On June 23, Patently Apple posted a report titled “A new Apple Patent describes Support Structures for Flexible Displays in Future Folded Devices like an iPhone or iPad.” Today the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially granted Apple a patent that relates to magnetic fasteners that keep a folded device closed until a user wishes to open a device such as a MacBook and possible future devices such as a foldable iPhone or iPad and accessories.  

Apple’s granted patent notes that an item may be provided with a body having portions that open and close along a seam. The item may be an enclosure such as a bag, case, or cover, or an enclosure such as a device housing in a laptop computer or other electronic devices – which Apple describes as a cellular telephone and tablet computer.

An elongated magnetic fastener may run along the seam. The magnetic fastener may have first and second portions on opposing sides of the seam. The first and second portions may include magnets. When the magnetic fastener is operated in a closed state, the magnets in the first and second portions attract each other and pull the first and second portions of the fastener together to close the seam. When the magnetic fastener is operated in an open state, the magnets in the first and second portions repel each other and push the first and second portions of the fastener apart to open the seam.

Apple’s patent FIG. 1 below is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device or other item having a body that forms an enclosure with an opening that is secured using a magnetic fastener; FIG. 12 is a diagram of an illustrative magnetic fastener with an electronically controlled opening and closing function.

For more details, review Apple's granted patent 11,375,789.