things better than iOS, like individual volume controls and notifications, for example. But I am still primarily using my iPhone 14 Pro — despite Apple having some big flaws, such as overprocessing images after you capture them.

Read more
The best iPhone 12 Pro cases: 15 greatest ones you can buy

The iPhone 12 Pro is the powerful flagship of 2020's iPhone 12 range. With a 6.1-inch display, a powerful A14 Bionic processor, and an upgraded camera, the iPhone 12 Pro is a reasonably sized iPhone for users who want an iPhone that's reasonably priced, but still relevant in 2023.

Apple's Ceramic Shield claims to protect iPhones better than ever before, but if we were you, we'd still slap a case on our iPhone. Cases come in a range of forms, and choosing the right one for you is a matter of deciding what you need it for. We've checked the biggest case makers, grabbed some of their best cases, and explained what's good (and not so good) about each of them. Here are the best iPhone 12 Pro cases you can buy in 2023.

Read more
I created the perfect iPhone home screen — and you can too
iPhone 14 Pro with custom home screen icons and widgets

With iOS 14, Apple began to open the floodgates for software customization on the iPhone. For the first time, you could add widgets to the home screen and even change app icons to custom ones without the need for a jailbreak. And iOS 16 gave us some more customization options in the form of the lock screen, although the interface for that is su-par, to say the least.

While I see a lot of people still use a stock grid layout on their home screen, I took some time when iOS 14 first came out to customize my iOS experience. I enjoy that it’s not just a boring grid of stock icons — having custom icons and widgets really mix things up a bit and gives me a more informative home screen.

Read more