Abstract:
A woven magnetic is disclosed. The woven magnetic device comprises a first member comprising a magnetic material and having a body with a top portion and a bottom portion opposite the top portion and the bottom portion has at least two fingers. The woven magnetic device also comprises a second member comprising a magnetic material and having a body with a top portion and a bottom portion opposite the top portion. The bottom portion has at least two fingers interwoven with the at least two fingers of the first member.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     A unique Scandinavian tradition is the creation of baskets for hanging on a Christmas tree. These baskets were created of paper that was cut and woven together to form a basket in which treats could be stored. The paper baskets were generally in the shape of hearts. The heart shaped baskets symbolized the love and beauty of Christmas while displaying an individuals&#39; artistic flair.  
         [0002]     For years, people have been displaying bumper stickers and other emblems on their vehicles (or other foreign objects) to show their support for a cause, support a candidate running for office, or to say something funny. However, once the bumper stickers have been applied to the surface of the object, they are difficult to remove. In some cases, the stickers have ruined the surface of the object to which they are applied.  
         [0003]     What is needed in the art is a device that is easily removable from a surface, without ruining the surface, while still conveying an individual&#39;s viewpoint.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0004]     The disclosure is directed toward a woven magnetic device. The woven magnetic device comprises a first member having a body with a top portion and a bottom portion opposite the top portion and the bottom portion has at least two fingers. The woven magnetic device also comprises a second member having a body with a top portion and a bottom portion opposite the top portion. The bottom portion has at least two fingers interwoven with the at least two fingers of the first member. The first member and the second member comprise a magnetic material.  
         [0005]     The disclosure is also directed toward a method for making a woven magnetic device. The method comprises producing a first member having a body with a top portion and a bottom portion opposite the top portion and the bottom portion has at least two fingers. The method also comprises weaving at least two fingers of a second member with the at least two fingers of the first member. The second member has a body with a top portion and a bottom portion opposite the top portion and the bottom portion has the at least two fingers. The first member and the second member comprise a magnetic material.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0006]     Referring now to the figures, wherein like elements are numbered alike:  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first member of an exemplary woven magnetic device;  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a second member of an exemplary woven magnetic device;  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the first member being woven with the second member to form an exemplary woven magnetic device;  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the woven magnetic device;  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a third member of another exemplary woven magnetic device;  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the first member of  FIG. 1  being woven with the third member to form another exemplary woven magnetic device;  
         [0013]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of the woven magnetic device;  
         [0014]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of two members utilized to create another exemplary embodiment of the woven magnetic device incorporating a design;  
         [0015]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of the woven magnetic device incorporating a design; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of the woven magnetic device incorporating a design.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]     Persons of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the following disclosure is illustrative only and not in any way limiting. Other embodiments of the invention will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure.  
         [0018]     The present invention is a woven magnetic device that has an overall shape of a heart. The woven magnetic device adheres to metal objects and is removable. The woven magnetic device does not require additional adhesives to create the overall effect, since the magnetic material adheres to itself. The woven magnetic device can be displayed alone or can display support for a cause or convey a belief. The weaving of the magnetic material provides a three dimensional appearance to the woven magnetic device, which is desirable to an individual looking to make a statement.  
         [0019]     A preferred embodiment is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . A first member  10  includes a body  12 . The first member  10  body  12  has a top portion  14  and a bottom portion  16 . The top portion  14  can be of any shape, with a rounded configuration preferred, although other configurations are contemplated, as illustrated and further described in  FIG. 8 . The bottom portion  16  is configured to have fingers  18 ,  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26 . The fingers are of equal length. Although five fingers are illustrated, any number of fingers may be utilized depending upon the intricacies of the design desired.  
         [0020]     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a second member  28  is illustrated. The second member  28  includes a body  30 . The second member  28  body  30  has a top portion  32  and a bottom portion  34 . The top portion  32  can be of any shape, with a rounded configuration preferred, although other configurations are contemplated, as illustrated and further described in  FIG. 8 . The bottom portion  34  is configured to have fingers  36 ,  38 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44 . The fingers are of equal length and shape. Although five fingers are illustrated, any number of fingers may be utilized depending upon the intricacies of the design desired. In each case, when weaving, the two members  10 ,  28  should be the same, having an equal number, shape and length of fingers. The shape of the members and fingers may vary depending upon the design or pattern desired, as will be discussed further herein. It is also preferable for the first member  10  and the second member  28  to be two different colors, although one or any number of colors can be utilized, as will be discussed further herein.  
         [0021]     It is also contemplated to cut the fingers on an angle (i.e., 45 degrees) to enhance the effect of the woven magnetic device on the viewer. By creating a beveled (or biased or cater-cornered or skewed or slanted or transversal) edge of the fingers, the woven magnetic device takes on a three-dimensional appearance which is visually appealing.  
         [0022]     The size of the first member  10  and the second member  28  can vary depending upon the desired size of the resulting woven magnetic device. A preferred length of the first member  10  and the second member  28  is about 3.0 inches to about 8.0 inches, with about 3.8 inches to about 4.2 inches preferred. The width of the first member  10  and the second member  28  can be about 2.25 inches to about 5.5 inches, with about 2.5 inches to about 3.0 inches preferred. The length of the fingers can be about 2.0 inches to about 5.5 inches, with about 2.5 inches to about 2.7 inches preferred. The width of the fingers can be about 0.4 inches to about 1.0 inches, with about 0.42 inches to about 0.52 inches preferred.  
         [0023]     When creating designs, as further explained herein, the width of the fingers will vary depending upon the desired design (See  FIG. 8 ).  
         [0024]     The first member  10  and the second member  28  comprise a piece of ferromagnetic or ferromagnetic material whose domains are sufficiently aligned so that it produces a net magnetic field outside itself and can experience a net torque when placed in an external magnetic field. The material can be iron, iron alloys, nickel, nickel alloys, cobalt, cobalt alloys, and combinations thereof. The magnetic material can have a thickness of about 0.02 inches to about 0.04 inches, with about 0.025 inches to about 0.035 inches preferred. The thickness of the material is dependent upon the type of material, and the use and size of the woven magnetic device.  
         [0025]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , an illustration of the weaving (or braiding or interlacing or lacing or intertwining or plaiting or entwining or merging or uniting or interweaving) of the first member  10  with the second member  28  in order to form an exemplary woven magnetic device is presented. In order to create the woven magnetic device, the first member  10  must be woven with the second member  18 . To start, freely movable finger  18  is woven through the fingers  44 ,  42 ,  40 ,  38 ,  36  of the second member  28 . At the base  46  of the fingers  36 ,  38 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44  of the second member  28 , finger  18  of first member  10  is disposed over finger  44  and then under finger  42  and then over finger  40  and then under finger  38  and finally over finger  36 . Next, finger  20  is disposed under finger  44  and then over finger  42  and then under finger  40  and then over finger  38  and finally under finger  36 . This process is repeated with each remaining finger (i.e., fingers  22 ,  24 ,  26 ) to create a woven pattern as illustrated in the magnetic woven device  48  in  FIG. 4 . It is not important which member is utilized to start the weaving process, as long as the two members are braided together as described above. No adhesive is necessary to hold the fingers in place since the magnetic material adheres to itself. The first member  10  and the second member  28  are attracted to each other because of the magnetic property of the material and can be removable from each other with little force.  
         [0026]     Another embodiment is illustrated in  FIGS. 5, 6 , and  7 . In  FIG. 5 , a third member  50  includes a body  52 . The third member  50  body  52  has a top portion  54  and a bottom portion  56 . The top portion  54  can be of any shape, with a rounded configuration preferred, although other configurations are contemplated, as illustrated and further described in  FIG. 8 . The bottom portion  56  is configured to have fingers  58 ,  60 ,  62 ,  64 ,  66 . However, the fingers are not freely movable. The fingers are defined by the existence of slots (or openings)  68  disposed vertically along the bottom portion  56  creating interlocking fingers. The slots  68  are of sufficient length and width to receive the fingers of a mating member (i.e., first member  10 ). The slots  68  disposed at the end  70  of the bottom portion  56  are open for ease in receiving the final finger. The fingers are of equal length and shape. Although five fingers are illustrated, any number of fingers may be utilized depending upon the intricacies of the design desired.  
         [0027]     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , an illustration of the weaving (or braiding) of the first member  10  with the third member  50  in order to form an exemplary woven magnetic device is presented. In order to create the woven magnetic device, the first member  10  must be woven with the third member  50  utilizing the slots  68 . To start, finger  18  is woven through the fingers  66 ,  64 ,  62 ,  60 ,  58  of the third member  50 . At the base  72  of the fingers  58 ,  60 ,  62 ,  64 ,  66  of the third member  50 , finger  18  of first member  10  is disposed over finger  66  fed down through the first slot  68  to be under finger  64 , then finger  18  is fed up through the next slot  68  and then over finger  62 , then finger  18  is fed down through the next slot  68  to be under finger  60  and then finger  18  is fed up through the final slot  68  and positioned over finger  58 . Next, finger  20  of first member  10  is disposed under finger  66  and fed up through the first slot  68  to be over finger  64 , then finger  18  is fed down through the next slot  68  and then under finger  62 , then finger  18  is fed up through the next slot  68  to be over finger  60  and then finger  18  is fed down through the final slot  68  and positioned under finger  58 . This process is repeated with each remaining finger (i.e., fingers  22 ,  24 ,  26 ) to create a woven pattern as illustrated in the magnetic woven device  74  in  FIG. 7 . In each case, when weaving it is ideal to have the two members  10 ,  50  be of the same shape, with one of the members having slots instead of freely movable fingers. The shape of the members and fingers may vary depending upon the design or pattern desired, as will be discussed further herein. As stated above, no adhesive is necessary to hold the fingers in place since the magnetic material adheres to itself.  
         [0028]     As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , other woven designs are contemplated. The intricacies of the designs are dependent upon the manner of weaving, the number of fingers, the size of the fingers, the colors of the fingers, the designs on the fingers, and the desired pattern. It is contemplated to create curved fingers, fingers having specific shapes (i.e., cut-outs or jutting portions) to create a design or figure (i.e., hearts, stars, trees, crests, faces, people, etc.) within the woven magnetic device. For example,  FIG. 8  illustrates a first member  76  and a second member  78  that can be woven as described above (illustrated using arrow  80 ) to create the woven magnetic device  82  having a design element  84  incorporated therein. In this case, the design element  84  is a pinwheel shape. Any design elements are contemplated as long as the fingers can be shaped to create a specific design.  
         [0029]     The members may be of different colors or have graphics disposed on them so as to create a colorful device or a specific design once woven, as illustrated in  FIGS. 9 and 10 .  FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate the use of graphics. Woven magnetic device  86  is colored green and when woven will display a white VT  88  (i.e., the abbreviation for Vermont). Likewise, magnetic woven device  90  is colored to resemble an American flag (i.e., red, white, and blue) so the red stripes  92  and white stripes  94  are woven together. A first top corner  96  of the magnetic woven device  90  is blue with a design of white stars while the second top corner  98  is green having a white VT. Various resulting graphic designs for the woven magnetic device are contemplated including, but not limited to, flags of countries (i.e., the United States, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Canada, China, Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, South Africa, etc.), symbols for favorite destinations (VT, BI, etc.), designs for causes (i.e., “Support Our Troops”, the American Heart Association, Downs Syndrome, etc.), advertising for businesses or political candidates, funny sayings, inspirational sayings, driving messages, and messages of love.  
         [0030]     The woven magnetic device provides an aesthetically pleasing means for an individual to convey messages to others. The design of the woven magnetic device ensures that the object to which it is applied is not damaged. Further, the properties of the magnetic material lend to the ability of the woven members to adhere to each other.  
         [0031]     While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention.