ACCESSORY DEVICE WITH MAGNETIC ATTACHMENT

• US 20130027867A1
• Filed: 08/01/2012
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lauder, Andrew, Rohrbach, Matthew D., Coster, Daniel J., Stringer, Christopher J., Ow, Florence W., Ai, Jiang, Ive, Jonathan P., Kibiti, Elvis M., Ternus, John P., Lubner, Sean D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,390,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1615 with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206
• 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 1/1656 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 1/1675 Miscellaneous details related to the relative movement between the different enclosures or enclosure parts
• 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 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/02 Permanent magnets [PM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0252 PM holding devices H01F7/021, H01F7/0215, H01F7/0226 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/32 having magnetic fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A magnetic attachment mechanism and method is described. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach at least two objects together in a preferred configuration without fasteners and without external intervention. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach an accessory device to an electronic device. The accessory device can be used to augment the functionality of usefulness of the electronic device.

Claims

1. An accessory unit, comprising:

a hinge span for attaching the accessory unit to a host unit having a display; and

a flexible flap pivotally connected to the hinge span having size and shape in accordance with the display, the flap comprising;

a first end located at the hinge span, a second end opposite the first end detectable by a sensor in the host unit when substantially all of the flap is in contact with the display in a closed configuration, the detection causing the host unit to alter a current operating state to one in accordance with the closed configuration,

a first segment at the first end,

a second segment at the second end detectable by the sensor in the closed configuration, and

a folding region connecting the first and second segments that allows the first and second segments to fold independently of each other such that when the accessory unit is in a partially open configuration, the first segment remains in contact with the display and the second segment is folded away from the display to reveal a first portion of the display that is less than the entire display, wherein when the host unit determines that the accessory unit is in the partially open configuration, the host unit presents visual content only at the first portion of the display.

2. The accessory unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the host unit operates in accordance with the closed configuration of the accessory device by preventing any of the display from presenting visual content.

3. The accessory unit as recited in claim 2, the second segment further comprising:

a magnet detectable by the sensor only when the flap is in the closed configuration.

4. The accessory unit as recited in claim 3, wherein the sensor is a Hall Effect Sensor (HFX).

5. The accessory unit as recited in claim 1 wherein the host unit is a tablet computer and wherein the hinge span magnetically attaches the accessory unit and the host unit.

6. The accessory unit as recited in claim 1, wherein in the closed configuration, the magnetic element is proximate to the HFX sensor.

7. A protective cover arranged to protect at least a display of a tablet computer, comprising:

a flap portion having a size and shape in accordance with the display comprising a magnet located at a first end of the flap portion, wherein in the closed configuration the magnet is detectable by a sensor disposed within the tablet computer, the detection altering a current operating state of the tablet computer in accordance with the state of the protective cover in relation to the tablet computer; and

an attachment mechanism located at a second end of the body portion opposite the first end for pivotally attaching the flap portion to the tablet computer.

8. The protective cover as recited in claim 7, the flap portion further comprising:

a first segment at the first end;

a second segment at the second end, the second segment including at least the magnet detectable by the sensor in the closed configuration; and

a folding region connecting the first and second segments that allows the first and second segments to fold independently of each other such that when the protective cover is in a partially open configuration, the first segment remains in contact with the display and the second segment is folded away from the display to reveal a first portion of the display that is less than the entire display, wherein when the host unit determines that the protective cover is in the partially open configuration, the host unit presents visual content only at the first portion of the display.

9. The protective cover as recited in claim 8, wherein the tablet computer operates in accordance with the closed configuration of the protective cover by disabling any of the display from presenting visual content.

10. The protective cover as recited in claim 9, wherein the sensor is a Hall Effect (HFX) sensor that detects a magnetic field generated by the magnet only when the first end of the flap portion is in close proximity to the display in the closed configuration.

11. The protective cover as recited in claim 10, wherein when the HFX sensor detects the magnetic field, the HFX sensor causes the tablet device to disable the entire display.

12. The protective cover as recited in claim 11, wherein in the open configuration, the HFX sensor does not detect the magnetic field causing the tablet device to enable the entire display for presenting visual content.

13. The protective cover as recited in claim 12, wherein in a partial open configuration, the protective cover is partially opened to reveal a portion of the display that is less than the entire display.

14. The protective cover as recited in claim 13, wherein visual content is presented only at the revealed portion of the display.