US20100133398A1

US20100133398A1 - Electronic device with magnetic supporting structure

Info

Publication number: US20100133398A1
Application number: US12/552,996
Authority: US
Inventors: Hsien-Cheng Chiu; Cheng-Hong Chen; Meng-Ju Yang; Chih-Cheng Liao
Original assignee: Asustek Computer Inc
Current assignee: Asustek Computer Inc
Priority date: 2008-11-28
Filing date: 2009-09-02
Publication date: 2010-06-03
Also published as: TW201020726A; TWI350963B

Abstract

A linkage and a supporter are attached to a back of the housing via a magnetic element of an electronic device with a magnetic supporter. The supporter is drawn to a supporting position via the linkage to support the electronic device body and provide various angles for the user to easily operate the electronic device in several modes. Moreover, since the linkage and the supporter are attached via the magnetic element, when the electronic device body is overloaded, for example, a user applies overlarge force to operate a touch panel, the magnetic element is detached from the electronic device body to prevent the linkage and the supporter from being damaged or permanently destroyed.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to an electronic device with a magnetic supporting structure, more particularly to a magnetic supporting structure attached to the electronic device via a magnetic element.
2. Related Art
To cooperate with operation habits of users, a supporter may be disposed at an electronic device such as a notebook or a tablet computer to support the electronic device at various angles. Thus, a user may operate the electronic device easily. Common operation angles may be divided into high angles (about 70˜80 degrees), middle angles (about 40˜60 degrees), and low angles (about 20˜35 degrees). At the high angles, the electronic device can be used as a digital frame or a stock machine. At the middle angles, the user can adjust the electronic device to a proper angle when he makes a report with a projected image to easily remind the user of contents of the report or touch the electronic device to control it and read and so on. At the low angles, the user can write easily.
The supporter can be divided into a built-in mode and an appendant mode according to its characteristics. A built-in supporter is usually connected with a back of the electronic device. When the built-in supporter is not used, it can be folded and kept in the electronic device. When the user uses the built-in supporter, he can pull the built-in supporter out to support the electronic device. In view of easy keeping and consistency of an appearance of the electronic device, the structure of the built-in supporter is usually fragile. An appendant supporter is an additional accessory, and the user can choose it according to his demands. Since the supporter is specially used for supporting the electronic device, the structure of the appendant supporter is slightly firmer. However, since the appendant supporter and the electronic device are not designed together, the volume of the appendant supporter is larger, and the appendant supporter is not easy to take.
Generally speaking, neither the built-in supporter nor the appendant supporter involves the consideration for operation characteristics of the users. Usually, the electronic device only may be supported at a single angle and it is not easy to be operated. Furthermore, some electronic devices are designed with touch screens. When this kind of electronic device is supported by the supporter, if the user improperly operates the electronic device, applies overlarge force or knocks against the electronic device carelessly, or the electronic device is pressed by a fallen object such as a book, the above mentioned load is too large instantaneously, which usually makes the supporter without a safety protection design bended or permanently destroyed. Thus, it is rather in convenient for the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An electronic device with the magnetic supporting structure according to the invention includes an electronic device body and a magnetic supporter. The magnetic supporting structure has a magnetic element, a linkage, and a supporter. Two ends of the linkage are pivotally connected with the magnetic element and the linkage, respectively. The magnetic supporting structure is attached to a back of the electronic device body via the magnetic element. The supporter is kept at a storing position at which the supporter flatly contacts the back of the electronic device via the linkage, and the supporter is drawn via the linkage to a supporting position at which the electronic device is supported. When the supporter is at the supporting position, if the user improperly operates the electronic device, applies overlarge force or knocks against the electronic device carelessly, or the electronic device is pressed by a fallen object such as a book, which causes the electronic device to be overloaded, the magnetic element is detached from the back of the electronic device body to prevent the supporter and the linkage from being permanently damaged due to an overlarge load.
On the other hand, when the supporter is at the supporting position, the height of the position of the back of the electronic device body at which the magnetic element is attached is changed via the magnetic element, and thus a supporting angle can be adjusted to provide more diverse chooses to the user. At the same time, the slideway may be designed for the magnetic element to slide in, or connecting blocks may be utilized as the linkage to further provide position at different support angles to facilitate use of the user. Additionally, the supporter may be designed to include a cross-rod and a connection portion extended from two ends of the cross-rod to provide larger support area and improve support stability.
Consequently, a magnetic attraction between the magnetic supporting structure and the electronic device body can be adjusted and controlled via the magnetic element. Thus, when the user improperly operates the electronic device, applies overlarge force or knocks against the electronic device carelessly, or the electronic device is pressed by a fallen heavy object, which causes that the electronic device body is overloaded, the supporting supporter are not damaged. Furthermore, the user is prompted about improper operations, and additional cost due to repair and replacement after the supporting supporter is damaged is also avoided.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded diagram showing an electronic device with a magnetic supporting structure according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an assembly diagram showing the electronic device with the magnetic supporting structure in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A˜3C are schematic diagrams showing the electronic device with the magnetic supporting structure in FIG. 1 in use;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing detachment action of the electronic device with the magnetic supporting structure in FIG. 1 when the electronic device is overloaded;

FIG. 5 is an exploded diagram showing an electronic device with a magnetic supporting structure according to a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6A˜6C are schematic diagrams showing changes of the supporting positions of the electronic device with the magnetic supporting structure in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7A˜7B are exploded diagrams showing an electronic device with a magnetic supporting structure according to a third embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 8A˜8B are schematic diagrams showing changes of the supporting positions of the electronic device with the magnetic supporting structure in FIG. 7A˜7B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is an exploded diagram showing an electronic device with a magnetic supporting structure according to a first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 is an assembly diagram showing the electronic device with the magnetic supporting structure in FIG. 1.
The electronic device with the magnetic supporting structure according to the first embodiment of the invention includes an electronic device body 40 and a magnetic supporting structure. The magnetic supporting structure includes a magnetic element 10, a linkage 20, and a supporter 30. The magnetic supporting structure can be disposed at a back 41 of the electronic device body 40 to support the electronic device body 40 at a certain angle. Thus, a user may operate the electronic device more easily. The magnetic element 10 may be a magnet, a combination member with metal covering a magnetic object, and the magnetic element 10 is attached to the back 41 of the electronic device body 40 via its magnetism.
A containing space 42 is formed at the back 41 of the electronic device body 40 to dispose the magnetic element 10. An outer housing of the electronic device body 40 is usually made of aluminum, a magnesium alloy, or reinforced plastic and so on. If the outer housing is made of a magnetic metal such as aluminum and the magnesium alloy, the magnetic element 10 can be directly attached to the containing space 42. If the outer housing is made of a material without magnetism such as reinforced plastic, a magnetic material needs to be laid at the containing space 42 to attach the magnetic element 10.
The linkage 20 is mainly used for connecting the magnetic element 10 and the supporter 30. A first pivot 21 and a second pivot 22 are used for pivotally connecting with the magnetic element 10 and the supporter 30, respectively, to make the linkage 20 rotate relative to the magnetic element 10, and the supporter 30 may also rotate relative to the linkage 20. In this embodiment, the linkage 20 is designed to be shaped like a flat plate to improve support strength. Besides the supporter 30 in the form as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the supporter 30 may be changed or enlarged to increase the support area.
The shape of the containing space 42 is the same as that of the magnetic element 10, the linkage 20, and the supporter 30. When the magnetic supporting structure is not used, the magnetic element 10, the linkage 20, and the supporter 30 are kept in the containing space 42 to maintain the appearance integrity of the back 41 of the electronic device body 40. The magnetic element 10 is fixedly attached to the containing space 42 via magnetic force. The linkage 20 and the supporter 30 may be attached to the storing position via weaker magnetic force. The linkage 20 and the supporter 30 also may be fixed at the storing position in mechanical ways such as using tight fit, a fastening recess or a fastening point, and they do not drop off.
FIG. 3A˜3C are schematic diagrams showing the electronic device with the magnetic supporting structure in FIG. 1 in use.
When the user wants to operate the electronic device 40 at a special angle, he pulls the linkage 20 out of the containing space 42 to make the supporter 30 drawn out together. At the time, the magnetic element 10 is still attached to an origin position of the electronic device body 40 and is unchanged, The electronic device body 40 may be supported at a supporting position with a low angle as shown in FIG. 3A by supporting the supporter 30 on a fixing flat surface 70 to allow the user to perform normal operation such as writing.
When the support angle needs to be changed, the user only needs to move the magnetic element 10 downward. In other words, as shown in FIG. 3B, the magnetic element 10 is moved toward the fixing flat surface 70. At the same time, the bottom of the electronic device body 40 is moved toward the supporter 30 (or the supporter 30 is moved toward the electronic device body 40) to make the electronic device body 40 closer to the supporter 30 to provide a supporting position with a middle angle. Thus, the user can adjust the electronic device to a proper angle when he makes a report with a projected image to easily remind the user of contents of the report or touch the electronic device to control it and read and so on. Certainly, as shown in FIG. 3C, the magnetic element 10 may be further moved close to the bottom of the containing space 42 to provide a supporting position with a high angle, and then the electronic device may be used as an electronic digital frame or a stock machine.
As a result, to achieve a multi-angle support function, if the outer housing of the electronic device body 40 is made of a nonmagnetic material such as reinforced plastic, the magnetic metal laid on the containing space 42 needs to be extended to almost the whole containing space 42 to allow the magnetic element 10 to vary different support angles at which the electronic device body 40 is supported by changing attach positions.
Since the supporter 30 is pivotally connected with the linkage 20, however the support angles changes, the supporter 30 can flatly contact the fixing flat surface 70 to provide stable support. To achieve the function of positioning at different support angles, the linkage 20 and the magnetic element 10 can be designed to be tight fit or designed with a fastening dot or a fastening block and so on at the position where they are pivotally connected to provide fixing effect at different angles.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing detachment action of the electronic device with the magnetic supporting structure in FIG. 1 when the electronic device is overloaded.
When the magnetic supporting structure at the supporting position (including supporting positions in FIG. 3A˜3C), if the user improperly operates the electronic device, applies overlarge force or knocks against the electronic device carelessly, or the electronic devices are pressed by a fallen object such as a book, which causes the electronic device body 40 to be overloaded, since the magnetic element 10 at the back 41 is attached to the electronic device body 40 via the magnetic force but not in conventional mechanical fixing connection ways, when the load exceeds a magnetic attraction between the magnetic element 10 and the electronic device body 40, the magnetic element 10 is detached from the electronic device body 40, which prevents the linkage 20 or the supporter 30 from being damaged or permanently destroyed.
On the other hand, to improve the support ability of the supporter, FIG. 5 is an exploded diagram showing an electronic device with a magnetic supporting structure according to a second embodiment of the invention.
The supporter 30 includes a cross-rod 31. The width of the cross-rod 31 is equal to that of the electronic device body 40. Connection portions 32 and 33 are extended from two ends of cross-rod 31, respectively. The cross-rod 31 is pivotally connected with two ends of the bottom of the back 41 of the electronic device body 40 via the connection portions 32 and 33, respectively. At the same time, the magnetic element 10 is shaped like a sliding block, and cooperating with a slideway 43 at the back 41 of the electronic device body 40, the magnetic element 10 can slide in the slideway 43. Similarly, if the outer housing of the electronic device body 40 is made of the nonmagnetic material such as the reinforced plastic, the magnetic metal needs to be laid in the slideway 43. The linkage 20 is shaped like a slender rod. The linkage 20 is pivotally connected with the magnetic element 10 and the cross-rod 31 of the supporter 30 via ball-shaped two ends of the linkage 20.
FIG. 6A˜6C are schematic diagrams showing changes of the supporting positions of the electronic device with the magnetic supporting structure in FIG. 5.
As shown in FIG. 6A, when the supporter 30 is at the storing position, the magnetic element 10 is at the rightmost side of the slideway 43. Similarly, to maintain the consistency of the appearance, the linkage 20 is shaped like the slender rod. Meanwhile, the slideway 43 is extended downward and obliquely with a shape which is the same as that of the linkage 20, and the linkage 20 can be disposed in the slideway 43 to maintain the smoothness of the appearance. When the user needs to operate the electronic device, he turns the supporter 30 out. At the time, as shown in FIG. 6B, the linkage 20 drives the magnetic element 10 to slide in the slideway 43. Finally, as shown in FIG. 6C, the magnetic element 10 slides to the leftmost side of the slideway 43. As a result, in this embodiment, the magnetic element 10 may be located at different positions to provide different supporting positions with different angles.
To position the supporting position, the magnetic element 10 or the slideway 43 may be designed to be tight fit, or be designed with a protrudent dot, or a position fastening dot and so on. Similarly, since the magnetic element 10 is utilized to make attachment, if the electronic device body 40 is overloaded, the magnetic element 10 may also be detached, a risk of damaging the linkage 20 and the supporter 30 also can be avoided.
FIG. 7A˜7B are exploded diagrams showing an electronic device with a magnetic supporting structure according to a third embodiment of the invention.
The linkage 20 includes a first sliding block 23 and a second sliding block 24. The first sliding block 23 has two grooves 25. The second sliding block 24 is restricted to slide in the grooves 25 via fixing elements 26 to allow the first sliding block 23 to slide relative to the second sliding block 24. As shown in FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B, the fixing element 26 is a cooperation of a screw and a nut. Certainly, the fixing elements 26 may be replaced by tenons or protrudent dots.
FIG. 8A˜8B are schematic diagrams showing changes of the supporting positions of the electronic device with the magnetic supporting structure in FIG. 7A˜7B.
When the supporter 30 is at the storing position, as shown in FIG. 8A, the magnetic element 10 and the linkage 20 are kept via the containing space 42 to maintain the consistency of the appearance to make the supporter 30 flatly contact the back 41 of the electronic device body 40. When the electronic device body 40 needs to be adjusted to the supporting position, the position is changed by downwardly moving the magnetic element 10 in the containing space 42. At the same time, the linkage 20 drives the supporter 30 to be turned out to support the electronic device 10.
Since the linkage 20 is composed of the first sliding block 23 and the second sliding block 24, the support angles not only can be changed by changing the position of the magnetic element 10, as shown in FIG. 8B, the support angles can also be controlled via relative slide between the first sliding block 23 and the second sliding block 24. At the same time, if the fixing element 26 is realized via a screw, stepless positioning can also be provided. The second sliding block 24 can be fixed at any position of the grooves 25 of the first sliding block 23.
As a result, the linkage and the supporter of the electronic device with the magnetic supporting structure according to the invention are attached to the back of the electronic device body via the magnetic element. When at the supporting position, if the user improperly operates the electronic device, applies overlarge force or knocks the electronic device carelessly, or the electronic device is pressed by a fallen object such as a book, which causes that the load of the electronic device body is too large and excesses the magnetic attraction between the magnetic element and the electronic device body, the magnetic element is detached from the electronic device body. Thus, unlike conventional supporting supporters, the linkage and the supporter are not damaged or permanently destroyed.
Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, the disclosure is not for limiting the scope of the invention. Persons having ordinary skill in the art may make various modifications and changes without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiments described above.
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

an electronic device body; and

a magnetic supporting structure, including:

a magnetic element attached to a back of the electronic device;

a linkage, wherein an end of the linkage is pivotally connected with the magnetic element; and

a supporter pivotally connected with the other end of the linkage, wherein the supporter is kept at a storing position at the back of the electronic device via the linkage, the supporter is drawn via the linkage to a supporting position at which the electronic device is supported, and when the supporter is at the supporting position, the magnetic element is detached from the electronic device once the electronic device is overloaded.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a containing space formed at the back of the electronic device body and allowing the magnetic element to be disposed and attached to.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a slideway allowing the magnetic element to be attached to.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the supporter comprises a cross-rod, the width of the cross-rod is equal to the width of the electronic device, two connection portions are extended from two ends of the cross-rod, respectively, and the connection portion is pivotally connected with the back of the electronic device.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the linkage comprises a first sliding block and a second sliding block cooperate with each other.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the first sliding block has a groove allowing the second sliding block to slide.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the second sliding block is fixed at the first sliding block via a fixing element passing the groove.