Magnetic securing system for a detachable input device
First Claim
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1. A portable computer having a base and a lid, comprising:
- a housing of the base;
an input device that is detachable from the housing of the base; and
a magnetic securing system for holding the input device relative to the housing of the base.
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Abstract
The invention generally pertains to a computing device. More particularly, the invention pertains to an improved keyboard arrangement for use in the computing device. One aspect of the invention pertains to a movable keyboard that can be opened or removed to gain easy access to internal components of the computing device. Another aspect of the invention pertains to a magnetic keyboard securing system suitable for holding the movable keyboard relative to the computing device. The invention is particularly useful in computing devices such as portable computers.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A portable computer having a base and a lid, comprising:
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a housing of the base;
an input device that is detachable from the housing of the base; and
a magnetic securing system for holding the input device relative to the housing of the base. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A computing device, comprising:
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a housing, the housing including on opening for allowing access to a computing component that is enclosed in the housing, the opening being disposed in a top surface of the housing;
an input device that is detachable from the housing, the input device being configured for placement within the open of the housing, the input device including a bottom plate, and wherein the housing includes a lip for supporting the bottom plate when the input device is placed in the opening of the housing; and
a magnetic securing system for holding the input device relative to the housing, the magnetic securing system being configured to hold the input device in the opening of the housing when the input device is placed in the opening of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A computing device, comprising:
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a housing, the housing including an opening for allowing access to a computing component that is enclosed in the housing, the opening being disposed in a top surface of the housing;
an input device that is detachable from the housing, the input device being configured for placement within the opening of the housing; and
a magnetic securing system for holding the input device relative to the housing, the magnetic seeking system being configured to hold the input device in the opening of the housing when the input device is placed in the opening of the housing, the magnetic securing system including a magnetic element and a magnetic surface that cooperate to hold the input device in the opening of the housing when the input device is placed in the opening of the housing, wherein the magnetic element is directly or indirectly attached to the housing, and wherein the magnetic surface is attached to a bottom plate of the input device. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A computing device, comprising:
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a housing, the housing including an opening for allowing access to a computing component that is enclosed in the housing, the opening being disposed in a top surface of the housing;
an input device that is detachable from the housing, the input device being configured for placement within the opening of the housing, and a magnetic securing system for holding the input device relative to the housing, the magnetic securing system being configured to hold the input device in the opening of the housing when the input device is placed in the opening of the housing, the magnetic securing system including a magnetic element and a magnetic surface that cooperate to hold the input device in the opening of the housing when the input device is placed in the opening of the housing, wherein the magnetic element is a permanent magnet, and wherein the magnetic surface is a metal plate.
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26. A computing device, comprising:
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a housing, the housing including an opening for allowing access to a computing component that is enclosed in the housing, the opening being disposed in a top surface of the housing;
an input device that is detachable from the housing the input device being configured for placement with the opening of the housing; and
a magnetic security system for holding the input device relative to the housing, the magnetic securing system being configured to hold the input device in the opening of the housing when the input device is placed in the opening of the housing, the magnetic securing system including a plurality of magnetic elements and a plurality of magnetic surfaces that cooperate to hold the input device in the opening of the housing when the input device is placed in the opening of the housing.
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27. A computing device, comprising:
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a housing, the housing including an opening for allowing access to a computing component that is enclosed in the housing, the opening being disposed in a top surface of the housing;
an input device that is detachable from the housing, the input device being configured for placement within the opening of the housing; and
a magnetic securing system for holding the input device relative to the housing, the magnetic securing system being configured to hold the input device in the opening of the housing when the input device is placed in the opening of the housing, the magnetic securing system including a magnetic element and a magnetic surface that cooperate to hold the input device in the opening of the housing when the input device is placed in the opening of the housing, wherein the magnetic surface is directly or indirectly attached to the housing, and wherein the magnetic element is attached to a bottom plate of the input device.
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28. A computing device, comprising:
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a housing, the housing including an opening for allowing access to a computing component that is enclosed in the housing, the opening being disposed in a top surface of the housing;
an input device that is detachable from the housing, the input device being configured for placement within the opening of the housing; and
a magnetic securing system for holding the input device relative to the housing, the magnetic securing system being configured to hold the input device in the opening of the housing when the input device is placed in the opening of the housing, the magnetic securing, the magnetic securing system including a magnetic element and a magnetic surface that cooperate to hold the input device in the opening of the housing when the input device is placed in the opening of the housing, wherein the magnetic surface is portion of a bottom plate of the input device, and wherein the magnetic element is directly or indirectly attached to the housing.
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29. A computing device, comprising:
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a housing;
an input device that is detachable from the housing;
a magnetic securing system for holding the input device relative to the housing; and
a lock coupled to the housing and configured to lock the input device to the housing such that the input device is prevented from being detached from the housing.
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30. A computing device, comprising:
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a housing having an opening for allowing access to a component enclosed within the housing;
a removable input device having a base plate configured for placement within the opening;
a permanent magnet fixedly coupled to either the housing or a structural component enclosed within the housing; and
a metal disk fixedly coupled to the base plate;
wherein the permanent magnet and the metal disk are cooperatively positioned so that when the removable input is placed within the opening, the permanent magnet and metal disk are magnetically attracted to one another thus securing the removable input device to the housing.
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31. A computing device comprising:
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a house;
a flexible keyboard that is detachable from the housing; and
a magnetic securing system for holding the flexible keyboard relative to the housing, the magnetic securing system including a plurality of magnetic elements, the plurality of magic elements being strategically placed to hold the flexible keyboard down where the flexible keyboard is most likely to bow. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34. A method for holding a removable and flexible keyboard within an opening disposed in a housing of a computing device, the method comprising:
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providing a plurality of magnetic elements and a magnetic surface; and
magnetically attracting the magnetic surface towards the plurality of magnetic elements so as to magnetically secure the flexible keyboard within the opening of the housing, the plurality of magnetic elements being strategically placed to hold the flexible keyboard down where the flexible keyboard is most likely to bow, wherein the magnetic elements are permanent magnets that are disposed within the housing, and wherein the flexible keyboard includes a metallic bottom surface for magnetically cooperating with the permanent magnets.
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Specification