Magnetic accessory holder
View Patent ↗A magnetic accessory holder can include a backing plate and a retaining bracket attached magnetically to each other. The backing plate can include an elongated body with a first set of magnets embedded in the body. The retaining bracket can include an outer surface and an inner surface, each of which extends between the top and bottom surfaces of the retaining bracket. The inner surface can include elongated channels each of which forms a receptacle extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the retaining bracket. The retaining bracket can also include a second of magnets, where the magnets of the first set and of the second set are positioned to align with each other to fasten the retaining bracket to the backing plate by magnetic attraction, and where each receptacle is configured to receive a protruding portion of an electronics accessory.
1 . A magnetic accessory holder comprising:
a backing plate comprising an elongated body, wherein the backing plate is a substantially flat elongated plate separate from a retaining element, wherein a first set of magnets is at least partially embedded in the body of the backing plate;
wherein the retaining element is a retaining bracket comprising:
an outer surface and an inner surface, each of the outer surface and the inner surface extending between a top surface and a bottom surface of the retaining bracket, wherein the inner surface defines a plurality of elongated channels, each elongated channel forming a receptacle extending from the top surface to the bottom surface of the retaining bracket, wherein each receptacle is separated from another receptacle by a portion of the retaining bracket; and
a second set of magnets, wherein each magnet in the second set of magnets is positioned to align with at least one magnet of the first set of magnets at least partially embedded in the body of the backing plate to fasten the retaining bracket to the backing plate by magnetic attraction, and wherein each receptacle is configured to receive a protruding portion of an electronics accessory, and wherein each receptacle is shaped as a partially open cylindrical tube having a concave wall portion occupying a greater circumferential extent than a longitudinal access opening.
2 . The magnetic accessory holder of claim 1 , wherein each receptacle is shaped as a partially open cylindrical tube having a depth defined by a distance between the top surface and the bottom surface of the retaining bracket.
3 . The magnetic accessory holder of claim 1 wherein each receptacle is separated from another receptacle by a separating portion of the retaining bracket, wherein the separating portion comprises a substantially flat surface parallel to the backing plate.
4 . The magnetic accessory holder of claim 3 , wherein, in a cross-section transverse to the receptacle, each receptacle includes a continuous concave wall portion and a longitudinal access opening defined between opposed ends of the concave wall portion, the concave wall portion occupying a greater circumferential extent than the access opening, wherein the longitudinal access opening faces the backing plate when the retaining bracket is fastened to the backing plate.
5 . The magnetic accessory holder of claim 1 , wherein the retaining bracket further comprises a lip extending perpendicularly relative to a length between the top surface and the bottom surface such that both the inner surface of the lip and the inner surface of the portion of the retaining bracket are parallel to the backing plate.
6 . The magnetic accessory holder of claim 5 , wherein at least one magnet of the second set of magnets is embedded in the lip.
7 . The magnetic accessory holder of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the inner surface of the retaining bracket disposed along a concave wall of a receptacle comprises a textured surface.
8 . A magnetic accessory holder comprising:
a substantially flat backing plate comprising an elongated body, wherein the substantially flat backing plate is a separate component from a retaining element and is configured to secure the retaining element to an item of clothing;
a first set of magnets comprising at least one magnet that is at least partially embedded in the body of the substantially flat backing plate, the at least one magnet having a regular geometric shape; and
wherein the retaining element is a retaining bracket configured to magnetically attach to the substantially flat backing plate through a layer of intervening material, the retaining bracket comprising:
a top surface;
a bottom surface;
an outer surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, wherein the outer surface comprises a plurality of curved areas;
an inner surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, wherein a portion of the inner surface defines a plurality of concave walls, each concave wall defining an elongated receptacle shaped as a partially open cylindrical tube having a concave wall portion occupying a greater circumferential extent than a longitudinal access opening, and extending between the top surface and the bottom surface; and
a plurality of tabs, each tab respectively extending from an end of a corresponding curved area of the outer surface such that the inner surface of the tab is substantially flat and parallel to the inner surface of a portion of the retaining bracket that separates a first elongated receptacle from a second elongated receptacle, wherein each tab comprises magnetic material and each tab is respectively positioned to align with a corresponding magnet of the first set of magnets on the substantially flat backing plate to fasten the retaining bracket to the backing plate by magnetic attraction, and wherein each receptacle is configured to receive and retain a protruding stem portion of a sport accessory.
9 . The magnetic accessory holder of claim 8 , wherein each receptacle is shaped as a prismoidal partially open tube having a non-circular cross-section.
10 . The magnetic accessory holder of claim 9 , wherein each receptacle has a shape selected from the group consisting of a rectangular prism, an octagonal prism, a semi-circular prismoid, and a prismoid having a crescent cross-section.
11 . The magnetic accessory holder of claim 8 , further comprising:
a second set of magnets, wherein a magnet of the second set of magnets is respectively attached to a corresponding tab of the retaining bracket and protrudes perpendicularly relative to the inner surface.
12 . The magnetic accessory holder of claim 8 , wherein each tab is a magnet.
13 . The magnetic accessory holder of claim 8 , wherein the retaining bracket further comprises a conformal layer attached along the inner surface of each concave wall defining a corresponding receptacle and along the portion of the retaining bracket that separates the first elongated receptacle from the second elongated receptacle of the retaining bracket.
14 . The magnetic accessory holder of claim 13 , wherein the conformal layer comprises at least one textured surface.
15 . The magnetic accessory holder of claim 8 , wherein the sport accessory is an earbud or a golf tee.
16 . An accessory holder comprising:
a backing plate comprising an elongated body, wherein the backing plate is configured to secure a retaining element to an item of clothing;
a first set of magnets at least partially embedded in the elongated body of the backing plate;
wherein the retaining element is a retaining bracket comprising a body having a plurality of flat surfaces and a plurality of curved surfaces forming an inner surface of the body such that each curved surface of the plurality of curved surfaces is adjacent to a flat surface of the plurality of flat surfaces on at least two sides of the curved surface along a length of the body of the retaining bracket, and wherein each curved surface defines a partially open cylindrical tube receptacle having a continuous concave wall portion occupying a greater circumferential extent than a longitudinal access opening, the receptacle configured to receive and retain a protruding stem portion of an accessory including an earbud or golf tee; and
a second set of magnets affixed to the retaining bracket, wherein each magnet of the second set of magnets is respectively aligned with a corresponding magnet of the first set of magnets to fasten the retaining bracket to the backing plate by magnetic attraction through a layer of intervening material.
17 . The accessory holder of claim 16 , wherein the accessory is selected from the set comprising a wireless earbud, a golf tee, a screwdriver, pliers, a writing utensil, and a dining utensil.
18 . The accessory holder of claim 16 , wherein each curved surface is textured with grooves or protrusions along a concave wall of a corresponding receptacle.
19 . The accessory holder of claim 16 , wherein at least two flat surfaces of the plurality of flat surfaces of the body of the retaining bracket each respectively extend along a portion of a lip extending away from an exterior curved surface of the body of the retaining bracket away from a longitudinal axis of the partially open tubular channel formed by an interior curved surface.
20 . The accessory holder of claim 16 , wherein a longitudinal cross section of each magnet is formed in a shape selected from the set comprising a circle, an oval, a star, a regular polygon, and an irregular polygon.