US 5,288,119 A · Battery replacement and magnetic pickup apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for removing and replacing small batteries in electronic devices such as hearing aids or handling small magnetic parts has a housing in which a reciprocating shaft is placed having a magnet at one end. When the reciprocating shaft is placed in its extended pickup position, the magnet is brought close to the end of the housing, and into contact with the battery or other magnetic object. Once in contact with the object, the apparatus may be used for manipulation. Once the object is placed where it is to be left, the reciprocating shaft may be moved to a retracted position weakening the magnetic field holding the battery to the end of the apparatus. The reciprocating shaft is moved and locked into its extended and retracted positions with a rotating ratchet mechanism operated with a thumb of the hand that holds the apparatus. A shim in separable parts of the housing makes adjustment of the terminal end position of the magnet possible. A non-magnetic shield member or barrier layer surrounding the magnet at the tip effectively blocks the lateral attraction force so that only the object desired is picked up without disturbing surrounding objects.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A magnetic pickup apparatus comprising:

an elongated barrel having an open lower end;
an elongated non-magnetic shaft movable longitudinally within said barrel between an extended position and a retracted position, said shaft having a hollow lower end portion;
a magnet disposed substantially entirely within the hollow lower end portion of said non-magnetic shaft for movement therewith, a lower end of said magnet being generally flush with the open lower end of the barrel for magnetic connection with a magnetically attractable item when said movable shaft is moved to the extended position;
a ratchet locking means operatively disposed within said barrel for alternately holding said non-magnetic shaft in said extended or retracted position;
and
biasing means located within said barrel for urging said non-magnetic shaft toward said retracted position, wherein a magnetically attractable item may be picked up and securely held by the magnet when said non-magnetic shaft is in the extended position, and released when said non-magnetic shaft is in the retracted position.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Battery replacement and magnetic pickup apparatus

Life of this patent

Battery replacement and magnetic pickup apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17