Today the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially published a patent application from Apple that relates to a new magnetically attached system that may apply to a new iPad keyboard accessory, Apple Pencil, a gaming accessory (game controllers), a charging pad and more.

Magnetic Attachment System for Input Device

Magnetic attachment systems may be used to removably or magnetically couple an accessory to a device. The magnetic attachment mechanisms use movable magnets to provide a high degree of magnetic attraction to an accessory when the accessory is coupled to a device, while also reducing the magnetic field outside of the device when the accessory is decoupled from the device.

For example, a magnetic attachment mechanism within a device such as a tablet computer may include a movable magnet that is movable between an attachment position and a rest position. When an accessory is positioned on an attachment surface of the device, the movable magnet may move from the rest position, where it is magnetically retained to a magnetic component within the device, to an attachment position that is nearer the attachment surface. In this way, when the movable magnet is in the attachment position, a greater amount of magnetic flux may be allowed to exit the device, thereby providing a strong attachment force to the accessory.

When the accessory is removed and the movable magnet retracts back to the rest position (e.g., within the device and further away from the device housing), the amount of magnetic flux that is allowed to exit the device is lower, thereby reducing the potential for inadvertent magnetic attraction or other magnetic interference with other objects or devices. Accordingly, the magnetic attachment mechanisms described herein provide a higher attachment force without a resulting increase in the magnetic flux outside the device when the accessory is detached.

Apple's patent FIGS. 5A-5B below illustrate an example computing system #500 that may employ a magnetically actuated latch mechanism. The computing system may include a computing component, illustrated as a iPad #501, and an accessory, illustrated as a keyboard accessory #502 with a movable keyboard structure.

While the example computing component and accessory are shown as a an iPad and keyboard accessory, other types of computing components and accessories are also contemplated. For example, the computing component may be a smartphone, a watch, a notebook computer, or the like, and the accessory may be a charging dock, a trackpad accessory, a gaming accessory, or the like. 

Game controllers, like those presented below, would be a great example for this new magnetics system. With new Powerful iPads around the corner, the magnetically attached game controllers could be a great accessory promoting top tier game play.  

While FIGS. 5A-5B above illustrate an example in which the movable portion #506 and the keyboard #512 are exposed and/or accessible in the docked position, in other cases, the movable portion is hidden or stowed when in the docked position, and the unlocking or unlatching operation that occurs when the iPad is attached to the accessory allows the movable portion to be slid or moved into an accessible location relative to the stationary portion.

Apple's patent FIGS. 6A-6B above depict partial cross-sectional views of an example computing component and accessory, illustrating an example latching mechanism

For full details, review Apple's patent application 20240085947. Whether Apple will introduce these new accessories under the Apple brand in the future or license the technology to their developers like Belkin, GameVice and others is unknown at this time.