Combined cover, keyboard and stand for tablet computer with reversable connection for keyboard and reading configuration

• US 8,599,542 B1
• Filed: 05/17/2013
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZAGG Inc. (Evercel, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ZAGG Intellectual Property Holding Co., Inc. (Evercel, Inc.)
• Inventors: Healey, Arthur, Gengler, David, King, Jeffrey, Colby, Jim, Oakeson, Daniel Pryor
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Hung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu, James
• Application Number:
  US13/896,900
• Time in Patent Office: 200 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.01, 361/679.08, 361/679.09, 361/679.17, 361/679.41, 361/679.29, 361/679.3, 345/168, 345/169, 455/575.3, 455/575.8
• US Class Current: 361/679.17
• 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 1/1628 Carrying enclosures containing additional elements, e.g. case for a laptop and a printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1669 Detachable keyboards

Abstract

A reversible connection device to attach a cover to a tablet computer in two opposite configurations has a channel pivotally coupled to the cover to receive an edge of the tablet computer. The channel has a first magnet array to magnetically attach to a magnet array of the edge of the tablet computer in a first orientation of the tablet computer with respect to the cover and the channel. A tab is movably coupled in and carried by the channel and movable into the channel. The tab has a second reversed magnet array to magnetically attach to the magnet array of the edge of the tablet computer in a second reversed orientation of the tablet computer with respect to the cover and the channel. The second reversed magnet array has a reversed orientation with respect to the first magnet array of the channel.

Claims

1. A reversible connection device configured to attach a cover to a tablet computer in two opposite configurations, the device comprising:

a) a channel pivotally coupled to the cover and configured to receive an edge of the tablet computer therein, and having a first magnet array configured to magnetically attach to a magnet array of the edge of the tablet computer in a first orientation of the tablet computer with respect to the cover and the channel; and

b) a tab movably coupled in and carried by the channel and movable into the channel, and having a second reversed magnet array configured to magnetically attach to the magnet array of the edge of the tablet computer in a second reversed orientation of the tablet computer with respect to the cover and the channel, the second reversed magnet array having a reversed orientation with respect to the first magnet array of the channel.

2. The device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cover further comprises:

a keyboard.

3. The device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the tab is pivotally coupled to the channel and is pivotal between a retracted position out of an interior of the channel and an extended position in the interior of the channel.

4. The device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

a cavity in a channel wall to receive the tab therein.

5. The device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the tablet computer;

and

wherein the cover further comprises a keyboard.

6. The device in accordance with claim 5, further comprising the cover having at least three different configurations with respect to the tablet computer, including:

a) a cover configuration in which a keyboard side of the cover is closed opposing a screen side of the tablet computer, and in which the tablet computer is magnetically attached to the first magnet array of the channel;

b) a keyboard configuration in which the keyboard side of the cover and the screen side of the tablet computer are pivoted away from one another and exposed for use, and in which the tablet computer is magnetically attached to the first magnet array of the channel; and

c) a reading configuration in which the keyboard side of the cover is closed opposing the back side of the tablet computer so that the screen side of the tablet computer and the back side of the cover are exposed, and in which the tablet computer is magnetically attached to the second reversed magnet array of the tab in the channel.

7. The device in accordance with claim 6, further comprising the cover having at least four different configurations with respect to the tablet computer, further including:

a stand configuration in which the cover and the tablet computer are pivoted away from one another with a bottom of the cover disposed on a support surface and the screen side of the tablet computer oriented at an obtuse angle with respect to the support surface, and in which the tablet computer is magnetically attached to the second reversed magnet array of the tab in the channel.

8. The device in accordance with claim 5, wherein an interior of the channel has an interior profile configured to substantially match a profile of an edge of the tablet computer;

and wherein the tab has a profile matching at least a portion of the profile of the edge of the tablet computer.

9. The device in accordance with claim 5, wherein the tablet computer is removably retained in the channel of the cover by a magnetical force between the magnet array of the channel and a magnet array of the tablet computer and a friction fit between an interior of the channel and the tablet computer in the first orientation;

and wherein the tablet computer is removably retained in the channel of the cover by a magnetical force between the second reversed magnet array of the tab and a friction fit between an interior of the channel and the tablet computer in the second reversed orientation.

10. The device in accordance with claim 5, wherein the tablet computer extends into the channel a first distance in the first orientation, and into the channel a second distance shorter than the first distance in the second reversed orientation.

11. The device in accordance with claim 5, wherein the tab with the second reversed magnet array moves into an interior of the channel, and between the magnet array of the tablet computer and the first magnet array of the channel, in the second reversed orientation of the tablet computer with respect to the cover and the channel.

12. The device in accordance with claim 5, wherein the magnetic array of the tablet computer is spaced-apart from the first magnet array of the channel in the second reversed orientation of the tablet computer with respect to the cover and the channel by a gap into which the tab with the second reversed magnet array moves in the second reversed orientation.

13. A combined cover and keyboard device configured for a tablet computer having an edge with a non-symmetrical profile and a patterned magnet array, the device comprising:

a) a keyboard;

b) a channel pivotally coupled to an edge of the keyboard and configured to removably receive the edge of the tablet computer and having an interior with a profile substantially matching the profile of the edge of the tablet computer in a first orientation of the tablet computer with respect to the keyboard;

c) a first patterned magnet array disposed in and carried by the channel configured to magnetically couple to the patterned magnet array of the tablet computer in the first orientation;

d) a strip pivotally coupled in and carried by the channel and having a profile matching at least a portion of the profile of the edge of the tablet computer in a second reversed orientation of the tablet computer with respect to the keyboard;

e) a second patterned magnet array carried by the strip and configured to magnetically attach to the magnet array of the edge of the tablet computer in the second reversed orientation of the tablet computer with respect to the keyboard;

f) the second patterned magnet array of the strip being reversed with respect to the first patterned magnet array of the channel;

g) the keyboard and the tablet computer being reversible with respect to one another and having at least three different configurations with respect to one another, including;

i) a cover configuration in which a keyboard side of the keyboard is closed opposing a screen side of the tablet computer, and in which the tablet computer is magnetically attached to the first magnet array of the channel;

ii) a keyboard configuration in which the keyboard side of the keyboard and the screen side of the tablet computer are pivoted away from one another and exposed for use, and in which the tablet computer is magnetically attached to the first magnet array of the channel; and

iii) a reading configuration in which the keyboard side of the keyboard is closed opposing the back side of the tablet computer so that the screen side of the tablet computer and the back side of the keyboard are exposed, and in which the tablet computer is magnetically attached to the second reversed magnet array of the tab in the channel.

14. The device in accordance with claim 13, further comprising:

a cavity in a channel wall to receive the strip therein.

15. The device in accordance with claim 13, wherein the strip with the second reversed magnet array moves into an interior of the channel, and between the magnet array of the tablet computer and the first magnet array of the channel, in the second reversed orientation of the tablet computer with respect to the cover and the channel.

16. The device in accordance with claim 13, wherein the magnetic array of the tablet computer is spaced-apart from the first magnet array of the channel in the second reversed orientation of the tablet computer with respect to the cover and the channel by a gap into which the strip with the second reversed magnet array moves in the second reversed orientation.

17. The device in accordance with claim 13, further comprising the keyboard having at least four different configurations with respect to the tablet computer, further including:

a stand configuration in which the keyboard and the tablet computer are pivoted away from one another with a bottom of the keyboard disposed on a support surface and the screen side of the tablet computer oriented at an obtuse angle with respect to the support surface, and in which the tablet computer is magnetically attached to the second reversed magnet array of the tab in the channel.

18. The device in accordance with claim 13, wherein the tablet computer extends into the channel a first distance in the first orientation, and into the channel a second distance shorter than the first distance in the second reversed orientation.