Magnetic connection apparatus

Abstract

Two articles, such as a cooler and an article of drinkware, are magnetically coupled to each other by interaction of a magnet disposed in a patch, which is adhesively bonded to the cooler, and a ferrous metal element disposed in the article of drinkware. The patch includes shell made of plastic material, and an adhesive layer is activated by removing a peel and stick sheet. Two patches can be provided, one with a magnet and one with a ferrous metal element, in situations where both the cooler and the drinkware are without magnetic elements.

1 . A magnetic coupling apparatus for detachably coupling an object to an outdoor recreational sporting device, comprising:
 a permanent magnet wherein the permanent magnet is fixedly connected to one of the object and the sporting device: and   a ferrous metal object, wherein the ferrous metal object is fixedly connected to the other of the object and the sporting device,   wherein the object is magnetically coupled to the sporting device when a surface of the permanent magnet is brought into proximity to a surface of the sporting device, and wherein when coupled, the sporting device is in physical contact with the object.   
     
     
         2 . The magnetic coupling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the permanent magnet includes an adhesive film disposed on a lower flat surface of the permanent magnet; and
 a peel and stick protective sheet covering the adhesive film, and being removable to expose the adhesive film and thereby attach the permanent magnet to the sporting device.   
     
     
         3 . The magnet coupling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the permanent magnet creates a magnetic field of sufficient strength to detachably connect the object. 
     
     
         4 . The magnetic coupling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the object is one of a ferrous metal drink holder and a ferrous metal plate disposed in a bottom of a drink holder. 
     
     
         5 . The magnetic coupling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the permanent magnet is a rare earth permanent magnet. 
     
     
         6 . The magnetic coupling apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the rare earth permanent magnet is made of a neodymium alloy. 
     
     
         7 . The magnetic coupling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the permanent magnet generates a magnetic field of sufficient force to magnetically couple the object to the sporting device, and has a flux density selected to allow extraction of the object by hand with a few foot-pounds of energy and to resist separation from the sporting device except through the exertion by hand. 
     
     
         8 . The magnetic coupling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the permanent magnet is a thin, flat, circular plastic encapsulation having a flat upper surface and a flat lower surface, and wherein the encapsulation is flush-mounted within a flat surface of the sporting device. 
     
     
         9 . The magnetic coupling apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the permanent magnet is embedded in the plastic encapsulation. 
     
     
         10 . A combination comprising:
 a cooler made of plastic material and having a substantially flat top;   a drink holder having a substantially flat bottom;   a permanent magnet mounted in one of the cooler and the drink holder; and   a ferrous metal part mounted in the other of the cooler and the drink holder,   wherein the drink holder is detachably coupled to the cooler when the flat bottom of the drink holder is brought into contact with the flat top of the cooler.   
     
     
         11 . The combination of  claim 10 , wherein the permanent magnet includes an adhesive film disposed on a lower flat surface thereof; and
 a peel and stick protective sheet covering the adhesive film, and being removable to expose the adhesive film to attach the permanent magnet to the substantially flat top of the cooler.   
     
     
         12 . The combination of  claim 10 , wherein the permanent magnet creates a magnetic field of sufficient strength to detachably connect the drink holder to the cooler. 
     
     
         13 . The combination of  claim 10 , wherein the permanent magnet is a rare earth permanent magnet made of neodymium alloy. 
     
     
         14 . The combination of  claim 10 , wherein the permanent magnet generates a magnetic field of sufficient force to magnetically couple the drink holder to the cooler, and has a flux density selected to allow extraction of the drink holder by hand with a few foot-pounds of energy and to resist separation from the cooler except through the exertion by hand. 
     
     
         15 . A magnetic coupling used in outdoor sports, and being operable to detachably connecting a first object made of non-magnetic material to a second object made of non-magnetic material, comprising:
 a first patch having a permanent magnet and having a flat surface;   a second patch having a ferrous metal element and having a flat surface;   first means for permanently connecting the first patch to the first object;   second means for permanently connecting the second patch to the second object,   wherein the first object is detachably connected to the second object due to the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet when the ferrous metal element is brought into the influence of the magnetic field.   
     
     
         16 . The magnetic coupling of  claim 15 , wherein the first object is a cooler and the second object is an article of drinkware. 
     
     
         17 . The magnetic coupling of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second connecting means comprise adhesive connecting means. 
     
     
         18 . The magnetic coupling of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second patches include a shell made of plastic material, each shell having an upper surface and a lower surface, and the first and second connecting means includes an adhesive layer disposed on the lower surface of each shell, the first and second objects being capable of magnetically and detachably connected to each other through the magnetic field. 
     
     
         19 . The magnetic coupling of  claim 15 , wherein the magnet generates a magnet field of sufficient magnetic force to bind the first object to the second object with a force sufficient to allow extraction of one from the other by hand after applying a few foot-pounds of energy. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus for magnetically attaching a ferrous metal object to a non-ferrous metal structure, comprising:
 a generally thin, flat patch having one of a permanent magnet and a ferrous metal plate embedded in a non-metallic material, and defining two, substantially planar opposed surfaces;   means for permanently attaching the thin, flat patch to the non-ferrous structure;   the permanent magnet having a magnetic field sufficient to detachably coupling the ferrous metal object to the thin, flat patch and thus to the non-ferrous metal structure.   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the two, substantially planar opposed surfaces of the patch define a flat upper surface and a flat lower surface, the non-ferrous metal structure includes a generally flat inner surface and a generally flat outer surface, and the attaching means includes means for attaching the patch to the outer surface of the non-ferrous metal structure. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the two, substantially planar opposed surfaces of the patch define a flat upper surface and a flat lower surface, the non-ferrous metal structure includes a generally flat inner surface and a generally flat outer surface, and the attaching means includes means for attaching patch to the inner surface of the non-ferrous metal structure. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein attaching means includes an adhesive film disposed on the lower flat surface of the patch, and a peel and stick protective sheet covering the adhesive film, and being removable to expose the adhesive film when the patch is ready to be attached to a non-metallic, generally flat surface.