“Future devices from Apple could be built with a super-durable and light material like carbon fiber, but could also be available in a variety of colors thanks to a composite laminate surface,” Neil Hughes reports for AppleInsider.
“Apple’s concept for coloring carbon or even glass fiber devices was revealed this week in a patent application published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and discovered by AppleInsider,” Hughes reports. “Entitled ‘Composite Laminate having an Improved Cosmetic Surface and Method of Making Same,’ it describes a composite laminate placed over the frame of the device, including a ‘scrim layer,’ to allow a product like a MacBook Pro to be painted a variety of colors.”
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Hughes reports, “Apple has shown interest in adopting carbon fiber for its devices for years. As far back as 2008, the company was said to be looking at the possibility of using carbon fiber to build a lighter MacBook Air, though those plans never panned out. The company’s continued interest in carbon fiber was demonstrated in a patent application in 2009 in a 9-page filing. In fact, the latest 8-page application made public this week is a division of that separate filing, first made in October of 2007.”
More in the full article, including Apple’s patent application illustrations, here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Arline M.” for the heads up.]