Magnet hook

Abstract

An attachment assembly has a hook component and a bracket component to which the hook component is removably attached. The hook component has a base body, a hook element attached to the base body, an attachment device for attaching an item to the hook component, and a first magnet connected to the hook element. The bracket component has a base surface, a front surface, and a hook-supporting strut between the base surface and the front surface. The bracket component has a second magnet connected to the base surface. Inserting the hook element in a space between the base surface and the front surface causes the magnets to attract each other and force the hook element through the space to rest on the hook-supporting strut.

Claims

1. An attachment assembly comprising: a hook component having a base body, a hook element attached to the base body, an attachment device for attaching an item to the hook component, and a first magnet connected to the hook element, and a bracket component having a base surface, a front surface, and a hook-supporting strut between the base surface and the front surface, the bracket component having a second magnet connected to the base surface, wherein inserting the hook element in a space between the base surface and the front surface causes the magnets to attract each other and force the hook element through the space to rest on the hook-supporting strut, wherein the hook element has a curved end portion that grips an edge of the hook-supporting strut when the hook component is secured to the bracket component, wherein the base body has an opening in a central portion thereof and wherein the attachment device comprises a strap retaining bar extending across the opening.

2. The attachment assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first magnet is embedded in the hook element and the second magnet is embedded in the base surface.

3. The attachment assembly according to claim 1, wherein the hook element has a curved outer edge.

4. The attachment assembly according to claim 1, wherein the magnets overlap each other and are offset from each other when the hook component is attached to the bracket component, so that force from magnetic attraction continuously forces the hook element through the space.

5. The attachment assembly according to claim 1, wherein the magnets are attached to the components by force fit or glue.

6. An attachment assembly comprising: a hook component having a base body, a hook element attached to the base body, an attachment device for attaching an item to the hook component, and a first magnet connected to the hook element, and a bracket component having a base surface, a front surface, and a hook-supporting strut between the base surface and the front surface, the bracket component having a second magnet connected to the base surface, wherein inserting the hook element in a space between the base surface and the front surface causes the magnets to attract each other and force the hook element through the space to rest on the hook-supporting strut, and wherein the bracket component has at least one locking flange extending away from the base surface in a direction opposite to the hook-supporting strut, the locking flange comprising a leg and a locking plate, the locking plate having a width and length that is greater than a width and length of the leg, and further comprising a back plate having a top surface and a supporting rim, and at least one opening in the top surface, said at least one opening having a first portion with a length at least as large as the length of the locking plate, and a second portion with a length at least as large as the length of the leg but smaller than the length of the locking plate, such that the bracket component is adapted to be locked to the back plate by placing the locking plate through the first portion of the opening and sliding the bracket component until the locking flange extends through the second portion.

7. The attachment assembly according to claim 6, wherein the back plate further comprises a spring mounted underneath the at least one opening, wherein the spring yields to pressure by the locking plate when the bracket component is inserted into the at least one opening, and returns to a rest position and abuts the locking plate when the locking flange is moved to the second portion of the opening, to prevent sliding of the bracket component into the first portion of the opening where the bracket component can be unlocked.

8. The attachment assembly according to claim 6, wherein one of the bracket component and the back plate has a plurality of protrusions thereon, to grip the bracket component or back plate when the bracket component is locked to the back plate.

9. The attachment assembly according to claim 6, wherein there are two locking legs and locking plates, and further comprising a second opening in the back plate.

10. The attachment assembly according to claim 9, wherein the second opening extends to an edge of the back plate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.

(2) In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views:

(3) FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of the components of the attachment system according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the bottom of the hook component according to the invention;

(5) FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of the hook component;

(6) FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view along lines A-A of FIG. 3;

(7) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the bracket component according to the invention;

(8) FIG. 6 shows a rear view of the bracket component;

(9) FIG. 7 shows a side cross-sectional view along lines A-A of FIG. 6;

(10) FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the components of the invention as assembled;

(11) FIG. 9 shows a rear view of the assembly;

(12) FIG. 10 shows a side-cross-sectional view along lines A-A of FIG. 9; and

(13) FIG. 11 shows a cross-sectional view along lines B-B of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(14) Referring now in detail to the drawings and, in particular, FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of the attachment assembly 10 according to the invention. Attachment assembly 10 comprises a hook component 20, a bracket component 30 and a back plate 40. Hook component 20 has a base body 21 and a hook element 22. Extending across base body 21 and spanning an aperture 24 is a strap retaining bar 23 for retaining a strap that is wrapped around bar 23 and secured, either by a sliding buckle or by sewing.

(15) Embedded in hook element 22 is a magnet 25. Magnet 25 can be secured by snap fit or by adhesive. The end of hook element 22 is curved downward to help secure hook element 22 on bracket component 30, such as shown in FIGS. 5-7. Bracket component 30 has a base surface 31, a front surface 32, and a hook-supporting strut 33 between the base surface 31 and the front surface 32. The structure of the base and front surfaces and the strut 33 forms a channel 34 for receiving the hook element 22. There is a second magnet 35 connected to the base surface 31. Second magnet 35 can be embedded in base surface 31 and secured there by snap fit, adhesive or any other suitable way.

(16) The bracket component 30 has two locking flanges 36 extending away from the base surface 31 in a direction opposite to the hook-supporting strut 33. Each locking flange 36 has a leg 37 and a locking surface 38. The locking surface 38 has a width and length that is greater than a width and length of the leg 37.

(17) Located on the front surface 32 is an indentation 39. This indentation 39 assists the user in placing hook element 22 through channel 34, because the user can rest their thumb in indentation 39 for leverage while sliding the hook element 22 through channel 34.

(18) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 9, bracket component 30 can be mounted to a back plate 40. Back plate 40 has an opening 41 and a slot 42. Slot 41 has a wider section 44, which is sized to accommodate the insertion of locking surface 38, and a smaller section 45, which is smaller in length than locking plate 38, so that locking surface 38 can be inserted through wider section 44 and slid over to smaller section 45 to lock bracket component 30 to back plate 40. Similarly, slot 42 has a wide chamfered area 43, opening into the side of back plate 40, to receive the other locking surface 38. Once the bracket component 30 is slid over so that it is flush with back plate 40, i.e., to the right in FIG. 9, locking surface 38 is held in place by the smaller size of slot 42. To further lock bracket component 30 to back plate 40, a spring 46 is disposed in slot 41. Spring 46 can bend downward to yield to locking surface 38 as it is inserted into the wider section of slot 41, but then springs back into a rest position once bracket component 30 is slid into a locking position where locking flange 36 is over the smaller section of slot 41, as shown in FIG. 9. As can be seen there, spring 46 then abuts locking surface 38 and prevents any rearward motion of bracket component 30 and thus prevents any accidental unlocking of bracket component 30 from back plate 40.

(19) To further secure the back plate 40 to the bracket component 30, either the back plate 40 as shown or bracket component 30 (or both) can be equipped with a plurality of protrusions 47 that dig into the other component to prevent sliding of the two components relative to each other.

(20) Back plate 40 can be used to connect bracket component 30 to an article such as luggage or clothing. To do this, the luggage or clothing is provided with holes that match the dimensions of locking legs 37. The locking flanges 36 are fed through the holes (not shown) and then attached to back plate 40, which is on the other side of the article. This way, the article is held between back plate 40 and bracket component 30.

(21) The fully locked assembly is shown in FIGS. 8-10. Once hook component 20 is connected to bracket component 30 by sliding hook element 22 through channel 34, magnets 25 and 35 attract each other and keep hook element firmly seated in channel 34. The curved end of hook element 22 extends beyond channel 34 and also helps prevent exit of hook component 20 from bracket component 30.

(22) As shown in FIG. 11, in the locked position, magnets 25 and 35 overlap, but are slightly offset from each other, so that constant pressure is put on hook element 22 to force it farther into channel 34. Once the wearer starts to remove hook element 22, the magnets disengage, and the magnets can actually repel each other once a certain offset position is reached, to assist in removal of the hook element from channel 34.

(23) Accordingly, while only a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.