Electronic device with magnetic attachment

• US 8,143,983 B1
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Stringer, Christopher J., 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): MUSLEH, MOHAMAD A
• Application Number:
  US13/188,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20120069540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 249 Days
• Field of Search: 335/219, 335/285, 335302-306, 439/38, 439/218, 439/217, 439/39, 243/03, 292/251.5
• 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 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/00 General purpose image data processing
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/04 Means for releasing the attractive force
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/32 having magnetic fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/11 Magnetic

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 electronic device having a housing, comprising:

a dual state magnetic element comprising a first plurality of magnetic components and a second plurality of magnetic components, the dual state magnetic element disposed within the housing at a first side wall and arranged to provide a first magnetic surface at an exterior surface of the first side wall in an inactive state, the first magnetic surface not substantially affecting a magnetically sensitive device at the exterior surface, wherein in an active state, the dual state magnetic element provides a second magnetic surface at the exterior surface of the first side wall, the second magnetic surface suitable for generating a peak magnetic attachment force for forming a magnetic attachment between the electronic device and a magnetic assembly in a first part of an accessory unit, wherein the magnetic assembly is arranged to magnetically attach the accessory unit to a first part of the electronic device with the peak magnetic force, the magnetic assembly comprising;

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 collar sized to accommodate the rigid connecting rod, the collar 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 pivot; and

a state maintaining means coupled to the housing and arranged to maintain the dual state magnetic element in the inactive state by providing a retaining force, wherein an off peak magnetic attachment force has a force value that is equal to or greater than one half of a force value of the peak magnetic attachment force, wherein the dual state magnetic element changes from the inactive state to the active state only when the magnetic assembly in the first part of the accessory device aligns with corresponding ones of the first plurality of magnetic components and the second plurality of magnetic components, and wherein when the dual state magnetic element changes from the inactive to the active state, the dual state magnetic element moves from a first position to a second position against the retaining force a distance Δ

x towards the first sidewall wherein the state maintaining means comprises a spring having a spring constant k, and wherein the retaining force is directly related to the distance Δ

x and the spring constant k.

2. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first plurality of magnetic components are 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 wherein the second plurality of polarity magnetic components are 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 first and second size orders and the first and second polarity patterns are complementary of each other.

3. The electronic device 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} and wherein P1 is a first polarity and P2 is an opposite polarity wherein the first relative size order is at least {2 L,1 L,1 L} and wherein the second relative size order is at least {1 L,1 L,2 L}, wherein 1 L corresponds to a an effective unit magnet length and wherein 2 L corresponds to about twice the effective unit magnet length.

4. The electronic device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a sensor.

5. The electronic device as recited in claim 4, the accessory device further comprising a foldable flap portion comprising:

a first end having the magnetic assembly pivotally attached thereto, and a second end on an opposite side of the foldable flap portion from the first end that includes a magnet that provides a magnetic field that is detected by the sensor when the magnetic component in the second end of the foldable flap portion is in proximity to the sensor.

6. The electronic device as recited in claim 5, wherein the electronic device is a tablet computer comprising a display and a processor for controlling the display, wherein the foldable flap portion has a size and shape in accordance with the display.

7. The electronic device as recited in claim 6, wherein when the sensor detects the magnetic field from the magnetic component, the sensor sends a signal to the processor that in turn directs the display to not present visual content by at least a portion of the display.