Magnetic base assembly for emergency light unit and the like and method of making same

Claim 2

In an emergency light unit including a lamp supported within a light transmitting dome mounted on a generally pan-shaped housing having a substantially flat circular bottom wall surrounded by a band-like side wall, an improved compact magnetic base assembly for firmly attaching said light unit to the metal body of a motor vehicle, comprising a circular sheet metal base plate including a substantially flat upper wall portion positioned adjacent said bottom wall of said housing, a generally cylindrical skirt portion extending around said upper wall portion and projecting downwardly therefrom as an integral part of said base plate, said skirt portion having a diameter generally the same as the diameter of said bottom wall of said housing and forming generally a continuation of said side wall of said housing, means for securing said upper wall portion of said base plate to said bottom wall of said housing, a plurality of substantially flat permanent magnets each having parallel upper and lower surfaces with the flux path extending therebetween, means for securing said upper surfaces of said magnets to the bottom surface of said upper wall portion of said base plate, said magnets being disposed in an angularly spaced annular arrangement on said upper wall portion, said skirt portion has a height less than the thickness of said magnets between said upper and lower surfaces to permit said lower surfaces of said magnets to be magnetically attracted to the body of the vehicle, said skirt portion surrounds said annular arrangement of magnets and cooperates with said upper wall portion to form an enclosure for said magnets, and a coating of moisture resistant material covering said base plate and said magnets.

Claim 3

A light unit and magnetic base assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said coating of moisture resistant material comprises a uniform layer of polyvinyl chloride.

Claim 4

A light unit and magnetic base assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for securing said magnets to said base plate, comprise a heat activated epoxy cement.

Claim 5

A light unit and magnetic base assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said magnets is generally rectangular in configuration, and said magnets are disposed in spoke-like positions on said upper wall portion of said base plate with the length of each magnet being generally radial.

Claim 6

A light unit and magnetic base assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said upper wall portion of said base plate has a center opening, said magnets are elongated, and said magnets extend longitudinally between said center opening and said skirt portion.

Claim 7

A light unit and magnetic base assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for securing said upper wall portion of said base plate to said light unit comprise a plurality of threaded fasteners projecting downwardly from the bottom wall of said light unit, and means defining a corresponding plurality of holes within said upper wall portion of said base plate between said magnets for receiving said fasteners.

Claim 8

In an emergency light unit including a lamp supported within a light transmitting dome mounted on a pAn-shaped housing having a substantially flat circular bottom wall surrounded by a band-like side wall, an improved compact magnetic base assembly for firmly attaching said light unit to the metal body of a motor vehicle, comprising a circular sheet metal base plate including a substantially flat upper wall portion positioned adjacent said bottom wall of said housing, a generally cylindrical skirt portion extending around said upper wall portion and projecting downwardly therefrom as an integral part of said base plate, said skirt portion having a diameter generally the same as the diameter of said bottom wall of said housing and forming generally a continuation of said side wall of said housing, a plurality of threaded fasteners for securing said upper wall portion of said base plate to said bottom wall of said housing, a plurality of substantially flat and generally rectangular permanent magnets each having parallel upper and lower surfaces with the flux path extending therebetween, adhesive means for securing said upper surfaces of said magnets to the bottom surface of said upper wall portion of said base plate, said magnets being disposed in an angularly spaced annular arrangement on said upper wall portion, said skirt portion has a height less than the thickness of said magnets between said upper and lower surfaces to permit said lower surfaces of said magnets to be magnetically attracted to the body of the vehicle, said skirt portion surrounds said annular arrangement of magnets and cooperates with said upper wall portion to form an enclosure for said magnets, and a coating of moisture resistant material covering said base plate and said magnets.

Claim 9

In an emergency light unit including a lamp supported within a light transmitting dome mounted on a pAn-shaped housing having a substantially flat circular bottom wall surrounded by a band-like side wall, an improved compact magnetic base assembly for firmly attaching said light unit to the metal body of a motor vehicle, comprising a circular sheet metal base plate including a substantially flat upper wall portion positioned adjacent said bottom wall of said housing, a generally cylindrical skirt portion extending around said upper wall portion and projecting downwardly therefrom as an integral part of said base plate, said skirt portion having a diameter generally the same as the diameter of said bottom wall of said housing and forming generally a continuation of said side wall of said housing, a plurality of threaded fasteners for securing said upper wall portion of said base plate to said bottom wall of said housing, a plurality of substantially flat and generally rectangular permanent magnets each having parallel upper and lower surfaces with the flux path extending therebetween, adhesive means for securing said upper surfaces of said magnets to the bottom surface of said upper wall portion of said base plate, said magnets being disposed in an angularly spaced annular arrangement on said upper wall portion, said skirt portion has a height less than the thickness of said magnets between said upper and lower surfaces to permit said lower surfaces of said magnets to be magnetically attracted to the body of the vehicle, said skirt portion surrounds said annular arrangement of magnets and cooperates with said upper wall portion to form an enclosure for said magnets, and a coating of moisture resistant material covering said base plate and said magnets.