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US 2026/0277276 A1Published application
Part Retention
AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC
InventorsTung Yuen Lau, Shuanghu Zhang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The description relates to devices that have removable parts, such as feet or pads. One example can include a housing containing electronic components and a receptacle positioned in the housing. A foot assembly can be positioned in the receptacle. The foot assembly can include a locking mechanism that mechanically blocks removal of the foot assembly from the receptacle unless acted upon by a magnetic field that rearranges the locking mechanism and unblocks removal of the foot assembly from the receptacle.
Claims15
A device (102), comprising:
- a housing (104) containing electronic components (106);
- a receptacle (112) positioned in the housing;
- and,
- a foot assembly (110) positioned in the receptacle, the foot assembly including a locking mechanism (208) that mechanically blocks removal of the foot assembly from the receptacle unless acted upon by a magnetic field that rearranges the locking mechanism and unblocks removal of the foot assembly from the receptacle.
1 more element
A device (102), comprising:
- a receptacle (112) defining a ring (204) interposed between a volume (206) and an opening (200) along an axis;
- and,
- a foot assembly (110) comprising an exposed pad (214) positioned outside the opening and a locking mechanism (208) extending from the exposed pad into the volume;
- and,
- the locking mechanism comprising a biasing member (210) nested in a tapered core (220) that is nested in an outer shell (216), the locking mechanism further comprising locking nubs (218) captured between and extending through holes (222) in the outer shell, the biasing member producing a biasing force on the tapered core along the axis that forces and locks the nubs outwardly through the holes to lock the foot assembly in the receptacle above the ring.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.