Refrigerator magnet with clipping action

Abstract

A magnetic device is provided for holding paper memos, documents, notices, notes, photos and similar non-magnetic thin sheet materials against a flat or rounded, usually vertically oriented, magnetically attractive surface such as a refrigerator door. It comprises two neodymium disc magnets attached to a steel plate. The entire assembly is encapsulated in silicone rubber. The steel plate serves as a rigid structural splint. The steel plate also serves to focus the magnetic fields of the two magnets, thereby increasing the device's magnetic strength without increasing the size of the magnets.

1 . A magnetic device for magnetically adhering to a magnetically attractive surface, comprising: 
 a housing having a first end and a second end opposing said first end, a substantially flat front side and a rear side, wherein said rear side has a first surface proximate said first end and substantially parallel to said front side, and a second surface proximate said second end and inclined relative to said first surface such that said first and second surfaces meet at a first fulcrum;    at least one magnet arranged in said housing under an area defined by said first surface and arranged at a distance from said first fulcrum, wherein    said at least one magnet is arranged and dimensioned for maintaining said housing at a first position on the magnetically attractive surface in which said first surface is held against the magnetically attractive surface by magnetic attraction between said at least one magnet and the magnetically attractive surface, and said housing being pivotable from said first position to a second position about a first pivoting axis defined by said first fulcrum in response to a digitally applied force on said front side in an area opposing said second surface, said first surface being pivoted away from the magnetically attractive surface in the second position, wherein a magnetic attraction between said at least one magnet and the magnetically attractive surface causes said housing to pivot back to said first position when the digitally applied force is removed, whereby said first surface and the magnetically attractive surface define jaws of a normally closed clip.    
   
   
       2 . The magnetic device of  claim 1 , wherein said housing defines an indentation in said first surface on said rear side which divides said first surface into two discrete areas, said indentation forming a stop when the housing is in said second position, such that an object inserted into the space between said first surface and the magnetically attractive surface is prevented from being inserted past said indentation.  
   
   
       3 . The magnetic device of  claim 2 , wherein said at least one magnet comprises first and second magnets, said first magnet being arranged under an area defined by said first part of said first surface and said second magnet being arranged under an area defined by said second part of said first surface.  
   
   
       4 . The magnetic device of  claim 3 , wherein said first part of said first surface is arranged distally from said first pivoting axis and said second surface is arranged proximate said first pivoting axis, wherein the object inserted between said magnetic device and said magnetically attractive surface is held onto the magnetically attractive surface solely by said second magnet and said magnetic device is held onto the magnetically attractive surface by said first magnet in the first position.  
   
   
       5 . The magnetic device of  claim 1 , further comprising a rigid plate having first and second opposing sides arranged in said housing, said at least one magnet being arranged on one side of first and second opposing sides of said rigid plate.  
   
   
       6 . The magnetic device of  claim 5 , wherein said housing comprises silicone rubber molded over said rigid plate and said at least one magnet.  
   
   
       7 . The magnetic device of  claim 5 , wherein said housing comprises a first layer of material arranged on said front side and a second layer of material arranged on said rear side, said rigid plate and said at least one magnet being sandwiched between said first and second layers.  
   
   
       8 . The magnetic device of  claim 7 , wherein said first layer comprises a flat sheet of styrene and said second layer comprises thermoformed sheet of styrene having at least one bulge in which said at least one magnet is respectively accommodated.  
   
   
       9 . The magnetic device of  claim 5 , wherein said rigid plate comprises a magnetically attractive material.  
   
   
       10 . The magnetic device of  claim 1 , wherein said housing comprises silicone rubber molded over said at least one magnet.  
   
   
       11 . The magnetic device of  claim 1 , wherein said second surface has a width that increases from the fulcrum toward said second end.  
   
   
       12 . The magnetic device of  claim 11 , wherein said first surface has a width that is smaller than a width of said housing and is arranged centrally relative to a central longitudinal axis of said housing.  
   
   
       13 . The magnetic device of  claim 12 , wherein the widths of said first and second surfaces at said fulcrum are substantially equal.  
   
   
       14 . The magnetic device of  claim 1 , wherein said housing comprises a first layer of material arranged on said front side and a second layer of material arranged on said rear side, said at least one magnet being sandwiched between said first and second layers.  
   
   
       15 . The magnetic device of  claim 14 , wherein said first layer comprises a flat sheet of styrene and said second layer comprises thermoformed sheet of styrene having at least one bulge in which said at least one magnet is respectively accommodated.  
   
   
       16 . The magnetic device of  claim 14 , wherein at least said first surface comprises a rubberized coating.  
   
   
       17 . The magnetic device of  claim 16 , wherein said second surface includes a rubberized coating.  
   
   
       18 . The magnetic device of  claim 16 , wherein a perimeter of said housing comprises a rubberized coating.  
   
   
       19 . The magnetic device of  claim 14 , wherein said first layer comprises a flat sheet of styrene and said second layer comprises an injection-molded piece of rubber having at least one bulge in which said at least one magnet is respectively accommodated.  
   
   
       20 . The magnetic device of  claim 19 , wherein said second layer is embedded in said first layer.  
   
   
       21 . The magnetic device of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one magnet comprises first and second magnets, said first magnet being arranged distally from said first pivoting axis and said second magnet is arranged proximate said first pivoting axis.  
   
   
       22 . The magnetic device of  claim 21 , wherein said housing comprises a single layer of material having two cavities for receiving said first and second magnets, wherein said first and second magnets protrude from said cavities.  
   
   
       23 . The magnetic device of  claim 22 , wherein said first and second magnets are rubber encapsulated magnets.  
   
   
       24 . The magnetic device of  claim 2 , further comprising a string, rope, or wire ring extending through said indentation.  
   
   
       25 . The magnetic device of  claim 1 , further comprising a third surface on said rear side inclined relative said first surface such that said first and third surfaces meet at a second fulcrum, said housing being pivotable from said first position to a third position about a second pivoting axis defined by said second fulcrum in response to a digitally applied force on said front side in an area opposing said third surface, said first surface being pivoted away from the magnetically attractive surface in the third position, wherein a magnetic attraction between said at least one magnet and the magnetically attractive surface causes said housing to pivot back to said first position when the digitally applied force opposing said third surface is removed, whereby said first and second surfaces produce a first clipping action and said first and third surfaces produce a second clipping action, separate from said first clipping action.  
   
   
       26 . The magnetic device of  claim 25 , wherein said at least one magnet comprises first and second magnets.  
   
   
       27 . The magnetic device of  claim 26 , wherein said first magnet is proximate said first pivoting axis and said second magnet is arranged distally from said first pivoting axis.  
   
   
       28 . The magnetic device of  claim 27 , wherein said first magnet is proximate said second pivoting axis and said second magnet is arranged distally from said second pivoting axis.  
   
   
       29 . The magnetic device of  claim 27 , wherein said first magnet is distally from said second pivoting axis and said second magnet is arranged proximate said second pivoting axis.  
   
   
       30 . The magnetic device of  claim 26 , wherein said first magnet is proximate said second pivoting axis and said second magnet is arranged distally from said second pivoting axis.  
   
   
       31 . The magnetic device of  claim 25 , wherein said substantially flat front side has a rectangular shape defined by first opposing edges and second opposing edges of said front side, said first pivoting axis being substantially parallel to said first opposing edges and said second pivoting axis being substantially parallel to said second opposing edges.