Connection system patent could hint at MacBook, MacBook Pro tweaks
Posted by Dennis Sellers 
May 20, 2008 at 10:54am
An Apple patent (number 737437) for a connection system that includes a connection receptacle comprising a first component coupled to a chassis and a second component coupled to the first component has appeared at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. It involves some MacBook Air-like port connections that may (or, knowing Apple, may not) hint at new MacBook/MacBook Pro designs.
The connection system includes a connection receptacle comprising a first component coupled to a chassis and a second component coupled to the first component. The first and second components are collapsed into a compact configuration when the connection receptacle is in a closed position. According to the system and method disclosed in the patent, implementing the receptacle as two separate components allows for a compact connection system.
Connection systems are well known and include electrical contacts that enable devices to communicate with other devices. For example, connection systems may include Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports, FireWire ports, RJ-11 ports, and RJ-45 ports. According to Apple, obile devices such as laptopss are becoming increasingly thinner. As a result, connections systems need to be reduced in size to accommodate smaller form factors.
However, a problem when reducing the size of a connection system is that the reduction is limited by the size of the largest port. For example, RJ-45 ports are relatively large and thus may be a challenge to accommodate. Apple says that an improved connection system is needed and the present invention addresses such a need.
The inventors are Gavin Reid, Chris Ligtenberg and Bartley K. Andre. The graphic below is a block diagram of a mobile device that is connected to another device, in accordance with the present invention.
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Dennis Sellers
Dennis has been a newspaper editor/reporter (seven years) and teacher (seven years). He has over 4,000 magazine, newspaper and online articles to his credit. He has also covered the Mac and tech industries for over a decade for such online publications as MacCentral, MacMinute and now MacsimumNews.
Andre Says:
Gosh! That DOES look familiar doesn’t it? I think I actually have one of those around here already.
Posted on May 20, 2008