Present invention relates to a wall-mounted hanger for hanging a picture frame or the like.
A conventional picture frame hanger typically consists of an anchor section and a hook section. In prior art, the anchor section is typically located in the upper part of hanger, which has a lateral projectile for receiving nail and guiding the nail to enter into wall in inclined position, such as a vertical 45 degree angle. The hook section is typically located in the lower part of hanger, which has a U hook for receiving the hanging wire of picture frame. Nail is anchored in wall in inclined position in order to prevent hanger from swiveling, pivoting, loosening or detaching from wall. The upper-anchor-section and lower-hook-section arrangement of prior art enables user to install hanger by holding the lower hook section while hammering the nail into wall from the upper anchor section. However, such an arrangement of prior art has a major drawback.
During hanging a picture frame onto a wall-mounted hanger, user can hardly see the hanger while holding picture frame against wall and hanger in an attempt to engage the hanging wire of picture frame to U hook. Therefore, user must firstly hold and position picture frame slightly above the hanger in order to see and identify the location of hanger, and then slide the picture frame downward against wall until the hanging wire catches U hook. Unfortunately, because lateral projectile of anchor section is located in the upper part of hanger directly above U hook, lateral projectile blocks the entrance of U hook. As a result, engaging the hanging wire to U hook frequently takes time and repeated trial effort. In some cases, user may mistakenly hang the hanging wire over the top of lateral projectile rather than U hook. As a result, picture frame is unstably hung over the hanger, and may easily fall off from hanger. All picture frame hangers of prior art, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,675,281, 3,226,065, 2,137,837, 2,454,813, 2,940,712, and 5,267,719, inherit this drawback.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,222,833, author of present invention discloses a new type of picture frame hanger that has anchor section located in the lower part of hanger directly below U hook. In another word, the lateral projectile, which guides the nail to enter into wall in inclined position, is located directly below U hook without blocking the entrance of U hook. As a result, user can easily engage the hanging wire directly to U hook, and can't possibly hang the hanging wire over the lateral projectile by mistake.
However, the new type of hanger disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,222,833 also has some drawbacks. First, U hook and lateral projectile are provided with an equivalent size. As a result, an extensively long nail is required for anchoring hanger onto wall. Second, U hook is provided with a relatively large width. As a result, when picture frame is hung onto wall, clearance between the back side of picture frame and wall surface, which is equivalent to the width of U hook, also increases. It is understood that picture frame is preferably to be hung onto wall without clearance or with a minimum clearance.
One object of present invention is to provide an upper-hook-section and lower-anchor-section hanger that does not inherit the above drawbacks. This object is achieved by reforming the lateral projectile, so that lateral projectile is provided with a size much smaller than the size of U hook. As a result, a relatively short nail can be used for anchoring hanger onto wall. Because the size of U hook is capable of being reduced to a minimum size, a minimum clearance between the back side of picture frame and the wall is maintained when picture frame is hung onto wall.
It is commonly acknowledged in the field that picture frame can hardly be maintained in balance and in level once it is hung over a single U hook. It is evidenced that picture frame can only be maintained in balance and in level if it is hung over a pair of U hooks apart by a sufficient distance and positioned in level. Therefore, another object of present invention is to provide a hanger that has dual-hooks apart by a sufficient distance and positioned in level, and such a hanger is also arranged with upper-hook-sections and lower-anchor-sections.
It is also commonly acknowledged in the field that, because picture frame hanger is a relatively small part, picture frame hanger is hardly provided with an adequate nail hammering area for striking nail into wall without striking U hook, or an adequate finger landing area for holding hanger with fingers while striking nail into wall without striking fingers. Obviously, by providing a hanger with dual-hooks apart by a sufficient distance, such a hanger is always provided with adequate nail hammering area and finger landing area.
In prior art, anchor section is formed by a lateral projectile with a size large enough to guide nail to enter into wall in inclined position, but small enough to allow the hanging wire of picture frame to bypass it prior to engaging it to the U hook directly below. Clearly, the lateral projectile of prior art does not and can't have a size large enough to hold nail in inclined position within lateral projectile prior to mounting hanger to wall. Therefore, during mounting hanger to wall, user must hold both hanger and nail while hammering nail into wall in inclined position. Another object of present invention is to provide a hanger that not only has an upper-hook-section and lower-anchor-section arrangement, but also has an extended anchor section capable of holding and preassembling the nail in anchor section in inclined position. As a result, during mounting hanger onto wall, user only needs to hold hanger without holding nail while hammering nail into wall in inclined position. This feature is not available in prior art, but is important for facilitating easy installation of hanger to wall.
Finally, another object of present invention is to provide a hanger with a combination of an upper-hook-section and lower-anchor-section arrangement for engaging the hanging wire of picture frame directly to U hook, a dual-hooks arrangement for maintaining picture frame in balance and in level, and an extended anchor section for holding and preassembling nail within anchor section.
An object of present invention is to provide a picture frame hanger with an anchor section in the lower part of hanger for guiding nail into wall in inclined position, and a hook section in the upper part of the hanger for receiving the hanging wire of picture frame.
Another object of present invention is to provide such an upper-hook-section and lower-anchor-section hanger with a means for preventing the anchored nail in the lower part of hanger from being tipped off or pulled out from wall upon loading the weight of picture frame to the upper part of hanger.
Another object of present invention is to provide a picture frame hanger capable of maintaining picture frame in balance and in level once picture frame is hung onto the hanger.
Another object of present invention is to provide a picture frame hanger with adequate nail hammering area and finger landing area for facilitating easy mounting of hanger to wall.
Another object of present invention is to provide a picture frame hanger capable of preassembling nail in anchor section in inclined position prior to mounting hanger to wall.
Another object of present invention is to provide a picture frame hanger that does not pivot or swivel about the anchored nail.
An inclined through hole 10 is provided across the widths of hanger body 3 and base plate 2 for receiving a nail 11 and guiding nail 11 into wall 12 in inclined position. As a result, hanger 1 is capable of being anchored to wall 12 without a possibility of swiveling or pivoting about the inclined nail 11. Clearly, through hole 10 is provided with a sufficient longitudinal length capable of holding nail 11 in place, so that user can preassemble nail 11 within hanger body 3 prior to placing hanger 1 against wall 12 for mounting it to wall 12. It is understood that nail 11 can be held within through hole 10 by friction, or alternatively by covering the nail exit 14 with a tangible thin cover (not shown). Nail 11 is capable of penetrating through such a tangible thin cover and entering into wall 12 upon striking nail 11 with a hammer. As a result, during mounting hanger 1 to wall 12, user only needs to hold base plate 2 in lieu of both base plate 2 and nail 11. This facilitates easy mounting of hanger 1, and allows user to easily hammer nail 11 into wall in inclined position. Such a feature is not available in prior art.
It is important to note that the hook section or U-shaped hook 4 is provided in the upper part of hanger 1, and the anchor section or nail 11 is provided in the lower part of hanger 1 directly below U-shaped hook 4. As a result, while mounting picture frame onto the picture frame hanger 1, user may firstly hold picture frame slightly above hanger 1 to identify the location of hanger 1, and then slide the picture frame downward against the wall until the hanging wire of picture frame catches U-shaped hook 4. The previously described drawback of the conventional upper-anchor-section and lower-hook-section hanger of prior art is therefore eliminated,
It is important to note that, even though hanger 1 is a relatively small part, top section 5 or bottom section 13 of base plate 2 provides an adequate finger landing area for user to hold it against wall during mounting hanger 1 to wall 12. Bottom section 13 of base plate 2 extends downwardly below the entry point 14 where nail 11 exits from hanger 1 and enters into wall 12. As a result, bottom section 13 of base plate 2 prevents nail 11 form being tipped off or pulled out of wall 12 upon loading of picture frame. Hanger body 3 also provides a strong base and an adequate nail hammering area for hammering nail into wall without damaging U-shaped hook 4 or hanger 1.
Picture frame hanger 1 as shown in
Each of through holes 21 and 22 has a sufficient longitudinal length capable of holding nail in place, so that user is able to preassemble nail within the hanger body prior to placing hanger 15 against wall for mounting it to wall. It is understood that nail can be held within through hole 21 or 22 by friction, or alternatively by covering the nail exit location with a tangible thin cover.
Nail is capable of penetrating through such a tangible thin cover and entering into wall upon striking nail with a hammer.
It is important to note that, even though U-shaped hooks 19 and 20 are relatively small parts, base plate 16 provides an adequate finger landing area for user to hold base plate 16 against wall by one hand while hammering nail into wall by another hand. Hanger bodies 17 and 18 also provide strong bases and adequate nail hammering areas for hammering nails into wall without damaging U-shaped hanger 15, or hooks 19 and 20.
It is important to note that the top ends or free ends of lateral projectiles 27 and 28 are at a level below the internal side of the bottom closed ends of U-shaped hooks 29 and 30, and they are apart from base plate 24 by a width smaller than the width of top opening of U-shaped hooks 29 and 30. As a result, upon mounting picture frame to hanger 23, user may firstly hold picture frame slightly above hanger 23 to identify the location of hanger 23, and then slide the picture frame downward against wall until the hanging wire of picture frame catches U-shaped hooks 29 and 30. Also because U-shaped hooks 29 and 30 can be formed to a minimum size, a minimum clearance between the back side of picture frame and the wall can be achieved while picture frame being hung onto hanger 23.
It is important to note that base plate 24 provides an adequate finger landing area for user to hold base plate 24 against wall by one hand while hammering nail into wall by another hand. Because sufficient distance is provided between U-shaped hook 29, lateral projectiles 27, lateral projectile 28, and U-shaped hook 30, hanger 23 provides adequate nail hammering areas for hammering nail into wall without damaging hanger 23, or U-shaped hooks 29 and 30.
It is understood that the above preferred embodiments are intended for demonstrating the scope of present invention. They are subjected to variations or modifications without exceeding the scope of present invention. For example, when hanger 23 of