Connector assembly for an electronic device

• US 10,073,495 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2017
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Sharma, Sameer, Satzger, Douglas, Amit, Gadi, Hoshino, Yoshikazu, Harber, Chadwick, Clifton, Daniel, Houdek, II, Philip J., Moiseyenko, Stanislav, Jauvtis, Nathan Isaiah
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Harshad C
• Application Number:
  US15/414,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20170131744A1
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 439 35, 439667, 439668, 439669, 439672, 439675, 43962012, 43962015
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/0081 for transmitting energy, e.g. electrical cable routing
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 7/00 Hinges or pivots of special construction used for special suspension arrangements E05D15/00; so as to be self-closing E05F1/06, E05F1/12; with means for raising wings before being turned E05F7/02
• 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 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1633 Constructional details or arrangements of portable computers not specific to the type of enclosures covered by groups G06F1/1615 - G06F1/1626
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• 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: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/189 Power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/58 Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/16 for manufacturing contact members, e.g. by punching and by bending

Abstract

Particular examples described herein provide for an electronic device, such as a notebook computer or laptop, which includes a circuit board coupled to a plurality of electronic components (which includes any type of hardware, elements, circuitry, etc.). The electronic device may also include a connector assembly that is positioned within at least a portion of a recess of the electronic device, where the connector assembly includes: a first assembly that is to receive a connector; and a second assembly that is to receive an identification module that is to provide an association between a user and the electronic device.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a computing device casing including a barrel portion, wherein the barrel portion is at least partially cylindrical;

a first metallic ring, wherein the first metallic ring is integrated with the barrel portion; and

a computing device base including a scoop, wherein the scoop is a concave partially cylindrical section of a similar diameter and length as the barrel portion, and wherein at least a first concave metallic partial band is integrated with the scoop;

wherein the first metallic ring and the first concave metallic partial band to magnetically attach in response to the barrel portion being placed in the scoop at a location where the first metallic ring is adjacent to the first concave metallic partial band.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a second metallic ring is integrated with the barrel portion and wherein the relative positions of the first and second metallic rings to define a first slot between the two rings to provide access to at least a location within the diameter of the barrel portion, the second metallic ring to magnetically attach to the first concave metallic partial band in response to the barrel portion being placed in the scoop at the location where the second metallic ring is adjacent to the first concave metallic partial band.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first concave metallic partial band further comprises a rib segment protruding out from the surface of the band.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a magnetic attachment force between the first concave metallic partial band and the first and second metallic rings to guide the rib segment into the first slot.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a third metallic ring and a fourth metallic ring are integrated with the barrel portion, and wherein the third and fourth metallic rings are at a same fixed position distance relative to each other as the first and second metallic rings, the fixed position distance defining a second slot.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein a second concave metallic partial band is integrated with the scoop.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a distance between a location of the first and second metallic rings in the barrel portion and a location of the third and fourth metallic rings in the barrel portion is approximately the same as a distance between a location of the first and second concave metallic partial bands.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the third and fourth metallic rings to magnetically attach to the first concave metallic partial band in response to the barrel portion being placed in the scoop at the location where the third and fourth metallic rings are adjacent to the second concave metallic partial band.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the computing device casing further includes a flat portion to house a display.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the base further includes a keyboard on a first side, the first side including the scoop.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the computing device casing to be capable of rotating in relationship to the base when the barrel is magnetically attached to the scoop.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, when the first and second metallic rings are magnetically attached to the first concave metallic partial band and the third and fourth metallic rings are magnetically attached to the second concave metallic partial band, at least a portion of the display to be adjacent to and facing the keyboard in response to the computing device casing rotating to a fully closed position relative to the base.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, when the first and second metallic rings are not magnetically attached to the first concave metallic partial band and the third and fourth metallic rings are not magnetically attached to the second concave metallic partial band, and in response to the computing device casing being rotated 180 degrees along an axis perpendicular to an axis of the barrel, the first and second metallic rings to be capable of magnetically attaching to the second concave metallic partial band and the third and fourth metallic rings to be capable of magnetically attaching to the first concave metallic partial band.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein, when the first and second metallic rings are magnetically attached to the second concave metallic partial band and the third and fourth metallic rings are magnetically attached to the first concave metallic partial band, at least a portion of the flat portion of the housing on a side opposite the display to be adjacent to and facing the keyboard in response to the computing device casing rotating to a fully closed position relate to the base.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a diameter of the barrel portion is wider than a thickness of the flat portion.

16. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth metallic rings comprises a ferrous material.