Foldable accessory device

• US 8,143,982 B1
• Filed: 12/17/2010
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ow, Florence W., Ai, Jiang, Ive, Jonathan P., Kibiti, Elvis M., Ternus, John P., Lubner, Sean D., Lauder, Andrew, Rohrbach, Matthew D., Coster, Daniel J., Stringer, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Musleh, Mohamad
• Application Number:
  US12/971,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20120066865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 466 Days
• Field of Search: 335/219, 335/285, 335302-306, 439/38, 439/218, 439/217, 439/39, 243/03, 361/807, 361/679.01, 361/600, 206/45.2, 206/45.23, 206/45.24, 206/305, 206/320, 206/764, 206/765
• US Class Current: 335/219
• 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 2200/1634 Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer
• 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, the hinge span including a first magnetic element suitable for magnetic attachment to a host unit having a display; and

a flap portion pivotally connected to the hinge span, the flap portion comprising;

a plurality of segments all but one of which are substantially the same size and wherein one segment is wider than the other segments, wherein each segment includes a pocket that is about the same size as the corresponding segment,

a rigid insert incorporated into each pocket, the rigid insert providing support for the associated segment, and

a folding region between each of the segments arranged to allow the plurality of segments to fold with respect to each other, wherein a first segment is located at a first end of the flap at the hinge span and includes a magnetically attractable element and wherein a second segment is located at a second end of the flap opposite the first end and includes a plurality of magnets, wherein in a first folded configuration the flap portion forms a triangular structure when the first and second segments are folded one atop the other such that at least one of the magnets in the second segment magnetically attract the magnetically attractable element in the first segment, wherein the first and second segments that are folded one atop the other and magnetically attached to each other form one side of the triangular structure that is about equal in width to a second side of the triangular structure each of which is narrower than a third side of the triangular structure.

2. The accessory unit as recited in claim 1 wherein the triangular structure forms a first stand to support the host unit in a desktop mode, wherein visual content presented at the display is positioned about 11°

from horizontal.

3. The accessory unit as recited in claim 1 wherein the triangular structure forms a second stand to support the host unit in a display mode, wherein visual content presented at the display is positioned about 75°

from horizontal.

4. The accessory unit as recited in claim 1 wherein the triangular structure forms a first hanger arranged to support the host unit in a hanging mode, wherein visual content presented at the display at about 90°

from horizontal.

5. The accessory unit as recited in claim 1 wherein the triangular structure forms a first type handle arranged to support the host unit in a grasping mode.

6. The accessory unit as recited in claim 1, wherein in a second folded configuration the magnetically attached first and second segments form a planar structure used to grasp the host unit.

7. The accessory unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the flap portion comprises:

an inner layer, the inner layer of the second segment in contact with the display when the accessory unit is magnetically attached to the host unit in a closed configuration; and

an outer layer attached to the inner layer, the outer layer exposed to an external environment.

8. The accessory unit as recited in claim 7, wherein the inner layer passively cleans a surface of the display in the closed configuration.

9. The accessory unit as recited in claim 8, wherein the inner layer is formed of microfiber, the microfiber passively cleans the surface of the display in accordance with movement of the flap portion, and wherein the outer layer is formed of resilient material that includes at least plastic, and leather.

10. The accessory unit as recited in claim 7, wherein at least one of the plurality of magnets being detectable by a first sensor in the host unit when the flap portion is in the closed configuration.

11. The accessory unit as recited in claim 10, wherein the first sensor alters an operating state of the host unit in accordance with the detection.

12. The accessory unit as recited in claim 11, wherein the first sensor alters the operating state of the host unit by turning the display OFF in the closed configuration.

13. The accessory unit as recited in claim 12, wherein a second sensor in the host unit in cooperation with the first sensor determines if the display is only partially viewable.

14. The accessory unit as recited in claim 13, wherein the first and second sensor cooperate to alter the operating state of the host unit by providing that only the partially viewable portion of the display presents visual content.

15. The accessory unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the host unit is an electronic device.

16. The accessory device as recited in claim 15, wherein the electronic device is a tablet computer.