Key hole double headed screw and short hole locator

Abstract

There is provided a keyhole kit for identifying the spatial distance between a pair of keyhole openings of a wall fixture and marking their location upon the vertical surface of a wall. The keyhole kit includes a pair of fasteners that are inserted into a wall and are cooperatively engageable with the keyhole openings. The keyhole kit further provides a locator pin that is temporarily affixed within a keyhole opening of a wall fixture. The wall fixture is temporarily positioned against the surface of a wall such that it abuts the wall. Thereby, resulting in the locator pin creating a reference mark upon the wall. The reference mark is indicative of the location of a second keyhole opening. A second fastener is inserted in the wall at the reference mark. As a result, both respective fasteners inserted into the wall are spatially relative to the keyhole openings of the fixture. In this regard, the fixture may be secured upon the wall utilizing the properly spaced keyhole openings.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates generally to hanging wall mounted fixtures and/or decorations. In particular, the present invention relates to a system and method for precisely locating and marking a reference point upon a wall indicative of where to secure and properly align a fixture.

It is conventional practice to place wall-mounted fixtures, including pictures and decorative objects, against the surface of a vertical wall. The hanging of such fixtures is common in residential settings and commercial environments including public areas where artwork is displayed, such as hotels, motels, or the like. It is common practice in the hanging of such fixtures or like objects to generally involve securing individual hooks, or one or more nails, to a wall and attaching a flexible wire to the back of the object for engaging the nail or hook. Alternatively, a metal eye or hanger bar device may have been attached to the fixture for engagement on the hook or nail. Where the fixture is hung on a nail or hook, skewing is an ever-present problem, especially in the presence of wall vibrations. This is especially prevalent and noticeable in grouped picture hangings. In addition, in such grouped hangings it is often difficult to attain proper symmetry, especially where the tops of the frames are to be in horizontal alignment, or must be in a particular spaced relation to one another.

Likewise, it is common for such fixtures to tend to cant outwardly at their top edges. In other words, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to attain a flush engagement of the backs of the objects with the supporting wall or other vertical surface. Additionally, oftentimes a flexible picture wire does not provide adequate support to a fixture that is disproportionately weighted.

In order to provide added stability and to flush such fixtures against the vertical surface of a wall, a keyhole opening is often employed. A keyhole opening is a cutout built into a wall fixture and typically includes a opening which employs an enlarged portion and a narrowed portion extending therefrom. The enlarged portion may be a variety of geometrical configurations, including square, oval and the like but is preferably a round or circular shape. It is only important that the configuration and geometry of the enlarged portion be sufficiently sized to allow the head of the standoff fastener to pass therethrough. The narrowed portion of the keyhole opening is generally an elongated oval configuration that is sized to allow the body of the fastener to slide along to a closed end but not allow the head of the standoff fastener to pass therethrough. While the elongated oval configuration of the narrowed portion may have parallel sides, the sides may also slightly taper inwardly in the direction of the closed, circular end. The utilization of keyhole openings facilitates a user to hang a fixture flushed against the surface of a wall while still facilitating a proper alignment of the fixture.

Although a keyhole opening provides stability to securing a wall fixture to a wall, the process of mounting a wall fixture utilizing keyhole openings can oftentimes be tedious and difficult. The difficulty arises since the fasteners inserted into the wall must coincide with the position of the keyhole openings. The first step of hanging a fixture usually involves finding a location on the wall where the wall fixture is to be hung. It may be desirable to center the fixture in horizontal and vertical alignment upon the wall prior to installing it. In this regard, a number of measurements may be made to find a level and central location.

Oftentimes a user marks the wall to indicate where fasteners, such a screws or nails should be inserted. The fasteners inserted into the wall cooperatively engage with the keyhole openings of the fixture. In order for a fixture to be properly mounted upon a wall it is vital that the fasteners are spatially positioned in relation to the keyhole openings of the fixture. A mark is commonly made on the wall with pen, pencil, or chalk, indicating where the fasteners should engage with the wall. However, it is a tedious process to perfectly align the two fasteners upon the wall such that they are engageable with the two keyhole openings.

In order to affix the fixture in perfect alignment, not only must the pair of fasteners be aligned horizontally against the surface wall, but also vertically. In this regard, if the spacing between the fasteners is even slightly incorrect, the fasteners may not fit into the narrow opening of the keyhole opening. The subsequent result is that the user must forcibly remove the fasteners from the wall, and repeat the process until they are spaced in accordance to the dimensions of the keyhole openings. This process may require multiple attempts prior to the fasteners being correctly spaced. Consequently, throughout this process numerous holes and markings are created in the wall.

It is a common practice for users to take measurements using rulers or measuring tape to ascertain the distance between the keyhole openings; and subsequently attempt to fashion fasteners upon the wall in accordance to those measurements. However, inaccurate measurement techniques and the failure to accurately align the fasteners on both, a vertical and horizontal plane, often results in misplaced fasteners upon a wall. The subsequent result of such inaccurate techniques often leads to frustration and costly damage to the existing wall.

Therefore, in order to overcome the above mentioned deficiencies in the art, there is a need in the art for an improved method and system of hanging wall mounted fixtures on a wall.

BRIEF SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a keyhole kit for mounting a fixture upon a wall. Specifically, the keyhole kit includes a pair fasteners to insert into a wall upon which a fixture is hung. The keyhole kit further includes a locator pin to provide a reference mark upon a wall indicative of the precise spatial distance between the keyhole openings of a fixture. In addition, the keyhole kit may come packaged in a manner such that all necessary components to mount a fixture are enveloped in a commercial container designed for display in a departmental store.

A wall fixture may include at least two keyhole openings upon the contact surface area of the fixture. A first keyhole opening is operative to receive a respective one of the pair of fasteners which are used to secure the wall fixture to the wall. The fasteners may be general standoff fasteners such as nails, screws, or the like. Likewise, the keyhole kit fasteners may be double headed screws as taught by U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/821,766, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. As such, the double headed screws are advantageously designed to bear the brunt of larger loads while employed within traditional keyhole openings.

The locator pins may be standoff fasteners fashioned to include an elongated cutting edge sufficient to penetrate a material. Traditional fasteners, such as nails, pins, screws, or the like may suffice if employed as locator pins. In addition, a locator pin may be fashioned as a double headed pin designed to advantageously fit within the opening portion of a keyhole opening. A locator pin may be temporarily affixed within a keyhole opening, in that after a locator pin has been used to mark a reference point, it may be removed from the fixture. In this regard, an adhesive may be used to temporarily affix the locator pin within the confines of the keyhole opening. The locator pin may be capable of penetrating the adhesive to expose its cutting edge. Conventional tape, gauze, glue, or the like may be utilized to temporarily affix the locator pin within the keyhole opening. In addition, the adhesive may be of a convenient size relative to other components of the keyhole kit such that it may be commercially packaged as part of the keyhole kit.

In order to ensure that the reference marking is fashioned in proper alignment, the keyhole kit may further include a leveling device. Such a leveling device may be operative to assess the horizontal and vertical axes of the fixture in a spatial context relative to the wall. Conventional leveling devices that utilize a bubble tube carried in a cavity adapted to lie on top of a flat surface may suffice. Additionally, a smaller level capable of being packaged with other components of the keyhole kit may also be adequate.

The present invention also includes a methodology of utilizing a keyhole kit to secure a wall fixture upon a wall. The method includes the step of identifying a desirable position upon the wall to affix the fixture. At this time, a first fastener may be inserted into the wall. The insertion of the first fastener is correlating to the location of a first keyhole opening of the fixture. The method may continue by temporarily affixing a locator pin into a second keyhole opening using an adhesive. At this time, the fixture is temporarily affixed upon the wall by engaging the first fastener to the first keyhole opening. The method may continue by using a level to ensure the fixture is aligned in accordance to appropriate dimensional parameters and visual appeal. Subsequently, sufficient pressure may be applied to the fixture, such that the temporarily affixed locator pin may abut the wall. As a result, the cutting edge of the locator pin may create a reference mark or aperture upon the wall. This reference mark is indicative of the precise location of the second keyhole opening of the fixture. The method may continue by removing the locator pin and adhesive and inserting a second fastener into the wall at the reference mark location. At this time, the fixture may be hung upon the wall by cooperatively engaging both fasteners to their respective correlating keyhole openings.

Subsequently, the locator pin and adhesive may then be removed from the fixture. At this point, the fixture may then be inserted upon the wall such that the first and second fasteners are cooperatively engaged into a first and second keyhole openings. Upon mounting the fixture on the wall, a level may be utilized to ensure the fixture is aligned appropriately.

It is contemplated that the present invention addresses the aforementioned deficiencies in the art. As mentioned above, one of the most difficult and frustrating aspects of many prior art wall hanging systems and methods is ensuring that the fasteners are correctly spaced, such that they will connect with the wall fixture and that the wall fixture will be level. The keyhole kit assists a user in this regard by providing the user a reference mark indicative of the keyhole openings' location. Such a system and method should simplify and alleviate the process of hanging a wall fixture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wall fixture, wherein the contact surface of the wall fixture has a pair of keyhole openings cutout.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pair of fasteners being engaged into a wall, illustrating a wall and the wall fixture, upon which the fasteners are spatially separated in accordance to the dimensions of the keyhole openings of a wall fixture.

FIG. 2a is a detailed view of a double headed fastener being engaged into a wall while cooperatively engaging an opening of a keyhole opening.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a wall fixture, a first fastener being inserted into a wall, and illustrating a reference mark upon a wall.

FIG. 4 is a top elevational view of a double headed locator pin with a slotted head, a first circular head, an elongated shank, a second circular head, and a cutting edge.

FIG. 5 is a bottom elevational view of a double headed locator pin with a first circular head, an elongated shank, a second circular head, and an elongated marker portion with a cutting edge.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a wall fixture, upon which a keyhole opening has been cutout, whereby a locator pin may be affixed within the enlarged aperture portion of the locator pin.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a wall fixture, upon which a keyhole opening has been cutout, whereby a locator pin affixed within the keyhole opening has been moved downwardly to position within the slot portion of the keyhole opening.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a keyhole opening indicating the dimensions of the opening relative to the dimensions of a locator pin.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of keyhole opening, upon which a locator pin has been affixed, whereby the locator pin is stabilized using an adhesive.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of keyhole opening, upon which a locator pin has been affixed, whereby the cutting edge of a locator pin is exposed as a result of penetrating the adhesive.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the wall fixture, wherein the wall fixture is horizontally leveled and subsequently pressed against the wall creating a mark in a precise location correlative of where a second keyhole opening is located.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a wall fixture, wherein the wall fixture is mounted upon a wall through a pair of fasteners being cooperatively engaged with keyhole openings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of the presently preferred embodiment on the invention, and is not intended to represent the only form in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for developing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiment. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention. It is further understood that the use of relational terms such as first and second, and the like are used solely to distinguish one from another entity without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities.

Now referring to FIGS. 1-12, there is provided a keyhole kit. According to an aspect of the present invention, the keyhole kit is utilized to mount a wall fixture 10 upon a wall 20. The keyhole kit includes a pair of fasteners 12 and a locator pin 14. The wall fixture 10 further includes a contact surface 16 upon which a pair of keyhole openings 18 are cutout. The keyhole openings may be configured in a vertical 18 or horizontal 19 position upon the wall fixture 10

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the wall fixture 10 is secured to the wall 20 via a pair of fasteners 12. The fasteners 12 may include nails, screws, tacks, hooks or similar hardware known by those skilled in the art. In the present embodiment, the fasteners 12 are double headed screws. As further illustrated by FIG. 2, each fastener 12 is engageable with the wall 20. In this regard, the fastener 12 may be inserted or secured to the wall 20 and capable of supporting a load. The fasteners should have a load capacity sufficient to support the wall fixture 10. FIG. 2a illustrates a double headed fastener 12 inserted into a wall while being cooperatively engaged to a keyhole opening 18.

A user must be meticulous when inserting fasteners 12 into a wall. It is critical that the fasteners 12 are inserted with precision relative to the distance of the keyhole openings 18. FIG. 2 illustrates the horizontal spatial distance between the fasteners shown as “Fsp”, whereas the horizontal spatial distance between the keyhole openings is shown as “Ksp”. Therefore, Fsp must equal Ksp in order for the fasteners 12 to successfully engage with the keyhole openings 18. However, it is oftentimes quite difficult to correctly space the fasteners 12 upon the wall 20. Improperly installed fasteners 12 result in the fasteners having to be removed from the wall 20 and subsequently causing damage to the wall 20.

A locator pin 14 assists a user to properly space fasteners 12 upon a wall 20. As such, a locator pin 14 provides the user with a representative mark 14 upon the wall 20 indicating the location of where the second fastener 12 is to be inserted. As further illustrated in FIG. 3, the mark 14a is visible to the user. In this regard, a locator pin 14 is capable of being temporarily affixed within a keyhole opening 18 and abutting the wall 20 thereby creating an indicative mark 14a upon the wall 20. As such, a locator pin 14 may include nails, screws, tacks, hooks or similar hardware known by those skilled in the art.

In the present embodiment, a double headed locator pin 14 is presented, as further illustrated by FIGS. 4-5. A double headed locator pin 14 is advantageously designed such that its dimensions coincide with those of standard market keyhole openings 18. In this regard, a double headed locator pin 14 includes a circular first head portion 22 a cylindrical shank portion 24, a circular second portion 26, and an elongated marker portion 28. The shank portion 24 extends axially between the first and second head portions 22, 24. The shank portion 24 has a diameter “s” and the first head portion 22 has a diameter “d” which exceeds the diameter “s.” The elongated marker portion 28 has converging surfaces at one end thereof which is suitable to form a cutting edge 30 for being driven through or marking a penetratable material such as wood, plaster, plaster board or the like. The locator pin 14 is provided at the other end of the circular first head portion 22 with a slotted head 32 engageable with a screwdriver for turning the shank about its axis.

As further illustrated by FIGS. 6-8, the keyhole openings 18 are disposed within the contact surface 16 of the fixture. As, each keyhole opening 18 is configured to receive a fastener 12 and a locator pin 14. A keyhole opening 18 includes a opening which employs an enlarged aperture portion 34 and a narrowed opening portion 36 extending therefrom. The enlarged aperture portion 34 may be a variety of geometrical configurations, including square, oval and the like. In the present embodiment, the enlarged aperture portion 34 is circular. It is only important that the configuration and geometry of the enlarged aperture portion 34 be sufficiently sized to allow the head of the standoff fastener 12 and the head of the locator pin 22 to pass therethrough.

As seen in FIG. 8, the slot portion 36 has a width “W,” with the aperture portion 34 having a diameter “D” which exceeds the width W of the opening portion 36. Each aperture portion 34 is capable of receiving a fastener 12 and a locator pin 14. The aperture portion 34 diameter D exceeds the size of the fastener head 12 and locator pin head 22. Now referring to FIGS. 4-8, a doubled headed locator pin 14 has a first head portion 22 which has a diameter “d” that is smaller than the aperture portion 34 diameter D of the keyhole opening 18. As a result, the first head portion 22 may be received into the keyhole opening 18 via the aperture portion 34. After the first head portion 22 is received into the aperture portion 34 of the keyhole opening 18, the fixture 10 is moved downwardly through the keyhole opening 18. Consequently, the shank portion 24 of the double headed locator pin 14 moves within the opening portion 36 of the keyhole opening 18. In this regard, the opening portion 36 width W is greater than the shank 54 diameter “s” but less than the first head portion 22 diameter d. This design allows the double headed locator pin 14 to be maneuvered within the keyhole opening 18. Now referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, an adhesive 38 is used to temporarily affix the position of the locator pin 14 within the keyhole opening 18. In this regard, the adhesive 38 is placed over the locator pin 14 allowing the cutting edge 30 to be exposed by penetrating the adhesive 38.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the keyhole kit may further include a leveling device 40. As further illustrated by FIGS. 11 and 13, the leveling device 40 is operative to ensure the wall fixture 10 is level with a horizontal plane. Proper alignment of the locator pin 10 is critical to attain a correct reference mark 14a.

In addition to the foregoing, it is expressly contemplated that the present invention also includes a methodology of securing a keyhole slotted wall fixture 10 to a wall 20. The method includes identifying a desirable location upon a wall 20 to hang the fixture 10. Subsequently, a first fastener 12 is inserted into the wall 20 at the desired location. The first fastener 12 is intended to engage cooperatively with a first keyhole opening 18 of the fixture 10. It is critical that both fasteners 12 are engaged in the precise location upon the wall 20 relative to the keyhole openings 18 of the fixture 10. The method continues by temporarily affixing a locator pin 14 within a second keyhole opening 18. Thereafter, an adhesive 38 is used to affix the locator pin 14 in position within the keyhole opening 18. It is critical that by penetrating through the adhesive 38, the cutting edge 30 portion of the locator pin 14 is exposed. Additionally, it is vital that the cutting edge portion 30 has sufficient exposure such that it abut the wall 20.

The method continues by temporarily affixing the fixture 10 upon the wall 20 by cooperatively engaging the first fastener 12 to the first keyhole opening 18. As illustrated by FIG. 11, the method continues by utilizing a leveling device 40 to ensure that the reference mark 14a is precisely formed. Thereafter, pressure is applied to the fixture 10 such that the cutting edge 30 abuts the wall. As illustrated by FIG. 11, the user 42 may apply the requisite pressure. In addition, as further illustrated by FIG. 3 the pressure applied should be sufficient such that the cutting edge 30 creates a reference mark 14a upon the wall 20. Subsequently, the fixture 10 is removed from the wall 20 and the locator pin 14 along with the adhesive 38 are removed from the fixture 10. As illustrated by FIG. 2, the method continues by inserting a second fastener 12 into the wall 20 at the indicated reference mark 14a. As shown by FIG. 12, the method continues by hanging the fixture 10 on the wall by cooperatively engaging both fasteners 12 into both keyhole openings 18.

The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.

Claims

1. A keyhole kit for mounting a wall fixture upon a wall, the wall fixture including a contact surface and a pair of keyhole openings, the contact surface disposed adjacent to the wall when the wall fixture is secured to the wall, the pair of keyhole openings disposed within the contact surface, each keyhole opening having an aperture portion and a slot portion, and a distance defined by the spatial separation between the aperture portions, the keyhole kit comprising:

a pair of fasteners, each fastener being cooperatively engageable with a respective one of the pair of keyhole openings and the wall to secure the wall fixture to the wall; and

a locator pin, having a head, a pin body, and a distal end for marking a penetratable surface, the locator pin being cooperatively engageable with a respective one of the pair of keyhole openings such that when the wall fixture is secured to the wall the distal end abuts the wall making a reference mark upon the wall, the reference mark represents the distance.

2. The keyhole kit of claim 1, wherein the locator pin is a double headed locator pin.

3. The keyhole kit of claim 2, wherein the double headed locator pin includes a first head portion, a second head portion, a shank portion extending between the first and second head portions, and a marking portion having an elongated protrusion at one end thereof for marking a penetratable material.

4. The keyhole kit of claim 3, wherein the first head portion of the double headed locator pin fits into the aperture portion of the keyhole openings.

5. The keyhole kit of claim 3, wherein the shank portion fits into the slot portion of the keyhole openings.

6. The keyhole kit of claim 3, wherein the first head portion and second head portion of the double headed locator pin have a diameter larger than the diameter of the slot portion of the keyhole openings.

7. The keyhole kit of claim 3, wherein the first head portion of the double headed locator pin has a slotted head that is engageable with a screwdriver.

8. The keyhole kit of claim 3, further including an adhesive to secure the double headed locator pin in the slot portion of the keyhole opening.

9. The keyhole kit of claim 1, further comprising a leveling device operative to ensure the wall fixture is level with a horizontal plane.

10. The keyhole kit of claim 1, further comprising a leveling device operative to ensure the wall fixture is level with a vertical plane.

11. A method of securing a wall fixture to a wall, the wall fixture including a contact surface and a pair of keyhole openings, the contact surface disposed adjacent to the wall when the wall fixture is secured to the wall, the pair of keyhole openings disposed within the contact surface, each keyhole opening having an aperture portion and a slot portion, and a distance defined by the spatial separation between the aperture portions, the method comprising the steps of:

a) inserting a first fastener into a wall at a desired location, the first fastener being cooperatively engageable with a first keyhole opening;

b) inserting a locator pin into a second keyhole opening;

c) affixing the wall fixture upon the wall by cooperatively engaging the first fastener into the first keyhole opening;

d) applying pressure over the wall fixture such that the locator pin abuts the wall and makes a reference mark on the wall of the location of the second keyhole opening;

e) removing the locator pin from the second keyhole opening;

f) inserting a second fastener into the wall at the reference mark;

g) connecting the pair of fasteners with a respective one of the pair of keyhole openings thereby securing the wall fixture upon the wall.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein steps (a) and (f) comprise inserting a double headed screw into the wall.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein steps (b) comprises inserting a double headed locator pin into the wall.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein step (b) further includes the step of affixing an adhesive to temporarily secure the locator pin within the slot portion of the second keyhole opening.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein step (c) further includes an operative level to align the wall fixture such that the locator pin is horizontally aligned with the wall.