Brackets and methods for holding wires utilizing magnetic force

Abstract

A bracket () holds a wire () adjacent a magnetic surface (). The bracket () includes a retaining member () with a magnetic attracting end () and a retaining end (). The retaining member () is shaped to accept the wire () between the magnetic attracting end () and the retaining end () while holding the wire () adjacent the magnetic surface () when the retaining member () is held to the magnetic surface (). The retaining member () is formed of a plastic material that is flexible to form a plurality of holding shapes and sturdy to retain one of the plurality of holding shapes to correspond to the magnetic surface () of a planar or non-planar configuration. The magnetic attracting end () and the retaining end () can each include a cavity () to receive and fit magnetic attractors (). The magnetic attractors () can each have a length longer than a width and have elongated magnetic forces which are generally perpendicular to an axis extending between the magnetic attracting end () and the retaining end () of the retaining member (). In other aspects, the wire () is held on a nonmagnetic surface by placing the wire () adjacent to the nonmagnetic surface and to first and second magnet attractive fasteners () that have been attached to the nonmagnetic surface. While constraining the wire () within the bracket (), the first and second magnetic attractors () are attached to the first and second magnet attractive fasteners (), respectively, thereby holding the wire () adjacent the nonmagnetic surface.