Magnetically aligned accessory to device connections

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9905964-B2
Application number	US-201615256156-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 2, 2016
Priority date	Sep 3, 2015
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

An accessory to device coupling system can include a first magnet array adapted for assembly with respect to a surface of an electronic device and a second magnet array adapted for assembly with respect to a surface of an accessory device, the accessory device configured to interact electrically with the electronic device. The first magnet array can include a first plurality of magnets arranged in a first pattern of alternating polarities, and the second magnet array can include a second plurality of magnets arranged in a second pattern of alternating polarities that corresponds to the first pattern of alternating polarities. The corresponding alternating polarity patterns can cause the second magnet array to couple to the first magnet array with a normalized attraction force only at an intended orientation and alignment, and with less than half of the normalized attraction force at any other orientation and alignment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An accessory device suitable for use with an electronic device that includes a display, the accessory device comprising:
a body having a size and shape to cover the electronic device, the body having a coupling surface; and
a single magnet array carried by the coupling surface, the single magnetic array facilitating a single magnetic coupling between the body and the electronic device that allows the body to i) cover the display, and ii) fold away from the display and support the electronic device, wherein the single magnet array includes:
a first set of magnets that includes a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element, the first magnetic element having a magnetic polarity that matches that of the second magnetic element to define a symmetric magnetic polarity arrangement about a central point between the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element, and
a second set of magnets surrounding the first set of magnets, the second set of magnets including a third magnetic element and a fourth magnetic element, the third magnetic element having a magnetic polarity that is different from that of the fourth magnetic element to define an asymmetric magnetic polarity arrangement about the central point.

2. The accessory device of claim 1 , wherein the single magnet array corresponds to a pattern of alternating polarities for a mating magnet array of the electronic device, the single magnet array being configured to couple to the mating magnet array with 1) a normalized attraction force only at a predetermined orientation and alignment, and 2) and with less than half of the normalized attraction force at any other orientation and alignment.

3. The accessory device of claim 2 , wherein the pattern of alternating polarities includes multiple magnetic sections that connect along a straight line.

4. The accessory device of claim 2 , wherein the magnet array being coupled to the mating magnet array at a predetermined orientation and alignment results in the body being oriented and aligned with the electronic device.

5. The accessory device of claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic element is symmetrically positioned from the second magnetic element such that the central point is equidistant from the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element, and wherein the third magnetic element is symmetrically positioned from the fourth magnetic element such that the central point is equidistant from the third magnetic element and the fourth magnetic element.

6. The accessory device of claim 1 , further including:
electrical pins situated proximate the single magnet array and configured to align with and contact a corresponding plurality of electrical contacts on the electronic device.

7. The accessory device of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the single magnet array includes a mating surface that is concave.

8. A magnetic coupling system between an electronic device and an accessory device, the coupling system comprising:
a first magnet array located in the accessory, device, wherein the first magnet array includes: i) a first set of magnets having a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element symmetrically aligned with the first magnetic element about a central point between the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element, the first magnetic element having a magnetic polarity that matches that of the second magnetic element to define a symmetric magnetic polarity arrangement, and ii) a second set of magnets surrounding the first set of magnets, the second set of magnets including a third magnetic element and a fourth magnetic element symmetrically aligned with the third magnetic element about the central point, the third magnetic element having a magnetic polarity that is different from that of the fourth magnetic element to define an asymmetric magnetic polarity arrangement about the central point; and
a second magnet array located in the electronic device and adapted for a magnetic coupling the first magnet array, wherein the second magnet array includes a magnetic polarity arrangement corresponding to the first symmetric magnetic polarity arrangement and the asymmetric magnetic polarity arrangement.

9. The magnetic coupling system of claim 8 , wherein the second magnet array couples to the first magnet array with a normalized attraction force only at an predetermined orientation and alignment and couples to the first magnet array with less than one-third of the normalized attraction force at any other orientation and alignment.

10. The magnetic coupling system of claim 8 , wherein the magnetic coupling between the first magnet array and the second magnet array comprises a single magnetic coupling that allows for the accessory device to:
cover a display of the electronic device, and
fold away from the display and support the electronic device.

11. The magnetic coupling system of claim 8 , wherein the first magnet array defines a single magnet array in the accessory device.

12. The magnetic coupling system of claim 8 , wherein the accessory device is configured to interact with the electronic device to facilitate an electrical function thereof.

13. The magnetic coupling system of claim 8 , wherein the first set of magnets includes at least two magnetic elements surrounding the central point and having a magnetic polarity arrangement that is symmetric with respect to a corresponding magnetic element of the first set of magnets, and wherein the second set of magnets includes at least four magnetic elements surrounding the central point having a magnetic polarity arrangement that is asymmetric with respect to a corresponding magnetic element of the second set of magnets.

14. The magnetic coupling system of claim 8 , wherein the first magnet array further includes a plurality of shunts disposed between adjacent magnets within the first magnet array, the plurality of shunts functioning to reduce an overall magnetic flux at a surface of the electronic device.

15. The magnetic coupling system of claim 8 , wherein the first set of magnets have different lengths from each other.

16. The magnetic coupling system of claim 14 , further including:
electrical contacts adapted for assembly with respect to the first magnet array at the surface of the electronic device; and
pins adapted for assembly with respect to the second magnet array at the surface of the accessory device, wherein the pins align with and contacts the electrical contacts when the second magnet array couples to the first magnet array at a predetermined orientation and alignment.

17. The magnetic coupling system of claim 8 , wherein one or more of the first magnet array and the second magnet array includes a mating surface that is concave.

18. A method for facilitating a magnetic alignment between an accessory device and an electronic device, the method comprising:
providing a first magnet array in the accessory device, the first magnet array including i) a first set of magnets having a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element symmetrically aligned with the first magnetic element about a central point between the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element, the first magnetic element having a magnetic polarity that matches that of the second magnetic element to define a symmetric magnetic polarity arrangement, and ii) a second set of magnets surrounding the first set of magnets, the second set of magnets including a third magnetic element and a fourth magnetic element symmetrically aligned with the third magnetic element about the cent

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Degner Brett W
• Narajowski David H
• Ross Oliver C
• Zhu Hao
• Uttermann Erik A
• Mcclure Stephen R
• Kuna Melody L

Classifications

• H01R13/6315

  allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection (for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R13/6205 Primary

  Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet · CPC title

• A45C11/003

  for storing portable computing devices, e.g. laptops, tablets or calculators · CPC title

• A45C2200/15

  Articles convertible into a stand, e.g. for displaying purposes · CPC title

• A45C13/1069

  magnetic · CPC title