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A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark office, patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
1. Field of the Invention
The disclosed invention herein pertains to a wall mounting device and system particularly for mounting decorative or functional wall pieces in an adjustable manner.
2. Background
Mounting objects on a wall, such as picture frames and decorative pieces, require a certain amount of hand and eye coordination. The task is deceivingly difficult. A perception of level may not in fact be truly parallel with the floor plan of a building. With most buildings, a floor surface and the walls rising there from are not always even or horizontal throughout. Without additional equipment, a person must rely on their own visual sense of perception to finely adjust the position of an object on the wall. The ensuing task of finely adjusting an object on a wall can be complicated and difficult without proper equipment to take away the guess work and duplicate effort. The hanging equipment often has to be remounted with each shift of the object's position on the wall.
The most rudimentary method of hanging an object on a wall involve fixing a nail to the wall, leaving a protrusion from the head of the nail outward and hanging an object over the nail protrusion. The object would have a leveraging element that is hooked over the nail protrusion such as a chain, a wire or a groove. According to this simple embodiment, the nail would have to be removed from the wall for lateral or vertical repositioning of the object on the wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,625 provides a wall mounted device that creates a ledge on the wall to enable wider lateral adjustment. The ledge is a length of solid durable material attached to the wall. The leverage element of the object must be long enough to rest over the length of the ledge. These include chain, wire or saw tooth hooks commonly found on the back side of a picture frame. The given length of the ledge allows an object to be adjusted laterally for that similar distance on the wall. Therefore, a picture frame may be adjusted over a further lateral distance on the wall as oppose to being hung over a simple nail as with the example above. When more than one of such device is used to hang a single object, leveling and accuracy in measurement becomes an issue. Minor inaccuracies in level between the devices on the wall become perceptible. Each attempt to reposition would require complete removal of the device, remeasurement and reattachment. The hassle of repeating every step of the mounting procedure to overcome minor adjustment issues becomes frustratingly difficult and time consuming.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,448,507 provides a wall mounting device capable of horizontal and vertical adjustment. This device is designed for objects that can be received by a narrow āUā or āVā shaped hook, such as a wire or groove on the back side of a picture frame. This device and system is not very easy to assemble. According to its claimed embodiment, a user must coordinate between three separate steps and four components: 1) attaching the female element of the device to the wall, 2) attaching the free floating hook element to the female element, 3) hooking the object from its back side to the loosely held hook element. According to its claimed shape, the female element provides a ledge for the hook element to rest over when not in use. The design of the hook and female element dictates that the hook is first placed over the female element before the object is placed over the hook. The problem with this scenario is that the user cannot see where the hook matches up with the back side of the object. The process of matching the object to the hook element in this application requires blind feeling. The loose attachment of the hook element to the female element causes unnecessary movement by slight touch, further complicating the attempt. If two or more are used for a single object, the task of matching the object to each hook element and adjusting the object in this process becomes frustratingly difficult.
There remains a need in the art for a wall mounting device and system that minimizes the amount of handling required for mounting an object to a wall and enables easier adjustment over a wider range of space.
The invention herein relates to an adjustable wall mounting device and system. The adjustable wall mounting device comprises two main components: a first element and a second element. The first element comprises a first plate, a hook, a first plate attachment means, and an optional tacking element. The first plate is comprised of rigid material such as but not limited to any type of plastic polymer, metal, metal alloy, metal composites, wood and organic material such as bamboo, synthetic carbon composites such as carbon fiber, glass or any combinations thereof. The material composition of the first plate is preferably rigid and durable to counterweigh an object having a range of weight of approximately 0 to 60 pounds for extended period of time, by a matter of years according to standards within the industry for wall mounting devices of this category. Multiples of said devices may be attached to the perimeter of a larger object to spread the counterweight load. The mounting process of this invention requires minimal measurement, can overcome imprecision by wide range of adjustment, and does not require removal of the device from its fixed position for each attempt to readjust.
The first plate comprises a front side facing and back side. The front side faces the ambient environment and the back side faces the back side of the object to be hung. The back side further has an attaching means that attaches the first plate to the object. The first plate attaching means may comprise of any semi-permanent fixing means, preferably a screw or nail, fitting through the surface of the first plate onto the object. Alternatively, the first plate attachment means may comprise an adhesive material such as double sided tape or Velcro type material, eliminating the need for the more intrusive and penetrating components (i.e. nails, screws, pins, etc.). The intended effect of the first plate attaching means according to the scope of this invention is to fix the first plate to a desired location on the back of the decorative piece in a semi-fixed manner. The nature of being semi-fixed as opposed to being permanently fixed is to allow removal of the first plate from the object and reattachment of the first plate to the object with minimal damage to either component. The strength of the attachment should be sufficient to hold the weight of the object for extended period of time, between approximately 0 to 60 pounds as discussed above.
The first plate further has a length and a width where the length is preferably longer than the width. The width and length of the first plate may be positioned horizontally or vertically. The position by which the first plate is aligned on an object, either vertically or horizontally, is determined by many factors and not by the shape of the first plate alone. Most picture frames have narrow frame edges that surround standard sized square or rectangular images held within. The size and shape of the first plate takes into consideration the general frame dimension to stay hidden within the perimeter of said frame. Wider and shorter embodiments of the first plate may be attached horizontally lengthwise along the top and bottom edges of a standard picture frame. Alternatively, thinner and longer embodiments may be placed vertically to either sides of these standard frames. In certain cases, the frame edge may be too narrow to provide the necessary surface area to hide the first plate from public view when attached. In those circumstances, it would be acceptable and preferable for the width of the first plate to extend inward, centrally behind the image centrally held within. The wider protrusion inward provides a wider surface area and optional locations to determine placement of leverage point in a more central are on the object.
A hook element extends from the front side of the first plate. The hook element is also comprised of the same or similar durable grade material as that of the first plate. The hook protrudes outward at a downward slope from the front side of the first plate. The hook itself is preferably planar in shape so as to provide a sharp angled leverage. The angular space between the hook element and the front side of the first plate at their point of transition is preferably 45 degree or less. One or more hook elements may be attached to each individual first plate at various locations.
The second element comprises a second plate. The second plate has also a front side and a back side, a length and a width. As with the first plate, the length of the second plate is preferably greater than its width. The length and width may be positioned horizontally or vertically on the wall, depending on the preference and the orientation of the first plate. The front side of the second plate faces the ambient environment and the back side faces the wall when attached. The dimension of the second plate should be substantially similar to or the same as the first plate such that the two components may fittingly interconnect on their front sides in flush manner. The second plate further comprised of a plurality of horizontal angled slit openings, a second plate attachment means, and an optional tacking element. The second plate is comprised of the same or similar durable grade material as that of the first plate and the hook element. The durability of material should be sufficient to counterweight an object weighing approximately 0 to 60 pounds for an extended period of time. The material of the invention herein is preferably nonbrittle in nature to avoid cracking over time for purposes of best practices.
The plurality of horizontal angled slit openings is comprised of a plurality of horizontal plates. The plurality of horizontal plates is comprised of many long and thin planar pieces of solid material (horizontal plates) individually positioned above and below each other in horizontal fashion. The space between each of the plurality of horizontal plates comprises each of the plurality of horizontal angled slit openings. The plates are slanted at a downward angle towards the back side of the second plate. The angle of slant of the horizontal plates should match the angle of the hook element, preferably 45 degree downward slope. The matching angles allow the hook element to sleeve through the slit openings and rest over the horizontal plate in flush manner, establishing a sturdy and stable leverage relationship between the first and second plate. The surface of the horizontal plate is preferably longer than the width of the hook element with additional room for lateral movement (sliding) of the hook element. This enables the first element to adjust its horizontal position on the second element without need for removing either element from their fixed location.
The prior art disclosed above provides a hook element that is free floating and necessarily rests on its receiving element on the wall to maintain position and to establish leverage. This aspect of the patented claim requires an open space be available between the receiving element and the wall to allow the hook element to sleeve through for positioning. The free floating hook element of the prior art provides leverage support from the wall, hooking onto both the object and its receiving element. In contrast, the invention herein provides a hook element that is preattached to the first plate and hence to the object. The angle of attachment where the hook element of this invention is attached to the first plate and the object is the location of leverage. The advantage of this invention is that it eliminates the steps of having to separately hook and adjust a free floating element to the wall. The space between the receiving plate the wall otherwise needed to accommodate a free floating hook element is no longer necessary. Therefore, the second plate of this invention may be attached flushly against the wall. The advantage is perceivable wherein an object hung on the device herein would not protrude from the wall is it would if using the device of the prior art.
The second plate provides a second plate attaching means that attaches the second plate to the wall through its back side. The second plate attaching means may comprise a screw or nail and alternatively adhesive or tension grabbing material.
An optional feature, the optional tacking element, is considered in this invention. The optional tacking element is a component that allows the first element to establish a fixed bond to the second element once a desired position is achieved. It is not a necessary element but provides enhanced effect to the invention provided herein. The optional tacking element may comprise a male and female button attachments, Velcro attachments, pin and cushion attachment, adhesive attachment, rubber cement attachment, tension grabbing attachments, etc.
Alternatively, the optional tacking element may comprise simply a male or a single attachment device with no opposite receiving component (i.e. a thumb tack type pin or adhesive tape) and may be located on the front side of either the first plate or the second plate. The optional tacking element essentially comprising the steps of pushing the decorative piece (which is holding the first element on its back side) against the respective second element (which is attached to the wall) such that a connection between the first and second elements is achieved by fixed contact.
The invention herein provides a system wherein a first element is attached to the back side of an object and a second element is attached to a desired location on a wall surface. The position of the second element on the wall will determine where the object will generally be hung. Once the first and second elements are properly attached to their respective intended locations, the object should be held up towards the wall such that the first element faces and is aligned with the second element. By simple perception, the user may position the hook of the first element through a slit opening of the second element. Connection of the first element onto the second element is achieved by a single motion. There is ample vertical and horizontal surface area on the second element that is able to receive the hook element of the first plate that it minimal accuracy is required to achieve a connection. Once the first plate is attached to the second plate between the respective hook element and horizontal plate, the object may be slid left or right for horizontal alignment. The object may simply be removed slightly from the second element and repositioned upward or downward on said plate over a different horizontal plate without need to detach any portion of the mounting equipment or actual measurement. Further, wherein two devices are attached to the right and left side of the object, angular adjustment may be achieved by adjusting the vertical position of one side.
The system may comprise an alternative embodiment having a single first element and a matching second element, both being wider. The first element would have two hook elements at opposite sides of its horizontal plane. The greater width of the first and second plate and the two hook elements having the affect of two separate thinner devices described above. A wider and shorter embodiment may be preferably positioned along the top edge of a wider object. Horizontal, vertical and angular repositioning is achievable in the same ergonomic way described above. To enable ease of angular adjustment in this scenario, the two hook elements may have a rounded bottom surface to allow pivoting when the object is shifted at an angle.
Yet another alternative embodiment provides a device comprising two first elements and a single larger second element. The two first elements each have a single hook extending from its respective front side as provided above. The second element comprises a plurality of horizontal angled slit openings and horizontal plates that are longer than the farthest distance between the two first elements (between the outermost edges of the respective two hooks) according to their intended distance of separation when affixed to an object. The hooks of the two first elements may be placed over the same or different horizontal angled slit openings for height and angular adjustment. The hooks may further be slid sideways for horizontal adjustment. As with the above embodiment, the hooks of this alternative system would have a rounded bottom surface to allow pivoting with angle adjustment.
Yet another embodiment of this invention comprises two first elements and two second elements. Each of the two first elements has a single hook extending from its front side at a downward angle. Each of the two first elements would be attached to an object at its backside by the first attachment means. The space between the attached two first elements would determine the space between the two second elements as the two second elements are positioned along the same horizontal plane on a wall. The distance between the two first elements should be the same or substantially similar to the distance between the two second elements. The hooks of the first two elements may be positioned over the same or different horizontal plates of the two second elements to adjust for angle or height. Horizontal adjustment is achieved by sliding the hooks sideways along the length of the horizontal plates where the hooks are seated over.
Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary aspects of the present invention which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
The second plate 102, according to
Having fully described at least one embodiment of the present invention, other equivalent or alternative methods according to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The invention has been described by way of summary, detailed description and illustration. The specific embodiments disclosed in the above drawings are not intended to be limiting. Implementations of the present invention with various different configurations are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention. The invention is thus to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the following claims.