Attaching computing device to mount by magnets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9600034-B2
Application number	US-201514622330-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2015
Priority date	Feb 13, 2015
Publication date	Mar 21, 2017
Grant date	Mar 21, 2017

Abstract

According to an example embodiment, a base may include a frame, a keyboard enclosed by the frame, and a mount hingedly attached to the frame. The keyboard may be configured to wirelessly communicate with a computing device. The mount may include at least one magnet configured to retain the computing device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A base comprising:
a frame;
a keyboard enclosed by the frame, the keyboard being configured to wirelessly communicate with a computing device;
a mount hingedly attached to the frame by at least one friction hinge, the mount comprising:
a first column of magnets extending in a first direction, the first direction being generally perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the mount about the frame; and
a row of magnets extending in a second direction, the second direction being generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the mount about the frame; and

a torsion spring applying torque to the friction hinge in a direction to reduce torque required to rotate the mount in a direction that increases an angle θ between the mount and a plane, the plane extending from the friction hinge away from the keyboard in a direction parallel to an extension of the frame from the friction hinge.

2. The base of claim 1 , wherein the mount has a rectangular planar shape.

3. The base of claim 1 , wherein the at least one friction hinge has a first friction in a first direction that is greater than a second friction in a second direction.

4. The base of claim 1 , wherein the mount includes at least a first magnet in a first corner portion of the mount and a second magnet in a second corner portion of the mount.

5. The base of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor included in the mount,
wherein the base is configured to initiate wireless communication with the computing device in response to the sensor detecting proximity of the computing device.

6. The base of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor, the sensor being configured to detect a proximity of a magnet in the computing device and prompt the keyboard to power on.

7. The base of claim 6 , wherein the sensor includes a hall-effect sensor.

8. A base comprising:
a frame;
a keyboard enclosed by the frame, the keyboard being configured to wirelessly communicate with a computing device;
a mount hingedly attached to the frame, a location at which the mount is hingedly attached to the frame being at least one fifth of a depth of the frame away from a rear portion of the frame, the mount comprising:
a first column of magnets extending in a first direction being generally perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the mount about the frame; and
a second column of magnets extending in the first direction; and

a torsion spring applying torque to the mount in a direction to reduce torque required to rotate the mount away from the rear portion of the frame.

9. The base of claim 8 , wherein the mount is hingedly attached to the frame by at least one friction hinge.

10. A base comprising:
a frame;
a keyboard enclosed by the frame, the keyboard being configured to wirelessly communicate with a computing device; and
a mount hingedly attached to the frame, the mount comprising:
a first column of magnets extending in a first direction, the first direction being generally perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the mount about the frame;
a second column of magnets extending in the first direction; and
a row of magnets extending in a second direction, the second direction being generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the mount about the frame.

11. The base of claim 10 , wherein the row of magnets is closer to the keyboard than to an end portion of the frame opposite from the keyboard.

12. A tablet computing device comprising:
a display;
a housing enclosing the display, the housing having a length in a first direction and a width in a second direction, the width being greater than the length;
a first column of magnets extending in the first direction from a lower end portion of the housing;
a second column of magnets extending in the first direction from the lower end portion of the housing; and
a row of magnets extending in the second direction in the lower end portion of the housing.

13. The tablet computing device of claim 12 , wherein the first column of magnets extends less than half the length of the housing from the lower end portion of the housing and the second column of magnets extends less than half the length of the housing from the lower end portion of the housing.

14. A system comprising:
a base comprising:
a frame;
a keyboard enclosed by the frame, the keyboard being configured to wirelessly communicate with a tablet computing device; and
a mount hingedly attached to the frame, the mount comprising:
a first base column of magnets extending in a first direction, the first direction being generally perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the mount about the frame;
a second base column of magnets extending in the first direction; and
a base row of magnets extending in a second direction, the second direction being generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the mount about the frame; and

a tablet computing device comprising:
a display;
a housing enclosing the display, the housing having a length in the first direction and a width in the second direction, the width being greater than the length;
a first tablet column of magnets extending in the first direction from a lower end portion of the housing and aligned with the first base column of magnets;
a second tablet column of magnets extending in the second direction from the lower end portion of the housing and aligned with the second base column of magnets; and
a tablet row of magnets extending in the second direction from the lower end portion of the housing and aligned with the base row of magnets.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein:
the mount extends from the frame at an angle between twenty and eighty degrees; and
the tablet extends through a plane that is perpendicular to the frame and extends along an end portion of the frame that is opposite from the keyboard.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the mount is hingedly attached to the frame at a location sufficiently far from an end portion of the frame opposite from the keyboard to prevent the system from tipping along an axis at the end portion of the frame opposite from the keyboard.

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Kiple Bryan
• Lee Ji Heun
• Matsumoto George

Classifications

• G06F1/1632 Primary

  External expansion units, e.g. docking stations · CPC title

• G06F1/1679 Primary

  for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA (G06F1/1681 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/1681

  Details related solely to hinges (hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683) · CPC title

• G06F1/1654

  the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use · CPC title

• G06F1/1669 Primary

  Detachable keyboards · CPC title