TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to hangers, supports and other components or systems capable of supporting objects, such as but not necessarily limited to a hanger having adjustability sufficient to facilitate adjustably supporting objects after being affixed to a supporting surface and/or to facilitate adjustably supporting objects having a wire or other support member hidden from view or otherwise difficult to orientate relative to a support surface.
BACKGROUND
A hanger may be broadly characterized as any device, structure, arrangement or the like configured to interface a supported object with a supporting surface. Hangers may be used in any number of environments for any number of purposes to facilitate hanging the supported object relative to the supporting surface in a desired orientation, e.g., it may be desirable to orientate the supported object so as to appear level or at another angle, to appear equally offset from one or more nearby objects, etc. Achieving the desired orientation can be problematic when the hanger attaches to the supporting surface with a fastener or other element in a relatively immovable manner as the re-positioning of the hanger is thwarted unless a user undertakes the arduous task of removing and re-attaching the fastener to another portion of the supporting element. Achieving the desired orientation can also be problematic when the hanger attaches to a wire or other support member of the supported object, particularly if either is hidden from view, as a user may have difficultly predicting the influence or variability associated with the wire and/or the additional influence or variability associated with the hidden support member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates a hanging system in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the hanger in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention.
FIG. 3 illustrates an assembly view of the hanger in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention.
FIGS. 4a-4f illustrate multiple views of the hanger including the fasteners in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention.
FIGS. 5a-5f illustrate multiple views of the vertical bar in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention.
FIGS. 6a-6f illustrate multiple views of the horizontal bar in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention.
FIGS. 7a-7f illustrate multiple views of the carriage in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention.
FIGS. 8a-8c illustrate operation of the carriage in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention.
FIGS. 9a-9d illustrate optional configurations for the horizontal bar in accordance with various aspects of the present invention
FIGS. 10a-10g illustrate a hanger in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention.
FIG. 11 illustrates a hanger in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention.
FIGS. 12a-12f illustrate a hanger system in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention.
FIGS. 13a-13f illustrate a hanger system in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
FIG. 1 illustrates a hanging system 10 in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention where a hanger 12 is configured to interface a supported object 14 relative to a support or surface 16, such as with retention of a supporting member 18. The present invention is predominately described with respect to use of the hanger 12 to hang a picture for exemplary non-limiting purposes as the present invention fully contemplates its use and application in hanging or otherwise supporting any device(s) of suitable size and shape, optionally with the use of multiple hangers/bars. The hanger 12 may be used to facilitate hanging the supported object 14 relative to the supporting surface 16 in a desired orientation, e.g., it may be desirable to orientate the supported object 14 so as to appear level or at another angle, to appear equally offset from one or more nearby objects, etc. The hanger 12 may be adjustable in four-ways after being affixed to the supporting surface 16 so as to enable a user to easily achieve the desired orientation.
A user may mount a picture 14 to a wall 16 using the hanger 12 and later decide the picture 14 should be adjusted vertically up or down or horizontally left and right. The user may reach behind the supported object 14 to perform the desired adjustment while the supported object 14 is still mounted to the hanger 12 or simply disengage the supported object 14 from the hanger 12 and then perform the desired adjustment. One non-limiting aspect of the present invention contemplates the hanger 12 including a horizontal bar 20, a vertical bar 22 and a carriage 24 arranged to slide-n-glide. The vertical bar 22 may be configured to cooperate with the horizontal bar 20 in a manner sufficient to permit the vertical bar 22 to remain attached while sliding thereon in a first way and a second way from the illustrated center position, i.e., leftward and rightward. The carriage 24 may be configured to cooperate with the vertical bar 22 in a manner sufficient to permit the carriage 24 to remain attached while sliding thereon in a third way and a fourth way from the illustrated center position, i.e., upward and downward.
FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the hanger 12 in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention. The perspective view illustrates first and second fasteners 28, 30 extending through first and second mounting 32, 34 elements included at distal ends of the horizontal bar 20, which is shown as being elongated but may be shaped in any manner sufficient to facilitate the contemplated four-way adjustability. The first and second fasteners 28, 30 may be nails, screws or other devices suitable to attaching the horizontal bar 20 to the supporting surface, wall, support, structure, etc. FIG. 3 illustrates an assembly view of the hanger in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention. The assembly view illustrates the hanger 12 without including the first and second fasteners 28, 20 as the hanger 12 may be sold separately from the fasteners 28, 30 and/or operable without the fasteners 28, 30, such as if the supporting surface 16 includes pegs, hooks, pins or other retaining elements upon which the horizontal bar 20 may be sufficiently retained or anchored.
FIGS. 4a-4f illustrate multiple views of the hanger 12 including the fasteners 28, 30 in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention. The assembly views illustrate the carriage 24 including a flange 38 configured to cooperate with a guide 40 in a manner sufficient to create a gap or pocket 42 within which the supporting member or other retainer 18 of the supported object 14 may be retained for support. In the case of the wire, supporting member 18 shown in FIG. 1, the wire 18 may rest on a top surface or ledge 44 of the carriage 24 and be prevented from moving forwardly by the flange 38 and backwardly by the vertical bar 22. The top surface 44 is shown to be flat or relatively planar for exemplary purposes and may be sized or shaped differently to match the supporting member 18 or to otherwise provide a corresponding support without deviating from the scope and contemplation of the present invention. The guide 40, for example, may include a recess, aperture, cavity, clip, lock or other element on the top surface 44 to enhance retention of the supporting member 18, including retaining the supporting member 18 at a center of the top surface 44 or otherwise away from the flange 38 so as to limiting outward forces on the flange 38.
FIGS. 5a-5f illustrate multiple views of the vertical bar 22 in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention. The vertical bar 22 is shown to include a top portion 50 having first and second lips 52, 54 configured to snap over or otherwise clip the vertical bar 22 to the horizontal bar 20 in a manner sufficient to permit the vertical bar 22 to remain attached while sliding leftward and rightward thereon. The vertical bar 22 is shown to include the first and second lips 52, 54 for exemplary purposes as one of the lips 52, 54 may be removed and/or other configurations may be utilized for achieving similar movement and retention relative to the horizontal bar 20 without deviating from the scope and contemplation of the present invention, e.g., the bottom lip 54 may be replace with a flat or non-clipping surface sufficient to rest against a bottom side of the horizontal bar 20 without being clipped thereto while still facilitating the four-way adjustability contemplated herein. Apertures 58, 60 may be included proximate the lips 52, 54 to facilitate flexing when being snapping to the horizontal bar 20 and/or to facilitate molding or other manufacture of the top portion 50. The vertical bar 22 may include a body portion 62 below the top portion 50 having a plurality of engagement elements 64 operable with the carriage 24 to facilitate securely positioning the carriage 24 at a desired position. The vertical bar 22 is shown as being elongated but may be shaped in any manner sufficient to facilitate the contemplated four-way adjustability.
The plurality of engagement elements 64 are shown for exemplary non-limiting purposes as being recessed grooves position on a front side of the vertical bar 22. The grooves may be teeth, transverse ridges or other elements capable of providing a mating engagement with a pawl 66 (see FIGS. 7a-7g) sufficient to obstruct the carriage 24 from moving downward therefrom when properly seated. Flat surfaces or rails 70, 72 may be included on opposite sides to the engagement elements 64 to facilitate sliding the carriage 24 thereon. The engagement elements 64 are shown to be recessed or flush relative to the flat surfaces 72, 74 for exemplary non-limiting purposes as the present invention fully contemplates the use of other engagement elements 64, such as but not necessary limited to non-recessed ledges or protuberances extending outwardly beyond the flat rails 72, 74. An end stop or other in larger element 76 may be included at a bottom end of the body portion 62 to limit removal of the carriage 24 as described below in more detail. An aperture 78, optionally diagonally shaped and/or recessed, may be included in the top portion 50 to facilitate receiving a fastener, such as in the manner described in capital U.S. Pat. No. 8,376,308, the disclosure, use and operation thereof is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.
FIGS. 6a-6f illustrate multiple views of the horizontal bar 20 in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention. The horizontal bar 20 may include first and second spines 80, 82 extending in an elongated fashion between the first and second mounting elements 32, 34. The spines 80, 82 may be offset from the top and bottom surfaces to permit or provide clearance for the first and second lips 52, 54 of the vertical bar 22 to snap thereto. A back of the spines 80, 82 may be planar with a back of the first and second mounting elements 32, 34 and cooperatively shaped so as to press against the support surface 16 when mounted while also providing clearance sufficient to permit the vertical bar 22 to slide thereon (see FIGS. 4a-4f). A height and depth of the first and second lips 52, 54, i.e., an offset of the first and second lips 52, 54 from a central portion 84 (see FIGS. 5a-5f) of the top portion 50, may be cooperatively shaped with thicknesses of the top and bottom surface of the horizontal bar 20 to allow the vertical bar 22 to rotate slightly when the carriage 24 is loaded so as to cause a bottom end of the vertical bar 22 to press against the supporting surface 16.
The use of two spines 80, 82 is illustrated for exemplary non-limiting purposes as the dual-spine configuration may be beneficial in enhancing structural integrity and rigidity of the horizontal bar 20, including thwarting sagging between the first and second mounting elements 32, 34 when bearing a weight of the supported object 14. A single spine or other configuration may be utilized without deviating from the scope and contemplation of the present invention, including eliminating the spines altogether and/or using protuberances or other non-continuous elements. The first and second mounting elements 32, 34 are shown as recessed apertures shaped to receive a fastener 28, 30 and to counter-sink a head or other end of the fasteners 28, 30 below a front surface of the horizontal bar 20 so as to prevent the fasteners 28, 30 from contacting the supported object 14. The first and second mounting elements 32, 34 and/or the structures associated therewith may define a range of travel of for the vertical bar 22 or the leftward and rightward adjustability contemplated by the present invention. The shapes and sizes thereof may be cooperatively designed so as to prevent the vertical bar 22 from sliding off of a distal end of the horizontal bar 20 once snap thereto, i.e., the first and second lips 52, 54 may abut one of the first and second mounting elements 32, 34 when a maximum travel distance is reached so as to prevent sliding off.
FIGS. 7a-7f illustrate multiple views of the carriage 24 in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention. The carriage 24 is shown to include the flange 38 pivotally connected to the guide 40 with a hinge 86. The guide 40 may be formed of a unitary or integral material, such as but not necessary limited to a nylon, a plastic, a polymer or any other suitable material, whereby the hinge 86 may be a living hinge or other feature associated with bending or flexing of the material forming the carriage 24. The flange 38 may include the pawl 66 configured to pivot about the guide 40 so as to facilitate selectively engaging and disengaging relative to any one of the plurality of engagement elements 64. The pawl 66 may be cooperatively sized and shaped with the engagement elements 64 or the recesses associated therewith to provide smooth engagement and disengagement. The engagement elements 64 may be configured in sawtooth pattern or other pattern such that upward movement of the carriage 24 causes the pawl 66 to automatically disengage to permit re-positioning.
FIGS. 8a-8c illustrate operation of the carriage 24 from an unbiased position (middle) between an inwardly biased position (top) and an outwardly biased position (bottom) in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention. The unbiased position may correspond with the carriage 24 being unloaded or prior to holding the supporting member 18 where the pawl 66 may be in non-obstructive contact or non-retentive contact with one of the plurality of engagement elements 64 and/or slightly outwardly therefrom such that the carriage 24 is able to freely slide up and down the vertical bar 22. The unbiased position may orientate the pawl 66 inward of the end stop 76 to prevent the carriage 24 from being removed from the vertical bar 22 unless actuated to the inward bias position. The inward bias position may correspond with the user pressing inwardly on the flange 38 so as to pivot the pawl 66 beyond the end stop 76 whereupon the carriage 24 may be removed from the bottom end of the vertical bar 22. The outward bias position may correspond with the supported object 14 being retained in the pocket 42 or pressing down on surface 44 of the guide 40 and/or outwardly against the flange 38 such that the pawl 66 nests or is otherwise seated within one of the plurality of engagement elements 64 so as to prevent downward movement therefrom. The outward bias position may optionally be a normal or designed state of the guide 40 instead of the unbiased state such that the pawl 66 is always lodged within one of the plurality of engagement elements 64 unless pivoted out of engagement.
The guide 40 may include an inner passage 88 shaped to match a cross-section of the vertical bar 22 so as to permit the pawl 66 to actuate between the noted positions and to enable the carriage 24 to remain attached while sliding thereon. The vertical bar 22 may include a channel 90 (see FIGS. 5a-5f) on a backside along the body portion 62 opposite to the engagement elements 64 to define a u-shaped cross-section. The u-shaped cross-section may match with a corresponding cross-section of the inner passageway 88 to respectively define a key and keyway combination where the two shapes operate to insure one-way, proper positioning and alignment of the pawl 66 relative to the engagement elements 64. The guide 40 may include an extension 92 sized to fit with the channel of the vertical bar to provide lateral support and guidance. The extension 92 may optionally include a recess 94, shown as v-shaped for exemplary purposes, to facilitate a pinching movement or flexing of the inner passageway 88 when bearing the weight of the supported object 14 or supporting member 18. The pinching movement may distribute at least part of the associated downward forces in a partially lateral direction against the sides of the vertical channel 90, which may beneficial in ameliorating or distributing the forces on the pawl 66 to the vertical bar 22 to enhance retention and/or to prevent slippage. The guide 40 may also include tapered or other purposely shaped sides 96, 98 to further facilitate the pinching movement when a force presses down on the guide 40.
FIGS. 9a-9d illustrate optional configurations for the horizontal bar 20 in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. FIG. 9a illustrates lateral positioning elements 102 as protuberances or risers on a backside of the horizontal bar 20 provided in place of or in addition to the above-illustrated spines 80, 82. The protuberances 102 may be spaced to approximate a width of the first and second lips 52, 54 such that the first and second lips 52, 54 or lateral position components of the vertical bar 22 are locked therebetween to restrain the vertical bar 22 to a particular lateral position. FIG. 9b illustrates lateral positioning elements 104 as grooves or ridges on a top and/or bottom of the horizontal bar 20 that cooperate with the first and second lips 52, 54 or other lateral positioning components of the vertical bar 22 to restrain lateral positioning. FIG. 9c illustrates lateral positioning elements 106 as protuberances or risers on a front of the horizontal bar 20 that cooperate with the central portion 84 of the top portion 62 or other lateral position components of the vertical bar 22 to restrain lateral movement. FIG. 9d illustrates tabs, cones, hooks, etc. 108, 110 extending from a backside of the horizontal bar 20 in place of or in addition to the above-illustrated fasteners 28, 30. The tabs 108, 110 may be configured to engage the supporting surface 16 or to attach to openings or reliefs so as to facilitate mounting the horizontal bar 20 thereto optionally without the fasteners 28, 30.
FIGS. 10a-10g illustrate a hanger system 120 in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention. The hanger 12 is shown to include the above-described vertical bar 22 and carriage 24 with a nail or other fastener 122 being driven through the aperture included in the top portion. The carriage may be configured in the above-described manner to facilitate pinching or otherwise flexing to restrain movement in the downward direction along the vertical bar. FIG. 11 illustrates a hanger system 126 in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention where a nail 122 may be driven through the aperture in the vertical bar 22 and thereafter though the horizontal bar 20 into the supporting surface 16. The nail 122 may enhance mounting of the vertical bar 22 and prevent any lateral movement of the vertical bar 22, which may be beneficial to prevent further adjustments after the user re-positions the carriage 24 to the desired position. The hanger system 126 may also be configured to drive the nail into but not through the horizontal bar 20 and/or into recess included on the horizontal bar 20, such to non-permanently position a tong through the aperture and into a recess of the horizontal bar 20 that can be easily removed and re-positioned without damaging the supporting surface 16.
FIGS. 12a-12f illustrate a hanger system 130 in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention. The hanger system 120 is shown to include a horizontal bar 132, a vertical bar 134 and a carriage 136 configured to facilitate multi-way movement and re-positioning similar to the hanger 12 shown in FIG. 2. A spine 140 on a back of the horizontal bar 132 is shown to cooperate with a lip and ledge 142, 144 on a top portion of the vertical bar 134 to facilitate clipping the vertical bar 134 thereto in a sliding arrangement. The carriage is shown to include multiple flanges 148, 150 and may be operable relative to a guide 152 to pivot corresponding pawls 154, 156 into and out of engagement with corresponding engagement elements 158, 160 included on lateral sides of the vertical bar 134 to securely position the carriage 136. The carriage 136 is shown to include top and bottom hinges 164, 166, 168, 170 to facilitate movement of the pawls 154, 156 but may be similarly operable with a single one of the top and bottom hinges 164, 166, 168, 170. The carriage 136 may include an inner passageway 174 shaped to match a cross-section of the vertical bar 134 to provide lateral integrity and one-way assembly. The carriage 134 may be sized to form a pocket 176 for receiving the supporting member 18 whereby the supporting member 18 seats between opposed walls of the guide 152 instead of between the flange and vertical bar as described above.
FIGS. 13a-13f illustrate a hanger system 200 in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention. The hanger system 200 is shown to include a vertical bar 202 and a carriage 204 configured to facilitate multi-way movement and re-positioning of a picture or other hung structure similar to the hanger 12 shown in FIG. 2. The hanger system 200 may be configured to engage a sawtooth support 206 or other element attached to a backside of a picture desired for mounting to a wall (not shown—leftward of the carriage 204 shown in FIG. 13f). The carriage 204 may be shaped differently than the carriage 24 described above to include sides 208, 210 extending upwardly to form a top ledge or surface 212 having included thereon a tab 214 shaped to journal or otherwise engage within recesses of the support 206. The tab 214 may be sized and shaped to match the v-shaped recesses or other openings included in the support 206, i.e., include a rearward extending portion (not shown) shaped to fit within the fee-shaped recesses. The surface 212 may extend over the vertical bar 202 to provide limit on downward movement of the carriage 204 relative thereto. The carriage 204 may include a guide 220 similar to the guide 40 described above to facilitate positioning the carriage relative to the vertical bar 202, e.g., relative to the upper position shown in FIG. 13e, the downward position shown in FIG. 13e or at any position therebetween.
The support structure 206 may include a nail 216 or other fastener having a length sufficient to offset the picture from the carriage 204 by an amount greater than the guide 220 to facilitate inserting the hanger system 200 between the picture and the wall (the picture is omitted from FIG. 13e). The vertical bar 202 may be nailed to the wall through an aperture 218 whereafter the picture may be vertically positioned along the vertical bar 202 with movement of the guide 220 and/or horizontally positioned along the tab 214 with the support 206. Optionally, the above described horizontal bar 20 (not shown) may be nailed or fixed to the wall initially with the vertical bar 220 being attached thereafter, i.e., to enable vertical positioning via the vertical bar 202, horizontal positioning via the horizontal bar 20 and additional horizontal positioning via the support 206. The carriage 204 may include one or more apertures 220, 222 through which nails or other fasteners (not shown) may be driven to further secure the carriage 204 to the wall. One non-limiting aspect of the present invention contemplates the carriage 204 being sufficient to initially support and facilitate orientating the picture relative to the wall such that fasteners may be driven thereafter through the apertures 220, 222 after desired positioning of the picture is obtained, i.e., to permanently secure the hanger system 200 after temporarily positioning.
The adjustable hanger is a picture perfect hanger that will allow the user to hang items such as, but not limited to, pictures, photographs, artwork, wall decorations and all items similar which require a mounting unit attached to the wall to support the weight of the item which is to be hung. The picture perfect hanger allows a user to adjust the height and horizontal position of the item being hung simply by sliding the support hook up or down the track and laterally left and right. While other “picture hangers” require precise measurements to position the hung item at the desired position, the picture perfect hanger allows the user to reposition the hung item, up or down, without having to re-nail the hanging hook. The item can be adjusted up or down to within 1/32 of an inch. No more pounding several nail holes into the wall to finally end up with the hung item at the desired height.
To use the picture perfect hanger, simply determine where you want to hang an item on the wall or mounting surface. Pound the provided nail through the holes in the horizontal bar into the surface so the nail head is flush with the plastic vertical rail of the picture perfect hanger. Using whatever support mechanism, most commonly wire, or frame brackets, which have been attached to the item you wish to hang, place the item to be hung on the picture perfect hanger. If the hung item is too high or too low simply lift it off the picture perfect hanger, and adjust the item up or down to desired height. The item can always be re-adjusted at any time by simply sliding the hook of the perfect picture hanger up or down. While the use of horizontal and vertical bar is predominately described, the bar need not be so elongated or straight and need not join together at a right angle or otherwise be perpendicular in order to provide the multi-way adjustability contemplated by the present invention.
While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.
Patent Application
20190254446
