Patent Application
20150173547
This invention relates generally to article holding devices and, more particularly, to a holding apparatus having one end removably attachable to a magnetic surface of an automobile, refrigerator, or the like and another end for holding an article.
Small items such as keys, cigarette lighters, pens, small pen-sized flashlights, or the like are often difficult to keep track of—especially within the confines of an automobile. Various holding devices, such as bins, boxes, cups, manila folders, and the like have been used to hold or store small items so as to keep them easily accessible and available when needed within an automobile. A similar problem may occur within the often cluttered confines of a kitchen.
Various devices have been proposed in the art for holding small articles. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, these devices or proposals are still insufficient. Namely, an article such as a key ring or a cigarette lighter is not immediately available for use if it must first be sorted out from among other objects that may be stored in a bin, box, cup, etc. positioned within the interior of an automobile.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a holding device that may itself be attached to a metallic surface within an automobile's interior and that effectively holds articles out of the way but immediately accessible when needed. Further, it would be desirable to have a holding device having magnetic holding members at opposite ends of a shaft so as to be coupled to any magnetically attractable surface and to which metallic articles may be attached.
A holding apparatus for use in selectively securing an article according to the present invention includes a shaft having opposed first and second ends and a generally linear configuration. A first mounting member is attached to the first end of the shaft, the first mounting member including a magnet configured to attach to one of another magnet or metal surface. A second mounting member is attached to the second end of the shaft. In some embodiments, the second mounting member includes a magnet such that the apparatus may be selectively attached to a metal object. In another embodiment, the second mounting member may include a bore through the shaft configured to selectively receive a key ring.
Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a holding apparatus that is readily attachable and detachable from a metallic or magnetic surface.
Another object of this invention is to provide a holding apparatus, as aforesaid, having a first end that may be attached to a metallic surface within an automobile's interior and another end to which another item may be attached and, consequently, immediately accessible when needed.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a holding apparatus, as aforesaid, that is portable and repositionable for use wherever needed to hold an object that needs to be readily accessible, such as a cigarette lighter, key ring, or the like.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a holding apparatus, as aforesaid, that has a magnet at one or both opposed ends capable of selectively coupling to a metallic or magnetic surface.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.
a is another perspective view of the holding apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention;
b is a perspective view of the holding apparatus as in
a is a perspective view of the holding apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention;
b is a perspective view of the holding apparatus as in
a is a perspective view of a first section of the holding apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention;
b is another perspective view of the holding apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention; and
A holding apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to
The first end 32 of the shaft 30 is coupled to the first mounting member 10. The first mounting member 10 includes a first magnet 12. The first magnet 12 is configured to attach to one of another magnet or metal surface. The first mounting member 10 may also include a first housing 14. The first magnet 12 may be positioned within the first housing 14.
The second end 34 of the shaft 30 is coupled to the second mounting member 20. In one embodiment, the second mounting member 20 is a bore 26 through the second end 34 of the shaft 30. The bore 26 may be configured to receive a key ring 92 (
The shaft 30 may have a generally linear configuration. In one embodiment, the shaft 30 includes an elongate length such that the second mounting member 20 is displaced from the first mounting member 10 (
In one embodiment, the shaft 30 is constructed of a flexible and resilient material that is movable from a released configuration to a loaded configuration (
In another embodiment (
The first section 40 of the shaft 30 may be pivotally coupled to the second section 50 of the shaft 30 such that the second mounting member 20 is movable between a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the second mounting member 20 may be in linear alignment with the first mounting member 10. In the second configuration, the second mounting member 20 may be offset relative to the first mounting member 10 (
More particularly, the holding apparatus 5 shown in
The distal end 52 of the second section 50 of the shaft 30 may define a fastener hole (not shown). A second fastener 74 may be in communication with the second aperture 68 of the plate member 60 and the fastener hole (not shown) of the second section 50 of the shaft 30 so as to pivotally couple the plate member 60 to the second section 50 of the shaft 30.
The holding apparatus 5 may include more than one plate member 60. Each plate member 60 may be coupled to the first section 40 of the shaft 30 with the first fastener 72 such that the first section 40 of the shaft 30 is pivotally coupled to the plate members 60. Each plate member 60 may also be coupled to the second section 50 of the shaft 30 with the second fastener 74 such that the second section 50 of the shaft 30 is pivotally coupled to the plate members 60. The second section 50 of the shaft 30 may be displaced from the first section 40 of the shaft. It is understood that the structure described above and shown in
In use, an object such as a key ring 92 or a cigarette lighter 94 may be selectively coupled to the second mounting member 20 of the holding apparatus 5. The first mounting member 10 of the holding apparatus 5 may then be selectively coupled to a magnet or a metal surface so that the object may be held out of the way but remain immediately accessible when needed.
It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.
