Patent ID: 7163181
Filing Date: 2007-01-16
Classification: F16C,F16M,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A mounting assembly capable of securely and stably attaching a positionable object to be variably fixed in a desired selected position by frictional and magnetic forces to a support, wherein said mounting assembly comprises: (a) a positioning element attached to said positionable object including ball means for universally varying the position of said positionable object; and (b) a support element in supporting contact with said support including socket means configured to receive said ball means for securely contacting and holding said ball means so that the positionable object is fixed in said desired position; wherein one of said ball means or said socket means includes a magnetic material and the other of said ball means or said socket means includes a nonmagnetic, magnetically attractive material, said magnetic material and said magnetically attractive material being selected to achieve an optimum balance between the frictional and magnetic forces required to hold said positionable object in said desired selected position; wherein said socket means includes cup means configured to receive and movably hold said ball means, and said cup means includes a magnetic material, and said ball means comprises a hollow ball formed of a nonmagnetic material containing an optimally selected quantity of a magnetically attractive material.