MOUNTING APPARATUS
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mounting apparatus and system and method for making the same are provided. The mounting apparatus allows an object to be mounted to a mounting surface via magnetic attractions between different planes of engagement. Through the movement of planes of magnets, an object that is brought in proximity to the mounting apparatus may engage one of the magnetic planes and then be moved further to engage the other magnetic plane, with the combined magnetic force being configured to support the particular object for which the mounting apparatus is designed. The engagement and/or disengagement of the object from the mounting apparatus can thus occur in stages and/or in a tiered manner.
61 Citations
163 Claims
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1-143. -143. (canceled)
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144. An apparatus for mounting an object to a mounting surface comprising:
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an intermediate surface configured to respond to magnetism; and an engagement member disposed relative to the intermediate surface along a line of engagement, wherein the engagement member is configured to respond to magnetism, and wherein at least one of the engagement member or the intermediate surface is configured to be moved between an extended state and a retracted state, wherein, in the retracted state, the at least one of the engagement member or the intermediate surface that is movable is biased away from an object to be mounted, wherein, in the extended state, the at least one of the engagement member or the intermediate surface that is movable is biased toward the object to be mounted, and wherein proximity of the object to the engagement member produces an attraction force between the object and the engagement member that causes engagement of the object with the engagement member, and proximity of the object to the intermediate surface produces an attraction force between the object and the intermediate surface that causes engagement of the object with the intermediate surface, such that the apparatus is configured to engage the object to be mounted in stages via the respective engagement forces; and wherein the respective attraction forces associated with the engagement member and the intermediate surface cooperate to engage the object and produce a total engagement force for mounting the object to the mounting surface. - View Dependent Claims (145, 146, 147)
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148. A method of mounting an object to a mounting surface, comprising:
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supporting a first mounting magnet in a first plane; supporting a second mounting magnet in a second plane; allowing at least one of the mounting magnets to move independently of the other mounting magnet along a line of engagement that intersects the first and second planes; limiting movement of the at least one of the mounting magnets that is movable between a respective outer limit position and a respective base limit position; configuring the mounting magnets to cooperate to engage an object to be mounted to produce a total engagement force; and configuring the respective outer limit position of the at least one of the mounting magnets that is movable such that a disengaging force that is less than the total engagement force and that is applied to a mounted object overcomes the total engagement force in stages by successively overcoming the respective engagement forces associated with the first and second mounting magnets to disengage the object. - View Dependent Claims (149, 150, 151, 152)
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153. A system for mounting an object to a mounting surface comprising:
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a mounting apparatus comprising; an intermediate surface configured to respond to magnetism, the intermediate surface defining a first plane; and an engagement member configured to respond to magnetism, the engagement member defining a second plane and being configured to move along a line of engagement that intersects the first plane; and an object interface configured to be attached to an object to be mounted and to the mounting apparatus, the object interface comprising; a central object surface configured to respond to magnetism and configured to agree with at least one of the engagement member or the intermediate surface, the central object surface defining a third plane; wherein at least one of the engagement member or the intermediate surface of the mounting apparatus is configured to move between a respective outer limit position and a respective base limit position, wherein, when the at least one of the engagement member or the intermediate surface that is movable is in the respective outer limit position, a distance between the first and second planes defines an apparatus engagement depth, and wherein the mounting apparatus is configured to engage the object interface via respective engagement forces associated with the engagement member and the intermediate surface such that an overall engagement force increases by degrees until a total engagement force is produced for mounting the object to the mounting surface. - View Dependent Claims (154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163)
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Specification