DEVICE FOR POSITIONING WALL HANGERS

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/591,767, filed on Oct. 20, 2023.

BACKGROUND

Field

The disclosure of the present patent application relates to tools for positioning and applying supports, and particularly to a device for positioning and applying a wall hanger to a wall surface at a desired location.

Description of Related Art

A variety of tools exist for positioning nails, hooks and the like on walls for the hanging of pictures and other framed items. Most tools for positioning wall hangers are in the form of templates, with the user either using the template to mark the wall with a pencil or the like, or insert the wall hanger through an aperture formed in the template. In either situation, the user is required to hold the template against the wall with one hand while awkwardly marking the wall or inserting the wall hanger with the other hand. In addition to this inconvenience which is inherent in such tools, in both cases, the template is held against the wall at a location determined purely by sight and, at best, assists the user only in measuring the point of application with reference to another point through the use of ruled markings or the like on the template. Such commonly used tools do not assist the user in leveling, the actual application of the wall hanger, or in reaching high or otherwise difficult-to-reach locations. Thus, a device for positioning wall hangers solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY

The device for positioning wall hangers allows a user to both position and apply a wall hanger at a selected position on a wall surface. The device for positioning wall hangers includes a housing having opposed front and rear surfaces, with a recess formed in the rear surface, and with a clamp mounted within the recess. An actuator is mounted on the front surface of the housing, and the actuator is mechanically coupled to the clamp for selectively opening and closing the clamp.

In use, the clamp releasably holds the wall hanger and the user positions the housing at the desired location on the wall and releasably holds the housing at the desired location such that the rear surface of the housing faces the wall. The user then actuates the actuator, which causes the clamp to release the wall hanger for application thereof at the desired location. As a non-limiting example, the actuator may be a rotatable knob, such that rotation of the knob opens and closes the clamp. As a further non-limiting example, the wall hanger may be an adhesive wall hanger and the clamp releasably holds the wall hanger such that the adhesive surface thereof faces outwardly from the rear surface of the housing towards the wall. A plurality of rollers may be rotatably mounted to the rear surface of the housing, allowing the user to smoothly roll the housing on the wall to the desired location. As a non-limiting example, the rollers may be ball bearings.

In order to properly level the wall hanger, a spirit level may be mounted on the housing. As a non-limiting example, the spirit level may be mounted on the rotatable knob. Additionally, since it may be inconvenient for the user to directly hold the housing at the desired location, at least one extension arm may be provided to serve as a handle and/or as a spacer from a reference point on or near the wall. A locking end of the at least one extension arm may be releasably locked in at least one locking port mounted on the front surface of the housing. As a non-limiting example, the at least one locking port may be arranged such that the at least one extension arm extends either vertically or horizontally with respect to the leveled housing, allowing the user to further use the at least one extension arm to better level and position the wall hanger.

In order to increase the length of extension, first and second substantially identical extension arms may be provided, such that an additional connector may releasably secure the extension arms together. An angular adapter may also be provided for releasably joining the first and second extension arms together at a desired angle with respect to one another. For example, the angular adapter may be provided with four connection ports, such that adjacent ones of the ports are positioned at 90° with respect to one another, allowing the user to create an extension handle which is either straight or bent at a desired 90° angle.

As a further non-limiting example, the clamp may include a first pair of arms movable in a first direction and a second pair of arms movable in a second direction, where the first direction is orthogonal to the second direction. In this non-limiting example, the first pair of arms may be slidable on the first set of rails and the second pair of arms may be slidable on the second set of rails. The first and second pairs of arms may be selectively opened and closed through corresponding rack and pinion connections; i.e., each of the first pair of arms may be secured to a corresponding first linear gear and each of the second pair of arms may be secured to a corresponding second linear gear, such that each of the first and second linear gears engages with a circular gear rotatably mounted on a plate mounted in the recess. The circular gear is coupled to the actuator such that the actuator drives rotation of the circular gear which, in turn, drives the linear sliding of the first and second pairs of arms.

These and other features of the present subject matter will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a device for positioning wall hangers.

FIG. 2A is a front perspective view of the device for positioning wall hangers showing attachment with an extension arm.

FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C are front views of the device for positioning wall hangers showing alternative arrangements of the extension arm.

FIG. 3A is a front view of the device for positioning wall hangers showing attachment with the extension arm and a connector.

FIG. 3B is a front view of the device for positioning wall hangers showing attachment with two extension arms and the connector.

FIG. 3C is a front view of the device for positioning wall hangers showing attachment with the extension arm and an angular adapter.

FIG. 3D is a front view of the device for positioning wall hangers showing attachment with two extension arms and the angular adapter.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the extension arm.

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the connector.

FIG. 4C is a perspective view of the angular adapter.

FIG. 5A is a rear perspective view of the device for positioning wall hangers, illustrating reception of a wall hanger in a clamp.

FIG. 5B is a rear perspective view of the device for positioning wall hangers, illustrating the wall hanger held by the clamp.

FIG. 6A is a perspective view of the clamp.

FIG. 6B is a plan view of the clamp.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The device for positioning wall hangers 10 allows a user to both position and apply a wall hanger at a selected position on a wall surface. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5A, the device for positioning wall hangers 10 includes a housing 12 having opposed front and rear surfaces 14, 16, respectively. It should be understood that the overall shape, configuration and relative dimensions of housing 12 are shown for exemplary purposes only. As shown in FIG. 5A, a recess 18 is formed in the rear surface 16 of housing 12 for receiving a clamp 20, as will be discussed in greater detail below. It should be understood that the shape and relative dimensions of recess 18 are shown for exemplary purposes only, and may be varied dependent on the size, configuration and type of clamp used. Returning to FIG. 1, an actuator 26 is mounted on the front surface 14 of the housing 12, and the actuator 26 is mechanically coupled to the clamp 20 for selectively opening and closing the clamp 20. In the non-limiting example of FIG. 1, the actuator 26 is shown as a rotatable knob, such that rotation of the knob opens and closes the clamp 20. It should be understood that any suitable type of user-operable actuator may be used to selectively open and close the clamp 20. It should be further understood that the shape, overall configuration and relative dimensions of knob 26 are shown in FIG. 1 for exemplary purposes only.

In use, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the clamp 20 releasably holds a wall hanger 24 and the user positions the housing 12 at the desired location on the wall, releasably holding the housing at the desired location such that the rear surface 16 of housing 12 faces the wall. In the non-limiting example of FIGS. 5A and 5B, the wall hanger 24 is shown as an adhesive wall hanger with an adhesive strip 100 for securement against the wall surface. When the clamp 20 holds the wall hanger 24, adhesive strip 100 (with the cover strip removed therefrom) faces the wall surface such that the wall hanger 24 can be adhered to the wall at the desired location. It should be understood that wall hanger 24 is shown for exemplary purposes only, and that clamp 20 may be used to hold any suitable type of wall hanger.

Once the housing 12 is positioned at the desired location for application of the wall hanger 24, the user actuates the actuator 26 (by turning the knob in the non-limiting example of FIG. 1), which causes the clamp 20 to release the wall hanger 24 for application thereof at the desired location. A plurality of rollers may be rotatably mounted to the rear surface 16 of housing 12, allowing the user to smoothly roll the housing 12 on the wall to the desired location. In the non-limiting example of FIGS. 5A and 5B, the rollers are shown as ball bearings 22, however, it should be understood that any suitable type of rollers may be used. In order to properly level the wall hanger 10, a spirit level 28 may be mounted on the housing 12. In the non-limiting example of FIG. 1, the spirit level 28 is shown mounted on the rotatable knob 26, however, it should be understood that spirit level 28 may be mounted on any suitable location on housing 12. Further, as shown, indicia may be formed on housing 12 to provide, for example, measurement, direction and orientation related information.

Additionally, since it may be inconvenient for the user to directly hold the housing 12 at the desired location, at least one extension arm 62 may be provided to serve as a handle and/or as a spacer from a reference point on or near the wall. As shown in FIGS. 2A-2C, a locking end 64 of the at least one extension arm 62 may be releasably locked in at least one locking port 30, 32, 34, 36 mounted on the front surface 14 of the housing 12. In the non-limiting example of FIGS. 1-2C, four such locking ports 30, 32, 34, 36 are shown arranged such that the extension arm 62 extends either vertically or horizontally with respect to the leveled housing 12, allowing the user to further use the extension arm 62 to better level and position the wall hanger. However, it should be understood that any desired number of locking ports may be mounted on front surface 14 and, further, that any suitable type of locking or releasable attachment may be used. In the non-limiting example of FIGS. 1-2C, a dual-hooked locking end 64 is formed on extension arm 62 for reception by a corresponding one of the locking ports 30, 32, 34, 36, each of which includes release buttons 74 for manually releasing the hooks of locking end 64. Additionally, it should be understood that the extension arm 62, best seen in FIG. 4A, is shown for exemplary purposes only and may be varied with respect to shape, relative dimensions and the type of locking or releasable attachment member formed thereon.

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, in order to increase the length of extension, first and second substantially identical extension arms 62, 62′ may be provided, such that an additional connector 66 may releasably secure the extension arms 62, 62′ together. As shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, 4A and 4B, each extension arm 62, 62′ has a locking end 64, 64′, respectively, and also a receiving end 72, 72′, respectively. In the non-limiting example of FIGS. 3A, 3B and 4B, connector 66 has a pair of dual-hooked locking ends 68, 70, similar to locking end 64 of extension arm 62, and the pair of dual-hooked locking ends 68, 70 may be releasably received in receiving ends 72, 72′ of extension arms 62, 62′, as shown in FIG. 3B. Similar to release buttons 74, each of extension arms 62, 62′, in this non-limiting example, includes a pair of release buttons 76, 76′, respectively, for releasing the corresponding locking end of connector 66.

As further shown in FIGS. 3C, 3D and 4C, an angular adapter 80 may also be provided for releasably joining the first and second extension arms 62, 62′ together at a desired angle with respect to one another. In the non-limiting example of FIGS. 3C, 3D and 4C, the angular adapter 80 is provided with four connection ports 82, 84, 86, 88, such that adjacent ones of the ports 82, 84, 86, 88 are positioned at 90° with respect to one another, allowing the user to create an extension handle which is either straight or bent at a desired 90° angle. It should be understood that angular adapter 80 may include any desired number of ports arranged at any desired angles with respect to one another. In the non-limiting example of FIGS. 3C, 3D and 4C, each of connection ports 82, 84, 86, 88 is configured in an identical manner to locking ports 30, 32, 34, 36 and receiving ends 72, 72′, including corresponding release buttons 90. Additionally, as shown, indicia may be formed on angular adapter 80 to provide, for example, measurement, direction and orientation related information.

In the non-limiting example of FIG. 3D, extension arm 62 is connected to angular adapter 80 via connector 66, with locking end 70 of connector 66 being received within port 82 of angular adapter 80. Additionally, in this non-limiting example, locking end 64′ of extension arm 62′ is received in port 88 of angular adapter 80, creating a handle with a 90° bend. Alternatively, extension arm 62 could be releasably locked to angular adapter 80 using either of ports 84, 86. As discussed above, angular adapter 80 may include any number of ports at any desired angular arrangement. However, the cruciform shape of angular adapter 80 shown in the non-limiting example of FIGS. 3C, 3D and 4C allows angular adapter 80 to be used as a positioning tool, since the corner of a wall structure, a picture frame or the like may be received within one of the 90° corners of angular adapter 80, allowing the housing 12 to be accurately positioned and leveled with respect to such an adjacent element.

It should be understood that any suitable type of clamp may be received within recess 18 formed in rear surface 16 of housing 12 to releasably hold the wall hanger 24. In the non-limiting example of FIGS. 5A, 5B, 6A and 6C, the clamp 20 includes a first pair of arms 38, 40 movable in a first direction and a second pair of arms 42, 44 movable in a second direction, where the first direction is orthogonal to the second direction. In this non-limiting example, and referring to the specific orientation shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B, 6A and 6C, the first pair of arms 38, 40 are horizontally slidable on a first set of rails 46, which extend horizontally, and the second pair of arms 42, 44 are vertically slidable on a second set of rails 48, which extend vertically. As best seen in FIG. 6B, as a further non-limiting example, the first pair of arms 38, 40 and the second pair of arms 42, 44 are selectively opened and closed through corresponding rack and pinion connections; i.e., each of the first pair of arms 38, 40 is secured to a corresponding first linear gear 50, 52, respectively, and each of the second pair of arms 42, 44 is secured to a corresponding second linear gear 54, 56, respectively, such that each of the first and second linear gears 50, 52, 54, 56 engages with a central circular gear 58 which is rotatably mounted on a plate 60 mounted in the recess 18. As shown in FIG. 6A, a plate 62 may be provided for covering, protecting and stabilizing the central circular gear 58. The circular gear 58 is coupled to the actuator 26 such that the actuator 26 drives rotation of the circular gear 58 which, in turn, drives the linear sliding of the first pair of arms 38, 40 and the second pair of arms 42, 44 via their respective rack and pinion connections.

It is to be understood that the device for positioning wall hangers is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the generic language of the following claims enabled by the embodiments described herein, or otherwise shown in the drawings or described above in terms sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the claimed subject matter.