Device with magnet(s) for engaging with another device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10049059-B2
Application number	US-201514979180-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2015
Priority date	Dec 22, 2015
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

In one aspect, a first device includes a housing, at least one system component housed by the housing, a connector coupled to the housing that engages with a second device for exchange, between the first device and the second device, of at least one of data and power, and a first magnet coupled to the housing. The first magnet is coupled to the housing so that a first pole of the first magnet faces away from the first device to repel a first pole of a second magnet coupled to the second device when the first device is juxtaposed next to the second device in a first orientation relative to the second device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A first device, comprising:
a housing;
at least one system component housed by the housing;
a connector coupled to the housing that engages with a second device for the at least one system component to exchange at least one of data and power with the second device;
a first magnet coupled to the housing, the first magnet positioned on the first device to attract a second magnet coupled to the second device when the first device is placed in a first orientation relative to the second device, the first magnet positioned on the first device to repel a third magnet coupled to the second device when the first device is placed in a second orientation relative to the second device;
a fourth magnet coupled to the housing, the fourth magnet positioned on the first device to attract the third magnet when the first device is placed in the first orientation relative to the second device, the fourth magnet positioned on the first device to repel the second magnet when the first device is placed in the second orientation relative to the second device; and
a fifth magnet coupled to the housing, the fifth magnet positioned on the first device to attract a sixth magnet coupled to a third device when the first device is placed in a first orientation relative to the third device, the fifth magnet positioned on the first device to repel a seventh magnet coupled to the third device when the first device is placed in a second orientation relative to the third device.

2. The first device of claim 1 , wherein the first magnet is positioned on the first device so that a first pole of the first magnet faces away from the first device.

3. The first device of claim 1 , wherein the first magnet is positioned on the first device so that a first pole of the first magnet faces away from the first device, and wherein the fourth magnet is positioned on the first device so that a first pole of the fourth magnet faces away from the first device.

4. The first device of claim 1 , wherein the first magnet is positioned on the first device so that a first pole of the first magnet faces away from the first device in a first direction, wherein the fourth magnet is positioned on the first device so that a first pole of the fourth magnet faces away from the first device in the first direction, and wherein the fifth magnet is positioned on a first side of the first device opposing a second side of the first device at which the first magnet and the second magnet are disposed so that a first pole of the fifth magnet faces away from the first device in a second direction opposite the first direction.

5. The first device of claim 1 , wherein the connector comprises at least one pogo pin.

6. The first device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one system component comprises at least one of a speaker, a processor, a power supply, a Bluetooth communication element, a hard drive, a router, and a projector.

7. The first device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one system component comprises a processor and storage accessible to the processor, and wherein the storage bears instructions executable by the processor to exchange data with the second device in response to connection of the connector with a reciprocal connector on the second device.

8. The first device of claim 3 , wherein the first pole of the first magnet is a north pole and the first pole of the second magnet is a south pole.

9. The first device of claim 3 , wherein the first pole of the first magnet and the first pole of the fourth magnet face away from the first device in at least substantially the same direction.

10. The first device of claim 4 , wherein the first pole of the first magnet is a north pole and the first pole of the fourth magnet is a south pole.

11. The first device of claim 8 , wherein the first pole of the first magnet and the first pole of the fourth magnet face away from the first device in at least substantially the same direction.

12. A method, comprising:
providing a housing on a first device,
providing at least one system component housed by the housing;
providing a connector coupled to the housing that engages with a second device for exchange, between the first device and the second device, of at least one of data and power; and
providing at least a first magnet coupled to the housing, the first magnet coupled to the housing so that a first pole of the first magnet faces away from the first device to repel a first pole of a second magnet coupled to the second device when the first device is juxtaposed next to the second device in a first orientation relative to the second device, the first magnet not being an electrical connector for the first device.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first magnet is coupled to the housing so that the first pole of the first magnet faces away from the first device to attract a first pole of a third magnet coupled to the second device when the first device is juxtaposed next to the second device in a second orientation relative to the second device that is different from the first orientation.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the providing of at least one system component housed by the housing comprises providing at least a processor and storage accessible to the processor, and wherein the storage bears instructions executable by the processor to initiate an application stored at the first device in response to connection of the connector with a reciprocal connector on the second device.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first pole of the first magnet is of a different pole type than the first pole of the second magnet, and wherein the first pole of the first magnet is of a same pole type as the first pole of the third magnet.

16. A system, comprising:
a housing on a first device;
at least one system component housed by the housing;
a connector coupled to the housing that engages with a second device for exchange, between the first device and the second device, of at least one of data and power;
a first magnet coupled to the housing and not being a connector to exchange data or power with the second device, the first magnet coupled to the housing so that a first pole of the first magnet faces away from the first device to repel a first pole of a second magnet coupled to the second device when the first device is juxtaposed next to the second device in a first orientation relative to the second device.

17. The system of claim 16 , comprising the first device and the second device.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the second device comprises:
a housing;
at least one system component housed by the housing of the second device;
a connector coupled to the housing of the second device that engages with a connector of the first device for exchange, between the first device and the second device, of at least one of data and power; and

the second magnet.

Assignees

• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Rane Peter Carlson
• Ent Ali Kathryn
• Perelli Thomas
• Conzola Vincent Charles

Classifications

• G06F2200/1635

  Stackable modules · CPC title

• G06F13/28

  using burst mode transfer, e.g. direct memory access {DMA}, cycle steal (G06F13/32 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F13/102 Primary

  where the program performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver (G06F13/105 takes precedence; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52) · CPC title

• G06F1/1656 Primary

  Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories (mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203) · CPC title

• G06F1/1613

  for portable computers (cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202) · CPC title