Magnetic Hook Bracket for Secure Single-Handed Attachment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hook and bracket systems fail to securely attach heavy articles to luggage or clothing, especially when the fabric is soft, and are prone to disengagement under lateral forces, requiring two hands and additional force for attachment and removal.
Innovation Solution
A magnetic attachment assembly comprising a hook component with a magnet and a bracket component with a hook-supporting strut, where the magnets attract each other to securely hold the hook in place, allowing single-handed attachment and removal with a curved design and locking flanges for enhanced stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a hook is used to attach items to clothing or luggage, then the item can be removably attached, but the hook becomes difficult to attach when the fabric is soft and can become disengaged due to lateral forces
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the attachment system into two separate components: a hook component with a first magnet and a bracket component with a second magnet. This segmentation allows each component to have optimized functions - the hook for easy insertion and the bracket for secure retention, resolving the contradiction between attachment ease and security.
Solution Approach 2:
Magnetic fields serve as an intermediary force between the hook and bracket components. The magnetic attraction provides continuous holding force that secures the attachment against lateral forces and soft fabric deformation, while requiring minimal force for engagement, thus improving both reliability and ease of operation.
2Ease of operation
If magnets are used in closure elements to assist connection, then the two parts are held together with extra force needed to overcome attraction, but the design is not suitable for heavy loads and high forces as the parts can become disengaged easily
Solution Approach 1:
The magnetic attachment system is segmented into a hook component and a bracket component with separate magnets. This allows the magnetic force to assist in guiding and holding the components together during normal use, while the physical interlocking geometry (hook through bracket aperture) provides the structural strength needed for heavy loads, combining ease of operation with high load-bearing capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges two different mechanisms: magnetic attraction for ease of connection and physical interlocking for strength. The hook component with magnet combines with the bracket component with aperture and retention features, creating a hybrid system that achieves both easy operation and high load-bearing capacity simultaneously.
3Reliability
If the hook element is pushed through the bracket to attach, then connection is achieved, but the fabric is moved without proper attachment and the hook can become disengaged
Solution Approach 1:
The magnetic field acts as an intermediary that guides the hook element into proper alignment with the bracket aperture during insertion. The magnetic attraction ensures the hook settles correctly into position, preventing fabric displacement and ensuring reliable attachment without complex mechanical guides or alignment features.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic components provide self-aligning and self-centering functionality during the attachment process. The magnetic attraction automatically guides the hook into the correct position within the bracket aperture, and the curved outer contour of the hook element works with the magnetic force to ensure proper seating, eliminating the need for complex alignment mechanisms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables secure attachment and removal of heavy articles with a single hand, resistant to forces from all directions, and prevents inadvertent disengagement due to the magnetic attraction and curved design, simplifying the process and ensuring stability even on soft fabrics.
Implementation Method 1
the magnets attract each other and force the hook element through the space to rest on the hook-supporting strut
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~7
AI summary
An attachment assembly has a hook component and a bracket component to which the hook component is removably attached. The hook component has a base body, a hook element attached to the base body, an attachment device for attaching an item to the hook component, and a first magnet connected to the hook element. The bracket component has a base surface, a front surface, and a hook-supporting strut between the base surface and the front surface. The bracket component has a second magnet connected to the base surface. Inserting the hook element in a space between the base surface and the front surface causes the magnets to attract each other and force the hook element through the space to rest on the hook-supporting strut.