Magnetic support structure for stably retaining a print medium or similar object in a desired position

• US 20040021052A1
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gideon Dagan
• Original Assignee: Gideon Dagan
• Inventors: Dagan, Gideon
• Granted Patent: US 6,866,237 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/441.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 1/14 Photograph stands
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 1/17 using adhesives, suction or magnetism A47G1/168 takes precedence; suction cups for attaching purposes, equivalent means using adhesives F16B47/00
• CPC Class Codes: B42F 15/066 for hanging a single drawing, e.g. with self-locking means
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 1/10 Supports or holders for show-cards

Abstract

A plurality of individual magnetically-responsive leg-defining bodies are magnetically coupled together through a printed medium such as a photograph, note or other generally similarly shaped object to stably support the medium in a viewed position.

Claims

1. A support assembly for stably retaining a print medium in position on a generally horizontal surface, and comprising at least one pair of magnetically couplable support elements sized and shaped for magnetic coupling to each other through the print medium so that the elements are supported by the generally horizontal surface and provide a supportive base thereon for the print medium.

2. The support assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one support element of each pair is generally hollow and includes an internal magnet.

3. The support assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the support element pair is formed from a shell of magnetically non-responsive material, and has an internal magnet.

4. The support assembly of claim 3 wherein said at least one support element consists of a pair of mating body parts that generally sealingly a but a long respective faces to form a generally hollow element.

5. The support assembly of claim 4 wherein each of the mating body parts has an open-ended, generally cylindrical wall extending inwardly from the inside wall of the body part towards and beyond the plane of the face, and wherein the respective dimensions of the walls are such that the inwardly extending wall of one of the body parts forms a generally enclosed space within the support element in cooperation with the wall of the other body part when the two body parts are brought into said abutting position.

6. The support assembly of claim 5 wherein the internal magnet is captured within the generally enclosed space.

7. The support assembly of claim 6 wherein the captured magnet is freely movable in one dimension.

8. The support assembly of claim 3 wherein the magnetic is affixed to the interior of the support element.

9. A method for stably supporting a print medium in position on a generally horizontal surface comprising the steps of:

placing at least one pair of magnetically couplable support elements on a generally horizontal surface,

placing the print medium between the support members, and

magnetically coupling the support members together through the print medium so that the elements provide a supportive base for the print medium.