Rotating magnetic fastener

Abstract

A fastening system preferably using one or more spherical magnets attached to a first object or article for free relative rotation. If a second object or article is provided with one or more similar magnets, likewise rotatable relative to said object, after bringing the article into a spatial relationship where the magnetic force of one magnet has an effect on the other magnet, one or both magnets will rotate and position a polar region opposite to the polar region of the other magnet and thereby attract the other magnet and their associated objects or articles towards each other.

1 . A fastener system for releasably attaching a first member to a second member, a magnet, means for attaching said magnet to said first member permitting rotation of said magnet relative to said first member while retaining said magnet against separating from said first member.  
   
   
       2 . The fastener system of  claim 1  in which said second member includes a ferrous material.  
   
   
       3 . The fastener system of  claim 2  in which said ferrous material comprises a magnet.  
   
   
       4 . The fastener system of  claim 3  including means for attaching said ferrous material to said second member permitting rotation of said ferrous material relative to said second member while retaining said ferrous material against separation from said second member.  
   
   
       5 . The fastener system of  claim 1  in which said first member and said second member comprise separate portions of a flexible sheet of material.  
   
   
       6 . The fastener system of  claim 1  in which said first member comprises a flexible sheet, and said attaching means includes spaced stitched layers of said sheet between which said magnet is contained for free rotatable movement while preventing withdrawal of said magnet from said sheet.  
   
   
       7 . The fastener system of  claim 1  in which said magnet is of generally spherical shape.  
   
   
       8 . The fastener system of  claim 1  in which said magnet has a length substantially equal to its width.  
   
   
       9 . The fastener system of  claim 3  in which said first member and said second member comprise portions of a flexible sheet, and in which said attaching means includes stitched layers of said sheet between which said magnet is contained, and said ferrous material is constrained between attached layers of said sheet spaced from said first mentioned stitched layers.  
   
   
       10 . The fastener system of  claim 8  in which said magnet is of cylindrical configuration.  
   
   
       11 . The fastener system of  claim 8  in which said magnet is of cube-like configuration.  
   
   
       12 . The fastener system of  claim 8  in which said magnet has a plurality of flat sides extending from the opposite poles of the magnet.  
   
   
       13 . A fastener system for attaching a first portion of a flexible sheet of material to a second portion of the same sheet or to another object, which includes providing a generally spherical magnet, providing said first portion of said sheet with a means for attaching said magnet to said sheet, said means comprising a pair of complementary U-shaped housings insertable on opposite edges of said sheet to define a chamber therebetween, said spherical magnet being freely rotatable in said chamber while being restrained from removal.