Accessory device for peek mode

• US 8,264,310 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2010
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• 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
• Application Number:
  US12/971,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20120068798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 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 1/1613 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. A cover for a tablet computer having a display configured to present visual content, comprising:

a foldable flap that moves about a first pivot line relative to the display between a fully open position to reveal the entire display and a fully closed position to cover the entire display, the flap comprising;

a plurality of segments comprising;

a first segment at a first end of the flap that includes a magnetically attractable element, and a second segment at a second end of the flap, the second end opposite the first end, the second segment further comprising at least one magnet, and a folding region between each of the segments that allow the plurality of segments to independently fold with respect to each other and the first pivot line, wherein in a first folded configuration the flap forms a triangular structure when the first and second segments are folded one atop the other such that the at least one magnet in the second segment magnetically attracts the magnetically attractable element in the first segment to 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, in a second folded configuration, the first segment covers a corresponding portion of the display and the second segment is folded away from the display to reveal a corresponding viewable portion of the display such that the tablet computer presents visual content only at the viewable portion of the display.

2. The cover as recited in claim 1, the tablet computer further comprising a Hall Effect sensor arranged to detect the magnet.

3. The cover as recited in claim 2, wherein when the Hall Effect sensor detects the magnet, the display is disabled.

4. The cover as recited in claim 2, wherein in the fully closed position, the detection of the magnet by the Hall Effect sensor affects operation of the tablet computer preventing the display from presenting visual content.

5. The cover as recited in claim 1, wherein the tablet computer further comprises:

a single piece housing having a front opening having a size and shape in accordance with the display, the single piece housing further comprising;

an integral bottom and side walls that cooperate to form a cavity in cooperation with the front opening, the bottom wall having a curved bottom surface, the side walls having rectilinear edges wherein an edge of the side walls surround and define the front opening.

6. The cover as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

an attachment system that engages the single piece housing, the engagement coupling the cover to the tablet computer.

7. The cover as recited in claim 6, wherein the attachment system engages at least one side wall of the housing, the engagement coupling the cover to the tablet computer at the at least one side wall.

8. The cover as recited in claim 7, wherein the attachment system engages the bottom wall of the housing, the engagement coupling the cover to the tablet computer at the bottom wall.

9. The cover as recited in claim 6, the tablet computer further comprising a magnetic attachment feature disposed within the housing.

10. The cover as recited in claim 9, wherein the attachment system includes a magnet used in combination with the magnetic attachment feature that couples the cover to the housing.

11. The cover as recited in claim 10, wherein the magnetic attachment feature is disposed within the cavity and at a first side wall of the housing.

12. The cover as recited in claim 11, the magnetic attachment feature comprising:

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

a second plurality of magnets arranged adjacent to one another in a second relative size order along the first line and according to a second polarity pattern of alternating magnetic polarities.

13. The cover as recited in claim 12, wherein the first and second size orders and the first and second polarity patterns are complementary of each other.

14. The cover as recited in claim 13, wherein the first polarity pattern is {P1,P2,P1} and wherein the second polarity pattern is {P2,P1,P2}, wherein P1 is a first polarity and P2 is an opposite polarity, and wherein the first relative size order is {2L,1L,1L} and wherein the second relative size order is {1L,1L,2L}, wherein 1L is an effective unit magnet length and 2L is about twice the effective unit magnet length.

15. The cover as recited in claim 10, wherein the magnetic attachment feature is disposed within the cavity and beneath a portion of the display.

16. The cover as recited in claim 10, wherein the magnetic attachment feature comprises a first magnetic attachment feature disposed within the cavity and at a first side wall and a second magnetic attachment feature disposed within the cavity and beneath a portion of the display.

17. The cover as recited in claim 1, the tablet computer further comprising a touch sensitive layer associated with the display for sensing a touch event.

18. The cover as recited in claim 17, wherein the visual content presented only at the viewable portion of the display includes at least one icon configured to respond to the touch event.18

19. cover as recited in claim 18, wherein that portion of the touch sensitive layer corresponding to the viewable portion of the display is activated to respond to the touch event at the at least one icon.

20. cover as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

a third segment disposed between the first and second segments, the third segment configured to independently fold with respect to the first and second segments and the first pivot line.

21. The cover as recited in claim 20, in a third folded configuration, the first segment covers a corresponding portion of the display and the second and third segments are each folded away from the display to reveal a corresponding extended viewable portion of the display, and the tablet computer presents visual content only at the extended viewable portion of the display.

22. The cover as recited in claim 21, wherein the tablet computer includes at least a first sensor arranged to detect when the cover is in the second folded configuration.

23. The cover as recited in claim 22, wherein the tablet computer includes the first sensor and and a second sensor that cooperate to detect when the cover is in the third folded configuration.

24. The cover as recited in claim 23, wherein the first sensor is a Hall Effect sensor.

25. The cover as recited in claim 24, wherein the second sensor is an ambient light sensor (ALS) configured to detect ambient light only when the cover is in the third folded configuration.