Magnetic clip holder

Abstract

A clip holder includes a container arranged inside a casing with a space therebetween. The container has a top opening defined by a circumferential edge for receipt of paper clips. Two slots that are extended in such a way not to coincide with each other for retaining a notepaper in a deformed manner. The deformation of the notepaper induces friction between the notepaper and the slots thereby effectively retaining the notepaper in an upright manner. A disk magnet is positioned under the bottom of the container and two magnetic bars are arranged on opposite sides of the container and adjacent the side wall of the container. The magnets are arranged so that the same polarity of the magnetic bars oppose each other, while an opposite polarity of the disk magnet face toward the bottom of the container. The arrangement of the magnets allows at least a fraction of magnetic force lines goes from the magnetic bars to the disk magnet in a vertical direction for retaining paper clips in a standing up manner inside the container. The casing has a hemispherical base with a weight fixed therein to allow the clip holder to swing back and forth with the paper swinging in a non-constrained manner inside the container.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A clip holder comprising: 
 a container adapted to receive at least one paper clip therein; and    magnetic means for generating magnetic force lines through the container in a substantially vertical direction whereby the paper clip is retained inside the container in a standing up manner.    
     
     
         2 . The clip holder as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises a side wall and a bottom and wherein the magnetic means comprises a first magnet adjacent the bottom of the container and two second magnet on opposite sides of the container and adjacent the side wall of the container, the first magnet having a first polarity side facing toward the bottom of the container and a second, opposite polarity side facing away from the bottom of the container, each second magnet having a third polarity side facing toward the side wall of the container and an opposite fourth polarity side facing away from the side wall of the container, the third polarity sides of the second magnets opposing each other, the first polarity being opposite to the third polarity whereby at least a fraction of magnetic forces lines from the second magnets goes in a vertical direction toward the first magnet.  
     
     
         3 . The clip holder as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first magnet is a disk magnet positioned under the bottom of the container, each second magnet being a magnetic bar positioned outside the side wall of the container and partially co-extensive with the side wall.  
     
     
         4 . The clip holder as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the container has a cylindrical side wall, the each second magnet comprising an arc magnetic bar partially surrounding the side wall.  
     
     
         5 . The clip holder as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the second magnets are two arc magnetic bars substantially surrounding the side wall of the container on opposite sides of the container.  
     
     
         6 . The clip holder as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a casing inside which the container is fixed, a space being defined between the container and the casing for accommodating the magnetic means.  
     
     
         7 . The clip holder as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the casing has a hemispherical base for swinging back and forth.  
     
     
         8 . The clip holder as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the container has a bottom facing the base of the casing and a cylindrical side wall, the magnetic means comprising a disk magnet fixed inside the base adjacent the bottom of the container and two arc magnets fixed on opposite sides of the container between the side wall of the container and the casing.  
     
     
         9 . The clip holder as claimed in  claim 6  further comprising a weight fixed in the base.  
     
     
         10 . The clip holder as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the container has a top opening defined by a circumferential edge in which two slots are defined, the slots being extended in such a way to be not coincident with each other for retaining a notepaper with the notepaper deformed to induce friction between the notepaper and the slots so as to effectively retain the notepaper in the slots.  
     
     
         11 . The clip holder as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the slots are extended radially with an included angle not corresponding to 180 degrees therebetween.  
     
     
         12 . The clip holder as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the slots are substantially parallel to but offset from each other.