Patent Application
20130313388
None
The present invention relates to an apparatus for securely associating items in a desired position/location.
Methods of associating various devices to windshields of automobiles are well known. Such devices typically comprise suction cup or adhesive based solutions. Prior art suction cup mounts, for example, can offer a variety of suction cup configurations and windshield mount configurations and include double suction cup mounts, twist lock mounts, flex arm mounts and ratchet/pivot mounts. When new, many such devices offer an easy to use method of associating items with almost any non-porous smooth surface such as a glass surface and steel. Consequently, it is not uncommon for such mounts to be used to hold any number of expensive electronic devices such as tablet computers, GPS devices, signal detectors, signal generators, mirrors, and communication devices.
One significant problem with both suction cup and adhesive mounting solutions is that they inevitably fail. As a result, the expensive devices being supported by such prior art mounts fall to a surface below which can cause damaged to such devices.
Embodiments of the disclosed invention are configured to eliminate or minimize such mounting failures.
Some of the objects and advantages of the invention will now be set forth in the following description, while other objects and advantages of the invention may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
Broadly speaking, a principle object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic-based mounting apparatus configured for supporting devices.
Another general object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic-based mounting apparatus comprising a first magnetic component associated with a first side of a mounting surface and a second magnetic component configured for magnetically associating with said first magnetic component when disposed on an opposing second side of said mounting surface.
Another general object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic-based mounting apparatus comprising a first magnetic component defined by a mounting surface and a second magnetic component configured for being magnetically associated with said first magnetic component.
Another general object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic-based mounting system comprising a first magnetic component incorporated within a magnetically transparent structure and a second magnetic component configured for magnetically associating with said first magnetic component.
Another general object of the present invention is to provide a solar shield to protect suction cups associated with prior art prior art suction cup based mounts.
Yet another general object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic-based tether system for prior art suction cup based mounting systems wherein said magnetic-based tether system is configured to provide a backup support feature in the event the prior art suction cup based mounting system fails.
Additional objects and advantages of the present invention are set forth in the detailed description herein or will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the detailed description. It should be further appreciated that modifications and variations to the specifically illustrated, referenced, and discussed steps, or features hereof may be practiced in various uses and embodiments of this invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, by virtue of the present reference thereto. Such variations may include, but are not limited to, substitution of equivalent steps, referenced or discussed, and the functional, operational, or positional reversal of various features, steps, parts, or the like. Still further, it is to be understood that different embodiments, as well as different presently preferred embodiments, of this invention may include various combinations or configurations of presently disclosed features or elements, or their equivalents (including combinations of features or parts or configurations thereof not expressly shown in the figures or stated in the detailed description).
Those of ordinary skill in the art will better appreciate the features and aspects of such embodiments, and others, upon review of the remainder of the specification.
A full and enabling description of the present subject matter, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which:
a is a side view of one exemplary embodiment of the invention depicting a magnetic mount comprising a first magnetic component associated with a first surface of a glass structure and further depicting an exemplary second magnetic component associated with the opposing second surface of said glass structure and adjacent to said first magnetic component;
b depicts one alternative embodiment of the invention depicted in
a is a top view of one exemplary embodiment of a second magnetic component;
b is a side view of the exemplary second magnetic component depicted in
Repeat use of reference characters throughout the present specification and appended drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the present technology.
Reference now will be made in detail to the embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are set forth below. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. Other objects, features, and aspects of the present invention are disclosed in or may be determined from the following detailed description. Repeat use of reference characters is intended to represent same or analogous features, elements or steps. It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present discussion is a description of exemplary embodiments only, and is not intended as limiting the broader aspects of the present invention.
For the purposes of this document two or more items are “associated” by bringing them together in any number of ways including electrically or mechanically. Items are “mechanically associated” by bringing them together or into relationship with each other in any number of ways including a direct or indirect physical connection that may be releasable (snaps, rivets, screws, bolts, etc.) and/or movable (rotating, pivoting, oscillating, etc.) Similarly, items are “electrically associated” by bringing them together or into relationship with each other in any number of ways including: (a) a direct, indirect or inductive communication connection, and (b) a direct/indirect or inductive power connection. Additionally, while the drawings may illustrate various electronic components of a system connected by a single line, it will be appreciated that such lines may represent one or more signal paths, power connections, electrical connections and/or cables as required by the embodiment of interest.
Two items are magnetically associated by bringing them together or into a relationship where there is a magnetic communication, such as a non-negligible attracting force between the two items. A magnetic element comprises a ferromagnetic material. Ferromagnetic material includes materials (such as iron) that can form permanent magnets or are attracted to magnets and materials at least partially infused with ferromagnetic particle's to make normally non-magnetic material more like ferromagnetic material. Magnetically transparent materials include non-magnetic materials that are negligibly affected by magnetic fields such as copper, aluminum, gases, and plastic.
This document includes headers that are used for place markers only. Such headers are not meant to affect the construction of this document and do not in any way related to the meaning of this document nor should such headers be used for such purposes.
While the particulars of the present invention and associated technology may be adapted for use with any application where a user wishes to associate/mount an item with the surface of a magnetically transparent material, the examples discussed herein are primarily in the context of associating a device to the surface of a glass structure such as the windshield of a vehicle.
Referring now to
As depicted in
Referring now to
For such embodiment, magnetic element (12) defines a generally rectangular shape defining a set of opposing angled edges as will be described in more detail below. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that, as long as the magnetic attraction between the first magnetic element (16) and second magnetic element (12) is sufficient to carry the load associated with magnetic mount (50), such magnetic association will not fail as the second magnetic element (12) cannot pull through windshield (9) (also assuming structure (9) can support the weight). That said, ideally, the strength of the attraction between first magnetic element (16) and second magnetic element (12) should be selected to fail before the supporting structure (9) fails.
Notably, alternative embodiments for magnetic mount (50) include magnetic mounts configured with only a magnetic element (16) (i.e. no suction cup interface (14)). Further, either one or both of magnetic component (12) and magnetic component (16) may define a permanent magnet or electro-magnetic magnetic. Such permanent magnet may be constructed from rare earth metals such as Neodymium-Iron-Boron (Neo magnets, sometimes referred to as “super magnets”), and Samarium-Cobalt. Special alloys, such as Aluminum-Nickel-Cobalt (Alnicos) and Strontium-Iron (Ferrites, also known as Ceramics), that are known to create suitable magnets may also be used. Electro-magnets may also be used in place of permanent magnets. Preferably, the magnetic components are “shaped” and constructed to have sufficient pull strength to support the anticipated load, or a predefined maximum load, for magnetic mount (50).
For example, to associate and support the typical weight of a GPS device (10 ounces) to a windshield of normal thickness during reasonable driving conditions, a 25 mm×2 mm round disc rare earth neodymium magnet may be used for magnetic element (12) and magnetic element (16). Alternatively, one of magnetic element (12) or magnetic element (16) may be made of a ferromagnetic material while the other defines a permanent magnet. The strength of the magnetic bond is determined, at least in part, by the shape of the magnetic material, the strength of the permanent magnet (size and type of magnet), the amount of ferromagnetic material (i.e. size of the metal plate, if a metal plate is used in place of a magnet), and the gap between the two magnetic elements. For one alternative embodiment at least one of such parameters for the magnetic mounting system are configurable to accommodate different mounting challenges.
Referring now to
For the current embodiment, magnetic mount (50) further comprises a pressure plate component (52) defining an opening (58) at the approximate center wherein said pressure plate component (52) is configured to be disposed adjacent to the back side of said suction cup section so that said magnetic component receiver (16c) extends through opening (58).
Magnetic mount (50) further comprises a first magnetic element (16) defining a cylinder with an outer diameter that is slightly less than inside diameter of magnetic component receiver (16c) so that first magnetic element (16) may be inserted into magnetic component receiver (16c) and adjacent to magnetic interface (16i). Notably the length of the cylinder defined by first magnetic element (16) is shorter than the distance from first pin interface (60) and magnetic interface (16i).
Magnetic mount (50) further comprises a pressure activator (18) defining a second pin-interface (56) moveably and mechanically associated first pin interface. Pressure activator (18) is configured to selectively apply pressure to said pressure plate component (52) so that the pressure plate component (52) presses against the back side of said suction cup component (14) to remove at least part of the air from the space between the suction cup component (14) and support surface (19) thereby generating a vacuum pressure between the suction cup component (14) and a surface of support structure (19). For the exemplary embodiment depicted in
Additionally, for such configuration, the suction cup provides a “no-slip feature” when cam lock (18) is actuated and creating a vacuum seal. Further, unlike prior art suction cup based mounting devices, for the configuration depicted in
From the above, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that magnetic mount (50) is assembled by:
Referring now to
For the currently preferred configuration, it may be desirable to configure one of the services associated with glass structure (9) with a no-slip feature to prevent the magnetic mount from sliding when in use. For example, the surface (46,
For some embodiments of the invention, neither surface of the magnetic elements is configured with a no-slip feature which allows easy movement of the magnetic mount. For such embodiment of the invention, a user may grab support arm (20), for example, and slide the mounting system to a desired location causing magnetic element (12) to follow magnetic element (16). For example, when it is not raining a user may position the magnetic mount system in the vicinity of the rearview mirror for vehicle (10) for easier viewing/use of the device being supported by all passengers in a vehicle. If it should start to rain, however, magnetic element (12) may interfere with proper windshield wiper functions and a user may wish to slide the magnetic mount to a different location such as the upper left-hand driver's-side corner of a vehicle's windshield as depicted in
b depicts yet another alternative embodiment of a magnetic mount without a suction cup interface. For this currently preferred embodiment of the invention, magnetic element (12) is incorporated/integrated into the glass structure (9). For such a configuration, glass structure (9) may define a plurality of magnetic elements disposed at a plurality of positions along the windshield. Further, the normally non-ferromagnetic material may be completely or partially manufactured with a predefined amount of ferromagnetic particles that define a suitable magnetic interface. For example, ferromagnetic particles may be incorporated into glass to define ferromagnetic glass. More specifically, at least a portion of a windshield may define a section of ferromagnetic glass that is suitable for use as one of the magnetic elements of a magnetic mounting system.
Referring now to
As best seen in
Notably, surface (46) is depicted as being straight/flat in
For yet another exemplary embodiment of the invention, second magnetic element (12) may be configured to convey visual information. For example, second magnetic element (12) may define the shape of the number a user's favorite stock car racer, the emblem of their favorite sports team, their school mascot, the trademark of a user's favorite sports equipment, or some other bit of information a user may wish to communicate to a remote observer.
It will be appreciated that the above technology can be used with various “mount” configurations that are useful for a plurality of purposes. For example, the simplest version is a two magnet system, one associated with the inside surface of a vehicle's windshield and one associated with the outside of a vehicle windshield. The magnet on the inside my be used to hold any number of items comprising, or associated with, ferromagnetic material including writing tools (pencils, pens), clip boards, glasses, glass cases, cell phone, keys, and document holders.
Further, while the applications above have been directed mainly towards providing a mounting feature for electronic devices where the mouth is associated with the windshield of the vehicle. There are numerous other applications for the disclosed technology including associating items with windows (70) in buildings. For example, as depicted in
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a protective feature for magnetic mount (50) when used as a typical suction cup mount. As is well known, a suction cup is a device that is generally made out of a malleable polymer material such as plastic and rubber material and has the shape of half of a sphere. Because of their malleable nature, they can adhere to smooth nonporous surfaces (e.g. glass and metal). When such suction cups are used in mounting devices where the suction cups are associated with the windshield of a vehicle, the materials used to form the suction cups is typically exposed to long durations of ultra-violet radiation.
When exposed to ultra-violet radiation, many natural and synthetic polymers may crack or disintegrate. The problem is known as UV degradation, and is a common problem in products exposed to sunlight. Even UV-stable polymers will degrade over time from constant exposure to ultra-violet radiation.
For magnetic mount (50) configurations comprising a suction cup feature, second magnetic element (16) may further define or be associated with a UV Blocker constructed from a material that blocks ultraviolet radiation such as titanium dioxide and zinc. For such embodiment, the UV Blocker defines a thin film that is associated with either (or both) the outside and/or inside surface of windshield (9) adjacent to the area where the suction cups of magnetic mount (50) are to be associated. The UV Blocker is to have sufficient size to prevent sunlight from directly striking the suction cup portion of magnetic mount (50).
Similarly, shielding an item associated with magnetic mount (50) form direct sunlight may be desirable. Thus, one or both of the second magnetic element (12) and a surface of magnetic mount (50) may define a UV shield of sufficient size to block/minimize the direct sunlight reaching an item being supported by magnetic mount (50).
Referring now to
While the present subject matter has been described in detail with respect to specific embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art, upon attaining an understanding of the foregoing may readily adapt the present technology for alterations to, variations of, and equivalents to such embodiments. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure is by way of example rather than by way of limitation, and the subject disclosure does not preclude inclusion of such modifications, variations, and/or additions to the present subject matter as would be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.
