Small personal items hook for slotted panel/wall standards

Abstract

The purpose of this product heretofore known as The Hook is to provide the ability to hang personal items on slotted tracks of office systems furniture and residential wall tracks. It is unique in that there is currently no provision for a small, light, inexpensive hanging device available in a choice of so many colors which serves this purpose.

Description

SPECIFICATION

[0001] The Small Personal Items Hook for Slotted Panel/Wall Standards, heretofore referred to in this document as the Hook, is a die cut shape stamped out of a single material, which is monolithic in nature. (I.e. Composed of a single material that is homogeneous throughout the material itself). This material may be any rigid homogeneous material which may be die cut the by conventional steel rule die cut methods. Materials may include: Expanded P. V. C. foam, pressed fiber board, aluminum, brass, styrene plastic, or any other equivalent material. Material thickness may range from {fraction (1/16)}th of an inch to ⅛th of an inch.

[0002] The Hook is used by individuals either in office or residential setting to provide hanging capability for personal items, which may include but are not limited to such items as, hats, coats, jackets, purses, bags with shoulder straps, umbrellas and small household utensils tools and pictures.

[0003] The Hook is placed into position by hand without the use of tools or other ancillary devices. It fits into any two contiguous slots in a wall standard so that the “slots interface portion” of the Hook passes into the slots in the slotted standards found in/on the panels of office systems furniture and wall attached slotted standard strips, and is positively engaged. Once engaged in this manner, items may be hung upon it.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The fields of endeavor to which this invention applies are the

[0005] 1. “Contract Furniture Industry” and

[0006] 2. Residential Adjustable Shelving.

[0007] 1. The Contract Furniture industry, specifically “systems furniture” is comprised of office panels or “space dividers” with integrated slotted standards capable of accepting hanging components. To date this industry has not provided small, inexpensive, personal items hanging device like the Hook. Versions of larger, differently designed and configured “coat hooks” priced from $10.00 to $20.00 US are available from most major manufacturers. However none exist which are small and inexpensive. Having been a practicing design professional in this industry for more than 20 years it is apparent that office workers value and repeatedly request this type of device to hang their personal items within their “cubicles” or offices.

[0008] 2. The Residential Adjustable Shelving market has existed for at least 40 years and many variations on slotted wall standards designs currently exist. However the most common ones employ slots of approximately ⅛th inch by ½ inch spaced at 1-inch increments arranged vertically on metal channels down the front face of the channel. (This arrangement is consistent with the size and spacing of most of the furniture discussed in the previous paragraph.) Therefore the same Hook may be used in residential applications, where the wall standards are of this configuration, to hang small personal and household items.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The general idea of this invention to is to a simple inexpensive way to hang small personal items on slotted standards. Heretofore the manufacturers of office furniture have not provided a simple, inexpensive device which interfaces with the slotted standards integrated into office panels and attached to walls for the purpose of hanging work support components such as work surfaces, shelves and cabinets. The result is that the organizations that purchase office furniture for their employees are not likely to purchase more than one coat hook for each employee, if any at all.

[0010] The Hook provides two places on each hook onto which personal items can be hung. Since it is so small and so inexpensive it is likely that purchasers for organizations will provide more than one per employee. Since most people have more than one thing to hang such as a coat/jacket, and a hat, and a purse or bag the Hook will provide a higher level of convenience and satisfaction to office workers all over the country. Similarly, the manufacturers of residential slotted wall standards have focused on the provision of flat metal brackets from approximately 5 inches in length to 15 inches in length specifically designed and intended to support flat shelving of “standard board widths”. The Hook is designed with the intent of providing a hanging device items, (towels, wash cloths, pot holders, etc.) or any other common (or uncommon) household item which can be hung on a hook.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Page 1 of 5:

[0012] FIG. 1. Side Elevation: a drawing showing the left side view or profile of the Hook shape. (Right side view, not shown, is identical but would be reversed) (approximately actual size)

[0013] FIG. 2. Front Elevation: a drawing of the Hook showing the front view of the hook. (Gradient shading denotes curves) ) (approximately actual size)

[0014] FIG. 3. Detail of Slotted Standards Interface: a detailed drawing of the portion of the hook that locks into the slots on the panel or wall standards.) (approximately actual size)

[0015] Page 2 of 5:

[0016] FIG. 4. Detail: Features of the Hooks Portions: a detailed drawing of the portions of the Hook body showing the Slotted standards interface (a), the body (b) and the hangers (c).) (approximately actual size)

[0017] FIG. 5: Detail: Hanger Upper Edge: A drawing showing and alternate configuration of the upper edge of a hanger portion with a concave to accept a wire clothes hanger.

[0018] Page 3 of 5:

[0019] FIG. 6. Isometric View: a three dimensional shaded isometric drawing of the Hook. (Not to Scale)

[0020] Page 4 of 5:

[0021] FIG. 7. Preferred Embodiment Dimensions Side Elevation: a drawing showing the side elevation dimensions for the Preferred Embodiment.

[0022] FIG. 8. Preferred Embodiment Dimensions Front Elevation: a drawing showing the front elevation dimensions for the Preferred Embodiment.

[0023] FIG. 9. Preferred Embodiment Dimensions Detail A Slot Interface: a drawing showing the slotted standards interface dimensions for the Preferred Embodiment

[0024] Page 5 of 5:

[0025] FIG. 10. Preferred Embodiment Detail B Dimensions for Curves: a drawing showing the dimensions for the curved surfaces of the Preferred Embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(Description of Preferred Embodiment)

[0026] Material: The Hook is a die cut shape stamped out of a single material, which is monolithic in nature. (I.e. Composed of a single material that is homogeneous throughout the material itself).

[0027] This material may be any rigid homogeneous material which may be die cut the by conventional steel rule die cut methods. Materials may include: Expanded P. V. C. foam, pressed fiber board, aluminum, brass, styrene plastic, or their equivalents. Material thickness may range from {fraction (1/16)}th of an inch to ⅛th of an inch.

[0028] The preferred embodiment is composed of a 3-mm (0.118 inches) nominal ⅛th inch thick, expanded PVC foam which is manufactured in sheets of approximately 48″ by 96″. (Thickness is described in the attached drawings FIG. 2, Page 1 of 1 Front Elevation)

[0029] Characteristics of the material . . .

[0030] a. May be trimmed with simple hand held cutting tools (such as scissors)

[0031] b. Maybe die cut.

[0032] c. Is available in a variety of colors that are integral to the material (i.e. Part of the materials composition and not applied to the surface).

[0033] d. May be printed upon

[0034] e. Has a high strength to weight ratio.

[0035] f. Has an impact resistance of 5 inch pounds at 70 degrees F.

[0036] g. Is extremely light weight. (429 lbs./sq ft.)

[0037] Features of the Hooks Portion's Note: This section is for the purpose of defining the Hooks functional features. Description of the “Hook portions” should not construe separate physical parts of the Hook. The material of the Hook is monolithic and homogeneous throughout and comprises all three portions of the Hook (see figure) without any mechanical, bonded or geometric connections to join them.

[0038] The Slotted Standard Interface: FIG. 4 (a): The “slotted standard interface” portion of the Hook is configured so as to provide a positive engagement of the two interface segments in the preferred embodiment. (other embodiments may be comprised of more or less than two interface segments). Positive engagement is achieved when the surface “H1” (see FIG. 3) passes into and through a slot in the slotted standard and is moved downward over distance “H2” (see FIG. 3). Gravity causes the Hook to remain in this position creating resistance to any horizontal or downward vertical movement of the Hook providing a positive engagement and capability for supporting objects by hanging. Angle “X” (see FIG. 3) allows the Hook to fit slotted standards of varying material thickness' Note: where embodiments are composed of two or more interface segments (see FIG. 4 (a)) the segments must be equally spaced apart from each other so that are in line with the slots of the slotted standard.

[0039] The Body: FIG. 4 (b): The “body” portion is configured so as to connect the “slotted standard interface” portion and the “hanger” portion of the Hook. The width (W) may vary based on the depth required to allow the “hanger” portion of the Hook to protrude outward far enough to be accessible where the slotted standard contains any recess from the outer surface of the standard itself to the outer surface of the slot or where the slotted standard is recessed into another surface material.

[0040] The Hanger: FIG. 4 (c): The “hanger” portion of the Hook is comprised of single or multiple “peninsula” like protrusions of sufficient length to allow for an object to be laid over them and be supported without slipping off. In its preferred embodiment there are two protrusions. The upper protrusion being longer than the lower protrusion. The “hanger” is proportioned over its length (L) and depth (D) such that it has a structural capability sufficient to support items of up to 25 pounds. The upper edge of each “hanger” has a downward slope in the direction of the slotted standard to limit objects from slipping off of the “hanger” by utilizing gravity to force objects to be captured against the slotted standard. In its preferred embodiment the upper edges are a continuous smooth surface with no specific details. (see FIG. 4 (S)). However in alternate embodiments the upper end may be shaped in such a way as to allow specific shapes such as the diameter of a wire clothes hanger to nest in the shape. (see FIG. 5 (S2))

[0041] Manufacture: The Hook is manufactured using conventional steel rule die cut methods. (This method could be described as “cookie cutter” since it is very similar to the process used in making cookies of different shapes with what is known as a cookie cutter.)

[0042] This method incorporates the use of a die form in the shape of the Hook. (The shape is described in the attached drawings FIGS. 1-6)

[0043] This die form is used in a die press with a flat bed where the object material (P. V. C. Foam) is placed. The press is then lowered with the die form so that it stamps (Cuts) through an un-cut portion of P. V. C. Foam material on the flatbed of the die cut press. The material is then fed through the machine so that a new area of un-cut material is placed below the die for each successive stamping. This process is repeated to create multiple Hooks.

[0044] Due to the “softness’ of the material no additional processing such as polishing, sanding filing, or buffing is required after cutting either on its side surfaces or on its edges. This feature substantially decreases manufacturing costs.

[0045] Use: The Hook is used by individuals either in office or residential setting to provide hanging capability for personal items, which may include but are not limited to such items as, hats, coats, jackets, purses, bags with shoulder straps, umbrellas and small household utensils tools and pictures.

[0046] The Hook is placed into position by hand without the use of tools or other ancillary devices. It fits into any two contiguous slots in a wall standard so that the “slots interface portion” of the Hook (described in the attached drawings FIG. 4 (a)) passes into the slots. It is then slid downward the until the “slots interface” is positively engaged with the wall standard so that it cannot be dislodged when a downward vertical force (shear) or any horizontal force perpendicular to the wall standard (pull) is exerted upon it.

[0047] Once it is positively engaged in this manner, items may be hung upon it.

[0048] Similarly it is removable by hand without the use of tools or other devices when an upward force is applied until the interface portion of the Hook aligns with the slot openings so that it may be pulled out horizontally.

[0049] The Hook is reusable (unless it has been damaged) and may be placed in any other two contiguous slots along the wall standard by repeating the engagement steps.

Claims

1. What I claim of my invention is that there does not exist in the same form a small, light, inexpensive, high strength, hanging device that is designed and manufactured specifically to be used in conjunction with slotted wall standards of both office furniture with slotted standards either integrated into them or for use as applied elements to walls and common residential slotted wall standards. Based on my experience, and from observation and research to I believe that this is the first utility object to be developed for its specific purpose which is the hanging of small personal and household items on various types of slotted wall standards.

2. What I claim of my invention is that since the current offerings of office furniture manufacturers and manufacturers of residential slotted standard hardware have not provided such a device that credit for its invention shall belong to me.

3. What I claim is that my invention, because of its general shape and form characteristics may be manufactured out of materials that are monolithic and homogeneous so that they do not require additional finishing processes substantially reducing manufacturing costs.

4. What I claim is that the manufacturing process specifically steel rule die cutting allows for a fast, inexpensive method of creating the shape of the Hook without extensive investment in production tooling allowing for many variations on the shape, form and finish.

5. What I claim is that my invention because of its simple shape is nonspecific to a single office furniture manufacture but rather fits the slotted wall standards of office panels space dividers and wall standards from many different manufacturers.