Detachable cover system

• US 8,841,981 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2013
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Correlated Magnetics Research, LLC
• Original Assignee: Correlated Magnetics Research, LLC
• Inventors: Fullerton, Larry W., Roberts, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): BARRERA, RAMON M
• Application Number:
  US13/918,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20130269261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 465 Days
• Field of Search: 335/285, 335/306, 361/679.57, 361/679.58, 292/251.5, 292/DIG.65
• US Class Current: 335/306
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/006 for covers or panels for manholes E02D29/1427; for holes enabling access to installations in buildings E04F19/08; for pressure vessels F16J13/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/16 Devices holding the wing by magnetic or electromagnetic attraction E05C17/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 5/00 Doors, windows, or like closures for special purposes insulated compound frames specially adapted for sliding doors or windows E06B3/26347; Border constructions therefor
• 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 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/021 Construction of PM H01F7/0278 takes precedence; PM compositions H01F1/032
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0242 Magnetic drives, magnetic coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/04 Means for releasing the attractive force

Abstract

A detachable cover system is described herein for covering an opening of an enclosure. The system comprises an enclosure, a cover, a first magnetic structure attached to the enclosure, a second magnetic system attached to the cover, and a coil in proximity to one of the first magnetic structure and the second magnetic structure. The first and second magnetic structures are configured to magnetically attach such that the cover covers the opening. The coil is controllable to produce a magnetic field that causes magnetic detachment of the first magnetic structure from the second magnetic structure such that said cover no longer covers the opening.

Claims

1. A detachable cover system, comprising:

an enclosure having an opening;

a cover for covering said opening;

a first magnetic structure attached to said enclosure;

a second magnetic structure attached to said cover, one of said first magnetic structure or said second magnetic structure comprising a plurality of magnetic sources comprising a first magnetic source having a first polarity and a second magnetic source having a second polarity opposite said first polarity, said first magnetic structure and said second magnetic structure being configured in a first relative alignment position and having a composite magnetic field that produces a composite attract force that causes said first magnetic structure and said second magnetic structure to magnetically attach such that said cover covers said opening;

a coil located in proximity to one of said first magnetic structure or said second magnetic structure, said coil being controllable to produce a bias magnetic field that is added to the composite magnetic field while said first magnetic structure and said second magnetic structure are in said first relative alignment position, said adding of the bias magnetic field to the composite magnetic field causing said first magnetic structure and said magnetic structure to produce a repel force that causes magnetic detachment of said first magnetic structure from said second magnetic structure such that said cover no longer covers said opening; and

said first magnetic structure and said second magnetic structure are a multi-level magnetic system that produces forces that transition from a net attract force to a net repel force at a transition distance.

2. The detachable cover system of claim 1, further comprising:

a power source for providing electricity to said coil.

3. The detachable cover system of claim 1, further comprising:

a hinge attached to said enclosure and to said cover, said hinge constraining movement of said first magnetic structure relative to said second magnetic structure.

4. The detachable system of claim 1, further comprising:

a spacer that prevents said first magnetic structure from being closer to said second magnetic structure than a spacer contact distance.

5. The detachable system of claim 1, wherein said first magnetic structure and said second magnetic structure magnetically attach but do not touch.

6. The detachable system of claim 1, further comprising:

a modulating element for increasing or decreasing said transition distance of said multi-level magnetic system.

7. The detachable cover system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of magnetic sources comprise at least one of permanent magnet sources, electromagnets, and electro-permanent magnets.

8. The detachable cover system of claim 1, further comprising:

a movement constraining structure for constraining movement of at least one of said first magnetic structure or said second magnetic structure.

9. The detachable cover system of claim 8, wherein said movement constraining structure only allows relative movement of the first magnetic structure to or away from said second magnetic structure where the first and magnetic structure are substantially parallel to each other.

10. The detachable cover system of claim 8, wherein said movement constraining structure prevents rotation of the first magnetic structure relative to the second magnetic structure.

11. The detachable cover system of claim 8, where said movement constraining structure has variable states whereby relative movement of said first magnetic structure to said second magnetic structure is constrained in a first way while said movement constraining structure is in a first state but said relative movement of said first magnetic structure to said second magnetic structure is one of not constrained or constrained in a second way while said movement constraining structure is in a second state.

12. The detachable system of claim 11, wherein said movement constraining structure prevents rotation of said first magnetic structure and said second magnetic structure while in said first state and allows rotation of at least one of said first magnetic structure and said second magnetic structure while in a second state.

13. The detachable system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of magnetic sources comprises an outer portion and an inner portion.

14. The detachable system of claim 1, wherein one of said first magnetic structure or said second magnetic structure is a conventional magnet.

15. The detachable system of claim 1, further comprising:

a control system for controlling said coil.

16. A detachable cover system, comprising:

an enclosure having an opening;

a cover for covering said opening;

a first magnetic structure attached to said enclosure;

a second magnetic structure attached to said cover, one of said first magnetic structure or said second magnetic structure comprising a plurality of magnetic sources comprising a first magnetic source having a first polarity and a second magnetic source having a second polarity opposite said first polarity, said first magnetic structure and said second magnetic structure being configured to magnetically attach such that said cover covers said opening;

a spacer that prevents said first magnetic structure from being closer to said second magnetic structure than a spacer contact distance; and

a coil located in proximity to one of said first magnetic structure or said second magnetic structure, said coil being controllable to produce a magnetic field that causes magnetic detachment of said first magnetic structure from said second magnetic structure such that said cover no longer covers said opening, wherein said first magnetic structure and said second magnetic structure are a multi-level magnetic system that produces forces that transition from a net attract force to a net repel force at a transition distance, wherein said spacer contact distance is between said transition point and a separation distance between said first and second magnetic structures where a peak repel force is produced by said multi-level magnetic system.

17. A detachable cover system, comprising:

an enclosure having an opening;

a cover for covering said opening;

a first magnetic structure attached to said enclosure;

a second magnetic structure attached to said cover, one of said first magnetic structure or said second magnetic structure comprising a plurality of magnetic sources comprising a first magnetic source having a first polarity and a second magnetic source having a second polarity opposite said first polarity, said first magnetic structure and said second magnetic structure being configured to magnetically attach such that said cover covers said opening; and

a coil located in proximity to one of said first magnetic structure or said second magnetic structure, said coil being controllable to produce a magnetic field that causes magnetic detachment of said first magnetic structure from said second magnetic structure such that said cover no longer covers said opening, wherein said plurality of magnetic sources comprises an outer portion and an inner portion, wherein said outer portion is an annular ring and said inner portion is a circular area surrounded by said annular ring.

18. A detachable cover system, comprising:

an enclosure having an opening;

a cover for covering said opening;

a first magnetic structure attached to said enclosure;

a second magnetic structure attached to said cover, one of said first magnetic structure or said second magnetic structure comprising a plurality of magnetic sources comprising a first magnetic source having a first polarity and a second magnetic source having a second polarity opposite said first polarity, said first magnetic structure and said second magnetic structure being configured to magnetically attach such that said cover covers said opening; and

a coil located in proximity to one of said first magnetic structure or said second magnetic structure, said coil being controllable to produce a magnetic field that causes magnetic detachment of said first magnetic structure from said second magnetic structure such that said cover no longer covers said opening, wherein said plurality of magnetic sources comprises an outer portion and an inner portion, wherein said outer portion is of a single plurality and said inner portion comprises an ensemble of coded magnetic sources.

19. A detachable cover system, comprising:

an enclosure having an opening;

a cover for covering said opening;

a first magnetic structure attached to said enclosure;

a second magnetic structure attached to said cover, one of said first magnetic structure or said second magnetic structure comprising a plurality of magnetic sources comprising a first magnetic source having a first polarity and a second magnetic source having a second polarity opposite said first polarity, said first magnetic structure and said second magnetic structure being configured to magnetically attach such that said cover covers said opening; and

a coil located in proximity to one of said first magnetic structure or said second magnetic structure, said coil being controllable to produce a magnetic field that causes magnetic detachment of said first magnetic structure from said second magnetic structure such that said cover no longer covers said opening, wherein said plurality of magnetic sources comprises an outer portion and an inner portion, wherein said outer portion comprises a plurality of magnetic sources and said inner portion is of a single polarity.