Magnetic sensor alignment with breakaway

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9947491-B1
Application number	US-201615297068-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 18, 2016
Priority date	Oct 18, 2016
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

Disclosed herein are electronic devices with a sensor configured to breakaway from an input button or input/output interface. In one example, the electronic device includes a button positioned within an opening of a chassis or housing. A sensor is in communication with the button, wherein the button is configured to contact the sensor in a first sensor position upon application of an activation force. At least one magnet is configured to retain the sensor in the first sensor position by a frictional or magnetic force. Additionally, the sensor is configured to move from the first sensor position to a second sensor position upon application of a force greater than the frictional or magnetic force and less than a sensor damage force. The activation force is less than the frictional or magnetic force, which is less than the sensor damage force.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a chassis having an internal volume configured to house internal components of the electronic device;
a button positioned within an opening of the chassis, wherein the button is configured to move from a first button position to a second button position, wherein, in the first button position, a surface of the button extends beyond an external surface of the chassis, and wherein, in the second button position, the surface of the button is located at a closer distance to the external surface of the chassis than in the first button position;
a rigid support positioned within the internal volume of the chassis;
a sensor connected with the rigid support and in communication with the button, wherein the button is configured to contact the sensor at an intermediate button position located between the first button position and the second button position;
a first magnet affixed to an internal surface of the chassis; and
a second magnet attached to a surface of the rigid support,
wherein the first and second magnets are configured to retain the sensor in a first sensor position when the button moves between the first button position and the intermediate button position, and wherein the first and second magnets are configured to release the sensor from the first sensor position such that the sensor moves from the first sensor position to a second sensor position before the button moves from the intermediate button position to the second button position,
wherein a surface of the first magnet is coupled to a surface of the second magnet when the sensor is in the first sensor position, and
wherein the surface of the first magnet is detached from the surface of the second magnet when the sensor is in the second sensor position.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a mechanical switch.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the rigid support is a printed circuit board.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a flexible circuit,
wherein the sensor is connected to the flexible circuit that is connected to the rigid support.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sliding guide configured to guide the sensor in a plane between the first sensor position and the second sensor position,
wherein the button moves in a plane between the first button position and the second button position, and
wherein the plane of the sensor movement and the plane of the button movement are a same plane or parallel planes.

6. An electronic device comprising:
a housing;
a button extending through an opening of the housing;
a sensor in communication with the button, wherein the button is configured to contact the sensor in a first sensor position upon application of an activation force as measured in a direction from the button to the sensor and along a plane including the button and the sensor;
a rigid support connected with the sensor;
a first magnet affixed to an internal surface of the housing; and
a second magnet affixed to a surface of the rigid support such that the rigid support is positioned between the first magnet and the second magnet,
wherein the first and second magnets are configured to retain the sensor in the first sensor position by a frictional force as measured in a same plane or parallel plane as the activation force, wherein the frictional force is provided by a force of the first magnet on the rigid support and a force of the second magnet on the rigid support,
wherein the sensor is configured to move from the first sensor position to a second sensor position upon application of a force greater than the frictional force and less than a sensor damage force, as measured in the same plane or parallel plane as the activation force, and
wherein the activation force is less than the frictional force, and the frictional force is less than the sensor damage force.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the sensor damage force is less than an application of a drop impact force as measured in the direction from the button to the sensor and along the plane including the button and the sensor,
wherein the drop impact force is at least 50 Newtons.

8. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the rigid support is a printed circuit board.

9. The electronic device of claim 6 , further comprising:
a sliding guide configured to guide the sensor in the plane between the first sensor position and the second sensor position.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein a surface of the sliding guide abuts a surface of the rigid support such that the sliding guide is configured to guide the rigid support and the sensor connected with the rigid support.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the rigid support is a printed circuit board.

12. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the sensor is a mechanical switch.

13. An electronic device comprising:
a housing;
a button extending through an opening of the housing;
a sensor in communication with the button, wherein the button is configured to contact the sensor in a first sensor position upon application of an activation force as measured in a direction from the button to the sensor and along a plane including the button and the sensor;
a rigid support connected with the sensor;
a first magnet attached to an internal surface of the housing; and
a second magnet attached to a surface of the rigid support, wherein a surface of the first magnet is coupled to a surface of the second magnet when the sensor is in the first sensor position,
wherein the first and second magnets are configured to retain the sensor in the first sensor position by a magnetic force as measured in a same plane or parallel plane as the activation force,
wherein the sensor is configured to move from the first sensor position to a second sensor position upon application of a force greater than the magnetic force and less than a sensor damage force, as measured in the same plane or parallel plane as the activation force,
wherein the surface of the first magnet is detached from the surface of the second magnet when the sensor is in the second sensor position, and
wherein the activation force is less than the magnetic force, and the magnetic force is less than the sensor damage force.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the rigid support is a printed circuit board.

15. The electronic device of claim 13 , further comprising:
a sliding guide configured to guide the sensor in the plane between the first sensor position and the second sensor position.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein a surface of the sliding guide abuts a surface of the rigid support such that the sliding guide is configured to guide the rigid support and the sensor connected with the rigid support.

17. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the rigid support is a printed circuit board.

18. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the sensor is a mechanical switch.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• THOME Nathan Michael
• Boman Kenneth Charles

Classifications

• H01H13/14 Primary

  Operating parts, e.g. push-button · CPC title

• H01H36/00

  Switches actuated by change of magnetic field or of electric field, e.g. by change of relative position of magnet and switch, by shielding · CPC title

• H01H36/0006

  Permanent magnet actuating reed switches (H01H35/147 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01H36/0073

  actuated by relative movement between two magnets · CPC title

• H01H5/02

  Energy stored by the attraction or repulsion of magnetic parts · CPC title