Your Apple Watch band contains some cutting-edge fabrication technology that could extend into other fashion accessories, according to a patent filing released today.
The patent describes an ingenious method for molding “woven fibers” into any desired shape and securing them without stitching.
The bands available for Apple’s smartwatch, particularly the rubbery, plastic-like Sport model, don’t seem like much more than simple bands of material that keep your Apple Watch on your wrist where it belongs. But they also contain some invention and engineering that’s almost as impressive as the watch itself.
Apple’s patent describes a construction with two layers, with the inner core having a lower melting point than the outer sheath. What this means is that it’s possible to heat the band to a point that will melt the inside while keeping the outer shell intact, kind of like what happens to a jawbreaker if it gets too warm.
The good news is that rather than splashing your face with superheated, molten syrup, this means that you can bend and mold the heated material easily, and the outer shell will contain the liquified center until it re-sets. Manufacturers could use molds or mechanical means to shape this composite material without affecting outward texture or appearance.
What does this mean outside of watch bands, though? The malleability of the material means that you could mold the ends to fit any bracket, which would let you attach objects made using this method mechanically to preserve aesthetics and maintain those clean lines that Apple is so fond of. The patent says that this tech:
may be used in conjunction with a mobile phone, a device that tells time, a health monitoring device or assistant, a purse, a bracelet or other such article of clothing. Further, although a flat thin band is specifically shown and described herein, the woven fabric band may be formed in any shape having a variety of dimensions. For example, if the woven fabric band was to be used to as a strap for a purse, the woven fabric band may be circular in shape.
And because the inner and outer materials don’t have to be the same color, designers can play around with transparent or translucent outer shells or different designs and patterns and can build them right into the material without having to worry about losing anything during molding and shaping.
Basically, Apple has just patented Textile Flubber.
Source: Free Patents OnlineVia: Patently Apple
