Electronic device support with magnetic indexing

• US 8,780,549 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2012
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Aldana, Leonardo
• Primary Examiner(s): HAUGHTON, ANTHONY MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US13/489,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20130329360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.41, 361/679.42, 361/679.43, 361/679.44
• US Class Current: 361/679.44
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/00 Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles heads thereof F16M11/02 ; undercarriages thereof F16M11/20 ; adapted to be stuck in the ground A45F3/44 ; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles supports for measuring instruments G01D11/30; supports for casings of remote control switching devices H01H9/025
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• 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: Y10T 29/24 Hinge making or assembling

Abstract

An electronic device support has a receptacle with an electronic device receiving cavity and a first magnetic indexing part. A base is hingedly coupled to the receptacle and has a second magnetic indexing part. The first and second magnetic indexing parts are configured to allow the receptacle to rotate relative to the base when rotationally apart from a specified orientation and to magnetically support the receptacle when in the specified orientation.

Claims

1. An electronic device support, the support comprising:

a receptacle comprising a first portion that is substantially cylindrical, a second portion that forms a cavity for inserting a portion of an electronic device, and a first magnetic indexing part included in the first portion; and

a base comprising a concave portion configured to receive the receptacle along a longitudinal axis of the first portion and a second magnetic indexing part, the first and second magnetic indexing parts configured to allow the receptacle when placed in the concave portion to rotate relative to the base when rotationally apart from a specified orientation and to magnetically support the receptacle when in the specified orientation.

2. The support of claim 1, where the specified orientation is a first specified orientation and where the first and second magnetic indexing parts are configured to allow the receptacle to rotate relative to the base when rotationally apart from the first specified orientation and when rotationally apart from a second, different specified orientation and to magnetically support the receptacle when in the first specified orientation and when in the second specified orientation.

3. The support of claim 2, where the base has a bottom surface configured to rest on a planar surface and where the first and second orientations are on a same side of a plane orthogonal to the planar surface.

4. The support of claim 2, where the base has a bottom surface configured to rest on a planar surface and where the first and second orientations are on opposite sides of a plane orthogonal to the planar surface.

5. The support of claim 2, where the first specified orientation is a typing orientation and the second specified orientation is a viewing orientation.

6. The support of claim 2, where the first and second magnetic indexing parts are configured to allow the receptacle to rotate relative to the base when rotationally apart from a third specified orientation that is different from the first and second orientations and to magnetically support the receptacle when in the third specified orientation.

7. The support of claim 1, where the first and second magnetic indexing parts are magnetically attracted to one another in magnetically supporting the receptacle in the specified orientation.

8. The support of claim 1, where the first and second magnetic indexing parts are not substantially magnetically attracted to one another in allowing the receptacle to rotate when apart from the specified orientation.

9. The support of claim 1, where the first magnetic index part comprises a magnet and the second magnetic index part comprises a magnet with a pole that is aligned with and magnetically attracted to an opposite pole of the magnet of the first magnetic index part when the receptacle is in the specified orientation.

10. The support of claim 1, where one of the first or second magnetic indexing parts comprises a ferrous metal piece and the other of the first and second magnetic indexing parts comprises a magnet that is magnetically attracted to the ferrous metal piece when the receptacle is in the specified orientation.

11. The support of claim 2, where one of the first or second magnetic indexing parts comprises a plurality of magnets angularly positioned around a male hinge component corresponding to the first and second orientations, and where the other of the first or second magnetic indexing parts comprises a plurality of magnets angularly positioned around a female hinge component corresponding to the first and second orientations.

12. The support of claim 1, where the first and second magnetic index parts provide all of the support maintaining the receptacle in the specified orientation.

13. The support of claim 1, where the electronic device comprises a touch screen and where the first and second magnetic indexing parts are configured to magnetically support the receptacle in the specified orientation while the touch screen is being actuated.

14. The support of claim 1, where the electronic device receiving cavity comprises a tablet computer receiving cavity.

15. A method, comprising:

supporting an electronic device in a hinged orientation relative to a base using magnetic interaction between a magnetic indexing component coupled to the base and a magnetic indexing component coupled to the electronic device and aligned with the magnetic component coupled to the base, wherein the electronic device is supported by a receptacle comprises a first portion that is substantially cylindrical and a second portion that forms a cavity that the electronic device is inserted, and the base comprises a concave portion configured to receive the receptacle along a longitudinal axis of the first portion; and

allowing the electronic device to hinge relative to the base when the magnetic indexing component coupled to the base is apart from the magnetic indexing component coupled to the electronic device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising supporting the electronic device in a second, different hinged orientation relative to the base using magnetic interaction between the magnetic indexing component coupled to the base and the magnetic indexing component coupled to the electronic device and aligned with the magnetic indexing component coupled to the base.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising supporting the electronic device in a third hinged orientation relative to the base using magnetic interaction between a magnetic indexing component coupled to the base and a magnetic indexing component coupled to the electronic device and aligned with the magnetic indexing component coupled to the base.

18. The method of claim 15, where at least the magnetic indexing component coupled to the base or the magnetic indexing component coupled to the electronic device comprises a magnet and where the other of the magnetic indexing component coupled to the base and the magnetic indexing component coupled to the electronic device lacks a magnet.

19. A device comprising:

an electronic device couple hinged to a base, wherein the electronic device is coupled by a receptacle comprises a first portion that is substantially cylindrical and a second portion that forms a cavity that the electronic device is inserted, and the base comprises a concave portion configured to receive the receptacle along a longitudinal axis of the first portion; and

a magnetic detent part of the couple that interacts with a magnetic detent part of the base to support the couple relative to the base when the magnetic detent parts are aligned and that allow the couple to rotate relative to the base when the magnetic detent parts are misaligned.

20. The device of claim 19, where both the magnetic detent part of the couple and the magnetic detent part of the base are magnetic.