TWIST-BASE MOUNT
The Twist-Base Mount couples a single-screw, substrate-penetrating element with an elastically-deformable, concave base element that, once installed, acts as a spring, exerting a downward force upon the substrate around its circumference. Because the base element is rigidly attached to the substrate-penetrating element, a force applied to the Mount parallel to the plane of the substrate is offset by the pressure of the perimeter of the base element against the substrate, resulting in additional strength. The Mount's single-screw, self-boring element allows quick and easy installation. The spring-like base-element permits 360-degree rotation of the Mount while maintaining uniform pressure against the substrate, thereby preserving strength regardless of rotational positioning. The mount remains economical in relation to mounts of similar strength and rotational adjustability due to its insert-molded construction.
Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSUREThis invention pertains to the field of mounts and mounting systems, and more particularly to a single-screw, rotatable mounting system for affixing a fixture to a substrate.
The related art includes mounting systems that comprise a planar base element designed to rest against a substrate and a substrate-penetrating element that extends orthogonally downward from the base element for affixing the mount to the substrate.
Mounting systems vary in strength (the amount of weight that can be supported when affixed to given substrate), speed of installation (the amount of time required to affix the mount to a substrate), rotational adjustability (the degree to which the mount can pivot after installation while maintaining strength), and economy (the degree to which the mount is not costly). While all four attributes are desirable, they are, in general, mutually exclusive or offsetting. For example, a strong mount would be expected to cost more, due to its complexity or materials, or require more time to install, perhaps due to multiple substrate-penetrating elements.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSUREThe Twist-Base Mount solves the preceding dilemma by its unique structure, which couples a single-screw, substrate-penetrating element with a flexible, concave base element that, once installed, acts as a spring, exerting a downward force upon the substrate around its circumference. Because the base element is rigidly attached to the substrate-penetrating element, a force applied to the mount parallel to the plane of the substrate is offset by the pressure of the perimeter of the base element against the substrate, resulting in additional strength. Yet the mount's single-screw, self-boring, substrate-penetrating element still allows quick and easy installation, and the spring-like, concave base-element permits 360-degree rotation of the mount while maintaining uniform pressure against the substrate, thereby preserving strength regardless of rotational positioning. Nonetheless, the mount remains economical in relation to mounts of similar strength and rotational adjustability due to its insert-molded construction, in which the elastic base element is formed and rigidly affixed to a rigid substrate-penetrating element (such as a steel screw) by a single-step, plastic-injection molding process.
Referring to
Because the base element 11 is rigidly attached to the screw element 12, a force applied to the fixture 7 in the plane perpendicular to the axis of the screw element 12 is counteracted by a force exerted on the substrate by the circumferential edge 2 of the elastically-deformable, spring-like base element 11. Unlike the prior art, this spring-like quality imparts additional strength to the Twist-Base Mount, while the Mount's single-screw, self-boring, substrate-penetrating element still permits quick and easy installation, and the spring-like quality of base element 11 permits 360-degree rotation of the mount while maintaining uniform pressure against the substrate, thereby preserving strength regardless of the rotational positioning of the Mount.
The embodiments depicted in
A Twist-Base Mount can be made by insert-molding a 1.5″ steel screw element 12 with a polypropylene 2″ diameter base element 11 in an injection-molding machine. Typically, the wall thickness of base element 11 (i.e. the distance between the convex, fixture-supporting topside portion 9 and the concave, substrate-facing, underside portion 3) is uniform. One suitable wall thickness when the base is 2″ in diameter and made of polypropylene is 0.093 inches. The base element 11 may be made of any elastic material so long as the wall thickness of the base element is adjusted correlatively to produce a similar modulus of flexibility. In the embodiment shown in
Claims
1. A stable, rotatably-adjustable mount for a fixture, comprising:
- a plastically-deformable, domeshaped base having a convex, fixture-supporting topside portion and a concave, substrate-facing, underside portion opposite the topside portion, having a substrate-engaging portion defined by a circumferential edge, wherein the dome shaped base is a section of a hollow sphere cut by a plane;
- a single screw with a non-circular head that resists twisting, said head rigidly embedded in a conical hub extending perpendicularly away from a center of the underside portion, said screw projecting perpendicularly away from the conical hub and having a pointed substrate-engaging tip and sharp threads to facilitate: (a) self-boring penetration of the substrate, (b) compression of the circumferential edge of the base against the substrate, and (c) a corresponding elastic deformation of the dome; and
- a fixture attached to the fixture-supporting portion of the base,
- wherein said hub includes a bottom portion having a flat surface that acts as a stop to limit deformation of the wall of the hub.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein said circumferential edge has protuberances uniformly spaced apart along the edge to provide additional friction between the edge and the substrate to prevent unintentional rotation of the base.
3. A device for securely and rotatably holding a first object on a surface of a second object, comprising:
- a deformable hollow base having a wall defining a dome shape, the wall having a lower circumferential edge for engaging a substantially flat surface of the second object, wherein the dome shape is a section of a sphere cut by a plane; and
- a single screw extending lengthwise from a top of the dome-shaped base along an axis perpendicular to a plane defined by the lower circumferential edge of the dome shaped base,
- wherein the base is comprised of a thermoplastic material and a non-circular head of the screw is embedded in the thermoplastic material of the base.
4-5. (canceled)
6. The device of claim 3, in which a countersunk hole is defined at the top of the dome-shaped base and the screw includes a shank that extends through the hole and a head seated in a countersink of the hole.
7. The device of claim 3, in which the dome-shaped base is comprised of a polyolefin.
8. The device of claim 7, in which the polyolefin is polypropylene.
9. The device of claim 3, in which a plurality of nubs are defined on the lower circumferential edge of the wall of the dome-shaped base.
10. (canceled)
11. The device of claim 3, in which the dome shape is a section of an ellipsoid cut by a plane perpendicular to a major or minor axis of the ellipsoid.
12. The device of claim 3, in which the screw has a thread density of at least 10 threads per inch.
13. The device of claim 3, in which the screw has a thread density of at least 16 threads per inch.
14. The device of claim 3, in which the screw has a tapered shank.
15. The device of claim 12, in which the screw is self-tapping.
16. The device of claim 12, in which the screw is self-drilling.
17. The device of claim 3, in which a length ratio of the width of the base to the height of the base is from 4 to 8.
18. The device of claim 3, in which a length ratio of the width of the base to the height of the base is about 6.
19. The device of claim 3, in which the base includes a hub portion extending from the top of the base toward a plane defined by the lower circumferential edge of the wall of the base, the bottom of the hub having a flat surface that acts as a stop to limit deformation of the wall of the hub.
20. The device of claim 1, in which the diameter of the base is from 1.5 to 2.5 inches and the length of the screw is from 0.5 to 1.5 inches.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 30, 2016
Publication Date: Oct 5, 2017
Inventor: Timothy P. Stender (Otsego, MI)
Application Number: 15/086,019