Patents by Inventor Richard L. McElrath

Richard L. McElrath has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11069465
    Abstract: In an example, an apparatus for mounting hardware to an object includes: a base member having an attachment surface to be attached to the object, base member magnets, and a base breakaway connection surface; a hardware support having a hardware support surface to receive the hardware, hardware support magnets, and a support breakaway connection surface to be magnetically coupled with the base breakaway connection surface, by magnetic attraction between the base member magnets and the hardware support magnets, to form a magnetic connection having a preset magnetic breakaway strength to maintain the magnetic connection and allow the hardware support and the base member to be separated by a force greater than the preset magnetic breakaway strength; and a fastener to fasten the hardware to the hardware support, the fastener keeping the hardware and the hardware support fastened together under a force sufficiently large to separate the magnetic connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Homeland Security
    Inventors: Richard L. McElrath, Mary Shalane Regan