Flexible keyboard accessory for a portable electronic device

• US 9,946,296 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2016
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Samuel Gilkison, Coster, Daniel J., Corbin, Sean S., Kuna, Melody L., Hegde, Siddhartha, Cousins, Benjamin A., Murphy, Robert Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): THAKER, NIDHI VIVEK
• Application Number:
  US15/275,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20170068282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• 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 1/1628 Carrying enclosures containing additional elements, e.g. case for a laptop and a printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1654 the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use
• 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 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer

Abstract

An accessory device for use with an electronic device is disclosed. The accessory device may include a cover configured to overlay an electronic device (or device) or fold to form a support structure for the electronic device. The cover may include an attachment feature that electrically couples with the device, and a keyboard foldable with respect to the cover. Further, the keyboard may include a retention feature designed to receive the attachment feature in a folded configuration of the cover. The accessory device may further include an electrically conductive fabric that folds with the cover. The accessory device may include an array of magnets throughout the attachment feature, the cover, and the keyboard. The magnets may be used to magnetically couple together 1) segments of the cover, 2) the cover and the keyboard assembly, 3) and/or the device with the cover.

Claims

1. An accessory device for an electronic device having a device magnet, the accessory device comprising:

a foldable cover having a size and shape to cover the electronic device;

an attachment feature comprising a first magnet that is capable of magnetically coupling with the device magnet;

a keyboard assembly separated from the attachment feature by the foldable cover, the keyboard assembly comprising a second magnet covered by a keyboard surface, the second magnet capable of magnetically coupling with the first magnet; and

a cover layer that at least partially covers the foldable cover and the keyboard assembly, the cover layer securing the attachment feature with the foldable cover, wherein when the first magnet magnetically couples with the device magnet and the second magnet, the electronic device is supported at the keyboard surface.

2. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the attachment feature comprising:

a magnetic shunt;

a protective component that receives the first magnet and the magnetic shunt; and

a coating that combines with the cover layer to conceal the protective component, wherein the cover layer wraps around the magnetic shunt and the protective component.

3. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein:

the keyboard assembly is hingedly coupled with a first end of the foldable cover,

and

the attachment feature is hingedly coupled with a second end of the foldable cover, the second end opposite the first end.

4. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the cover layer defines a hinge that allows the attachment feature to rotate relative to the foldable cover.

5. The accessory device of claim 1, further comprising an electrically conductive fabric embedded in the foldable cover and the keyboard assembly, wherein the electrically conductive fabric extends from the attachment feature to the keyboard assembly.

6. The accessory device of claim 1, further comprising a support layer embedded in and concealed by the foldable cover and the keyboard assembly, wherein the support layer 1) allows the keyboard assembly to fold onto the foldable cover and 2) limits the keyboard assembly to a rotation of no more than 180 degrees with respect to the foldable cover.

7. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the foldable cover comprises:

a first segment;

a second segment adjacent to the first segment; and

a third segment adjacent to the second segment, the third segment offset with respect to the first segment and the second segment such that when the keyboard assembly is positioned on the first segment and the second segment the keyboard assembly is co-planar with respect to the third segment, and wherein each of the first segment, the second segment, and the third segment comprises a uniform thickness.

8. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the keyboard surfaces comprises a retaining feature that forms a ring, and wherein the ring combines with a magnetically coupling between the first magnet and the second magnet to at least partially support the electronic device.

9. An accessory device for an electronic device having an electronic device magnet, the accessory device comprising:

an attachment feature that includes an attachment feature magnet capable of magnetically coupling with the electronic device magnet;

a cover comprising;

a first segment coupled with the attachment feature and having a first segment magnet,

a second segment coupled with the first segment and having a second segment magnet, and

a third segment coupled with the second segment and having a third segment magnet, wherein the first segment magnet is capable of magnetically coupling with the third segment magnet when the cover is folded to form a support structure for the electronic device; and

a keyboard assembly secured with the cover at the third segment, the keyboard assembly including;

a first keyboard magnet that magnetically couples with the second segment magnet when the keyboard assembly is folded onto the cover, and

a second keyboard magnet that magnetically couples with the attachment feature magnet to support the electronic device.

10. The accessory device of claim 9, wherein:

the third segment includes a fourth magnet that emits an external magnetic field, and

the keyboard assembly includes a magnetic field sensor that detects the external magnetic field when the keyboard assembly is folded onto the cover.

11. The accessory device of claim 9, wherein the cover is to support both the electronic device and the keyboard assembly.

12. The accessory device of claim 10, wherein the keyboard assembly comprises a retaining feature that forms a ring, and wherein the ring surrounds the second segment magnet.

13. The accessory device of claim 9, wherein the keyboard assembly comprises:

multiple keys;

a vent to each key of the multiple keys; and

an opening, wherein the vent opens to the opening.

14. The accessory device of claim 9, further comprising a support layer embedded in the third segment and the keyboard assembly, the support layer limiting movement of the keyboard assembly relative to the cover.

15. The accessory device of claim 9, wherein the keyboard assembly comprises a retention feature that combines with the second keyboard magnet to support the electronic device.

16. The accessory device of claim 9, further comprising a cover layer that extends along the attachment feature, the cover, and the keyboard assembly.

17. An accessory device for use with an electronic device, the accessory device comprising:

an attachment feature that includes a first magnet capable of magnetically coupling with the electronic device;

a cover having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the cover secured with the attachment feature at the first end, the cover including;

a first segment,

a second segment separated from the first segment by a first foldable region, and

a third segment separated from the second segment by a second foldable region; and

a keyboard assembly secured with the cover at the second end, the keyboard assembly including a second magnet, wherein when the cover folds at the first foldable region and the second foldable region to define a support structure, the first magnet is positioned on the keyboard assembly such that the first magnet magnetically couples with the second magnet and the support structure supports the electronic device.

18. The accessory device of claim 17, further comprising a cover layer that extends along the attachment feature, the cover, and the keyboard assembly.

19. The accessory device of claim 17, wherein the first end corresponds to the first segment, and wherein the second end corresponds to the third segment.

20. The accessory device of claim 19, further comprising:

a third magnet embedded in the second segment; and

a fourth magnetic embedded in the keyboard assembly, the third magnet magnetically coupling with the fourth magnet when the keyboard assembly is folded onto the cover.