Structure for and method of mounting an object on a vertical surface and a laminated backing for such a structure

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6206334
  • Patent Number
    6,206,334
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, November 16, 1999
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, March 27, 2001
    23 years ago
Abstract
A picture hanger is initially held in place on a wall in a temporary manner without damaging the wall by including a backing with a shock absorbing layer overlaid by a temporary adhesive film. Prior to the picture hanger being temporarily fastened to the wall, the temporary adhesive film is covered by a protective paper sheet. The shock absorbing layer prevents the wall from being indented when the hanger is permanently secured to the wall by hammering a pin or nail through the layer and film. The layer is sufficiently soft to hold the nail in place when the nail impales the layer prior to hammering the nail into the wall. Prior to the backing being secured to the hanger, the permanent adhesive film is overlaid by another removable protective sheet. Initially the backings are located on an elongated strip and are punched from the strip for mounting on the hook body.
Description




FIELD OF INVENTION




The present invention relates generally to structure for and method of mounting an object on a vertical surface and more particularly to such a structure and method wherein a hanger member carries a temporary adhesive film and a shock absorbing layer, together enabling the structure to be easily and correctly positioned on the surface without indenting the surface except for a hole made in the surface by an elongated fastener driven against the hanger member and through the hanger member, shock absorbing layer and temporary adhesive film.




Another aspect of the invention relates to a laminated backing adapted to be secured to a hanger member for mounting an object on a vertical surface and more particularly to such a backing including a shock absorbing layer having opposed first and second faces respectively carrying (1) a temporary adhesive film overlaid by a first protective sheet and (2) a permanent adhesive film overlaid by a second protective sheet.




BACKGROUND ART




A picture hanger is one frequently used structure for mounting an object, such as a framed picture or diploma on a vertical surface, such as a wall. A typical picture hanger comprises a single piece of metal having a body from which a hook extends. Most hangers on the market have a channel through which an elongated fastener, such as a nail or pin, is inserted prior to the pin being driven into the wall. The channel on a typical hanger is not machined to be accurate and serve as a “guide” to the nail. The fastener secures the picture hanger to a wall by being driven with a hammer through the channel against the picture hanger. Because the channel is not accurately machined, it does not accurately guide the pin into the wall. Consequently, the nail or pin often shifts and moves in the channel as it is being nailed into the wall, frequently causing the wall to crack in response to the nail being hammered.




Even though millions or billions of such picture hangers have been sold and installed, certain problems exist with the use thereof. Usually two people are required to install a typical prior art picture hanger. One person holds the picture hanger at a position on the wall, while the second person decides whether the hook is located at the desired position. Installation of the typical prior art picture hanger is also cumbersome, requiring an installer to hold the hook and nail with one hand, frequently on a ladder, while holding a hammer in the other hand. When the installer is on a ladder, he or she is frequently in an unbalanced situation and is susceptible to falling, particularly as the nail or pin is being struck by the hammer.




If a picture hanger is positioned by a single person, the person must guess the approximate desired picture hanger position on the wall, then nail the picture hanger to the wall. He or she then stands back from the picture hanger and decides whether the picture hanger is correctly or incorrectly hung. If the picture hanger is not correctly hung on the wall, the person must return to the wall and then remove the hanger from the wall, leaving a hole and indentation in the wall. The person then must decide on a new position for the picture hanger and repeat the process. Frequently the process is repeated several times until a satisfactory position is found for the picture hanger. This process is time consuming and leaves many undesirable holes and indentations on the wall, causing permanent scaring and damage to the wall at several different places.




Because of difficulties in holding the picture hanger and the pin or nail in one hand and the hammer in the other hand, the installer frequently drops the pin or nail on the floor. In addition, the pin or nail is frequently bent as it is being hammered and/or enters the wall in the incorrect position because of the difficulties in holding the picture hanger and nail or pin with one hand. When the installer is on a ladder, these problems are compounded because of the need for the installer to descend, find the fastener or get a new fastener and then ascend to continue the process.




A further disadvantage of the typical prior art picture hanger is that the hanger frequently damages the wall by causing (1) a substantial indentation in the wall and/or (2) the wall surface to be scratched whereby paint or wallpaper flakes from the wall. The indentation corresponds to the shape of the hanger body and usually spans an area in excess of the hanger body. The indentation occurs in response to the hammer striking the pin or nail against the picture hanger during installation, resulting in sharp corners of the hanger base being driven into the wall. Wall scratching occurs because holding the hanger and nail with one hand and the hammer with the other hand results in the hanger and nail shifting position against the wall.




While we realize there have been numerous prior art suggestions to remedy these problems, to our knowledge none of these proposed remedies have been commercially adopted. Many of the suggested instructions for dealing with these problems have been overly complex and resulted in relatively expensive structures. Further, we are unaware of any prior art which has dealt with all three problems mentioned above, i.e., the need for two people to decide where the picture hanger should be located, the need to hold the picture hanger and pin or nail with one hand while holding a hammer in the other hand, and wall indentation.




It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved structure for and method of mounting an object on a vertical surface adapted to receive an elongated fastener.




Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved structure for and method of mounting an object on a vertical surface wherein the structure can easily and conveniently be installed by only one person.




An additional object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved structure for and method of mounting an object on a vertical surface adapted to receive an elongated fastener wherein the need to hold the structure while it is being secured to the surface by the fastener is obviated.




A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved structure for and method of mounting an object on a vertical surface adapted to receive an elongated fastener that is driven through a guide on the structure, wherein the structure is arranged to prevent wall scratching and/or indentations, other than a hole made by the fastener, in the surface.




Still a further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved, relatively inexpensive and easy to use structure for mounting an object on a vertical surface wherein an elongated fastener is held in the hand of the installer without grasping the structure and driving of the elongated fastener against the structure does not cause indentations in the vertical surface, other than a hole made by the elongated fastener.




Still another object of the invention is to provide a laminated backing adapted to be secured to a hanger for mounting an object on a vertical surface, wherein the backing is arranged so that the hanger can be temporarily secured to the vertical surface and prevents the hanger from scratching and/or indenting the surface as the hanger is driven against the surface by hammering a pin or nail through a guide of the hanger.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an improved structure for mounting an object on a vertical surface adapted to receive an elongated fastener comprises a backing secured to a hanger arranged to enable the fastener to pass through it into the surface. The backing includes (1) a temporary adhesive film adapted to be temporarily secured to the surface, and (2) a shock absorbing layer interposed between the hanger and the film. The layer has sufficient thickness and is made of a material such that it absorbs forces imparted by the hanger when the fastener is driven into the surface through and against the hanger. The shock absorbing layer thereby prevents the surface from being indented except for a hole made by the fastener in the surface. As a result of the backing, the structure is adapted to be (1) initially held in situ on the surface in a temporary manner without damaging the surface (e.g., wall scratching does not occur because the hanger and nail cannot slip on the wall during hammering), and (2) then held in situ by the fastener on the surface without indenting the surface when the fastener is driven into the surface to secure the structure to the surface.




Preferably, the shock absorbing layer is made of a material that is sufficiently soft to hold the fastener when the fastener is forced by hand through a guide on the hanger and impaled in the layer. As a result of the soft layer and the adhesive layer abutting the surface, an installer need not grasp either the hanger or the fastener as he or she hammers the fastener into the surface. Hence one hand of the installer is available for other purposes, for example, to grasp a ladder.




A removable sheet preferably contacts the film and is arranged to prevent contact of other objects with the film until the sheet is removed. The adhesive of the film is thereby protected prior to being secured to the surface.




Preferably the backing has a periphery corresponding with, and slightly larger than, a peripheral edge of a base of the hanger against which the backing is bonded. Because the backing shock absorbing layer extends slightly beyond the periphery base, sharp is peripheral edges of the base do not dig into the surface; this assists in preventing indentations in the surface.




In the preferred embodiment the layer is secured to the hanger by a permanent adhesive film. Such an arrangement enables the backing to be sent as a laminated structure from a supplier of such backings to a fabricator of the mounting structure.




Another aspect of the invention relates to a method of securing an object to a vertical surface with a structure including a hanger carrying a backing including (a) a temporary adhesive film adapted to be temporarily secured to the surface, and (b) a shock absorbing layer interposed between the hanger and the film. The surface is adapted to receive an elongated fastener and the layer is soft enough to hold the fastener in place. The method comprises mounting the structure at a location on the surface with the temporary adhesive. The fastener is inserted into the layer so the fastener impales the layer and is held in situ in the hanger without the fastener being driven into the surface. The structure is secured at the location while the temporary adhesive is holding the structure at the correct location by driving the fastener against the hanger and through the (a) hanger, (b) shock absorbing layer and (c) adhesive film and into the surface.




In accordance with another aspect of the invention the structure described in the previous paragraphs is secured to a vertical surface by a method that comprises (1) mounting the structure at a first location on the surface with the temporary adhesive, (2) then deciding whether the structure is in the correct location on the surface, and (3) then mounting the structure with the temporary adhesive at another location on the surface if the structure is decided to be at an incorrect location. An installer secures the structure to the correct location with the temporary adhesive when the structure is determined to be at the correct location on the surface. The structure is secured at the correct location while the temporary adhesive is holding the structure at the correct location by driving a fastener against the hanger and through the hanger, shock absorbing layer and adhesive film and into the surface without indenting the surface except for a hole made by the fastener in the surface.




Preferably the fastener is a nail (i.e., pin) and the driving step is performed by the installer hammering the nail into the surface through the hanger, shock absorbing layer and temporary adhesive film. As described supra, the adhesive film is preferably initially covered by a protective sheet that the installer removes immediately prior to the structure being mounted at the first location.




Another aspect of the invention is directed to a laminated backing adapted to be secured to a hanger for mounting an object on a vertical surface. The hanger has a base adapted to be located in a plane substantially parallel to the vertical surface when the hanger mounts the object on the surface. The backing comprises a shock absorbing layer having opposed first and second faces each having a periphery corresponding with the periphery of the hanger base. A temporary adhesive film overlaid by a first protective removable sheet is on the first face. A permanent adhesive film overlaid by a second removable protective sheet is on the second face. The hanger is adapted to be held in situ on the surface by an elongated fastener driven against and through it and through the permanent adhesive film, the shock absorbing layer and the temporary adhesive film. The shock absorbing layer has sufficient thickness and is made of a material such that it absorbs forces imparted to the hanger when the fastener is driven into the surface through and against the hanger. The layer thereby prevents the surface from being indented except for a hole made by the fastener in the surface.




For convenience in handling and manufacture, a plurality of the laminated backings are included on a single elongated strip and are adapted to be pushed from the strip leaving openings in the strip.




The above and still further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of one specific embodiment thereof, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a side view of a picture hanger in accordance with the present invention, as it is about to be mounted on a wall;





FIG. 2

is a front view of the picture hanger of

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 3

is a side view of a backing for the picture hanger of

FIGS. 1 and 2

, wherein the backing is illustrated prior to being permanently secured to a body of the hanger and prior to the hanger being installed on a wall; and





FIG. 4

is a front view of an elongated strip with several perforated areas including the backing illustrated in FIG.


3


.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




Reference is now made to

FIGS. 1 and 2

of the drawing wherein a support structure


10


includes a one-piece metal picture hanger member


12


carrying backing


14


. Conventional metal hanger member


12


includes a substantially planar base


16


from which hook


18


extends. Base


16


preferably has a generally triangular shape, center opening


20


, and three circular pin or nail receiving accurately machined guide holes


22


, generally aligned with scallops


24


at the top of member


16


. Each of holes


22


is machined to have a diameter only slightly greater than the diameter of elongated fasteners


36


, usually pins or nails, that are driven by a hammer through openings


22


and backing


14


to mount hanger


10


on nailable wall


34


. A snug fit is thereby provided between fasteners


36


and guide holes


22


to accurately hold the fastener in situ during hammering, in contrast to the typical prior art channel arrangement. While picture hangers having accurately machined nail receiving guide holes are known, the use of such guide holes in the present invention further assists in enabling the hanger to be accurately positioned without causing wall damage. Opening


20


includes corresponding scallops


26


in the center of member


16


beneath openings


22


. Openings


22


extend through corresponding aligned openings in body


16


and guides


28


formed by hemispheres


30


, each carrying a cylinder


32


.




In the prior art, which did not include backing


14


, elongated fastener


36


was driven only through openings


22


into wall


34


, causing the problems mentioned in the Background Art portion of this specification. In particular, many installers have difficulties in holding metal piece


12


and fastener


36


in one hand while driving a hammer against the fastener with the other hand. The two handed operation often results in wall scratching. In addition, wall


34


has a tendency to be indented about the periphery of base


16


. Further, two people are usually necessary to install the hanger, one holding it and the other standing back a distance for observation purposes.




In accordance with the present invention, backing


14


avoids these prior art problems. In the preferred embodiment, backing


14


includes shock absorbing layer


40


, preferably made of relatively soft rubber or relatively soft foam and having a substantial thickness, in the range of {fraction (1/16+L )}th to {fraction (1/8+L )}th of an inch. Layer


40


is soft and thick enough to hold nail


36


in situ when the nail is manually driven by an installer into the layer in such a way as to cause the nail to impale the layer but not be driven into wall


34


.




One face


42


of shock absorbing layer


40


is permanently bonded to permanent adhesive film


44


that permanently connects shock absorbing layer


40


to back face


48


of base


16


to permanently bond layer


40


and body


16


to each other. Temporary adhesive film


46


, preferably the same type of adhesive as used in POST-IT notes, is permanently attached to face


45


of shock absorbing layer


40


. Face


45


is parallel to and opposite from face


42


.




To install picture hanger


10


on wall


34


, an installer places the tacky face of temporary adhesive film


46


against wall


34


. Then the installer moves away from the wall and decides if hanger


10


is at the correct position. If the installer decides hanger


10


is not at the correct position, he/she merely removes the hanger from wall


34


without damaging any part of the wall because of the temporary bond between film


46


and wall


34


. When the installer decides hanger


10


is correctly positioned on wall


34


, he/she grasps fastener pin or nail


36


and manually drives fastening pin or nail


36


through opening


22


and backing


14


into wall


34


. Layer


40


holds the nail to enable the installer to look again at the hanger from a distance. If the installer decides the hanger is correctly located, he/she hammers nail


36


without necessarily holding either the nail or member


12


. Because backing


14


extends slightly beyond the periphery of base


16


, as illustrated in

FIG. 2

, and because of the shock absorbing properties of layer


40


, wall


34


is not indented or damaged in any way by pin or nail


36


being hammered against the top exposed face of cylinder


32


. The installer need not hold hanger


12


nor nail


36


because the hanger is temporarily bonded to wall


34


by temporary adhesive film


46


and nail


36


is held by layer


40


. The temporary bond, layer


40


and the tight fit of nail


36


in guide hole


22


prevent shifting of hanger


12


and nail


36


during hammering to prevent scratching of wall


34


.




To prevent films


44


and


46


of backing


14


from adhering to other objects prior to installation on hanger


12


and wall


34


, the faces of permanent adhesive film


44


and temporary adhesive film


46


opposite from faces


42


and


45


of shock absorbing layer


44


are respectively covered with protective removable paper sheets


50


and


52


as illustrated in FIG.


3


. Protective removable paper sheets


50


and


52


, in addition to preventing adhesive films from adhering to undesirable surfaces, also retain the tackiness of these films.




Immediately prior to backing


44


being permanently secured to metal hanger


12


, protective removable paper sheet


50


is pulled from permanent adhesive film


44


. Adhesive film


44


is then secured to back face


48


of body


16


. Structure


10


is sold in this manner to retailers and consumers.




Protective removable paper sheet


52


is removed from temporary adhesive film


46


by the installer immediately prior to the installer mounting hanger


10


on wall


34


. After sheet


52


has been removed from temporary adhesive film


46


the installer temporarily and then permanently mounts hanger


10


on wall


34


as described supra. Because soft layer


40


holds fastener


36


in place ready for hammering and film


46


holds hanger


12


in situ, there is no need for the installer to hold the nail or the hanger with his hand. The nail is held in place by the adhesive soft shock absorbing layer


40


and the hanger stays in place by the force of adhesive film


46


on wall


34


. The installer, even after manually pushing the fastener


36


into soft shock absorbing layer


40


, can remove hanger


10


from wall


34


without damaging the wall. Because there is no need for the installer to hold either fastener


44


or hanger


10


while hammering the fastener into the wall, the installer can grasp a supporting structure such as a ladder, if necessary or desired. Because wall


34


does not come in contact with sharp corners of metal piece


12


, but only with the relatively soft backing, no scoring or other damage to the wall occurs, except for the small hole resulting from fastener


36


being driven into it.




As illustrated in

FIG. 4

, backing


10


is preferably included on an elongated strip


54


shipped from the manufacturer of the laminated backing structure to a fabricator of support structure


10


who has an inventory of metal hangers


12


. The fabricator has the strips die cut to correspond to the ares of base


16


, without removing the die cut regions from strip


54


. Then protective sheet


50


is removed immediately before back faces


48


of bases


16


of hangers


12


are pushed against permanent adhesive film


44


of individual backing members


56


on strip


54


. The individual members


56


are thereby bonded to hangers


12


to form support structures


10


which are removed from the remainder of the strip merely by being pushed from the strip.




While there has been described and illustrated one specific embodiment of the invention, it will be clear that variations in the details of the embodiment specifically illustrated and described may be made without department from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.



Claims
  • 1. A structure for mounting an object on a vertical surface adapted to receive an elongated fastener, the structure being adapted to be initially held in situ on the surface in a temporaly manner without damaging the surface and then being adapted to be held in situ by the fastener on the surface without indenting the surface when the fastener is driven into the surface to secure the structure to the surface, the structure comprising a hanger arranged to enable the fastener to pass through it into the surface, the hanger including a structure for hanging the object, a backing secured to the hanger, the backing including (a) a temporary adhesive film adapted to be temporarily secured to the surface, and (b) a shock absorbing layer interposed between the hanger and the film, the layer having sufficient thickness and being made of a material such that it absorbs forces imparted to the hanger when the fastener is driven into the surface through and against the hanger.
  • 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the shock absorbing layer is made of a material that is sufficiently soft to hold the fastener when the fastener is impaled in the layer.
  • 3. The structure of claim 2 further including a removable sheet contacting the film and arranged to prevent contact of other objects with the film until the sheet is removed, whereby the adhesive of the film is protected prior to being secured to the surface.
  • 4. The structure of claim 3 wherein the layer is permanently secured to the hanger by a permanent adhesive film.
  • 5. The structure of claim 4 wherein the backing has periphery corresponding with the periphery of the hanger.
  • 6. The structure of claim 2 wherein the layer is rubber or foam having a thickness between {fraction (1/16+L )}th and {fraction (1/8+L )}th inch.
  • 7. The structure of claim 1 wherein the layer is permanently secured to the hanger member by a permanent adhesive film.
  • 8. The structure of claim 1 wherein the backing has periphery corresponding with the periphery of the hanger.
  • 9. The structure of claim 1 further including a removable sheet contacting the film and arranged to prevent contact of other objects with the film until the sheet is removed, whereby the adhesive of the film is protected prior to being secured to the surface.
  • 10. The structure of claim 1 wherein the structure for hanging comprises a hook.
  • 11. The structure of claim 1 wherein the layer is constructed and arranged to substantially prevent the surface from being indented except for a hole made by the fastener in the surface.
  • 12. The structure of claim 1 wherein the hanger includes an opening for receiving the fastener.
  • 13. The structure of claim 1 wherein the layer is rubber or foam having a thickness between {fraction (1/16+L )}th and {fraction (1/8+L )}th inch.
  • 14. A method of securing an object to a vertical surface with a structure including a hanger carrying a backing including (a) a temporary adhesive film adapted to be temporarily secured to the surface, and (b) a shock absorbing layer interposed between the hanger and the film, the surface being adapted to receive an elongated fastener, the method comprisingmounting the structure at a first location on the surface with the temporary adhesive, then deciding whether the structure is in the correct location on the surface, then mounting the structure with the temporary adhesive at another location on the surface if the structure is decided to be at an incorrect location, securing the structure to the correct location with the temporary adhesive when the structure is determined to be at the correct location on the surface, the structure being secured at the correct location while the temporary adhesive is holding the structure at the correct location by driving a fastener against the hanger and through the (a) hanger, (b) shock absorbing layer and (c) adhesive film and into the surface.
  • 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the driving step is performed by hammering the elongated fastener into the surface through (a) the hanger, (b) shock absorbing layer and (c) temporary adhesive film.
  • 16. The method of claim 15 wherein the adhesive film is initially covered by a protective sheet, and removing the protective sheet immediately prior to the structure being mounted at the first location.
  • 17. The method of claim 14 wherein the adhesive film is initially covered by a protective sheet, and removing the protective sheet immediately prior to the structure being mounted at the first location.
  • 18. A laminated backing adapted to be secured to a hanger for mounting an object on a vertical surface, the hanger having a base adapted to be located in a plane substantially parallel to the vertical surface when the hanger mounts the object on the surface, the backing comprising a shock absorbing layer having opposed first and second faces each having a periphery corresponding with the periphery of the hanger base, a temporary adhesive film on the first face, a first protective removable sheet overlaying the temporary adhesive film, a permanent adhesive film on the second face, a second removable protective sheet overlaying the permanent adhesive film, the hanger adapted to be held in situ on the surface by an elongated fastener driven into the surface against and through the hanger and through (a) the permanent adhesive film, (b) the shock absorbing layer and (c) the temporary adhesive film, the layer having sufficient thickness and being made of a material such that the layer absorbs forces imparted to the hanger when the fastener is driven into the surface through and against the hanger, the layer thereby preventing the surface from being indented except for a hole made by the fastener in the surface.
  • 19. The laminated backing of claim 18 wherein the temporary and permanent adhesive layers have peripheries that are substantially the same as the periphery of the shock absorbing layer.
  • 20. The laminated backing of claim 19 wherein a plurality of said laminated backings are included on a single elongated strip and are adapted to be pushed from the strip leaving openings in the strip.
  • 21. The laminated backing of claim 18 wherein the shock absorbing layer has a periphery slightly in excess of the hanger base periphery.
  • 22. The laminated backing of claim 21 wherein the temporary and permanent adhesive layers have peripheries that are substantially the same as the periphery of the shock absorbing layer.
  • 23. The laminated backing of claim 22 wherein a plurality of said laminated backings are included on a single elongated strip and are adapted to be pushed from the strip leaving openings in the strip.
  • 24. The structure of claim 18 wherein the hanger includes an opening for receiving the fastener.
  • 25. A method of securing an object to a vertical surface with a structure including a hanger carrying a backing including (a) a temporary adhesive film adapted to be temporarily secured to the surface, and (b) a shock absorbing layer interposed between the hanger and the film, the surface being adapted to receive an elongated fastener, the layer being soft enough to hold the fastener in place, the method comprisingmounting the structure at a location on the surface with the temporary adhesive, inserting the fastener into the layer so the fastener impales the layer and is held in situ in the hanger without the fastener being driven into the surface, and securing the structure at the location while the temporary adhesive is holding the structure at the correct location by driving the fastener against the hanger and through the (a) hanger, (b) shock absorbing layer and (c) adhesive film and into the surface.
  • 26. The method of claim 25 wherein the driving step is performed by hammering the elongated fastener into the surface through (a) the hanger, (b) shock absorbing layer and (c) temporary adhesive film.
  • 27. The method of claim 26 wherein the inserting step is performed manually.
  • 28. The method of claim 25 wherein the inserting step is performed manually.
Parent Case Info

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/165,215 filed Oct. 2, 1998.

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Continuations (1)
Number Date Country
Parent 09/165215 Oct 1998 US
Child 09/440714 US