Magnetic Hinge

Abstract

Hinge for a magnetically held door, which can be very readily detached and reversed. This hinge is based on a design where two magnetically attracting rollers, rods or cylinders are placed in parallel positions contacting each other lengthwise, one fixed, the other one resting on a shelf attached to the lower end of the first magnet or held perpendicular to said magnet so as to support the weight of the second magnet and any door attached to it.

Description

PRIOR ART

Applicant is not aware of any previous work with magnetic door hinges.

Conventional mechanical hinges are among the oldest products of human technology. However, they all have the disadvantage of being relatively fixed, so that they do not offer the flexibility obtainable by the magnetic hinge. Attempts to develop magnetic hinges have been made previously but have failed because of insufficient attraction or stability.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

An object of this invention is a magnetic hinge, which permits the ready removal of a door, and its ready reverse detachments and/or reversal.

Other objects may become apparent as the following detailed description proceeds.

DRAWINGS

The invention is further described in connection with the drawings of which FIG. 1 is a perspective view,

FIG. 2 and 3 side views of the two component parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with my invention I prepare a hinge consisting of two parts, which are separated from each other excepting by magnetic force which holds them in the desired operative position.

The hinge consists of two substantially cylindrical magnets, 1 and 3, which have parallel longitudinal axes, when this is substantially vertical, roller 3 rests on a preferably circular supporting member 6, which is attached to a wall 5, by the attachment plate 7, while the other magnetic roller or rod 1, which is to be hinged against the first 3, is similarly attached by means of a plate 2, to a hinged object such as a door 4. Roller or rod 1 rests on the supporting member 6 of the first hinge assembly, while the magnetic force keeps the magnetic cylinders 1 and 3 in close connection with each other.

When the door 4 is to be swung around its hinges, the roller, rod or cylinder 1 rolls along the periphery of cylinder 3, so that the door is free to swing as desired.

When it is desired to detach this door, it may be simply lifted out or pulled out in defiance of the magnetic force, or, if this force is so strong as not to permit detachment in this fashion, one places a cardboard or plastic or nonmagnetic metal sheet between the rolls in the bite between the magnetic cylinders 1 and 3 and then turns the door so that the rollers become separated by the said nonmagnetic object. They can then be parted with ease.

It is immaterial which of the two magnetic cylinders rests on the supporting member 6. The construction shown in FIG. 1 can be inverted, so that cylinder 1 is attached by means of plate 2 to the wall 5, while the assembly 3, 6, 7 is attached to the door 4. In this case the assemblys 6, 7 should be turned upside down, so that the supporting plate 6 will be on the upper side, and rest on cylinder 1, which then will be attached to the wall. In other words, in this modification assemblies 3, 6, 7 and 1, 2 will change place and assembly 3, 6, 7 will be turned upside down.

While this description has dealt with a specific embodiment, it is apparent that the invention is applicable broadly to magnetic hinges in which one cylindrical magnet rests on a plate, firmly attached to the other cylinder or mechanically kept firmly beneath it, while the other hinge represented by magnetic cylinder 1 is free to move around cylinder 3 in rolling friction therewith when the door is turned. FIGS. 2 and 3 show the two hinge assemblies separated from each other, when the door is detached.

In this application I mean with "wall" any one side to which one of the parts of the hinges is attached, and with "door" the movable or swinging member to which the other magnetic cylinder is attached. I am using the terms roller, rod or cylinder interchangeably.

If one of the cylinders is an extremely strong magnet, the other does not need to be magnetized so long as it is magnetically attractable. However, for maximum strength of the hinge it is preferred that both cylinders or rollers be magnetized, and mounted so that their opposite poles touch each other.

Thus, the invention comprises the concept of a magnetic hinge, which comprises two rollers magnetically attracting each other, means for fastening these which may include for example, nails, pressbuttons, flanges, brackets, hookless fasteners of various kinds, adhesive joints and the like; and a supporting member such as a plate firmly fixed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the longitudinal axes of the said rollers positioned so as to two separable objects hingeably movable in relation to the other, such as the position of the hinges in a door, a safe, a box, or any other application where hinges may be used, in manner well known in this ancient art.

Claims

Having thus disclosed my invention, I claim:

1. A magnetic door hinge, comprising vertical disposed two cylinders magnetically attracting each other; and having parallel longitudinal axes means for fastening these to hingeable members; and a supporting member preventing longitudinal slippage between said cylinders; one of the said cylinders being free to roll around the other while being held thereto by magnetic force.