APPARATUS FOR REPAIRING WALL DAMAGE AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF

Abstract

A system for repairing an opening in a surface is provided. The system includes a surface to be repaired, the surface defining an opening therein, the opening being a removed damaged section of the surface. The system further includes a patch piece to be placed within the opening in the surface. The system further includes first and second components, the first component being adapted to adhere the patch piece within the opening from the interior of the surface and the second component being adapted to adhere the patch piece within the opening from the exterior of the surface. The system further includes a securing mechanism that is adapted to engage each of the first and second components between the patch piece and the surface, hold the components together by compressive force, and maintain the first and second components in communication until the patch work is complete.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

This invention relates generally to the technical field of wall repair, and in particular to the field of patching and repairing damaged walls, including drywall, foam board, particle board, and the like.

2. State of the Art

The use of drywall became popular after the 1950s. Since then, a variety of techniques and methods have been developed for patching and repairing damaged drywall areas. Conventional drywall patching and repair devices, such as repair clips and other like fasteners available on the market today, are typically metallic and require screws or teeth to secure them.

The table below lists common patents in the field, including U.S. Patent Numbers, corresponding Issue dates and Inventor Names.

U.S. Pat. No.	Issue Date	Inventor Name
1,974,819	September 1934	Koerner
2,065,525	December 1936	Hamilton
2,084,544	June 1937	Wilson
2,638,774	May 1953	Wieman
2,913,042	November 1959	Taylor
3,717,970	February 1973	Rosenblum
3,995,404	December 1976	Thaw et al.
4,178,730	December 1979	Rowinski
4,373,313	February 1983	Nash, Jr.
4,460,420	July 1984	Estrada
4,464,821	August 1984	Haytayan
4,641,474	February 1987	Cannarsa
4,782,642	November 1988	Conville
4,862,667	September 1989	Melland
4,995,605	February 1991	Conville
5,269,861	December 1993	Gilbreath
5,299,404	April 1994	Jabro

All the methods and techniques developed in the past have advantages and disadvantages compared to the each other; with each device having its own distinct but similar method. The conventional way of repairing drywall generally works, but in some cases is expensive, time consuming, cannot be applied everywhere and requires a lot of labor. One example of difficulty in using such devices is if drywall size or thickness is different from the one specified in the device's specifications. This discrepancy could lead to unexpected problems and frustration.

Furthermore, it is not an uncommon experience to realize that the device cannot be used for every kind of drywall damage. Therefore, conventional devices do not provide a universal use for every type of drywall or board and every type of damage. Conventional devices are thus themselves a limitation to repair.

There is thus a need in the industry for a device that addresses the problems discussed above. Attempts have been made in the past to address these problems, but none of them can be compared with the present invention as herein described.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the technical field of wall repair, and in particular to the repair and/or patching of damaged walls, i.e., drywall, foam board, particle board, and the like.

An aspect of the present invention comprises a drywall patch piece apparatus and attaching the apparatus to a damaged drywall section by use of a plastic adhesive fastener from behind the drywall (inside of the hollow wall) not from the visible side (room side of the wall). Utilizing the apparatus, the damaged drywall can be repaired and patched, as will be herein described. The apparatus is for users to repair any kind of drywall damage in any location, any shape, any size and any thickness. It is a universal device and can be used for repairing other types of boards and panels including but not limited to foam board, particle board, pressed board, and fiberglass board. In addition, it can be used as a fastener to join two objects from the rear by adhesive and leave no sign of joining on the front surfaces. Another advantage of the present invention drywall patch fastener is that it is non-intrusive to the hidden (back) surface of the drywall under repair.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is that it is non-intrusive to any and all objects and materials inside the wall such as wiring, plumbing, and insulation.

Yet still another aspect of the present invention is that it is made of plastic which is cost efficient for the consumer and manufacturer. Also, it will not rust in storage or cause damage when it is used in the wall, even if the surrounding environment is very corrosive.

Yet still another aspect of the present invention is that it can be used without any screws, although hole guides are still available to accept screws if necessary.

Yet still another aspect of the present invention is that it does not require any professional tools or any specific household tools.

Yet still another aspect of the present invention is that installation is very simple allowing most individuals to use the device. Installation does not require the hire or experience of a professional person. Therefore, the invention can be used by a professional or by the common public.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the particular embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the wall repair apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the wall repair apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the wall repair apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the wall repair apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of a component of the wall repair apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of the component of the wall repair apparatus shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the component of the wall repair apparatus shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view of a component of the wall repair apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of the component of the wall repair apparatus shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a side view of the component of the wall repair apparatus shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 11a is top view of a component of the wall repair apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 11b is a side view of the component of the wall repair apparatus shown in FIG. 11a.

FIG. 12 is an exemplary view of a damaged wall that can be patched by using the present invention.

FIG. 13a is a front view of the wall shown in FIG. 12 with the dashed line portion of FIG. 12 having been removed.

FIG. 13b is a front view of a patch piece cut to fit within the portion of the wall that has been removed, as shown in FIG. 13a.

FIG. 14 is a side view of the component of FIGS. 5-7 combined with the component of FIGS. 11a-b in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a front view of the wall opening shown in FIG. 13a having the combined components of FIG. 14 attached to the backside thereof, in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a side view of section A-A of FIG. 15 in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a front view of the wall having the patch piece placed within the prepared wall opening shown in FIG. 15 in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a diagrammatic view of the wall shown in FIG. 17 incorporating the use of the component of FIGS. 8-10 onto the component shown in FIGS. 11a-b in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a side view of the combined components engaging both the patch piece and the wall in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a diagrammatic view of the wall shown in FIG. 18 indicating the installation of the drywall screws in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 21 is a diagrammatic view of the wall shown in FIG. 20 showing removal of the component of FIGS. 8-10 in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a diagrammatic view of the wall shown in FIG. 21 showing the removal of the component of FIG. 11a-b in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a diagrammatic view of the wall shown in FIG. 22 showing the patch piece coupled within the wall in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 24 is a side view of FIG. 23.

FIG. 25 is a front view exemplary illustration of the wall having drywall tape and drywall compound attached thereto in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 26 is a dimensional view of the component shown in FIG. 5 in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 27 is a dimensional view of the component shown in FIG. 7 in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 28 is a dimensional view of the component shown in FIG. 8 in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 29 is a dimensional view of the component shown in FIG. 10 in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 30a is a dimensional view of the component shown in FIG. 11a in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 30b is a dimensional view of the component shown in FIG. 11b in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to the technical field of wall repair, and in particular to the repair and/or patching of damaged walls, i.e., drywall, foam board, particle board, and the like.

As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the wall repair apparatus 100 comprises a first piece 10, a second piece 20, and a securing member 30 that is configured to releasably couple to the first and second pieces, 10 and 20, and secure the first and second pieces, 10 and 20, relative to one another.

In further detail, the wall repair apparatus 100 can generally made of a plastic such as Nylon 6,6 (6/6), but the apparatus 100 is not limited to being made of plastic. Indeed, the apparatus 100 can be made of any suitable material that provides the structural characteristics that are herein described. Both the first piece 10 and the second piece 20 can be square, rectangular or any other shape that provides the characteristics of the present invention that are herein described. One such dimension for both the first piece 10 and the second piece 20 is 40 mm×40 mm (1.5 inch×1.5 inch), but, as mentioned above, the first and second pieces 10 and 20 are not be limited to these specific dimensions. The securing member 30 can be, for example, but not limited to, a conventional cable tie, such as 3M® Part No. PLT1.5S-M, having dimensions of 5 mm×152 mm, but the securing member 30 may be any device suitable for securing pieces 10 and 20 relative to one another, as is herein described.

The first piece 10, the second piece 20 and the securing member 30 are components that are to be manufactured and are specific components of the present invention and will be discussed in details below.

Shapes, size, color and type of material mentioned herein for the first piece 10, the second piece 20, and the securing member 30 are just for ease of understanding.

The actual manufactured components 10, 20 and 30 can be in many sizes, for instance ½ in, ¾ in, 1 in, 1½ in, 2 in etc. with many color options and may be manufactured from different type of plastics or other materials. Also, the actual shape of components 10, 20 and 30 may change according to the molding and manufacturing process.

The first piece 10 may comprise a body 16, a reception housing 17, and strengthening member 19. The body 16 may be a flat, plate-like piece that has a front surface 16-1 and a back surface 16-2. The reception housing 17 may be a cube-like body mounted to the back surface 16-2 of the body 16. The housing 17 may be further comprised of a reception hole 11, wherein the securing member 30 can be inserted therethrough. The strengthening members 19 run along the back surface 16-2 of the body 16 from the corners, or edges, of the housing 17 to the corresponding corners, or edges, of the body 16. The strengthening members 19 may taper from the housing 17 to the edges of the body 16. The strengthening members 19 function to enhance the stability of the body 16 and enhance the rigidity of the body 16, or in other words, increase the mechanical strength of the first piece 10.

The body 16, the housing 17, and the strengthening members 19 can be manufactured separately and thereafter coupled together, the housing and the strengthening members being attached to the back surface 16-2. Alternatively, the body 16, the housing 17, and the strengthening members 19 can be integral, meaning they can be formed of one single piece.

The reception hole 11 is configured to releasably couple to the securing member 30 at predetermined intervals along the securing member 30. The housing 17 can therefore assume any configuration that allows the reception hole 11 to function to releasably couple to the securing member 30. The body 16 may further be comprised of one strengthening member 19 or a plurality of strengthening members 19, as desired during manufacturing or assembly.

The body 16 can be manufactured to specific dimensions of 40 mm (length)×40 mm (width)×3 mm (depth). However, the body 16 can be manufactured to whatever dimensions chosen, as long as the body 16 is large enough to receive the securing member 30 and be able to be releasably coupled thereto. Moreover, the body 16 must be large enough to adhere to both a back surface 41 of a wall 40 to be repaired and a back surface 51 of a patch piece 50 that will be inserted into an opening 46 cut into the wall 40, and support the patch piece 50 within the opening 46. Specifically, the front surface 16-1 is comprised of a flat surface, the flat surface being square, rectangular, or any shape that allows an adhesive 14 to be attached thereto such that the adhesive 14 can secure the body 16 to the wall 40 and patch piece 50, as will be described in detail below.

The housing 17 may be manufactured to dimensions of 15 mm (height)×15 mm (width)×5 mm (depth). As mentioned above, the housing 17 can alternatively have any dimensions that permit the reception hole 11 to function to releasably couple to the securing member 30. The outer surface of the housing 17 is surface 18.

The front surface 16-1 of first piece 10 has attached thereto the foam-type double-coated adhesive 14, mentioned above. An exemplary adhesive may be 3M™ part number 4004 for sticking to drywall surfaces. The adhesive 14 should distribute stress uniformly over its surface area once bonded to another surface. A backing paper 15 covers and protects the adhesive 14 until the adhesive is needed for use. The backing paper 15 can be peeled from the foam-type double-coated adhesive 14 at the time of use to be applied and the exposed adhesive can stick to the back surface 41 of the wall 40. Initially, the adhesive 14 should adhere to the front surface 16-1 on one of its sticky sides and the backing paper 15 should prevent the opposing sticky side from adhering to anything but the backing paper 15. Once the backing paper is removed, the exposed sticky side can be adhered to any surface desired by the user, preferably the back surface 41 of the wall 40.

The reception hole 11 passes through the first piece 10 from the surface 18 to the surface 16-1, including through the adhesive 14 and the backing paper 15. The reception hole 11 has a dimension of 9 mm (length)×2.5 mm (width) and is configured to correspond to the shape and size of the securing member 30, such that the securing member 30 can be inserted therethrough and establish functional coupling thereto.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the first piece 10 further comprises guiding holes 12 in a preconfigured pattern on the body 16 at opposing sections of the body 16. The guiding holes 12 can be perforated, break-away holes that are configured to receive and guide a screw 61 through the body 16 or the guiding holes 12 can be actual holes configured to receive and guide the screw 61 through the body 16. The holes 12 are also formed in the corresponding sections of the adhesive 14 and backing paper 15. In one embodiment, the first piece 10 comprises a plurality of 2.75 mm diameter holes in a pattern provided in the upper part of body 16 and a plurality of 2.75 mm diameter holes in a pattern provided in the lower part of the body 16. As mentioned, the holes 12 will work like a guide for the drywall screws 45 inserted from the wall surface 40 as an optional or additional securing method to the adhesive 14.

As shown in FIGS. 8-10, the second piece 20 comprises a body 26, a reception housing 25, a strengthening member 27, a finger grip 24, and a release lever 23. The body 16 is a flat, plate-like piece that has a front surface 26-1 and a back surface 26-2. The reception housing 25 is a cube-like body mounted to the back surface 16-2 of the body 26. The housing 25 is further comprised of a reception hole 21, wherein the securing member 30 can be inserted therethrough. The strengthening member 27 runs along the back surface 26-2 of the body 26 from the corners, or edges, of the housing 25 to the corresponding corners, or edges, of the body 26. The strengthening members 27 taper from the housing 25 to the edges of the body 26. The strengthening members 27 function to enhance the stability of the body 26 and enhance the rigidity of the body 26, or in other words, increase the mechanical strength of the second piece 20. The finger grip 24 is configured to assist the user in gripping the second piece 20 while operating the release lever 23. The release lever 23 is configured to release the second piece 20 from the securing member 30.

The reception hole 21 is configured to receive the securing member 30 and have the securing member 30 slide therethrough. The reception hole 21 and the securing member 30 are configured to releasably couple to one another at successive intervals along the securing member 30, once the securing member 30 has been inserted into the reception hole 21. Thereafter, the second piece 20 can be advanced along the securing member 30 by force toward the first piece 10, but cannot retreat along or release from the securing member 30 until the release lever 23 is operated, thus allowing the second piece 20 to be removed from the securing member 30. It follows that without operating the release lever 23, the second piece 20 will remain coupled to the securing member 30 to thereby fasten an object between the second piece 20 and the first piece 10. As applied to the instant invention, the wall 40 and the patch piece 50, for example and not as a limitation, may be secured between the first piece 10 and the second piece 20 by the securing member 30 and the interaction between the securing member 30 and the first and second pieces 10 and 20, respectively.

The body 26, the housing 25, the strengthening members 27, the finger grip 24, and the release lever 23 can be manufactured separately and thereafter coupled together, the housing 25 and the strengthening members 27 being attached to the back surface 26-2, the finger grip 24 being attached to the housing 25, and the release lever being coupled to one of the finger grip 24 and housing, or both. Alternatively, the body 26, the housing 25, the strengthening members 27, the finger grip 24, and the release lever 23 can be integral with one another, meaning they can be formed of one single piece.

The body 26 can be manufactured to specific dimensions of 40 mm (length)×40 mm (width)×3 mm (depth). However, the body 26 can be manufactured to whatever dimensions chosen, as long as the body 26 is large enough to receive the securing member 30 and be able to be releasably coupled thereto. Moreover, the body 26 must be large enough to engage both the wall 40 to be repaired and the patch piece 50 that will be inserted into the opening 46 cut into the wall 40, and thereafter secure the patch piece 50 within the opening 46. Specifically, the front surface 26-1 is comprised of a flat surface, the flat surface being square, rectangular, or any shape that allows front surface 26-1 to engage both the wall 40 and the patch piece 50 while the second piece 20 is coupled on the securing member 30 and advanced to the wall 40 and patch piece 50, as will be described in detail below.

The housing 25 may be manufactured to dimensions of 15 mm (height)×15 mm (width)×5 mm (depth). As mentioned above, the housing 25 can alternatively have any dimensions that permit the reception hole 21 to function to releasably couple to the securing member 30. The outer surface of the housing 25 is surface 28.

As shown in FIG. 18, the second piece 20 is configured to be inserted onto securing member 30 through the reception hole 21 and pushed toward the wall 40. Also, as shown in FIG. 21, the second piece 20 is configured to be removed off of the securing member 30, by operation of the release lever 23. The actions of pushing and pulling the second piece 20 along the securing member 30 requires a good hand or finger grip on the second piece 20 to do so. For this reason the finger grip 24 is configured to be held firmly by thumb and index fingers during the pushing or pulling described above.

The reception hole 21 passes through the second piece 20 from the surface 28 to the surface 26-1. The reception hole 21 has a dimension of 9 mm (length)×2.5 mm (width) and is configured to correspond to the shape and size of the securing member 30, such that the securing member 30 can be inserted therethrough and engage the reception hole 21.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the second piece 20 further comprises notches 22 in opposing edges of the second piece 20. The notches 22 can be u-shaped indentions in the second piece 20 to permit the body and the head of the drywall screw 61 to be inserted therein. The position of the notches 22 in the second piece 20 correspond to the position of the holes 12 in the first piece 10, once the first and second pieces 10 and 20 are inserted onto the securing member 30, as shown in FIG. 21.

The securing member 30 is a length of material that has an integrated gear rack thereon, similar to a standard cable tie. The securing member 30 may have dimensions of 5 mm (width) and a length of between about 100 and 300 mm. The securing member 30 has a head at one end of the securing member 30, which prevents the securing member 30 from be pulled entirely through the first or second pieces, 10 and 20, respectively. Standard cable ties are available in hardware stores and can be used as the securing member 30 of the present invention. If a standard cable tie is to be used as the securing member 30, the reception holes 11 and 21 must have a corresponding ratcheting system configured therein to engage the integrated gear rack of the securing member 30. As the securing member 30 is inserted into the respective reception holes 11 and 21, the ratcheting system engages the integrated gear rack to allow the first piece 10 and the second piece 20, respectively, to advance on the securing member 30. The interface between the ratcheting system and the integrated gear rack forbids the first piece 10 and the second piece 20 from retreating along the securing member 30 once advanced. An exemplary securing member 30 can be Panduit® part number PLT1.5S-M, which is 177 mm (length)×4.8 mm (width) (or 6.2 in×0.19 in).

Hereinafter, a method of using the apparatus 100 will be described in detail. Imbedding the patch piece 50 in the wall 40 is one of the unique advantages that the current invention offers over conventional devices.

The apparatus 100 is operated by imbedding a patch piece 50 in the hold of the wall 40 to be repaired and holding the patch piece 50 firmly in place by adhesive 14 on the first piece 10 fastened to the inside surface 41 of the wall 40 and not from the visible outside surface of the wall 40. By using the method of the present invention the surface of wall 40 and imbedded drywall patch piece 50 will be smooth and aligned and will be covered with drywall compound easily and quickly because the only thing to cover is a small gap 60 between the wall 40 and the imbedded drywall patch piece 50.

Referring now to FIG. 12 through FIG. 25, there is shown in FIG. 12 an exemplary area 1 of wall damage, which is to be repaired. The damaged area 1 has to be cut and removed, as indicated by a dashed cut line 2. Removal of the wall damaged area 1 creates a hole 46, or opening, in the wall. Referring now to FIGS. 13a and 13b, a patch piece 50 is prepared to be imbedded in the hole 46. Patch piece 50 is typically prepared to be ¼ inch shorter in length and in width to fit easily within the wall opening 46.

Referring now to FIG. 14, securing member 30 is inserted into first piece 10 by way of the reception hole 11 starting from surface 18 and passing entirely through the body 16, the adhesive 14, and the backing paper 15. Securing member 30 will be pushed all the way into the first piece 10 until the head of the securing member 30 engages the surface 18. Then, the adhesive protecting backing paper 15 is peeled off and the first piece 10 is attached to the interior surface 41 of the wall 40. The attachment is such that a portion of the adhesive 14, and thus the corresponding portion of the body 16, is attached to the interior surface while a remaining portion of the adhesive 14, and thus the corresponding portion of the body 16, protrudes into the hole 46 to receive the patch piece 50, as will be described below. In other words, approximately half of the adhesive surface 14 of the first piece 10 will stick to the interior surface 41 of the wall 40 and the remaining half of the adhesive surface 14 is exposed in the opening 46 to stick to the inner surface 51 of the patch piece 50 once the patch piece 50 is placed within the opening 46. Further, the securing member 30 extends out of the opening 46. Thus, once the patch piece 50 is inserted into the opening and adhesively coupled to the adhesive 14 on the first piece 10, patch piece 50 is secured in the opening 46 in the wall 40. According to this method, the patch piece 50 is held from behind, i.e., from inside of the wall 40 by adhesive 14 attached to both the inner surface 41 of the wall 40 and the inner surface 51 of the patch piece 50.

The step of placing the first piece 10 to the inner surface 41 of the wall 40 is repeated until a plurality of first pieces 10 are attached to the inner surface 41 at regular intervals, such that portions thereof are exposed in the opening 46 at user determined distances. In particular, as shown in FIG. 15, one first piece 10 is attached to every edge portion of the opening 46, top portion 43, side portions 42 and 44, and bottom portion 45. For openings 46 up to 1 ft.×1 ft. only four first pieces 10 are needed, as shown in FIG. 15. For larger openings, additional first pieces 10 will necessarily be attached to the inner surface 41 and portions thereof exposed in the opening 46. The exposed portions of the adhesive 14 are then ready to have the inner surface 51 of the patch piece 50 attached thereto. The securing members 30 of the respective first pieces 10 still extend out of the opening 46.

Referring now to FIG. 17, the patch piece 50 is inserted into the opening 46 in the wall 40 and embedded into the wall 40. Specifically, the exposed remaining halves of the adhesives 14 of the respective first pieces 10 are available now to stick to the back surface 51 of the patch piece 50 along corresponding portions of the patch piece 50, including top portion 53, side portions 52 and 54, and bottom portion 55. The securing member 30 extending from each respective first piece 10 extends from a gap created between the wall 40 and the patch piece 50, such that each of the securing members 30 extends beyond the vertical plane surface of the wall 40. The patch piece 50 is thus held in place from all four sides by adhesive 14 of each of the first pieces 10. The patch piece 50 is thus embedded in the opening 46 in the wall 40. At this step surfaces of wall (40) and Patch Piece (50) may be aligned and the adhesive may not have good contact with Patch Piece (50) surface (51)

Referring now to FIG. 18 and FIG. 19, second pieces 20 are inserted onto the securing members 30 extending from the opening 46. Specifically, each of the second pieces is inserted onto one of the securing members 30 by placing the exposed tip of the securing member into the reception hole 21 at the surface 28 and sliding the second piece 20 toward the wall 40. In this way, the finger grip 24 and release lever 23 are pointing away from wall 40.

As illustrated in FIG. 18, while exerting slight tension on the securing member 30 to cause the first piece 10 to remain flush against the inner surfaces 41 and 51 of the wall 40 and patch piece 50, respectively, the second piece 20 is pushed toward the wall 40 along the securing member 30 until the second piece 20 engages the wall 40 and the patch piece 50. As described above, the interface between the second piece 20 and the securing member 30 prevents the second piece 20 from retreating back along the securing member 30 away from the wall 40. Thus, once the second piece 20 is forced against the wall 40 and the patch piece 50, the force between the first piece 10 and the second piece 20, with the wall 40 and the patch piece 50 pressed therebetween, will hold the patch piece 50 securely in place within the opening 46. Also, when the second piece 20 touches the surfaces of the wall 40 and the patch piece 50, the force behind the second piece 20 and the tension in securing member 30 will align both interior and exterior surfaces of the wall 40 and the patch piece 50. At the same time the adhesive surface 14 of each of the first pieces 10 will stick firmly on the back surfaces 41 and 51 of the wall 40 and the patch piece 50, respectively.

Referring now to FIG. 20, there is shown insertion of drywall screws 45 in the notches 22 in the respective second pieces 20. This step is not required, but is optional should the user desire, or in some countries be required, to add additional stability.

As mentioned above, the notch 22 in upper half and lower half of the second piece 20 accommodate passage of the drywall screw 61 to be screwed through the wall 40 and patch piece 50 into the first piece 10. The drywall screw 61 does not engage or hold the second piece 20 to thus allow the second piece 20 to be removed, as describe below.

Referring now to FIG. 21, after aligning the interior and exterior surfaces of the wall 40 with the interior and exterior surfaces of the patch piece 50, respectively, the second piece 20 can be removed to allow the wall to be further repaired. As previously mentioned, the second piece 20 can slide forward toward the wall 40 freely and cannot be moved backward. Thus, to remove the second piece 20 from the securing member 30, the user operates the release lever 23 to perform the release action of permitting the second piece 20 to retreat away from the wall 40 along the securing member 30. Release lever 23 is typically operated by pushing downward to be activated. By use of the release lever 23, the second piece 20 will be pulled off of the securing member 30 completely.

Referring now to FIG. 22, after removing the second piece 20 from the securing member 30, the securing member 30 continues to protrude out of the wall (40). The securing member 30 cannot be pulled out of the wall, because the head of the securing member 30 engages the surface 18. However, the securing member 30 can be pushed back into the interior of the wall 40 and out of sight. To make sure the securing member 30 is not intrusive to insulation, wiring or piping inside the wall 40, it is the best practice to cut the securing member 30 very close to the wall 40 and push the securing member 30 inside of the wall 40, such that the securing members 30 are no longer visible, as illustrated in FIG. 23. At this stage, the patch 50 resides securely inside the wall 40 and the exterior surfaces of the wall 40 and the patch 50 are flush, and only the gap 60 remains to be repaired.

Referring now to FIG. 25, the gap 60 between the wall 40 and the patch 50 is filled with a drywall compound 64 and covered with drywall tape 65. Once dry, the repaired wall 40 can be finished and painted.

The advantages of the present invention include, without limitation, that it is exceedingly easy to use, time-saving, provides a nice and clean finish, leaves no humps or bumps on the wall surface, aligns the wall surface with the embedded drywall patch piece, and leaves but a small gap between the wall and the embedded drywall patch piece to be filled with drywall compound and taped. After finishing, the final appearance is like no repair job was done on the wall.

Although the present invention can be made of any material suitable for its intended purpose, using plastic provides advantages including there are no sharp edges to hurt the user and no metallic components to rust in the wall or during storage. Moreover, plastic is a very good candidate to be used in humid environments. Plastic is lightweight, resulting in both lower shipping costs and negligible weight on the wall or ceiling during and after installation. Further, the present invention is not intrusive to the material and utilities inside the wall and environment.

The embodiments and examples set forth herein were presented in order to best explain the present invention and its practical application and to thereby enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the foregoing description and examples have been presented for the purposes of illustration and example only. The description as set forth is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teachings above without departing from the spirit and scope of the forthcoming claims.

Claims

1. A repair apparatus for repairing an opening in a wall section, the repair apparatus comprising:

a first piece having a flat front face;

a second piece having a flat rear face; and

a securing mechanism, wherein the securing mechanism is adapted to functionally engage the first and second pieces and allow one of the first piece and the second piece to advance toward the other along the securing mechanism, wherein the flat front face and the flat rear face oppose one another with the wall section therebetween.

2. The repair apparatus of claim 1, wherein the respective flat faces of the first and second pieces further comprise an adhesive layer thereon.

3. The repair apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first piece further comprises retaining holes, the retaining holes being adapted to receive a fastening member therethrough, break away upon receipt of the fastening member, and thereafter retain the fastening member therein.

4. The repair apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second piece further comprises notches, the placement of the notches being configured to correspond with the placement of the retaining holes on the first piece, such that the notches guide the fastening member through the second piece and into the retaining holes.

5. The repair apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second pieces further comprise a housing, each housing further defining a reception hole, the respective reception holes being adapted to receive the securing mechanism therethrough.

6. The repair apparatus of claim 1, wherein the securing mechanism further comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is inserted through the reception hole of the first piece prior to being inserted into the reception hole of the second piece, and wherein the second end of the securing mechanism prevents the securing mechanism from passing through the respective reception holes.

7. The repair apparatus of claim 6, wherein the reception hole of the first piece is adapted to permit the securing mechanism to freely advance therethrough and the reception hole of the second piece is adapted to releasably and repeatedly retain the securing mechanism therein.

8. A system for repairing an opening in a surface, the system comprising:

a surface, the surface defining an opening therein, the surface having an inside surface and an outside surface;

a first component adapted to engage a portion of the inside surface;

a securing mechanism, wherein the securing mechanism is adapted to functionally engage the first component; and

a second component adapted to functionally engage the securing mechanism and advance along the securing mechanism toward the first component until the second component engages a portion of the outside surface.

9. The system of claim 8, the system further comprising a patch piece, the patch piece having an inner surface and an outer surface, the patch piece being adapted to be positioned in the opening such that a gap is defined between borders of the patch piece and the opening.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein under the condition that the patch piece is positioned in the opening, a portion of the first component engages the inside surface and another portion of the first component engages the inner surface.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein under the condition that the second component engages the outside surface, a portion of the second component engages the outside surface and another portion of the second component engages the outer surface.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the first and second components further comprise a reception hole, the respective reception holes being adapted to receive the securing mechanism therethrough, wherein the securing mechanism engages the first and second components through the gap.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising an adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive layer is adapted to adhere the first component to the inside surface and the second component to the outside surface, respectively.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the first component further comprises groups of retaining holes, the groups of retaining holes being configured such that a first group of retaining holes is positioned over the surface and a second group of retaining holes is positioned over the patch piece, each group of retaining holes being adapted to receive a fastening member therethrough, break away upon receipt of the fastening member, and thereafter retain the fastening member therein.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the second component further comprises notches, the notches being configured on the second component to align with one of the groups of retaining holes on the first component, such that each notch guides the fastening member into a corresponding group of retaining holes.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein under the condition that the fastening members are retained in a corresponding group of retaining holes in the first component, the second component is adapted to be removed from the securing member and the securing member is adapted to be removed from the first component, leaving the patch piece fastened to the first component and the first component coupled to the surface.

17. A method of repairing a surface, the method comprising:

cutting an opening in a surface to remove a damaged section of the surface;

placing a first component on an interior surface of the surface;

positioning a patch piece in the opening by coupling the patch piece to the first component;

functionally coupling a second component indirectly to the first component by coupling a securing mechanism therebetween; and

operating the second component along the securing mechanism until the second component engages the patch piece;

retaining the patch piece in the opening between the first and second components.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

fastening the first component to the interior surface using a fastener;

removing the second component from the surface by disengaging the second component from the securing mechanism; and

removing the securing mechanism from the first component.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein placing a first component on an interior surface of the surface further comprises adhering a portion of the first component to the interior surface and permitting a remaining portion of the first component to be exposed within the opening to receive the patch piece.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

repairing a joint between the surface and the patch piece retained in the opening.