GB2498026A

GB2498026A - Concealed magnetic curtain rail

Info

Publication number: GB2498026A
Application number: GB201217519A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Meredith Yates
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-12-22
Filing date: 2012-10-01
Publication date: 2013-07-03
Also published as: GB201217519D0

Abstract

A curtain rail which is set into and hidden by the surface of a wall or ceiling and is comprised of one or more adjacent and parallel elongated channels containing a plurality of magnets which can be moved within the channel and which can, with the addition of hooks or other metal attachments, secure curtains. The magnets may be arranged either singly (Figures 1 to 4), in pairs (Figures 5 to 7) or in larger groups, with spacers (Figures 1, 2 and 5) or without spacers (Figures 3, 4, 6 and 7) between them. A metal plate with a hook and pin attached to it (Figure 8), and ball bearings (Figure 9) or rollers (Figure 10) set into the back of the plate, may be adhered to the magnets. The plates and hooks can slide across the surface of a wall, partition or ceiling, and curtains can be attached to the hooks.

Description

THE INVISIBLE CURTAIN RAIL AND KIT OF PARTS

DESCRIPTION

The present method of hanging curtains Involves a rail attached with fixings to the outside of the wall or ceiling together with curtain rings and hooks.

The invisible curtain rail is a means of attaching curtains to a wall or ceiling without a visible rail or visible fixings on the surface of the wall or ceiling. Because it is permanent and cannot normally be damaged, it also obviates the necessity of drilling into surfaces when external rails are replaced.

The invisible curtain rail is comprised of one elongated channel or two or more parallel and adjacent elongated channels and is fixed within a wall or ceiling. The rail is normally covered with the same covering (e.g. plaster and paint) as the rest of the wail or ceiling. The channel/s incorporates magnets by themselves or alternatively interspersed with spacers and their magnets and spacers can ye moved along the channel or channels.

There are several ways of positioning the magnets.

1) The magnets can be arranged within a channel or channels with all of their north sides facing outwards and spacers interspersed between them in the channel or channels (Figure 1) 2) The magnets can be arranged with all of their south sides facing outwards and spacers interspersed between them in the channel or channels (Figure 2).

3) The magnets can be arranged within a channel with their north sides all facing outwards.

The magnets remain separated as a result of mutual repulsion.

4) The magnets can be arranged within a channel witti all their south sides facing outwards.

The magnets remain separated as a result of mutual repulsion.

5) The magnets can be arranged with their north sides all facing outwards in one channel and arranged with their south sides all facing outwards in the adjacent channel. This allows each magnet with its north side facing outwards in the first channel to pair with and attach to a magnet with its south side facing outwards in the second adjacent channel. The pairs of magnets are interspersed with spacers (Figure 5). This allows each pair of attached magnets to move as one.

6) The magnets can be arranged with their north sides all facing outwards alternately in one channel and arranged with their south and north sides all facing outwards in an adjacent channel in the opposite order. This allows each magnet with its north side facing outwards in the first channel to pair with and adhere to a magnet with its south side facing outwards in the second channel (figure 5). It also allows each magnet with its south side facing outwards in the first channel to pair with and attach to a magnet with its north side facing outwards in the second channel (Figure 6). This allows each pair of attached magnets to move as one and at the same time to repel the pairs on either side.

7) The magnets can be arranged as described in clauses 4 and S above in three channels. In this disposal of the parts, three magnets (one in each channel) would be drawn together and adhere. In this configuration the magnets in the first channel are arranged so that all their north sides are facing outwards, the magnets in the second channel are arranged so that all their south sides are facing outwards and the magnets in the third channel are arranged so that their north sides face outwards. This enables the three magnets to move as one, while at the same time the trios of magnets on either side are kept apart.

8) The magnets can be arranged as described in clause 5, 6 and 7 above in any number of adjacent and parallel channels. This will cause any number of magnets in an equivalent number of channels to attract, adhere and move as one while at the same time repelling the equal number of magnets on either side.

A further part of this kit of parts isa small metal plate (see Fig. 8) that adheres to one or more of the magnets within the channel. The metal plate has a hook that terminates in a pin protruding from the front of it. The pin is fixed into the top of the curtain and the curtain or curtains can then be suspended from the hook or hooks which in turn adhere(s) to one or more magnets set within the wall channel.

On the rear of the metal plate there are a series of inset ball-bearings (see Fig. 9). Alternatively on the rear of the metal plate there are a number of inset rollers (see Fig. 10). These ball-bearings or rollers allow the metal plate and hook together with the curtains to slide along the wall or ceiling.

Figure 1 This is a curtain rail formed of one channel containing magnets (a) with their north sides facing outwards and the magnets are interspersed with spacers (b).

Figure 2 This is a curtain rail formed of one channel containing magnets with their south sides facing outwards (marked (aJ) and the magnets are interspersed with spacers (marked [bj) Figure 3 This is a curtain rail formed of one channel containing magnets with their north sides facing outwards. The magnets remain separated as a result of mutual repulsion Figure 4 This isa curtain rail formed of one channel containing magnets with all their south sides facing outwards. The magnets remain separated as a result of mutual repulsion.

Figure 5 This is a curtain rail formed of two parallel channels which contain magnets and spacers. The magnets (a) in one channel have their north sides facing outwards. The magnets (b) in the second channel have their south sides facing outwards. Each magnet with its north side facing outwards is paired with and adheres to a magnet with its south side facing outwards. The magnets are separated from each other by means of spacers (c). The magnets and spacers can be slid along the length of the curtain rail.

Figure 6 This is a curtain rail formed of two parallel channels which contain magnets. The magnets in the first channel are positioned with their north sides all facing outwards. The magnets in the adjacent second channel are positioned with their south sides all facing outwards. Each magnet (a) in the first channel that has its north side facing outwards is paired with and adheres to a magnet (b) in the second channel with its south side facing outwards. The magnets can be slid as pairs along the length of the curtain rail. The pairs of magnets remain separated as a result of mutual repulsion.

Figure 7 This is a curtain rail formed of two parallel channels which contain magnets. The magnets in the first channel are positioned with their south sides all facing outwards. The magnets in the adjacent second channel are positioned with their north sides all facing outwards. Each magnet (a) in the first channel that has its south side facing outwards is paired with and adheres to a magnet (b) in the second channel with its north side facing outwards. The magnets can be slid as pairs along the length of the curtain rail. The pairs of magnets remain separated as a result of mutual repulsion.

Figure 8 This is a metal plate (a) with a hook (b) protruding from the front of it. At the end of the hook is a pin (c) that can be slid into the material of the curtain. Each metal plate can be attached to a pair of magnets (one with the north side facing outwards and one with the south side facing outwards) or alternatively to one magnet or alternatively to a plurality of magnets within the channel or channels.

Figure 9 This is the back view of the metal plate (a). Into the back of the plate are set a series of ball-bearings (d}. These ball-bearings allow the plate to slide along the face of the wall or ceiling within which is set the curtain rail.

Figure 10 This is a back view of the metal plate (a). Into the back of this plate are set a number of rollers (d).

These rollers allow the plate to slide along the face of the wall within which is set the curtain rail.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and could be used within other physical objects apart from walls and ceilings, e.g. panels, partitions, vehicles, and to suspend many other items, for e.g., kitchenware, tools, clothes or any items being displayed for sale or otherwise. * 4

Claims

<claim-text>CLAIMS1. A curtain rail which consists of an elongated channel that is mounted within the surface of a wall or ceiling and a plurality of magnets which can be moved within the channel and which can, with the addition of hooks or other metal attachments, secure curtains so that the curtains can be moved across the surface of the wall or ceiling.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. A curtain rail according to claim 1 where the magnets are placed with their north and south sides facing outwards alternately and where magnets within the channels repel each other.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. A curtain rail according to claim 1 where the magnets are arranged with their north sides facing outwards in one channel and arranged with their south sides facing outwards in an adjacent channel and each magnet with its north side facing outwards in one channel will pair and adhere to a magnet with its south side facing outwards in the second channel and these magnets are interspersed with spacers so that each pair of magnets will move as one.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. A curtain rail according to claim 1 where the magnets are arranged with their north and south sides facing outwards alternately in one channel and arranged with their south and north sides facing outwards in an adjacent channel in the opposite order and each magnet with its north side facing outwards in the first channel will adhere to a magnet with its south side facing outwards in the second adjacent channel and each magnet with its south side facing outwards in the first channel will adhere to a magnet with its south side facing outwards in the second adjacent channel so that each pair of attached magnets will move as one repel the pairs on either side.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. A curtain rail according to claims 1-4 where the magnets will be arranged in three channels and three magnets, each located in one of the three channels, will adhere and move as one while at the same thue the trios of magnets on either side are kept apart.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. A curtain rail according to claims 1-4 where the magnets will be arranged in any number of adjacent and parallel channels and this will cause any determined number of magnets in the equivalent determined number of channels to attract, adhere and move as one while at the same time the equal number of magnets on either side will be kept apart.</claim-text> <claim-text>1. A kit of parts according to claims 1-6 for removably securing curtains with metal attachments to a surface but also including a metal plate with a hook and pin attached to it and rollers set into the back of the plate.</claim-text> <claim-text>8. A kit of parts according to claims 1-5 for removably securing curtains with metal attachments to a surface but also including a metal plate with a hook and pin attached to it and ball-bearings set into the back of the plate.S</claim-text> <claim-text>9. A kit of parts according to claims 1-6 for removably securing curtains with metal attachments to a surface but also including a metal plate with a hook and pin attached to it and rollers set into the back of the plate</claim-text>