Apple 3D Printing Patents Filed

Just the other day I was talking about how I would not be surprised if Apple were to enter the consumer 3D Printing business with an awesome affordable device. Well, today a new 3D Printing patent was revealed belonging to Apple. This was after the patent office approved another 3D Printing related patent for Apple just a few weeks ago.

PatentlyApple.com has revealed a new patent awarded to Apple for inkjet printing on 3D Objects. Now, before you get too excited, this patent could relate to a number of things. Perhaps it will only be used to print actual ink on 3D objects, rather than build 3D objects up from the ground. Second, this patent may merely be for the company to use internally on manufacturing systems. Third, Apple has filed hundreds of patents which they have never even put to use for anything at all. The patent diagram can be viewed here:

http://www.patentlyapple.com/.a/6a01...24a3970b-800wi

Now here is the patent they filed earlier this month regarding 3d printing of liquidmetal. Liquid metal is a new material which Apple has been rumored to be working with for future devices. This lends it's hand to the argument that their 3D Printing patents may only be for internal production equipment and not for a new printing product they may eventually be bringing to market. Either way, it's also intriguing, and goes to show that many large corporations are adopting the technology for manufacturing use. Here is the diagram of this patent as well:

http://www.patentlyapple.com/.a/6a01...4da4970c-800wi

Doesn't really seem like a patent for anything having to do with 3D Printing. Honestly I'm clueless as to what Apple would plan to use this technology for. Perhaps it's something they are working on that will lead up to another pattent for 3D Printing.

OR

Perhaps they will invest a 3D printer that uses this process to basically paint their 3D Object. Think about it. no 3D Printers can do this yet, and this patten would seem to cover that.

Imagine printing something in wood, and then using this technology to paint it exactly how you would like.

They may be considering using these patents for a manufacturing process, or perhaps trying to secure as many patents as they can in preparation for an acquisition of a 3D printing company. Who really knows.

You say it may not be related to 3D Printing, but the second patent is pretty blatantly obvious to be a 3D Printer, isn't it? It looks like a pretty complicated liquidmetal printer. I can't understand what it is exactly but I'd love to know if anyone can tell what it is.