Electronic device and magnetic latching mechanism therefore

Abstract

A magnetic latch for a display of a laptop computer is disclosed. The latch uses magnetic attraction to maintain the display closed and uses magnetic repelling forces to pop-up the display when opened. The latch includes one or more magnetic elements in the body of the laptop and at least one magnetic element in the display. When the display is closed, the magnet element in the display is positioned adjacent the magnet element in the body having an opposite polarity so that the magnet elements are attracted to one another. To pop-up the display, the user moves the magnetic element in the display so that it meets the magnetic pole in the body having the same polarity. When these meet, the repelling force between them causes the display to open slightly so that a user can then readily open the display.

1 - 44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . A latching apparatus for hingedly connected bodies, comprising:
 a first component disposed on a first of the bodies and comprising at least one permanent magnet having a first polarity configuration; and   a second component disposed on a second of the bodies and comprising an electromagnet having an unengergized condition and an energized condition;   wherein to maintain the first body closed against the second body, the first and second components are magnetically attracted to one another when the second component has the unenergized condition, the electromagnet in the unenergized condition allowing the at least one permanent magnet of the first component to magnetically attract to material of the second component; and   wherein to automatically move the first body at least partially open a separation distance from the second body, the first and second components are magnetically repellable from one another when the second component has the energized condition, the electromagnet in the energized condition producing a second polarity configuration magnetically repelling the first polarity configuration of the at least one permanent magnet of the first magnetic element and moving the first and second components apart at least by the separation distance.   
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the electromagnet comprises ferromagnetic material, and wherein the permanent magnet magnetically attracts to the ferromagnetic material of the electromagnet when in the unenergized condition. 
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , further comprising means for selecting between the energized and unenergized conditions of the second component. 
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , further comprising a power source operatively coupled to the electromagnet for energizing the electromagnet. 
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , further comprising a switch operatively connected between the power source and the electromagnet and controlling the energization of the electromagnet thereby. 
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the separation distance overcomes the magnetic attraction between the first and second components when the second component has the unenergized condition. 
     
     
         51 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the separation distance permits manual prying of the first and second bodies apart from one another. 
     
     
         52 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the first component comprises a first magnetic strength, and wherein the second component produces a second magnetic strength greater than the first magnetic strength. 
     
     
         53 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the apparatus comprises an electronic device having the first and second bodies hingedly connected together. 
     
     
         54 . The apparatus of  claim 53 , wherein the electronic device is selected from the group consisting of a laptop computer, a portable CD player, a portable DVD player, a PDA, a calculator, and a cell phone. 
     
     
         55 . The apparatus of  claim 53 , wherein the first body comprises a display of a laptop computer, and wherein the second body comprises a body of the laptop computer having the display hingedly connected thereto. 
     
     
         56 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a first body;   a second body hingedly connected to the first body;   a first component disposed on the first body and comprising at least one permanent magnet having a first polarity configuration; and   a second component disposed on the second body and comprising an electromagnet having an unengergized condition and an energized condition;   wherein to maintain the first body closed against the second body, the first and second components are magnetically attracted to one another when the second component has the unenergized condition, the electromagnet in the unenergized condition allowing the at least one permanent magnet of the first component to magnetically attract to material of the second component; and   wherein to automatically move the first body at least partially open a separation distance from the second body, the first and second components are magnetically repellable from one another when the second component has the energized condition, the electromagnet in the energized condition producing a second polarity configuration magnetically repelling the first polarity configuration of the at least one permanent magnet of the first component and moving the first and second components apart at least by the separation distance.   
     
     
         57 . The device of  claim 56 , wherein the electronic device is selected from the group consisting of a laptop computer, a portable CD player, a portable DVD player, a PDA, a calculator, and a cell phone. 
     
     
         58 . The device of  claim 56 , wherein the first body comprises a display of a laptop computer, and wherein the second body comprises a body of the laptop computer having the display hingedly connected thereto. 
     
     
         59 . The device of  claim 56 , further comprising means for selecting between the energized and unenergized conditions of the second component. 
     
     
         60 . The device of  claim 56 , further comprising a power source operatively coupled to the electromagnet for energizing the electromagnet. 
     
     
         61 . The device of  claim 60 , wherein the power source comprises a battery separate from a source of power for the electronic device. 
     
     
         62 . The device of  claim 60 , wherein the power source comprises a battery being a source of power for the electronic device. 
     
     
         63 . The device of  claim 56 , further comprising a switch operatively connected between the power source and the electromagnet and controlling the energization of the electromagnet thereby. 
     
     
         64 . The device of  claim 56 , wherein the separation distance overcomes the magnetic attraction between the first and second components when the second component has the unenergized condition. 
     
     
         65 . The device of  claim 56 , wherein the first component comprises a first magnetic strength, and wherein the second component produces a second magnetic strength greater than the first magnetic strength. 
     
     
         66 . The device of  claim 56 , wherein the first body comprises a first edge, and wherein the separation distance permits engagement of the first edge to manually pry the first and second bodies apart from one another. 
     
     
         67 . A method of opening an electronic device, comprising:
 providing first and second bodies of the electronic device hingedly connected together;   maintaining the first and second bodies closed together by—
 deenergizing a first component on the first body, and 
 magnetically attracting the first component to a second component on the second body; and 
   at least partially opening the first body a separation distance from the second body by—
 energizing the first component with a first polarity, and 
 magnetically repelling the first polarity of the first component from a second polarity of the second component.