Flexible Hinge and Removable Attachment

• US 20160299537A1
• Filed: 06/16/2016
• Published: 10/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Whitt, David Otto III, Wahl, Eric Joseph, Vandervoort, David C., Pleake, Todd David, Huala, Rob, Schneider, Summer L., McLaughlin, Robyn Rebecca Reed, Mickelson, Matthew David, Pelley, Joel Lawrence, Shaw, Timothy Carlyle, Groene, Ralf, Wang, Hua, Stoumbos, Christopher Harry, Aagaard, Karsten
• Application Number:
  US15/184,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20160299537A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/1681 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 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1634 Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device

Abstract

Flexible hinge and removable attachment techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a flexible hinge is configured to communicatively and physically couple an input device to a computing device and may implement functionality such as a support layer and minimum bend radius. The input device may also include functionality to promote a secure physical connection between the input device and the computing device. One example of this includes use of one or more protrusions that are configured to be removed from respective cavities of the computing device along a particular axis but mechanically bind along other axes. Other techniques include use of a laminate structure to form a connection portion of the input device.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a housing configured to support a mobile form factor;

a display device supported by the housing;

one or more modules implemented at least partially in hardware and disposed within the housing, the one or more modules configured to process signals received through at least one communication contact from an input device that is coupled to a side of the housing;

a cavity that is configured to receive a protrusion of the input device when the input device is coupled to the side of the housing; and

at least one magnet configured to form a magnetic attachment with the input device.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the cavity is disposed on a side of the housing.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the cavity that is configured to receive the protrusion of the input device permits removal of the input device from the computing device along a particular axis.

4. The computing device of claim 3, wherein the particular axis is defined by a depth of the cavity and the cavity is configured to restrict removal of the input device from the computing device along other axis.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the cavity is configured to support transmission of power between the computing device and the input device when the protrusion is disposed within the cavity.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to include a plurality of said cavities.

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the cavity is configured to support a communicative coupling between the computing device and the input device.

8. A device comprising:

an input portion comprising a plurality of keys that are configured to generate signals to be processed by a computing device as inputs;

at least one communication contact configured to form a communicative coupling with the computing device to communicate the generated signals;

a channel that has a complementary shape to a housing of the computing device and is configured to receive the housing of the computing device;

a protrusion that is disposed within the channel and is configured to be received by a cavity of the housing of the computing device; and

a magnetic coupling device to form a removable magnetic attachment to the computing device.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising a flexible hinge configured to flexibly connect the device with the computing device, the flexible hinge carrying at least one conductor that communicatively couples the generated signals within the communication contact.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein movement of the computing device with respect to the device is limited when the housing of the computing device is disposed within the channel of the device.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the protrusion is configured to support transmission of power between the computing device and the device when the protrusion is disposed within the cavity of the housing of the computing device.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the at least one communication contact is configured to support transmission of power between the computing device and the device.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein the device comprises first and second outer layers that are configured to act as an outer surface of the plurality of keys of the input portion.

14. The device of claim 8, wherein computing device is configured to be removed from the device along a particular axis defined by the channel and the protrusion, but mechanically bind along other axis.

15. The device of claim 8, wherein the channel includes a plurality of said protrusions.

16. A system comprising:

a housing of a computing device and an input device that are configured to be physically and communicatively coupled using;

a connection portion comprising;

at least one communication contact configured to communicate signals generated by an input portion of the input device and configured to communicate power generated by the computing device;

a magnetic coupling device that is configured to form a removable magnetic attachment between the housing and the input device;

a channel disposed on the input device that has a complementary shape disposed on the housing of the computing device and is configured to receive the housing of the computing device; and

a protrusion that is disposed within the channel and is configured to be received by a cavity of the complementary shape disposed on the housing of the computing device; and

a flexible hinge that is configured to flexibly connect the connection portion, the flexible hinge carrying at least one conductor that communicatively couples the signals with the communication contact.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the signals are generated by one or more of a plurality of keys of the input portion and are to be processed by the computing device as inputs.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein movement of the connection portion with respect to the housing of the input device is limited when the housing of the computing device is disposed within the channel of the connection portion.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the input device is configured to be physically removed from the computing device along a particular axis but mechanically bind along other axis.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the particular axis is defined at least in part by a depth of the channel and a depth of the cavity.