Device base

• US 9,512,954 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2014
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Gerlovin, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): GARFT, CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US14/337,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20160025118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 248/346.03, 248/678, 248/346.01, 248/346.04, 248/206.5, 248/309.4, 361/686, 361726-727, 36157957-67958, 246/31, 243/03
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/005 Means to increase the friction-coefficient
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/83 Use of a magnetic material
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/04 Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/22 with approximately constant height, e.g. with constant length of column or of legs F16M11/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/08 Foot or support base
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/00 Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/026 Supports for loudspeaker casings
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2873 for loudspeaker transducers

Abstract

Embodiments for a base and an assembly of a device and the base are provided. The assembly includes a device having at least one device alignment magnet along a surface of the device, and a base having, along an upper surface of the base, at least one base alignment magnet configured to act on the at least one device alignment magnet to align the device on top of the base, and at least one insert orthogonally plungable through the upper surface of the base. In a first position, the insert is below the upper surface of the base. In a second position, the insert protrudes the upper surface of the base and is contact with the device.

Claims

1. A base comprising:

at least one alignment magnet along an upper surface of the base, wherein the at least one alignment magnet is configured to act on a magnetic portion of a device to align the device on top of the base;

at least one slot extending entirely through the upper surface of the base and the lower surface of the base; and

at least one insert, wherein each of the at least one insert is orthogonally plungable through a respective slot of the at least one slot, wherein a portion of each of the at least one insert is in contact with the respective slot, and wherein (i) in a first position, the at least one insert is entirely below the upper surface of the base, and (ii) in a second position, the at least one insert protrudes the upper surface of the base and contacts a lower surface of the device.

2. The base of claim 1, wherein a weight of the device on top of the base causes the at least one insert to plunge from the first position to the second position.

3. The base of claim 1, wherein in the first position, the at least one insert protrudes a lower surface of the base.

4. The base of claim 1, wherein in the second position, the at least one insert protrudes a lower surface of the base.

5. The base of claim 1, wherein the at least one insert comprises a rubberized material.

6. The base of claim 1, wherein the at least one insert comprises a silicon material.

7. The base of claim 1, wherein the at least one insert comprises a solid core material.

8. The base of claim 1, wherein the at least one insert comprises a high-friction material on an upper portion of the at least one insert and a different material on the portion of the at least one insert that is in contact with the respective slot, and wherein the upper portion of the at least one insert protrudes the upper surface of the base and contacts the lower surface of the device in the second position.

9. The base of claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the base is a low-friction surface.

10. An assembly comprising:

a device having at least one device alignment magnet along a surface of the device; and

a base comprising;

at least one base alignment magnet along an upper surface of the base, wherein the at least base one alignment magnet is configured to act on the at least one device alignment magnet to align the device on top of the base;

at least one slot extending entirely through the upper surface of the base and the lower surface of the base; and

at least one insert, wherein each of the at least one insert is orthogonally plungable through a respective slot of the at least one slot, wherein a portion of each of the at least one insert is in contact with the respective slot, and wherein (i) in a first position, the at least one insert is entirely below the upper surface of the base, and (ii) in a second position, the at least one insert protrudes the upper surface of the base and contacts a lower surface of the device.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the at least one device alignment magnet is a first at least one device alignment magnet and the surface of the device is a first surface of the device, wherein the at least one base alignment magnet is configured to align the first surface of the device on top of the base when the device is in a first orientation, wherein the device has a second at least one device alignment magnet along a second surface of the device, and wherein the base alignment magnet is configured to act on the second at least one device alignment magnet to align the second surface of the device on top of the base when the device is in a second orientation.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the second orientation of the device is perpendicular to the first orientation of the device.

13. The assembly of claim 10, wherein a weight of the device on top of the base causes the insert to plunge from the first position to the second position.

14. The assembly of claim 10, wherein in the first position, the at least one insert protrudes a lower surface of the base.

15. The assembly of claim 10, wherein in the second position, the at least one insert protrudes a lower surface of the base.

16. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the at least one insert comprises a high-friction material.

17. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the at least one insert comprises a silicon material.

18. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the at least one insert comprises a solid core material.

19. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the upper surface of the base is a low-friction surface.

20. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the surface of the device is a low-friction surface.