Detachable interconnecting arrangement

• US 5,048,704 A
• Filed: 10/20/1988
• Issued: 09/17/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kawada Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Kawada Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Takahashi, Tokuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberleitner, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Mark T.
• Application Number:
  US07/260,464
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 213/75 D, 213/75 TC, 213/75 R, 446/137, 446/138, 446/139
• US Class Current: 213/75.00D
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/264 Coupling mechanisms for model railway vehicles A63H19/18
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 19/18 Car coupling or uncoupling mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0263 Closures, bags, bands, engagement devices with male and female parts

Abstract

A detachably coupling device for a detachably coupling two bodies. The detachable coupling device on each of the bodies comprises a magnet movably mounted on the body and having a north pole and a south pole. The strength of the magnetic field existing between the magnets on the first body the second body may be selected to allow, preferably, manual detachable coupling of the two bodies. As the two bodies are placed closer together until the magnets are contiguous, the movement of the magnets will cause the magnets under the influence of the magnetic field to move until the north pole of one magnet is contiguous the south pole of the other magnet thereby coupling the two bodies together.

Claims

1. A detachable interconnection arrangement comprising, in combination:

a first body means;

a second body means for detachable coupling to said first body means, and each of said first body means and said second body means having at least one coupling end for positioning adjacent a coupling end of the other body means;

first movable detachable coupling means movably mounted on said first body means at said coupling end thereof, and said first detachable coupling means comprising;

first coupling support means on said first body means;

bracket means movably mounted on said first coupling support means for at least limited movement in a first predetermined number of directions, and having an outer portion at said coupling end of said body means;

first cylindrical magnet means rotatably mounted for rotational movement on said bracket means at said outer portion thereof for rotation about a first magnet axis, and said first magnet means having a north pole and south pole alternatively positionable outwardly disposed from said coupling end of said first body means;

second movable detachable coupling means movably mounted on said second body means at said coupling end thereof, and said second detachable coupling means comprising;

second coupling support means on said second body means;

second bracket means movably mounted on said second coupling support means for at least limited movement in a second predetermined number of directions, and having an outer portion at said coupling end of said second body means;

second cylindrical magnet means rotatably mounted for rotational movement on said second bracket means at said outer portion thereof for rotation about a second magnet axis, said second cylindrical magnet means having a north pole and south pole alternatively positionable outwardly disposed from said coupling end of said second body means;

said second cylindrical magnet means positionable contiguous said first magnet means and defining a magnetic field therebetween having a predetermined strength for detachable tangential coupling of said first magnet means to said second magnet means to thereby detachably couple said first body means to said second body means;

said first and said second coupling support means each comprising a post means having a first preselected diameter and a preselected axis;

said first and said second bracket means each have;

an inner portion spaced from said outer portion thereof, and each of said inner portions having;

walls defining an aperture having a second preselected diameter larger than said first preselected diameter of said post means;

said first coupling support means positioned in said aperture in said first bracket means, and said second coupling support means positioned in said aperture in said second bracket means;

an axle means on said outer portion of each of said first and said second bracket means; and

each of said first and said second cylindrical magnet means is tubular and mounted on said axle means of said first bracket means and said second bracket means, respectively, and each of said first and second cylindrical magnet means further comprising surface walls defining an outer surface and interior walls defining an axial aperture, and said axle means of said first bracket means positioned in said axial aperture of said first magnet means and said axle means of said second bracket means positioned in said axial aperture of said second magnet means.

2. The arrangement defined in claim 1 wherein:

said moveable mounting of said first bracket means on said first coupling support means is limited pivotal movement in a first plane; and

said first predetermined number of directions is two opposed directions in said first plane.

3. The arrangement defined in claim 1 wherein:

said moveable mounting of said first bracket means on said first coupling support means is limited pivotal movement in a first plane and limited reciprocal movement towards and away from said first plane;

said first predetermined number of directions is four comprising two opposed directions of said limited pivotal movement in said first plane and two opposed reciprocal directions towards and away from said first plane.

4. The arrangement defined in claim 1 wherein:

said moveable mounting of said first bracket means on said first coupling support means is limited pivotal movement in a first plane, limited reciprocal movement towards and away from said first plane, and limited pivoting movement about any axis substantially perpendicular to said reciprocal directions; and

said first predetermined number of directions is six comprising said two opposed directions of pivotal movement in said first plane, said two opposed reciprocal directions towards and away from said first plane and said two opposed directions of limited pivoting movement about said axis.

5. The arrangement defined in claims 2, 3 or 4 wherein:

said first magnet axis is positionable in said first plane.

6. The arrangement defined in claim 1 wherein:

said first magnetic axis and said second magnetic axis are positionable parallel to each other.

7. The arrangement defined in claim 1 wherein:

said preselected strength of said magnetic field defined between said first magnet means and said magnet means is selected to allow manual detaching said first body means from said second body means.