US 2018/0123286 A1 · ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH MAGNETIC CONNECTOR

Abstract

A device may comprise a housing having a straight rounded edge. A self-aligning connector at the straight rounded edge may comprise a cylindrical magnet oriented with its axis substantially parallel to the straight rounded edge. The cylindrical magnet is for magnetically engaging a magnet of another connector so as to align and connect the self-aligning connector with the other connector. The self-aligning connector may comprise mounting structure configured to mount the cylindrical magnet at the straight rounded edge of the housing with the axis of the cylindrical magnet being substantially parallel to the straight rounded edge of the housing. The device may include two such self-aligning connectors, spaced apart from one another, along a single straight rounded edge of the device housing.

Claims22

Dependent claims

An electronic device magnetically interconnectable with an other device so as to permit hinge-like pivoting motion of the electronic device relative to the other device while maintaining a physical connection between the devices, the electronic device comprising:

a generally flat cuboid-shaped housing having an elongate sidewall, the sidewall being straight in a longitudinal dimension and curved in a transverse dimension;
two magnetic connectors, spaced apart from one another, along the sidewall of the housing, each of the magnetic connectors including:
a magnetic cylinder capable of magnetically engaging the other device;
and
mounting structure configured to mount the magnetic cylinder at the sidewall within the housing so that an axis of the magnetic cylinder is substantially parallel to the sidewall in the longitudinal dimension and is coaxial with an axis of the magnetic cylinder of the other magnetic connector.

2 more elements

A magnetic connector component of an electronic device facilitating physical interconnection of the electronic device with an other device so as to permit hinge-like pivoting motion of the electronic device relative to the other device, the magnetic connector comprising:

a magnetic cylinder capable of magnetically engaging an other magnetic connector so as to align and connect the magnetic connector with the other magnetic connector;
and
mounting structure configured to mount the magnetic cylinder at an elongate sidewall of a housing of the electronic device, the sidewall being straight in a longitudinal dimension and curved in a transverse dimension, so that an axis of the magnetic cylinder is substantially parallel to the sidewall of the housing in the longitudinal dimension.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electronic device with magnetic connector

Life of this patent

Electronic device with magnetic connector

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22