ACCESSORY DEVICE WITH MAGNETIC ATTACHMENT

• US 20120068798A1
• Filed: 12/17/2010
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lauder, Andrew, Rohrbach, Matthew D., Coster, Daniel J., Stringer, Christopher J., Ow, Florence W., Ai, Jiang, Ive, Jonathan P., Kibiti, Elvis M., Ternus, John P., Lubner, Sean D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,264,310 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 335/306
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• 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 1/1616 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 1/1656 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 1/1675 Miscellaneous details related to the relative movement between the different enclosures or enclosure parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/02 Permanent magnets [PM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0252 PM holding devices H01F7/021, H01F7/0215, H01F7/0226 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/32 having magnetic fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A magnetic attachment mechanism and method is described. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach at least two objects together in a preferred configuration without fasteners and without external intervention. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach an accessory device to an electronic device. The accessory device can be used to augment the functionality of usefulness of the electronic device.

Claims

1. An accessory unit, comprising:

an accessory body; and

a magnetic assembly pivotally connected to the accessory body, comprising;

a first plurality of magnetic elements arranged adjacent one another in a first relative size order along a first line and arranged according to a first polarity pattern of alternating magnetic polarities, and

a second plurality of magnetic elements arranged adjacent to one another in a second relative size order along the first line and according to a second polarity pattern of alternating magnetic polarities.

2. The accessory unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the magnetic assembly is arranged to magnetically attach the accessory unit to a host unit, wherein the accessory body has a size and shape in accordance with the host unit.

3. The accessory unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second size orders and the first and second polarity patterns are complementary of each other.

4. The accessory unit as recited in claim 3, wherein the first polarity pattern is {P1, P2, P1} and wherein the second polarity pattern is {P2, P1, P2}, wherein P1 is a first polarity and P2 is an opposite polarity.

5. The accessory unit as recited in claim 3, wherein the first relative size order is {2L, 1L, 1L} and wherein the second relative size order is {1L, 1L, 2L}, wherein 1L is an effective unit magnet length and 2L is about twice the effective unit magnet length.

6. The accessory unit as recited in claim 5, wherein a 2L magnetic element comprises a configuration of a first 1L magnetic element having the first polarity P1 adjacent to a second 1L magnet having the first polarity P1, wherein the first 1L magnet and the adjacent second 1L magnet are held together against a mutual repulsive magnetic force by an externally applied force.

7. The accessory unit as recited in claim 6, wherein the magnetic assembly further comprises

a housing having a front opening;

and

a magnetic shunt enclosed in the housing and attached to a back portion of the first and second plurality of magnetic elements, the magnetic shunt arranged to re-direct at least some magnetic field lines away from the back side of the housing and towards the front opening thereby increasing a magnetic flux density between the first and second plurality of magnetic elements and the host unit.

8. The accessory unit as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

a first end plug inserted into a first end of the magnetic shunt; and

a second end plug inserted into a second end of the magnetic shunt, wherein the first and second end plugs provide the externally applied force used to maintain the 2L magnetic element configuration, wherein adjacent magnetic elements having opposite magnet polarities are held together by a mutually attractive magnetic force.

9. The accessory unit as recited in claim 1, wherein the magnetic assembly further comprises:

a first end lug pivotally connected to an end of the housing;

a second end lug pivotally connected to an opposite end of the housing, wherein the first and second end lugs and the housing pivot about a first pivot line;

a rigid connecting rod connecting the first and second end lugs;

a collar sized to accommodate the rigid connecting rod, the collar and rigid connecting rod inserted into an opening in the accessory body, the rigid connecting rod forming a second pivot line different than the first pivot line about which the first and second end lugs and housing pivot.

10. A magnetic attachment method suitable for use with an accessory unit, comprising:

providing a magnetic assembly comprising a first plurality of magnetic elements arranged adjacent one another in a first relative size order along a first line and arranged according to a first polarity pattern of alternating magnetic polarities and a second plurality of magnetic elements arranged adjacent to one another in a second relative size order along the first line and according to a second polarity pattern of alternating magnetic polarities, wherein the first and second plurality of magnetic elements cooperate to form a first magnetic sequence;

placing the sequenced magnetic assembly in proximity to a host unit;

causing the creation of a first magnetic surface by the host unit, the first magnetic surface being suitable for magnetic attachment;

magnetically attaching the accessory unit and the host unit at an engagement surface corresponding to the magnetic surface.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the magnetic assembly further comprises:

a housing, the housing formed of magnetically inactive material;

a magnetic shunt attached to a back portion of the first and second plurality of magnetic elements and fitted into a front side opening of the housing, the magnetic shunt arranged to re-direct at least some magnetic field lines from the first and second magnetic elements that propagate towards the back side of the housing towards the front side opening.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the first and second relative size orders and the first and second polarity patterns are complementary of each other.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the first polarity pattern is {P1, P2, P1} and wherein the second polarity pattern is {P2, P1, P2}, wherein P1 is a first polarity and P2 is an opposite polarity.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the first relative size order is {2L, 1L, 1L} and wherein the second relative size order is {1L, 1L, 2L}, wherein 1L is an effective unit magnet length and 2L is about twice the effective unit magnet length.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein a 2L magnetic element comprises a configuration of a first 1L magnetic element having the first polarity P1 adjacent to a second 1L magnet having the first polarity P1, wherein the first 1L magnet and the adjacent second 1L magnet are held together against a mutual repulsive magnetic force by an externally applied force.

16. An accessory unit, comprising:

an accessory body having a first magnetic element; and

a second magnetic element pivotally connected to the accessory body, wherein the second magnetic element magnetically attaches the accessory unit pivotally to a first portion of a host unit and wherein the first magnetic element cooperates with the second magnetic element to magnetically attach the accessory body to a second portion of the host unit, wherein the first and second magnetic elements are independent of each other.

17. The accessory unit as recited in claim 16, wherein the second magnetic element comprises:

a first plurality of magnetic elements arranged adjacent one another in a first relative size order along a first line and arranged according to a first polarity pattern of alternating magnetic polarities; and

a second plurality of magnetic elements arranged adjacent to one another in a second relative size order along the first line and according to a second polarity pattern of alternating magnetic polarities.

18. The accessory unit as recited in claim 17, wherein the second magnetic element causes the host unit to create a first magnetic surface, the first magnetic surface being suitable for magnetically attaching the second magnetic element to the host unit.

19. The accessory unit as recited in claim 17, wherein the accessory body has a size and shape in accordance with the host unit.

20. The accessory unit as recited in claim 19, wherein the first magnet is a third plurality of magnetic elements.

21. The accessory unit as recited in claim 20, wherein the third plurality of magnetic elements is arranged in alternating polarity.

22. The accessory unit as recited in claim 21, wherein not all of the third plurality of magnetic elements are used to magnetically attach the accessory body to the second portion of the host unit.

23. The accessory unit as recited in claim 22, wherein the at least one magnetic element not used to magnetically attach the accessory body to the second portion of the host is detected by a magnetically sensitive circuit in the host unit when the accessory body magnetically attached to the host unit.

24. The accessory unit as recited in claim 23, wherein the magnetically sensitive circuit is a Hall Effect sensor.