Patent Application
20230392630
The invention relates to an anchoring element for hanging and connecting objects on pre-walls and/or metal surfaces, without the need for tools. The invention further relates to an anchoring assembly and an anchoring system comprising said anchoring element.
Different anchoring pieces are known for hanging objects on pre-walls that use methods such as screws or nails to adhere to the wall, generally requiring the use of drills, in many cases representing an impediment or nuisance for the user.
The problem with these anchoring means is that they require an aggressive action on the wall, especially relevant in pre-walls such as plasterboard, wood, cork or the like. This action can deteriorate the gripping wall, which may prevent the pieces from sticking to the wall or create damage to said walls.
Devices that respond to pre-wall gripping requirements are also known, such as the ones described in Utility Model ES1068718U or in patent application WO9602179 A1, which allow fixing of a small hook on the wall by means of two top spikes that leave less impact on the wall.
However, these anchoring devices only have the function of a small hook, they are still difficult to install since they don't have a broadly flat surface to exert pressure on them in order to anchor them to the wall and can cause damage to the fingers, hence a hammer is generally required to complete the installation, and they can easily become detached of the wall as they do not have a bottom reinforcement.
Patent application WO2004079210 discloses an anchoring element with a small hook that is fixed to the wall by means of spikes, a top and a bottom one, with a downwardly curved configuration. In any case, it is an individual anchoring element, not configurable or expandable, which, like the previous devices, is still difficult to install.
Like ways, responding to a less aggressive wall anchoring method, there is also a model similar to those exposed above, for anchoring by means of small spikes, with a downwardly curved configuration that facilitates the installation of the piece, which is carried out with two mutually pivoting elements, as reflected in patent application MX 2017015859 A. However, the downwardly curved configuration of the top spikes, like a hook, generates a wall insertion path coinciding with the trajectory of the extraction forces generated by an object hanging from the anchoring piece, thus facilitating the involuntary detachment of said anchoring piece from the wall.
Said system incorporates the possibility of coupling a hook, or other support elements, of a larger size to the anchoring piece, however, like the aforementioned systems, it does not allow for a great variety of accessories or objects to be anchored to the wall and to be connected together to create modular systems, thus being able to create multiple combinations of accessories anchored to the wall by means of the same anchoring element.
On the other hand, none of the above devices allows the anchoring element to be anchored both on pre-walls and on metal surfaces.
In order to avoid the above-mentioned drawbacks, it is an object of the present invention to provide an anchoring element that is easy to install, which allows objects to be hung and connected, without the need for tools, on pre-walls and/or metal surfaces. Said anchoring element is designed to be able to connect different support elements thereto, prepared to fit with said anchoring element, thus being able to create multiple combinations of accessories anchored to the wall, from a simple hook to multiple combinations of the same with other accessories, by means of the same anchoring element.
The anchoring element is characterized by being able to be coupled to a pre-wall fixing element and/or to a magnetic element. In such a way that, the anchoring element can be anchored both on pre-walls (drywalls, plasterboard, wood, cork, etc.) and metal surfaces (refrigerator, metal sheets, etc.).
It is, therefore, another object of the present invention, to provide an anchoring assembly for hanging and connecting together objects on pre-walls and/or metal surfaces comprising said anchoring element and said fixing element or said magnetic element.
The fixing element has particular characteristics that differentiate it from other pre-wall gripping pieces that are found on the market, since it has three spikes, two top and one bottom, with a configuration, like a reverse hook, that allows the insertion into the wall with greater ease and avoids the involuntary detachment of the anchoring element.
When the top spikes are inserted into the wall, they form an arch whose center is coincident with the arch formed by the bottom spike, thus allowing for a better wall insertion by following the same insertion path.
The upward curvature of the top insertion spikes generates a wall insertion arch that is opposite to the path generated by the extraction forces of an object hanging from the anchoring assembly, thus creating additional lock and reinforcing the pre-wall anchoring assembly.
The anchoring element allows anchoring of the anchoring assembly to a pre-wall, in a simple way, offering a firm base with a broadly flat surface that allows pressure to be applied thereon without damaging the fingers and without the need for tools to complete the installation.
The anchoring element, by means of projections arranged on the periphery of its back face, allows connection with support elements, making it possible to create accessory networks in both directions of the X and Y axes of the wall plane.
It is, therefore, still another object of the present invention, to provide an anchoring system for hanging and connecting objects together and creating modular, expandable and configurable constructions, on pre-walls and/or metal surfaces, without the need for tools, comprising a plurality of anchoring assemblies and a plurality of support elements.
The anchoring system of the present invention makes it possible to connect together a multitude of accessories (bags, hooks, LED strips, magazine holders, pencils, trays, shelves, etc.) and anchor them to the wall without tools, creating varied sets without the need for auxiliary structures such as panels or grids and can be freely configured and expanded to create multi-purpose accessory sets.
To complement the description that is being made and in order to facilitate understanding of the characteristics of the invention, the present specification is accompanied by a set of drawings in which, by way of illustration and not limitation, the following has been represented:
It is an object of the present invention to provide an anchoring element 1, as shown in
The broadly flat geometry of the front face 1a of the anchoring element 1 is configured to be able to receive decorative elements 11 having an adhesive face 11a.
The back face 1b is provided with coupling means 4, 4′, for coupling the anchoring element 1 to a fixing element 3 and/or a hole 5 configured to contain a magnetic element 6. In such a way that, the anchoring element allows anchoring both on pre-walls and/or metal surfaces.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the back face 1b comprises the coupling means 4, 4′ when the anchoring element is anchored to pre-walls and the back face 1b comprises the hole 5 when the anchoring element is anchored to metal surfaces.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the coupling means 4, 4′ are dovetail grooves, such that the anchoring element engages the fixing element 3 in a sliding manner, as shown in
When the anchoring element 1 is used on metal surfaces, there is no need to couple it to a fixing element 3, but instead a magnetic element 6 is inserted into hole 5 and fixed to the anchoring element 1 by means of a locking system 10.
The magnetic element 6 is fixed in hole 5 by means of the locking system 10, comprising two tabs elastically deformable under pressure, in such a way that they regain their original shape once the magnetic element 6 has been inserted into hole 5.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the anchoring element 1 is made of a plastic material and shaped by injection molding.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, it is contemplated that the anchoring element 1 comprises a double-sided adhesive on its back face 1b, in order to be able to anchor the anchoring element 1 to a surface by adhesion.
The back face 1b additionally comprises projections 7 located in recesses 8 arranged on the periphery of the back face 1b, in such a way that the anchoring element can receive support elements 9 both in the direction of the X and Y axes of the wall plane.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the anchoring element has a square geometry with round edges, each side of the anchoring element having one projection 7 located in the central part of said side, in such a way that the anchoring element 1 can receive up to four support elements 9, two in the direction of the X axis and two in the direction of the Y axis of the wall plane.
In other embodiments, it is contemplated that the anchoring element 1 has different geometries, i.e., round, oval, rectangular geometry, etc. and it has more than one projection 7 per side or more than four projections distributed along the periphery of the back face of the anchoring element 1.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the projections 7 have a conical and ribbed geometry to allow coupling of the support elements 9 and prevent their detachment.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an anchoring assembly 2, as shown in
In one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in
As shown in
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the wall insertion extension of the bottom spike 14 is smaller than the wall insertion extension of the top spikes 13, 13′.
As shown in
By coupling an anchoring element 1 and respective supporting elements 9 on the fixing element 3, a force is produced in vector F1, which pivots about point b and generates a force F2. In order to improve the anchoring system, the two top spikes have an upwardly curved configuration, like a reverse hook, in such a way that when inserted into the wall they create an insertion path A1 that intersects with the path of force F2, generating forces F3 and F4, creating an additional lock and reinforcing the anchoring system of the pre-wall anchoring assembly.
The fixing element 3 additionally comprises receiving means 15, 15′ that extend from the sides of the flat plate 12, like wings, in the opposite direction to spikes 13, 13′, 14, and are compatible with coupling means 4, 4′ to receive the anchoring element 1.
The broadly flat geometry of the front face 1a of the anchoring element 1 makes it possible to have a support surface for inserting the anchoring assembly 2, when it comprises the fixing element 3, into the wall without damaging the fingers when exerting pressure on said surface.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an anchoring system, as shown in
As shown in
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each anchoring element 1 allows coupling with up to four, that is, one, two, three or four different support elements 9, as shown in
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the support elements 9 are extruded profiles 9a, as shown in
In a preferred embodiment, the extruded profiles 9a, 9b are made of aluminum.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the anchoring system additionally comprises support accessories 18, such as, for example, shelves 18a, sacks 18b and/or trays 18c.
The anchoring element 1 is designed to allow coupling with different support elements 9, thus being able to create multiple combinations of accessories anchored to the wall, from a simple hook or a shelf to multiple combinations of the same with other accessories, by means of the same anchoring element 1.
As shown in
In an alternative embodiment it is also contemplated that the system includes complementary fixing elements 3 that can be fixed to the support elements 9 through coupling means 22, 22 ‘ of the support elements 9, as shown in
As shown in
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the anchoring system additionally comprises injected plastic parts 22 designed to be pressure-fitted to the support elements 9 by means of holes 20 arranged therein, as shown in
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the anchoring system additionally comprises clip elements 23 designed to slideably join the support elements 9 by means of guides 19 arranged on the sides thereof, and to be movable along said guides 19, as shown in
Once the nature of the invention has been sufficiently described, as well as some examples of preferred embodiment, it is stated for the appropriate purposes that the materials, shape, and size of the elements described may be modified, as long as this does not imply an alteration of the essential characteristics of the invention that are claimed below.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20382848.8 | Sep 2020 | ES | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2021/058638 | 9/22/2021 | WO |
