Magnetic related features of a cover for an electronic device
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
G06F-001/16
A45C-011/00
H01F-007/02
출원번호
US-0966213
(2013-08-13)
등록번호
US-9474345
(2016-10-25)
발명자
/ 주소
Smith, Samuel G.
Gilbert, Taylor Harrison
출원인 / 주소
Apple Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Downey Brand LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
1인용 특허 :
16
초록▼
A cover is described that is magnetically attached to a tablet device. The cover includes at least as flap. In the described embodiment, the flap includes a plurality of segments. The cover includes a number of magnets formed into a number of magnetic arrangements that provide a number of useful fea
A cover is described that is magnetically attached to a tablet device. The cover includes at least as flap. In the described embodiment, the flap includes a plurality of segments. The cover includes a number of magnets formed into a number of magnetic arrangements that provide a number of useful features associated with the cover and the tablet device.
대표청구항▼
1. A cover suitable for attaching to and protecting a tablet device, the tablet device having a housing with a front opening and a display carried by the housing with an outer protective layer having a size and a shape that at least overlays the display and that fills the front opening, the cover co
1. A cover suitable for attaching to and protecting a tablet device, the tablet device having a housing with a front opening and a display carried by the housing with an outer protective layer having a size and a shape that at least overlays the display and that fills the front opening, the cover comprising: a flap having the size and the shape of the display that is foldable into a folded configuration, comprising: a linear array of magnets positioned along and parallel to a first edge of the flap at least some of which provide a first magnetic field arranged to secure the flap to the outer protective layer,a sensor magnet disposed at a location in the flap between the first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge, the sensor magnet having a size and a shape such that the sensor magnet remains detectable by a sensor carried by the tablet device regardless of an amount of rotational displacement of the sensor magnet with respect to the outer protective layer in accordance with a maximum racking angle when the flap is coupled to the outer protective layer by the linear array of magnets, anda field shaping magnet disposed at a location in the flap between the linear array of magnets and the second edge, wherein the field shaping magnet reduces a magnetic field at a location of a magnetically sensitive component carried by the housing when the linear array of magnets secures the flap to the outer protective layer. 2. The cover as recited in claim 1, the cover further comprising: a linear array of magnets arrayed along and parallel to a second edge of the flap opposite the first edge, wherein the linear array of magnets along the second edge of the flap are parallel to a sub-set of the linear array of magnets at the first edge. 3. The cover as recited in claim 2, wherein each of the linear array of magnets at the second edge forms a magnetic circuit with a corresponding one of the sub-set of magnets at the first edge when the flap is folded into a shape such that only the first edge is in contact with the cover in proximity to the second edge. 4. The cover as recited in claim 3, wherein none of the magnets at the first or second edges overlap each other to form the magnetic circuit. 5. The cover as recited in claim 4, wherein the shape forms a support structure suitable for supporting the tablet device in an operational configuration. 6. The cover as recited in claim 5, wherein the magnetic circuit provides sufficient magnetic attractive force to maintain the support structure while supporting the tablet device in the operational configuration. 7. The cover as recited in claim 2, further comprising: a magnetic hinge assembly at the second edge and comprising a flexible hinge portion, the hinge portion being a continuation of the flap beyond the second edge; anda magnetic attachment unit configured to form a releasable magnetic attachment with the tablet device. 8. The cover as recited in claim 7, wherein the magnetic hinge assembly allows the flap to pivot with respect to the outer protective layer from a closed configuration comprising the flap being secured to the outer protective layer to a reverse folded configuration comprising at least a portion of the flap being in contact with a back portion of the housing. 9. The cover as recited in claim 1, wherein the magnetically sensitive component is a magnetometer. 10. The cover as recited in claim 9, wherein the magnetometer operates as a magnetic compass. 11. The cover as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor magnet comprises a first sensor magnet, and further comprising: a second sensor magnet disposed at a second location in the flap that is detectable by a second sensor disposed in the tablet device when a corresponding portion of the flap is in contact with the outer protective layer. 12. The cover as recited in claim 11, wherein the detection of the first and second sensor magnet by the first sensor indicates that the flap is secured to the outer protective layer by the linear array of magnets at the first edge. 13. The cover as recited in claim 12, wherein when the first sensor magnet is not detected and the second sensor magnet is detected indicates that only the portion of the flap corresponding to the second sensor magnet is in contact with the outer protective layer. 14. The cover as recited in claim 13, wherein a processor carried by the tablet device and coupled to the first and the second sensors uses the detection of the first and/or second sensor magnets to alter an operating state of the tablet device. 15. The cover as recited in claim 11, the size and the shape of the first and second sensor magnets are such that when the flap is secured to the outer protective layer by the linear array of magnets, the first and second sensor magnets remain detectable by the first and second sensors, respectively. 16. The cover as recited in claim 15, wherein the first and second sensor magnets remain detectable as long as the rotational displacement corresponds to a racking angle that is less than the maximum racking angle. 17. The cover as recited in claim 15, wherein the first and the second magnetic sensor magnets are not detected by the first and second sensors then the racking angle is greater than the maximum racking angle. 18. The cover as recited in claim 17, wherein a false trigger is initiated when the racking angle is greater than the maximum racking angle. 19. The cover as recited in claim 7, the tablet device further comprising: a magnetic attachment mechanism carried by the housing suitable for releasably attaching to the magnetic attachment unit, comprising:paired magnetic elements comprising a body comprising a magnetizable material having a shape that conforms to an interior surface of the housing, wherein the paired magnetic elements are magnetized in situ such that a first portion of the body comprises a first magnetic polarity and a second portion of the body comprises a second magnetic polarity, opposite the first magnetic polarity. 20. The cover as recited in claim 19, the magnetic attachment unit comprising paired magnetic elements each comprising a body comprising magnetizable material, and that are magnetized in situ such that a first portion of the body comprises the second magnetic polarity and a second portion of the body comprises the first magnetic polarity. 21. The cover as recited in claim 20, the paired magnetic elements carried by the magnetic attachment mechanism and carried by the magnetic attachment unit form a magnetic circuit suitable for securing the cover to the tablet device in a pre-determined position and orientation relative to each other. 22. A cover suitable for attaching to and protecting a tablet device, the table device having a housing with a front opening and a display carried by the housing with an outer protective layer having a size and a shape that at least overlays the display and that fills the front opening, the cover comprising: a flap having the size and the shape of the display, wherein the flap is foldable into a folded configuration and includes: a linear array of magnets positioned along and parallel to a first edge of the flap at least some of which provide a first magnetic field arranged to secure the flap to the outer protective layer,a field shaping magnet located a distance away from the linear array of magnets, the field shaping magnet providing a second magnetic field that reduces the first magnetic field at a position on the flap that is closest to a location of a magnetically sensitive component carried by the housing when the linear array of magnets secures the flap to the outer protective layer,a first sensor magnet disposed at a first location between the first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge in the flap, the first sensor magnet being detectable by a first sensor carried by the tablet device when the flap is secured to the outer protective layer by the linear array of magnets, anda second sensor magnet disposed at a second location proximal the first sensor magnet in the flap, the second sensor magnet being detectable by a second sensor disposed in the tablet device when a corresponding portion of the flap is in contact with the outer protective layer, wherein the first and second sensor magnets each have a size and shape in accordance with a rotational displacement of the flap with respect to the outer protective layer, the rotational displacement corresponding to a maximum racking angle of a pivoting type movement.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (16)
Lauder, Andrew; Rohrbach, Matthew D.; Coster, Daniel J.; Stringer, Christopher J.; Ow, Florence W.; Ai, Jiang; Ive, Jonathan P.; Kibiti, Elvis M.; Ternus, John P.; Lubner, Sean D., Accessory device for peek mode.
Lauder, Andrew; Rohrbach, Matthew D.; Coster, Daniel J.; Stringer, Christopher J.; Ow, Florence W.; Ai, Jiang; Ive, Jonathan P.; Kibiti, Elvis M.; Ternus, John P.; Lubner, Sean D., Electronic device with magnetic attachment.
Lauder, Andrew; Rohrbach, Matthew D.; Coster, Daniel J.; Stringer, Christopher J.; Ow, Florence W.; Ai, Jiang; Ive, Jonathan P.; Kibiti, Elvis M.; Ternus, John P.; Lubner, Sean D., Foldable accessory device.
Lauder, Andrew; Rohrbach, Matthew D.; Coster, Daniel J.; Stringer, Christopher J.; Ow, Florence W.; Ai, Jiang; Ive, Jonathan P.; Kibiti, Elvis M.; Ternus, John P.; Lubner, Sean D., Foldable cover for electronic device.
Lauder, Andrew; Rohrbach, Matthew D.; Coster, Daniel J.; Stringer, Christopher J.; Ow, Florence W.; Ai, Jiang; Ive, Jonathan P.; Kibiti, Elvis M.; Ternus, John P.; Lubner, Sean D., Methods and apparatus for configuring a magnetic attachment system.
Cretella, Jr., Michael A.; Duggineni, Venu Madhav; Eng, Michael Man-Cheung; Huang, Ronald Keryuan; Moore, Christopher; Mullens, Christopher T., Sensor fusion.
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