Information
-
Patent Grant
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6811127
-
Patent Number
6,811,127
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Date Filed
Wednesday, September 24, 200321 years ago
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Date Issued
Tuesday, November 2, 200420 years ago
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Inventors
-
-
Examiners
Agents
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CPC
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US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 248 2065
- 248 3094
- 248 683
- 211 8801
- 211 190
- 211 706
- 211 DIG 1
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International Classifications
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Abstract
A magnetic retainer includes a molded one-piece plastic mounting member having a bowl-shaped part and an elongated part. The bowl-shaped part includes a base formed with a plurality retaining holes, and a peripheral wall extending upwardly from the base. The elongated part projects from the peripheral wall and is formed with an elongated groove. A magnet is fixed in each of the retaining holes in the base. A magnet-holding frame is fitted snugly in the elongated groove in the elongated part and defines a holding groove. An elongated magnetic unit is mounted securely in the holding groove in the magnet-holding frame.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a retainer, more particularly to a magnetic retainer for retaining articles thereon by magnetic attraction.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional magnetic retainer, as shown in
FIG. 1
, generally includes a holding member
1
and an elongated magnetic bar
2
. The holding member
1
includes a base plate
101
which is adapted to be mounted on a wall, and a magnet-holding part
102
disposed on and cooperating with the base plate
101
to define a magnet-retention groove
103
therebetween. The magnetic bar
2
is mounted in the magnet-retention groove
103
.
The conventional magnetic retainer is suitable specially for retaining long tools, such as spanner, screw drivers, files, etc., thereon, but retention of a variety of articles, like screws, bolts, nuts, etc., is not appropriate due to the elongated configuration of the holding member
1
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a magnetic retainer which is capable of retaining a plurality of articles regardless of their sizes and lengths so as to overcome the aforesaid disadvantage of the prior art.
According to the present invention, the magnetic retainer includes: a molded one-piece plastic mounting member including a bowl-shaped part and an elongated part integrally formed with the bowl-shaped part, the bowl-shaped part including a base that has top and bottom faces, and a peripheral wall extending upwardly from the top face of the base to define a receiving space therebetween, and having a top end face distal from the base, the base being formed with a plurality retaining holes, each of which is defined by a hole-confining wall, the elongated part projecting outwardly and laterally from the peripheral wall, and having a top face and formed with an elongated groove which is defined by a groove-confining wall, the groove-confining wall having two opposite ends and being formed with two opposite shoulders that project respectively from the opposite ends of the groove-confining wall into the groove; a plurality of magnets, each of which is fixed in a respective one of the retaining holes in the base; a metal sheet disposed within the receiving space and attached to the top face of the base through magnetic attraction of the magnets; a covering disc attached securely to the bottom face of the base to cover the retaining holes so as to prevent removal of the magnets from the retaining holes; a magnet-holding frame fitted in the elongated groove, seated on the shoulders, defining a holding groove, and having two opposite ends; and an elongated magnetic unit mounted securely in the holding groove in the magnet-holding frame.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of this invention will become more apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of this invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1
is a partly sectional perspective view of a conventional magnetic retainer for retaining articles thereon;
FIG. 2
is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a magnetic retainer according to the present invention for retaining articles thereon;
FIG. 3
is a schematic sectional view of the preferred embodiment; and
FIG. 4
is a front view to illustrate the preferred embodiment in a state of use.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to
FIGS. 2 and 3
, the preferred embodiment of a magnetic retainer according to the present invention is shown to include a molded one-piece plastic mounting member
10
, a plurality of annular magnets
20
(only one is shown in FIG.
2
), a metal sheet
22
, a covering disc
40
, a U-shaped magnet-holding frame
33
, an elongated magnetic unit
30
, and an adhesive tape
34
.
As illustrated, the mounting member
10
includes a bowl-shaped part
12
and an elongated part
13
integrally formed with the bowl-shaped part
12
. The bowl-shaped part
12
includes a base
11
that has top and bottom faces
111
,
112
, and a peripheral wall
14
that extends upwardly from the top face
111
of the base
11
to define a receiving space therebetween, and that has a top end face
121
in the form of a flange. The base
11
is formed with a plurality retaining holes
113
, each of which is defined by a hole-confining wall (
113
W) The elongated part
13
projects outwardly and laterally from the peripheral wall
14
, and has a top face
131
that is disposed at an elevation higher than the top end face
121
of the peripheral wall
14
. The top face
131
of the elongated part
13
is formed with an elongated groove
130
which is defined by a groove-confining wall (
130
W). The groove-confining wall (
130
W) has two opposite ends
133
, and is formed with two opposite shoulders
132
that project respectively from the opposite ends
133
of the groove-confining wall (
130
W) into the groove
130
.
Each of the annular magnets
20
is press-fitted in a respective one of the retaining holes
113
in the base
11
and engages frictionally the hole-confining wall (
113
W) that defines the respective one of the retaining holes
113
.
The metal sheet
22
is disposed within the receiving space of the mounting member
10
, and is attached to the top face
111
of the base
11
through magnetic attraction of the annular magnets
20
.
The covering disc
40
is attached securely to the bottom face
112
of the base
11
to cover the retaining holes
113
so as to prevent removal of the annular magnets
20
from the retaining holes
113
in the base
11
.
The magnet-holding frame
33
is fitted snugly in the elongated groove
130
, is seated on the shoulders
132
of the groove-confining wall (
130
W), defines a holding groove
330
, and has two opposite ends.
The elongated magnetic unit
30
is mounted securely in the holding groove
330
in the magnet-holding frame
33
, and has a top face flush with the top face
131
of the elongated part
13
. In the preferred embodiment, the elongated magnetic unit
30
is formed by four separate magnetic bar pieces
32
.
The adhesive tape
34
is attached adhesively to the top face of the magnetic unit
30
, and to the opposite ends of the magnet-holding frame
33
.
Referring to
FIG. 4
, during use, the bowl-shaped part
12
can be mounted on a magnetically attractive wall, such as a car body, or on a concrete wall through a mounting hole formed in the top end face
121
of the peripheral wall
14
. Small articles, such as screws, driving bits, washers and nuts, can be retained in the receiving space of the bowl-shaped part
12
by virtue of magnetic attraction, while long tools, such as screwdrivers, spanners, files, etc., can be retained on the elongated part
13
by virtue of the magnetic unit
30
.
Since the magnetic retainer of the present invention can retain magnetically a variety of articles regardless of their lengths and sizes, the aforesaid disadvantage of the prior art can be overcome, accordingly.
With this invention thus explained, it is apparent that numerous modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention. It is therefore intended that the invention be limited only as indicated in the appended claims.
Claims
- 1. A magnetic retainer comprising:a molded one-piece plastic mounting member including a bowl-shaped part and an elongated part integrally formed with said bowl-shaped part, said bowl-shaped part including a base that has top and bottom faces, and a peripheral wall extending upwardly from said top face of said base to define a receiving space therebetween, and having a top end face distal from said base, said base being formed with a plurality retaining holes, each of which is defined by a hole-confining wall, said elongated part projecting outwardly and laterally from said peripheral wall, and having a top face and formed with an elongated groove which is defined by a groove-confining wall, said groove-confining wall having two opposite ends and being formed with two opposite shoulders that project respectively from said opposite ends of said groove-confining wall into said groove; a plurality of magnets, each of which is fixed in a respective one of said retaining holes in said base; a metal sheet disposed within said receiving space and attached to said top face of said base through magnetic attraction of said magnets; a covering disc attached securely to said bottom face of said base to cover said retaining holes so as to prevent removal of said magnets from said retaining holes; a magnet-holding frame fixed in said elongated groove, seated on said shoulders, defining a holding groove, and having two opposite ends; and an elongated magnetic unit mounted securely in said holding groove in said magnet-holding frame.
- 2. The magnetic retainer as defined in claim 1, wherein said top face of said elongated part is disposed at an elevation higher than that of said top end face of said peripheral wall.
- 3. The magnetic retainer as defined in claim 1, wherein said elongated magnetic unit has a top face flush with said top face of said elongated part.
- 4. The magnetic retainer as defined in claim 1, further comprising an adhesive tape attached adhesively to said top face of said magnetic unit, and to said opposite ends of said magnet-holding frame.
US Referenced Citations (4)