Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,251,287) for a “magnetic stand for a table device.” It involves an iPad Pro stand that could be used, among other places, in a car.
The magnetic stand is configured to rigidly hold a portion of the tablet device in place and to shield the magnetic field from adversely affecting nearby devices susceptible to strong magnetic fields. The shielding portion of the magnetic stand allows for significant increases in magnetic field strength when compared to similarly configured, unshielded products, according to Apple.
In the patent filing, the tech giant notes that tablet devices are used in an increasingly wide range of applications. In many of these applications a way for conveniently mounting the device is required.
Apple says that a number of manufacturers have tried to produce such a device; however since most tablets have no built in mounting mechanism, mounting devices tend to be somewhat cumbersome and generally do not allow for easy removal. The company says that what’s needed is “a way for securely attaching a tablet device to a stand where it can be removed and replaced with ease.”
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.
