Magnetic bistable hinge system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11943883-B2
Application number	US-202017070301-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2020
Priority date	Oct 15, 2019
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

A magnetic bistable hinge system includes a hinge bracket, first and second magnets, and a rotatable member. The first magnet may be coupled to the hinge bracket and be configured to rotate about an axis of the hinge bracket from a first bistable position to a second bistable position. When the south pole of the first magnet is at a first angle relative to the south pole of the second magnet, the first magnet and the second magnets are in the first bistable position and the rotatable member is in a closed position relative to the hinge bracket. When the south pole of the first magnet is at a second angle relative to the south pole of the second magnet, the first and second magnets are at the second bistable position, and the rotatable member is rotated to an open position relative to the hinge bracket.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A hinge system comprising:
a hinge bracket having an axis extending therethrough;
a first magnet coupled to the hinge bracket and configured to rotate about the axis of the hinge bracket from a first position to a second position, the first magnet having first and second poles;
a rotatable member coupled to the hinge bracket and the first magnet;
a second magnet spaced a pre-determined distance away from the first magnet and having first and second poles, wherein the first pole of each of the first and second magnets faces in a direction toward one another; and
a position sensor configured to detect a location of the first magnet,
wherein when the first pole of the first magnet is at a first angle relative to the first pole of the second magnet, the first magnet and the second magnet are in the first position and the rotatable member is in a closed position relative to the hinge bracket, and
wherein when the first pole of the first magnet is at a second angle relative to the first pole of the second magnet, the first magnet and the second magnet are in the second position, and the rotatable member is rotated to an open position relative to the hinge bracket.

2. The hinge system of claim 1 , wherein a first size of the first magnet is smaller than a second size of the second magnet.

3. The hinge system of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable member includes a first end and an opposed second end, wherein the first magnet is positioned at the first end of the rotatable member, such that movement of the first magnet causes the second end to rotate about the hinge bracket.

4. The hinge system of claim 1 , wherein when the first magnet and the second magnet repel each other, the rotatable member is rotated about the axis of the hinge bracket.

5. The hinge system of claim 1 , wherein when the first magnet moves from the first position to the second position, the first magnet is rotated at least 20 degrees.

6. The hinge system of claim 1 , wherein in the second position the first magnet and the second magnet repel one another.

7. A hinge system comprising:
an outer housing;
a hinge bracket;
an axially rotatable first component coupled to the hinge bracket;
a first magnet coupled to the first component, the first magnet having a first pole and a second pole; and
a second magnet spaced apart from the first magnet, the second magnet having a first pole and a second pole,
wherein the second magnet is further configured to secure a removable and external device to an interior of the outer housing,
wherein the second magnet is positioned at an angle offset from a vertical axis that extends through the second magnet,
wherein the first component is in a first closed state when the second pole of the first magnet indirectly faces in a direction toward the second pole of the second magnet, and
wherein rotation of the first component about the hinge bracket causes the second pole of the first magnet to directly face toward and oppose the second pole of the second magnet, such that the first component moves from the first closed state to a second open state.

8. The hinge system of claim 7 , wherein the first magnet is positioned at a base of the first component.

9. The hinge system of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first component or the hinge bracket is comprised of a ferromagnetic material.

10. The hinge system of claim 7 , further comprising:
a position sensor configured to detect a location of the first magnet.

11. The hinge system of claim 10 , further comprising:
a control device, the control device including one or more processors configured to:
receive a signal from the position sensor indicating a location of the first magnet; and
determine a current position of the first component based on the signal received from the position sensor.

12. A system comprising:
an outer housing;
a rotatable cover coupled to the outer housing;
a first magnet disposed within the outer housing, the first magnet having a first pole and a second pole;
a hinge subassembly disposed within the outer housing, the hinge subassembly further including:
a hinge bracket;
an axially rotatable first component coupled to the hinge bracket and the rotatable cover; and
a second magnet positioned within the first component, the second magnet being rotatable about the hinge bracket, the second magnet spaced away from the first magnet, the second magnet having a first pole and a second pole; and

a position sensor configured to detect a location of the second magnet,
wherein the first component is in a first position when the second pole of the second magnet indirectly faces in a direction toward the second pole of the first magnet, and
wherein the first component is in a second position when the second pole of the first magnet directly faces toward and opposes the second pole of the second magnet, such that the first component and the rotatable cover automatically move from the first position to the second position.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first magnet is further configured to secure a removable and external device to an interior of the outer housing.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first component includes a first end and an opposed second end, wherein the second magnet is positioned at the first end of the first component, such that movement of the first magnet causes the second end to rotate about the hinge bracket.

15. The system of claim 12 , further comprising:
a control device, the control device including one or more processors configured to:
receive a signal from the position sensor indicating the location of the second magnet; and
determine a current position of the first component based on the signal received from the position sensor.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the current position of the second magnet further indicates whether the first component is in one of the first position or the second position.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the position sensor is a hall sensor that detects the location of the second magnet.

18. The system of claim 17 , where the position sensor is a plurality of hall sensors.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the position sensor is positioned within a magnet housing of the first magnet.

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Cazalet Peter Michael
• Macomber Bryan

Classifications

• H02J7/731

  specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A45C11/001

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

• H05K5/0226 Primary

  Hinges · CPC title

• H04R1/02

  Casings; Cabinets {; Supports therefor;} Mountings therein (H04R1/28 takes precedence {; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075}) · CPC title

• H04R1/10

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