Method and device for attaching stylus to computing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9507381-B1
Application number	US-201414445687-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 29, 2014
Priority date	Jul 29, 2014
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

A system for magnetically coupling a stylus device to a computing device is disclosed. The computing device may include a first pair of magnets disposed in or on the computing device, wherein the first pair of magnets include two magnets proximate to each other and of opposite magnetic polarity. The stylus device may include a second pair of magnets disposed in or on the stylus device, wherein the second pair of magnets include two magnets proximate to each other and of opposite magnetic polarity. The first and second pairs of magnets are oriented to align opposite poles of the magnets to couple the stylus device to the computing device, and the magnetic interactions resist rotational and shear forces, and resist the stylus device being placed in an incorrect position on the computing device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for coupling a stylus device to a computing device, comprising:
a first pair of magnets disposed in an outer peripheral edge portion of the computing device, the first pair of magnets including:
a first magnet having a magnetic south pole oriented in a first direction; and
a second magnet having a magnetic north pole oriented in the first direction and adjacent to the first magnet, wherein the first magnet and the second magnet are disposed in the outer peripheral edge of the computing device; and

a second pair of magnets disposed in a body of the stylus device, the second pair of magnets including:
a third magnet having a magnetic south pole oriented in a second direction to align with the magnetic north pole of the second magnet to magnetically couple the stylus device to the computing device when a tip of the stylus device is distal to a corner of the computing device and an end of the stylus device opposite the tip is proximal to the corner of the computing device; and
a fourth magnet adjacent to the third magnet, the fourth magnet having a magnetic north pole and oriented in the second direction to align the magnetic north pole of the fourth magnet with the magnetic south pole of the first magnet to magnetically couple the stylus device to the computing device when the tip of the stylus device is distal to the corner of the computing device and the end of the stylus device is proximal to the corner of the computing device,

wherein the first pair of magnets and second pair of magnets resist a shear force to the stylus device when the magnetic south pole of the third magnet is aligned with the magnetic north pole of the second magnet and the magnetic north pole of the fourth magnet is aligned with the magnetic south pole of the first magnet.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a fifth magnet disposed in the outer peripheral edge portion of the computing device proximate to the corner of the computing device; and
a ferromagnetic clip coupled to an exterior surface of the stylus device proximal to the end of the stylus device and oriented to align with and magnetically couple to the third magnet when the magnetic south pole of the third magnet is aligned with the magnetic north pole of the second magnet and the magnetic north pole of the fourth magnet is aligned with the magnetic south pole of the first magnet.

3. A stylus device, comprising:
a pair of magnets comprising:
a first magnet disposed in the stylus device, the first magnet having a first magnetic pole oriented in a first direction to align with a second magnetic pole of a second magnet of a computing device, the second magnetic pole being opposite to the first magnetic pole,
a third magnet disposed in the stylus device adjacent to the first magnet, the third magnet having a third magnetic pole oriented in the first direction to align with a fourth magnet of the computing device, the second magnet being adjacent to the fourth magnet; and

a ferromagnetic clip coupled to the stylus device and oriented to align with and magnetically couple to a fifth magnet of the computing device when the first magnet is aligned with the second magnet,
wherein the stylus is configured to magnetically couple to the computing device when the first magnet is aligned with the second magnet and the ferromagnetic clip is aligned with the fifth magnet.

4. The stylus device of claim 3 , wherein a first magnetic force between the first magnet and the second magnet, and a second magnetic force between the ferromagnetic clip and the fifth magnet resist shear or rotational forces applied to the stylus device when the first magnet is aligned with the second magnet and the ferromagnetic clip is aligned with the fifth magnet.

5. The stylus device of claim 3 , wherein a first magnetic force between the first magnet and the second magnet, and a second magnetic force between the ferromagnetic clip and the fifth magnet push or pull the stylus device to align the first magnet with the second magnet and to align the ferromagnetic clip with the fifth magnet.

6. The stylus device of claim 3 , further comprising a sensor disposed in the stylus device and adapted to detect when the stylus device is magnetically coupled to the computing device.

7. The stylus device of claim 3 , wherein the ferromagnetic clip comprises a stainless steel alloy that is magnetically permeable.

8. The stylus device of claim 3 , wherein the first magnetic pole of the first magnet aligns with the second magnetic pole of the second magnet and the third magnetic pole of the third magnet aligns with the fourth magnetic pole of the fourth magnet when a tip of the stylus device is distal to a corner of the computing device and an end of the stylus device opposite the tip is proximal to the corner of the computing device.

9. The stylus device of claim 8 , wherein the ferromagnetic clip is proximal to the end of the stylus and aligns with the fifth magnet when the tip of the stylus device is distal to the corner of the computing device and the end of the stylus device is proximal to the corner of the computing device.

10. The stylus device of claim 3 , wherein a first magnetic force between the first magnet and the second magnet is larger than a second magnetic force between the ferromagnetic clip and the fifth magnet.

11. A computing device, comprising:
a first magnet disposed in the computing device, the first magnet having a first magnetic pole oriented in a first direction to align with a second magnetic pole of a stylus device, the second magnetic pole being opposite to the first magnetic pole, a first magnetic force existing between the first magnet and the second magnet; and
a third magnet disposed in the computing device proximal to a corner of the computing device and oriented to align with a ferromagnetic clip of the stylus device when the first magnet is aligned with the second magnet, the third magnet aligning with the ferromagnetic clip when a tip of the stylus device is distal to the corner of the computing device and an end of the stylus device is proximal to the corner of the computing device, a second magnetic force existing between the third magnet and the ferromagnetic clip, the first magnetic force being larger than the second magnetic force,
wherein the stylus is configured to magnetically couple to the computing device when the first magnet is aligned with the second magnet and the ferromagnetic clip is aligned with the third magnet,
wherein a first magnetic force between the first magnet and the second magnet is larger than a second magnetic force between the third magnet and the ferromagnetic clip.

12. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the first magnetic force and the second magnetic force resist shear and rotational forces applied to the stylus device when the first magnet is aligned with the second magnet and the ferromagnetic clip is aligned with the third magnet.

13. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the first magnetic force and the second magnetic force push or pull the stylus device to align the first magnet with the second magnet and to align the ferromagnetic clip with the third magnet.

14. The computing device of claim 11 , further comprising a sensor disposed in the computing device and adapted to detect when the stylus device is magnetically coupled to the computing device.

15. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the computing device comprises a first pair of magnets, the first pair of magnets comprising:
the first magnet; and
a fourth magnet disposed in the computing device adjacent the first magnet and having a ma

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Vanderet Timothy Michael
• Lemons Joshua Danel
• Morales Miguel Angel
• Rodriquez Josue Jean

Classifications

• G06F3/03545

  Pens or stylus · 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

• G06F1/1684

  Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675 · CPC title

• G06F2200/1632

  Pen holder integrated in the computer · CPC title