According to an article on MacNN, the United Stated Patent and Trademark Office published a patent on December 28th that had initially been filed in mid-2005 by Apple Computer. The patent relates to a device that can be included within portable notebook computers and establishes a guard system for their optical disk drives.
Within the patent background description, Apple states that a notebook computer faces a “host of insults” such as rough handling and transportation in the presence of other items that may be placed in a container along with the computer. These hazards can damage a computer, even when turned off and closed, especially when ports, air vents and other openings are exposed. Foreign objects such as paper clips, show tickets, business cards and bits of loose paper. can find their way into the laptop and damage internal components of the computer.
The device in question under the patent is meant as protective measure, especially for opposing-brush slot disk drives like those found in current PowerBooks, MacBooks and MacBook Pro units.
The guard slot described by the patent would be a device that would be positioned adjacent to the laptop’s optical drive slot and alternate between an open and closed position. The open position would provide free access while the closed position would protect the drive slot when the computer is not in use.
The patent lists John DiFonzo and Chris Lightenberg as being the inventors of this patent.
If you have any ideas, suggestions or comments regarding this, let us know.
According to an article on MacNN, the United Stated Patent and Trademark Office published a patent on December 28th that had initially been filed in mid-2005 by Apple Computer. The patent relates to a device that can be included within portable notebook computers and establishes a guard system for their optical disk drives.
Within the patent background description, Apple states that a notebook computer faces a “host of insults” such as rough handling and transportation in the presence of other items that may be placed in a container along with the computer. These hazards can damage a computer, even when turned off and closed, especially when ports, air vents and other openings are exposed. Foreign objects such as paper clips, show tickets, business cards and bits of loose paper. can find their way into the laptop and damage internal components of the computer.
The device in question under the patent is meant as protective measure, especially for opposing-brush slot disk drives like those found in current PowerBooks, MacBooks and MacBook Pro units.
The guard slot described by the patent would be a device that would be positioned adjacent to the laptop’s optical drive slot and alternate between an open and closed position. The open position would provide free access while the closed position would protect the drive slot when the computer is not in use.
The patent lists John DiFonzo and Chris Lightenberg as being the inventors of this patent.
If you have any ideas, suggestions or comments regarding this, let us know.