The present invention relates to wall storage compartments. More particularly, the present invention relates to vertically sliding frame mounting systems that conceal wall storage compartments.
There are many circumstances under which recessed wall storage compartments can benefit from concealment. For example, concealing wall storage compartments such as safes, medicine cabinets, gun cabinets, electrical panels, and the like provide not only security but can increase safety. Pictures or mirrors are typically mounted on such frames that are then hung over wall storage compartments. By properly selecting the picture or mirror the benefits of concealing recessed wall-mounted compartments can include improved aesthetics.
However, when access to a concealed wall storage compartment is desired it can be cumbersome, hazardous, and time-consuming to remove the covering frame. In addition, frequent removal exposes the covering frame to damage as well as misalignments that can occur after reinstallation. Such damage and misalignments may give away the location of the concealed compartment and might seriously harm room aesthetics.
Accordingly, there exists a need for systems which can conceal recessed wall storage compartments in a manner which provides security and safety while enabling improved aesthetics. Beneficially such systems would enable quick and easy access to the storage compartment. Ideally such systems would be highly effective, would not be subject to frame to damage or misalignments, and could be made available at relatively low cost.
The principles of the present invention provide for systems which conceal wall storage compartments in a manner which provides security and safety while also enabling improved aesthetics. Beneficially such systems enable quick and easy access to the storage compartment while not subjecting the covering frame to damage or misalignments. In addition, the inventive systems are suitable for being made available at relatively low cost.
A vertically sliding frame mounting system that is in accord with the present invention includes a frame, first and a second bracket assemblies that are attached to the frame; a first brace assembly having a first recoil spring, the first brace assembly for being attached to a wall while the first recoil spring is for connecting to the first bracket assembly, a second brace assembly having a second recoil spring, the second brace assembly for being attached to a wall while the second recoil spring is for connecting to the second bracket assembly, a first self-releasing latch having a first latch receiver for attaching to a wall and a first latch insert attached to the first bracket assembly, and a second self-releasing latch having a second latch receiver for attaching to a wall and a second latch insert attached to the second bracket assembly. The first bracket assembly slides into the first brace assembly while the second bracket assembly slides into the second brace assembly. The first and second latch assemblies secure the frame in a lowered position while the first and the second recoil springs bias the frame upward.
Beneficially the frame can retain a mirror. In addition, the first recoil spring includes a first tension adjustment, a wound first cable, and a hook that connects the first coil to the first bracket assembly. In practice the first and second recoil springs together provide sufficient lift force to lift the first and second bracket assemblies and the frame. However, beneficially the first and second recoil springs are not strong enough to lift the first and second bracket assemblies and the frame away from the first and second self-releasing latches when those self-releasing latches are latched.
In practice the first bracket assembly is attached near the right side of the frame while the second bracket assembly is attached near the left side. Also, in practice the first bracket assembly and the second bracket assembly are identical. The first bracket assembly includes a first bracket slide and a first alignment rod. If so the first bracket slide can have a first upper tab that connects the first bracket assembly to the top of the frame. The first bracket slide may further include an alignment rod mount that attaches the bottom of the first alignment rod to the bottom of the frame. In many applications the first bracket slide extends below the midpoint between the top and the bottom of the frame.
In practice the first brace assembly and the second brace assembly are mirror images of one another. In any event the first brace assembly can include a first slide guide that receives the first slide bracket. If so the first slide guide should have top-flared openings. The first slide guide and the first recoil spring are beneficially integrally connected to form a one-piece structure. The first latch receiver might include a latch clip that engages with the first latch insert. The first latch insert might be cylindrical. In practice the first latch insert, the first bracket assembly, and the first brace assembly are aligned with the first latch receiver such that lowering the first bracket assembly causes the first latch insert to enter the first latch receiver.
The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:
The preferred embodiment of the invention and its various elements are depicted in
It should be understood that the terms “a” and “an” as used herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one (1) of the referenced items.
Referring now primarily to
The recoil springs 80 are beneficially strong enough to lift the weight of the bracket assemblies 20 and the frame 21 (and what it holds) when the vertically sliding frame mounting system 10 not held in its lowered position 22 by the self-releasing latches. However, the recoil springs 80 are not strong enough to pull the vertically sliding frame mounting system 10 out of the self-releasing latches.
It should be noted that each bracket slide 24 extends below the midpoint between the top and the bottom of the frame 21. The reason for that is explained subsequently.
Each slide guide 88 captures a bracket slide 24. To assist that capture the slide guides 88 include flared openings 91 at their top. The flared openings 91 reduce the difficulty of inserting a bracket slide into a slide guide 88. When the bracket slides 24 are captured in the slide guide 88 the motion of the frame 21 is restricted to the vertical direction. In addition, the top and bottom of the frame 21 are restricted to being horizontally level. Thus, any structure held by the frame 21 can only move vertically with its top and bottom level. In addition, when the frame 21 is lowered the latch inserts 102 are guided into the latch receivers 110.
Each recoil spring 80 is integrally connected with the remainder of its associated brace assembly 82 so as to form a one-piece structure. The recoil springs 80 are internally spring-loaded devices. Wound within each recoil spring 80 is a cable 85. Each cable 85 externally connects to a hook 84 that extends over the bottom of its associated slide guide 88. The recoil springs 80 include a user-adjustable tension mechanism that can compensate for differing frame 21 weights. Such user-adjustable tension mechanisms are well known and thus need not be described in detail.
It should be understood that together the recoil springs 80 exert an upward force that is sufficient to at least slightly overcome the combined weight of the frame 21, what the frame 21 holds, and the two (2) brace assemblies 82. This enables easy raising and lowering of the frame 21. However, the combined upward force of both recoil springs 80 is insufficient to overcome the combined weight of the frame 21, what the frame 21 holds, the two (2) brace assemblies 82, and the strengths of the self-releasing latches comprised of the latch inserts 102 and latch receivers 110. Thus, the need for the user-adjustable tension mechanisms to properly adjust the tensions of the recoil springs 80.
As shown in
Referring now to
The clips formed by the latch receivers 110 are beneficially made of spring steel or another equivalent flexible material. The formed “U”-shaped clips are dimensioned and biased to receive and retain the latch insert 102 by “clipping” onto them. As the frame 21 is lowered the latch inserts 102 enter the latch receivers 110, which biases its formed clip closed around the latch inserts 102.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. After initial purchase or acquisition of the vertically sliding frame mounting system 10 it would be installed as indicated in
The method of installing the vertically sliding frame mounting system 10 may be achieved by procuring a model of the vertically sliding frame mounting system 10 having a frame, bracket assemblies 20 and brace assemblies 82 that are suitable for moving and supporting the frame 21 and what it holds in the chosen wall location (avoiding interference with the ceiling and other obstacles); mounting the brace assemblies 82 to the wall using fasteners 90; mounting the bracket assemblies 20 to the frame 21 using fasteners 90; mounting the latch receivers 110 to the wall 100 at a suitable position to defines the lowered position 22 using fasteners 90; inserting the bottoms of the bracket slides 24 of the bracket assemblies into the flared openings 91 of the slide guides 88; sliding the bracket slides 24 downward to be captured by the hooks 84; moving the bracket slides 24 downward to the lowered position 22; determining if the tension of the recoil springs 80 need to be adjusted; if adjustment is required, adjusting the user-adjustable tension mechanisms to achieve the proper adjustment; and finally enjoying the benefits of the vertically sliding frame mounting system.
Should access to the contents of the recessed compartment 105 be desired a user can lift the frame 21 with sufficient force to disengage the self-releasing latches by forcing the latch inserts 102 out of the latch receivers 110; sliding the frame 21 upward to reveal the recessed compartment 105 and thereby gain access to the items 111 within the recessed compartment 105; and then sliding the frame 21 back down to force the latch inserts 102 into the latch receivers 110.
The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
The present invention is a U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 15/965,431 filed on Apr. 27, 2018, which was first described in, and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/512,963 filed May 31, 2017, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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62512963 | May 2017 | US |