Patent Application
20130161459
The present invention relates to a device for supporting objects.
Devices of this type, including main elements with a first end attachable to a bathroom object and a second end attachable to a supporting surface to attach the object to the supporting surface are known.
It is believed that the existing devices can be further improved.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for supporting bathroom objects which is a further improvement of existing devices of this type.
In keeping with these objects one feature of the present invention resides in a device for supporting a bathroom object, comprising a main element having a first end attachable to a bathroom object and a second end attachable to a supporting surface to attach the object by said attaching element to the supporting surface, said second end being provided with a through-going opening through which a fastener can pass to engage in the supporting surface and to connect the second end to the supporting surface; and an additional element having a first side provided with an adhesive layer attachable to the supporting surface and a second opposite side into which the fastening element can be screwed to extend only over a part of a thickness of said additional element, so that without said additional element said second end of said main element is connected to the supporting surface by the fastener, while with said additional element interposed between said second end and the supporting surface, said second end is connected by a fastener to the additional element and said additional element is connected to the supporting surface by said adhesive.
A further feature of the present invention is that said additional element has a protruded portion facing said second end and engageable by said fastener.
A further feature of the present invention is that said second end has a hollow projection for guiding said fastener.
A further feature of the present invention is that a cover is attachable to said second end at a side facing away from said additional element.
A further feature of the present invention is that said cover has a projection cooperating with said hollow projection of said second end to hold said cover on said second end.
A further feature of the present invention is that the second end has a receptacle for fittingly receiving the cover.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
The device for supporting a bathroom object has a main element which is identified with reference numeral 1 and has a first end 2, to which a bathroom object can be attached for example by tight fitting of the bathroom object onto the main element 1 or by insertion into an opening of the first end.
The main element 1 so has a second end 3 attachable to a supporting surface 4, for example to a wall. The second end 3 has a throughgoing opening 5, which can be formed for example in a sleeve shaped projection 6 through which a fastener, for example a screw 7 can pass. The inner opening of the projection 6 can be threaded, so that the screw 7 is screwed through it. The opening also can be smooth so that the thread of the screw 7 cuts through the material, for example plastic material, of the projection 6.
In accordance with a first mode of operation of the device, the bathroom object is attached to the end 2 of the main element 1, the main element 1 is pressed by its second end 3 against the supporting surface 4, and the fastener 7 is passed through the opening 5 and screwed into the supporting surface 4, thus supporting the bathroom object on the supporting surface.
A cover 8 covers a pocket 9 in the second end 3 of the main element 1, so as to hide the head of the fastener 7. The cover 8 has a tubular projection 10, which is slotted and thereby expansible and tightly fittable onto the projection 6 of the element 1 to retain the cover 8 on the main element 1.
The device is provided also with an additional element 11 having an adhesive layer 12. The additional element is used when it is not desirable to drive the fastener 7 into the supporting surface 4. The additional element 11 has an opening 13, which can be formed for example in a sleeve-shaped projection 14. The projection 14 is fittable firmly into the opening 5.
In accordance with a second mode of operation, a bathroom object is attached to the end 2 of the main element 1, a fastening element 15, which can be formed as a shorter screw, is passed through the opening 5 and screwed into the opening 13 thus connecting the elongated element 1 and the additional element 11 with one another, and the additional element 11 is then adhesively attached to the supporting face 4, thus adhesively supporting the bathroom object on the supporting surface. The opening 13 can be threaded for screwing the screw 15 into it. It can be also smooth, so that the thread of the screw 15 cuts into the material, for example plastic material, of the projection 14.
The additional element 11 can have a receptacle 16 formed by a peripheral projection 17 of the additional element, so that the second end 3 of the main element 1 can be press-fitted into the receptacle 16 and firmly held in it.
It is to be understood that the opening 13 of the additional element can be formed in it without the projection 14.
With the present invention, therefore, an object can be corrected to the supporting surface selectively, either by a fastener such as a screw, or alternatively by an adhesive, with the use of the inventive device.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the type described above.
While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in device for supporting bathroom objects, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.
