Locking assemblies for computing devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9778703-B2
Application number	US-201715469092-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2017
Priority date	Nov 15, 2013
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

A locking assembly may be to locate a display member of a computing device relative to a base member of the computing device. A spring may be to attach to the display member. A first magnetic member may be in contact with to the spring. A wheel may be to attach to the display member to roll on the base member. A lock may be to engage the spring to lock the wheel when the first magnetic member is in proximity to a second magnetic member of the base member such that a magnetic force is exerted therebetween.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A locking assembly to locate a display member of a computing device relative to a base member of the computing device, the locking assembly comprising: a spring to attach to the display member; a first magnetic member in contact with the spring; a wheel to attach to the display member to roll on the base member; and a lock to engage the spring to lock the wheel when the first magnetic member is in proximity to a second magnetic member of the base member such that a magnetic force is exerted therebetween.

2. The locking assembly of claim 1 wherein the lock is a gear having cogs and recesses between each pair of cogs, the spring to engage one of the recesses to lock the wheel.

3. The locking assembly of claim 2 wherein the gear is an external gear having the cogs and the recesses on its outer surface.

4. The locking assembly of claim 2 wherein the gear is an internal gear having the cogs and the recesses on its inner surface.

5. The locking assembly of claim 1 wherein the spring is a spring wire.

6. The locking assembly of claim 1 wherein one of the first and second magnetic members is a permanent magnet.

7. The locking assembly of claim 1 wherein the magnetic force is an attractive magnetic force.

8. The locking assembly of claim 1 wherein the magnetic force is a repulsive magnetic force.

9. A computing device comprising:
a base member;
a display member rotatably attached to the base member;
a spring attached to the display member;
a first magnetic member in contact with the spring;
a second magnetic member attached to the base member;
a wheel attached to the display member to roll on the base member; and
a lock to engage the spring to lock the wheel to locate the display member relative to the base member when the first and second magnetic members are in proximity such that a magnetic force is exerted therebetween.

10. The computing device of claim 9 further comprising:
a first hinge attached to the base member; and
a second hinge attached between the first hinge and the display member,
the first hinge to rotate about a first pivotal axis of rotation and the second hinge to rotate about a second pivotal axis of rotation to rotate, about the first and second pivotal axes, the base member and the display member relative to each other to transition the computing device between first and second positions of a tablet mode.

11. The computing device of claim 10 wherein the second magnetic member is to be in proximity to the first magnetic member when the computing device is in the first position of the tablet mode.

12. The computing device of claim 11 further comprising a third magnetic member attached to the base member, the lock to engage the spring to lock the wheel to locate the display member relative to the base member when the first and third magnetic members are in proximity such that a magnetic force is exerted therebetween, wherein the third magnetic member is to be in proximity to the first magnetic member when the computing device is in the second position of the tablet mode.

13. The locking assembly of claim 9 wherein the lock is a gear having cogs and recesses between each pair of cogs, the spring being a spring wire to engage one of the recesses to lock the wheel.

14. A computing device comprising:
a base member;
a display member rotatably attached to the base member;
a cantilevered spring having a first end attached to the display member and a second free end;
a first magnetic member in contact with the cantilevered spring;
a second magnetic member attached to the base member;
a wheel attached to the display member via a shaft to roll on the base member; and
a gear having cogs to engage the second free end of the cantilevered spring to lock the wheel to locate the display member relative to the base member when the first and second magnetic members are in proximity such that a magnetic force is exerted therebetween.

15. The computing device of claim 14 wherein the spring is a spring wire.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co Lp

Inventors

• Senatori Mark David
• Laine Aki

Classifications

• G06F1/1637

  Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing · CPC title

• G06F1/1616

  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

• 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

• G06F1/162 Primary

  changing, e.g. reversing, the face orientation of the screen with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, e.g. for folding into tablet PC like position or orienting towards the direction opposite to the user to show to a second user · CPC title