Apple has a clever idea that could replace the charging port in your iPhone

Apple may be working on a new way to charge your iPhone that could make it sleeker and more durable. A recently published patent application lays the foundation for how Apple could potentially create an iPhone with no ports.

The patent application, which was published on July 2 and initially filed in 2013, describes what Apple calls "concealed electrical connectors."

Based on the language in the document, it sounds like these connectors, which could include the iPhone's charging port, would be located inside the phone with no orifices exposing them.

Fewer openings mean there's less opportunity for your iPhone to get damaged, since it would be harder for dirt, dust, water, and anything else that could ruin your iPhone to get inside. It could also make it possible for Apple to create an even thinner iPhone.

So how does Apple plan to charge your iPhone without an open connector? Through the Apple logo on the back of your iPhone:

It sounds like Apple would want you to connect a charger to the back of your iPhone where the Apple logo is located. It's unclear if this would be a wireless charging system, a magnetic charger like the Apple Watch has, or something different entirely.

Apple could also use the word "iPhone" that's etched onto the bottom back portion of your phone as a wireless charger.

This type of idea isn't restricted to charging, though - Apple also mentions the idea of putting a sensors such as a heart rate monitor in the Apple logo.

Several Android phones, such as the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, allow you to charge your phone wirelessly by placing the phone down on a charging pad. Based on the language in the patent application, it's not immediately clear whether Apple is referring to a wireless charging solution or not, since it simply refers to a "dock or a charging station."

It's also important to keep in mind that there's no guarantee this technology will ever appear in future Apple products. Apple patents new types of technology all the time that never end up making it into real gadgets.