Apple working on a new type of slim, folding USB adapter

Apple is considering a compact folding USB adapter with magnetic actuation, as evidenced in a patent (number 9,077,093) granted by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. The goal, not surprisingly, is ever-slimmer products.

The patent is for a "magnetic rotation actuator" and involves a USB adapter. However, instead of fixed prongs as current adapters have, it would sport three prongs that pivot into and out of their own slots depending on the outlet you wish to use.

Here's Apple's description of the patent: "An electrical power adapter employs a magnetically coupled mechanism to retract and deploy prongs used to interface with an electrical receptacle. The magnetically coupled mechanism is linearly displaced by a user, converting the linear displacement to rotary motion, pivoting the retractable prongs between a deployed position and a retracted position. When the retractable prongs are in the deployed position the adapter may be mated with a receptacle and when in the retracted position the adapter has a reduced physical size."

In describing the invention, Apple notes that as smartphones, media players, and other electronic systems become more compact, a limiting factor on the size of the package in which the systems are shipped and sold may be the size of the electrical power adapter used to charge the electronic system. As an example, a portable media player may be packaged along with a BS1363 (Type G) electrical power adapter, used in the United Kingdom, where the media player is actually smaller than the electrical power adapter.

Such large power adapters maycontribute to increased shipping costs for the electrical systems and may also be difficult for the user to conveniently store and transport. Apple says that new electrical power adapters may require new features to reduce their physical size, enabling reduced shipping costs and added convenience for the user.

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