Within weeks of Samsung releasing its waterproof Galaxy S5 last year, Apple filed a patent that took its rival’s technology a step further. Called ‘Methods for shielding electronic components from moisture’, the filing awarded today describes a way of making the inside of a phone waterproof rather than the outside. Individual components would be covered in a thin film designed to stop liquids damaging the phone, even if it manages to penetrate the outer casing. The patent said protective cases have ‘little value’ once water has entered the phone and details a system of adding ‘hydrophobic coating to components’. This coating would be applied using plasma-assisted chemical vapour deposition in which thin films are applied from a gas, or vapour, states to a solid state . Samsung’s Galaxy S5 is IP67 rated thanks to a hydrophobic coating and cover that clips into place to protect the handset. The firm also added a rubberized gasket behind the back cover and added a waterproof coating inside the headphone jack. IP stands for Ingress Protection, and was created by the International Electrotechnical Commission. It is used to classify how much a coating provides protection from 'intrusion or immersion'. The rating is typically followed by two numbers - the first is the level of dust resistance, the second is water resistance. Dust resistance ranges from zero to six, and water resistance ranges from zero to nine. If an X is included, the device doesn't offer a classified rating for that substance. A rating of seven on the waterproof scale means: 'Ingress of water in harmful quantity shall not be possible when the enclosure is immersed in water (up to one metre).' As a result, the S5 can be submerged for up to half an hour at around 3ft (0.9 metres). However its latest models, the S6 and S6 Edge, have removed this feature. Apple’s patent would instead involve coating individual components inside a phone, and within an already assembled circuit board. This coating would be applied using a method called plasma-assisted chemical vapour deposition (PACVD), which desposits thin films from gas, or vapour, states to solid states. The plasma is typically created between two electrodes where reacting gases are added to form the solid. In the case of the fully-assembled circuit board and its electromagnetic interference (EMI) shields, Apple proposes perforating ‘portions of the shields that overlay water sensitive electronics.’ The coating would be applied through these perforations, and the board-to-board connectors would be covered by a silicone seal. The filing said: ‘People who rely on electronic devices tend to carry them along to locations in which the electronic devices can incur damage. ‘One form of damage that can be detrimental to an electronic device is water damage. Samsung’s S5 (pictured) is IP67 rated thanks to a hydrophobic coating and cover that clips into place to protect the handset. The firm also added a rubberized gasket behind the back cover and waterproof coating inside the headphone jack. As a result, the S5 can be submerged for up to 30 minutes at 3ft (0.9 metres) In the case of the fully-assembled circuit boards and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shields, Apple proposes perforating ‘portions of the shields that overlay water sensitive electronics.’ The coating would be applied through these perforations, and the board-to-board connectors would be covered by a silicone seal . ‘Many electronic devices are susceptible to water damage because they are not fully sealed and include various openings for charging, connecting peripherals, and inputting and outputting audio. ‘While bulky cases have had a certain amount of success at mitigating water entry through the aforementioned openings, a protective case is of little or no value once water has entered a device housing. ‘When water enters into the device housing, some high powered components and wiring are often subject to damage even when a minimal amount of water enters the electronic device. ‘In particular, corrosion of soldered components is quite common and can lead to device failure.’ Meanwhile the board-to-board connectors inside the phones (components illustrated left) would be covered by a silicone seal. Despite adding waterproof features to its Galaxy S5, Samsung removed this for its latest Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge handsets unviled at Mobile World Congress on Sunday (right)
The patent was filed in the US in March 2014 and awarded today . It says protective cases have ‘little value’ once water has entered the phone . Files detail a system of adding ‘hydrophobic coating to components’
Coating would be applied via plasma assisted chemical vapour deposition . This involves depositing a thin film from a gas state to a solid . Apple proposes perforating circuit boards and applying the film inside . The technology could form part of the Apple’s iPhone 7 range . Rival Samsung’s Galaxy S5 is IP67 rated waterproof, but its Galaxy S6 isn’t .