Electronic device and magnetic connection thereof

• US 10,036,186 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2016
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ideabridge Startup Venture Specialized Private Equity Fund
• Original Assignee: Daehan Special Metal Ind. Co,. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Heeyoung, Lee, Sungyeon, Kim, Hyoungsu, An, Joon Beom
• Primary Examiner(s): Sawyer, Steven T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shrestha, Sagar
• Application Number:
  US15/214,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20170138101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 1/04 with guide members shaped as circular arcs
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 1/06 consisting of two easily-separable parts
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/1014 for maintaining the hinge in only one position, e.g. closed
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/10 to allow easy separation or connection of the parts at the hinge axis E05D5/12 and E05D15/50 take precedence ; substitutes for hinges E05D1/06
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/606 for electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0021 Side-by-side or stacked arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0226 Hinges

Abstract

An electronic device provided. The electronic device includes a first body part including a first connection member and a second body part including a second connection member. At least one of the first connection member and the second connection member includes and a portion having a first flat area and a second area. The second area having a generally curved configuration and extending from the first flat area for magnetically coupling the first body part and the second body part to each other.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a first body part including a first connection member; and

a second body part including a second connection member,

wherein at least one of the first connection member and the second connection member includes a portion having a first flat area and a second area, the second area having a generally curved configuration and extending from the first flat area for magnetically coupling the first body part and the second body part to each other, and

wherein the first connection member comprises;

a shaft disposed on the first body part along a center of a first curvature;

a magnet extending through the shaft; and

first and second metal bodies extending over the shaft and that are magnetically coupled to the magnet.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first connection member and the second connection member are coupled to each other in a non-insertion type manner.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first connection member and the second connection member are coupled to each other in a face-to-face contact type manner.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first connection member is made from magnet material and the second connection member is made from a metal.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein with the first body part and the second body part magnetically coupled to each other, the first body part and second body part are moveable relative to each other between a folded configuration and an unfolded configuration.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein a first coupling surface having the first curvature is formed in a first coupling portion of the first body part and a second coupling surface having the first curvature is formed in a second coupling portion of the second body part.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein a third coupling surface having the first curvature is formed in a third coupling portion of the first body part and a fourth coupling surface having the first curvature is formed in a fourth coupling portion of the second body part.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the first and third coupling surfaces have substantially the same coupling surface configurations and the second and forth coupling surfaces have substantially the same coupling surface configurations.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the first connection member comprises:

a magnet; and

a first metal body attached to at least one side of the magnet.

10. The device of claim 6, wherein the first connection member is defined by at least four connection members that are equidistantly spaced apart from each other and arranged at an upper portion and a lower portion of the first coupling surface of the first body part.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the second connection member comprises a second metal body.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the second connection member is defined by four connection members that are spaced apart from each other and a pair of second connection members are arranged on the second coupling surface of the second body part.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein an inner diameter of a through-hole of the first and second metal bodies is larger than an outer diameter of the shaft, so that the first and second metal bodies can be moved on the shaft.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein an outer peripheral surface of the magnet and outer peripheral surfaces of the first and second metal bodies extend along different planes.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the outer peripheral surface of the magnet and the outer peripheral surfaces of the first and second metal bodies form a stepped configuration.

16. The device of claim 1, further comprising a holding device for maintaining the first and second body parts in a folded configuration.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the magnet holding device comprises:

a first magnet arranged on the first body part; and

a second magnet arranged on the second housing part and having a polarity that is opposite a polarity of the first magnet,

wherein the first magnet is arranged along a coupling surface of the first body part and the second magnet is arranged along a coupling surface of the second housing part.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the first body part and the second body part form a housing of the electronic device.