Locking mechanism
View Patent ↗A locking mechanism having a magnet and a spring. The magnet is configured to cooperate with an anchor and the spring is configured to suspend the magnet whereby said magnet is capable of being movably connected to a housing body.
1. A device having a locking mechanism comprising:
a first and a second housing body configured to assume an open and a closed position; and
a magnet and a spring, said magnet being configured to cooperate with an anchor and said spring being configured to suspend said magnet;
wherein the anchor is arranged in said second housing body and said magnet is movably connected to said first housing body by said spring.
2. A locking mechanism according to claim 1 further comprising a mechanical stop.
3. A locking mechanism according to claim 1 said spring comprises an interface surface for cooperating with a supporting surface.
4. A locking mechanism according to claim 3 wherein said spring and said interface surface consist of one unitary body.
5. A locking mechanism according to claim 4 wherein said spring comprises a deflection area in said unitary body.
6. A locking mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said spring is a magnetic spring.
7. A locking mechanism according to claim 3 wherein said spring is a mechanical spring.
8. A locking mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said magnet comprises an electromagnet and a permanent magnet.
9. A locking mechanism according to claim 8 , wherein said electromagnet is configured to neutralize said permanent magnet when activated.
10. A printed wire board comprising a cavity arranged to at least partially receive a locking mechanism according to claim 1 .
11. A printed wire board according to claim 10 wherein said locking mechanism comprises a mechanical stop arranged on an opposite side of said printed wire board with regards to a side of said magnet being capable of being active, said mechanical stop extending beyond said cavity.
12. A printed wire board according to claim 10 , wherein said locking mechanism comprises an interface surface arranged to attach said spring to said printed wire board.
13. A printed wire board according to claim 10 , wherein said cavity is a hole through said printed wire board.
14. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said first and second housing bodies are movably connected by a hinge.
15. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said device is a mobile communication terminal, a media player, a photographic camera, a video camera, a game console, a calculator, a global positioning system device or a personal digital assistant.
16. A method for maintaining two housing bodies of a device in a closed position comprising exerting a magnetic force from a magnet arranged in one of said housing bodies on an anchor plate arranged in another of said housing bodies,
receiving mechanical shocks to said device
and moving said magnet according to said received shocks to maintain said magnetic force strong enough to maintain said two housing bodies in said closed position.
17. A method according to claim 16 , further comprising suspending said magnet by a spring.
18. A device incorporating and implementing or configured to incorporate and implement a method according to claim 16 .
19. A device comprising two housing bodies configured to assume an open and a closed position, said device further comprising magnetic means for maintaining said housing bodies in said closed position, said magnetic means comprising suspension means for moving said magnetic means in accordance with mechanical shocks received by said device.
20. A device according to claim 19 , wherein said suspension means comprises spring means.