Case with magnetic over-center mechanism

• US 9,967,648 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2016
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Panecki, Lee M., Yang, Shannon X., Chawan, Arun D., LeBlanc, Jason J., Albonico, Marcus
• Primary Examiner(s): REGO, DOMINIC E
• Application Number:
  US15/273,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20170093453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 4555751, 455 903, 4555753, 37943313, 379454
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/00 Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/24 Etuis for purposes not covered by a single one of groups A45C11/02 - A45C11/22, A45C11/26, A45C11/32 - A45C11/38
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/005 Hinges
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/02 Interior fittings; Means, e.g. inserts, for holding and packing articles
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/1069 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/001 for portable audio devices, e.g. headphones or MP3-players
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2013/026 Inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/02 Internal fittings of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/44
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/16 hinged for upward or downward movement cigar or cigarette receptacles A24F15/00; suitcases, ètuis A45C; casings for cosmetic substances with hinged covers A45D40/22; toolboxes B25H3/02; hinges of door or similar type E05D ; boxes for switchboards with hinged covers H02B1/066
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/83 Use of a magnetic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/521 Sealing between contact members and housing, e.g. sealing insert
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/02 Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein H04R1/28 takes precedence ; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 : Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1041 : Mechanical or electronic switches, or control elements switches in general H01H
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1058 : Manufacture or assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1075 : Mountings of transducers in earphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2826 : for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2857 : for loudspeaker transducers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/345 : for loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/105 : Manufacture of mono- or stereophonic headphone components
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 : Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/03 : Aspects of the reduction of energy consumption in hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/09 : Non-occlusive ear tips, i.e. leaving the ear canal open, for both custom and non-custom tips H04R2460/11 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2460/17 : Hearing device specific tools used for storing or handling hearing devices or parts thereof, e.g. placement in the ear, replacement of cerumen barriers, repair, cleaning hearing devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/033 : Headphones for stereophonic communication details thereof, e.g. relating to batteries, cables or control elements H04R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/025 : Magnetic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 9/06 : Loudspeakers

Abstract

A case for a portable listening device has a housing and a lid. The lid is attached to the housing with a pivotable joint and operates between an open and a closed position with an over-center mechanism that employs a plurality of magnetic elements.

Claims

1. A case for a portable listening device, the case comprising:

a housing having a cavity to receive the portable listening device;

a lid attached to the housing with a pivotable joint allowing the lid to rotate between a closed position where the lid is aligned over the cavity and an open position where the lid is angularly displaced allowing the portable listening device to be removed from the cavity;

a first magnetic element located in the lid and positioned proximate the pivotable joint;

a second magnetic element located in the housing and positioned proximate the pivotable joint, wherein the first and the second magnetic elements are oriented to repel each other;

a third magnetic element located in the lid and positioned at a distal end of the lid that is opposite the pivotable joint; and

a fourth magnetic element located in the housing and positioned at a distal end of the housing that is opposite the pivotable joint, wherein the third and the fourth magnetic elements are oriented to attract each other;

wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic elements cooperate to define an over center position for the lid, the over center position located between the open position and the closed position such that when the lid is in the open position the lid resists moving from the open position to the closed position and when the lid is in the closed position the lid resists moving from the closed position to the open position.

2. The case of claim 1 wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic elements are magnets.

3. The case of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first, second, third or fourth magnetic elements is a magnetic material.

4. The case of claim 1 wherein the housing includes first and second opposing sidewalls and third and fourth opposing sidewalls that extend between the first and second sidewalls, a bottom wall that extends between the first, second, third and fourth sidewalls, an insert positioned within an interior space defined by the first, second, third and fourth sidewalls and the bottom wall, the insert defining a shape of the cavity, and a receiving opening opposite the bottom wall that communicates with the cavity.

5. The case of claim 4 wherein the cavity is configured to receive one or more listening devices.

6. The case of claim 1 wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic elements are configured to create an over center configuration for the lid where the lid is in a first stable position when in the closed position and is in a second stable position when in the open position, but is in an unstable position in-between the closed position and the open position.

7. The case of claim 1 wherein when the lid is in the closed position attractive forces between the third and fourth magnetic elements over power repulsive forces between the first and second magnetic elements.

8. The case of claim 1 wherein when the lid is in the open position repulsive forces between the first and second magnetic elements over power attractive forces between the third and fourth magnetic elements.

9. The case of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first, second, third or fourth magnetic elements is partially surrounded by a high magnetic permeability material.

10. The case of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first, second, third or fourth magnetic elements is oriented such that its pole is not aligned with its mating magnetic element when the lid is in the closed position.

11. The case of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first, second, third or fourth magnetic elements is secured to a spring.

12. A case for a portable listening device, the case comprising:

a housing having a cavity to receive the portable listening device and a receiving opening that communicates with the cavity;

a lid secured to housing with a pivotable joint, the lid being operable between an open position in which the receiving opening is exposed and a closed position in which the lid covers the receiving opening;

a first magnetic element located in the lid proximate the pivotable joint and oriented to repel a second magnetic element located in the housing proximate the pivotable joint; and

a third magnetic element located in the lid at a distal end of the lid opposite the pivotable joint and oriented to attract a fourth magnetic element located in the housing at a distal end of the housing opposite the pivotable joint;

wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic elements cooperate to define an over center position for the lid disposed between the open position and the closed position such that that the lid resists rotating from the open position to the closed position until the lid is moved past the over center position where the lid is impelled to the closed position.

13. The case of claim 12 wherein the over center position is created by combination of repulsive forces between the first and the second magnetic elements, attractive forces between the second and third magnetic elements and a distance of the first, the second, the third and the fourth magnetic elements from the pivotable joint.

14. A case for an electronic device, the case comprising:

a housing having a cavity to receive the electronic device and a receiving opening that communicates with the cavity;

a lid secured to housing with a pivotable joint, the lid being operable between an open position in which the receiving opening is exposed and a closed position in which the lid covers the receiving opening;

a first magnetic element located in the lid and positioned proximate the pivotable joint;

a second magnetic element located in the housing and positioned proximate the pivotable joint, wherein the first and the second magnetic elements are oriented to repel each other;

a third magnetic element located in the lid and positioned at a distal end of the lid that is opposite the pivotable joint; and

a fourth magnetic element located in the housing and positioned at a distal end of the housing that is opposite the pivotable joint, wherein the third and the fourth magnetic elements are oriented to attract each other;

wherein the first, second, third and fourth magnetic elements are arranged to define an over center position for the lid such that that the lid resists rotating from the closed position to the open position until the lid is moved past the over center position where the lid is impelled to the open position.

15. The case of claim 14 wherein the over center position is created by a combination of repulsive forces between the first and second magnetic elements, attractive forces between the third and fourth magnetic elements, a distance of the first and second magnetic elements from the pivotable joint, and a distance of the third and fourth magnetic elements from the pivotable joint.