Abstract:
A magnetic mounting apparatus for mounting objects having a first support member comprising a receptacle for receiving an accessory item to be mounted and a first magnet, and a second support member comprising a second magnet with an unlike polarity that creates an attractive force between the support members. The second and first magnets are configured so that placement of the second support member near the first support member causes the support members to secure each other in place on a surface via friction through their magnetic force and hold an object in place with the surface sandwiched in between the first and second support members.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/083,318, filed Jul. 24, 2008, which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    This application pertains to mounting objects to other objects by a combination of magnetic attraction and physical retention. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Suction cups are commonly used in fish tanks or aquariums to secure various items such as heaters, thermometers, tubing and decorations, to the tank&#39;s walls and floor. When new, suction cups adhere well to the tank walls or floor. However, due to wear or deformation over time, suction cups may lose their ability to grip the tank wall or floor and eventually become detached. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The present application is directed to an apparatus that attaches an accessory item by a combination of physical retention and magnetic attraction to a surface, such as the wall of a fish tank. It is also directed to other articles mounted with suction cups such as decorative items for refrigerators and windows such as sun-catchers, picture frames, other knick-knack items and the like. 
         [0005]    The apparatus comprises two parts: a first support member and a second support member. Both support members contain synergistic, cooperating magnets that secure the support members together to a surface disposed between the two support members via their mutual attraction. Either of the two support members may also have one or more receptacles, such as a channel or a slot for accommodating and holding items, such as a heater, thermometer, tube, or decoration. The attachment side of these is placed into the receptacle, which retains and supports the items in a fixed position. 
         [0006]    In one example of the embodiment, the apparatus may be used to mount a thermometer to a fish tank after the suction cup mounting mechanism of the thermometer has lost its capacity to maintain its suction ability. Particularly, the first and second support members are placed adjacent to each other on opposite sides of the tank wall. The suction cup of the thermometer is slipped into a slot in one of the support members to attach the thermometer to that support member. The support members secure each other in place on the wall of the fish tank through their magnetic attractive force. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    A more detailed understanding may be had from the following description, given by way of example in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is sectional view of a magnetic mounting apparatus showing first and second support members with synergistic, cooperating magnets attached to the side wall of a tank; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the first support member of the magnetic mounting apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the second support member of the magnetic mounting apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an example first support member with one receptacle; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an alternative example of a first support member including a series of receptacles; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the first support member having a suction cup attached to a thermometer; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the magnetic mounting apparatus of  FIG. 1  shown attached to the floor of a fish tank, with the first support member having a suction cup attached to an artificial decorative plant; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an alternative first support member of  FIG. 2  formed of two interchangeable modules; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an alternate version of the first module of the first support member; 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a module of the first support member that magnetically attaches to the second support member; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  perspective view of the two modules of the first support member mounted side by side. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to sectional view of the magnetic mounting apparatus  10  is shown. The magnetic mounting apparatus  10  may be attached to the walls or floor of a fish tank  20 . The magnetic mounting apparatus  10  comprises a first support member  30  having a first magnet  70  and a second support member  40 , having a second magnet  47  oriented such that the polarity of the second magnet  47  that faces the first magnet  70  is opposite in polarity to the polarity that it faces in the first magnet  70 . Accordingly, the first magnet  70  cooperates with the second magnet  47  and causes the two support members,  30  and  40 , to be magnetically attracted to each other, thereby sandwiching any surface in-between and causing the two support members,  30  and  40 , to affix to a surface by friction. The first support member  30  and the second support member  40  are shown in  FIG. 1  as having a generally cubic, or block, shape. However, the first support member  30  and the second support member  40  may be of any shape. The magnetic mounting apparatus  10  may be formed of a non-toxic plastic material or of a material free of heavy metal substances, such as lead or cadmium. It may also be formed of a durable material such as metal or plastic. However, other or additional materials may be used as long as they create a surface friction sufficient to prevent the mounting apparatus  10  from sliding off the mounting surface or object. 
         [0020]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , which is a side view of the first support member  30  of the magnetic mounting apparatus  10 , the first magnet  70  may be embedded within the first support member  30  or, alternatively, attached to the front face  31 , outside of the first support member  30 , such that the front portion or the first magnet  70  abuts a surface, such as the wall of fish tank  20 . As it can be seen from  FIG. 2 , in addition to the first magnet  70 , the first support member  30  may also have a front face  31 , a back face  32 , a top face  35 , a bottom face  36  and a receptacle  50 . 
         [0021]    The first magnet  70  may be in the form of a thin, flat shape. Alternatively, the first magnet  70  may be a series of spaced-apart magnets disposed within the first support member  30  or alternatively on the front face  31  (not shown). These spaced-apart magnets also may be disk-shaped or have a square or circular shape. The shape of the first support member  30 , or the first magnet  70 , should be complimentary to placing upon to a flat surface. The magnets may comprise permanent magnets and can include ceramic, ferrite, alnico, injection molded, flexible, rare earth, superconducting solenoid magnets (SMMs), and/or superconducting magnets (SCMs). As referred to above, the first support member  30  may include a receptacle  50 , channel or other mechanism to hold an item. In the example depicted in  FIG. 2 , the first support member includes one receptacle,  50  for receiving and holding an accessory item  60 . 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , which is a side view of the second support member  40  of the magnetic mounting apparatus  10 , the second support member  40  may have a thin, flat shape, or may be substantially similar to the first support member  30 . The second magnet  47  may be embedded within the second support member  40 , or alternatively attached to the front face  41  of the second support member  40 . In one example, the second magnet  47  may be positioned in the center of the second support member  40 . Where the second support member  40  is substantially similar to the first support member  30 , the second magnet  47  is positioned on the portion of the second support member  40  that abuts the tank surface  20 B (as shown in  FIG. 1 ). The second magnet  47  may be any of the type discussed above with respect to the first magnet  70 . As it can be seen from  FIG. 3 , in addition to the second magnet  47 , the second support member  40  may also have a front face  42 , a back face  41 , a top face  45 , and bottom face  46 . 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , a perspective view of an example first support member  30  with one receptacle  50  is shown. The receptacle  50  includes a first channel  51  and a second channel  52 , both of which form a cavity. The receptacle  50  is open at the top face  35  of the first member  30  to allow for the insertion of an attachment accessory  60  (examples of which are shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 ). At the opposite end of the cavity, the receptacle  50  has a back slot  54 . With respect to the first member  30 , the back slot  54  on the back face  32  ends at or near the bottom face  36  of the first member  30 . The receptacle  50  may be generally formed of a durable material such as metal or plastic; however, other or additional materials may be used. The receptacle  50  may receive and secure an attachment accessory  60  by inserting the first attachment member  60 A and second attachment member  60 B into the opening of the first channel  51 . For the purpose of this example, the cavity is a T-shaped cavity having a T-shaped opening. It should be noted however that the cavity may be shaped in any other form. The horizontal portion of the T-shaped cavity is flat in the middle and turned inwardly at the ends so as to permit insertion of the first attachment member  60 A and second attachment member  60 B. 
         [0024]    The diameter of the first attachment member  60 A is smaller than the width of the T-shaped cavity, and smaller than the width of the first channel  51  of the receptacle  50 . The diameter of the second attachment member  60 B is smaller that the general width of the cavity, to permit insertion. However, the diameter of the second attachment member  60 B is larger than the width of the first channel  51 , to permit anchoring of the second attachment member  60 B inside the first channel  51  of the receptacle  50 . Accordingly, the first channel  51  of the receptacle  50  secures the attachment accessory  60 , and prevents it from sliding out of the first support member  30 . Furthermore, the back slot  54  of the receptacle  50  secures the attachment accessory  60 , and prevents it from sliding downward or outward, depending on the orientation of the first support member  30 . 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , an alternative example of the first support member  30 ′, that includes a series of receptacles  50 , is shown. Similar to the first support member  30 , the first support member  30 ′ may have a cube or block shape. However, the first support member  30 ′ includes multiple receptacles  50  for receiving multiple attachment accessories  60 . 
         [0026]    Referring now again to  FIG. 1 , the attachment accessory  60  (as seen in  FIGS. 6 and 7 ) may be attached to the tank  20  wall or floor in the following manner: the first support member  30  or  30 ′ is placed inside the tank against the first surface  20 A of the tank  20 , which may be a glass or plastic wall or bottom, or other relatively thin, flat surface. The second support member  40  is placed at a corresponding position outside of the tank  20 , and against the second surface  20 B of the tank  20 . The support members  30 / 30 ′ and  40  are positioned such that they are in a complimentary position on opposite sides of the tank wall or bottom  20 . The magnet  70  in the first support member  30 / 30 ′ is placed to abut the surface  20 A of the tank  20  with the front side  31  of the first support member  30 / 30 ′ abutting the tank&#39;s surface  20 A. The second support member  40  is positioned outside the tank  20  such that the pole in the second magnet  47  faces an unlike pole of the first magnet  70  within the tank  20 . 
         [0027]    The force due to the magnetic attraction between the dissimilar polarities of the first and second magnets  70 ,  47 , retains the first and second support members  30 / 30 ′ and  40  in the desired position on opposite sides of the tank surfaces  20 A and  20 B. By placing the support members  30 / 30 ′ and  40  along any surface in a way that opposite polarities of the magnets,  70  and  47 , the first and second support members,  30 / 30 ′ and  40  are attracted to one another through the surface,  20 . This magnetic attraction retains the support members  30 / 30 ′ and  40  in a fixed position on the surface  20 . The receptacle  50  then mechanically secures the attachment accessory  60 , such as an object with a suction cup (as seen in  FIGS. 6 and 7 ), against the surface  20 A. 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , a side view of the first support member  30  having a suction cup attached to a thermometer T is shown. In this example, the attachment accessory  60  is the thermometer T, having a first attachment member  60 A and a second attachment member, (e.g., a suction cup),  60 B inserted into the receptacle  50  of the support member  30 . As a result, the receptacle  50 , secures the accessory item  60 . 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , a side view of the magnetic mounting apparatus  10  of  FIG. 1  is shown attached to the floor of the fish tank  20 . In this example, an attachment accessory  60  is depicted as a decorative plant P attached to the tank  20 . The first support member  30  is placed inside the tank  20  against the first surface  20 A. The second support member  40  is placed at a corresponding position outside of the tank  20 , against the second surface  20 B of the tank  20 . The support members,  30  and  40 , are positioned such that they are in a complimentary position on opposite sides of the tank wall or bottom  20 . The magnet  70  in the first support member  30  is placed to abut the surface  20 A of the tank  20  with the first support member  30  abutting the tank&#39;s surface  20 A. The second support member  40  is positioned outside the tank  20  such that the pole in the second magnet  47  faces an unlike pole of the first magnet  70  within the tank  20 . 
         [0030]    The force due to the magnetic attraction between the dissimilar polarities of the first and second magnets  70  and  47  again retains the support members  30  and  40  in a fixed position on the surface  20 . Accordingly, the plant P is secured in the same manner as described above with regard to the thermometer T of  FIG. 6 . 
         [0031]    A user may then easily detach or shift the position of an item placed inside the tank without the need of introducing his or her hands into the tank or touching the water. For example, a user may slide the second support member  40  on the surface outside the tank  20 , causing the first support member  30  to move inside the tank  20  to the desired position because of the magnetic attraction between their respective magnets  70  and  47 . 
         [0032]    In an alternative embodiment, the first support member  30  may be formed from out of two separate modules, where one may remain attached to the surface and magnetically attracted to the second support member  40 . The other module may be detachable, such that different types of modules could be used. 
         [0033]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an alternative, modular, first support member  300 . The modular first support member  300  includes a first module  305  and a second module  315 . The first module  305  is attachable to the second module  315  by sliding it onto the second module. 
         [0034]    Continuing to refer to  FIG. 8 , the first module  305  of the first support member  300  has a receptacle  500  as previously described with a keyed housing channel  370  and a catch  585  that allows it to lock/slide together with the second module  315 . The second module  315  has a key  345  which locks with the keyed channel  360  of the first module  305  and rests against a rib  365  for vertically aligning the two modules  305 ,  315 . The key  345  has also a front face  355  and two lateral faces,  320   325 . 
         [0035]    Additionally, the first module  305  of the modular first support member  300  includes a front face  310 , a top face  350 , a receptacle,  500 , a bottom face  360  and a back face  320 . The receptacle  500  includes a first channel  510  and a second channel  520 , both of which form a cavity. The receptacle  500  is open at the top face  350  of the first module  305  to allow for the insertion of an attachment accessory such as the attachment accessories described above. At the opposite end of the cavity, the receptacle  500  has a back slot  540 . With respect to the first module  305 , the back slot  540  ends at or near the bottom face  360  of the first member  300 . The receptacle  500  may be generally formed of a durable material such as metal or plastic; however, other or additional materials may be used. Various sized back slots in the receptacle  500  may allow it to receive and secure attachment accessories with different sized first attachment members  60 A and second attachment members, (e.g., a suction cup),  60 B. The front face  310  of the first module  305  includes a key housing channel  370  for attachment with the second module  315 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 9  illustrates an alternative first module  305 ′ of the modular first support member  300  in an interchangeable embodiment. The receptacle  500 ′ includes a first channel  510 ′ and a second channel  520 ′, both of which form a cavity with a back slot  540 ′. The receptacle  500 ′ is open at the top face  350 ′ of the first member  300  to allow for the insertion of an attachment accessory  60 ′ As shown in  FIG. 9 , the receptacle  500 ′ is larger than the receptacle  500  of  FIG. 8 . In this manner, a different sized attachment accessory  60  with a different sized first attachment member and second attachment member, (e.g., a suction cup), can be slid into the receptacle  500 ′ than the receptacle  500 , and the alternative first module  305 ′ can be slid onto the second module  315  without having to remove the second module  315  from being attached to a mounting surface. It should be noted however that the key housing channel  370 ′ and the catch  585 ′ of the alternative first module  305 ′ is the same shape and dimensions as the key housing channel  370  and the catch  585  of the first module  305  and they are shaped to mate with the rib  365  and key  345  of the second module  315  of the first member  300 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 10  illustrates the second module  315  of the first support member  300 . The second module  315  magnetically attaches to the second support member  40  (not shown). The second module includes a key  345  shaped on the second module  315 . The key  345  is shaped so as to be able to slide into the key housing channel  370  of the first module  305  or on the key housing channel  370 ′ of the alternative first module  305 ′. The key  345  includes a front face  355  and two sidewalls  320  and  325 . The key extends above the second module  315  at an oblique angle, heading away from the second module body. The key also includes a rib  365  parallel to the top face  335  of the second module  315  which is shaped to mate with the catch  365  of the first module  305 ,  305 ′ for vertical alignment with the first module. 
         [0038]      FIG. 11  illustrates a perspective view of the two modules  305 ,  315  of the first support member  300  partially mounted together side by side with the lock and key engaged. The first module  305  is positioned vertically to the second module  315  with the key housing channel  370  facing inwardly towards the key  34  of the second support member  315 . The first module  305  slides down with the key housing channel  370  facing inwardly onto the key  345  of the second module  315 , and interlocks the first module  305  and the second module  315 . Further, the bottom face  360  of the first module  305  meets the rib  365  of the second module and the catch  585  of the first module  305  engages the rib  365  of the second module for vertically aligning the two modules  305 ,  315  preventing separation. 
         [0039]    Changes or modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the claims.