蘋果獲准抽屜式SIM卡相關專利

美國專利商標局在3月27日核准了一件蘋果(Apple, Inc.)在2010年底所申請的專利"Ejectable component assemblies in electronic devices"，該項專利主要是有關一種可在電子裝置裡使用的「彈出式組件」，從圖中看來不難理解的是這種「彈出式組件」也包括了目前在iphone上所使用的抽屜式SIM卡托盤設計，然而，蘋果在文中卻也進一步說到這種組件並不限用於SIM卡，更可進一步包括IC卡(integrated circuit cards)、晶片卡(chip cards)、記憶卡(memory cards)、智慧卡(smart cards)等等。

這件專利的獲准也不免讓人直接聯想到目前正進行得如火如荼的Apple、Nokia、Motorola、RIM 的 nano-SIM 卡標準之戰，然而，事實上Apple早在 2010 年 12 月14日就提出這件專利的申請，因此可以說此件專利的獲准和nano-SIM卡標準之戰應只是一種巧合而已。

Abstract

Electronic devices are provided with ejectable component assemblies that can be substantially flush with the external surfaces of the housings of the devices, despite variations in their manufacture. The ejectable component assemblies may include connectors coupled to circuit boards of the devices, and trays that can be loaded with removable modules, inserted through openings in the housings of the devices, and into the connectors for functionally aligning the removable modules with the circuit boards. The ejectable component assemblies may also include ejectors coupled to the housings of the devices for ejecting the trays from the connectors and, thus, from the devices themselves.