EP1346674A2

EP1346674A2 - Device for magnetically fixing objects to surfaces

Info

Publication number: EP1346674A2
Application number: EP03005108A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Piero Caffaro
Original assignee: MAGNY GROUP Srl
Current assignee: MAGNY GROUP Srl
Priority date: 2002-03-19
Filing date: 2003-03-07
Publication date: 2003-09-24
Also published as: ITTO20020055U1; EP1346674A3

Abstract

A device (1) for magnetically fixing objects (3) to surfaces, comprising: at least one metallic support base (5) that is fastened with connection means to the surface; and at least one fixing element (9) equipped with magnetic means adapted to be attracted against the metallic support base (5), inserting between fixing element (9) and metallic support base (5) the object (3) to fix it and support it on the surface.

Description

The present invention refers to a device for magnetically fixing objects of any type and weight to surfaces of any type or consistency.
Various tools are known in the art for fixing objects to surfaces, such as nails, pins, adhesives, etc.
These devices however are not wholly satisfactory, both because they do not exert on the objects to be fixed such a force as to allow supporting every type and weight of the affected objects, and because such devices are "rigid", namely they can be applied only to some surfaces, can be moved with difficulty and used again with difficulty, because they tend to break after continued fixing and release operations.
Object of the present invention is solving the above prior-art problems, by providing a device for fixing objects to surfaces that is simple and thereby inexpensive to realise, easy to install and that provides a very high fixing force for objects of any type and weight.
A further object of the present invention is providing a device as mentioned above that can be used again many times and in various positions, on different surfaces, keeping its own features unaltered.
The above and other objects and advantages of the invention, as will appear from the following description, are obtained by a fixing device as claimed in Claim 1. Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variations of the present invention are claimed in the dependent Claims.
The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments thereof, given as a non-limiting example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of an embodiment of the fixing device according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a side view of part of the device of Fig. 1;
Figure 3 is a bottom view of a variation of the device of Fig. 1;
Figures 4 and 5 show the steps for using the device of the present invention;
Figures 6 to 12 show possible applications of the device of the present invention; and
Figures 13 to 15 show a further application variation of the present invention.

With reference to the Figures, some preferred embodiments of the fixing device of the present invention are shown and described. It will be immediately obvious to the skilled people in the art that numerous variations and modifications (for example related to shape, sizes, various colours and parts with equivalent functionalities) could be made to the described device without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed in the enclosed Claims.
As shown in the Figures, the device 1 of the present invention for magnetically fixing objects 3 to surfaces substantially comprises:

at least one metallic support base 5, that is equipped with connection means 7 to the surfaces; and
at least one fixing element 9 equipped with magnetic means 11, 12 adapted to be attracted against the support base 5, inserting between the fixing element 9 and the support base 5 the object 3 to fix it and support it onto the surfaces.

In particular, the connection means 7 can be composed of a fixed adhesive sheet, a detachable adhesive sheet or a nail, screw, rivet or equivalent means.
Moreover, the metallic support base 5 is smooth, or is equipped with grooves and/or edges to prevent the fixing element 9 from sliding on the support base 5 in case it is supporting particularly heavy objects 3.
In the application shown in Fig.s 13 to 15, moreover, the metallic support base 5 and the fixing element 9 are both equipped with an edge with a respective opening 14, 16 for passing therein a rod 18 for supporting curtains or the like.
Still particularly, the magnetic means 11, 12 of the fixing element 9 are composed of a magnet 11 that extends (as can be seen in Fig. 1 and 2) for part of the abutment surface of the fixing element 9.
According to the variation shown in Fig. 3, instead, the magnetic means 11, 12 of the fixing element 9 are composed of a magnet 12 that substantially extends for the whole abutment surface of the fixing element 9.
In both cases of the above-mentioned magnets 11, 12, they exert a very high magnetic attraction force, allowing to suspend, through the device 1 of the present invention, objects 3 that are heavy and encumbrant. A brief, non-limiting example list of such objects 3 comprises sheets, pointers, signs, photographs, drawings, curtains, pictures, waste baskets, organizer means, containers and cellular phone holders.
The surfaces on which the device 1 of the present invention can be applied, still as a non-limiting example, are glass, plastics, wood, metal, aluminium, bricks, tiles, walls, ceilings and floors.
Still as a non-limiting example, Fig.s 6 to 12 show some practical applications of the fixing device 1 of the present invention: Fig. 6, for example, shows the application of a sheet 3 onto a computer, Fig. 7 the application of a drawing 3 onto a wall, Fig. 8 the application of a set of small sheets 3 onto a car dashboard, Fig. 9 the application of a plate 3 onto a door, Fig. 10 the application of a sheet 3 onto a ceramic wall, Fig. 11 the application of small sheets 3 onto a wall near a telephone and Fig. 12 the application of a waste bag 3 (of a certain weight) onto a paved wall (for example in a bathroom or in a kitchen).
The operation of the fixing device 1 according to the present invention will now be described with reference to Fig. 4 and 5.
First of all, the base 5 is secured onto the affected surface, by screwing it, nailing it or, as in the shown case, by detaching the protection sheet 8 of the adhesive with which the base 5 is equipped and by applying then the base 5 itself onto the surface, after having possibly cleaned it or freed it from grease and dust.
Then, by using the fixing element 9, the objects 3 are attached against the base 5, taking care of "pinching" such objects 3 between base 5 and fixing element 9. The whole device 1 can be easily moved to another position in case of need, repeating the above-mentioned operations.

Claims

Device (1) for magnetically fixing objects (3) to surfaces, characterised in that it comprises:

at least one metallic support base (5), said support base (5) being equipped with connection means (7) to the surfaces; and

at least one fixing element (9) equipped with magnetic means (11, 12) adapted to be attracted against said support base (5), inserting between said fixing element (9) and said support base (5) the object (3) to fix it and support it onto the surfaces.
Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that said connection means (7) are composed of a fixed adhesive sheet.
Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that said connection means (7) are composed of a detachable adhesive sheet.
Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that said connection means (7) are composed of a nail, a screw, a rivet or equivalent means.
Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that said metallic support base (5) is smooth.
Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that said metallic support base (5) is equipped with grooves and/or edges to prevent said fixing element (9) from sliding on said support base (5).
Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that said metallic support base (5) and said fixing element (9) are both equipped with an edge with a respective opening (14, 16) for passing therein a rod (18) for supporting curtains.
Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that said magnetic means (11, 12) of said fixing element (9) are composed of a magnet (11) that extends for part of the abutment surface of said fixing element (9).
Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that said magnetic means (11, 12) of said fixing element (9) are composed of a magnet (12) that substantially extends for the whole abutment surface of said fixing element (9).
Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that said objects (3) are sheets, pointers, signs, photographs, drawings, curtains, pictures, waste baskets, organizer means, containers and cellular phone holders.
Device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that said surfaces are glass, plastics, wood, metal, aluminium, bricks, tiles, walls, ceilings and floors.