Abstract:
A fastening system preferably using one or more spherical magnets attached to a first object or article for free relative rotation. If a second object or article is provided with one or more similar magnets, likewise rotatable relative to said object, after bringing the article into a spatial relationship where the magnetic force of one magnet has an effect on the other magnet, one or both magnets will rotate and position a polar region opposite to the polar region of the other magnet and thereby attract the other magnet and their associated objects or articles towards each other.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is based on Provisional Application No. 60/710,508, filed Aug. 22, 2005, and claims priority as to the common subject matter in the respective applications. 
     
    
     FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH  
       [0002]     Not applicable.  
       SEQUENCE LISTING, ETC. ON CD  
       [0003]     Not applicable.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0005]     This invention relates to fastening devices, and more particularly to systems utilizing magnets for releaseably attaching a first member to a second member, or for releasably attaching a selected portion of a flexible or pliant member to other selected portions of the same member.  
         [0006]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0007]     The use of magnets for releasably securing two elements together is not new in the fastening art. Disregarding electromagnetic attraction, which is not involved in the present invention, it is commonplace to place a magnet adjacent another magnet and if the polarity of the opposed adjacent faces of the magnets are opposite, i.e., a north pole of one magnet facing the south pole of the other magnet, the two magnets will be attracted to each other. Accordingly, if one or both magnets are attached to some other member, such member or members will be similarly attracted to the other magnet or to the member to which such other magnet is attached. In the examples cited, if the opposing faces of the magnets are the same, the magnets will repel each other and move apart rather than effecting a bond between them.  
         [0008]     From the foregoing, it should be made clear that in order to create an attachment between the two magnets, and/or the members on which the magnets are mounted, the magnets must be aligned with opposite polarity. It is recognized that in many systems employing magnetic attractions, only a single magnet is used. In place of a second magnet, a ferrous material is utilized. In such cases, there is a magnetic attraction between the magnet and the ferrous material irrespective of whether the north or south pole of the magnet is facing the ferrous material. In most cases, however, the use of two magnets will enhance the attraction between the same and thus increase the strength of the holding or attachment when the magnets are appropriately adjusted with opposite poles of the two magnets facing each other. This is particularly true when it is desirable to use magnets of a small size. Then, the added magnetic attraction offered by two cooperating magnets can materially increase their holding power.  
         [0009]     Stated another way, in accordance with the teachings of the prior art, where two magnets are utilized, either the magnets or the objects on which the magnets are mounted must be oriented or positioned in some particular spatial relationship with opposite polarity of the opposing faces of the two magnets. By way of example, if we consider a hinged door which has one magnet secured in or on the same, adapted to be magnetically attracted to a second magnet secured in or on the door frame, there is no great problem in mounting the two magnets so that when the door is moving towards a closed position, the opposite polarity of the magnets on the adjacent surfaces of the door and on the frame respectively will cause the door to shut and be releasably secured to the door frame. However, in other situations, the object carrying one magnet may not have any fixed or predetermined spatial relationship to the object carrying the other magnet. For example, if one wanted to releasably attach a non-ferrous tool to a non-ferrous wall surface, one could attach a first magnet in or on the wall with its north pole facing outwardly from the wall. A second magnet could then be attached to the tool with the north and south poles of the magnet being on opposite sides of the tool. To attach the tool to the wall it would be necessary to position the tool so that the south pole of its magnet was facing the wall so as to display an opposing polarity to the north pole of the wall magnet.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, even though two magnets with discrete polarities are secured to two discrete objects, it is not necessary for the user to orient the objects to properly position opposite poles of the two magnets into facing relationship. Instead, the present invention contemplates the use of at least one magnet, and sometimes both magnets, being rotatable in or on the object to which the magnet is secured, so that as the objects are brought into adjacent relationship, one or both magnets will rotate until the north pole of one of the magnets is facing the south pole of the second magnet. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a spherical magnet with its north pole facing upwardly from the lane of the drawing sheet.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a side view of a pair of similar spherical magnets being moved towards each other as indicated by the arrows, and with the poles of one magnet randomly positioned relative to the poles of the other magnet.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the two magnets illustrated in  FIG. 2  after the magnets have been moved close enough to permit the respective magnetic fields of each magnet to affect the other magnet.  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a spherical magnet freely rotatable in a housing attached to a sheet of material.  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  describes a spherical magnet rotatable within a pocket or hem formed in a piece of cloth or other flexible material.  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 2 , showing another embodiment of my magnetic arrangement in which cylindrical magnets are substituted for the spherical magnets of FIGS.  1  to  5 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is another view similar to  FIG. 2  of a further 3 embodiment in which the magnets are multi-sided.  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  is a fourth embodiment similar to  FIG. 2  in which the magnets are cube shaped. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]     FIGS.  1  to  3  diagrammatically illustrate the principal of the present invention.  FIG. 1  represents a spherical magnet  12  and such magnets are known in the art. Spherical magnets are usually formed from a homogeneous mass of a ferrous material, but it is believed that they can also be created by shaping or molding a plurality of ferrous particles into a spherical configuration. As is typical with all magnets, one polar region  14  constitutes the north pole of the spherical magnet, while the opposite polar region  16  constitutes the south pole.  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  illustrates two of the magnets  12  which may be secured or attached to respective members or different portions of the same member, but are merely shown as the magnets themselves for the purpose of explanation. The two magnets may be placed in any spatial relationship to each other, and it makes no difference where the discrete polar regions are disposed relative to the other magnet&#39;s polar region. If a user brings the two magnets (and the members to which they are attached) from a first position where the magnetic forces of the magnets have no effect on each other, to a closer position where the strength of the magnetic force will be imposed on the other magnet, the north and south poles of the respective magnets will attempt to move in a spatial relationship to the other magnet so that the opposite poles of the respective magnets face one another, and the magnets will be forcibly urged into contacting relationship. As shown in  FIG. 2 , there is no specific relationship between the polar regions of the two magnets and as the magnets approach each other, assuming there is no restraint on the rotational movement of the respective magnets, the north pole of one magnet will rotate to be in opposing facing relationship to the south pole of the other magnet and the magnets will be magnetically urged into contacting relationship. While it is stated above that one of the magnets rotates to provide this relationship, it should be made clear that both magnets are capable of such rotation, and it is conceivable and likely that both magnets will rotate until the north and south poles of the respective magnets are in juxtaposition. As indicated earlier in this application, the holding power of two magnets acting on each other is greater than the force of one magnet acting on a ferrous piece of metal. It is for this reason that the concept of two magnets is incorporated in the present invention. Also, as will be later made clear, the use of two magnets permits such magnets to be placed, for example, on a towel, a bib, or a piece of clothing where it may be desirable to be able to releasably attach or secure discrete portions of the base member such as the bib, in different folding relationships.  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  illustrates the two spherical magnets after they have been brought sufficiently close where the magnetic forces have an effect on each other. Assuming nothing is between the magnets, the magnets will engage each other with the north pole of one magnet against the south pole of the other magnet.  
         [0022]     With the foregoing in mind, it will be understood that the magnets may be secured to different types of members or objects. By way of example, the magnets may be attached to a piece of cloth as illustrated in  FIG. 4  by the use of a magnet holder for each of the spherical magnets. As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , a piece of cloth  20  is provided with one or more spherical magnets  12  and the magnets are attached to the cloth by means of a magnet holder  22 . The magnet holder  22  comprises a pair of complementary members  24  and  26 , the member  24  having a generally disk-like outer portion  28  which includes an annular flange  30  extending at substantial right angles to the disk  28  inwardly of the outer periphery thereof. The flange  28  may be inserted through a suitable aperture provided in the cloth.  
         [0023]     The other side of the cloth is provided with member  26  which includes an annular flange  32  and an outer disk, similar to the flange  30  and disk  28  of the first-mentioned complementary member. The disks are positioned against the opposite surfaces of the cloth with the peripheral edges of the disks overlying the annular portion of the cloth defining the opening. The flanges may be offset sufficiently so that the flanges interlock and hold the complementary members in position on the cloth or other member  20 . The opposing flanges define a chamber  40  in which the spherical magnet  12  is positioned. There is sufficient room in the chamber to permit the magnet to freely rotate and move within the confines of the chamber. It will be understood that the members  24  and  26  are made of a non-magnetic material so as not to interfere with the magnetic properties of the spherical magnet  12  or any other magnet brought into juxtaposition therewith.  
         [0024]     Due to the spherical nature of the magnet, the particular orientation of the housing containing the same is immaterial since the magnet is capable of universal rotation within the chamber. Accordingly, and assuming there is a corresponding magnet and chamber on another portion of the cloth  20 , the respective magnets may be physically moved towards each other until the magnetic force on each magnet affects the other magnet so as to appropriately align a north and south pole for attaching the two magnets together. This can be extremely useful, and by way of example, a pair of such magnets may be placed along an edge of a piece of cloth in the nature of a child&#39;s bib, and by wrapping the bib around the neck of the child. The two magnets may be brought together adjacent the rear portion of the child&#39;s neck, and cause to engage and hold the bib in position across the child&#39;s chest. Similarly, if it was desired to provide a pocket for catching crumbs which fell down on the bib, it would be possible to place magnets on the lower portion of the cloth as the bib is worn and secure the bottom edge of the bib into a pocket-like configuration by positioning the magnets at appropriate locations along the edge and along medial portions of the bib so that the sheet can be folded to provide the pocket. Numerous other arrangements can also be utilized in connection with the use of the spherical magnets on a piece of cloth, or other pliant material. Also, it is not necessary that the magnets be attached to a pliant piece of material such as a cloth, since the magnets could also be placed on solid objects of a non-ferrous composition where the magnetic forces of two magnets are desired to hold the object against another object of either fixed or moveable spatial relationship to the first object.  
         [0025]      FIG. 5  graphically represents a simpler method of securing the spherical magnet in or on a piece of cloth  50 . In this case, the magnet  12  is inserted within a hem  52  provided on the one surface of the cloth and the hem has sufficient leeway between the stitched portions to provide a chamber  56  on one surface of the cloth in which the magnet  12  may be positioned. In this case, no fixed attachment means are required but the cloth itself or an added piece of similar cloth may be provided to create a chamber in which the magnet is placed for free rotation. This system will operate in the same manner as that just described wherein fixed and rigid attachment means are provided to support and constrain the magnet against displacement while still permitting free rotation of the magnet relative to the cloth or member in which the magnet is positioned. In place of stitches, the chamber may be provided by gluing or otherwise attaching portions of the cloth.  
         [0026]     Throughout the application, reference is made to the spherical nature of the magnet and because of the fact that a sphere is capable of universal rotation in a more efficient manner than other shapes, the spherical magnet remains the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0027]     However, it is believed that other shapes of magnets will equally serve the desired purposes. It is obvious that one would not want to use a long bar magnet because of the difficulty of universally rotating the same in a confined space. However, other shapes may be utilized.  FIG. 6  discloses relatively short cylindrical magnets  60  with north and south poles on the outer ends of the cylinder. Cylindrical magnets of this type can be rotated about their axis with ease and are still capable of rotation about perpendicular axes, but if there are restraining portions of the holders for the magnets, such latter rotation becomes more difficult.  
         [0028]      FIG. 7  discloses magnets  70  which have a plurality of sides and which closely resemble a sphere except for the flat edges. This could be operable for many instances without detracting from the spirit of the present invention.  
         [0029]      FIG. 8  illustrates a further possibility of the use of magnets in the nature of a cube  80 . Here again, while it is capable of rotating the cubes about universal axes, the corners could present difficulty in rotation under certain circumstances and again illustrates the advantage of utilizing the spheres discussed earlier in this application.  
         [0030]     In view of the modified forms of magnet as described above, it should be understood that where the term “spherical magnet” is used, it is actually meant to embrace other shapes of magnets but in order to satisfy the requirements of the present invention, it is preferred to have other shapes such as those illustrated in  FIGS. 6 through 8  of a form in which the length and width of the magnets are generally the same. This will permit a minimum size chamber necessary for constraining the magnet against displacement while permitting universal rotation of the magnet within such chamber.  
         [0031]     Where the term “magnetic” is used herein, it is meant to include all types of permanent magnets including not only ferrous based magnets, but rare earth magnets and non-rare earth magnets as well.