New patent shows Apple research technology to improve the reliability of smart bracelet hinges

       As Apple produces more and more foldable devices, it is studying how to make hinges stronger. A newly disclosed patent application shows that Apple is studying how to make device hinges more reliable without increasing their size. Apple's patent, titled "Electronic device with fiber composite friction hinge," involves making a hinge with overlapping "extended fingers."

　　Apple suggests this could be used in everything from iPhones to speakers, but the patent focuses on smart rings or what it calls "finger devices." Apple says in the patent that electronic devices may have parts connected by hinges, and if you're not careful, the hinge structure may become bulky, fragile, and easy to slip, and using a fiber composite structure may help reduce the hinge volume while improving hinge performance. This can also apply when the device has more than one hinge, and Apple may be referring to a folding iPhone design.

　　The fiber composite friction hinge may have a first and second set of interlaced "extended fingers," which may also be stretched further apart, perhaps to allow the hinge to fit devices of different sizes. Portions of the hinge may help grip the sides of the user's fingers when the device is mounted on the user's fingers, the hinge may allow the portions to rotate about or away from each other about the axis of the hinge, and fasteners may be used to adjust the inward pressure on the fingers along the axis of the hinge, thereby adjusting the friction between the fingers. The hinge may be covered with other materials for appearance or protection reasons. The hinge itself may include materials such as carbon fibers, glass fibers, polymer fibers, or other fibers. The strands of material may be impregnated with a polymer binder material (e.g., epoxy or other binder), where the polymer binder embedded in the fibers helps to secure the fibers together.

　　As always, the patent application is intended to cover all possible uses and variations of what it suggests. But it does specifically note that the design could be used in phones, laptops, tablets, and more.