Magnetic Organizer

• US 20090266951A1
• Filed: 04/24/2008
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Penn United Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Penn United Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Lasher, Thomas W., Shreckengost, James A., Spiering, Mark J., Muir, Matthew F., Roth, Donald B., Noah, Mark P., Phillips, Charles M. SR.
• Application Number:
  US12/109,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20090266951A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/206.500
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0807 Display panels, grids or rods used for suspending merchandise or cards supporting articles; Movable brackets therefor with fixed brackets A47F5/0876; packages comprising articles attached to cards B65D73/00; labels G09F

Abstract

A magnetic organizer is provided that includes cooperative magnetic members, one generally planar member and one support assembly having a magnetic member, and including one or more horizontally-extending protuberances on the generally planar member. The protuberances create a non-vertical surface that at least some portion of the support assemblies may catch upon, thereby preventing downward sliding.

Claims

1. A magnetic organizer comprising:

a generally planar magnetic member having an attachment surface, said attachment surface having at least one protuberance thereon;

said generally planar magnetic member extending in a generally vertical plane;

at least one support assembly having a base and a support arm extending therefrom, said base having a magnetic member therein, said support arm structured to support a mass;

said generally planar magnetic member and said support assembly base magnetic member being cooperative magnetic members; and

said at least one protuberance being structured to resist motion between said at least one support assembly and said generally planar magnetic member when said at least one support assembly is coupled to said generally planar magnetic member with said cooperative magnetic members engaging each other, and when said support assembly is supporting a mass, said mass being sufficient to overcome the starting friction between said at least one support assembly and said generally planar magnetic member.

2. The magnetic organizer of claim 1 wherein:

said at least one protuberance includes an upper face;

said support assembly base has at least one protuberance interface, said at least one protuberance interface structured to engage the at least one protuberance; and

wherein, when said at least one support assembly engages said protuberance, substantially the entire length of said protuberance interface engages said protuberance upper face.

3. The magnetic organizer of claim 1 wherein:

said generally planar magnetic member being a sheet of material, said sheet having deformations therein, said deformations forming said attachment surface at least one protuberance.

4. The magnetic organizer of claim 3 wherein:

said deformation is a ridge extending generally horizontally across said generally planar magnetic member attachment surface;

said ridge having an angled upper face extending at an angle relative to the plane of said generally planar magnetic member;

said support assembly base has at least one protuberance interface, said at least one protuberance interface structured to engage said ridge; and

wherein, when said at least one support assembly engages said ridge, substantially the entire length of said protuberance interface engages said ridge upper face.

5. The magnetic organizer of claim 3 wherein:

said deformation is a ridge extending generally horizontally across said generally planar magnetic member attachment surface; and

said ridge having a horizontal upper face extending generally perpendicularly to the plane of said generally planar magnetic member.

6. The magnetic organizer of claim 3 wherein:

said deformation is a lip, having an associated cutout extending generally horizontally, projecting from said attachment surface.

7. The magnetic organizer of claim 6 wherein:

said lip is a lower lip disposed below said cutout;

said lower lip extending outwardly at an angle between about 10 degrees from vertical and about 90 degrees from vertical;

said at least one support assembly base includes an attachment surface;

said at least one support assembly base attachment surface structured to engage said generally planar magnetic member attachment surface and having a generally horizontal notch extending thereacross; and

said at least one support assembly base attachment surface notch structured to engage said lower lip in a tongue-and-groove manner.

8. The magnetic organizer of claim 6 wherein:

said lip is an upper lip disposed above said cutout; and

said upper lip having an outwardly extending portion and a downwardly extending vertical portion, said upper lip forming a pocket.

9. The magnetic organizer of claim 1 wherein:

said generally planar magnetic member includes a generally flat sheet of material; and

said at least one protuberance being at least one separate elongated member coupled to said generally flat sheet of material.

10. The magnetic organizer of claim 9 wherein:

said generally planar magnetic member includes a generally flat sheet of material;

said at least one separate elongated member being at least one elongated magnetic member having an attachment surface;

said generally planar magnetic member and said at least one elongated magnetic member being cooperative magnetic members; and

said at least one elongated magnetic member attachment surface magnetically coupled to said generally planar magnetic member attachment surface.

11. The magnetic organizer of claim 10 wherein:

said at least one elongated magnetic member includes an outwardly projecting, horizontally extending lip.

12. The magnetic organizer of claim 11 wherein:

said lower lip extending outwardly at an angle between about 10 degrees from vertical and about 90 degrees from vertical;

said at least one support assembly base includes an attachment surface;

said at least one support assembly base attachment surface structured to engage said generally planar magnetic member attachment surface and having a generally horizontal notch extending thereacross; and

said at least one support assembly base attachment surface notch structured to engage said lower lip in a tongue-and-groove manner.

13. The magnetic organizer of claim 11 wherein said lip is an upper lip having an outwardly extending portion and a downwardly extending vertical portion, said upper lip forming a pocket.

14. The magnetic organizer of claim 1 wherein:

said generally planar magnetic member is a channel magnetic member, said channel magnetic member having a body with an elongated generally planar base portion, a first, upper depending sidewall extending generally perpendicularly to said base portion, a second, lower depending sidewall extending generally perpendicularly to said base portion, and one overhanging lip, said overhanging lip extending downwardly from said first, upper depending sidewall, whereby said elongated magnetic channel body defines a channel;

said support assembly base being sized to be disposed between said first, upper depending sidewall and said second, lower depending sidewall with said support assembly base extending substantially between said first, upper depending sidewall and said second, lower depending sidewall; and

whereby when said support assembly is disposed in said channel magnetic member, said support assembly is captured by said channel magnetic member body.

15. The magnetic organizer of claim 1 wherein:

said generally planar magnetic member is a magnet; and

said at least one support assembly base magnetic member is a sheet of ferrous material.

16. The magnetic organizer of claim 1 wherein:

said generally planar magnetic member is a sheet of ferrous material; and

said at least one support assembly base magnetic member is a magnet.

17. The magnetic organizer of claim 1 wherein:

said at least one protuberance is selected from the group including;

a deformation in said sheet of ferrous material and an elongated magnetic member having an attachment surface.

18. A support assembly for a magnetic organizer, said generally planar magnetic member extending in a generally vertical plane, said generally planar magnetic member having an attachment surface, said attachment surface having at least one protuberance thereon, said at least one protuberance extending generally horizontally on said generally planar magnetic member, said at least one protuberance having an upper face, said support assembly comprising:

a base and a support arm extending therefrom, said base having a magnetic member therein, said support arm structured to support a mass;

said support assembly base magnetic member being cooperative with said generally planar magnetic member;

said support assembly base having at least one protuberance interface, said at least one protuberance interface structured to engage said at least one protuberance.

19. The support assembly for a magnetic organizer of claim 18 wherein, said protuberance upper face is angled downwardly and wherein:

said at least one protuberance interface is the lower face of said base, said protuberance interface angled to correspond to said angle of said protuberance upper face.

20. The support assembly for a magnetic organizer of claim 18 wherein:

said support assembly base has an attachment surface structured to engage said generally planar magnetic member attachment surface; and

said protuberance interface is a generally horizontal notch extending across said support assembly base attachment surface.