CA1303005C - Fixing device for brittle board such as plasterboard - Google Patents
Fixing device for brittle board such as plasterboardInfo
- Publication number
- CA1303005C CA1303005C CA000530158A CA530158A CA1303005C CA 1303005 C CA1303005 C CA 1303005C CA 000530158 A CA000530158 A CA 000530158A CA 530158 A CA530158 A CA 530158A CA 1303005 C CA1303005 C CA 1303005C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- guide holes
- wall
- wall portion
- central axis
- fixing
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
Links
Landscapes
- Supports Or Holders For Household Use (AREA)
- Joining Of Building Structures In Genera (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
The fixing device comprises a body adapted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall portion or secured to the brittle wall portion with a member to be attached to the wall portion interposed therebetween. The body is formed with at least two guide holes passing therethrough from the top to the bottom thereof each for receiving a fixing member such as a set screw and a nail so that it is extended into the wall portion to thereby fixedly secure the body onto the wall portion. The guide holes are oriented in such an inclined direction with respect to the normal to the wall portion that the fixing members do not intersect with each other and do not extend in parallel to each other when they are inserted into the body and extended into the wall portion, thereby permitting the body to be securely fixed to the wall portion. An engageable member having integrally therewith a supporting portion such as a hook or a hanger may be detachably engaged over the body. Alternatively, the body itself may be integrally formed with a supporting portion such as a hook, a hanger and a ring.
The fixing device comprises a body adapted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall portion or secured to the brittle wall portion with a member to be attached to the wall portion interposed therebetween. The body is formed with at least two guide holes passing therethrough from the top to the bottom thereof each for receiving a fixing member such as a set screw and a nail so that it is extended into the wall portion to thereby fixedly secure the body onto the wall portion. The guide holes are oriented in such an inclined direction with respect to the normal to the wall portion that the fixing members do not intersect with each other and do not extend in parallel to each other when they are inserted into the body and extended into the wall portion, thereby permitting the body to be securely fixed to the wall portion. An engageable member having integrally therewith a supporting portion such as a hook or a hanger may be detachably engaged over the body. Alternatively, the body itself may be integrally formed with a supporting portion such as a hook, a hanger and a ring.
Description
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FIXING DEVICE FOR BRITTLE BOARD SUCH AS PLASTERBOARD
The present invention relates to a fixing device for use with a wall or a ceiling made of a brittle board such as a plasterboard, a refractory board and a veneer plywood. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fixing device for securing an article such as a shelf, a cooler and an illuminating device to the surface of a brittle wall or securing a bracket for mounting thereon the article to the surface of the brittle wall, the fixing device being able to be easily secured to the wall by using fixing members such as nails and set screws, wherein no serious defective holes or flaws are left in the wall after the fixing device is detached from the wall.
The present invention further relates to a fixing device which can be attached to the brittle wall and serves as supporting means such as a hook and a hanger.
Since the plasterboard, the refractory board and the veneer plywood are very brittle, the fastening force for holding the nails or the set screws driven into such a brittle plasterboard is very low and unstable, so that the nails or the set screws thus secured to the brittle wall tend to be loosened or detached when a load or a vibration is applied thereto. Therefore, such nails and set screws are not suitable for positively securing the fixing device to the brittle wall.
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- l(a) -SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention provides a fixing device for brittle board such as plasterboard and includes a body adapted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall portion or secured to the brittle wall portion with a member to be attached to the wall portion interposed between the body and the wall portion. The body is formed with at least two guide holes passing therethrough from the top to the bottom thereof with each for receiving therein a fixing member such as a set screw or a nail. In use the fixing member is extended into the wall portion to thereby fixedly secure the body to the wall portion. Each of the guide holes is oriented in such an inclined direction with respect to the normal to the wall portion that the fixing members do not intersect with each other and such that some of the fixing members do not extend in parallel to the remaining fixing members. Included in an engageable member adapted to be detachably engaged with said body over the same with the engageable member having integrally formed therewith a supporting portion such as a hook or a hanger.
In this respect the body has a cylindrical shape and the guide holes form a plurality of pairs with ones extending in parallel to each other at an angle with respect to the normal to the wall portion while the others extend in parallel to each other at said angle with respect to the normal to said wall portion but ln the direction opposite to the direction of said ones of said guide holes. The body is formed at its , ~ outer periphery with a threaded portion. The engageable C
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- l(b) -member has an inner space Eor receiving the body and is formed with a mating thread~d portion for engaging with the threaded portion of the body so as to detachably mount the engageable member on the body.
In another aspect of the invention there is provided a body adapted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall portion or secured to the brittle wall portion with a member to be attached to the wall portion interposed between the body and the wall portion. The body is formed with at least two guide holes passing therethrough from the top to the bottom thereof each for receiving therein a fixing member such as a set screw or a nail so that, in use, it is extended into the wall portion to thereby fixedly secure the body to the wall portion. Each of the guide holes is oriented in such an inclined direction with respect to the normal to the wall portion that the fixing members do not intersect with each other and such that some of the fixing members do not extend in parallel to the remaining fixing members. An engageable member is included which is adapted to be detachably engaged with the body over the same, the engageable member having formed integrally therewith a supporting portion such as a hook or a hanger. The body is cylindrical in shape and the guide holes form a plurality of pairs, the guide holes in each pair extending at an angle to the normal to the wall portion in parallel but in the opposite direction to each other. Said pairs of guide holes are arranged in angular symmetry around the central axis of the body; and said body is formed in its outer periphery with engaging means such as projections and L
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-- 1 (c) -shaped grooves each having an arm perpendicular to the direction of the central axis. The engageable member has an inner space for receiving the body and is formed with mating engaging means for engaging with the engaging means in the body so as to detachably mount the engageakle member on the body.
In still another aspect of the subject invention, provided there is provided a fixing device comprising a body adapted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall or adapted to be secured to said wall with another member interposed between said body and said wall. The body has a central axis and at least three guide holes are formed therein with the guide holes being arranged at least substantially equal angular spacing from each other around the central axis of the body. The opening of each one of the guide holes at the top of the body are located at a position remote fro~ the central axis, while the opening at the bottom of each one of the guide holes is located at a position adjacent to the central axis.
The guide holes are oriented in angular symmetry around the central axis of the body to each other with each guide hole approaching nearer the central axis from the upper end to the lower and thereof but not intersecting each other even at the extension thereof. The rotational phase at portions of each guide hole are shifted symmetrically around the central axis ' relative to each other from the upper end to the lower end thereof so that, in use, fixing members such as nails and set screws inserted into corresponding guide holes and driven into :~3~3~ S
- l(d) -the wall portion to secure the body onto the wall do not intersect with each other and do not extend in parallel to each other.
In yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a fixing device comprising a body adapted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall or adapted to be secured to the wall with another member interposed between the body and the wall. The body has a central axis and at least three guide holes formed therein, with the guide holes being arranged at least substantially equal angular spacing from each other around the central axis of the body, the opening of each one of the guide holes at the top of the body being located at a position remote from the central axis, while the opening at the bottom of each one of said guide holes is located at a position adjacent to said central axis. The guide holes are arranged so as not to intersect with the central axis and the opening at the top and the opening at the bottom of each guide hole are angularly shifted relative to each other around the central axis. In use, fixing members such as nails or set screws inserted into corresponding guide holes and driven into said wall to secure the body onto the wall do not intersect with each other and do not extend in parallel to each other, a stepped cylindrical portion or a portion in the shape of a frustrum is formed at the bottom portion of the body and the stepped cylindrical portion or the portion in the shape of a frustrum is adapted to engage with an opening formed in the interposed member.
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- l(e) -In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a fixing device comprising a body adapted to be se~cured directly onto a brittle wall and an engaging member which engages with the body. The body is formed with at least two pairs of guide holes passing therethrough from the top to the bottom thereof each for receiving therein a fixing member such as a set screw or a nail so that, in use, the fixing member is driven into the wall to thereby firmly secure the body to the wall. The body has a pair of parallel side surfaces, each one of said guide holes in each pair is located adjacent to a corresponding one of said pair of parallel side surfaces one of said guide holes in each pair being inclined at an angle with respect to the normal to said wall in parallel to one of said side surfaces, while the other guide hole in each pair is located along the other side surface and is inclined at said angle with respect to the normal to said wall in the direction opposite to the direction of the inclination of said one of said guide holes in parallel to said other side surface. The projection of the guide holes in each pair onto a plane parallel to the side surfaces intersecting each other at a position adjacent to th~ bottom of the body, said pair of side surfaces being formed with engaging means such as projections and grooves, said engaging member being formed in its inner side walls with mating engaging means for slidably engaging with said engaging means formed in said side surfaces of said body.
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The present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the fixing device of the present invention;
Figs. lA and lB are perspective views similar to Fig.l but each showing alternative forms of the head portion of the body of the fixing device, respectively;
Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the body shown in Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the state of the body shown in Fig. 1 to which nails are inserted into guide holes formed in the body;
Fig. 4 is a side view partly in cross-section showing the state of an article secured to the wall portion by using the body of the fixing device shown in Fig. l;
Figs. 5 and 6 are side views partly in cross-section each showing a cap secured onto the body of the fixing device;
Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of the fixing device wherein a hook is integrally formed in the cap;
Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the body of the fixing device of the present invention having the rectangular form in cross-section;
; Fig. 9 is a side view partly in cross-section showing an embodiment of the body having a further alternative form;
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Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the body provided with a temporarily fixing guide hole;
Fig. 11 is a top plan view of Fig. 10;
Fig. 12 is a side view partly in cross-section showing the state of the body shown in Fig. 11 wherein the body is temporarily secured to the wall portion by using a temporarily fixing nail;
Figs. 13 and 14 are side views showing an embodiment of the body in which a temporarily fixing member is integrally formed;
Fig. 15 is a front view showing another embodiment of the body of the fixing device of the present invention;
Fig. 16 is a side view of Fig. 15;
Fig. 17 is a front view showing the engageable member adapted to be engaged with the body shown in Fig. 15;
Fig. 18 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the engageable member shown in Fig. 17;
Fig. 19 is a rear view showing the engageable member shown in Fig. 17;
Fig. 20 is a lateral cross~sectional view of the engageable member shown in Fig. 17;
Fig. 21 is a front view showing an alternative embodiment of the engageable member of Fig. 17;
Figs. 22 and 23 are front views showing further alternative embodiments of the engageable member of Fig. 17, respectively;
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Fig. 24 is a front view showing a still further ernbodiment of the fixing device of the present invention;
Fig. 25 is a side view of Fig. 24;
Fig. 26 is a rear plan view showing the engageable member adapted to be engaged with the body shown in Fig. 24;
Fig. 27 is a side view of the engageable member shown in Fig. 26;
Figs. 28 and 29 are front views showing alternative embodiments of the body shown in Fig. 24, respectively;
Fig. 30 is a perspective view showing an alternative embodiment of the engageable member shown in Fig. 26;
Fig. 31 is an exploded side view showing an alternative embodiment of mounting means for the body shown in Fig. 24 and the engageable member shown in Fig. 26;
Fig. 32 is a perspective view showing a supporting member to be attached to the fixing device of the present invention;
Fig. 33 is a side view partly in cross-section showing the state of the supporting member as shown in Fig. 32 wherein it is secured to the wall portion by using the fixing device shown in Fig. 4;
Figs. 34 to 41, inclusive, are views showing various alternative embodiments of the supporting member shown in Fig. 32;
Fig. 42 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the fixing device of the present invention wherein a suppGrting member is integrally formed in the fixing device;
13~?30~)5 Fig. 43 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the body wherein fixing members such as nails or set screws are temporarily secured to the body in position for facilitating the fixing operation;
Fig. 44 is a view showing a method for temporarily securing the fixing members in the body;
Fig. 45 is a view showing the state of the fixing member temporarily secured to the body by using the method shown in Fig.
44;
Fig. 46 is a sectional view showing the state of an article attached to the body of the fixing device of the present invention by using a set bolt; and Figs. 47 to 49 are cross-sectional views showing the prior art fixing devices, respectively.
lS It has been proposed heretofore as shown in Fig. 47 to use a backplate 1 made of wood, for example, which is r~
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attached to the rear surface of the brittle plasterboard or the refractory board 2 at a predetermined position when nails or screws are used for securing the fixing device onto that portion of the board where the backplate is attached.
Thus, the effective holding force is obtained when the article 3 shown as a hook is to be attached onto the board 2 by using the nails or the set screws 4 by virtue of the fact that the nails or the set screws 4 are driven into the backplate l having a sufficient holding force.
As an alternative measure for securing the fixing device onto the brittle plasterboard, it has been known to use an anker bolt in palce of the set screws and the nails.
As an example of using the anker bolt as shown in Fig. 48, an anker member 6 is threadedly fitted on the bolt 5 as shown by the one dot chain line and the anker member 6 is inserted into the holes 3a and 2a fo~med in the article 3 and the plaster-board 2 together with the bolt 5, respectively, so as to extend outwardly from the rear side of the board 2 and, thereafter, the bolt 5 is rotated relative to the anker member 6 so that the portion of the anker member 6 extending outwardly from the rear surface of the board 2 is axially compressed to expand radially as shown by the solid line thereby securing the article 3 tightly to the board 2.
Fig. 49 shows an alternative form of the anker member.
It is made of a material such as a resilient plastic material and is formed with a plurality of spring-back arms 7a extend-ing from the outer end of the stem 7 which is in turn A
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integrally formed with a hook 3. The spring-back arms 7a are directed toward the hook 3 with radially expanding resilient force being given to the arms 7a, so that, after the stem 7 is inserted into the hole 2a of the board 2 and S the arms 7a extend out of the rear side of the board 2, the arms 7a expand radially by their resilient force and abut against the rear side of the board 2 to thereby secure the `
hook 3 to the board 2.
In such a prior art fixing device as shown in Fig. 47, however, a backplate 1 must be provided prior to the securing of the fixing device to raise the cost, and, at the same time, the position of the board 2 to which the article 3 is to be secured is limited.
In the methods using anker bolts as shown in Figs. 48 lS and 49, a relatively large hole 2a must be formed in the board 2 thereby requiring a tool such as a drill and a sufficient space must be provided at the rear side of the board 2, and an undesired play tends to occur in the hole 2a. Further, a large hole 2a is left aftter the anker bolt 5 is removed - 20 together with the anker member 6 shown in Fig. 48, while the anker bolt 7 shown in Fig. 49 can not be removed once it is secured to the board 2.
In the prior art fixing device using set screws or nails, attention is required for the operator as to in which direction they are to be driven so as to achieve a strong securing force, or relatively large set screws or nails must be used to obtain sufficient securing force. The set screws A
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and the nails tend to be loosened and detached from the brittle board in the relatively short time and a large hole or flaw is left in the board after the fixing device is removed, thereby deteriorating the appearance of the board.
It, is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a fixing device which can be easily and detachably secured firmly to a brittle wall such as made of a plaster-board or a refractory board by using set screws or nails and yet no defective holes or flaws are left in the wall after the fixing device is removed from the wall.
To achieve the above object, the present invention is characterized by the provision of a fixing device comprising a body adopted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall portion or secured to the brittle wall portion with a member to be attached to the wall portion interposed between the body and the wall portion, the body being formed with at least two guide holes passing therethrough from the top to the bottom thereof each for receiving therein a fixing member such as a set screw and a nail so that it is extended into the wall portion to thereby fixedly secure the body to the wall portion, each of the guide holes being oriented in such an inclined direction with respect to the normal to the wall portion that the fixing members do not intersect with each other and do not extend in parallel to each other when they are inserted into the guide holes and extended into the wall portion thereby permit-; ting the body to be securely fixed to the brittle wall portion.
In the construction of the fixing device described rA~ , i :13~3~
above, it is preferred to construct the fixing device insuch a manner that the body is in the cylindrical shape and a plurality of guide holes are formed in the body, the guide holes being arranged at substantially equal angular distance from each other around the centrai axis of the body, the opening of each of the guide holes at the top of the body being located at a position remote from the central axis, while the opening at the bottom thereof is located at a positlon adjacent to the central axis but does not intersect with the central axis, the opening at the top and the opening at the bottom of each guide hole being angularly shifted relative to each other around the central axis so that the fixing members inserted into the guide holes and extended into the wall portion do not intersect with each other and do not extend in parallel to each other, thereby insuring that the body can be fixedly secured to the wall portion by virtue of the fact that the fixing members driven into the brittle wall portion do not extend in parallel to each other but all of the fixing members extend in different directions from each other.
According to another characteristic feature of the present invention, there is provided a fixing device compris-ing a body adapted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall portion or secured to the brittle wall portion with a member to be attached to the wall portion interposed between the body and the wall portion, the body being formed with at least two guide holes passing therethrough from the top to 13~3~5 -- 1() --the bottom thereof each for receiving therein a fixing member such as a set screw and a nail so that it is extended into the wall portion to thereby fixedly secure the body to the wall portion, each of the guide holes being oriented in such an inclined direction with respect to the normal to the wall portion that the fixing members do not intersect with each other and that some of the fixing members do not extend in parallel to the remaining fixing members, and an engageable member adapted to be detachably engaged with the body over the same, the engageable member being formed integrally therewith a supporting portion such as a hook and a hunger.
In the above described construction, it is preferred to construct the fixing device in such a manner that the body has a pair of parallel side edges and the guide holes are located in spaced relationship from each other along the pair of parallel side edges adajcent thereto, respectively, the positions of the guide holes along one of the pair of parallel side edges corresponding to those of the guide holes along the other side edge, respectively, the guide holes ;~ 20 located along the one side edge being oriented in parallel to each other and inclined at an angle with respect to the normal to the wall portion in parallel to the one side edge while the guide holes located along the other side edge are oriented in parallel to each other and inclined at the above described angle with respect to the normal to the wall portion in parallel to the other side edge but in the direc-tion opposite to the direction of inclination of the guide ~ , .
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holes located along the one side edge, thepair of side edges being formed with engaging means such as projections and grooves, while the engageable member is formed in its inner opposing side walls with mating engaging means for slidably engaging with the engaging means formed in the side edges of the body.
In accordance with a further characteristic feature of the present invention, there is provided with a fixing device comprising a body adapted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall portion or secured to the brittle wall portion with a member to be attached to the wall portion interposed between the body and the wall portion, the body being formed with at least two guide holes passing therethrough from the top to the bottom thereof each for receiving therein a fixing member such as a set screw and a nail so that it is extended into the wall portion to thereby fixedly secure the body to the wall portion, each of the guide holes being oriented in such an inclined direction with respect to the normal to the wall portion that the fixing members do not intersect with each other and do not extend in parallel to each other when they are inserted into the guide holes and extended into the wall portion, wherein the body is formed integrally therewith a supporting portion such as a hook, a hunger and a-ring.
Since it is rather difficult to drive each of the fixing members onto the wall portion at an angle with respect to the normal to the wall portion without causing relative shifting movement of the body with respect to the ~R
13~3C~5 wall portion, it is proposed in accordance with the present invention to provide temporarily fixing means. Such temporarily fixing means may be in the form of a temporarily fixing pin preliminarily secured to the bottom of the body or integrally formed in the bottom of the body, or, further, it may be in the form of a temporarily fixing guide hole formed in the body and extending in parallel to the normal to the wall portion into which a temporarily fixing member such as a nail or a set screw is inserted and driven into the wall portion before the body is finally secured to the wall portion.
Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a body 10 of the fixing device con~structed according to the present invention. The body 10 comprises a body member 11 having the circular cross-section, the head of which is in thé frustoconical r~
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shape, the imaginary apex of which lies in the central axis of the body member 11. The conical surface 12 and the top surface 13 form the head of the body member 11. The bottom 14 is flat but a cylindrical projection 15 is formed at the center thereof so that the bottom 14 is màde in the stepped configuration. It is also possible to construct the head of the body 10' by the conical surface 12' as shown in Fig. lA
or to construct the body 10" by the part-spherical surface 12" as shown in Fig. 18.
The body may be made by a rigid plastic material such as an ABS resin or a metal such as copper, aluminum and zinc.
The body 10 is formed with a plurality of guide holes 20 (three guide holes 20 are shown in Fig. 1) passing therethrough from the conical surface 12 to the bottom 14 (in Fig. 1, to the bottom surface of the~ projection 15).
The distance Rl (Fig. 2) between the position of the opening 20a of each guide hole 20 opening in the conical surface 12 and the central axis ~ is made greater than the distance R2 (Fig. 2) between the opening 20b of each guide hole 20 and the central axis ~. The opening 20b is preferably located adjacent to the central axis ~. As shown in Fig. 2, the openings 20a of the guide holes 20 are positioned in angularly equally spaced relationship from each other around the central axis by an angle e ( in Fig. 2, the angle e =
120), and the openings 20b are also angularly equally spaced from each other by the angle e ( in Fig. 2, the angle e =
120), but the opening 20b of each guide hole 20 is angularly ~' ~a 13~301~S
shifted around the central axis ~ with respect to the opening 20a of the same guide hole 20 so that each guide hole 20 extends from the opening 20a to the opening 20b toward the central axis ~ but does not intersect with the central axis ~ nor with each other and none of the yuide holes 20 extends in parallel to each other. Thus, the guide holes 20 are oriented in angular or rotational symmetry with respect to the central axis ~, each guide hole 20 being arranged in swivelling relationship around the central axis ~
As shown in Fig. 3, the body lO is secured to a wall portion (not shown) by inserting into the respective guide holes 20 nails 30 or set screws and driving them along the guide holes 20 into the wall portion. As shown in Fig. 4, for example, a plate-like article 35 can be secured to a plasterboard 40 by using the body lO and nails 30 wherein the projection 15 is fltted into a mounting hole 35a formed in the plate-like article 35 and the body lO is mounted on the plasterboard 40 in position with the article 35 being interposed therebetween and then the nails 30 are inserted into the guide holes in the body lO and driven along the ~uide holes into the plasterboard 40. By virtue of the orientation of the guide holes in the body 10, the free end of each nails 30 extends radially outwardly from the central axis ~ and none ofthe nails 30 extends in parallel to each other thereby insuring firm attachment of the body ll to the plasterboard 40 with the plate-like article 35 being firmly mounted on the plasterboard 40. The angle ~ of . ' .
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the direction of driving of the nails 30 is preferably set to about 60, i.e. about 30 with respect to the normal to the plane of the plasterboard 40 as shown in Fig. 4. How-ever, the angle ~ may be set to any appropriate angle depending upon the number of nails 30 used to secure the body 10.
It is evident that set screws may be used in place of the nails 30 for securing the body 10 to the plaster-board 40. Further, it is also possible to preliminarily form screw thread in the inner surface of each guide hole 20 for facilitating the driving of the set screws.
In the body which can be secured to the wall portion by the nails 30 or the set screws as described above, the head of each nail 30 and the like is exposed to the exterior.
lS Therefore, in consideration of the good appearance, it is preferred to mount a cap 50 made of a soft plastic material such as polyethylene on the body 10 as shown in Fig. 5.
In Fig. 5, the cap S0 is simply applied onto the body 10.
In this case, it is preferable to provide a taper so that the outer diameter of the body 10 is enlarged toward the bottom thereof in order to facilitate the attachment of the cap 50 onto the body 10. It is of course possible to use a bonding agent to secure the cap 50 to the body 10.
Fig. 6 shows another method of attaching the cap to the body. In this case, a threaded portion 61 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the body 60 (similar to the body 10) and the cap 51 made of a hard plastic material ~ ~3~3(:~$
or a metal is formed in its inner peripheral surface a mating threaded portion 52 engaging with the threaded portion 61, thereby permitting the cap 51 to be threadedly secured to the body 60.
Fig. 7 shows a further method of mounting the cap on the body. In this case, a plurality of L-shaped`engaging grooves 72 (three L-shaped engaging grooves 72 being shown in the figure) are formed in the outer peripheral surface of the body 71 of the fixing device 70, while mating projec-tions 81 are formed in the inner peripheral surface of the cap 80 engaging with the L-shaped grooves 72. Thus, the cap 80 can be mounted on the body 71 by fitting the body 71 in the cap 80 with the L-shaped grooves 72 being engaged with the projections 81 and rotating the cap 80 relative to the body 71 so as to engage each of the projections 81 with the arm portion of each L-shaped grooves 72 extending circumferentially of the body 71 so that the cap 80 is pre-vented from being removed from the body 71.
Since the firm attachment of the cap 80 to the body 71 is insured by virtue of the provision of the L-shaped grooves 72 and the mating projections 81, a supporting portion such as a hook 82 may be integrally formed in the cap 80 in order to utilize the cap 80 as a supporting member.
In this case, the fixing device 70 is directly attached to the plasterboard and the cap 80 is engaged with the body 71 so that the hook 82 is used for the supporting purpose.
: The hook 82 may be substituted by any desired configuration 13t~3~5 depending upon the purpose of use.
It is of course possible to provide a supporting portion such as the hook 82 in the cap shown in Fig. S using the bonding agent or in Fig. 6 using the threaded portion S formed therein.
In the foregoing description, the embodiments of the fixing devices each having a body in the cylindrical shape in cross-section have been described. It is of course possible to construct a fixing device having a body having the cross-sectional configuration other than cylindrical shape. For example, the fixing device 90 may have a body of the square shape in cross-section as shown in Fig. 8.
~ body of any rectangular shape in cross section may be used.
The projection 91 (in Fig. 8) may also be in the square shape in cross-section.
Fig. 9 shows a fixing device having the body 110 having a frustoconical surface 112 around the bottom surface 111 adapted to snugly engage with a countersink 101 formed in the article 100 to be attached to the wall by means of the fixing device. The body 110 is formed with a plurality of guide holes 20 in like manner as the previously described embodiments.
In using the fixing device shown in Fig. 9, nails or set screws are inserted into the guide holes 20 and driven into the wall to which the body 110 is to be secured along the guide holes 20 after the body 110 is positioned on the wall in position with the frustoconical surface 112 of the 13V3C~S
body 110 being snugly fitted with the countersink 101 of the article 100 interposed between the body 110 and the wall.
Fig. 10 shows a fixing device having a body 130 provided with a guide hole 120 for guiding a temporarily fixing nai~l or set screw adapted to be p-eliminarily driven into the wall prior to the securing of the body 130 to the wall in order to positively prevent the undesired relative shifting of the body 130 with respect to the wall when the fixing members such as nails and set screws are inserted into the guide holes 20 and driven into the wall along the guide holes 20.
As shown in Fig. 10, the temporarily fixing guide hole 120 extends along the central axis ~ of the body 130 for guiding the temporarily fixing nail or set screw in the direction perpendicular to the wall thereby preventing the relative shifting of the body 130 to the wall when the temporarily fixing nail or set screw is driven into the wall. As shown in Fig. 11, the guide hole 120 does not intersect with any of the guide holes 20.
It is of course possible to position the temporarily fixing guide hole 120 at any position spaced apart from the central axis insofar as it does not intersect with the guide holes 20 but extends in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the wall. Any number of the temporarily f ixing guide hole 120 other than one may also be used.
As shown in Fig. 12, the body 130 may be used to secure an article 35 to the plasterboard 40 in like manner as ~A
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in the case of Fig. 4. In this case shown in Fig. 12, the projection 131 is fitted in a hole 35a formed in the article 35 and the body 130 is located in position on the plaster-board 40 with the article 35 interposed therebetween, and then the temporarily fixing member 13S is inserted into the guide hole 120 and driven along the guide hole 120 into the board 40 so as to temporarily secure the body 130 and the article 35 onto the board 40. Thereafter, the nails or the set screws are inserted into the guide holes 20 and driven therealong into the plasterboard 40 to finally secure the body 130 and the article 35 to the board 40. The cap may also be applied optionally on the body 130.
Fig. 13 shows an alternative form of the temporarily fixing means. As shown in Fig. 13, a temporarily fixing member such as a pin 1~41 is embedded in the bottom of the body 140 of the fixing device. In Fig. 13, the temporarily fixing member is located along the central axis ~, but it may be position at any position apart from the central axis Q. Any number of temporarily fixing members other than one may also be provided. The fixing device shown in Fig. 13 is advantageously produced when it is made of a plastic material.
Fig. 14 shows a fixing device having a body 150 which has a temporarily fixing projection 151 integrally formed therewith. This construction of the fixing device is advantageous when it is made of a metallic material.
As described above, fixing operation is made simple rd~
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- 2~ -and accurate positioning of the body is achieved by virtue of the provision of the temporarily fixing member.
Figs. 15 and 16 show another embodiment of the fixing device of the present invention. The body 301 of the fixing device shown in Figs. 15 and 16 is used together with an engageable member 310 shown in Figs, 17 - 20 so as to serve as support~.g means such as a hook for hanging a hat or a framed picture on the vertical wall. The body 301 is generally in the rectangular parallel pipedic form having a certain thickness. Three projecting portions 302, 302, 302 are provided on the upper surface of the body 301 located at both the longitudinal end portions and at the center of the body 301 each extending laterally of the length of the body 301. Each projecting portion 302 has bevelled surfaces 303a, 303b along both the longitudinal edges. Further, the projecting portion 302 located at both ends of the body 301 are formed with wing portions 305, 305 projecting from both the longitudinal ends thereof in the direction laterally of the length of the body 301. Guide holes 3n4a are formed in each projecting portion 302 extending from a position in or adjacent to the upper edge of the bevelled surface 304a adjacent to a longitudinal side surface 301a of the body 301 to the bottom surface thereof in parallel to the side surface in inclined direction at an angle e with respect to the normal to the bottom surface as shown in Figs. 15 and 16. In like manner, guide holes 304b are formed in each projecting portion 302 extending from a position in or r~
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adjacent to the upper edge of the bevelled surface 304b adjacent to the other longitudinal side surface 301b of the body 301 to the bottom surface thereof in parallel to the side surface in inclined direction at the angle ~ with respect t'o the normal to the bottom surface but in the direction opposite to the direction of inclination of the guide hole 304a. The angle e is preferably set to about 30. As shown in l~ig. 16, the projection of each guide hole 304a and the corresponding guide hole 304b onto the plane parallel to the plane o~ the figure preferably intersects with each other at a position adjacent to the bottom surface of the body 301. The body 301 is preferably made of a synthetic resin material such as ABS resin. The body 301 may also be made of a metallic material such as aluminum alloy. In an example of the body 301, it is the length of 42 mm, the width of 15.5 mm and the thickness of 7 mm.
The engageable member 310 has a surface plate portion 310c and a pair of opposing arcuate peripheral walls 310a, 310a and a pair of straight peripheral walls 310b, 310b each joining the ends of the arcuate peripheral walls 310a, the peripheral walls 310a, 310a, 310b, 310b extending rearwardly from the peripheral edge of the surface plate portion 310c to define an inner space behind the surface plate portion 310c. A hook 311 is integrally formed in the surface plate portion 310c.
In order to detachably mount the engageable member 310 on the body 301, a pair of laterally spaced parallel 13V3~1 S
- 2~ -longitudinal engaging walls 312, 312 are formed in the inner space behind the surface plate portion 310c. The opposing inner surfaces of the engaging walls 312, 312 are formed with longitudinal grooves 312a, 312a for engaging S with the wing portions 305 as shown in F~igs. 18 - 20 and cutout portions 313, 313, 313, 313 are formed in spaced apart relationship from each other as shown in Fig.19 for permitting the wing portions 305, 305, 305, 305 of the body 301 to pass therethrough and engage with the grooves 312a, 312a by sliding the engageable member 310 relative to the body 301 in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 18.
Thus, the engageable member 310 can be mounted on the body 301 by locating the engageable member 310 on the body 301 and passing the wing portions 305 through the cut-out portions 313 so as to engage the same with the grooves312a and sliding the engageable member 310 relative to the body 301 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 18 thereby detachably securing the engageable member 310 to the body 301 by the engagement of the wing portions 305 with the grooves 312a. The hook 311 serves as a hanger to support a fairly heavy article when the engageable member 310 is ; attached to the body 301 which is in turn secured to the vertical wall by means of the fixing members such as nails 320 inserted into the guide holes 304a, 304b and driven into the wall along the guide holes 304a, 304b. The nails 320 driven into the wall in the opposite inclined direction along the guide holes 304a, 304b permit the body 301 to be rj~
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- ~3 -firmly secured to the wall.
Since the body 301 is entirely hidden by the engageable member 310, superior appearance is insured without exposing the fixing members such as the nails 320.
When the detachment of the body 301 is desired, the engageable member 310 is first moved upwardly relative to the body 301 so as to detach the wing portion 305 from the grooves 312a through the cut-out portions 313 and then the nails 320 are removed from the wall. Since the diameter of each nail 320 can be sufficiently small for achieving a firm securing force of the body 301 to the wall, no defective holes are left in the wall after the nails 320 are removed.
Instead of forming the cut-out portions 313 in the engaging walls 312; an opening 314 for permitting the body 301 to pass therethrough may be formed in one of the arcuate peripheral walls 310a às shown in Fig. 21.
Further, instead of forming the hook 311 in the engageable member 310, a swingable ring member 315 may be mounted on the engageable member 310 as shown in Fig. 22 or a pair of engageable members 310 each engaged with the body 301 may be arranged in spaced relationship from each other and a supporting bar 316 for supporting a towel may be spanned between the pair of engageable members 310 by forming a supporting portion for supporting the end of the 2S bar in each engageable member 310 as shown in Fig. 23.
Figs. 24 - 27 show a still further embodiment of the present invention. The fixing device shown in Figs. 24 - 27 -"` 13~3~
- ~4 -is mainly adapted to be attached to the ceiling so as to hang therefrom an article. In this fixing device, the body 330 is generally in the cylindrical form and a threaded portion 331 is formed in the outer peripheral surface.
S The engag,eable member 340 has split inner threaded portions 341 in the inner peripheral surface adapted to be engaged with the threaded portion 331.
Guide holes 334a opening at their upper ends in one of the upper end edges of the rectangular raised portion 333 on the top surface 330a adjacent to the longitudinal ends thereof extend in inclined direction toward the bottom of the body 330 at an angle e with respect to the normal to the plane of the bottom in parallel to the longitudinal ends of the raised portion 333, while guide holes 334b opening at their upper ends in the other of the upper end edges of the raised portion 333 adjacent to the longitudinal ends thereof extend in inclined direction toward the bottom of the body 330 at an angle ~ with respect to the normal to the bottom but in the opposite direction to the inclined direc-tion of the guide holes 334a in parallel to the longitudinalends, so that the projection of the guide holes 334a, 334b onto a plane parallel to the longitudinal end of the raised portion 333 intersect with each other adjacent to the bottom of the body 330. The angle e is preferably set to about 30 - 45-It is also possible to arrange three or more pairs of guide holes 334a, 334b located adjacent to each other in .
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positions in the respective arms of the star-like shaped raised portion of the body 330 in rotational or angular symmetry around the central axis of the body 330 as shown in Figs. 28 and 29.
F~rther, a hook 342 is integrally formed in the engageable member 340. However, it is also possible to provide a ring member 315 rotatably attached to the engageable member 340 as shown in Fig. 30. The configuration of the member attached to or integrally formed in the engageable member 340 may be optiopally determined depending on the purpose of use. Further, it is also possible to provide an inner threaded portion 331' in the inner peripheral wall of the engageable member 340, while a mating outer threaded portion 341' may be formed in the outer peripheral surface of the engageable member 340 adapted to engage with the inner threaded portion 331' of the body 330 as shown in Fig. 31.
Further, it is also possible in the above described embodiment that L-shaped grooves are formed in the outer peripheral surface of the body 330 while mating projections are formed in the inner peripheral surface of the engageable member 340 in like manner shown in Fig. 7. It is apparent that L-shaped grooves are formed in the inner peripheral surface of the engageable member 340 while mating projections are formed in the outer peripheral surface of the body 330.
Fig. 32 shows a supporting member 203 as an embodi-ment of a plate-like article 35 shown in Fig. 4 adapted to r~ *
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be secured to the wàll by using the fixing device shown~
in Fig. 4. The supporting member 203 comprises a base portion 205 formed with an opening 204 for receiving the projection 15 of the body member 11 at one end, a bent-back portion ~07 bent back at the bent portion 206 from the base portion 205 by an angle of about 60 and a bent tip 209 bent upwardly from the free end of the bent-back portion 207 by an angle of about 60 at the portion 208 forming a support-ing hook portion. As shown in Fig. 33, the supporting member 203 is secured to the plasterboard 40 by using the fixing device 10. In Fig. 33, a cap 50 shown in Fig. 5 is applied on the fixing device 10. In the case as shown in Fig. 33 wherein the supporting member 203 is secured to the vertical wall, the bent-back portion 207 is positioned so as to extend upwardly so that the bent portion 206 between the base portion 205 and the bènt-back portion 207 serves as a hook for hanging an article therefrom. In this case, it is pre-ferred to locate the bent portion 208 at a position on or adjacent to the central axis of the fixing device 10. When the supporting member 203 is secured to the ceiling, the bent portion 208 serves a hook for hanging an article.
The supporting member 203 described above is very useful, because it can be firmly secured to the vertical wall or the ceiling by means of the fixing device 10 of the present invention.
Figs. 34 - 41 show various modifications of the sup-porting member 203 serving as a hook. Fig. 34 shows a ~p ~ '' .
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supporting member 203 similar to that shown in Fig. 33 but in the closed triangular form.
Fig. 35 shows a supporting member 203 wherein each of the bent portion 206, 208 is made in the arcuately rounded form so as to constitute latching portions 212, 213, respec-tively. Fig. 36 shows a supporting member 203 wherein the bent-back portion 207 is made in the curved form while a rounded portion 213 having a large radius of curvature is provided at the tip of the bent-back portion. Figs. 37 and 38 show supporting membçrs wherein rounded portions such as 212, 213 shown in Figs. 35 and 36 are applied to the sup-porting member 203 shown in Fig. 34, respectively. Fig. 39 shows an embodiment wherein the temporarily fixing pins 214 described previously is applied to the base portion 205 shown in Fig. 32. It is further possible to form befurcated arms 215 in the tip of the bent-back portion 207 as shown in Fig. 40, or to form a plurality of openings 204 in the base portion 205 each for receiving a fixing member 10.
Fig. 42 shows an embodiment of the fixing device 10 wherein the supporting member 203 is integrally formed with the body member 11 of the fixing device 10. As described above, the fixing device of the present invention can not only be made in the form for use solely by itself or for use together with a separate supporting member, but also it can be integrally formed with a supporting member which can be made optionally in a configuration without being limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings.
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Fig. 43 shows an embodiment of the fixing device of the present invention wherein the body 400 in the simple cylindrical form is provided with a plurality of guide holes 410 in like manner as described previously in each of which,a part of each fixing member such as a nail 30 or a set screw is inserted and temporarily secured in this position by means such as a bonding agent. This embodiment greatly facilitates the final fixing operation of the fixing device, because it is no more necessary to insert the fix-ing members into the respective guide holes, while anopportunity of losing the fixing members is completely avoided.
As a method of temporarily securing the fixing members 30 in the respective guide holes 410, there is proposed a method as shown in Fig. 44. In this method, the body 400 is made of ABS resin ànd the fixing members 30 are made of stainless steel, and the body 400 having the fixing members 30 partly inserted into the respective guide holes 410 in the body 400 is immersed into the solution of methyl ethyl ketone (M.E.K.) 420 for 1 - 2 seconds as shown in Fig. 44 and then removed therefrom so as to be dried by air. In this method, the solution of methyl ethyl ketone enters into the annular space between the inner peripheral surface of each guide hole 410 and the outer peripheral surface of each fixing member 30 as shown in Fig. 45ta) and the ABS
resin of the inner surface of the guide hole 410 is softened to adhere to the fixing member 30 and temporarily secure the O
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same as shown in Fig. 45(b), while the outer surface of the body 400 will not be subjected to any defective effect or deformation. As an alternative method of temporarily fixing the fixing members 30, a bonding agent such as a starch having a relatively weak securing force may be used for temporarily securing the fixing members 30 to the guide holes 410.
Finally, Fig. 46 shows an alternative embodiment of the fixing device of the present invention. In this embodi-ment a threaded hole 400 is formed in the head of the body10 secured to the plasterboard 40 using the fixing members 30 as described previously and the article 35 is secured to the head of the body lO by means of a set bolt threaded into the threaded hole 400.
As described above, the fixing device of the present invention can be positively and easily secured in the stable manner to a brittle board such as a plasterboard, a refractory board and a veneer plywood with a great securing force by using nails or set screws. Such a firm securing force can be achieved in any direction around the normal to the plane of the surface to which the fixing device is secured, while a large resistive force against removal of the fixing members is obtained. Thus, the fixing device of the present invention can be used for any brittle wall or ceiling oriented in any direction.
Since the fixing device of the present invention is simple in construction and easy in securing operation, it ~ .
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FIXING DEVICE FOR BRITTLE BOARD SUCH AS PLASTERBOARD
The present invention relates to a fixing device for use with a wall or a ceiling made of a brittle board such as a plasterboard, a refractory board and a veneer plywood. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fixing device for securing an article such as a shelf, a cooler and an illuminating device to the surface of a brittle wall or securing a bracket for mounting thereon the article to the surface of the brittle wall, the fixing device being able to be easily secured to the wall by using fixing members such as nails and set screws, wherein no serious defective holes or flaws are left in the wall after the fixing device is detached from the wall.
The present invention further relates to a fixing device which can be attached to the brittle wall and serves as supporting means such as a hook and a hanger.
Since the plasterboard, the refractory board and the veneer plywood are very brittle, the fastening force for holding the nails or the set screws driven into such a brittle plasterboard is very low and unstable, so that the nails or the set screws thus secured to the brittle wall tend to be loosened or detached when a load or a vibration is applied thereto. Therefore, such nails and set screws are not suitable for positively securing the fixing device to the brittle wall.
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- l(a) -SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention provides a fixing device for brittle board such as plasterboard and includes a body adapted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall portion or secured to the brittle wall portion with a member to be attached to the wall portion interposed between the body and the wall portion. The body is formed with at least two guide holes passing therethrough from the top to the bottom thereof with each for receiving therein a fixing member such as a set screw or a nail. In use the fixing member is extended into the wall portion to thereby fixedly secure the body to the wall portion. Each of the guide holes is oriented in such an inclined direction with respect to the normal to the wall portion that the fixing members do not intersect with each other and such that some of the fixing members do not extend in parallel to the remaining fixing members. Included in an engageable member adapted to be detachably engaged with said body over the same with the engageable member having integrally formed therewith a supporting portion such as a hook or a hanger.
In this respect the body has a cylindrical shape and the guide holes form a plurality of pairs with ones extending in parallel to each other at an angle with respect to the normal to the wall portion while the others extend in parallel to each other at said angle with respect to the normal to said wall portion but ln the direction opposite to the direction of said ones of said guide holes. The body is formed at its , ~ outer periphery with a threaded portion. The engageable C
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- l(b) -member has an inner space Eor receiving the body and is formed with a mating thread~d portion for engaging with the threaded portion of the body so as to detachably mount the engageable member on the body.
In another aspect of the invention there is provided a body adapted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall portion or secured to the brittle wall portion with a member to be attached to the wall portion interposed between the body and the wall portion. The body is formed with at least two guide holes passing therethrough from the top to the bottom thereof each for receiving therein a fixing member such as a set screw or a nail so that, in use, it is extended into the wall portion to thereby fixedly secure the body to the wall portion. Each of the guide holes is oriented in such an inclined direction with respect to the normal to the wall portion that the fixing members do not intersect with each other and such that some of the fixing members do not extend in parallel to the remaining fixing members. An engageable member is included which is adapted to be detachably engaged with the body over the same, the engageable member having formed integrally therewith a supporting portion such as a hook or a hanger. The body is cylindrical in shape and the guide holes form a plurality of pairs, the guide holes in each pair extending at an angle to the normal to the wall portion in parallel but in the opposite direction to each other. Said pairs of guide holes are arranged in angular symmetry around the central axis of the body; and said body is formed in its outer periphery with engaging means such as projections and L
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-- 1 (c) -shaped grooves each having an arm perpendicular to the direction of the central axis. The engageable member has an inner space for receiving the body and is formed with mating engaging means for engaging with the engaging means in the body so as to detachably mount the engageakle member on the body.
In still another aspect of the subject invention, provided there is provided a fixing device comprising a body adapted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall or adapted to be secured to said wall with another member interposed between said body and said wall. The body has a central axis and at least three guide holes are formed therein with the guide holes being arranged at least substantially equal angular spacing from each other around the central axis of the body. The opening of each one of the guide holes at the top of the body are located at a position remote fro~ the central axis, while the opening at the bottom of each one of the guide holes is located at a position adjacent to the central axis.
The guide holes are oriented in angular symmetry around the central axis of the body to each other with each guide hole approaching nearer the central axis from the upper end to the lower and thereof but not intersecting each other even at the extension thereof. The rotational phase at portions of each guide hole are shifted symmetrically around the central axis ' relative to each other from the upper end to the lower end thereof so that, in use, fixing members such as nails and set screws inserted into corresponding guide holes and driven into :~3~3~ S
- l(d) -the wall portion to secure the body onto the wall do not intersect with each other and do not extend in parallel to each other.
In yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a fixing device comprising a body adapted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall or adapted to be secured to the wall with another member interposed between the body and the wall. The body has a central axis and at least three guide holes formed therein, with the guide holes being arranged at least substantially equal angular spacing from each other around the central axis of the body, the opening of each one of the guide holes at the top of the body being located at a position remote from the central axis, while the opening at the bottom of each one of said guide holes is located at a position adjacent to said central axis. The guide holes are arranged so as not to intersect with the central axis and the opening at the top and the opening at the bottom of each guide hole are angularly shifted relative to each other around the central axis. In use, fixing members such as nails or set screws inserted into corresponding guide holes and driven into said wall to secure the body onto the wall do not intersect with each other and do not extend in parallel to each other, a stepped cylindrical portion or a portion in the shape of a frustrum is formed at the bottom portion of the body and the stepped cylindrical portion or the portion in the shape of a frustrum is adapted to engage with an opening formed in the interposed member.
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- l(e) -In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a fixing device comprising a body adapted to be se~cured directly onto a brittle wall and an engaging member which engages with the body. The body is formed with at least two pairs of guide holes passing therethrough from the top to the bottom thereof each for receiving therein a fixing member such as a set screw or a nail so that, in use, the fixing member is driven into the wall to thereby firmly secure the body to the wall. The body has a pair of parallel side surfaces, each one of said guide holes in each pair is located adjacent to a corresponding one of said pair of parallel side surfaces one of said guide holes in each pair being inclined at an angle with respect to the normal to said wall in parallel to one of said side surfaces, while the other guide hole in each pair is located along the other side surface and is inclined at said angle with respect to the normal to said wall in the direction opposite to the direction of the inclination of said one of said guide holes in parallel to said other side surface. The projection of the guide holes in each pair onto a plane parallel to the side surfaces intersecting each other at a position adjacent to th~ bottom of the body, said pair of side surfaces being formed with engaging means such as projections and grooves, said engaging member being formed in its inner side walls with mating engaging means for slidably engaging with said engaging means formed in said side surfaces of said body.
13~30QS
The present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the fixing device of the present invention;
Figs. lA and lB are perspective views similar to Fig.l but each showing alternative forms of the head portion of the body of the fixing device, respectively;
Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the body shown in Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the state of the body shown in Fig. 1 to which nails are inserted into guide holes formed in the body;
Fig. 4 is a side view partly in cross-section showing the state of an article secured to the wall portion by using the body of the fixing device shown in Fig. l;
Figs. 5 and 6 are side views partly in cross-section each showing a cap secured onto the body of the fixing device;
Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of the fixing device wherein a hook is integrally formed in the cap;
Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the body of the fixing device of the present invention having the rectangular form in cross-section;
; Fig. 9 is a side view partly in cross-section showing an embodiment of the body having a further alternative form;
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Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the body provided with a temporarily fixing guide hole;
Fig. 11 is a top plan view of Fig. 10;
Fig. 12 is a side view partly in cross-section showing the state of the body shown in Fig. 11 wherein the body is temporarily secured to the wall portion by using a temporarily fixing nail;
Figs. 13 and 14 are side views showing an embodiment of the body in which a temporarily fixing member is integrally formed;
Fig. 15 is a front view showing another embodiment of the body of the fixing device of the present invention;
Fig. 16 is a side view of Fig. 15;
Fig. 17 is a front view showing the engageable member adapted to be engaged with the body shown in Fig. 15;
Fig. 18 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the engageable member shown in Fig. 17;
Fig. 19 is a rear view showing the engageable member shown in Fig. 17;
Fig. 20 is a lateral cross~sectional view of the engageable member shown in Fig. 17;
Fig. 21 is a front view showing an alternative embodiment of the engageable member of Fig. 17;
Figs. 22 and 23 are front views showing further alternative embodiments of the engageable member of Fig. 17, respectively;
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Fig. 24 is a front view showing a still further ernbodiment of the fixing device of the present invention;
Fig. 25 is a side view of Fig. 24;
Fig. 26 is a rear plan view showing the engageable member adapted to be engaged with the body shown in Fig. 24;
Fig. 27 is a side view of the engageable member shown in Fig. 26;
Figs. 28 and 29 are front views showing alternative embodiments of the body shown in Fig. 24, respectively;
Fig. 30 is a perspective view showing an alternative embodiment of the engageable member shown in Fig. 26;
Fig. 31 is an exploded side view showing an alternative embodiment of mounting means for the body shown in Fig. 24 and the engageable member shown in Fig. 26;
Fig. 32 is a perspective view showing a supporting member to be attached to the fixing device of the present invention;
Fig. 33 is a side view partly in cross-section showing the state of the supporting member as shown in Fig. 32 wherein it is secured to the wall portion by using the fixing device shown in Fig. 4;
Figs. 34 to 41, inclusive, are views showing various alternative embodiments of the supporting member shown in Fig. 32;
Fig. 42 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the fixing device of the present invention wherein a suppGrting member is integrally formed in the fixing device;
13~?30~)5 Fig. 43 is a cross-sectional view showing the state of the body wherein fixing members such as nails or set screws are temporarily secured to the body in position for facilitating the fixing operation;
Fig. 44 is a view showing a method for temporarily securing the fixing members in the body;
Fig. 45 is a view showing the state of the fixing member temporarily secured to the body by using the method shown in Fig.
44;
Fig. 46 is a sectional view showing the state of an article attached to the body of the fixing device of the present invention by using a set bolt; and Figs. 47 to 49 are cross-sectional views showing the prior art fixing devices, respectively.
lS It has been proposed heretofore as shown in Fig. 47 to use a backplate 1 made of wood, for example, which is r~
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attached to the rear surface of the brittle plasterboard or the refractory board 2 at a predetermined position when nails or screws are used for securing the fixing device onto that portion of the board where the backplate is attached.
Thus, the effective holding force is obtained when the article 3 shown as a hook is to be attached onto the board 2 by using the nails or the set screws 4 by virtue of the fact that the nails or the set screws 4 are driven into the backplate l having a sufficient holding force.
As an alternative measure for securing the fixing device onto the brittle plasterboard, it has been known to use an anker bolt in palce of the set screws and the nails.
As an example of using the anker bolt as shown in Fig. 48, an anker member 6 is threadedly fitted on the bolt 5 as shown by the one dot chain line and the anker member 6 is inserted into the holes 3a and 2a fo~med in the article 3 and the plaster-board 2 together with the bolt 5, respectively, so as to extend outwardly from the rear side of the board 2 and, thereafter, the bolt 5 is rotated relative to the anker member 6 so that the portion of the anker member 6 extending outwardly from the rear surface of the board 2 is axially compressed to expand radially as shown by the solid line thereby securing the article 3 tightly to the board 2.
Fig. 49 shows an alternative form of the anker member.
It is made of a material such as a resilient plastic material and is formed with a plurality of spring-back arms 7a extend-ing from the outer end of the stem 7 which is in turn A
`` ` 13~30~PS
integrally formed with a hook 3. The spring-back arms 7a are directed toward the hook 3 with radially expanding resilient force being given to the arms 7a, so that, after the stem 7 is inserted into the hole 2a of the board 2 and S the arms 7a extend out of the rear side of the board 2, the arms 7a expand radially by their resilient force and abut against the rear side of the board 2 to thereby secure the `
hook 3 to the board 2.
In such a prior art fixing device as shown in Fig. 47, however, a backplate 1 must be provided prior to the securing of the fixing device to raise the cost, and, at the same time, the position of the board 2 to which the article 3 is to be secured is limited.
In the methods using anker bolts as shown in Figs. 48 lS and 49, a relatively large hole 2a must be formed in the board 2 thereby requiring a tool such as a drill and a sufficient space must be provided at the rear side of the board 2, and an undesired play tends to occur in the hole 2a. Further, a large hole 2a is left aftter the anker bolt 5 is removed - 20 together with the anker member 6 shown in Fig. 48, while the anker bolt 7 shown in Fig. 49 can not be removed once it is secured to the board 2.
In the prior art fixing device using set screws or nails, attention is required for the operator as to in which direction they are to be driven so as to achieve a strong securing force, or relatively large set screws or nails must be used to obtain sufficient securing force. The set screws A
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and the nails tend to be loosened and detached from the brittle board in the relatively short time and a large hole or flaw is left in the board after the fixing device is removed, thereby deteriorating the appearance of the board.
It, is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a fixing device which can be easily and detachably secured firmly to a brittle wall such as made of a plaster-board or a refractory board by using set screws or nails and yet no defective holes or flaws are left in the wall after the fixing device is removed from the wall.
To achieve the above object, the present invention is characterized by the provision of a fixing device comprising a body adopted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall portion or secured to the brittle wall portion with a member to be attached to the wall portion interposed between the body and the wall portion, the body being formed with at least two guide holes passing therethrough from the top to the bottom thereof each for receiving therein a fixing member such as a set screw and a nail so that it is extended into the wall portion to thereby fixedly secure the body to the wall portion, each of the guide holes being oriented in such an inclined direction with respect to the normal to the wall portion that the fixing members do not intersect with each other and do not extend in parallel to each other when they are inserted into the guide holes and extended into the wall portion thereby permit-; ting the body to be securely fixed to the brittle wall portion.
In the construction of the fixing device described rA~ , i :13~3~
above, it is preferred to construct the fixing device insuch a manner that the body is in the cylindrical shape and a plurality of guide holes are formed in the body, the guide holes being arranged at substantially equal angular distance from each other around the centrai axis of the body, the opening of each of the guide holes at the top of the body being located at a position remote from the central axis, while the opening at the bottom thereof is located at a positlon adjacent to the central axis but does not intersect with the central axis, the opening at the top and the opening at the bottom of each guide hole being angularly shifted relative to each other around the central axis so that the fixing members inserted into the guide holes and extended into the wall portion do not intersect with each other and do not extend in parallel to each other, thereby insuring that the body can be fixedly secured to the wall portion by virtue of the fact that the fixing members driven into the brittle wall portion do not extend in parallel to each other but all of the fixing members extend in different directions from each other.
According to another characteristic feature of the present invention, there is provided a fixing device compris-ing a body adapted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall portion or secured to the brittle wall portion with a member to be attached to the wall portion interposed between the body and the wall portion, the body being formed with at least two guide holes passing therethrough from the top to 13~3~5 -- 1() --the bottom thereof each for receiving therein a fixing member such as a set screw and a nail so that it is extended into the wall portion to thereby fixedly secure the body to the wall portion, each of the guide holes being oriented in such an inclined direction with respect to the normal to the wall portion that the fixing members do not intersect with each other and that some of the fixing members do not extend in parallel to the remaining fixing members, and an engageable member adapted to be detachably engaged with the body over the same, the engageable member being formed integrally therewith a supporting portion such as a hook and a hunger.
In the above described construction, it is preferred to construct the fixing device in such a manner that the body has a pair of parallel side edges and the guide holes are located in spaced relationship from each other along the pair of parallel side edges adajcent thereto, respectively, the positions of the guide holes along one of the pair of parallel side edges corresponding to those of the guide holes along the other side edge, respectively, the guide holes ;~ 20 located along the one side edge being oriented in parallel to each other and inclined at an angle with respect to the normal to the wall portion in parallel to the one side edge while the guide holes located along the other side edge are oriented in parallel to each other and inclined at the above described angle with respect to the normal to the wall portion in parallel to the other side edge but in the direc-tion opposite to the direction of inclination of the guide ~ , .
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holes located along the one side edge, thepair of side edges being formed with engaging means such as projections and grooves, while the engageable member is formed in its inner opposing side walls with mating engaging means for slidably engaging with the engaging means formed in the side edges of the body.
In accordance with a further characteristic feature of the present invention, there is provided with a fixing device comprising a body adapted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall portion or secured to the brittle wall portion with a member to be attached to the wall portion interposed between the body and the wall portion, the body being formed with at least two guide holes passing therethrough from the top to the bottom thereof each for receiving therein a fixing member such as a set screw and a nail so that it is extended into the wall portion to thereby fixedly secure the body to the wall portion, each of the guide holes being oriented in such an inclined direction with respect to the normal to the wall portion that the fixing members do not intersect with each other and do not extend in parallel to each other when they are inserted into the guide holes and extended into the wall portion, wherein the body is formed integrally therewith a supporting portion such as a hook, a hunger and a-ring.
Since it is rather difficult to drive each of the fixing members onto the wall portion at an angle with respect to the normal to the wall portion without causing relative shifting movement of the body with respect to the ~R
13~3C~5 wall portion, it is proposed in accordance with the present invention to provide temporarily fixing means. Such temporarily fixing means may be in the form of a temporarily fixing pin preliminarily secured to the bottom of the body or integrally formed in the bottom of the body, or, further, it may be in the form of a temporarily fixing guide hole formed in the body and extending in parallel to the normal to the wall portion into which a temporarily fixing member such as a nail or a set screw is inserted and driven into the wall portion before the body is finally secured to the wall portion.
Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a body 10 of the fixing device con~structed according to the present invention. The body 10 comprises a body member 11 having the circular cross-section, the head of which is in thé frustoconical r~
.
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shape, the imaginary apex of which lies in the central axis of the body member 11. The conical surface 12 and the top surface 13 form the head of the body member 11. The bottom 14 is flat but a cylindrical projection 15 is formed at the center thereof so that the bottom 14 is màde in the stepped configuration. It is also possible to construct the head of the body 10' by the conical surface 12' as shown in Fig. lA
or to construct the body 10" by the part-spherical surface 12" as shown in Fig. 18.
The body may be made by a rigid plastic material such as an ABS resin or a metal such as copper, aluminum and zinc.
The body 10 is formed with a plurality of guide holes 20 (three guide holes 20 are shown in Fig. 1) passing therethrough from the conical surface 12 to the bottom 14 (in Fig. 1, to the bottom surface of the~ projection 15).
The distance Rl (Fig. 2) between the position of the opening 20a of each guide hole 20 opening in the conical surface 12 and the central axis ~ is made greater than the distance R2 (Fig. 2) between the opening 20b of each guide hole 20 and the central axis ~. The opening 20b is preferably located adjacent to the central axis ~. As shown in Fig. 2, the openings 20a of the guide holes 20 are positioned in angularly equally spaced relationship from each other around the central axis by an angle e ( in Fig. 2, the angle e =
120), and the openings 20b are also angularly equally spaced from each other by the angle e ( in Fig. 2, the angle e =
120), but the opening 20b of each guide hole 20 is angularly ~' ~a 13~301~S
shifted around the central axis ~ with respect to the opening 20a of the same guide hole 20 so that each guide hole 20 extends from the opening 20a to the opening 20b toward the central axis ~ but does not intersect with the central axis ~ nor with each other and none of the yuide holes 20 extends in parallel to each other. Thus, the guide holes 20 are oriented in angular or rotational symmetry with respect to the central axis ~, each guide hole 20 being arranged in swivelling relationship around the central axis ~
As shown in Fig. 3, the body lO is secured to a wall portion (not shown) by inserting into the respective guide holes 20 nails 30 or set screws and driving them along the guide holes 20 into the wall portion. As shown in Fig. 4, for example, a plate-like article 35 can be secured to a plasterboard 40 by using the body lO and nails 30 wherein the projection 15 is fltted into a mounting hole 35a formed in the plate-like article 35 and the body lO is mounted on the plasterboard 40 in position with the article 35 being interposed therebetween and then the nails 30 are inserted into the guide holes in the body lO and driven along the ~uide holes into the plasterboard 40. By virtue of the orientation of the guide holes in the body 10, the free end of each nails 30 extends radially outwardly from the central axis ~ and none ofthe nails 30 extends in parallel to each other thereby insuring firm attachment of the body ll to the plasterboard 40 with the plate-like article 35 being firmly mounted on the plasterboard 40. The angle ~ of . ' .
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the direction of driving of the nails 30 is preferably set to about 60, i.e. about 30 with respect to the normal to the plane of the plasterboard 40 as shown in Fig. 4. How-ever, the angle ~ may be set to any appropriate angle depending upon the number of nails 30 used to secure the body 10.
It is evident that set screws may be used in place of the nails 30 for securing the body 10 to the plaster-board 40. Further, it is also possible to preliminarily form screw thread in the inner surface of each guide hole 20 for facilitating the driving of the set screws.
In the body which can be secured to the wall portion by the nails 30 or the set screws as described above, the head of each nail 30 and the like is exposed to the exterior.
lS Therefore, in consideration of the good appearance, it is preferred to mount a cap 50 made of a soft plastic material such as polyethylene on the body 10 as shown in Fig. 5.
In Fig. 5, the cap S0 is simply applied onto the body 10.
In this case, it is preferable to provide a taper so that the outer diameter of the body 10 is enlarged toward the bottom thereof in order to facilitate the attachment of the cap 50 onto the body 10. It is of course possible to use a bonding agent to secure the cap 50 to the body 10.
Fig. 6 shows another method of attaching the cap to the body. In this case, a threaded portion 61 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the body 60 (similar to the body 10) and the cap 51 made of a hard plastic material ~ ~3~3(:~$
or a metal is formed in its inner peripheral surface a mating threaded portion 52 engaging with the threaded portion 61, thereby permitting the cap 51 to be threadedly secured to the body 60.
Fig. 7 shows a further method of mounting the cap on the body. In this case, a plurality of L-shaped`engaging grooves 72 (three L-shaped engaging grooves 72 being shown in the figure) are formed in the outer peripheral surface of the body 71 of the fixing device 70, while mating projec-tions 81 are formed in the inner peripheral surface of the cap 80 engaging with the L-shaped grooves 72. Thus, the cap 80 can be mounted on the body 71 by fitting the body 71 in the cap 80 with the L-shaped grooves 72 being engaged with the projections 81 and rotating the cap 80 relative to the body 71 so as to engage each of the projections 81 with the arm portion of each L-shaped grooves 72 extending circumferentially of the body 71 so that the cap 80 is pre-vented from being removed from the body 71.
Since the firm attachment of the cap 80 to the body 71 is insured by virtue of the provision of the L-shaped grooves 72 and the mating projections 81, a supporting portion such as a hook 82 may be integrally formed in the cap 80 in order to utilize the cap 80 as a supporting member.
In this case, the fixing device 70 is directly attached to the plasterboard and the cap 80 is engaged with the body 71 so that the hook 82 is used for the supporting purpose.
: The hook 82 may be substituted by any desired configuration 13t~3~5 depending upon the purpose of use.
It is of course possible to provide a supporting portion such as the hook 82 in the cap shown in Fig. S using the bonding agent or in Fig. 6 using the threaded portion S formed therein.
In the foregoing description, the embodiments of the fixing devices each having a body in the cylindrical shape in cross-section have been described. It is of course possible to construct a fixing device having a body having the cross-sectional configuration other than cylindrical shape. For example, the fixing device 90 may have a body of the square shape in cross-section as shown in Fig. 8.
~ body of any rectangular shape in cross section may be used.
The projection 91 (in Fig. 8) may also be in the square shape in cross-section.
Fig. 9 shows a fixing device having the body 110 having a frustoconical surface 112 around the bottom surface 111 adapted to snugly engage with a countersink 101 formed in the article 100 to be attached to the wall by means of the fixing device. The body 110 is formed with a plurality of guide holes 20 in like manner as the previously described embodiments.
In using the fixing device shown in Fig. 9, nails or set screws are inserted into the guide holes 20 and driven into the wall to which the body 110 is to be secured along the guide holes 20 after the body 110 is positioned on the wall in position with the frustoconical surface 112 of the 13V3C~S
body 110 being snugly fitted with the countersink 101 of the article 100 interposed between the body 110 and the wall.
Fig. 10 shows a fixing device having a body 130 provided with a guide hole 120 for guiding a temporarily fixing nai~l or set screw adapted to be p-eliminarily driven into the wall prior to the securing of the body 130 to the wall in order to positively prevent the undesired relative shifting of the body 130 with respect to the wall when the fixing members such as nails and set screws are inserted into the guide holes 20 and driven into the wall along the guide holes 20.
As shown in Fig. 10, the temporarily fixing guide hole 120 extends along the central axis ~ of the body 130 for guiding the temporarily fixing nail or set screw in the direction perpendicular to the wall thereby preventing the relative shifting of the body 130 to the wall when the temporarily fixing nail or set screw is driven into the wall. As shown in Fig. 11, the guide hole 120 does not intersect with any of the guide holes 20.
It is of course possible to position the temporarily fixing guide hole 120 at any position spaced apart from the central axis insofar as it does not intersect with the guide holes 20 but extends in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the wall. Any number of the temporarily f ixing guide hole 120 other than one may also be used.
As shown in Fig. 12, the body 130 may be used to secure an article 35 to the plasterboard 40 in like manner as ~A
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in the case of Fig. 4. In this case shown in Fig. 12, the projection 131 is fitted in a hole 35a formed in the article 35 and the body 130 is located in position on the plaster-board 40 with the article 35 interposed therebetween, and then the temporarily fixing member 13S is inserted into the guide hole 120 and driven along the guide hole 120 into the board 40 so as to temporarily secure the body 130 and the article 35 onto the board 40. Thereafter, the nails or the set screws are inserted into the guide holes 20 and driven therealong into the plasterboard 40 to finally secure the body 130 and the article 35 to the board 40. The cap may also be applied optionally on the body 130.
Fig. 13 shows an alternative form of the temporarily fixing means. As shown in Fig. 13, a temporarily fixing member such as a pin 1~41 is embedded in the bottom of the body 140 of the fixing device. In Fig. 13, the temporarily fixing member is located along the central axis ~, but it may be position at any position apart from the central axis Q. Any number of temporarily fixing members other than one may also be provided. The fixing device shown in Fig. 13 is advantageously produced when it is made of a plastic material.
Fig. 14 shows a fixing device having a body 150 which has a temporarily fixing projection 151 integrally formed therewith. This construction of the fixing device is advantageous when it is made of a metallic material.
As described above, fixing operation is made simple rd~
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- 2~ -and accurate positioning of the body is achieved by virtue of the provision of the temporarily fixing member.
Figs. 15 and 16 show another embodiment of the fixing device of the present invention. The body 301 of the fixing device shown in Figs. 15 and 16 is used together with an engageable member 310 shown in Figs, 17 - 20 so as to serve as support~.g means such as a hook for hanging a hat or a framed picture on the vertical wall. The body 301 is generally in the rectangular parallel pipedic form having a certain thickness. Three projecting portions 302, 302, 302 are provided on the upper surface of the body 301 located at both the longitudinal end portions and at the center of the body 301 each extending laterally of the length of the body 301. Each projecting portion 302 has bevelled surfaces 303a, 303b along both the longitudinal edges. Further, the projecting portion 302 located at both ends of the body 301 are formed with wing portions 305, 305 projecting from both the longitudinal ends thereof in the direction laterally of the length of the body 301. Guide holes 3n4a are formed in each projecting portion 302 extending from a position in or adjacent to the upper edge of the bevelled surface 304a adjacent to a longitudinal side surface 301a of the body 301 to the bottom surface thereof in parallel to the side surface in inclined direction at an angle e with respect to the normal to the bottom surface as shown in Figs. 15 and 16. In like manner, guide holes 304b are formed in each projecting portion 302 extending from a position in or r~
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adjacent to the upper edge of the bevelled surface 304b adjacent to the other longitudinal side surface 301b of the body 301 to the bottom surface thereof in parallel to the side surface in inclined direction at the angle ~ with respect t'o the normal to the bottom surface but in the direction opposite to the direction of inclination of the guide hole 304a. The angle e is preferably set to about 30. As shown in l~ig. 16, the projection of each guide hole 304a and the corresponding guide hole 304b onto the plane parallel to the plane o~ the figure preferably intersects with each other at a position adjacent to the bottom surface of the body 301. The body 301 is preferably made of a synthetic resin material such as ABS resin. The body 301 may also be made of a metallic material such as aluminum alloy. In an example of the body 301, it is the length of 42 mm, the width of 15.5 mm and the thickness of 7 mm.
The engageable member 310 has a surface plate portion 310c and a pair of opposing arcuate peripheral walls 310a, 310a and a pair of straight peripheral walls 310b, 310b each joining the ends of the arcuate peripheral walls 310a, the peripheral walls 310a, 310a, 310b, 310b extending rearwardly from the peripheral edge of the surface plate portion 310c to define an inner space behind the surface plate portion 310c. A hook 311 is integrally formed in the surface plate portion 310c.
In order to detachably mount the engageable member 310 on the body 301, a pair of laterally spaced parallel 13V3~1 S
- 2~ -longitudinal engaging walls 312, 312 are formed in the inner space behind the surface plate portion 310c. The opposing inner surfaces of the engaging walls 312, 312 are formed with longitudinal grooves 312a, 312a for engaging S with the wing portions 305 as shown in F~igs. 18 - 20 and cutout portions 313, 313, 313, 313 are formed in spaced apart relationship from each other as shown in Fig.19 for permitting the wing portions 305, 305, 305, 305 of the body 301 to pass therethrough and engage with the grooves 312a, 312a by sliding the engageable member 310 relative to the body 301 in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 18.
Thus, the engageable member 310 can be mounted on the body 301 by locating the engageable member 310 on the body 301 and passing the wing portions 305 through the cut-out portions 313 so as to engage the same with the grooves312a and sliding the engageable member 310 relative to the body 301 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 18 thereby detachably securing the engageable member 310 to the body 301 by the engagement of the wing portions 305 with the grooves 312a. The hook 311 serves as a hanger to support a fairly heavy article when the engageable member 310 is ; attached to the body 301 which is in turn secured to the vertical wall by means of the fixing members such as nails 320 inserted into the guide holes 304a, 304b and driven into the wall along the guide holes 304a, 304b. The nails 320 driven into the wall in the opposite inclined direction along the guide holes 304a, 304b permit the body 301 to be rj~
~ . :;
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- ~3 -firmly secured to the wall.
Since the body 301 is entirely hidden by the engageable member 310, superior appearance is insured without exposing the fixing members such as the nails 320.
When the detachment of the body 301 is desired, the engageable member 310 is first moved upwardly relative to the body 301 so as to detach the wing portion 305 from the grooves 312a through the cut-out portions 313 and then the nails 320 are removed from the wall. Since the diameter of each nail 320 can be sufficiently small for achieving a firm securing force of the body 301 to the wall, no defective holes are left in the wall after the nails 320 are removed.
Instead of forming the cut-out portions 313 in the engaging walls 312; an opening 314 for permitting the body 301 to pass therethrough may be formed in one of the arcuate peripheral walls 310a às shown in Fig. 21.
Further, instead of forming the hook 311 in the engageable member 310, a swingable ring member 315 may be mounted on the engageable member 310 as shown in Fig. 22 or a pair of engageable members 310 each engaged with the body 301 may be arranged in spaced relationship from each other and a supporting bar 316 for supporting a towel may be spanned between the pair of engageable members 310 by forming a supporting portion for supporting the end of the 2S bar in each engageable member 310 as shown in Fig. 23.
Figs. 24 - 27 show a still further embodiment of the present invention. The fixing device shown in Figs. 24 - 27 -"` 13~3~
- ~4 -is mainly adapted to be attached to the ceiling so as to hang therefrom an article. In this fixing device, the body 330 is generally in the cylindrical form and a threaded portion 331 is formed in the outer peripheral surface.
S The engag,eable member 340 has split inner threaded portions 341 in the inner peripheral surface adapted to be engaged with the threaded portion 331.
Guide holes 334a opening at their upper ends in one of the upper end edges of the rectangular raised portion 333 on the top surface 330a adjacent to the longitudinal ends thereof extend in inclined direction toward the bottom of the body 330 at an angle e with respect to the normal to the plane of the bottom in parallel to the longitudinal ends of the raised portion 333, while guide holes 334b opening at their upper ends in the other of the upper end edges of the raised portion 333 adjacent to the longitudinal ends thereof extend in inclined direction toward the bottom of the body 330 at an angle ~ with respect to the normal to the bottom but in the opposite direction to the inclined direc-tion of the guide holes 334a in parallel to the longitudinalends, so that the projection of the guide holes 334a, 334b onto a plane parallel to the longitudinal end of the raised portion 333 intersect with each other adjacent to the bottom of the body 330. The angle e is preferably set to about 30 - 45-It is also possible to arrange three or more pairs of guide holes 334a, 334b located adjacent to each other in .
3t?3C~(~S
positions in the respective arms of the star-like shaped raised portion of the body 330 in rotational or angular symmetry around the central axis of the body 330 as shown in Figs. 28 and 29.
F~rther, a hook 342 is integrally formed in the engageable member 340. However, it is also possible to provide a ring member 315 rotatably attached to the engageable member 340 as shown in Fig. 30. The configuration of the member attached to or integrally formed in the engageable member 340 may be optiopally determined depending on the purpose of use. Further, it is also possible to provide an inner threaded portion 331' in the inner peripheral wall of the engageable member 340, while a mating outer threaded portion 341' may be formed in the outer peripheral surface of the engageable member 340 adapted to engage with the inner threaded portion 331' of the body 330 as shown in Fig. 31.
Further, it is also possible in the above described embodiment that L-shaped grooves are formed in the outer peripheral surface of the body 330 while mating projections are formed in the inner peripheral surface of the engageable member 340 in like manner shown in Fig. 7. It is apparent that L-shaped grooves are formed in the inner peripheral surface of the engageable member 340 while mating projections are formed in the outer peripheral surface of the body 330.
Fig. 32 shows a supporting member 203 as an embodi-ment of a plate-like article 35 shown in Fig. 4 adapted to r~ *
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be secured to the wàll by using the fixing device shown~
in Fig. 4. The supporting member 203 comprises a base portion 205 formed with an opening 204 for receiving the projection 15 of the body member 11 at one end, a bent-back portion ~07 bent back at the bent portion 206 from the base portion 205 by an angle of about 60 and a bent tip 209 bent upwardly from the free end of the bent-back portion 207 by an angle of about 60 at the portion 208 forming a support-ing hook portion. As shown in Fig. 33, the supporting member 203 is secured to the plasterboard 40 by using the fixing device 10. In Fig. 33, a cap 50 shown in Fig. 5 is applied on the fixing device 10. In the case as shown in Fig. 33 wherein the supporting member 203 is secured to the vertical wall, the bent-back portion 207 is positioned so as to extend upwardly so that the bent portion 206 between the base portion 205 and the bènt-back portion 207 serves as a hook for hanging an article therefrom. In this case, it is pre-ferred to locate the bent portion 208 at a position on or adjacent to the central axis of the fixing device 10. When the supporting member 203 is secured to the ceiling, the bent portion 208 serves a hook for hanging an article.
The supporting member 203 described above is very useful, because it can be firmly secured to the vertical wall or the ceiling by means of the fixing device 10 of the present invention.
Figs. 34 - 41 show various modifications of the sup-porting member 203 serving as a hook. Fig. 34 shows a ~p ~ '' .
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supporting member 203 similar to that shown in Fig. 33 but in the closed triangular form.
Fig. 35 shows a supporting member 203 wherein each of the bent portion 206, 208 is made in the arcuately rounded form so as to constitute latching portions 212, 213, respec-tively. Fig. 36 shows a supporting member 203 wherein the bent-back portion 207 is made in the curved form while a rounded portion 213 having a large radius of curvature is provided at the tip of the bent-back portion. Figs. 37 and 38 show supporting membçrs wherein rounded portions such as 212, 213 shown in Figs. 35 and 36 are applied to the sup-porting member 203 shown in Fig. 34, respectively. Fig. 39 shows an embodiment wherein the temporarily fixing pins 214 described previously is applied to the base portion 205 shown in Fig. 32. It is further possible to form befurcated arms 215 in the tip of the bent-back portion 207 as shown in Fig. 40, or to form a plurality of openings 204 in the base portion 205 each for receiving a fixing member 10.
Fig. 42 shows an embodiment of the fixing device 10 wherein the supporting member 203 is integrally formed with the body member 11 of the fixing device 10. As described above, the fixing device of the present invention can not only be made in the form for use solely by itself or for use together with a separate supporting member, but also it can be integrally formed with a supporting member which can be made optionally in a configuration without being limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings.
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Fig. 43 shows an embodiment of the fixing device of the present invention wherein the body 400 in the simple cylindrical form is provided with a plurality of guide holes 410 in like manner as described previously in each of which,a part of each fixing member such as a nail 30 or a set screw is inserted and temporarily secured in this position by means such as a bonding agent. This embodiment greatly facilitates the final fixing operation of the fixing device, because it is no more necessary to insert the fix-ing members into the respective guide holes, while anopportunity of losing the fixing members is completely avoided.
As a method of temporarily securing the fixing members 30 in the respective guide holes 410, there is proposed a method as shown in Fig. 44. In this method, the body 400 is made of ABS resin ànd the fixing members 30 are made of stainless steel, and the body 400 having the fixing members 30 partly inserted into the respective guide holes 410 in the body 400 is immersed into the solution of methyl ethyl ketone (M.E.K.) 420 for 1 - 2 seconds as shown in Fig. 44 and then removed therefrom so as to be dried by air. In this method, the solution of methyl ethyl ketone enters into the annular space between the inner peripheral surface of each guide hole 410 and the outer peripheral surface of each fixing member 30 as shown in Fig. 45ta) and the ABS
resin of the inner surface of the guide hole 410 is softened to adhere to the fixing member 30 and temporarily secure the O
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same as shown in Fig. 45(b), while the outer surface of the body 400 will not be subjected to any defective effect or deformation. As an alternative method of temporarily fixing the fixing members 30, a bonding agent such as a starch having a relatively weak securing force may be used for temporarily securing the fixing members 30 to the guide holes 410.
Finally, Fig. 46 shows an alternative embodiment of the fixing device of the present invention. In this embodi-ment a threaded hole 400 is formed in the head of the body10 secured to the plasterboard 40 using the fixing members 30 as described previously and the article 35 is secured to the head of the body lO by means of a set bolt threaded into the threaded hole 400.
As described above, the fixing device of the present invention can be positively and easily secured in the stable manner to a brittle board such as a plasterboard, a refractory board and a veneer plywood with a great securing force by using nails or set screws. Such a firm securing force can be achieved in any direction around the normal to the plane of the surface to which the fixing device is secured, while a large resistive force against removal of the fixing members is obtained. Thus, the fixing device of the present invention can be used for any brittle wall or ceiling oriented in any direction.
Since the fixing device of the present invention is simple in construction and easy in securing operation, it ~ .
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- 3~ -is conveniently used in home use.
As described above, the fixing device can be used solely by itself for a brittle wall or ceiling or used together with a supporting member such as a hook or can be integral~ly formed with a supporting member, and it is easy to remove the fixing device without leaving any defec-tive holes or flaws in the wall portion from which it is removed, thus affording a superior advantage as a fixing device.
.
,,',
As described above, the fixing device can be used solely by itself for a brittle wall or ceiling or used together with a supporting member such as a hook or can be integral~ly formed with a supporting member, and it is easy to remove the fixing device without leaving any defec-tive holes or flaws in the wall portion from which it is removed, thus affording a superior advantage as a fixing device.
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Claims (15)
1. (a) A body adapted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall portion or secured to said brittle wall portion with a member to be attached to said wall portion interposed between said body and said wall portion, said body being formed with at least two guide holes passing therethrough from the top to the bottom thereof each for receiving therein a fixing member such as a set screw or a nail so that, in use, it is extended into said wall portion to thereby fixedly secure said body to said wall portion, each of said guide holes being oriented in such an inclined direction with respect to the normal to said wall portion that said fixing members do not intersect with each other and such that some of said fixing members do not extend in parallel to the remaining fixing members; and (b) An engageable member adapted to be detachably engaged with said body over the same, said engageable member having formed integrally therewith a supporting portion such as a hook or a hanger, wherein:
(c) Said body is cylindrical in shape and said guide holes form a plurality of pairs with ones extending in parallel to each other at an angle with respect to the normal to said wall portion while the others extend in parallel to each other at said angle with respect to the normal to said wall portion but in the direction opposite to the direction of said ones of said guide holes;
(d) Said body is formed at its outer periphery with a threaded portion; and (e) Said engageable member has an inner space for receiving said body and is formed with a mating threaded portion for engaging with said threaded portion of said body so as to detachably mount said engageable member on said body.
(c) Said body is cylindrical in shape and said guide holes form a plurality of pairs with ones extending in parallel to each other at an angle with respect to the normal to said wall portion while the others extend in parallel to each other at said angle with respect to the normal to said wall portion but in the direction opposite to the direction of said ones of said guide holes;
(d) Said body is formed at its outer periphery with a threaded portion; and (e) Said engageable member has an inner space for receiving said body and is formed with a mating threaded portion for engaging with said threaded portion of said body so as to detachably mount said engageable member on said body.
2. (a) A body adapted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall portion or secured to said brittle wall portion with a member to be attached to said wall portion interposed between said body and said wall portion, said body being formed with a least two guide holes passing therethrough from the top to the bottom thereof each for receiving therein a fixing member such as a set screw or a nail so that, in use, it is extended into said wall portion to thereby fixedly secure said body to said wall portion, each of said guide holes being oriented in such an inclined direction with respect to the normal to said wall portion that said fixing members do not intersect with each other and such that some of said fixing members do not extend in parallel to the remaining fixing members; and (b) An engageable member adapted to be detachably engaged with said body over the same, said engageable member having formed integrally therewith a supporting portion such as a hook or a hanger, wherein:
(c) Said body is cylindrical in shape and said guide holes form a plurality of pairs, said guide holes in each pair extending at an angle to the normal to said wall portion in parallel but in the opposite direction to each other;
(d) Said pairs of guide holes are arranged in angular symmetry around the central axis of said body;
(e) Said body is formed in its outer periphery with engaging means such as projections and L-shaped grooves each having an arm perpendicular to the direction of said central axis; and (f) Said engageable member has an inner space for receiving said body and is formed with mating engaging means for engaging with said engaging means in said body so as to detachably mount said engageable member on said body.
(c) Said body is cylindrical in shape and said guide holes form a plurality of pairs, said guide holes in each pair extending at an angle to the normal to said wall portion in parallel but in the opposite direction to each other;
(d) Said pairs of guide holes are arranged in angular symmetry around the central axis of said body;
(e) Said body is formed in its outer periphery with engaging means such as projections and L-shaped grooves each having an arm perpendicular to the direction of said central axis; and (f) Said engageable member has an inner space for receiving said body and is formed with mating engaging means for engaging with said engaging means in said body so as to detachably mount said engageable member on said body.
3. Fixing device comprising a body adapted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall or adapted to be secured to said wall with another member interposed between said body and said wall, said body having a central axis and at least three guide holes formed therein, said guide holes being arranged at least substantially equal angular spacing from each other around said central axis of said body, the opening of each one of said guide holes at the top of said body being located at a position remote from said central axis, while the opening at the bottom of each one of said guide holes is located at a position adjacent to said central axis, said guide holes being oriented in angular symmetry around said central axis of said body to each other with each guide hole approaching nearer said central axis from the upper end to the lower end thereof but not intersecting each other even at the extension thereof, while the rotational phase at portions of each guide hole being shifted symmetrically around said central axis relative to each other from the upper end to the lower end thereof so that, in use, fixing members such as nails and set screws inserted into corresponding guide holes and driven into said wall to secure said body onto said wall do not intersect with each other and do not extend in parallel to each other.
4. Fixing device according to claim 3 wherein:
(a) The top of said body is in the form of a frustrum and (b) Said openings of said guide holes at the top of said body are located in the conical surface of said frustrum.
(a) The top of said body is in the form of a frustrum and (b) Said openings of said guide holes at the top of said body are located in the conical surface of said frustrum.
5. Fixing device comprising a body adapted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall or adapted to be secured to said wall with another member interposed between said body and said wall, said body having a central axis and at least three guide holes formed therein, said guide holes being arranged at least substantially equal angular spacing from each other around said central axis of said body, the opening of each one of said guide holes at the top of said body being located at a position remote from said central axis, while the opening at the bottom of each one of said guide holes is located at a position adjacent to said central axis, said guide holes being arranged so as not to intersect with said central axis, said opening at the top and said opening at the bottom of each guide hole being angularly shifted relative to each other around said central axis so that, in use, fixing members such as nails or set screws inserted into corresponding guide holes and driven into said wall to secure said body onto said wall do not intersect with each other and do not extend in parallel to each other, wherein:
(a) A stepped cylindrical portion or a portion in the shape of a frustrum is formed at the bottom portion of said body and (b) Said stepped cylindrical portion or said portion in the shape of a frustrum is adapted to engage with an opening formed in said interposed member.
(a) A stepped cylindrical portion or a portion in the shape of a frustrum is formed at the bottom portion of said body and (b) Said stepped cylindrical portion or said portion in the shape of a frustrum is adapted to engage with an opening formed in said interposed member.
6. Fixing device according to claim 3 wherein at least one pin is provided at the bottom of said body extending outwardly therefrom for the purpose of temporarily fixing said body.
7. Fixing device according to claim 3 wherein at least one through-hole extending from the top to the bottom of said body is formed in said body at least substantially parallel to said central axis for receiving therein and passing therethrough a temporary fixing pin.
8. Fixing device according to claim 3 wherein a threaded portion is formed inside each of said guide holes for threadedly engaging with a thread formed on a set screw adapted to be inserted therein.
9. Fixing device according to claim 3 wherein each one of said fixing members is temporarily secured in the corresponding guide hole in such a manner that said fixing members can be driven into said wall for fixing said body on said wall when said body is placed in position on said wall.
10. Fixing device according to claim 3 wherein said body is integrally formed with supporting means such as a hook or a hanger.
11. Fixing device according to claim 3 wherein said body is cylindrical in shape.
12. Fixing device comprising a body adapted to be secured directly onto a brittle wall and an engaging member which engages with said body, said body being formed with at least two pairs of guide holes passing therethrough from the top to the bottom thereof each for receiving therein a fixing member such as a set screw or a nail so that, in use, said fixing member is driven into said wall to thereby firmly secure said body to said wall, said body having a pair of parallel side surfaces, each one of said guide holes in each pair being located adjacent to a corresponding one of said pair of parallel side surfaces one of said guide holes in each pair being inclined at an angle with respect to the normal to said wall in parallel to one of said side surfaces, while the other guide hole in each pair is located along the other side surface and is inclined at said angle with respect to the normal to said wall in the direction opposite to the direction of the inclination of said one of said guide holes in parallel to said other side surface, the projection of said guide holes in each pair onto a plane parallel to said side surfaces intersecting each other at a position adjacent to the bottom of said body, said pair of side surfaces being formed with engaging means such as projections and grooves, said engaging member being formed in its inner side walls with mating engaging means for slidably engaging with said engaging means formed in said side surfaces of said body.
13. Fixing device comprising a body adapted to be secured directly onto brittle wall and an engaging member which engages with said body, said body being formed with guide holes passing therethrough from the top to the bottom thereof each for receiving therein a fixing member such as a set screw or a nail so that, in use, said fixing member is driven into said wall to thereby firmly secure said body to said wall, said body being of a cylindrical shape, said guide holes forming a plurality of pairs, one of said guide holes in each pair extending at an angle to the normal to said wall, while the other guide hole in each pair extends at said angle to the normal to said wall but in the opposite direction to said one of said guide holes in each pair, the planes perpendicular to said wall and including said guide holes in each pair, respectively, being in parallel to each other, said guide holes in each pair coming closest to each other at positions near the bottom of said body, said pairs of guide holes being arranged around said central axis of said body at an equal angular spacing to each other with respect to said central axis said body being formed in its periphery with engaging means adapted to engage with said engaging means having in the inner space an engageable member adapted to receive therein said body, thereby permitting said engageable member to be detachably mounted on said body.
14. Fixing device according to claim 13 wherein both of said engaging means comprise threaded portions threadedly engaging with each other.
15. Fixing device according to claim 13 wherein one of said two engaging means comprises a plurality of projections and the other one of said two engaging means comprises a plurality of L-shaped grooves each one of which is adapted to engage with a corresponding one of said plurality of projections, each one of said plurality of L-shaped grooves comprising a lateral groove extending perpendicularly with respect to the direction of said central axis.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000530158A CA1303005C (en) | 1987-02-19 | 1987-02-19 | Fixing device for brittle board such as plasterboard |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000530158A CA1303005C (en) | 1987-02-19 | 1987-02-19 | Fixing device for brittle board such as plasterboard |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1303005C true CA1303005C (en) | 1992-06-09 |
Family
ID=4135011
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000530158A Expired - Fee Related CA1303005C (en) | 1987-02-19 | 1987-02-19 | Fixing device for brittle board such as plasterboard |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1303005C (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2510790A (en) * | 2013-08-01 | 2014-08-13 | Retro Eco Ltd | Wall fixing plug |
-
1987
- 1987-02-19 CA CA000530158A patent/CA1303005C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2510790A (en) * | 2013-08-01 | 2014-08-13 | Retro Eco Ltd | Wall fixing plug |
| GB2510790B (en) * | 2013-08-01 | 2015-06-24 | Retro Eco Ltd | Wall fixing plug |
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| Date | Code | Title | Description |
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| MKLA | Lapsed |