Apple has been granted a patent (number US 12101918 B2) that involves adding more noise mitigation and cooling features to the Vision Pro and follow-up devices.
About the patent
The patent relates generally to head-mounted devices, and, more particularly, to cooling and noise mitigation for head-mounted devices. In the patent Apple says that spatial computers “can provide a user experience that is immersive or otherwise natural so the user can easily focus on enjoying the experience without being distracted by the mechanisms of the head-mounted device.”
However, components of a Vision Pro and similar devices can generate heat during operation. Excessive heat for long durations of time can damage the components of the head-mounted device and cause discomfort to the user.
Heat can be mitigated in a number of ways, including with active mechanisms (e.g., air movers) that are integrated into the head-mounted device. However, operation of active cooling mechanisms (e.g., air movers) can generate noise that may interfere with the user’s desired experience with the head-mounted device. Apple’s patent involves way to dissipate heat with a minimum of noise.
In particular, head-mounted devices are in close proximity to the ears of the user wearing the head-mounted device while in use. This means that any noise generated may be readily perceived by the user.
Summary of the patent
Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent: “A head-mounted device can effectively manage heat while also managing noise output in a manner that reduces the user’s perception thereof. For example, a support member extending across a flow channel can provide multiple sections with different profiles and/or cross-sectional dimensions within the flow channel.
“Each of the profiles and/or cross-sectional dimensions can generate tonal noises at different frequencies, so that the tonal noises generated are distributed across multiple frequencies to mask such tonal noises among broadband noises that are generated by the head-mounted device. Such a support member can be moveably positioned within the flow channel and rigidly coupled to other components of the head-mounted device. Such a support member can also be used to draw heat away from other components of the head-mounted device to be dissipated by the flow of air within the flow channel.”
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