Correlated magnetic container and method for using the correlated magnetic container

• US 7,817,005 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Correlated Magnetics Research, LLC
• Original Assignee: Cedar Ridge Research LLC
• Inventors: Fullerton, Larry W., Roberts, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrera, Ramon M
• Application Number:
  US12/495,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20090261093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 335/285, 335302-306, 243/03, 2102-103, 231/2, 231/5, 231/9, 232/1, 232/2, 233/8, 242/2, 246/2, 291/3, 220/230, 220/612
• US Class Current: 335/306
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/021 comprising a number of connected storage elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 11/1873 all walls are detached from each other to collapse the container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0209 stackable or joined together one-upon-the-other in the upright or upside-down position B65D21/0234, B65D21/0235 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2313/04 of magnetic type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/20 External fittings of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/44
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/28 Handles of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/46; of bottles or jars B65D23/10 ; holders for glasses, bottles, cartons, plastic bags, cans A47G23/02
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 7/30 Fastening devices for holding collapsible containers in erected state, e.g. integral with container walls
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 9/22 Fastening devices for holding collapsible containers in erected state, e.g. integral with container walls
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 17/46 Means for holding or retaining the loads in fixed position on the load-carriers, e.g. magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49895 Associating parts by use of aligning means [e.g., use of a drift pin or a "fixture"]

Abstract

A correlated magnetic container and method are described herein that use correlated magnets to enable a container having at least two sections to be assembled, disassembled or releasably secured to an external object. Some examples of the two sections of the container that can be assembled and disassembled utilizing the correlated magnets include a wall panel, top panel, side panel, bottom panel, door panel, a handle, a tool, a belt, a frame member or locking member.

Claims

1. A container, comprising:

a first section, said first section including a first field emission structure;

a second section, said second section including a second field emission structure where said second section is releasably secured to said first section when said first and said second field emission structures are located proximate to one another and have a certain alignment with respect to one another, and where each of said first and second field emission structures include an array of field emission sources each having positions and polarities relating to a desired spatial force function that corresponds to a relative alignment of said first and second field emission structures within a field domain, said spatial force function being in accordance with a code, said code corresponding to a code modulo of said first plurality of field emission sources and a complementary code modulo of said second plurality of field emission sources, said code defining a peak spatial force corresponding to substantial alignment of said code modulo of said first plurality of field emission sources with said complementary code modulo of said second plurality of field emission sources, said code also defining a plurality of off peak spatial forces corresponding to a plurality of different misalignments of said code modulo of said first plurality of field emission sources and said complementary code modulo of said second plurality of field emission sources, said plurality of off peak spatial forces having a largest off peak spatial force, said largest off peak spatial force being less than half of said peak spatial force.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein said second section is released from said first section when said first and said second field emission structures are changed from said certain alignment with respect to one another.

3. The container of claim 2, and further including a release mechanism that turns said second field emission structure with respect to said first field emission structure so as to facilitate the release and attachment of said first section from said second section.

4. The container of claim 3, wherein each of said first section and said second section are at least one of a wall panel, top panel, side panel, bottom panel, door panel, a handle, a tool, a belt, a frame member and locking member.

5. The container of claim 1, wherein said first field emission structure and said second field emission structure releasably secure said first and second sections in a particular orientation with respect to one another.

6. The container of claim 3, wherein said first section includes a plurality of said first field emission structures and said second section includes a plurality of said second field emission structures, where each of said plurality of first emission structures are operable to engage each of said plurality of second emission structures.

7. The container of claim 3, and further including a third field emission structure operable to connect to a fourth field emission structure integrated with an external object to facilitate the connection of the said container to the object.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein said positions and said polarities of each field emission source of each said array of field emission sources are determined in accordance with at least one correlation function.

9. The container of claim 8, wherein said at least one correlation function is in accordance with at least one code.

10. The container of claim 9, wherein said at least one code is at least one of a pseudorandom code, a deterministic code, or a designed code.

11. The container of claim 9, wherein said at least one code is one of a one dimensional code, a two dimensional code, a three dimensional code, and a four dimensional code.

12. The container of claim 1, wherein each field emission source of each said array of field emission sources has a corresponding field emission amplitude and vector direction determined in accordance with the desired spatial force function, wherein a separation distance between the first and second field emission structures and the relative alignment of the first and second field emission structures creates a spatial force in accordance with the desired spatial force function.

13. The container of claim 12, wherein said spatial force comprises at least one of an attractive spatial force or a repellant spatial force.

14. The container of claim 12, wherein said spatial force corresponds to a peak spatial force of said desired spatial force function when said first and second field emission structures are substantially aligned such that each field emission source of said first field emission structure substantially aligns with a corresponding field emission source of said second field emission structure.

15. The container of claim 1, wherein said field domain corresponds to first field emissions from said array of first field emission sources of said first field emission structure interacting with second field emissions from said array of second field emission sources of said second field emission structure.

16. The container of claim 1, wherein said polarities of the field emission sources comprise at least one of North-South polarities or positive-negative polarities.

17. The container of claim 1, wherein at least one of said field emission sources comprises a magnetic field emission source or an electric field emission source.

18. The container of claim 1, wherein at least one of said field emission sources comprises a permanent magnet, an electromagnet, an electret, a magnetized ferromagnetic material, a portion of a magnetized ferromagnetic material, a soft magnetic material, or a superconductive magnetic material.

19. A method for assembling a first section of a container to a section of the container, said method comprising the steps of:

attaching a first emission structure to the first section of the container;

attaching a second emission structure to the second section of the container; and

aligning the first and second field emission structures so the first section of the container attaches to the second section of the container when the first and second field emission structures are located next to one another and have a certain alignment with respect to one another, where each of the first and second field emission structures include field emission sources each having positions and polarities relating to a desired spatial force function that corresponds to a relative alignment of the first and second field emission structures within a field domain, said spatial force function being in accordance with a code, said code corresponding to a code modulo of said first plurality of field emission sources and a complementary code modulo of said second plurality of field emission sources, said code defining a peak spatial force corresponding to substantial alignment of said code modulo of said first plurality of field emission sources with said complementary code modulo of said second plurality of field emission sources, said code also defining a plurality of off peak spatial forces corresponding to a plurality of different misalignments of said code modulo of said first plurality of field emission sources and said complementary code modulo of said second plurality of field emission sources, said plurality of off peak spatial forces having a largest off peak spatial force, said largest off peak spatial force being less than half of said peak spatial force.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of releasing said first section from said second section.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said step of releasing said section from said second section further includes rotating the first and second field emission structures with respect to one another.

22. The method of claim 19, said first section is a selected from one of the following:

wall panel, top panel, side panel, bottom panel, door panel, a handle, a tool, a belt, a frame member or locking member.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the second section is selected from one of the following:

wall panel, top panel, side panel, bottom panel, door panel, a handle, a tool, a belt, a frame member or locking member.