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US 11,547,948 B2Granted
Magnet holder and system
AssigneeTegu
InventorsChristopher Harwood Haughey, Nathaniel Scott Lau
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A magnet holder insert comprising a magnet and magnet holder housing designed with internal wall features capable of keeping the magnet properly positioned in the holder device, and external wall features capable of keeping the magnet holder device securely mounted in the finished part. The internal and external fastening elements of the magnet holder housing are designed in such a way as to promote rapid and secure assembly of both the magnet device and the finished part. The exposed surface of the magnet holder device can be configured with flat or dome shaped exposed contact surfaces, depending on how secure or flexible the magnetic joining feature is intended, capable of attaching to another magnet device or a material susceptible to magnetic attraction.
Claims19
A plastic magnet holder for holding a magnet and for insertion with the magnet held firmly in place into an article, said magnet holder comprising:
- a housing having a top wall, a side wall or walls depending downwardly from said top wall defining an open interior in said housing, and an open bottom, such that a magnet can be inserted up into said interior of said housing;
- the interior surface of said side wall or walls including at least one interior retainer projecting inwardly into said interior of said housing at a distance below said top wall sufficient to accommodate and retain firmly in place a magnet located between said at least one interior retainer and said top wall;
- said at least one interior retainer projecting inwardly a distance which extends sufficiently far beyond the outer dimensions of the magnet to be placed in said housing that the magnet has to be forced past said at least one interior retainer in order to position and hold it firmly in place between said at least one interior retainer and said top wall;
- the dimensions of said interior space of said housing being slightly greater than the dimensions of a magnet to be located therein, and said at least one interior retainer including a space to either side, such that air is allowed to escape from said interior of said housing past the perimeter of the magnet as it is forced over said at least one interior retainer;
- the exterior of said side wall comprises at least one reverse sloped exterior retainer ring designed to allow said magnet holder to be press fit into a tight fitting receiving cavity in an article to be fitted with a magnet retained in said housing with said at least one exterior retainer ring engaging the interior wall of said receiving cavity;
- said exterior retainer ring extending around the perimeter of said housing except for spaced gaps therein, such that as one pushes said housing into a tight fitting receiving cavity, air escapes through said gaps, and once said housing is inserted, it is difficult to pull it out because of the tight fit, said rings engaging said interior wall of said receiving cavity.
3 more elements
A magnet bearing article comprising:
- a plastic magnet holder, a magnet firmly retained within said holder, and a cavity having an opening to the exterior of said article, in which said plastic magnet holder and its firmly retained magnet are located;
- said magnet holder comprising:
- a plastic housing having a top wall located at said cavity opening, a side wall or walls depending downwardly from said top wall defining an open interior in said housing, and an open bottom, such that said magnet is inserted up into said interior of said housing;
- the interior surface of said side wall or walls including at least one interior retainer projecting inwardly into said interior of said housing at a distance below said top wall sufficient to accommodate and retain firmly in place a magnet located between said at least one interior retainer and said top wall;
- said at least one interior retainer projecting inwardly a distance which extends sufficiently far beyond the outer dimensions of the magnet to be placed in said housing that the magnet has to be forced past said at least one interior retainer in order to position and hold said magnet firmly in place between said at least one interior retainer and said top wall;
- the dimensions of said interior space of said housing being slightly greater than the dimensions of a magnet to be located therein, and said at least one interior retainer including a space to either side, such that air is allowed to escape from said interior of said housing past the perimeter of the magnet as it is forced over said at least one interior retainer;
- the exterior of said side wall or walls comprise at least one reverse sloped exterior retainer ring designed to allow said magnet holder to be press fit into a tight fitting receiving cavity in an article to be fitted with a magnet retained in said housing with said at least one exterior retainer ring engaging the interior wall of said receiving cavity;
- said exterior retainer ring extending around the perimeter of said housing except for spaced gaps therein, such that as one pushes said housing into a tight fitting receiving cavity, air escapes through said gaps, and once said housing is inserted, it is difficult to pull it out because of the tight fit, said rings engaging said interior wall of said receiving cavity.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.