Magnet array for coupling and aligning an accessory to an electronic device
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorRichard Tsai
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods are providing for aligning an accessory to an electronic device interface. In particular, some accessories such as optical filters and lens require specific alignment to operative properly. Using a first magnet array positioned around the periphery of the interface and a second magnet array positioned within the accessory, a user can position an accessory on the electronic device and rotate the accessory until the magnets of each array exert a force on an opposing magnet of the other array. By distributing the magnets in a manner that includes no repeating segments, only a single alignment of the accessory relative to the interface can allow the magnet arrays to be properly in opposition.
Claims20
An accessory operative to be coupled to an authorized portable electronic device having an interface, comprising:
- a body comprising a first surface operative to be positioned adjacent to the interface when the accessory is coupled to the authorized electronic device;
- a coupling mechanism for securing the accessory to the authorized electronic device, wherein an orientation of the body can be positioned in any one of at least two different orientations;
- and
- a magnet array incorporated in the body and placed adjacent to the first surface, wherein:
- the magnet array comprises a plurality of magnets that align with opposing magnets of the authorized portable electronic device to limit the orientation of the body to only one of the at least two different orientations when the accessory is secured to the electronic device by the coupling mechanism, and
- the orientation of at least one magnet of the magnet array is selected by the user to prevent the accessory from being coupled to an unauthorized device.
An electronic device operative to receive an accessory, comprising:
- a housing operative to retain electronic device components;
- an interface within the housing operative to allow interactions between the electronic device and the environment;
- and
- a magnet array positioned within the housing and around the periphery of the interface, the magnet array comprising a plurality of magnets wherein the orientation of at least one magnet can be selected by a user to create a unique pattern of polarity for the plurality of magnets corresponding to a unique pattern of polarity of a second magnet array of the accessory.
A method for constructing an optical accessory, comprising:
- providing a body comprising a coupling mechanism adjacent to a first surface, wherein the first surface is operative to be positioned adjacent to a surface of an electronic device;
- providing an optical component within the body, wherein the optical component is operative to be aligned with an optical interface of the electronic device;
- incorporating a magnet array in the body adjacent to the first surface, wherein:
- the magnet array comprises a plurality of magnets distributed such that the plurality of magnets are aligned with opposing magnets of the electronic device only for a single orientation of the accessory relative to the electronic device;
- and
- the polarity of at least one magnet of the magnet array can be selected to correspond to a unique magnet array of the electronic device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.