Magnetically secured display apparatus

• US 4,287,676 A
• Filed: 05/22/1978
• Issued: 09/08/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert S. Weinhaus
• Original Assignee: Robert S. Weinhaus
• Inventors: Weinhaus, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancene, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Contreras, Wenceslao J.
• Application Number:
  US05/908,396
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 40/158, 40/152.1, 40/600, 40/621, 248/201 A, 235/285, 235/303
• US Class Current: 40/661.01
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2007/1852 for fastening magnetically or by suction or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 7/18 Means for attaching signs, plates, panels, or boards to a supporting structure

Abstract

Display apparatus for magnetic securement to a smooth surface of a ferromagnetic or paramagnetic object comprises a support structure and a display surface carried by said support structure, the apparatus having a magnetic arrangement including a magnet carried by said support structure positioned for developing a force of magnetic attraction to said object with said display surface presented for display purposes. The apparatus includes a layer of elastomeric material associated with the magnet and adapted for being interposed between the magnet and the object surface with an area of the material maintained in contact with the surface by force of magnetic attraction. The material is selected from the group consisting of plasticized polyvinyl chloride, plasticized polyvinyl acetals, and vulcanizing silicone rubber. The area of such material in contact with the object surface develops high intrinsic lateral adherence to such surface for preventing the apparatus from moving laterally across the surface in response to high forces tending to laterally displace the apparatus. The apparatus, accordingly, makes synergistic use of both magnetic forces and peculiar characteristics of the elastomeric material to achieve unexpectedly high lateral adherence.

Claims

1. Display apparatus for magnetic securement to a ferromagnetic or paramagnetic object having a smooth surface in lateral displacement resistive relationship thereto, said apparatus comprising a support structure constituted by a sheet of self-supporting material, a display surface presented at the front face of said sheet, magnet means carried at a rear face of said sheet and positioned for developing a force of magnetic attraction to said object with said display surface presented for display purposes, said magnet means comprising a plurality of permanent magnets and means supporting said permanent magnets while permitting movement of said permanent magnets relative to said sheet to permit conformal adapsance and adherence of said permanent magnets to said smooth surface regardless of surface curvature or irregularity, said apparatus including a layer of elastomeric material associated with said magnet means and adapted for being interposed between said magnet means and said object surface with an area of said material maintained in contact with said surface by force of magnetic attraction of said magnet, said material being selected from the group consisting of plasticized polyvinyl chloride, plasticized polyvinyl acetals, and vulcanizing silicone rubber, said area of material magnetically maintained in contact with said object surface developing high intrinsic lateral adherence to said object surface for preventing said apparatus from moving laterally across said surface in response to high forces tending to laterally displace said apparatus.

2. Display apparatus according to claim 1 and further characterized by said magnet means having a face oriented toward said object surface, said area of material being at least as great as the area of said magnet face.

3. Display apparatus according to claim 2 and further characterized by said area of material magnetically maintained in contact with said object surface preventing said apparatus from being laterally displaced in resistance to lateral forces at least greater than about 1.3 times said force of magnetic attraction.

4. Display apparatus according to claim 2 and further characterized by said area of material magnetically maintained in contact with said object surface preventing said apparatus from being laterally displaced in resistance to lateral forces at least greater than about 2-8 times said force of magnetic attraction.

5. Display apparatus according to claim 1 and further characterized by each magnet being supported by at least one respective stem extending through said aperture, said stem permitting axial movement within the respective aperture.

6. Display apparatus for magnetic securement to a ferromagnetic or paramagnetic object having a smooth surface in lateral displacement resistive relationship thereto, said apparatus comprising a support structure constituted by a sheet of self-supporting material, a display surface presented at the front face of said sheet, magnetic means carred at a rear face of said sheet and positioned for developing a force of magnetic attraction to said object with said display surface presented for display purposes, said magnetic means comprising a plurality of permanent magnets and means supporting said permanent magnets while permitting movement of said permanent magnets relative to said sheet to permit conformal adapsance and adherence of said permanent magnets to said smooth surface regardless of surface curvature or irregularity, said apparatus including a layer of elastomeric material associated with said magnetic means and adapted for being interposed between said magnetic means, said sheet of self-supporting material comprising a plurality of apertures, said magnets being located within a corresponding aperture, each magnet being supported relative to said aperture by said elastomeric material, said elastomeric material layer having a face for contacting said surface and an opposite face, each magnet being secured to said opposite face, said layer having magnetized portions extending beyond the respective magnet and secured to said sheet, and said object surface with an area of said material maintained in contact with said surface by force of magnetic attraction of said magnet, said material being selected from the group consisting of plasticized polyvinyl chloride, plasticized polyvinyl acetals, and vulcanizing silicone rubber, said area of material magnetically maintained in contact with said object surface developing high intrinsic lateral adherence to said object surface for preventing said apparatus from moving laterally across said surface in response to high forces tending to laterally displace said apparatus.

7. Display apparatus according to claim 6 and further characterized by said marginal portions being secured to the rear face of said sheet.

8. Display apparatus according to claim 7 and further characterized by said elastomeric layer material lying in a plane parallel to and adjacent the rear face of said sheet, said elastomeric layer having portions extending in sheetwise directions outward from and beyond the periphery of the respective apertures.

9. Display apparatus according to claim 6 and further characterized by each said magnet having a metal shell surrounding portions of said magnet, said magnet being secured by means of said shell, said shell being of a ferromagnetic material for constituting a magnetic pole piece for said magnet, said magnet within said shell presenting a face for contacting said elastomeric material to maintain said area of said material in contact with said surface.

13. A display board according to claim 6 and further characterized by said securements being provided by areas of said marginal portions which are adhesively secured to said rear face.

14. A display board according to claim 6 and further characterized by a metal shell surrounding portions of each said magnet other than said magnet face, each said shell being fitted within one of said apertures for movement laterally within the respective aperture, each said shell providing a magnetic pole piece.

10. A display board for magnetic securement to the smooth surface of an object of ferromagnetic or paramagnetic material in lateral displacement resistive relationship thereto, said display board comprising a sheet of self-supporting material having a front face for display purposes and a rear face for placement adjacent said surface, a plurality of permanent magnets, a layer of elastomeric material associated with each said magnet and adapted for having areas thereof maintained in contact with said surface by said magnets, means for supporting each of said permanent magnets relative to said rear face to permit movement of each of said magnets relative to said sheet for conformal adaptance and adherence of each of said magnets to said smooth surface, said elastomeric material being selected from the group consisting of plasticized polyvinyl chloride, plasticized polyvinyl acetals, and vulcanizing silicone rubber, said areas of material magnetically maintained in contact with said object surface developing high intrinsic lateral adherence to said object surface for preventing said display board from moving laterally across said surface in response to high forces tending to laterally displace said display board regardless of curvature or irregularity of said smooth surface relative to said sheet.

11. A display board according to claim 10 and further characterized by said means for supporting said magnets comprising a metal shell providing a magnetic pole piece surrounding portions of each said magnet, said shells being carried by said sheet by securement means permitting movement of said shell relative to said sheet, each said magnet having a magnet face oriented toward said surface not covered by said shell, said magnet face having a layer of said elastomeric material secured adjacent thereto.

12. A display board according to claim 10 and further characterized by said sheet being provided with a plurality of apertures, said magnets being retained in respective ones of said apertures by said supporting means with each said magnet having a magnet face substantially coplanar with the rear face of said sheet, said elastomeric material being parallel to and adjacent said rear face.

15. A display board according to claim 10 and further characterized by means carried on said front face for supporting a pad of paper sheets or the like for presentment upon said front face.

16. A display board according to claim 15 and further characterized by a writing instrument and means affixing said writing instrument to said display board for writing upon said pad.

17. A display board according to claim 16 and further characterized by the last said means comprising a ligament interengaging said display board and said writing instrument.

18. A display board according to claim 17 and further characterized by said writing instrument having a cap, said cap being secured to said front face.

19. A display board according to claim 15 and further characterized by a clip for clipping loose leaves and the like, a magnet secured to said clip, means carried by said display board for providing a force of mutual magnet attraction to the last said magnet and a layer of elastomeric material secured to said magnet for being maintained in contact with said display board by said forces of mutual magnetic attraction, the last said layer being of an elastomeric material selected from the group consisting of plasticized polyvinyl chloride, plasticized polyvinyl acetals, and vulcanizing silicone rubber.

20. A display board according to claim 19 and further characterized by the last said means comprising a further magnet secured to said front face, and a further layer of an elastomeric material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, plasticized polyvinyl acetals, and vulcanizing silicone rubber, said force of mutual magnetic attraction maintaining the two last said layers in contact.

21. A display board according to claim 10 and further characterized by said plurality of permanent magnets comprising individual magnets each having a magnet face presented at the rear face of said sheet, said sheet having opposite side edges, there being at least two such individual magnets each located adjacent a respective one of said side edges and spaced inward therefrom so as to center said magnet face thereof at a distance inward from the respective side edge which is from about 11/2 to about 3 in. whereby thumb pressure exerted on the front face of said sheet while holding said side edges with fingers of one'"'"'s hands curled around the side edges will apply pressure to said magnet faces for fixing said display board to said surface.

22. A display board according to claim 21 and further characterized by said display board being of substantially rectangular shape having a top edge extending between said side edges to form upper corners, said two magnets each being spaced downward from said top edge so as to center each said magnet face below said top edge by a distance of from about 11/2 to about 4 in., whereby thumb pressure exerted on the front face of said sheet while holding said sheet with fingers of one'"'"'s hands curled around said upper corners will apply pressure to said magnet faces.

23. A display board according to claim 22 and further characterized by said two magnets each being located to center the magnet face thereof at a distance inward from the respective side edge of about 2 in.

24. A display board according to claim 22 and further characterized by said two magnets each being located to center the magnet face thereof at a distance below said top edge of about 21/2 in.

25. A display board for magnetic securement to the smooth surface of an object of ferromagnetic or paramagnetic material in lateral displacement resistive relationship thereto, said display board comprising a sheet of self-supporting material having a front face for display purposes and a rear face for placement adjacent said surface, a plurality of permanent magnets, a layer of elastomeric material associated with each said magnet and adapted for having areas thereof maintained in contact with said surface by said magnets, means for supporting each of said permanent magnets relative to said rear face to permit movement of each of said magnets relative to said sheet for conformal adaptance and adherence of each of said magnets to said smooth surface, said magnets each having a magnetic face secured to said elastomeric material for movement of said magnets within said apertures, said elastomeric material having marginal portions extending in sheet-wise directions beyond the periphery of said aperture, said supporting means being instituted by securements of said marginal portions to said rear face, said elastomeric material being selected from the group consisting of plasticized polyvinyl chloride, plasticized polyvinyl acetals, and vulcanizing silicone rubber, said areas of material magnetically maintained in contact with said object surface developing high intrinsic lateral adherence to said object surface for preventing said display board from moving laterally across said surface in response to high forces tending to laterally displace said display board regardless of curvature or irregularity of said smooth surface relative to said sheet.