Today the U.S. Patent Office published a patent application of Apple's that relates to introducing a new magnetics system on future MacBook lids to make them stronger and safer. Apple notes that the current magnetics system could effect or damage nearby devices including credit cards.  

In Apple's patent background it notes that magnetic latches on a MacBook could be used to hold the base and the lid in a closed position. However, permanent magnets can produce an external magnetic field even while the laptop is open. For instance, permanent magnets in the base that are strong enough to be effective for latching the lid may produce a strong enough field to affect or damage other nearby devices or items (such as a credit card) when the lid is open. Apple's latest patent application is designed to remedy this.

Apple's patent application published today relates to magnetic systems that can switch from an attractive to a repulsive magnetic force between components of the system with a new magnetics system.

More importantly, the system may also have a neutral state in which little or no magnetic force is produced. A magnetic system can include a “fixed” magnet array that includes permanent magnets having fixed magnetic polarizations and a “switchable” magnet array that includes magnetic elements whose direction of magnetic polarizations can be switched into either of two opposing directions, such as electropermanent magnets (EPMS).

EPMs provide a magnetic field that can be switched on or off using a current pulse. A current pulse in one direction switches the EPM on; a pulse in the other direction switches the EPM off. An EPM can retain its magnetization state (on or off) after the current pulse ends. Accordingly, power is required only while the magnetization state is being changed.

According to some embodiments, a magnetic system can include an electropermanent array and a fixed magnet array. The controllable magnet array can include two or more electropermanent magnets placed end-to-end.

Magnetic systems of this kind can be deployed to selectively create attractive and/or repulsive magnetic forces between two objects or surfaces. As just one example, an EPM array can be disposed in the base of a laptop and oriented toward the lid while a fixed magnet array is disposed in the lid and oriented toward the base. By controlling the EPM array or portions thereof, different magnetic forces can be produced at different times.

 For instance, an attractive force can be created to help close the lid or to secure the lid in the closed position and/or a repulsive force can be created to pop the lid open (or ajar) from a closed position. The EPM array can also be switched off when magnetic force is not desired (e.g., when the laptop is open for use), thereby reducing stray magnetic fields – Which was the initial objective for this patent as outlined in the patent background.

(Click on Patent Figure below to Enlarge)

For full details, review Apple's patent application 20250111972. The key to the patent is "Electropermanent Magnets which is listed 43 times in 20 patent claims at the bottom of the patent application. The inventors list on this patent application is presented below:

• Jean-Marc GERY: This is interesting. While listed on Apple's patent as an inventor, the reality is GERY is the Owner of HIMARC Simulations, 360 Magnetics Corporation. Whether Apple acquired a patent from GERY or had him play a major role on the project with Apple is unknown at this time.
• John DiFonzo: Product Design Manager
• Mitsutoshi Makihata: Biomechatronics Engineer. He's worked on various Apple projects including quantum computing, a networked tactile sensor for robots, stretchable blood pressure sensor, and wearable physiological multimodal sensor