Refrigerator magnet with clipping action
A magnetic device is provided for holding paper memos, documents, notices, notes, photos and similar non-magnetic thin sheet materials against a flat or rounded, usually vertically oriented, magnetically attractive surface such as a refrigerator door. It comprises two neodymium disc magnets attached to a steel plate. The entire assembly is encapsulated in silicone rubber. The steel plate serves as a rigid structural splint. The steel plate also serves to focus the magnetic fields of the two magnets, thereby increasing the device's magnetic strength without increasing the size of the magnets.
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/748,918 which was filed on Dec. 8, 2005.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic device, commonly referred to as a refrigerator magnet, which is used to hold paper memos, documents, notices, notes, photos, exams, letters, postcards, recipes, poetry, pamphlets, greeting cards and similar non-magnetic thin sheet materials against flat or rounded, usually vertically oriented, magnetically attractive surfaces such as those found on refrigerators, stoves, file cabinets, metal lamps, memo boards, magnetic dry-ease message boards, magnetic bulletin boards, automotive bodies, submarine walls, steel structures, metal window frames, metal doors, and vending machines.
2. Description of the Related Art
A refrigerator magnet is typically made of a single unit that is held onto a magnetically attractive surface. To secure thin sheets between the magnet and the magnetically attractive surface, the refrigerator magnet must first be wholly removed from the magnetically attractive surface and then placed back on the magnetically attractive surface. Subsequently, the refrigerator magnet must again be wholly removed from the magnetically attractive surface in order to release the thin sheet materials. Furthermore, typical refrigerator magnets comprise one or more exposed magnetic components that can scratch, smudge and damage photographs and the magnetically attractive surfaces to which they are attached. Flat, and often flexible, refrigerator magnets that reduce the risk of scratching are weak and difficult to remove as they generally possess low profiles that offer little in the way of leverage or grip. Refrigerator magnets lack the ability to secure string or wire from which to hang thick and/or relatively heavy objects such as picture frames, headphones and MP3 players. Refrigerator magnets generally cannot support more than approximately ten sheets of paper before sliding down the side of a refrigerator door.
An object of the present invention is provide a magnetic device that may be used as a magnetic clip and a refrigerator magnet.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic device that overcomes the problems associated with the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic clip having a one-piece unitary construction.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic clip that does not contain a coil or a spring component.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic clip with no internal moving parts.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator magnet that can be used to load and release thin sheet materials and/or string with ease.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator magnet that can support a relatively large load.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic clip with a user interface that rests parallel with respect to the attachment surface.
The aforementioned deficiencies of the prior art are addressed, and an advance is made in the art, by a magnetic device configured for use as both a refrigerator magnet and a magnetic clip.
In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, the magnetic device is dimensioned and arranged to be used as a solid one-piece magnetic clip with no internal moving parts. The magnetic device includes two neodymium disc magnets attached to a steel plate. The magnets and steel plate are housed within a silicone rubber over-molding. The magnetic device appears as though it is a one-sided magnetic clip with no coil or visible hinge mechanism. It performs a spring-like clipping action without a single coil or spring component. The device can be wholly attached to, and detached from, a magnetically attractive surface with ease as the back of the device curves inward to provide the user with an elevated edge or lip for easy removal from a flat surface. The aesthetic beauty of the device is enhanced by the visual effect created by the seemingly floating flat shape. Its soft durable silicone housing will not damage photos or attachment surfaces. The device can be made durable enough to be dishwasher safe, making it ideal for securing art projects and workshop blueprints. Housing the internal magnetic components also provides for a more fluid transition from the closed state to the open state. The device is heat and stain resistant with a maximum operating temperature of 212 degrees Fahrenheit and a curie temperature of 572 degrees Fahrenheit.
The device according to the preferred embodiment supports a two pound load on a string or 20 sheets of paper. An indentation located on the underside of the device serves as a paper stop. It also allows for the threading/securing of wire or string with which to hang thick objects, taking full advantage of the devices magnetic strength and non-slip non-sticky silicone rubber grip. The device can also be used to string lights against a magnetically attractive surface.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSIn the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views:
The two sheets of styrene 220, 224 are glued together to house the two magnets 211, 212 therebetween. The thickness and length of the styrene sheets 220, 224 are very important to achieving the best bend and pop, i.e., release, effect. The device 200 must be pressed slightly above its center portion 205 to cause the bottom portion 204 to bend away from the attachment surface and to pop open. This embodiment of the present invention is inexpensive to manufacture. Since this embodiment has no steel reinforcement and the two sheets of styrene have a combined thickness of 1 mm, this embodiment is ideal for securing one or two sheets of paper. By replacing the bottom thermoformed sheet of styrene with an injection molded rubber piece and slightly increasing the thickness of the top sheet of plastic, one could improve the device's ability to hold larger loads (more sheets of paper before sliding). The rubber bottom provides the device with a non-slip surface. However, increasing the magnetic strength of the bottom magnet is not practical in this embodiment as the semi-rigid body will not bend away if the magnetic force is too great. Increasing the magnetic strength of the top magnet will prevent the device from sliding, but will not prevent the sheets of paper from sliding loose.
Various different arrangements of magnets for the device 800 are shown in
In all of the embodiments described above, the neodymium disc magnets may be replaced with magnets made of samarium cobalt, ceramic, alnico or the like. The shape and material of the magnetic components may vary. The silicone rubber housing may be made of an alternative material.
Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.
Claims
1. A magnetic device for magnetically adhering to a magnetically attractive surface, comprising:
- a housing having a first end and a second end opposing said first end, a substantially flat front side and a rear side, wherein said rear side has a first surface proximate said first end and substantially parallel to said front side, and a second surface proximate said second end and inclined relative to said first surface such that said first and second surfaces meet at a first fulcrum;
- at least one magnet arranged in said housing under an area defined by said first surface and arranged at a distance from said first fulcrum, wherein
- said at least one magnet is arranged and dimensioned for maintaining said housing at a first position on the magnetically attractive surface in which said first surface is held against the magnetically attractive surface by magnetic attraction between said at least one magnet and the magnetically attractive surface, and said housing being pivotable from said first position to a second position about a first pivoting axis defined by said first fulcrum in response to a digitally applied force on said front side in an area opposing said second surface, said first surface being pivoted away from the magnetically attractive surface in the second position, wherein a magnetic attraction between said at least one magnet and the magnetically attractive surface causes said housing to pivot back to said first position when the digitally applied force is removed, whereby said first surface and the magnetically attractive surface define jaws of a normally closed clip.
2. The magnetic device of claim 1, wherein said housing defines an indentation in said first surface on said rear side which divides said first surface into two discrete areas, said indentation forming a stop when the housing is in said second position, such that an object inserted into the space between said first surface and the magnetically attractive surface is prevented from being inserted past said indentation.
3. The magnetic device of claim 2, wherein said at least one magnet comprises first and second magnets, said first magnet being arranged under an area defined by said first part of said first surface and said second magnet being arranged under an area defined by said second part of said first surface.
4. The magnetic device of claim 3, wherein said first part of said first surface is arranged distally from said first pivoting axis and said second surface is arranged proximate said first pivoting axis, wherein the object inserted between said magnetic device and said magnetically attractive surface is held onto the magnetically attractive surface solely by said second magnet and said magnetic device is held onto the magnetically attractive surface by said first magnet in the first position.
5. The magnetic device of claim 1, further comprising a rigid plate having first and second opposing sides arranged in said housing, said at least one magnet being arranged on one side of first and second opposing sides of said rigid plate.
6. The magnetic device of claim 5, wherein said housing comprises silicone rubber molded over said rigid plate and said at least one magnet.
7. The magnetic device of claim 5, wherein said housing comprises a first layer of material arranged on said front side and a second layer of material arranged on said rear side, said rigid plate and said at least one magnet being sandwiched between said first and second layers.
8. The magnetic device of claim 7, wherein said first layer comprises a flat sheet of styrene and said second layer comprises thermoformed sheet of styrene having at least one bulge in which said at least one magnet is respectively accommodated.
9. The magnetic device of claim 5, wherein said rigid plate comprises a magnetically attractive material.
10. The magnetic device of claim 1, wherein said housing comprises silicone rubber molded over said at least one magnet.
11. The magnetic device of claim 1, wherein said second surface has a width that increases from the fulcrum toward said second end.
12. The magnetic device of claim 11, wherein said first surface has a width that is smaller than a width of said housing and is arranged centrally relative to a central longitudinal axis of said housing.
13. The magnetic device of claim 12, wherein the widths of said first and second surfaces at said fulcrum are substantially equal.
14. The magnetic device of claim 1, wherein said housing comprises a first layer of material arranged on said front side and a second layer of material arranged on said rear side, said at least one magnet being sandwiched between said first and second layers.
15. The magnetic device of claim 14, wherein said first layer comprises a flat sheet of styrene and said second layer comprises thermoformed sheet of styrene having at least one bulge in which said at least one magnet is respectively accommodated.
16. The magnetic device of claim 14, wherein at least said first surface comprises a rubberized coating.
17. The magnetic device of claim 16, wherein said second surface includes a rubberized coating.
18. The magnetic device of claim 16, wherein a perimeter of said housing comprises a rubberized coating.
19. The magnetic device of claim 14, wherein said first layer comprises a flat sheet of styrene and said second layer comprises an injection-molded piece of rubber having at least one bulge in which said at least one magnet is respectively accommodated.
20. The magnetic device of claim 19, wherein said second layer is embedded in said first layer.
21. The magnetic device of claim 1, wherein said at least one magnet comprises first and second magnets, said first magnet being arranged distally from said first pivoting axis and said second magnet is arranged proximate said first pivoting axis.
22. The magnetic device of claim 21, wherein said housing comprises a single layer of material having two cavities for receiving said first and second magnets, wherein said first and second magnets protrude from said cavities.
23. The magnetic device of claim 22, wherein said first and second magnets are rubber encapsulated magnets.
24. The magnetic device of claim 2, further comprising a string, rope, or wire ring extending through said indentation.
25. The magnetic device of claim 1, further comprising a third surface on said rear side inclined relative said first surface such that said first and third surfaces meet at a second fulcrum, said housing being pivotable from said first position to a third position about a second pivoting axis defined by said second fulcrum in response to a digitally applied force on said front side in an area opposing said third surface, said first surface being pivoted away from the magnetically attractive surface in the third position, wherein a magnetic attraction between said at least one magnet and the magnetically attractive surface causes said housing to pivot back to said first position when the digitally applied force opposing said third surface is removed, whereby said first and second surfaces produce a first clipping action and said first and third surfaces produce a second clipping action, separate from said first clipping action.
26. The magnetic device of claim 25, wherein said at least one magnet comprises first and second magnets.
27. The magnetic device of claim 26, wherein said first magnet is proximate said first pivoting axis and said second magnet is arranged distally from said first pivoting axis.
28. The magnetic device of claim 27, wherein said first magnet is proximate said second pivoting axis and said second magnet is arranged distally from said second pivoting axis.
29. The magnetic device of claim 27, wherein said first magnet is distally from said second pivoting axis and said second magnet is arranged proximate said second pivoting axis.
30. The magnetic device of claim 26, wherein said first magnet is proximate said second pivoting axis and said second magnet is arranged distally from said second pivoting axis.
31. The magnetic device of claim 25, wherein said substantially flat front side has a rectangular shape defined by first opposing edges and second opposing edges of said front side, said first pivoting axis being substantially parallel to said first opposing edges and said second pivoting axis being substantially parallel to said second opposing edges.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 8, 2006
Publication Date: Aug 23, 2007
Inventor: Scott Amron (Westbury, NY)
Application Number: 11/636,343
International Classification: A47G 1/17 (20060101);