Back to results
US 11,760,198 B2Granted
Magnetic tether switch
AssigneeRyan D. Aberle
InventorRyan D. Aberle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A magnetic tether switch for equipment or vehicles is described. The magnetic tether switch may include a base having a first magnetic assembly. The first magnetic assembly may include a magnet and a first magnetic flux return component, or multiple magnets with reversed polarization directions. The magnetic tether switch may include a cap including a second magnetic assembly. The second magnetic assembly may include a magnet and a magnetic flux return component, or multiple magnets with reversed polarization directions. Alternatively, the second magnetic assembly may be composed of a ferrous material. The base may include a circuit with multiple contacts, where attaching the cap to the base may connect or disconnect the contacts to each other by moving the magnet within the base by magnetic attraction from the cap.
Claims20
An apparatus, comprising:
- a base comprising:
- a first housing having a top side;
- a first magnetic assembly slidably contained within a cavity of the first housing, wherein the first magnetic assembly comprises a first magnet and a first magnetic flux return component;
- and
- a cap comprising:
- a second housing having a bottom side;
- and
- a second magnetic assembly at least partially within the second housing, wherein the second magnetic assembly comprises a second magnet and a second magnetic flux return component, and wherein the second magnet comprises a first side adjacent to the bottom side of the second housing, a second side opposite the first side, and a third side between the first side and the second side, and wherein the second magnetic flux return component extends over the third side and at least part of the second side of the second magnet,
- wherein the base further comprises:
- a circuit comprising a plurality of contacts, wherein the first magnetic assembly connects the plurality of contacts together in one of a first state or a second state and disconnects the plurality of contacts from each other in the other of the first state or the second state, the first state corresponding to the first magnetic assembly being in a first position within the cavity when the cap is magnetically attached to the base and the second state corresponding to the first magnetic assembly being in a second position within the cavity when the cap is detached from the base;
- and
- a state retention component that holds the first magnetic assembly in the second state when the cap is not magnetically attached to the base.
9 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a base comprising:
- a first housing having a top side;
- and
- a first magnetic assembly slidably contained within a cavity of the first housing, wherein the first magnetic assembly comprises a first magnet and a first magnetic flux return component;
- and
- a cap comprising:
- a second housing having a bottom side, wherein the second housing comprises a housing extension that extends below the bottom side of the second housing by a first distance;
- and
- a second magnetic assembly at least partially within the second housing, wherein a magnetic field strength of the second magnetic assembly at the first distance is less than a weight of the cap,
- wherein the base further comprises:
- a circuit comprising a plurality of contacts, wherein the first magnetic assembly connects the plurality of contacts together in one of a first state or a second state and disconnects the plurality of contacts from each other in the other of the first state or the second state, the first state corresponding to the first magnetic assembly being in a first position within the cavity when the cap is magnetically attached to the base and the second state corresponding to the first magnetic assembly being in a second position within the cavity when the cap is detached from the base;
- and
- a state retention component that holds the first magnetic assembly in the second state when the cap is not magnetically attached to the base.
10 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a base comprising:
- a first housing having a top side;
- a first magnetic assembly slidably contained within a cavity of the first housing, wherein the first magnetic assembly comprises a first magnet having a first polarity orientation and a second magnet having a second polarity orientation;
- and
- a cap comprising:
- a second housing having a bottom side, wherein the second housing comprises a housing extension that extends below the bottom side of the second housing by a first distance;
- and
- a second magnetic assembly at least partially within the second housing, wherein a magnetic field strength of the second magnetic assembly at the first distance is less than a weight of the cap,
- wherein the base further comprises:
- a circuit comprising a plurality of contacts (42, 44), wherein the first magnetic assembly connects the plurality of contacts (42, 44) together in one of a first state or a second state and disconnects the plurality of contacts (42, 44) from each other in the other of the first state or the second state, the first state corresponding to the first magnetic assembly being in a first position within the cavity when the cap is magnetically attached to the base and the second state corresponding to the first magnetic assembly being in a second position within the cavity when the cap is detached from the base;
- and
- a state retention component that holds the first magnetic assembly in the second state when the cap is not magnetically attached to the base.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.