US 7,496,994 B1Granted

Connecting device using a magnet

OwnerTheresa Headleyinventor

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Abstract

An improved connecting device for assembling two components is described. The device comprises at least one magnetic male component and at least one magnetic female component. A male component comprises a bull-nose or beveled end integral with a hook and a magnet. A female component comprises an aperture with a guiding curvature, a groove in the same side with the guiding curvature, and a magnet receptacle or magnetic portion to which the magnet of the male component can be attached. A magnetic force between the magnet and the magnetic element of the receptacle in combination with the curved shapes of the female and male components achieve safe and secure engagement of the two components. The components of the device are located in the backside, thereby creating an unalterable appearance from the front. The device is interchangeable in a countless number of combinations.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A connecting device comprising a female component and a male component,

the female component comprising a plate having a top and a bottom;
an aperture on the plate;
a guiding curvature on the bottom of the plate beginning at a rim of the aperture;
a magnet receptacle on the top of the plate;
a groove on the bottom of the plate located between the aperture and the magnet receptacle;
and a hook trap on the bottom of the plate beginning at a rim of the aperture that is next to the groove;
and
the male component comprising a prong having an underside and a beveled end being calibrated to accommodate insertion of the prong into the aperture of the plate;
a hook on the underside of the prong and integral to the beveled end, the hook having an inside curvature on the underside of the prong, wherein the inside curvature and the hook trap of the female component being calibrated to accommodate lodging of the hook in the hook trap;
a magnet attached to the underside of the prong sized to fit the magnet receptacle of the female component;
and the magnet being spaced at a distance that can accommodate the contact of the magnet to the magnet receptacle upon lodging the hook in the hook trap.

8 more elements

A connecting device for connecting appendages, the device comprising:

a first component attached to an appendage, and a second component attached to an appendage,
the first component comprising a plate having a top and a bottom;
an aperture on the plate;
a guiding curvature on the bottom of the plate beginning at a rim of the aperture;
a magnetic portion on the plate;
a groove on the bottom of the plate located between the aperture and the magnetic portion;
and a hook trap on the bottom of the plate beginning at a rim of the aperture that is next to the groove;
and
the second component comprising a prong having an underside and a beveled end being calibrated to accommodate insertion of the prong into the aperture of the plate;
a hook on the underside of the prong and integral to the beveled end, the hook having an inside curvature on the underside of the prong, wherein the inside curvature and the hook trap of the first component being calibrated to accommodate lodging of the hook in the hook trap;
a magnet attached to the underside of the prong sized to engage the magnetic portion of the first component;
and the magnet being spaced at a distance that can accommodate the contact of the magnet to the magnetic portion upon lodging the hook in the hook trap;
wherein the magnetic portion is inset into the plate and positioned at an angle to have a triangular cross-section such that a front end of the magnetic portion that is closest to the hook touches a rim of the plate, and a back end of the magnetic portion that is furthest from the hook is located a distance past the underside of the prong, and
wherein the bottom of the magnet is positioned at an angle such that a front end of the bottom of the magnet that is closest to the hook touches a rim of the plate and a back end of the bottom of the magnet that is furthest from the hook is located a distance past the underside of the prong.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.