Magnetic simulated hinge for attaching a tablet computer to a base

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9910464-B2
Application number	US-201414460961-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2014
Priority date	Aug 15, 2014
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

An information handling system includes a tablet computer and a base. The tablet computer includes a first plurality of closing magnets, first and second holding magnets, and a rounded edge. The base includes a hinge area, a second plurality of closing magnets, and third and fourth holding magnets located a bottom portion of the hinge area. The hinge area receives the tablet computer when the tablet computer is rotated from a closed position to an opened position, and holds the tablet computer in the opened position. The second closing magnets align with the first closing magnets, align the tablet computer on the base, and hold the tablet computer in the closed position. The third and fourth holding magnets attract the first and second holding magnets to ensure an alignment of the tablet computer within the base when the tablet computer is rotated from the closed position to the opened position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information handling system comprising:
a tablet computer including:
a first plurality of closing magnets located around a display screen of the tablet computer;
first and second holding magnets located along a first edge of the tablet computer; and
a rounded edge between a back surface of the tablet computer and the first edge of the tablet computer; and

a base including:
a hinge area including a curved portion, the curved portion to be continuously placed in physical communication with the rounded edge of the tablet computer while the tablet computer is rotated from a closed position to an opened position, wherein the continuous physical communication between the rounded edge of the tablet computer and the curved portion includes the rounded edge sliding along in physical communication with the curved portion from a first location of the curved portion when the tablet computer is in the closed position to a second location of the curved portion when the tablet computer is in the opened position, and the hinge portion to hold the tablet computer in the opened position;
a second plurality of closing magnets located within the base, the second plurality of closing magnets located between a keyboard of the base and an edge of the base adjacent to the hinge area, the second closing magnets to align with a first number of the first closing magnets, to align the tablet computer in the closed position on the base, and to hold the tablet computer in the closed position, wherein a force of attraction between the second plurality of closing magnets and the first closing magnets enables the tablet to remain securely on the base without sliding off; and
third and fourth holding magnets located at a bottom portion of the hinge area, the third and fourth holding magnets to attract the first and second holding magnets to ensure an alignment of the tablet computer within the base while the tablet computer is rotated from the closed position to the opened position.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the tablet computer further includes:
a plurality of docking magnets located on the back surface, the docking magnets to align with the second closing magnets, to align the tablet computer in a docking position on the base, and to hold the tablet computer in the docking position.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein a cantilever force of the base enables the hinge area to lock with the tablet computer while the tablet computer is lifted in an upward direction while the tablet computer is in the opened position, wherein the locking of the tablet computer with the base enables both the tablet computer and the base to be lifted in the upward direction while the tablet computer is lifted in the opened position.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the tablet computer is easily removed from the base in response to the tablet computer being lifted upward while the tablet computer is located at predetermined angle along a rotation from the closed position to the opened position.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the hinge area extends less than an entire length of the base.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the rounded edge of the tablet computer is configured to slide along the curved portion of the hinge area while the tablet computer is rotated from the closed position to the opened position.

7. The information handling system of claim 6 , wherein a curvature of the rounded edge is matched with a curvature of the curved portion to create a smooth hinging rotation of the tablet computer from the closed position to the opened position.

8. An information handling system comprising:
a tablet computer including:
a first plurality of closing magnets located around a display screen of the tablet computer, the first closing magnets to align with a second plurality of closing magnets located within a base, the second plurality of closing magnets located between a keyboard of the base and an edge of the base adjacent to a hinge area of the base while the tablet computer is in a closed position on the base, to align the tablet computer on a base, and to hold the tablet computer in the closed position on the base, wherein a force of attraction between the second plurality of closing magnets and the first closing magnets enables the tablet to remain securely on the base without sliding off;
first and second holding magnets located along a first edge of the tablet computer, the first and second holding magnets to ensure an alignment of the tablet computer within the base while the tablet computer is rotated from the closed position to an opened position; and
a rounded edge between a back surface of the tablet computer and the first edge of the tablet computer, wherein the rounded edge is configured to be continuously placed in physical communication with a curved portion of the hinge area of the base while the tablet computer is rotated from the closed position to an opened position, wherein the continuous physical communication between the rounded edge of the tablet computer and the curved portion includes the rounded edge sliding along in physical communication with the curved portion from a first location of the curved portion when the tablet computer is in the closed position to a second location of the curved portion when the tablet computer is in the opened position.

9. The information handling system of claim 8 , wherein the tablet computer further includes:
docking magnets located on the back surface, the docking magnets to align the tablet computer in a docking position on the base, and to hold the tablet computer in the docking position.

10. The information handling system of claim 8 , wherein the tablet computer is held in a locked position with the base while the tablet computer is lifted in an upward direction while the tablet computer is in the opened position in response to a cantilever force of the base, wherein the locking position of the tablet computer with the base enables both the tablet computer and the base to be lifted in the upward direction while the tablet computer is lifted in the opened position.

11. The information handling system of claim 8 , wherein the tablet computer is easily removed from the base in response to the tablet computer being lifted upward while the tablet computer is located at predetermined angle along a rotation from the closed position to the opened position.

12. The information handling system of claim 8 , wherein the rounded edge of the tablet computer is configured to slide in physical communication with a curved portion of the hinge area while the tablet computer is rotated from the closed position to the opened position.

13. The information handling system of claim 12 , wherein a curvature of the rounded edge is matched with a curvature of the curved portion to create a smooth hinging rotation of the tablet computer from the closed position to the opened position.

14. An information handling system comprising:
a base including:
a keyboard;
a hinge area located along a top edge of the keyboard, the hinge area includes a curved portion to be continuously placed in physical communication with a rounded edge of a tablet computer is rotated from a closed position to an opened position, the hinge area including a stop edge, the tablet computer to rotate around a rotation point of the hinge area in response to physical communication between the tablet computer and a top of the stop edge as the tablet computer is rotated from the closed position to the opened position, and the hinge area to hold

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Lyles Justin C
• Leonard Brian H

Classifications

• G06F2200/1634

  Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer · CPC title

• G06F1/1626

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · 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

• G06F1/1632

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

• G06F3/0202

  Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device · CPC title