According to a new patent application published today by the US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO), Apple has invented a new deployable feature for future MacBooks, that can function either as a support structure for the base, or as a venting system to keep the MacBook running cooler (via Patently Apple).
Apple’s invention details a MacBook with a base, a rotatable display portion mounted to the base, and a deployable feature coupled to the base portion that extends at least 3.8mm from a surface of the base.
The deployable feature can increase an open area in communication with an internal volume defined by the base. The feature can also partially define an air volume when deployed. This air volume can be used by an antenna or a speaker.
In some examples, rotating the display portion relative to the base portion deploys the deployable feature. The actuation component can include a gear train. The deployable feature can be deployable by a user. The deployable feature can at least partially define a vent when deployed.
In some examples, the MacBook includes a sensor that provides a signal to deploy the deployable feature.
Apple’s patent application was originally filed in Q1 2020.
