Apple looks to help waterproof devices with a hydrophobic mesh cover

Apple continues to look into ways to make its products waterproof. The company has been granted a patent (number 20170127163) for a hydrophobic mesh cover that would resist the entry of liquid into an acoustic module into a device and a hydrophilic portion to aid in the removal of liquid from an acoustic chamber is described. 

The screen is placed in an orifice in the acoustic module between the external environment and the internal acoustic chamber. In the patent filing, Apple notes that, in an ideal world, no liquids could enter the acoustic module of a device such as an iPhone or iPad. Of course, in the real world, the isn’t possible or practical.

There’s a need for a system and technique for facilitating the evacuation or removal of moisture that has entered or accumulated into such a module. Apple is investigating tech to both inhibit entry of liquid into the acoustic module and to facilitate the removal of any liquid that does pass through the device and enters into the acoustic module chamber. 

Of course, Apple files for — and is granted — lots of patents by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Many are for inventions that never see the light of day. However, you never can tell which ones will materialize in a real product.