Apple Vision Pro

I was on the Vision Pro product design team for nearly five years. The drawings here come from my patents.

The crown

You turn and press the crown. You feel its feedback in the crown only (US 11,402,925).

Inside, a shaft turns and slides in a sealed housing. A sensor reads stripes on the shaft as it turns. Pressing it clicks a dome switch. Coils move a magnet in the shaft. Sensors track the magnet. O-rings keep water and dust out (US 11,715,355). Another version barely turns. Strain gauges measure the twist (US 11,402,925).

Another crown's top is split into a centre and two rings. Each part has its own contacts (US 11,747,919). A sensor at the bottom senses your finger coming (US 12,287,927).

Strips on the edges take slides and taps. They only work while you touch the bottom edge (US 12,086,299).

The parts

The headset comes apart into four parts: the display unit, two lenses, the light seal and the band. Each part can be swapped, including prescription lenses (US 12,347,051).

The front can be a display (US 11,927,761). Light seals come in different thicknesses (US 11,982,816). Sensors in the light seal can read your expressions (US 11,768,379).

The cameras

The cameras behind the cover must stay in line. They sit on a bracket fixed to the frame only at its middle. In a drop the frame bends, but the cameras stay in line. The bracket can be aluminium, steel, magnesium, plastic, ceramic or carbon fibre (US 12,347,051).

Each camera sits on stacked boards with a motion sensor behind it. The sensor moves with the camera (US 11,871,517).

The displays

The two displays sit on guide rods in a second bracket. The rods are set about 15 degrees apart. This bracket can be magnesium and carbon fibre, with hollow carbon fibre rods. In a drop the frame bends, but the displays stay the same distance apart (US 12,347,051).

Motors slide the displays to match your eyes. Each motor has a temperature sensor on its case, and as the motor warms up, the headset adjusts it (US 11,709,365). The motion sensor sits on shock absorbers (US 11,740,691). Sensors check that the displays and cameras stay in line (US 11,860,439).

Fit

A dial tightens a cable that runs through the band. The dial is silent and can't be pulled loose. Inside, rollers wedge to lock the spool (US 12,347,051).

The connector

A spring latch locks the connector in. Press the button and the connector comes free. Plug it back in and it clicks (US 12,368,267).

The hands

Bands on your wrists let the cameras tell your hands apart (US 11,175,734). You turn a ring to scroll. A light sensor counts the teeth as it turns (US 11,714,494).