'The illuminated Apple logo may use new technology to reappear on MacBooks'

In 2015, the iconic backlit Apple logo was dropped on their MacBooks. A new patent application published today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office suggests Apple is revisiting this feature. This is not a continuation of an old patent, but a new patent based on a provisional patent filed by Apple in 2021 that has not yet been made public. The three engineers listed in the patent only joined Apple in 2018, after the backlit logo was removed. Therefore, the described functionality is new using a different approach than in the past.

Apple’s patent application covers an electronic device (a future MacBook) that may be made of glass, metal, polymers, ceramics, fiber composites, crystalline materials such as sapphire, other materials, and/or these Made from a combination of materials.

The hose may have a logo on the rear. Signs or other structures within the device may be provided with backlit partial reflectors. Mirrors can provide a shiny appearance to signs or other structures while blocking the view of internal components. Also, the mirror's partial transparency allows backlighting from within the device to pass through the mirror.

Reflectors may be formed from one or more protruding structures on a common substrate. The protruding structure may be received within a corresponding opening in the wall of the housing.

One or more thin film layers may be configured to provide a desired visible light reflection spectrum, a desired visible light transmission spectrum, and a desired visible light absorption spectrum to the partially reflective mirror. The reflectivity of the mirror can be configured such that the mirror acts as a one-way mirror for signs or other structures. Mirrors can be in a neutral color, such as light gray, or they can be in a non-neutral color, such as gold.

Apple’s patent diagram.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a side view of an illustrative electronic device having a backlight mirror structure ; Figure 2 is a rear view of an exemplary housing with a backlight mirror structure having the shape of a two-part logo.

More specifically, Apple’s patent drawings. Figure 2 is a rear view of device 10 (MacBook) in an illustrative configuration in which logo (#22) has been formed in housing 12A (eg, the rear housing wall of housing 12A). Openings in the rear shell wall may receive one or more partially reflective structures that form the logo. The

mark may be formed from a single structure (e.g., a single structure surrounded on all sides by a portion of the housing 12A) or may be formed from two or more separate structures (e.g., a separate structure each surrounded by a portion of the housing 12A). island) forms 12A).

The logo can have any suitable shape, such as the shape of a recognizable company trademark, etc. In an illustrative configuration, the logo may have two or more disjoint portions, such as two portions configured to form portions 22-1 and 22-2 respectively related to products of Apple Inc. of Cupertino, California. Part of the trademark Apple logo has an apple shape and an apple leaf shape.

Generally speaking, a logo may include text, may include rectangles, may include ovals, may include circles, may include shapes with curved and/or straight edges, may be untextured, may include textures , may be provided with specific logo colors and/or color patterns, and/or may include other visual characteristics that create the logo.

If desired, arrangements in which backlit mirror structures are used for non-logo structures (e.g., icons, key glyphs, decorative embellishments, text, status indicators, and/or other structures) may also be used. A configuration is described here in which the backlight mirror forms a sign such as sign 22 of Figure 2. 2 is illustrative.

Please check Apple’s patent application number US 20220341585 A1

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