MAGNETIC FASTENERS

• US 20120032765A1
• Filed: 07/21/2011
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bilbrey, Brett, Pance, Aleksandar, Arnold, Peter, Simon, David I., Lee, Jean, Hillman, Michael D., Tice, Gregory L., Iyer, Vijay, Spare, Bradley
• Application Number:
  US13/188,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20120032765A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 335/306
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/641 by indicating incorrect coupling; by indicating correct or full engagement

Abstract

The various embodiment provide fastening devices, systems and methods that utilize two or more maxels in respective correlated magnetic structures provided in a first structure and at least one second structure to fasten or repulse the first structure to or from, as the case may be, the at least one second structure. In at least one embodiment, each maxel is programmable and may vary either or both the polarity and magnetic strength of the given maxel. The variance of the polarity and/or magnetic strength of the given maxel may be programmable and may be varied to attract or repulse a second magnetic structure which desirably also contains one or maxels forming a correlated magnetic structure.

Claims

1. A fastening device comprising:

a first structure comprising at least a first maxel and a second maxel, wherein each of the first maxel and the second maxel has a polarity and a magnetic strength; and

a second structure comprising at least a third maxel and a fourth maxel, wherein each of the third maxel and the fourth maxel has a polarity and a magnetic strength; and

wherein the polarity of the first maxel, the second maxel, the third maxel and the fourth maxel are configured so at to develop an attraction between at least one of;

(a) the first maxel with the third maxel or fourth maxel; and

(b) the second maxel with at least one of the third maxel and the fourth maxel.

2. The fastening device of claim 1 wherein the first maxel further comprises an electromagnetic structure whereby the polarity of the first maxel can be varied by a change of current flow in the electromagnetic structure.

3. The fastening device of claim 2, wherein each of the first maxel and third maxel further comprise electromagnetic structures.

4. The fastening device of claim 3, wherein the attraction or repulsion of the first maxel relative to the third maxel is controlled by activating or deactivating the electromagnetic structure in a least one of the first maxel and the third maxel with a desired direction of electrical current flow.

5. The fastening device of claim 2, wherein the second maxel further comprises an electromagnetic structure and the polarity of the first maxel and the second maxel are uniquely programmable.

6. The fastening device of claim 2, wherein the magnetic strength of the first maxel is variable.

7. The fastening device of claim 2, wherein the first maxel is configured in a clutch of a laptop computer.

8. The fastening device of claim 2, wherein the first maxel is configured in a spine of a rivet.

9. The fastening device of claim 2, wherein the first maxel is configured in spine of a freewheel.

10. The fastening device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first maxel, the second maxel, the third maxel and the fourth maxel is programmable.

11. A correlated magnetic structure comprising:

at least one first maxel and

at least one second maxel.

12. The correlated magnetic structure of claim 11, wherein the at least one first maxel further comprises an electromagnetic structure.

13. The correlated magnetic structure of claim 12, wherein the electromagnetic structure further comprises a variable current structure, where by varying the current in a first direction a first polarity of the at least one first maxel is created and by varying the current in a second direction a second polarity of the at least one first maxel is created.

14. The correlated magnetic structure of claim 11, wherein the at least one first maxel is configured to correspond to and create an attractive force between the at least one first maxel and a corresponding at least one third maxel on a second correlated magnetic structure and the at least one second maxel is configured to correspond to and create a repulsive force between the at least one second maxel and at least one fourth maxel on the second correlated magnetic structure.

15. The correlated magnetic structure of claim 14, wherein the attractive force created between the at least one first maxel and the at least one third maxel is dominate across both the first correlated magnetic structure and the second correlated magnetic structure when the first correlated magnetic structure and the second correlated magnetic structure are respectively oriented in a first configuration and wherein the repulsive force created between the at least one second maxel and the at least one fourth maxel is dominate across both the first correlated magnetic structure and the second correlated magnetic structure when the first correlated magnetic structure and the second correlated magnetic structure are respectively oriented in a second configuration.

16. A method for fastening a first structure to a second structure, wherein each of the first structure and the second structure have at least one magnetic property and wherein the second structure includes a programmable correlated magnetic structure having two or more maxels comprising:

determining at least one magnetic property of the first structure; and

configuring the magnetic polarity of a first maxel of the two or more maxels in the second structure;

whereby upon configuring the magnetic polarity of the first maxel an attractive magnetic force is created between the configured first maxel and the first structure.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising:

configuring the magnetic polarity of a second maxel of the two or more maxels in the second structure;

whereby upon configuring the magnetic polarity of the second maxel a repulsive magnetic force is created between the second maxel and the first structure.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the attractive magnetic force is sensed by the second structure relative to the first structure when the second structure approaches the first structure from a first given attitude, and wherein the repulsive magnetic force is sensed by the second structure relative to the first structure when the second structure approaches the first structure from a second given attitude.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the repulsive magnetic force is sensed by the second structure relative to the first structure when the second structure is rotated about a common axis relative to the first structure.