Apple seeks patent for compactable disc adaptor

By Stephen Withers
Friday, 23 November 2007 04:36

Home IT

One of the problems with slot-loading optical drives is that they aren't compatible with 8cm discs. Apple thinks it has come up with a variety of schemes for adaptors that can be packaged within the dimensions of an 8cm disc in order to save shipping costs.

US patent application 20070271577 "Compactable memory disc adapter and methods of use thereof" describes a series of folding, snap-together and telescoping adaptors for the purpose. The inventor is Anthony Fadell, with Apple as the assignee.

While most good ideas seem simple once someone's thought of them, it this any more than a special case of "if something won't fit in an envelope, fold it up"?

The application also sets out the processes for shipping and using the adaptor, which can be summarised as "if the adaptor is expanded, collapse it and then pack the disc and adaptor" and "expand adaptor, fit disc into centre of adaptor, then use disc."

That seems pretty obvious to me. Doesn't prior art in a variety of industries (including flat-pack furniture and telescopes) have these concepts covered?

I have no fundamental problem with the idea of patents, but to my mind the degree of innovation behind this application is too trivial to deserve protection.