Small household fixtures with wall mounting fixture assembly

Abstract

A wall mounting fixture assembly including a wall mounting fixture having a cavity on its back side, an attaching piece disposed within the cavity and secured to the wall mounting fixture, and a receiving piece for mounting on a wall surface. The attaching piece has a first engagement structure and the receiving piece has a second engagement structure, and the two engagement structures are shaped to engage with each other to mount the fixture assembly onto the wall surface. Also described is an improved household fixture of a towel holder ring for bathrooms and kitchens, which includes a ring for hanging a towel, a hub for retaining the ring, a wall mounting base, and an internal plastic sleeve placed around the section of the ring being retained by the hub and is inserted inside the opening of the hub.

Description

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/588,235, filed Jul. 13, 2004, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to small household fixtures, and in particular, to wall mounting assemblies for wall mounted fixtures and other like items.

2. Description of the Related Art

Small household fixtures such as towel holder rings for bathrooms and kitchens are widely used by general consumers. Various wall mounting assemblies have been used in the past for mounting wall mounted fixtures and other like objects to a wall surface. A typical mounting assembly often includes a hanger or loop type of device to be mounted on the back surface of an object, and a nail or hook type of device to be affixed to the wall surface, where the object is mounted to the wall by attaching the hanger or loop type device on the back of the object to the nail or hook type device on the wall surface.

However, since in most situations the hanger or loop type device mounted on the back surface of the object is protruding from or extending beyond the back surface of the object, when the object is amounted to the wall surface, its back surface often cannot abut flush against the wall surface, resulting in various degrees of tilting of the object which is often undesirable. In addition, in most wall mounting fixtures and like items, the fixture and its hanger or loop type mounting device are separate pieces which are required to be attached to each other either before or after the mounting device is attached to the nail or hook type device attached to the wall surface. This type of conventional mounting assemblies is not only cumbersome as it requires multiple steps to mount an object to a wall surface, but also easy to become loose after its assembly, resulting in insecure mounting of the object to the wall surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention provides a wall mounting fixture assembly that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved wall mounting fixture assembly for mounting a wall mounting fixture to a wall surface in a concealed and secure way.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the descriptions that follow and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims thereof as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as broadly described, one aspect of the present invention provides a wall mounting fixture assembly for mounting on a wall surface, which includes a wall mounting fixture defining a cavity on a back side, an attaching piece disposed within the cavity and secured to the wall mounting fixture, the attaching piece having a first engagement structure, and a receiving piece for mounting on the wall surface, the receiving piece having a second engagement structure, wherein the first engagement structure and the second engagement structure are shaped to engage with each other.

Another aspect of the present invention is an improved household item holder fixture such as a towel holder ring used in bathrooms and kitchens. The household item holder fixture includes a ring for hanging the household item, a base for mounting on a surface, a hub for retaining the ring in a hollow opening thereof, the hub being connected to the base, and an internal sleeve disposed in the hollow opening of the hub and covering a section of the ring.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded prospective view of a wall mounting fixture assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional top view showing an integral wall mounting fixture of the embodiment of FIG. 1 mounted to a wall surface.

FIG. 3 is a prospective view of a wall mounting fixture assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention showing another fixture.

FIG. 4 is a prospective view of a wall mounting fixture assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention yet showing another fixture.

FIG. 5 is a prospective view of a towel holder ring according to another embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

One feature of a small household fixture according to embodiments of the present invention is a wall mounting fixture assembly. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a wall mounting fixture assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown and generally referred to by the reference numeral 10. In this embodiment, the wall mounting fixture assembly 10 includes a wall mounting fixture 2 (in this example an end piece of a towel rack), an attaching piece 20 located within a cavity on the back side (back surface) of the fixture 2, a receiving piece 30 for mounting onto a wall surface 4, and a supporting piece 40 embedded within the fixture 2.

The receiving piece 30 has a central base portion 32 for mounting onto the wall surface 4, and two oppositely disposed symmetric end portions 34 for engaging with the attaching piece 20. The central base portion 32 of the receiving piece 30 has two small openings 36 for accommodating two mounting screws or nails 38 for mounting the receiving piece 30 to the wall surface 4. The receiving piece 30 may be made of metal, plastic or other suitable materials, and preferably is made of a metal material.

The attaching piece 20 also has a central base portion 22 and two oppositely disposed symmetric end portions 24 for engaging with the receiving piece 30. The attaching piece 20 may be made of metal, plastic or other suitable materials, and preferably is also made of a metal material.

The two oppositely disposed symmetric end portions 24 each wraps inwardly, forming a channel in which the receiving piece 30 can slide. The respective end portions 24 and 34 of the attaching piece 20 and the receiving piece 30 are slanted. The slanted profile of the end portions 24 results in a larger bottom opening and a smaller top opening of the channel formed by the two end portions 24, such that as the two oppositely disposed symmetric end portions 34 of the receiving piece 30 slide into the channel formed by the two end portions 24, the engagement between the respective end portions of the attaching piece and the receiving piece becomes tighter and tighter. The narrower top opening of the channel formed by the two end portions 24 prevents further insertion of the two end portions 34 of the receiving piece 30. This provides a tight engagement between the attaching piece 20 and the receiving piece 30. A small indent 26 is provided at the bottom of each one of the two oppositely disposed symmetric end portions 24 which will abut the lower edge of a respectively fully engaged end portion 34 of the receiving piece 30. The indent 26 will provide a “click” that can be felt by a user when the attaching piece 20 of the fixture 2 slides along the receiving piece 30 during installation. This informs the user that the attaching piece 20 and the receiving piece 30 are fully engaged.

One end 42 of the supporting piece 40 is connected to the attaching piece 20 by press fitting, welding, or other suitable methods. The middle shaft 44 of the supporting piece 40 is embedded inside the fixture 2 and serves as a “backbone” of the fixture 2 to reinforce and increase the structure integrity of the fixture 2. The other end 46 of the supporting piece 40 may be exposed for attachment of other component(s) of the wall mounting fixture (in this example a horizontal bar for the towel rack).

The main body of the wall mounting fixture 2 may be made of any material suitable for molding with the attaching piece and the supporting piece. The main body is molded with the supporting piece 40 after the supporting piece 40 is securely connected to the attaching piece 20. This forms an integral wall mounting fixture with the supporting piece 40 embedded inside and the attaching piece 20 located within the cavity at the back surface of the fixture 2. This integral fixture is ready to be attached to the receiving piece 30.

Once the receiving piece 30 is mounted on the wall surface 4, the integral fixture 2 can be mounted to the receiving piece 30 by engaging the attaching piece 20 of the integral fixture with the receiving piece 30. This is done by first positioning the end portions 24 of the attaching piece 20 directly above the end portions 34 of the receiving piece 30, and then sliding the integral fixture downwardly so that the respective end portions of the attaching piece 20 and the receiving piece 30 are engaged.

As the respective end portions of the attaching piece and the receiving piece are engaged, the end portions 34 of the receiving piece 30 are slightly deflected which creates a spring tension that helps to keep the attaching piece 20 firmly engaged with the receiving piece 30, which in turn keeps the fixture 2 securely mounted on the wall surface 4.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the fixture 2 is mounted on the wall surface 4, both the attaching piece 20 and the receiving piece 30 of the wall mounting fixture assembly 10 are concealed within the cavity on the back surface of the fixture 2. This also allows the back surface of the fixture 2 to abut flush against the wall surface 4, thereby eliminating any space gap between the back surface of the fixture 2 and the wall surface 4 as well as any tilting of the fixture 2 as it is mounted on the wall surface 4.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modification and variations can be made to the structures shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In FIGS. 1 and 2, while the two end portions 24 of the attaching piece 20 are structured to form a channel and the two end portions 34 of the receiving piece 30 are structured to slide into the channel, any other suitable engagement structures on the attaching piece 20 and the receiving piece 30 may be provided to allow the attaching piece 20 and receiving piece 30 to engage with each other to achieve the mounting function. For example, an engagement structure on the receiving piece 30 may form a channel into which an engagement structure on the attaching piece 20 may be inserted. Multiple channels and insertion pieces may be provided. In lieu of a vertical sliding engagement of the attaching piece 20 and the receiving piece 30, a horizontal or other directional sliding engagement may be used. Alternatively, the engagement structures on the attaching piece 20 and receiving piece 30 may be made such that the two pieces are engaged by pressing the attaching piece 20 against the receiving piece 30 in a direction perpendicular to the wall surface.

The wall mounting fixture may be any appropriate household items. Examples of some of the fixtures are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 (a hanging knob and a towel ring, respectively, as indicated by the broken lines). The configuration of the embedded piece may also be different from those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 depending on the structure of the fixture.

A novel and unique wall mounting fixture assembly according to embodiments of the present invention may have the following functions and advantages. The wall mounting fixture assembly can be used for mounting various sized and shaped fixtures to a wall surface or other interior surface of a building, a vehicle, a vessel, an airplane, or other suitable surface of an object that can be used for mounting fixtures (collectively referred to as wall surfaces). It keeps the fixture securely and firmly mounted on a wall surface. It prevents downward sliding or tilting of the fixture when it is mounted on a wall surface, thereby keeping the fixture securely mounted on the wall surface. It conceals the mounting assembly pieces from being visible when the fixture is mounted on a wall surface. It allows the back surface of the fixture to abut flush against a wall surface, thereby eliminating space gaps between the fixture and the wall surface. The wall mounting fixture assembly has structural features that will provide a “click” sound and feel to a user during installation of the wall mounting fixture assembly to ensure that the different components of the wall mounting fixture assembly are all in their intended positions and correctly assembled on the wall surface. It has an embedded supporting piece to increase or provide structural integrity to the wall mounting fixture especially when the fixtures are made of materials that cannot support the required loads. The wall mounting fixture assembly can be easily used for attachment of various household wall mounting fixtures or like items. It has a simple and sturdy structure which is easy and quick to assemble and use and can be easily manufactured.

Another feature of a small household fixture according to embodiments of the present invention is an integral sleeve for the hub of a towel holder ring or other small fixture, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. A conventional small fixture of this type often has a ring for hanging a towel or similar items, a hub for retaining the ring, a base that can be mounted on a wall or other surfaces, and a short shaft connecting the hub to the base. Referring to FIG. 5, a towel holder ring fixture according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown and generally referred to by the numeral 110. In this embodiment, the towel holder ring fixture 110 includes a ring 112 for hanging a bath or kitchen towel (not shown), a hub 114 for retaining the ring 112, a wall mounting base 116 for mounting the fixture on a surface of a wall or cabinet or other like places, and a shaft 118 for connecting the hub 114 to the base 116. The towel holder ring 112 is preferably circular shaped, but may also be of any other suitable shape. In addition, the hub 141 is shown in FIG. 5 in a spherical shape, but it may be of other suitable shapes. FIG. 5 also shows the base 116 in a particular configuration, but the base 116 may also be configured in many different ways. Moreover, while the short shaft 118 in FIG. 5 is shown as a cylindrical shaft, other types of shaft may be used. Alternatively, the hub may be connected directly to the hub without a shaft.

A feature of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is an internal sleeve 120 shown in detail in FIG. 6. The sleeve 120 is positioned in a hollow opening or through a bore 122 of the hub 114 and covers a section of the ring 112 which has a metal inner core 124 and decorative outer layer 126. The decorative layer 126 may be slightly deformable when the sleeve 122 is attached to the ring 112 which allows a tight fit between the ring 112 and the sleeve 120 that prevents relative movement between the ring 112 and the sleeve 120. In this embodiment, the sleeve 120 is made of a plastic material and of a straight cylindrical shape which is slightly widened or thickened at its opposite ends 128 that prevents the sleeve 120 from sliding out of the hub bore 122. The sleeve may be made of other suitable materials and have other suitable shapes.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, when the ring 112 is held by the hub 114 with the internal sleeve 120, the ring 112 can freely swing back and forth in the directions indicated by the arrows S, while the rotation or sliding of the 112 through the bore 122 of the hub along the directions indicated by the arrows R is prevented. If the ring 112 can slide or rotate through the hub 114, the relative movement may cause scratches or damages to the decorative layer 126 of the ring 112. The sleeve 120 prevents such damage to the ring 112.

It is envisioned that the internal sleeve described above may be incorporated in other small household fixtures with similar arrangement, where a component is held by a hub in a manner that allows the component to swing while preventing the component from sliding through the hub. Such a small fixture may be mounted on the surfaces of a wall, a cabinet or other like areas using either the wall mounting assembly described earlier in this disclosure or any other suitable mounting techniques.

The main advantage of the plastic sleeve is that it allows the ring to swing back and forth while prevents the ring from rotating through the hub which could damage the decorative finish of the ring. A household fixture with such a plastic sleeve has a very simple yet very sturdy and durable structure which can be easily manufactured and used.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modification and variations can be made in the wall mounting fixture assembly of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations that come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A wall mounting fixture assembly for mounting on a wall surface, comprising:

a wall mounting fixture defining a cavity on a back side;

an attaching piece disposed within the cavity and secured to the wall mounting fixture, the attaching piece having a first engagement structure; and

a receiving piece for mounting on the wall surface, the receiving piece having a second engagement structure,

wherein the first engagement structure and the second engagement structure are shaped to engage with each other.

2. The wall mounting fixture assembly of claim 1, wherein when the first and second engagement structures are engaged with each other, the second engagement structure is disposed within the cavity of the wall mounting fixture.

3. The wall mounting fixture assembly of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second engagement structures forms a channel, and the other one of the first and second engagement structures is adapted to slide in the channel.

4. The wall mounting fixture assembly of claim 3, wherein the attaching piece includes a central base portion affixed to the wall mounting fixture and two oppositely disposed symmetric end portions forming the channel; and

wherein the receiving piece includes a central base portion for mounting onto the wall surface and two oppositely disposed symmetric end portions for engaging with the two end portions of the attaching piece.

5. The wall mounting fixture assembly of claim 4, wherein the two end portions of the attaching piece are slanted such that the channel has a larger opening and a smaller opening.

6. The wall mounting fixture assembly of claim 4, wherein the two end portions of the attaching piece or the two end portions of the receiving piece or both are slightly deflectable to create a spring tension when the end portions are engaged with each other.

7. The wall mounting fixture assembly of claim 1, wherein the wall mounting fixture includes an embedded supporting piece affixed to the attaching piece.

8. The wall mounting fixture assembly of claim 7, wherein the wall mounting fixture includes a main body molded with the supporting piece and the attaching piece to form an integral wall mounting fixture.

9. The wall mounting fixture assembly of claim 8, wherein the attaching piece, the receiving piece, and the supporting piece are made of metal or plastic, and the main body of the wall mounting fixture is made of a molding material.

10. The wall mounting fixture assembly of claim 1, further including a set of mounting screws or nails for mounting the receiving piece to the wall surface.

11. A household item holder fixture comprising:

a ring for hanging the household item;

a base for mounting on a surface;

a hub for retaining the ring in a hollow opening thereof, the hub being connected to the base; and

an internal sleeve disposed in the hollow opening of the hub and covering a section of the ring.

12. The household item holder fixture of claim 11, wherein the sleeve is made of a plastic material.

13. The household item holder fixture of claim 11, wherein the ring has a straight cylindrical shape and is widened or thickened at its opposite ends.

14. The household item holder fixture of claim 11, wherein the ring has a metal inner core and decorative outer layer.

15. The household item holder fixture of claim 11, further comprising a shaft for connecting the hub to the base.

16. The household item holder fixture of claim 15, wherein the shaft is cylindrical.

17. The household item holder fixture of claim 11, wherein the ring has a circular shape.

18. The household item holder fixture of claim 11, wherein the hub has a spherical shape.