Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that relates to their Apple Watch retail store table. Patently Apple covered Apple's first patent filing on this in March 2016 in a report titled "Apple reveals their Smart Apple Watch Table Designed with Built-in Cooling, Audio & Security Systems." This past June Apple was granted a patent for this invention. Apple's latest patent technically and legally covers new territory in the table's design focused on a 'Lens' system and an 'Ink Film.'

If you've been to an Apple Store since the debut of the Apple Watch, then you would have seen the special Apple Watch table as noted in our cover graphic. If you thought that Apple just popped the top glass off to make changes or fix a malfunctioning watch you'd be wrong. As noted in patent figures 15 and 16, the bottom of the table swings out and down after security measures have been followed.

As noted in our previous reports, the Apple Watch tables pack an incredible amount of technology into them with temperature sensors, audio sensors, a cooling system, light dimmer, actuator, security, fans and more.

As a continuation patent, Apple has added a number of new patent figures and in their patent claims they've added a focus on a 'lens' and 'ink film.' The updated claims are noted below.

About the Lens

Apple notes that a lens may be disposed below the top wall of the table and around at least a portion of the perimeter of the display cavity between the light source and display cavity. In some embodiments, the lens may extend around the entire perimeter of the display cavity. The lens may be configured to diffuse light emitted from the light source and direct it into the display cavity.

In some embodiments, the lens may be a single lens extending around the entire perimeter of the display cavity. In some embodiments, the lens may include a plurality of lens segments abutted or connected together that together extend around the entire perimeter of the display cavity (e.g., one or more along each side). For example, the lens may include four lens segments, two longer sections disposed adjacent to the long sides of the display cavity and two shorter sections disposed adjacent to the short sides of the display cavity.

Any number of lens segments may be used to form the lens. In some embodiments, the lens is an acrylic lens.

About the Ink Film

Apple further notes that "the Ink film creates a sharp and consistent boarder around the display cavity. In some embodiments, the ink film serves to conceal a ledge and gasket from a consumer's view, and to conceal certain lenses. This can contribute to an aesthetically appealing display area that focuses a consumer's attention on the products displayed within the display cavity, rather than construction or added features of the table. The ink film may also facilitate even and uniform emanation of light from underneath the top wall and help make the glass panel appear as if it is floating above the display cavity.

New Legal Claims Added to the Patent

The following is a list of the new patent claims that Apple legal have added to the standing granted. This section with technical claims will probably only interest those in patent and legal fields.

Claim #3: "The product display table of claim 1, comprising a lighting system for illuminating at least a portion of the display cavity, the lighting system comprising: a light source disposed around a perimeter of the display cavity; and a lens disposed around the perimeter of the display cavity between the light source and the display cavity, wherein the lens is configured to diffuse light emitted from the light source.

Claim 4: The product display table of claim 3, wherein the lens defines at least a portion of the display cavity side wall.

Claim 5: The product display table of claim 3, wherein the lens extends around the entire perimeter of the display cavity.

Claim6: The product display table of claim 3, wherein the lens defines an upper portion of the display cavity side wall.

Claim 7: The product display table of claim 3, wherein the lens is an acrylic lens.

Claim 8: The product display table of claim 3, wherein the glass panel comprises a top glass layer defining a glass top surface, a bottom glass layer defining a glass bottom surface, and an ink film disposed between the top glass layer and the bottom glass layer.

Claim 9: The product display table of claim 8, wherein the table top further comprises a ledge extending within the display cavity about a periphery of the display cavity, wherein the glass bottom surface is supported by the ledge, wherein the ink film overlaps the entire portion of the ledge extending into the display cavity, and wherein the lens of the lighting system is disposed underneath the ledge.

Claim 11: The product display table of claim 1, wherein the glass panel comprises a top glass layer defining a glass top surface, a bottom glass layer defining a glass bottom surface, and an ink film disposed between the top glass layer and the bottom glass layer.

Claim 12: The product display table of claim 11, wherein the ink film is disposed only around a perimeter of the glass panel.

Claim 13: The product display table of claim 11, wherein the glass panel comprises a glass side wall extending between the glass top surface and the glass bottom surface, wherein the ink film extends a distance from the glass side wall towards a center of the glass panel, and wherein the distance ranges from 16 mm to 20 mm.

Claim 14: The product display table of claim 11, wherein the table top further comprises a ledge extending within the display cavity about a periphery of the display cavity, and wherein the glass bottom surface is supported by the ledge.

Claim 15: The product display table of claim 14, wherein the ink film overlaps the entire portion of the ledge extending into the display cavity.

Claim 16: The product display table of claim 14, wherein the ink film extends from the glass side wall by a distance that is more than 150% of the distance that the ledge extends into the cavity and less than 250% of the distance that the ledge extends into the cavity.

Claim 18: The product display table of claim 11, wherein the ink film is opaque.

Apple's continuation patent 20170258246 was filed this past May.

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