IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,169,576
Granted Patent B2
US 11,169,576 · App. 16/866,270 · Granted Nov 9, 2021

Folding accessory device support

Inventors: Kent Allen Campbell (Issaquah, WA); Timothy Michael Sullivan (Woodinville, WA); Paul Ryan Sandoval (Kirkland, WA)
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
G06F1/166G06F1/1607G06F1/1616G06F1/1637
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,169,576
App. No.
16/866,270
Granted
Nov 9, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

In some embodiments, a support device includes an angled segment and a support segment. The angled segment is configured to be affixed to a bottom surface of a second device and rotatable relative to the bottom surface at an anchor axis. The support segment is connected to the angled segment along a support axis and rotatable relative to the angled segment around the support axis.

Claims (32)

1. A support device, comprising:

an angled segment configured to be affixed to a bottom surface of a second device and rotatable relative to the bottom surface at an anchor axis;

a support segment connected to the angled segment along a support axis and rotatable relative to the angled segment around the support axis; and

an anchor segment connected to the angled segment and configured to rotate relative to the angled segment around the anchor axis.

2. The support device of claim 1 , further comprising a first surface of the angled segment and the support segment and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the first surface and the second surface have different coefficients of friction.

3. The support device of claim 2 , wherein the first surface has a coefficient of friction greater than 0.3 on glass.

4. The support device of claim 2 , wherein the second surface has a coefficient of friction less than 0.2 on glass.

5. A support device, comprising:

an angled segment configured to be affixed to a bottom surface of a second device and rotatable relative to the bottom surface at an anchor axis;

a support segment connected to the angled segment along a support axis and rotatable relative to the angled segment around the support axis; and

a contact segment connected to the support segment opposite the angled segment and configured to rotate relative to the support segment.

6. An input device for an electronic device, the input device comprising:

a body;

an input mechanism positioned on a first side of the body; and

a foldable support positioned on a second side of the body opposite the first side, wherein the foldable support is affixed to the second side of the body and an anchor axis is offset from an edge of the body and the foldable support has a first surface and an opposite second surface, wherein the first side of the body and the second side of the body are non-parallel with each other.

7. The input device of claim 6 , wherein the foldable support comprises three segments connected by flexible connections.

8. The input device of claim 7 , wherein the foldable support is affixed to the second side of the body at a first segment.

9. The input device of claim 7 , wherein the foldable support further comprises a magnetic element in at least one of the segments and the magnetic element generates a magnetic attraction to the body.

10. The input device of claim 7 , wherein the flexible connections provide less than 400 Newton-millimeters of rotational resistance.

11. The input device of claim 6 , wherein the foldable support comprises four segments connected by flexible connections and is affixed on at least 50% of a surface area of a first surface of a first segment of the foldable support.

12. The input device of claim 6 , wherein the first surface has a coefficient of friction greater than 0.3 on glass.

13. The input device of claim 6 , wherein the second surface has a coefficient of friction less than 0.2 on glass.

14. The input device of claim 6 , wherein the first surface comprises Alcantara.

15. The input device of claim 6 , wherein the second surface comprises polyurethane.

16. An input device for an electronic device, the input device comprising:

a body;

keyboard positioned on a top surface of the body; and

a foldable support positioned on a bottom surface of the body opposite the top surface, wherein the foldable support is affixed to the bottom surface of the body and has a flat configuration and a stand configuration, wherein the flat configuration is parallel to the bottom surface of the body and the stand configuration projects away from the bottom surface of the body when rotated away from an anchor axis that is offset from an edge of the body.

17. The input device of claim 16 , wherein the foldable support comprises at least two movable segments connected by flexible connections, an angled segment of the movable segments being longer than a support segment of the movable segments.

18. The input device of claim 16 , wherein the bottom surface is oriented parallel to a surface upon which the input device rests when in the flat configuration and is oriented at a stand angle between 2° and 15° when the foldable support is in the stand configuration.

19. The input device of claim 16 , wherein a support segment is oriented at a support angle relative to the bottom surface between 60° and 90° in the stand configuration.

20. The input device of claim 16 , wherein the accessory device has a fabric covering, and the fabric covering includes the foldable support component on the bottom of the accessory device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 4, 2020
From: CAMPBELL, KENT ALLEN; SULLIVAN, TIMOTHY MICHAEL; SANDOVAL, PAUL RYAN
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 052564/0664 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62945606 · Dec 9, 2019
Related Publication 20210173434A1 · Jun 10, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,402,722