Alignment structure

{
  "publication_number": "US10452101B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Alignment structure",
  "abstract": "An alignment structure including a first casing, a first magnetic component, a second casing and a second magnetic component is provided. The first magnetic component is disposed at the first casing and has a first surface, and the first surface is a non-planar surface. The second magnetic component is disposed at the second casing and has a second surface, and the second surface is a non-planar surface. When the second casing leans against the first casing, the first surface and the second surface are facing each other, and a magnetic attraction between the first magnetic component and the second magnetic component guides the second magnetic component to be aligned to the first magnetic component, and stops the second casing from being separated from the first casing.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An alignment structure, comprising: a first casing; a first magnetic component, disposed in the first casing and having a first surface, wherein the first surface is a non-planar surface; a second casing; and a second magnetic component, disposed in the second casing and having a second surface, wherein the second surface is a non-planar surface, wherein when the second casing leans against the first casing, the first surface and the second surface are facing each other, and a magnetic attraction between the first magnetic component and the second magnetic component guides the second magnetic component to be aligned to the first magnetic component, and stops the second casing from being separated from the first casing, wherein the first casing has a first protruding structure, the second casing has a second protruding structure, a part of a surface of the first magnetic component is in contact with the first protruding structure and adapted to rotate in relative to the first protruding structure, and a part of a surface of the second magnetic component is in contact with the second protruding structure and adapted to rotate in relative to the second protruding structure, wherein the first protruding structure and the second protruding structure are ring-shaped.",
    "2. The alignment structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the first surface has a first end, the second surface has a second end, and when the second casing leans against the first casing, a distance between the first end and the second end is a minimum distance between the first surface and the second surface.",
    "3. The alignment structure as recited in claim 2, wherein the first end is a tangent line of an apex of the first surface, and the second end is a tangent line of an apex of the second surface.",
    "4. The alignment structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the first surface has a first end, the second surface has a second end, and when the second casing leans against the first casing, a magnetic attraction between the first end and the second end is a maximum magnetic attraction between the first surface and the second surface.",
    "5. The alignment structure as recited in claim 4, wherein the first end is a tangent line of an apex of the first surface, and the second end is a tangent line of an apex of the second surface.",
    "6. The alignment structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the first surface and the second surface are both convex surfaces.",
    "7. The alignment structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the first surface is an arc surface or a non-arc surface, and the second surface is an arc surface or a non-arc surface.",
    "8. The alignment structure as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first magnetic component and the second magnetic component is a magnet.",
    "9. The alignment structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the first magnetic component is rotatably disposed at the first casing, and the second magnetic component is rotatably disposed at the second casing.",
    "10. The alignment structure as recited in claim 9, wherein the first casing has a first column, the second casing has a second column, the first magnetic component has a first pivot hole, the second magnetic component has a second pivot hole, the first column is inserted into the first pivot hole, and the second column is inserted into the second pivot hole.",
    "11. An alignment structure, comprising: a first casing; a first magnetic component, disposed in a first accommodating groove of the first casing and having a first surface, wherein the first surface is a non-planar surface; a second casing; and a second magnetic component, disposed in a second accommodating groove of the second casing and having a second surface, wherein the second surface is a non-planar surface, wherein when the second casing leans against the first casing, the first surface and the second surface are facing each other, and a magnetic attraction between the first magnetic component and the second magnetic component guides the second magnetic component to be aligned to the first magnetic component, and stops the second casing from being separated from the first casing, wherein the first casing has a first protruding structure, the second casing has a second protruding structure, a part of a planar surface of the first magnetic component is in contact with the first protruding structure and adapted to rotate in relative to the first protruding structure, and a part of a planar surface of the second magnetic component is in contact with the second protruding structure and adapted to rotate in relative to the second protruding structure, wherein the first protruding structure and the second protruding structure are either ring-shaped or constituted of a plurality of bumps, wherein the first casing has a first column, the second casing has a second column, the first magnetic component has a first pivot hole, the second magnetic component has a second pivot hole, the first column is inserted into the first pivot hole, and the second column is inserted into the second pivot hole.",
    "12. The alignment structure as recited in claim 11, wherein the first surface has a first end, the second surface has a second end, and when the second casing leans against the first casing, a distance between the first end and the second end is a minimum distance between the first surface and the second surface.",
    "13. The alignment structure as recited in claim 12, wherein the first end is a tangent line of an apex of the first surface, and the second end is a tangent line of an apex of the second surface.",
    "14. The alignment structure as recited in claim 11, wherein the first surface has a first end, the second surface has a second end, and when the second casing leans against the first casing, a magnetic attraction between the first end and the second end is a maximum magnetic attraction between the first surface and the second surface.",
    "15. The alignment structure as recited in claim 14, wherein the first end is a tangent line of an apex of the first surface, and the second end is a tangent line of an apex of the second surface.",
    "16. The alignment structure as recited in claim 11, wherein the first surface and the second surface are both convex surfaces.",
    "17. The alignment structure as recited in claim 11, wherein the first surface is an arc surface or a non-arc surface, and the second surface is an arc surface or a non-arc surface.",
    "18. The alignment structure as recited in claim 11, wherein at least one of the first magnetic component and the second magnetic component is a magnet.",
    "19. The alignment structure as recited in claim 11, wherein the first magnetic component is rotatably disposed at the first casing, and the second magnetic component is rotatably disposed at the second casing."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The invention is related to an alignment structure, more particularly, to an alignment structure having a magnetic component.\n\nWith rapid developments in technology, portable electronic devices, such as tablet personal computers (tablet PCs), smart phones, and the like have been widely used due to its advantages that allow users to carry around and operate easily. As the portable electronic device generally does not have a base for providing support and typically does not have a physical keyboard for a user to operate, the portable electronic device is mostly coordinated with a docking station in conventional designs. The docking station has abilities for accommodating and charging the portable electronic device, and further has a keyboard module for user input. In some docking stations, a hook is being used to fix the portable electronic device; however, the hook can cause the device to have a poor appearance and is less convenient in alignment. In addition, some docking stations and portable electronic devices are respectively disposed with corresponding magnets so as to be fixed with magnetic attractions therebetween; however, magnetic attractive surfaces of the magnets are typically planar surfaces, such that magnetic attractions between various parts of two corresponding magnetic attractive surfaces are equal, and thus magnetic components are liable to produce lateral shifts and cause the docking station and the portable electronic device to be aligned inaccurately.\n\nThe invention provides an alignment structure with favorable alignment accuracy.",
  "cpc": [
    "G06F 1/1632",
    "F16B 2001/0035",
    "F16B 2200/83",
    "F16M 11/041",
    "G06F 1/1679"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "F16B 1/00",
    "F16M 11/04",
    "G06F 1/16"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "YEH YAO TSUNG",
    "TZOU JYH CHYANG",
    "YEH HSIN",
    "LU MING SHUN",
    "LAN WEI HAO",
    "COMPAL ELECTRONICS INC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "YEH YAO-TSUNG",
    "TZOU JYH-CHYANG",
    "YEH HSIN",
    "LU MING-SHUN",
    "Lan wei-hao"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2016-01-05",
  "publication_date": "2019-10-22",
  "grant_date": "2019-10-22",
  "priority_date": "2015-01-05",
  "application_number": "US-201614987763-A",
  "family_id": "56286253",
  "citations": [
    "CN103093920A",
    "TW201446113A",
    "TWM400262U",
    "US2006139134A1",
    "US5048704A",
    "US8458863B2"
  ]
}