Patent Publication Number: US-2013240470-A1

Title: Multi-Purpose Attachment Shelf with a Magnetically Attractive Effect

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a shelf and, more particularly, to an attachment shelf that is bonded onto an object containing a magnetic material. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A conventional shelf is used to place articles, such as tissue boxes, keys, rings and the like. However, the conventional shelf occupies a larger space. A tissue box contains tissues for use with a user. When the tissue box is used in a car, the tissue box is usually placed on a storage shelf at the front side of the car or directly placed on the seat at the rear side of the car. However, the tissue box is not fixed in the car by any fastening device so that the tissue box easily moves, sways, slips or falls down when the car is driving, thereby causing inconvenience to the user. In addition, when the tissue box is placed on the seat, the tissue box occupies a larger space. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an attachment shelf, comprising a base, two stop members mounted on the base, a plurality of magnetic members mounted on the base, and a magnetic element mounted on the base and located between the stop members. The base has an interior provided with a chamber. The base has a perimeter provided with an arcuate peripheral wall which defines the chamber. The chamber of the base has a surface provided with a plurality of receiving recesses and a plurality of fixing holes. Each of the receiving recesses of the base has an upper end provided with a retaining tenon. Each of the magnetic members is received in a respective one of the receiving recesses of the base and is retained by the retaining tenon of the respective receiving recess of the base. The attachment shelf further comprises a plurality of first fastening members each extended through a respective one of the fixing holes of the base and each extended through a respective one of the stop members, and a plurality of second fastening members each locked onto a respective one of the first fastening members and each abutting a respective one of the stop members. 
     Each of the stop members has a first section abutting the magnetic element and a second section provided with a plurality of through holes. Each of the first fastening members is extended through a respective one of the through holes of the respective stop member. Each the stop members is locked onto the base by the first fastening members and the second fastening members. Each of the stop members is a substantially L-shaped plate. Each of the stop members is made of a magnetic material. Each of the fixing holes of the base is a screw hole, each of the first fastening members is a screw, and the second fastening members is a nut. Each of the magnetic members is a strong magnet. The magnetic element is a strong magnet. The magnetic element is clamped between the first sections of the stop members. 
     In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an attachment shelf, comprising a base, and a plurality of magnetic members mounted on the base. The base has a surface provided with a plurality of receiving recesses and a plurality of fixing holes. Each of the receiving recesses of the base has an upper end provided with a retaining tenon. Each of the magnetic members is received in a respective one of the receiving recesses of the base and is retained by the retaining tenon of the respective receiving recess of the base. The attachment shelf further comprises a plurality of locking members each extended through and protruded outward from a respective one of the fixing holes of the base. 
     The base is a sheet plate. Each of the fixing holes of the base is extended through a whole thickness of the base. Each of the magnetic members is a strong magnet. Each of the fixing holes of the base is a screw hole, and each of the locking members is a screw. 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a multi-purpose attachment shelf with a magnetically attractive effect. 
     According to the primary advantage of the present invention, the attachment shelf can attach a smaller article (such as a box, key and the like) containing a magnetic material to a larger object (such as a car, furniture, electric appliance and the like) containing a magnetic material so that the article is directly attached to the object and will not occupy the space. 
     According to another advantage of the present invention, the attachment shelf attaches a smaller article to a larger object by the magnetic actions of the magnetic members and the magnetic element so that the article is attached to the object easily and quickly, thereby facilitating a user mounting the attachment shelf. 
     According to a further advantage of the present invention, when the attachment shelf is used in the car, the box is fixed at a determined position of the car by the attachment shelf so that the box is positioned exactly and steadily and will not move, sway or slip freely. 
     According to a further advantage of the present invention, the attachment shelf is bonded onto any magnetic part in the car so that the box can be placed in the car according to the user&#39;s requirement, thereby facilitating the user using the box. 
     Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an attachment shelf in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the attachment shelf as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the attachment shelf as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the attachment shelf taken along line  4 - 4  as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a locally enlarged cross-sectional view of the attachment shelf taken along circle  5 A as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic side cross-sectional operational view of the attachment shelf for a car as shown in  FIG. 1  in use. 
         FIG. 7  is a locally enlarged cross-sectional view of the attachment shelf taken along circle  7 A as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a partially exploded perspective view of an attachment shelf in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective view of the attachment shelf as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings and initially to  FIGS. 1-7 , an attachment shelf in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a base  1 , two stop members  2  mounted on the base  1 , a plurality of magnetic members  3  mounted on the base  1 , and a magnetic element  30  mounted on the base  1  and located between the stop members  2 . 
     The base  1  is a rectangular shell and has an interior provided with a chamber  111 . The base  1  has a perimeter provided with an arcuate peripheral wall  11  which defines the chamber  111 . The chamber  111  of the base  1  has a surface provided with a plurality of receiving recesses  12  and a plurality of fixing holes  13 . The receiving recesses  12  of the base  1  are located at four corners of the base  1 . Each of the receiving recesses  12  of the base  1  has an upper end provided with a retaining tenon  121  (see  FIG. 5 ). Each of the fixing holes  13  of the base  1  is preferably a screw hole. 
     Each of the stop members  2  is made of a magnetic material. Each of the stop members  2  is a substantially L-shaped plate and has a first section  21  abutting the magnetic element  30  and a second section provided with a plurality of through holes  22 . 
     Each of the magnetic members  3  is received in a respective one of the receiving recesses  12  of the base  1  and is retained by the retaining tenon  121  of the respective receiving recess  12  of the base  1 . Each of the magnetic members  3  is preferably a strong magnet. 
     The magnetic element  30  is clamped between the first sections  21  of the stop members  2 . The magnetic element  30  is preferably a strong magnet. 
     The attachment shelf further comprises a plurality of first fastening members  131  each extended through a respective one of the fixing holes  13  of the base  1  and each extended through a respective one of the stop members  2 , and a plurality of second fastening members  14  each locked onto a respective one of the first fastening members  131  and each abutting a respective one of the stop members  2 . Each of the first fastening members  131  is extended through a respective one of the through holes  22  of the respective stop member  2 . Thus, each the stop members  2  is locked onto the base  1  by the first fastening members  131  and the second fastening members  14 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the first fastening members  131  is a screw, and the second fastening members  14  is a nut. 
     When in use, referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7  with reference to  FIGS. 1-5 , the magnetic element  30  is bonded onto a top plate  41  of a car  4  by the magnetically attractive action between the magnetic element  30  and the top plate  41  of the car  4  so as to attach the attachment shelf to the car  4 . In such a manner, a box  5  made of a magnetic material is attached to the base  1  by the magnetically attractive action between the magnetic members  3  and the box  5  so that the box  5  is attached to the car  4  by the attachment shelf. The box  5  can be used to receive items, such as tissues  51  and the like. 
     Accordingly, the attachment shelf can attach a smaller article (such as a box, key and the like) containing a magnetic material to a larger object (such as a car, furniture, electric appliance and the like) containing a magnetic material so that the article is directly attached to the object and will not occupy the space. In addition, the attachment shelf attaches a smaller article to a larger object by the magnetic actions of the magnetic members  3  and the magnetic element  30  so that the article is attached to the object easily and quickly, thereby facilitating a user mounting the attachment shelf Further, when the attachment shelf is used in the car, the box is fixed at a determined position of the car by the attachment shelf so that the box is positioned exactly and steadily and will not move, sway or slip freely. Further, the attachment shelf is bonded onto any magnetic part in the car so that the box can be placed in the car according to the user&#39;s requirement, thereby facilitating the user using the box. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , an attachment shelf in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a base  1   a,  and a plurality of magnetic members  3  mounted on the base  1   a.    
     The base  1   a  is a rectangular sheet plate and has a surface provided with a plurality of receiving recesses  12  and a plurality of fixing holes  13 . The receiving recesses  12  of the base  1   a  are located at four corners of the base  1   a.  Each of the receiving recesses  12  of the base  1   a  has an upper end provided with a retaining tenon  121 . Each of the fixing holes  13  of the base  1   a  is extended through a whole thickness of the base  1   a.  Each of the fixing holes  13  of the base  1   a  is preferably a screw hole. 
     Each of the magnetic members  3  is received in a respective one of the receiving recesses  12  of the base  1   a  and is retained by the retaining tenon  121  of the respective receiving recess  12  of the base  1   a.  Each of the magnetic members  3  is preferably a strong magnet. 
     The attachment shelf further comprises a plurality of locking members  131   a  each extended through and protruded outward from a respective one of the fixing holes  13  of the base  1   a.  In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the locking members  131   a  is a screw. 
     Thus, the base  1   a  is locked onto an larger object by the locking members  131   a,  and a smaller article containing a magnetic material is bonded onto the base  1   a  by the magnetic action of the magnetic members  3  so that the article is directly attached to the object by the attachment shelf. 
     Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.