Magnetic Fastener
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorDouglas J. WEBER
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An item may be provided with a body that forms an enclosure. The body (12) may have body portions (16, 18) that open and close along a seam (14). An elongated magnetic fastener (36) may run along the seam. The magnetic fastener may have first (38) and second (40) portions on opposing sides of the seam. The first and second portions may include magnets. When the magnetic fastener is operated in a closed state, the magnets in the first and second portions attract each other and pull the first and second portions of the fastener together to close the seam. When the magnetic fastener is operated in an open state, the magnets in the first and second portions repel each other and push the first and second portions of the fastener apart to open the seam.
Claims28
Apparatus, comprising:
- a body having an interior and having body portions that open and close along a seam to provide access to the interior from outside the body through an opening in the body;
- and
- an elongated magnetic fastener that extends along the seam, wherein the elongated magnetic fastener is operable in a closed state to hold the body portions together to close the opening and an open state to separate the body portions from each other to open the opening.
An elongated magnetic fastener for securing an opening in a body of an item, wherein the elongated magnetic fastener is operable in an closed state that holds portions of the body together to close the opening along a seam in the body and is operable in an open state in which the portions of the body are not held together along the seam, comprising:
- a first strip of magnets that runs along the seam;
- and
- a second strip of magnets that runs along the seam parallel to the first strip of magnets, wherein the second strip of magnets includes a first set of magnets that attracts the first strip of magnets when the magnetic fastener is in the closed state and includes a second set of magnets that repels the first strip of magnets when the magnetic fastener is in the open state.
An enclosure, comprising:
- a hinge;
- a body that has first and second portions coupled to the hinge, wherein the first and second portions open and close along a seam in the body;
- and
- an elongated magnetic fastener that runs along the seam, wherein the elongated magnetic fastener has a first strip of magnets and a second strip of magnets and wherein the first and second strips of magnets shift with respect to each other to place the elongated magnetic fastener in an open state in which the second strip of magnets repels the first strip of magnets to open the magnetic fastener.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.