Magnet system for wireless earbuds and case

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11601747-B2
Application number	US-202117229039-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2021
Priority date	Apr 24, 2020
Publication date	Mar 7, 2023
Grant date	Mar 7, 2023

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a magnetic system within a case for an electronic accessory. The case may include a housing portion and a lid coupled to the housing portion. Within the housing portion may be a housing magnet. The housing magnet may be oriented such that the magnetic field of the housing magnet is oriented transverse to a longitudinal axis of the case. The housing magnet may have a size and strength to magnetically couple the electronic accessory within a cavity of the housing. A hinge magnet may be located along an axis of rotation of the lid with respect to the housing. The hinge magnet and housing magnet may magnetically interact to form a bistable magnetic hinge. Thus, the one housing magnet may be large enough and have a strong enough magnetic field to perform various functions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A case for an electronic accessory, comprising:
a housing including at least one cavity for receiving the electronic accessory;
a lid coupled to a portion of the housing, the lid configured to rotate around an axis of rotation from a closed configuration in which the lid mates with the housing, through one or more intermediate positions, to an open configuration in which the lid ceases to mate with the housing;
a housing magnet located within the housing, the housing magnet having a first pole and a first magnetic field, the first pole having a first polarity; and
a hinge magnet located near the axis of rotation for the lid and having a second pole and a second magnetic field, the second pole having a second polarity, the housing magnet, the hinge magnet, and the axis of rotation for the lid acting as a magnetic hinge, the magnetic hinge configured to enable the closed configuration through a first attraction or repulsion caused by the first and second magnetic fields and the open configuration through a second attraction or repulsion caused by the first and second magnetic fields and passing, through rotation around the axis of rotation, between the closed configuration and the open configuration and through the intermediate positions, the rotation around the axis of rotation through the intermediate positions dynamically transitioning between the first attraction or repulsion and the second attraction or repulsion.

2. The case of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic hinge is a bistable magnetic field hinge such that when the lid is in a position between the open and closed configuration the housing magnet repels the hinge magnet.

3. The case of claim 2 , wherein the position between the open and closed configuration is a midpoint between the open configuration and the closed configuration.

4. The case of claim 1 , further comprising a house shunt coupled to the house magnet, the house shunt configured to shield the first magnetic field from extending substantially beyond the case.

5. The case of claim 1 , further comprising a magnetic sensor, a lid magnet having a lid magnetic shield, and a nest magnet having a nest magnetic field, wherein the magnetic sensor detects the first magnetic field and the nest magnetic field when the lid is in an open configuration such that the magnetic sensor has a first saturation, and
wherein the magnetic sensor detects the lid magnetic field when the lid is in the closed configuration such that the magnetic sensor has a second saturation different than the first saturation.

6. The case of claim 5 , wherein the lid magnet is located within the lid and the nest magnet is located in the housing on a side opposite the hinge magnet, the lid magnet and the nest magnet being aligned along a second longitudinal axis.

7. The case of claim 6 , wherein the lid magnet and the nest magnet are attracted to each other when the lid is in the closed configuration.

8. The case of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of shields positioned within the housing and a plurality of shunts coupled to one or more magnets, the plurality of shields and the plurality of shunts configured to prevent a total magnetic field from extending substantially beyond the case.

9. The case of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of shields and the plurality of shunts are further configured to prevent the total magnetic field from saturating a wireless charging coil located within the case.

10. The case of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of shields and the plurality of shunts are made of ferrous metal.

11. The case of claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic field exerts a magnetic force on the electronic accessory to magnetically couple the electronic accessory with the case.

12. A system comprising:
a pair of earbuds, each earbud including a basement metal injection molding (“MIM”) part and one or more basement magnets; and
a case including:
a housing including at least one cavity for receiving the pair of earbuds;
a lid coupled to a portion of the housing, the lid configured to rotate around an axis of rotation from a closed configuration in which the lid mates with the housing through one or more intermediate positions, to an open configuration in which the lid ceases to mate with the housing;
a housing magnet located within the housing, the housing magnet having a first pole and a first magnetic field, the first pole having a first polarity; and
a hinge magnet located near the axis of rotation for the lid and having a second pole and a second magnetic field, the second pole having a second polarity, the housing magnet, the hinge magnet, and the axis of rotation for the lid acting as a magnetic hinge, the magnetic hinge configured to enable the closed configuration through a first attraction or repulsion caused by the first and second magnetic fields and the open configuration through a second attraction or repulsion caused by the first and second magnetic fields and passing, through rotation around the axis of rotation, between the closed configuration and the open configuration and through the intermediate positions, the rotation around the axis of rotation through the intermediate positions dynamically transitioning between the first attraction or repulsion and the second attraction or repulsion.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein each earbud further includes a speaker system comprising a speaker magnet and a ferrous cup.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first magnetic field further a second magnetic force on each of the speaker magnet and the ferrous cup to magnetically couple the pair of earbuds with the case.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the magnetic hinge is a bistable magnetic field hinge such that when the lid is in a position between the open and closed configuration the hinge magnet experiences a maximum magnetic repulsion.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the position between the open and closed configuration is a midpoint between the open configuration and the closed configuration.

17. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a lid magnet located within the lid and a nest magnet located in the housing on a side opposite the hinge magnet, the lid magnet and nest magnet being aligned along a second longitudinal axis.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the lid magnet and the nest magnet are attracted to each other when the lid is in the closed configuration.

19. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of shields positioned within the housing and a plurality of shunts coupled to one or more magnets, the plurality of shields and the plurality of shunts configured to prevent a total magnetic field from extending substantially beyond the case.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of shields and the plurality of shunts are further configured to prevent the total magnetic field from saturating a ferrite sheet located within the case.

21. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first magnetic field exerts a magnetic force on each of the basement MIM part and the one or more basement magnets to magnetically couple the pair of earbuds with the case.

22. The system of claim 21 , further comprising a house shunt coupled to the house magnet, the house shunt configured to at least shield the first magnetic field from extending substantially beyond the case or increase the magnetic attraction to the one or more basement magnets and the basement MIM part.

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Macomber Bryan
• Edwards Troy
• Zucker Melissa
• Cazalet Peter Michael
• Kurtz Kevin C
• Ding Yao

Classifications

• A45C11/001

  for storing portable audio devices, e.g. headphones or digital music players · CPC title

• H04R1/345

  for loudspeakers · CPC title

• H04R2460/17

  Hearing device specific tools used for storing or handling hearing devices or parts thereof, e.g. placement in the ear, replacement of cerumen barriers, repair, cleaning hearing devices · CPC title

• H04R1/1091 Primary

  Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083 · CPC title

• H04R1/10 Primary

  Earpieces; Attachments therefor {; Earphones; Monophonic headphones (H04R1/28 takes precedence; stereophonic headphones H04R5/033)} · CPC title