Magnetic switch with auto-release function

Abstract

A magnetic switch is disclosed to include a first magnetic device affixed to a second member of a lifting cover type of a article, a driven rod slidably mounted in a first member of the lifting cover type of the article that is hinged to the second member, a holder member mounted on the driven rod and holding a second magnetic device for attracting the first magnetic device to keep the fist member and the second member in the closed position, a spring member that imparts a pressure to the driven rod to hold the holder member in such a position that the second magnetic device attracts the first magnetic device, and a key extending out of the first member of the lifting cover type of the article for operation by hand to move the driven rod to the position where the second magnetic device repulses the first magnetic device to force the second member away from the first member.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a magnetic switch in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention (the fixed unit excluded).

FIG. 2 is an applied view of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing installation of the magnetic switch in a lifting cover type mobile electronic product.

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing showing the locking status of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing showing the unlocked status of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a magnetic switch in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention (the fixed unit excluded).

FIG. 6 is an applied view of the second embodiment of the present invention, showing installation of the magnetic switch in a lifting cover type mobile electronic product.

FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing showing the locking status of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing showing the unlocked status of the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a magnetic switch in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention (the fixed unit excluded).

FIG. 10 is an applied view of the third embodiment of the present invention, showing installation of the magnetic switch in a lifting cover type mobile electronic product.

FIG. 11 is a schematic drawing showing the locking status of the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a schematic drawing showing the unlocked status of the third embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a magnetic switch in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is shown comprised of a movable unit 1 and a fixed unit 2.

The magnetic switch is used in a lifting cover type article, for example, an electronic product such as mobile computer, PDA, electronic dictionary, or the like. The movable unit 1 is mounted in the front end edge of the first member 3 of the two hinged members of the lifting cover type article, and the fixed unit 2 is mounted in the corresponding end edge the second member 4 of the two hinged members of the lifting cover type article. Alternatively, the movable unit 1 and the fixed unit 2 can be respectively mounted in the second member 4 and the first member 3.

The movable unit 1 comprises a driven rod 11, which is inserted with its one end through a lug 31 at the back side of the front end edge of the first member 3 and kept in parallel to the front end edge of the first member 3 and has a collar 13 on the middle, a spring member, for example, a compression spring 12 sleeved onto one end of the driven rod 11 and stopped between the collar 13 and the lug 31, a holder member 14, for example, a box fixedly fastened to the driven rod 11 at one side of the collar 13 opposite to the compression spring 12, a magnetic device 15 mounted in the holder member 14, a connecting member, for example, a U-lug 16 fixedly provided at the other end of the driven rod 11, and a sliding key 17, which is inserted through a sliding slot 32 on the front end edge of the first member 3 and fixedly connected to the U-lug 16 for moving the driven rod 11 along the sliding slot 32. The magnetic device 15 has an N pole at one end and an S pole at the other end for attracting or repulsing a magnetic device 21 of the fixed unit 2 to lock or unlock the magnetic switch.

Referring to FIG. 2, the movable unit 1 according to the aforesaid statement is mounted inside the front end edge of the first member 3. The fixed unit 2 is comprised of a magnetic device 21 at the back side of the front end edge of the second member 4, which is comprised of a box 41. The location of the box 41 is so selected that the magnetic device 21 does no work with the magnetic device 15 when the sliding key 17 is not operated.

Referring to FIG. 3, when the first member 3 and the second member 4 are closed, a magnetic attractive force is produced between the N and S poles of the magnetic device 15 of the movable unit 1 and the S and N poles of the magnetic device 21 of the fixed unit 2, thereby locking the magnetic switch. The magnetic devices 15 and 21 can be permanent magnets or electromagnets.

Referring to FIG. 4, when unlocking the magnetic switch, operate the sliding key 17 to move the driven rod 11 against the spring power of the compression spring 12 to have the S-pole of the magnetic device 15 be aimed at the S-pole of the magnetic device 21. At this time, a magnetic repulsion is produced to unlock the magnetic switch. Therefore, the user can operate the sliding key 17 conveniently with one hand to unlock the magnetic switch and to further open the lifting cover type article.

Further, two ore more holder members 14, i.e., boxes may be provided at the driven rod 11 to carry multiple magnetic devices 15, and corresponding magnetic devices 21 are provided at the second member 4 to enhance the locking power between the first member 3 and the second member 4. By means of one single sliding key 17, multiple sets of magnetic devices 15 and 21 are conveniently controlled between the locking position and the unlocking position.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a magnetic switch in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with the exception that the holder member 14 i.e., the box is an elongated container that accommodates a series of reversely arranged magnetic devices 15, and the magnetic devices 21 of the fixed unit 2 are also reversely arranged in series. However, the polarity order, for example, S,N,S,N,S of the magnetic devices 21 of the fixed unit 2 is reversed to the polarity order, for example, N,S,N,S,N of the magnetic devices 15 of the movable unit 1.

When the first member 3 and the second member 4 are closed, as shown in FIG. 7, a magnetic attractive force is produced between the magnetic devices 21 of the fixed unit 2 and the magnetic devices 15 of the movable unit 1, thereby locking the magnetic switch.

When wishing to unlock the magnetic switch, as shown in FIG. 8, operate the sliding key 17 to move the driven rod 11 with the holder member 14 and the magnetic devices 15 in transverse direction to a predetermined distance to have a magnetic repulsive force be produced between the magnetic devices 21 of the fixed unit 2 and the magnetic devices 15 of the movable unit 1, and therefore the magnetic switch is unlocked.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show a magnetic switch in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with the exception that the holder member 14 is a gear, which is pivotally mounted inside the front end edge of the first member 3 with a pivot pin 18 and has a series of teeth 141 extending around the periphery and a top chamber 19 for accommodating the magnetic device 15, and the driven rod 11 has a longitudinal rack 111 meshed with the teeth 141 of the holder member 14.

When the first member 3 and the second member 4 are closed, as shown in FIG. 11, a magnetic attractive force is produced between the magnetic devices 21 of the fixed unit 2 and the magnetic devices 15 of the movable unit 1, thereby locking the magnetic switch.

When wishing to unlock the magnetic switch, as shown in FIG. 12, operate the sliding key 17 to move the driven rod 11 in transverse direction to a predetermined distance. Because the longitudinal rack 111 of the driven rod 11 is meshed with the teeth 141 of the holder member 14, moving the driven rod 11 causes the holder member 14 to rotate. When the holder member 14 is rotated through 180°, a magnetic repulsive force is produced between the magnetic device 21 of the fixed unit 2 and the magnetic device 15 of the movable unit 1 to unlock the magnetic switch.

As indicated above, the invention provides a magnetic switch installed in the two hinged members of, for example, a mobile electronic product for locking the two hinged members in the closed position by means of a magnetic attractive force. By means of operating the sliding key to move the driven rod of the movable unit of the magnetic switch in a transverse direction to a predetermined distance, a magnetic repulsive force is produced to unlock the magnetic switch, allowing the user to open the two hinged members of the mobile electronic product with one single hand conveniently.

A prototype of magnetic switch has been constructed with the features of FIGS. 1˜12. The magnetic switch functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.

Although particular embodiment of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A magnetic switch installed in hinged first member and second member of a lifting cover type article for locking the hinged first member and second member when the hinged first member and second member are closed together, the magnetic switch comprising: a fixed unit fixedly mounted in a front end edge of the second member of said lifting cover type article, said fixed unit comprising at least one magnetic device;a movable unit mounted in a front end edge of the first member of said lifting cover type article; said movable unit comprising a driven rod arranged in parallel and movable relative to the front end edge of the first member of said lifting cover type article, a holder member fixedly mounted on said driven rod movable with said driven rod relative to the first member of said lifting cover type article between a first position and a second position, at least one magnetic device mounted in said holder member and adapted to attract the at least one magnetic device of said fixed unit when said holder member is in said first position and to repulse the at least one magnetic device of said fixed unit when said holder member is in said second position, spring means mounted on said driven rod and connected between a part of said driven rod and a part of the first member of said lifting cover type article to support said holder member in said first position, and a key extending out of the front end edge of the first member of said lifting cover type article for operation by the user to move said driven rod relative to the front end edge of the first member of said lifting cover type article against the spring power of said spring means and to further move said holder member from said first position to said second position.

2. The magnetic switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lifting cover type article is an electronic product.

3. The magnetic switch as claimed in claim 2, wherein said electronic product is one of mobile computer, personal digital assistant, and electronic dictionary.

4. The magnetic switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said holder member is a box fixedly fastened to said driven rod; the number of at least one magnetic device of said movable unit is 1 that is mounted in said holder member of said movable unit has two reversed polarities at two ends thereof; the number of the at least one magnetic device of said fixed unit is 1 that has two reversed polarities at two ends thereof.

5. The magnetic switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said holder member is an elongated box fixedly fastened to said driven rod to accommodate the at least one magnetic device of said movable unit; the at least one magnetic device of said movable unit includes a plurality of magnetic devices reversely arranged in series; the at least one magnetic device of said fixed unit includes a plurality of magnetic devices reversely arranged in series.

6. The magnetic switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said driven rod is inserted through a lug inside the first member of said lifting cover type article, having a collar; said spring means is a compressed spring sleeved onto said driven rod and stopped between said collar and said lug.

7. The magnetic switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said key is a sliding member slidably coupled to the first member of said lifting cover type article.

8. The magnetic switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein the magnetic devices of said movable unit and said fixed unit are permanent magnets or electromagnets.

9. A magnetic switch installed in hinged first member and second member of a lifting cover type article for locking the hinged first member and second member when the hinged first member and second member are closed together, the magnetic switch comprising: a fixed unit fixedly mounted in a front end edge of the second member of said lifting cover type article, said fixed unit comprising at least one magnetic device;a movable unit mounted in a front end edge of the first member of said lifting cover type article; said movable unit comprising a driven rod arranged in parallel and movable relative to the front end edge of the first member of said lifting cover type article, a holder member pivoted to the first member of said lifting cover type article and rotatable by said driven rod through 180° between a first position and a second position when said driven rod is moved relative to the first member of said lifting cover type article, a magnetic device mounted in said holder member and adapted to attract the at least one magnetic device of said fixed unit when said holder member is in said first position and to repulse the at least one magnetic device of said fixed unit when said holder member is in said second position, spring means mounted on said driven rod and connected between a part of said driven rod and a part of the first member of said lifting cover type article to support said driven rod in the position where said holder member is in said first position, and a key extending out of the front end edge of the first member of said lifting cover type article for operation by the user to move said driven rod relative to the front end edge of the first member of said lifting cover type article against the spring power of said spring means and to further move said holder member from said first position to said second position.

10. The magnetic switch as claimed in claim 9, wherein said lifting cover type article is an electronic product.

11. The magnetic switch as claimed in claim 10, wherein said electronic product is one of mobile computer, personal digital assistant, and electronic dictionary.

12. The magnetic switch as claimed in claim 9, wherein said holder member is a gear wheel pivoted to the first member of said lifting cover type article, having a top chamber; the number of at least one magnetic device of said movable unit is 1 that is mounted in the top chamber of said gear wheel of said holder member of said movable unit and has two reversed polarities at two ends thereof; the number of the at least one magnetic device of said fixed unit is 1 that has two reversed polarities at two ends thereof.

13. The magnetic switch as claimed in claim 9, wherein s said holder member is a gear wheel pivoted to the first member of said lifting cover type article, having a top chamber that accommodates the at least one magnetic device of said movable unit; the at least one magnetic device of said movable unit includes a plurality of magnetic devices reversely arranged in series; the at least one magnetic device of said fixed unit includes a plurality of magnetic devices reversely arranged in series.

14. The magnetic switch as claimed in claim 9, wherein said driven rod is inserted through a lug inside the first member of said lifting cover type article, having a collar; said spring means is a compressed spring sleeved onto said driven rod and stopped between said collar and said lug.

15. The magnetic switch as claimed in claim 9, wherein said key is a sliding member slidably coupled to the first member of said lifting cover type article for moving said driven rod.

16. The magnetic switch as claimed in claim 9, wherein the magnetic devices of said movable unit and said fixed unit are permanent magnets or electromagnets.

17. The magnetic switch as claimed in claim 10, wherein said driven rod has a longitudinal rack; said holder member is a gear wheel pivoted to the first member of said lifting cover type article and meshed with said longitudinal rack.