Apparatus and method for adhering and releasing items

Abstract

An apparatus and method to attach or detach items, including a rockable magnetic apparatus to enable adhesion and releasing of elements to or from a surface. The apparatus may include a rigid body, magnets, and sides or portions that meet at a base at an angle greater than 180 degrees. The apparatus may enable one-handed or single action operation, and may prevent the falling of the magnetic apparatus and/or the items being held by it. The apparatus may include a foldable or detachable side, and may enable attachment of items between at least two portions of the apparatus. A plurality of items may be connected.

1 . A magnetic utility apparatus comprising: 
 an apparatus body, said body having at least two sides, the sides meeting at a base having an angle of more than 180 degrees; and    a magnet on at least one side of the apparatus body.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of sides.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of magnets.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising at least one foldable side.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising at least one detachable side.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , said foldable side having a magnet with a different polarity from a second magnet on a second side.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , at least one side of said apparatus is not magnetized.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising an apparatus selected from the group consisting of a sensor apparatus, a display apparatus, an illumination apparatus, and an integrated chip.  
   
   
       9 . A magnetic utility apparatus comprising: 
 at least two apparatus bodies, each of said bodies having at least two sides, the sides meeting at a base of each apparatus body at an angle of more than 180 degrees; and    a magnet on at least one side of each apparatus body, at least two of said magnets having different polarities.    
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , comprising a plurality of magnets for each said apparatus body.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , comprising holding an item between said two apparatus bodies, said apparatus bodies being magnetically attracted to each other.  
   
   
       12 . A method for adhering an item to a surface, comprising: 
 placing a magnetic rocker apparatus with at least two magnetized sides on a surface, said apparatus having at least one said magnetized side being magnetically adhered to said surface; and    inserting at least one item between at least one side of the apparatus and the surface, said side not currently being magnetically adhered to said surface.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising pressing on a side that is not currently magnetically adhered to said surface.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising releasing an attached item, by pulling said item away from the surface.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , said operations being implemented with one hand.  
   
   
       16 . A method for releasing an item from a surface, the item being located between at least one side of a magnetic rocker apparatus and the surface, comprising pulling said item away from said surface, said pulling action causing at least one other side of the apparatus to be magnetically attached to the surface.