US 8,801,054 B2Granted

Electronic device and magnetic latching mechanism therefor

AssigneeApple Inc.

InventorsChris Ligtenberg, Brett Degner

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A magnetic latch for a display of a laptop computer uses magnetic attraction to maintain the display closed and uses magnetic repelling forces to pop-up the display when opened. The latch includes one or more magnetic elements in the body of the laptop and at least one magnetic element in the display. When the display is closed, the magnet element in the display is positioned adjacent the magnet element in the body having an opposite polarity so that the magnet elements are attracted to one another. To pop-up the display, the user moves the magnetic element in the display so that it meets the magnetic pole in the body having the same polarity. When these meet, the repelling force between them causes the display to open slightly so that a user can then readily open the display.

Claims8

Dependent claims

An apparatus for latching a first body against a second body pivotally connected to the first body, comprising:

a multi-pole magnetic component disposed within the first body, the multi-pole magnetic component comprising a first magnet and a second magnet having a first polarity and a second polarity, respectively, the first and second polarities being opposite of each other;
a movable component disposed within the second body and having an open state and a closed state, the movable component comprising a magnetic element having the first polarity, wherein in the closed state, the magnetic element and the second magnet magnetically attract each other with a first attachment force that retains the first body against the second body, and in the open state the magnetic attraction between the magnetic element and the second magnet generates a second attachment force less than the first attachment force, and wherein the movable component is movable in a first direction to move the movable component to the open state and the movable component is movable in a second direction opposite the first direction to move the movable component from the open state to the closed state;
and
a biasing mechanism configured to apply a biasing force directly to the movable component that is greater than the second attachment force to maintain the movable component in the open state, wherein to maintain the first body substantially closed against the second body in the closed state, the first attachment force is greater than the biasing force.

1 more element

A laptop computer, comprising:

a first body, comprising:
a first magnetic component comprising a first magnet and a second magnet disposed within the first body and characterized as having a first polarity and a second polarity, respectively, the first and second polarities being opposite of each other;
and
a second body pivotally attached to the first body, the second body comprising:
a second magnetic component disposed within the second body and characterized as having the first polarity and having an open state and a closed state, wherein in the closed state, the second magnetic component and second magnet magnetically attract each other with a first attachment force securing the first body and the second body together in the closed state, the second magnetic component being movable in a first direction to provide the closed state and the second magnetic component being movable in a second direction opposite the first direction to unsecure the first body and the second body in the open state by substantially reducing the magnetic attraction between the second magnetic component and the second magnet from the first attachment force to a second attachment force, and
a biasing mechanism configured to apply a biasing force directly to the second magnetic component that is greater than the second attachment force to maintain the second magnetic element in the open state, wherein to maintain the first body substantially closed against the second body in the closed state, the first attachment force is greater than the biasing force.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/685,515Filed 26 Nov 2012 · continuation
Priority: 13 Dec 2005
Published: US 2013/0094142 A118 Apr 2013
Granted: 12 Aug 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

H05K 5/0221
Mechanical details of casings: locks; Latches
E05C 19/16
Other devices specially designed for securing wings, e.g. with suction cups: devices holding the wing by magnetic or electromagnetic attraction
G06F 1/1613
Constructional details or arrangements: for portable computers
G06F 1/1616
With several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function: with folding flat displays,…

Family

Application11/302,907Parent of this division · filed 13 Dec 2005
Application12/831,505Parent of this continuation · filed 7 Jul 2010
US 7,775,567 B2Parent of this division · filed 17 Aug 2010
US 2013/0094142 A1Pre-grant publication · published 18 Apr 2013
Application12/831,505Parent of this division
US 2007/0138806 A1Published application
US 2011/0026203 A1Published application
US 8,801,054 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.