Case with magnetic over-center mechanism

• US 10,212,506 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2017
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Panecki, Lee M., Yang, Shannon X., Chawan, Arun D., LeBlanc, Jason J., Albonico, Marcus
• Primary Examiner(s): Rego, Dominic E
• Application Number:
  US15/851,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20180115816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/00 Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/24 Etuis for purposes not covered by a single one of groups A45C11/02 - A45C11/22, A45C11/26, A45C11/32 - A45C11/38
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/005 Hinges
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/02 Interior fittings; Means, e.g. inserts, for holding and packing articles
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/1069 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/001 for portable audio devices, e.g. headphones or MP3-players
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2013/026 Inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/02 Internal fittings of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/44
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/16 hinged for upward or downward movement cigar or cigarette receptacles A24F15/00; suitcases, ètuis A45C; casings for cosmetic substances with hinged covers A45D40/22; toolboxes B25H3/02; hinges of door or similar type E05D ; boxes for switchboards with hinged covers H02B1/066
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/83 Use of a magnetic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/521 Sealing between contact members and housing, e.g. sealing insert
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/02 Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein H04R1/28 takes precedence ; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 : Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 : Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1058 : Manufacture or assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1075 : Mountings of transducers in earphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2826 : for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2857 : for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/345 : for loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/105 : Manufacture of mono- or stereophonic headphone components
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 : Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 : Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/09 : Non-occlusive ear tips, i.e. leaving the ear canal open, for both custom and non-custom tips H04R2460/11 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/17 : Hearing device specific tools used for storing or handling hearing devices or parts thereof, e.g. placement in the ear, replacement of cerumen barriers, repair, cleaning hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 : Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/025 : Magnetic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/06 : Loudspeakers

Abstract

A case for a portable listening device has a housing and a lid. The lid is attached to the housing with a pivotable joint and operates between an open and a closed position with an over-center mechanism that employs a plurality of magnetic elements.

Claims

1. A case for a portable listening device, the case comprising:

a housing having a cavity to receive the portable listening device;

a lid attached to the housing with a pivotable joint such that the housing and the lid are arranged in a clamshell configuration allowing the lid to rotate between a closed position where the lid conceals the cavity and an open position where the lid is angularly displaced from the cavity; and

a plurality of magnetic elements disposed within the housing and the lid, the plurality of magnetic elements configured to create an over-center configuration for the lid where the lid pivots between a first stable position when in the closed position and a second stable position when in the open position, but is in an unstable position in-between the closed position and the open position.

2. The case of claim 1 wherein the plurality of magnetic elements comprises a first pair of magnetic elements configured to repel each other and a second pair of magnetic elements configured to attract each other.

3. The case of claim 2 wherein the first pair of magnetic elements includes a first magnet positioned in the lid adjacent to the pivotable joint and a second magnet positioned in the housing adjacent to the pivotable joint and oriented to repel the first magnet.

4. The case of claim 2 wherein the second pair of magnetic elements includes a third magnet positioned in the lid opposite the pivotable joint and a fourth magnet positioned in a housing wall opposite the pivotable joint and oriented to attract the third magnet.

5. The case of claim 2 wherein when the lid is in the closed position attractive forces between the second pair of magnetic elements over power repulsive forces between the first pair of magnetic elements magnets.

6. The case of claim 2 wherein when the lid is in the open position repulsive forces between the first pair of magnetic elements over power attractive forces between the second pair of magnetic elements.

7. The case of claim 2 wherein both of the magnetic elements of the second pair of magnetic elements are magnets.

8. The case of claim 2 wherein one of the magnetic elements of the second pair of magnetic elements is a magnet and the other magnetic element is a magnetic material.

9. The case of claim 1 wherein the housing includes first and second opposing sidewalls and third and fourth opposing sidewalls that extend between the first and second sidewalls, a bottom wall that extends between the first, second, third and fourth sidewalls, an insert positioned within an interior space defined by the first, second, third and fourth sidewalls and the bottom wall, the insert defining a shape of the cavity, and a receiving opening opposite the bottom wall that communicates with the cavity.

10. The case of claim 9 wherein the cavity is configured to receive one or more listening devices.

11. The case of claim 1 wherein one or more of the plurality of magnetic elements are partially surrounded by a high magnetic permeability material.

12. The case of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of magnetic elements is oriented such that its pole is not aligned with its mating magnetic element when the lid is in the closed position.

13. The case of claim 1 wherein one or more of the plurality of magnetic elements is secured to a spring.

14. A case for a portable listening device, the case comprising:

a housing having a cavity to receive the portable listening device and a receiving opening that communicates with the cavity;

a lid secured to housing with a pivotable joint such that the lid and the housing are coupled together in a clamshell configuration, the lid being operable between an open position in which the receiving opening is exposed and a closed position in which the lid covers the receiving opening; and

a plurality of magnetic elements that cooperate to define an over center position for the lid disposed between the open position and the closed position such that that the lid resists rotating from the open position to the closed position until the lid is rotated past the over center position where the lid is impelled to the closed position.

15. The case of claim 14 wherein the over center position is created by combination of repulsive forces between a first and a second magnetic elements, attractive forces between a third and a fourth magnetic element and a distance of the first, the second, the third and the fourth magnetic elements from the pivotable joint.

16. A case for an electronic device, the case comprising:

a housing having a cavity to receive the electronic device and a receiving opening that communicates with the cavity;

a lid secured to housing with a pivotable joint such that the lid and the housing are in a clamshell configuration, the lid being operable between an open position in which the receiving opening is exposed and a closed position in which the lid covers the receiving opening; and

a plurality of magnetic elements disposed within the housing and the lid, the plurality of magnetic elements configured to create an over center position for the lid such that the lid resists rotating from the open position to the closed position until the lid is rotated past the over center position when the lid is then attracted to the closed position.

17. The case of claim 16 wherein the plurality of magnetic elements comprises a first pair of magnetic elements oriented such that they repel each other and are located proximate the pivotable joint connecting the housing to the lid, with a first magnetic element of the first pair of magnetic elements disposed within the case and a second magnetic element of the first pair of magnetic elements disposed within the lid.

18. The case of claim 17 wherein the plurality of magnetic elements comprises a second pair of magnetic elements oriented such that they attract each other and are located opposite the pivotable joint, with a third magnetic element disposed within the case and a fourth magnetic element disposed within the lid.

19. The case of claim 18 wherein the over center position is created by a combination of repulsive forces between the first and second magnetic elements, attractive forces between the third and fourth magnetic elements, a distance of the first and second magnetic elements from the pivotable joint, and a distance of the third and fourth magnetic elements from the pivotable joint.