Device force control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11243563-B2
Application number	US-201916664377-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2019
Priority date	Oct 25, 2019
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

The description relates to devices and progressive forces between device portions. In one example, an extent of compression of a compressible material component can affect magnetic attraction between the device portions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device, comprising:
a first portion and a second portion having hinge ends that are rotationally coupled by a hinge assembly so that the first and second portions can be rotated between an open orientation where the first and second portions are oriented away from one another to a closed orientation where the first portion is positioned against the second portion; and,
a progressive closure assembly positioned on distal ends of the first and second portions, the progressive closure assembly comprising a first magnetic element in the first portion and a second magnetic element in the second portion that are configured to provide a force to keep the first and second portions in the closed orientation, the second magnetic element positioned between a spring and a compressible material in the second portion and the force configured to progressively decrease over a life of the device as the spring is configured to compress the compressible material and move the second magnet away from the first magnet in the closed orientation.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic element comprises a magnet and the second magnetic element comprises a ferromagnetic material or wherein the first magnetic element comprises a ferromagnetic material and the second magnetic element comprises a magnet.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the compressible material comprises a solid foam.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the spring comprises a coil spring or a leaf spring.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the spring comprises a metal spring.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element both comprise magnets.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the spring has a relatively lower compression set than the compressible material.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the spring comprises a metal spring and the compressible material comprises a solid foam.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the second magnetic element is sandwiched in the second portion between the spring and the compressible material.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein an extent of movement of the second magnetic element is defined by an expanded thickness of the spring and a reduced thickness of the compressible material.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the compressible material is secured to the second portion and the second magnetic element.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein a thickness of the compressible material is progressively decreased as the compressible material compresses responsive to a biasing force of the spring.

13. A device, comprising:
a first portion and a second portion that are rotationally coupled by a hinge assembly so that the first and second portions can be rotated between an open orientation where the first and second portions are rotated away from one another to a closed orientation where the first portion is positioned against the second portion;
a first magnetic element positioned on the first portion and a second magnetic element positioned on the second portion;
a biasing element positioned in the second portion proximate to the first portion and configured to bias the second magnetic element away from the first portion; and,
a compressible solid foam secured to the second portion and to the second magnetic element on an opposite side from the first magnetic element and the biasing element, the biasing element having a relatively low compression set compared to the compressible solid foam, and where progressive compression of the solid foam by the biasing element is configured to pull the second magnetic element away from the first magnetic element and increase a distance therebetween and cause a magnetic force between the first and second magnetic elements in the closed orientation to decrease at least in part due to increased distance.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the biasing element comprises a resilient material or a spring.

15. The device of claim 13 , wherein the first and second magnetic elements both comprise magnets or wherein one of the first and second magnetic elements comprises a magnet and the other of the first and second magnetic elements comprises a ferromagnetic material.

16. A device, comprising:
a first portion and a second portion configured to be positioned against one another;
a first magnetic element positioned in the first portion and a second magnetic element positioned in the second portion;
a biasing element positioned in the second portion between the second magnetic element and the first portion and configured to bias the second magnetic element away from the first magnetic element; and,
a compressible solid foam positioned in the second portion and secured to the second magnetic element opposite to the biasing element, the biasing element having a relatively lower compression set than the compressible solid foam, and where compression of the solid foam by the biasing element is configured to progressively increase a distance between the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element and cause a magnetic force between the first and second magnetic elements to progressively decrease at least in part due to the increased distance between the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the second portion comprises a housing that defines a first surface spaced apart from a second surface, and wherein the biasing element is positioned against the first surface and the compressible solid foam is positioned against the second surface, and wherein the second magnetic element is retained between the biasing element and the compressible solid foam.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein an extent of movement of the second magnetic element equals an extent of compression of a thickness of the compressible solid foam.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Singla Aseem

Classifications

• H04M1/0214

  Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position (combined with translation movement H04M1/0235) · CPC title

• G06F1/1616 Primary

  with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position · CPC title

• E05B65/0067

  for portable computers, e.g. for locking the screen panel to the keyboard panel · CPC title