Accessory device with magnetic attachment

• US 8,138,869 B1
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): MUSLEH, MOHAMAD A
• Application Number:
  US13/188,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20120068799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 242 Days
• Field of Search: 335/219, 335/285, 335302-306, 439/38, 439/218, 439/217, 439/39, 243/03
• US Class Current: 335/219
• 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:

an accessory body; and

a magnetic assembly pivotally connected to the accessory body, comprising;

a first plurality of magnetic elements arranged adjacent one another in a first relative size order along a first line and arranged according to a first polarity pattern of magnetic polarities, and

a second plurality of magnetic elements arranged adjacent to one another in a second relative size order along the first line and according to a second polarity pattern of magnetic polarities, wherein the magnetic assembly is arranged to magnetically attach the accessory unit to a first part of a host unit with a peak magnetic force,

a housing having a front opening,

a first end lug pivotally connected to an end of the housing,

a second end lug pivotally connected to an opposite end of the housing, wherein the first and second end lugs and the housing pivot about a first pivot line,

a rigid connecting rod connecting the first and second end lugs,

a sleeve sized to accommodate the rigid connecting rod, the sleeve and rigid connecting rod inserted into an opening in the accessory body, the rigid connecting rod forming a second pivot line different than the first pivot line about which the first and second end lugs and housing pivot, and

a magnetic shunt enclosed in the housing and attached to a back portion of the first and the second plurality of magnetic elements, the magnetic shunt arranged to re-direct at least some magnetic field lines away from the back side of the housing and towards the front opening thereby increasing a magnetic flux density between the first and second plurality of magnetic elements and a corresponding magnetic element in the host unit.

2. The accessory unit as recited in claim 1, comprising:

a first protective label formed of a first soft compliant material, the first protective label applied to an inner surface of the first and second end lugs, the first protective label positioned between an exterior surface of the first and second end lugs and an exterior surface of the first part of the host unit onto which the pivoting magnetic assembly is magnetically attached; and

a second protective label formed of a second soft compliant material, the second protective label applied to a front surface of the magnetic elements.

3. The accessory unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the first polarity pattern is at least {P1,P2,P1} and wherein the second polarity pattern is at least {P2,P1,P2}, wherein P1 is a first polarity and P2 is an opposite polarity.

4. The accessory unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the first relative size order is at least {2L,1L,1L} and wherein the second relative size order is at least {1L,1L,2L}, wherein 1L is an effective unit magnet length and 2L is about twice the effective unit magnet length.

5. The accessory unit as recited in claim 4, wherein a 2L magnetic element comprises a configuration of a first 1L magnetic element having the first polarity P1 adjacent to a second 1L magnet having the first polarity P1, wherein the first 1L magnet and the adjacent second 1L magnet are held together against a mutual repulsive magnetic force by an externally applied force.

6. The accessory unit as recited in claim 2, wherein the first polarity pattern is at least {P1,P2,P1} and wherein the second polarity pattern is at least {P2,P1,P2}, wherein P1 is a first polarity and P2 is an opposite polarity.

7. The accessory unit as recited in claim 2, wherein the first relative size order is at least {2L,1L,1L} and wherein the second relative size order is at least {1L,1L,2L1}, wherein 1L is an effective unit magnet length and 2L is about twice the effective unit magnet length.

8. The accessory unit as recited in claim 3, wherein the first relative size order is at least {2L,1L,1L} and wherein the second relative size order is at least {1L,1L,2L}, wherein 1L is an effective unit magnet length and 2L is about twice the effective unit magnet length.

9. The accessory unit as recited in claim 6, wherein the first relative size order is at least {2L,1L,1L} and wherein the second relative size order is at least {1L,1L,2L}, wherein 1L is an effective unit magnet length and 2L is about twice the effective unit magnet length.

10. The accessory unit as recited in claim 7, wherein a 2L magnetic element comprises a configuration of a first 1L magnetic element having the first polarity P1 adjacent to a second 1L magnet having the first polarity P1, wherein the first 1L magnet and the adjacent second 1L magnet are held together against a mutual repulsive magnetic force by an externally applied force.

11. The accessory unit as recited in claim 8, wherein a 2L magnetic element comprises a configuration of a first 1L magnetic element having the first polarity P1 adjacent to a second 1L magnet having the first polarity P1, wherein the first 1L magnet and the adjacent second 1L magnet are held together against a mutual repulsive magnetic force by an externally applied force.

12. The accessory unit as recited in claim 9, wherein a 2L magnetic element comprises a configuration of a first 1L magnetic element having the first polarity P1 adjacent to a second 1L magnet having the first polarity P1, wherein the first 1L magnet and the adjacent second 1L magnet are held together against a mutual repulsive magnetic force by an externally applied force.