Magnetically attachable and detachable panel system

• US 7,843,295 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• 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, Richards, James Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrera, Ramon M
• Application Number:
  US12/478,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20090250574A1
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 335/285, 335302-306, 243/03, 310/80, 310/90.5, 310/103, 310/308, 310/309
• US Class Current: 335/306
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 7/04 the elements being secured or adapted to be secured by magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0263 Closures, bags, bands, engagement devices with male and female parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/32 having magnetic fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4998 Combined manufacture including applying or shaping of fluent material

Abstract

A panel having a magnetic mounting that utilizes a plurality of magnets in a magnet structure that allows high magnetic force when the panel is installed and the magnet structure is aligned while permitting removal using relatively light force applied to misalign the magnet structure to allow removal. In one embodiment, the magnet structure can provide precision positioning of the panel to a position on the order of the width of a single component magnet of the magnet structure. In another embodiment, the magnet structure may be misaligned for removal by a rotation of the magnet structure. In a further embodiment, the misalignment may be achieved by a lateral shift of the magnet structure. The invention may be adapted to a wide variety of panels including but not limited to doors, window coverings, storm coverings, seasonal covering panels, baby gates, white boards, and green house panels.

Claims

1. A detachable panel system comprising:

a panel to be attached to a support;

a first magnet structure attached to said panel, said first magnet structure comprising a plurality of magnetic field components, said plurality of magnetic field components arranged according to a first pattern; and

a complementary magnet structure attached to said support, said complementary magnet structure comprising a plurality of magnetic field components arranged according to a complementary pattern complementary to said first magnet structure;

said first pattern based on a variable code having an autocorrelation function with a single maximum peak per code modulo;

said first magnet structure and said complementary magnet structure having an operational range of relative position;

wherein magnetic force between said first magnet structure and said complementary magnet structure as a function of position within said operational range corresponds to said autocorrelation function;

said autocorrelation function having a plurality of positions corresponding to said operational range wherein the greatest off maximum peak autocorrelation magnitude is less than half of the single maximum peak;

said first magnet structure and said complementary magnet structure providing attachment of said panel to said support through magnetic attraction of said first magnet structure to said complementary magnet structure, said first magnet structure having an alignment configuration relative to said complementary magnet structure, said alignment configuration having a maximum magnetic attraction to said complementary magnet structure corresponding to said single maximum peak autocorrelation, said first magnet structure having a release configuration relative to said complementary magnet structure, said release configuration realized by movement of said first magnet structure from said alignment configuration to said release configuration in accordance with a degree of freedom between said first magnet structure and said complementary magnet structure, said movement less than a full width of said first magnet structure.

2. The detachable panel system recited in claim 1, wherein the degree of freedom includes lateral motion and the movement is a lateral width of a component magnet of said first magnet structure.

3. The detachable panel system recited in claim 1, wherein the degree of freedom includes rotational motion and the movement is a rotational angular width of a component magnet of said first magnet structure.

4. The detachable panel system recited in claim 1, wherein said movement from said alignment configuration is in constant proximity to said complementary magnet structure across an interface boundary between said first magnet structure and said complementary magnet structure.

5. A detachable panel system comprising:

a panel to be attached to a support;

a first magnet structure attached to said panel, said first magnet structure comprising a first plurality of magnetic field components, said first plurality of magnetic field components arranged according to a first pattern; and

a complementary magnet structure attached to said support, said complementary magnet structure comprising a plurality of complementary magnetic field components arranged according to a complementary pattern, said first magnet structure providing attachment to said complementary magnet structure through magnetic attraction between said first magnet structure and said complementary magnet structure when a first interface surface of said first magnet structure is in proximity to a complementary interface surface of said complementary magnet structure, said first magnet structure and said complementary magnet structure providing a unique attachment alignment region of relative position between said first interface surface and said complementary interface surface, said region being less than a dimension of said first interface surface;

wherein said first pattern is based on a random or pseudorandom code;

wherein a spacing from each magnetic field component to another magnetic field component of said first plurality of magnetic field components is determined according to said random or pseudorandom code.

6. The detachable panel system according to claim 5, wherein said unique attachment alignment region has a half strength width equal or less than a half strength width of a single magnetic field component of said first magnet structure, and said unique attachment alignment region has a maximum strength at least double the strength of any other alignment of said first magnet structure and said complementary magnet structure.

7. The detachable panel system according to claim 5, wherein a polarity of each magnetic field component of said first plurality of magnetic field components is determined according to said random or pseudorandom code.

8. A detachable panel system comprising:

a panel to be attached to a support;

a first magnet structure attached to said panel, said first magnet structure comprising a first plurality of magnetic field components, said first plurality of magnetic field components arranged according to a first pattern, said first pattern being a random or pseudorandom pattern; and

a complementary magnet structure attached to said support, said complementary magnet structure comprising a second plurality of magnetic field components arranged according to a complementary pattern, said first magnet structure and said complementary magnet structure providing an attachment configuration and a release configuration, said release configuration realized by movement of said first magnet structure or said complementary magnet structure from said attachment configuration to said release configuration;

wherein said pseudorandom pattern comprises at least one of the group;

a Barker code, an LFSR code, a Kasami code, a Gold code, Golomb ruler code, and a Costas array.

9. The detachable panel system of claim 8, wherein said movement is based on a spacing between two magnetic field components of said first plurality of magnetic field components.

10. The detachable panel system of claim 8, wherein said movement comprises a lateral movement of said panel.

11. The detachable panel system of claim 8, wherein said movement comprises a rotational movement between said first magnet structure and said complementary magnet structure.

12. The detachable panel system of claim 11, wherein said rotational movement is about an axis of symmetry of an interface boundary between said first magnet structure and said complementary magnet structure.

13. The detachable panel system of claim 11, wherein said rotational movement is about an axis perpendicular to an interface plane between said first magnet structure and said complementary magnet structure.

14. The detachable panel system of claim 8, further including a mechanical limit limiting lateral motion between said first magnet structure and said complementary magnet structure and allowing rotational motion of one of said first magnet structure and said complementary magnet structure relative to the other of said first magnet structure and said complementary magnet structure.

15. The detachable panel system of claim 8, wherein said release configuration imparts an attracting force to said panel less than one quarter of the attracting force of said attachment configuration.

16. The detachable panel system of claim 8, wherein said release configuration imparts a repelling force to said panel.

17. The detachable panel system of claim 8, further including a mechanical limit to a movement between said first magnet structure and said complementary magnet structure, said mechanical limit providing partial support for said panel to enable support of a heavier panel than would be supported without said mechanical limit.

18. The detachable panel system of claim 8, wherein said first plurality of magnetic field components comprises at least two said components magnetized in a single contiguous piece of magnet material.

19. The detachable panel system of claim 8, further including a second magnet structure attached to said panel, said second magnet structure comprising a second plurality of magnetic field components, said second plurality of magnetic field components arranged according to a second pattern, said second magnet structure offering a different magnetic force than said first magnet structure when mechanically aligned with said complementary magnet structure.

20. The detachable panel system of claim 19, wherein said second magnet structure does not offer greater attraction than half of the attraction of said first magnet structure when aligned with said complementary magnet structure, for favoring a particular orientation of said panel.