Magnetic layout in electronic devices and accessory devices for electronic devices

• US 10,671,121 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2019
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Zhu, Hao, Zhou, Yang, Matzinger, Thomas R., Zhang, Guangtao, Yu, Ming, Chavez Ruiz Garza, Jaime G., Ow, Florence W., Stryker, James A., Pedley, Travis C., Kuna, Melody L., Gilbert, Taylor Harrison
• Primary Examiner(s): Lea-Edmonds, Lisa
• Application Number:
  US16/415,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20200089276A1
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• 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 1/166 related to integrated arrangements for adjusting the position of the main body with respect to the supporting surface, e.g. legs for adjusting the tilt angle
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6633 with inductive component, e.g. transformer
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6683 with built-in sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/66 with pins, blades or analogous contacts and secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. to a wall

Abstract

Electronic devices and accessory devices for electronic devices are described. In some instances, an accessory device includes a keyboard and a cover rotatable with respect to the keyboard. In some instances, an accessory device includes a back panel and a foldable cover rotatable with respect to the back panel. These accessory devices may include several magnetic elements designed to magnetically couple with, and retain, an electronic device without any additional mechanical or other interlocking devices. In this regard, the magnetic elements in the accessory devices provide an external magnetic field sufficiently strong enough to retain the electronic device, and can counter gravitational forces and/or the weight of the electronic device. However, some accessory devices include additional magnetic elements that provide an external magnetic field that repels magnetic elements in the electronic device. Also, the magnetic elements may also be used to hold different sections of the accessory device together.

Claims

1. An accessory device for an electronic device, the accessory device comprising:

a first section comprising;

a receiving surface configured to receive the electronic device, the receiving surface comprising;

a first segment having a first dimension; and

a second segment having a second dimension different from the first dimension,

 

a first magnetic element capable of magnetically coupling with a first device magnet of the electronic device and aligning the electronic device with the receiving surface,

 

electrical contacts that electrically couple with device contacts of the electronic device, and

 

a second magnetic element capable of magnetically coupling with a second device magnet of the electronic device and aligning the device contacts with the electrical contacts;

a second section comprising an input mechanism for communicating with the electronic device; and

a hinge coupled with the first section with the second section, wherein the second segment is positioned between the hinge and the first segment.

2. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the electrical contacts are positioned on the receiving surface.

3. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein:

the first segment comprises a first dimension; and

the second segment comprises a second dimension different from the first dimension.

4. The accessory device of claim 3, wherein the first dimension is greater than the second dimension.

5. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the second section comprises:

a channel capable of receiving the electronic device; and

a Halbach array of magnets that surround the channel.

6. The accessory device of claim 1, further comprising:

a third magnetic element located in the first section; and

a fourth magnetic element located in the second section, wherein when the third magnetic element magnetically couples with the fourth magnetic element, a first back surface of the first section remains engaged with a second back surface of the second section.

7. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the first segment is rotatable with respect to the second segment.

8. An accessory device for an electronic device, the accessory device comprising:

a first section comprising a first magnetic element capable of magnetically coupling with a first device magnet of the electronic device;

a second section rotationally coupled with the first section, the second section comprising a second magnetic element capable of magnetically coupling with a second device magnet of the electronic device;

a first compensating magnetic element located in the first section; and

a second compensating magnetic element located in the second section, wherein the first compensating magnetic element and the second compensating magnetic element neutralize the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element.

9. The accessory device of claim 8, wherein the first section comprises:

a first segment having a first dimension;

a second segment rotationally coupled with the first segment and having the first dimension; and

a third segment rotationally coupled with the second segment and having a second dimension different from the first dimension.

10. The accessory device of claim 9, further comprising a third magnetic element located in the second segment, wherein the first segment is capable of rotating with respect to the second segment such that the first magnetic element magnetically couples with the third magnet element.

11. The accessory device of claim 8, further comprising:

electrical contacts that electrically couple with device contacts of the electronic device, the electrical contacts located on a receiving surface having a size and shape to receive the electronic device;

a third magnetic element capable of magnetically coupling with a third device magnet of the electronic device and aligning the device contacts with the electrical contacts.

12. The accessory device of claim 8, further comprising:

a third magnetic element located in the first section; and

a fourth magnetic element located in the second section, wherein when the third magnetic element magnetically couples with the fourth magnetic element, a first back surface of the first section remains engaged with a second back surface of the second section.

13. The accessory device of claim 8, further comprising:

a channel located in the second section; and

a Halbach array of magnetic that surround the channel.

14. The accessory device of claim 8, further comprising a third magnetic element located in the first section and capable of magnetically coupling with the second device magnet, wherein the first magnetic element and the third magnetic element retain the electronic device and overcome gravitational effects.

15. An accessory device for an electronic device, the accessory device comprising:

a first section comprising a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element, the first magnetic element providing a magnetic attraction force with a device magnet of the electronic device, the second magnetic element providing a magnetic repulsion force with the device magnet; and

a second section rotationally coupled with the first section, the second section comprising a keyboard in communication with the electronic device.

16. The accessory device of claim 15, wherein the first section comprises:

a first segment that carries the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element; and

a second segment rotationally coupled with the first segment.

17. The accessory device of claim 16, wherein the first segment and the second segment suspend the electronic device such that the electronic device lacks contact with the second section.

18. The accessory device of claim 15, further comprising:

electrical contacts that electrically couple with device contacts of the electronic device, the electrical contacts located on a receiving surface defined by the first section;

a third magnetic element located in the first section, the third magnetic element capable of magnetically coupling with a second device magnet of the electronic device and aligning device contacts of the electronic device with the electrical contacts.

19. The accessory device of claim 15, further comprising a fourth magnetic located in the first section, the fourth magnetic element capable of magnetically coupling with a third device magnet of the electronic device and aligning the electronic device with the first section.

20. The accessory device of claim 15, further comprising:

a third magnetic element located in the first section; and

a fourth magnetic element located in the second section, wherein when the third magnetic element magnetically couples with the fourth magnetic element, a first back surface of the first section remains engaged with a second back surface of the second section.