Fastening assembly for wall mount applications
Inventive fastening assemblies are described. In accordance with one embodiment, an inventive fastening assembly includes: (a) a female unit having a supporting surface covering an interior portion, the supporting surface having defined thereon a U-shaped channel, the interior portion having defined therein a U-shaped channel cavity, the channel being adjacent to the channel cavity, the channel having a width and a thickness; (b) a male unit including—(i) a shaft portion, a head portion; and wherein in an engaged position of the male and female unit, the shaft portion is immobilized at a closed end of the U-shaped channel, the head portion is immobilized at a closed end of the U-shaped channel cavity, the male engages with the female unit by force of gravity and the supporting surface of the female unit immobilizes at least a portion of the male unit within the female unit.
The present invention relates to a fastening assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fastening assembly ideally suited for wall mount applications, which comprises of a male and female unit.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Unfortunately, the conventional wall mount assemblies suffer from several drawbacks. By way of example, conventional assemblies do not effectively support on a wall, artwork or objects that are relatively heavy. In fact, to mount plasma televisions on a wall, the above-described assembly design is abandoned in favor of a more complex mounting assembly that is more reliable and sturdy. Such complex mounting assemblies, however, are undesirable not only because they offer a complex design, but are both expensive and require labor-intensive installation.
As another example, the use of assembly 10 is limited to mount an object to sheet rock, and not well suited to mount to wall studs.
What is needed, therefore, is a novel fastening assembly, which is well suited for wall mount applications, that does not suffer from the above-described drawbacks encountered by conventional wall mount assemblies.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONInventive fastening assemblies, which are well suited for wall mount applications, eliminate the drawbacks of conventional wall mount assemblies. Inventive fastening assemblies described herein can both support relatively heavy objects, including plasma televisions, and are not limited to being used on walls made from sheet rock like the conventional wall mount assembly. In one aspect, the present invention offers a fastening assembly for fastening an object to a structure. The fastening assembly includes: (a) a female unit having a supporting surface covering an interior portion, the supporting surface having defined thereon a U-shaped channel, the interior portion having defined therein a U-shaped channel cavity, the channel being adjacent to the channel cavity, the channel having a width and a thickness; (b) a male unit including—(i) a shaft portion having a length, and (ii) a head portion having at least one dimension extending from one edge of the head portion to a second edge of the head portion; and wherein the length of the shaft portion being greater than the thickness of the channel such that the shaft portion is capable of sliding into the channel, at least one of the dimensions of the head portion is greater than the width of the channel which prevents the head portion from escaping through the channel, and in an engaged position of the male and female unit, the shaft portion is immobilized at a closed end of the U-shaped channel, the head portion is immobilized at a closed end of the U-shaped channel cavity, the male engages with the female unit by force of gravity and the supporting surface of the female unit immobilizes at least a portion of the male unit within the female unit.
In a preferred embodiment, the channel cavity has a width, which is greater than the width of the channel and at least one dimension of the head portion is smaller than the width of the channel cavity, such that the head portion is secured inside the second channel cavity when the male unit engages with the female unit. Furthermore, preferred embodiments include a female unit that is capable of attaching to a structure and include a male unit is capable of attaching to an object, which is ultimately fastened to the structure. The structure may be a wall and the object is a plasma television or a piece of art work.
In a preferred embodiment, the width of the channel is between about 0.25 inches and about 1.5 inches and the width of the channel cavity is between about 0.75 and 6 inches. The length of the shaft portion is preferably between about 0.25 inches and about 3.1 inches. The thickness of the channel is preferably between about 0.2 inches and about 3 inches. The shaft portion is preferably substantially cylindrical in shape and in such preferred embodiments, a diameter of the shaft portion is between about 0.25 inches and about 6 inches. The head portion is preferably circular and has a diameter that is preferably between about 0.75 inches and about 10 inches. Furthermore, effective mounting for heavy objects is realized when the channel is separated from the channel cavity by a distance that is substantially equal to a thickness of the head portion of the male unit.
In another aspect, the present invention provides another fastening assembly for fastening an object to a structure. The fastening assembly includes: (a) a female unit having a supporting surface covering an interior portion, the supporting surface having defined thereon a U-shaped channel, which has a width and a thickness; (b) a male unit including, (i) a shaft portion having a length, and (ii) a head portion having at least one dimension extending from one edge of the head portion to a second edge of the head portion; and wherein the length of the shaft portion being greater than the thickness of the channel such that the shaft portion is capable of sliding into the channel, said at least one dimension of the head portion is greater than the width of the channel which prevents the head portion from escaping through the channel, and in an engaged position of the male and female unit, the shaft portion is immobilized at a closed end of the U-shaped channel, the male engages with the female unit by force of gravity and the supporting surface of the female unit immobilizes at least a portion of the male unit within the female unit.
In a preferred embodiment, the fastening assembly includes a U-shaped channel cavity defined in the interior portion of the female unit, the channel cavity is adjacent to the channel, the channel cavity has a width which is larger than the width of the channel, and wherein at least one dimension of the head portion is smaller than the width of the channel cavity, such that the head portion is secured inside the channel cavity when the male unit engages with the female unit.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides another female unit capable of receiving a male unit, which has a shaft portion and a head portion. The female unit includes: (i) a supporting surface capable of immobilizing at least a portion of the male unit within the female unit when the female unit engages with the male unit; (ii) an interior portion, the supporting surface covering the interior portion, the supporting surface having defined therein a U-shaped channel having a width and a thickness, the thickness of the channel is configured to be less than a length of the shaft portion and the width of the channel is configured to be less than at least one dimension which extends from one edge of the head portion to a second edge of the head portion, such that female unit is capable of allowing the shaft portion of the male unit to slide into the channel of the female unit; and wherein in an engaged position with the male unit, the female unit is capable of preventing the head portion of the male unit from escaping through the channel, a closed end of the U-shaped channel of the female unit is capable of immobilizing the shaft portion of the male unit, and the female unit is capable of engaging with the male unit by force of gravity.
The female unit preferably includes a U-shaped channel cavity defined in the interior portion of the female unit, the channel cavity is adjacent to the channel, the channel cavity has a width that is larger than the width of the channel, and wherein at least one dimension of the head portion is smaller than the width of the channel cavity, such that the head portion is secured inside the channel cavity. The channel is preferably separated from the channel cavity by a distance that is substantially equal to a thickness of the head portion of the male unit. In preferred embodiments, the female unit is capable of attaching to a supporting structure and in its attached position to the structure, the female unit forms a pocket on the structure and the pocket includes a supporting surface that has defined therein the channel and covers the interior portion. In this embodiment, the pocket can support a load that is at least five hundred pounds.
The features and advantages of this invention may be further appreciated with reference to the following detailed description and associated drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and, together with the description help to explain the principles of the inventions.
Presently, preferred fastening assemblies for wall mount applications, in accordance with the present invention, will be described below making reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the described embodiments, which are provided to present certain aspects and examples of the invention. It should be understood that while the methods and apparatus presented herein cover assemblies for mounting a plasma television and artwork, such inventive methods and apparatus could be used to fasten almost any object to a structure.
The fastening assembly of the present invention uses a female unit and a male unit to fasten or attach an object (e.g., plasma television or artwork) to a supporting structure (e.g., wall). In preferred embodiments, the female unit is designed such that it attaches to the supporting structure, upon which the object is ultimately supported. The male unit preferably attaches to the object, which is to be supported. As explained below, the female and the male unit engage under the force of gravity to form a strong interlocking connection.
As will be explained in greater detail below, the male unit is designed to engage specifically with this pocket. The pocket, while engaged with the male unit, distributes the load of the object throughout the pocket's surface area. Furthermore, the pocket also distributes the load of the object as shear load throughout the supporting wall. It is believed that the inventive fastening assemblies can distribute at least, and in certain embodiments, more than 500 lbs of shear load throughout the pocket region and the supporting wall.
The female unit can be made from any rigid material. Given that a significant amount of shear load is distributed through the pocket, however, the female unit is preferably made from a hard material, such as a metal.
It is noteworthy that although
For proper engagement with the male unit, the female unit should be fabricated to have feature dimensions, which complement the dimensions of the corresponding features of the male unit. Referring to
Although channel cavity 118 and channel 120 are described as being adjacent to each other, they are nevertheless separated by a distance (denoted by “d”). The separating distance (“d”) can also be thought of as the thickness or depth of channel cavity 118. Furthermore, channel 120 is separated from channel cavity 118 in a lateral direction by a surface area of pocket wall 130. When a male unit engages with female unit 112, a significant amount of load is borne by pocket wall 130. As a result, pocket wall 130, which has a large surface area and when made from a hard material, provides significant load bearing capability. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the ability of the female unit to form such a pocket, which can bear relatively heavy loads that are not supported by conventional wall mount assemblies, is novel and inventive.
Now turning to complementary features and dimension of the male unit,
Furthermore, head portion 136 should have a diameter (“D”), which extends from one edge to another opposite edge of head portion 136, that is greater than width (“w1”) of channel 120 of
Although,
In a preferred embodiment, the width of the channel is between about 0.25 inches and about 1.5 inches and the width of the channel cavity is between about 0.75 and 6 inches. The length of the shaft portion is preferably between about 0.25 inches and about 3.1 inches. The thickness of the channel is preferably between about 0.2 inches and about 3 inches. The shaft portion is preferably substantially cylindrical in shape and in such preferred embodiments, a diameter of the shaft portion is between about 0.25 inches and about 6 inches. The head portion is preferably circular and has a diameter that is preferably between about 0.75 inches and about 10 inches. Furthermore, effective mounting for heavy objects is realized when the channel is separated from the channel cavity by a distance that is substantially equal to a thickness of the head portion of the male unit.
Figures described herein illustrate in greater detail the preferred embodiments of a single channel cavity. However, when embodiments with no channel cavity are employed, those skilled in the art will appreciate that a simpler design can be extracted from the more complex single channel cavity disclosure provided above.
Other embodiments and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope of the invention being indicated by the following claims.
Claims
1. A fastening assembly, comprising:
- (a) a female unit having a supporting surface covering an interior portion, said supporting surface having defined thereon a U-shaped channel, said interior portion having define therein a U-shaped channel cavity, the channel being adjacent to the channel cavity, the channel having a width and a thickness;
- (b) a male unit including, (i) a shaft portion having a length, and (ii) a head portion having at least one dimension extending from one edge of the head portion to a second edge of the head portion; and wherein the length of the shaft portion being greater than the thickness of the channel such that the shaft portion is capable of sliding into the channel, said at least one dimension of the head portion is greater than the width of the channel which prevents the head portion from escaping through the channel, and in an engaged position of the male and female unit, the shaft portion is immobilized at a closed end of the U-shaped channel, the head portion is immobilized at a closed end of the U-shaped channel cavity, the male engages with the female unit by force of gravity and the supporting surface of the female unit immobilizes at least a portion of the male unit within the female unit.
2. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the channel cavity having a width, the width of the channel cavity being greater than the width of the channel and said at least one dimension of the head portion is smaller than the width of the channel cavity, such that the head portion is secured inside the second channel cavity when the male unit engages with the female unit.
3. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the female unit is capable of attaching to a structure, the male unit is capable of attaching to an object, which is ultimately fastened to the structure.
4. The fastening assembly of claim 3, wherein the structure is a wall.
5. The fastening assembly of claim 3, wherein the object is a plasma television or a piece of art work.
6. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the width of the channel is between about 0.25 inches and about 1.5 inches.
7. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the width of the channel cavity is between about 0.75 inches and about 6 inches.
8. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the length of the shaft portion is between about 0.25 inches and about 3.1 inches.
9. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the channel is between about 0.2 inches and about 3 inches.
10. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the shaft portion is substantially cylindrical in shape.
11. The fastening assembly of claim 10, wherein a diameter of the shaft portion is between about 0.25 inches and about 6 inches.
12. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the head portion is circular and has a diameter that is between about 0.75 inches and about 10 inches.
13. The fastening assembly of claim 1, wherein the channel is separated from the channel cavity by a distance that is substantially equal to a thickness of the head portion of the male unit.
14. A fastening assembly for fastening an object to a structure, comprising:
- (a) a female unit having a supporting surface covering an interior portion, said supporting surface having defined thereon a U-shaped channel, which has a width and a thickness;
- (b) a male unit including, (i) a shaft portion having a length, and (ii) a head portion having at least one dimension extending from one edge of the head portion to a second edge of the head portion; and
- wherein the length of the shaft portion being greater than the thickness of the channel such that the shaft portion is capable of sliding into the channel, said at least one dimension of the head portion is greater than the width of the channel which prevents the head portion from escaping through the channel, and in an engaged position of the male and female unit, the shaft portion is immobilized at a closed end of the U-shaped channel, the male engages with the female unit by force of gravity and the supporting surface of the female unit immobilizes at least a portion of the male unit within the female unit.
15. The fastening assembly of claim 14, further comprising a U-shaped channel cavity defined in the interior portion of the female unit, the channel cavity is adjacent to the channel, the channel cavity has a width which is larger than the width of the channel, and wherein said at least one dimension of the head portion is smaller than the width of the channel cavity, such that the head portion is secured inside the channel cavity when the male unit engages with the female unit.
16. A female unit capable of receiving a male unit, which has a shaft portion and a head portion, said female unit comprising:
- (i) a supporting surface capable of immobilizing at least a portion of the male unit within the female unit when the female unit engages with the male unit;
- (ii) an interior portion, the supporting surface covering the interior portion, the supporting surface having defined therein a U-shaped channel having a width and a thickness, the thickness of the channel is configured to be less than a length of the shaft portion and the width of the channel is configured to be less than at least one dimension which extends from one edge of the head portion to a second edge of the head portion, such that female unit is capable of allowing the shaft portion of the male unit to slide into the channel of the female unit; and
- wherein in an engaged position with the male unit, the female unit is capable of preventing the head portion of the male unit from escaping through the channel, a closed end of the U-shaped channel of the female unit is capable of immobilizing the shaft portion of the male unit, and the female unit is capable of engaging with the male unit by force of gravity.
17. The female unit of claim 16, further comprising a U-shaped channel cavity defined in the interior portion of the female unit, the channel cavity is adjacent to the channel, the channel cavity has a width that is larger than the width of the channel, and wherein said at least one dimension of the head portion is smaller than the width of the channel cavity, such that the head portion is secured inside the channel cavity.
18. The female unit of claim 17, wherein the channel is separated from the channel cavity by a distance that is substantially equal to a thickness of the head portion of the male unit.
19. The female unit of claim 16, wherein said female unit is capable of attaching to a supporting structure and in its attached position to the structure, the female unit forms a pocket on the structure and the pocket includes a supporting surface that has defined therein the channel and covers the interior portion. 20. The female unit of clam 19, wherein said pocket can support a load that is at least five hundred pounds.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 23, 2005
Publication Date: Aug 24, 2006
Inventor: Michael McGee (San Francisco, CA)
Application Number: 11/064,749
International Classification: A47G 1/24 (20060101);