Abstract:
A detachable magnetic docking system for a handheld device comprises a docking plate having a major surface and a shell for the handheld device having a reverse surface. The major surface and the reverse surface are contoured to mate when adjacent one another to align the shell over the docking plate. Cooperative magnetic elements are located in the docking plate and in the shell to retain the handheld device on the docking plate. The contour of the major surface includes a recessed area. The handheld device having internal battery compartments located adjacent non-recessed areas of the major surface.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
     This application claims priority based on U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/409,839 filed 3 Nov. 2010 titled “Remote control with magnetic wall mounting system.” 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The disclosure relates to wall mounted magnetic support arrangements for articles. 
     2. General Description of the Problem 
     The use of magnets to support articles from a wall or other vertically oriented surface is well known. It is usual to integrate a magnet into either the article to be supported or to affix the magnet to the wall, and then place an element made of a magnetically susceptible material, such as iron, in the article or on the vertical surface. When the article is brought into proximity of the magnetic element fixed to the vertical surface the magnetic attraction between magnetic elements in or on the article and surface operates to hold the article in place. 
     The utility of locating frequently used articles on walls is attested to by the number of patents directed to such systems. U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,614 to E. Taylor summarized various issues to be addressed in such arrangements. One issue was that of poor alignment of the magnetic elements, which could lead articles being jarred loose. Taylor addressed the issue by providing a wall mounted bracket made of a magnetizable material. The bracket had three flanges with the flanges pointing outwardly from the surface/base wall. A flashlight was modified to house a magnet in a rectangular structure located outside the flashlight&#39;s shell. The rectangular structure fitted within the flanges of the wall mounted bracket bringing the magnetic elements into contact to hold the flashlight in place. 
     If a supported article is frequently in use, and the location of the system is in an exposed location, the provision of an exposed metal bracket on a wall may be seen as obtrusive. 
     SUMMARY 
     A detachable magnetic docking system for a handheld device comprises a docking plate having a major surface and a shell for the handheld device having a reverse surface. The major surface and the reverse surface are contoured to mate when adjacent one another to align the shell over the docking plate. Cooperative magnetic elements are located in the docking plate and in the shell to retain the handheld device on the docking plate. The contour of the major surface includes a recessed area. The handheld device having internal battery compartments located adjacent non-recessed areas of the major surface. 
     The docking plate resembles a conventional wall switch cover plate when the remote control unit is removed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a handheld remote control unit. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the handheld remote control unit of  FIG. 1  and a remote control unit docking plate which may be mounted on a wall or supported from some other usually vertically aligned surface. 
         FIG. 3  is a reverse angle perspective view of the handheld remote control unit of  FIG. 1  and the remote control unit docking plate of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is another perspective view from the angle of  FIG. 2  with the remote control unit exploded. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of the docking plate. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the docking plate and remote control unit. 
         FIG. 7  is another exploded view of the remote control unit illustrating battery positioning. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of positioning of batteries in a battery compartment. 
         FIG. 9  is longitudinal cross sectional view of a handheld remote control unit docked on a docking plate. 
         FIG. 10  is a latitudinal cross sectional view of a handheld remote control unit docked on a docking plate. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following detailed description, like reference numerals and characters may be used to designate identical, corresponding, or similar components in differing drawing figures. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a handheld remote control unit  1  is docked on a docking station  2 , held to the docking station by magnetic attraction between magnetic and magnetically susceptible elements located within a shell  24  for the handheld remote control unit  1  and under the exposed surface of the docking station  2 . Handheld remote control unit  1  is illustrated as an accessory for a remotely controlled ceiling fan (not shown). Located on the exterior of the shell  24  is a light control switch  19 , a fan direction control button  20  and a plurality of fan speed control buttons  21 . Handheld remote control units of various types may be employed for a variety of other functions and illustration of the present embodiment as providing control over a fan serves an illustrative function only. Handheld remote control unit  1  may be detached or undocked from the docking station  2  by an individual grasping the handheld remote control unit  1  and lifting it away the docking station. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 6 , handheld remote control unit  1  is shown displaced from docking station  2 , exposing a docking surface  15  against which the shell  24  of the handheld remote control unit is held when the handheld remote control unit is docked. Docking surface  15  includes a central raised surface  3  which is generally rectangular in extent and which is defined by raised edges  4 ,  5  which serve as guides to restrain the handheld remote control unit  1  from motion in the plane of the central raised surface  3 . The raised edges serve as a pair of horizontal alignment guides  4  and a pair of vertical alignment guides  5 . The “horizontal” and “vertical” alignments correspond to the expected orientation of the docking station  2  when mounted to a wall or similar base. It is not necessary that the alignment guides actually be horizontally and vertically oriented as long as they respective pairs are at substantially right angles to one another. The vertical alignment guides  5  restrict vertical movement of a docked handheld remote control unit  1  and the horizontal alignment guides  4  restrict horizontal movement of an exterior shell  24  of the docked handheld remote control unit  1 . 
     Docking station  2  is usually a structure which is attached to a wall, however, docking station  2  is not necessarily an independent structure. Docking station  2  could, in some applications, be an embossed region on the case of larger device, for example the case of a television set. 
     Reference to  FIG. 3  illustrates a reverse surface  22  of exterior/handheld shell  24  of the handheld remote control unit  1 . Reverse surface  22  is shaped to conform to the contour of the docking surface  15  of docking station  2 . Together the reverse surface  22  and the docking surface  15  serve as part of a docking and support system for the handheld remote control unit  1 . Centered on reverse surface  22 , and inwardly displaced from the perimeter edge  23  of the shell  24 , is a rectangular recessed pocket  6  which is sized to receive the central raised surface  3 . Recessed pocket  6  is bordered by pairs of recessed vertical alignment guides  8  and recessed horizontal alignment guides  7  and is surrounded by a contiguous flat area of the reverse surface. Recessed pocket  6  is sized to fit snugly around raised surface  3  of the docking station  2  with the shell  24  centered on the docking station  2 . The reverse surface  22  and the docking surface  15  have inverse conformed contours which align the handheld shell  24  over the docking station  2  while minimizing the degree to which the handheld shell  24  extends from a wall or surface when docked. When docked the handheld remote control unit  1  essentially completely covers the docking surface  15 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the shell  24  is constructed from a rear half shell assembly  11  and a front half shell assembly  9 . The rear half shell assembly  11  includes a back cover  12  which includes an integral battery compartment door  10 . An interior face  25  of the rear half shell assembly defines a space between recessed pocket  6  and the outside edge of the rear half shell assembly  11  which forms parts of a battery compartments  26 . The spaces are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the back cover  12 . 
     A pair of button magnets  13  are applied to the interior face  25  beneath the recessed pocket  6  relative to the exterior of the handheld shell  24 . As an alternative embodiment the button magnets  13  may be replaced by buttons made of a unmagnetized but still magnetically susceptible material. Increased weight supporting capacity is obtained by providing that buttons  13  and plates  16  are both magnetized. Location of the batteries  27  to the sides of recessed pocket  6  allows the depth of the handheld shell  24  to be kept at a minimum to enclose the diameter the batteries  27 , here size AA batteries (See  FIGS. 7 and 8  and  10 ). The depth of the handheld shell  24  in the region corresponding to the recessed pocket  6  is reduced to minimize the projection of the docked handheld unit  1  from a wall by the depth of the recessed pocket (See  FIG. 10 ). Batteries  27  are located along the elongated sides of the rectangularly shaped recessed pocket  6  after positioning in elongated battery compartments  26  located on the interior face of front case cover  9  allowing them to be located closer to the ultimate supporting wall than the magnetic buttons  13 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , battery cover door  10  may be provided by splitting case back  12 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , docking station  2  is suitable for application to a wall. Adaptations relating to providing support from a wall include a mounting plate  18 . A pair of holes  29  are provided through mounting plate  18  through which flat head screws  17  may be inserted. Mounting plate  18  carries a plurality of rectangular slots  28  sized to receive and locate thin tabs or plates  16  which are made of steel or some other magnetically susceptible material, or alternatively, which may be magnets. Plates  16  are applied to the back of docking station cover  14 . Metal plates  16  are applied to the reverse face of docking station cover  14 . A docking station cover  14  snaps over to mounting plate  18 . Snap tabs  30  may be provided along the top and bottom edges of docking station cover  14  which cooperate with corresponding edge retaining latches  31  on opposite ends of mounting plate  18  to retain the docking station cover in place (see  FIG. 9 ). Snap tabs  30  are beveled and docking station cover made flexible enough to allow the docking station cover  14  to be pressed into place on the mounting plate  18 . Where docking surface  15  is simply embossed onto the case of a article the magnetically susceptible plates  16  may be applied by adhesive under the contact surface rather than on a mounting plate  18 . 
     Docking station  2  resembles a common switch box cover plate when the handheld remote control unit  1  is undocked. Docking station  2  also exhibits minimal projection away from a wall while providing positive alignment guides for the cooperative magnetic elements in the docking station  2  and in the handheld shell  24 . The package allows the handheld remote control unit  1  to appear to float alongside the wall when docked, and when removed leaves an unobtrusive rectangular panel which may be neutrally colored to minimize obtrusiveness.