CA2348939A1 - Combination wall anchor and push support fastener - Google Patents
Combination wall anchor and push support fastener Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2348939A1 CA2348939A1 CA002348939A CA2348939A CA2348939A1 CA 2348939 A1 CA2348939 A1 CA 2348939A1 CA 002348939 A CA002348939 A CA 002348939A CA 2348939 A CA2348939 A CA 2348939A CA 2348939 A1 CA2348939 A1 CA 2348939A1
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- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- wall
- anchor
- support
- elongated member
- combination
- 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.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 claims 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 12
- 238000007373 indentation Methods 0.000 description 11
- 229920003266 Leaf® Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 2
- 229910052602 gypsum Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000010440 gypsum Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000003993 interaction Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000010079 rubber tapping Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000004677 Nylon Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000003292 diminished effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005553 drilling Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000013011 mating Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229920001778 nylon Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000011435 rock Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000002023 wood Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16B—DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING
- F16B13/00—Dowels or other devices fastened in walls or the like by inserting them in holes made therein for that purpose
- F16B13/002—Dowels or other devices fastened in walls or the like by inserting them in holes made therein for that purpose self-cutting
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16B—DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING
- F16B21/00—Means for preventing relative axial movement of a pin, spigot, shaft or the like and a member surrounding it; Stud-and-socket releasable fastenings
- F16B21/02—Releasable fastening devices locking by rotation
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16B—DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING
- F16B21/00—Means for preventing relative axial movement of a pin, spigot, shaft or the like and a member surrounding it; Stud-and-socket releasable fastenings
- F16B21/06—Releasable fastening devices with snap-action
- F16B21/08—Releasable fastening devices with snap-action in which the stud, pin, or spigot has a resilient part
- F16B21/084—Releasable fastening devices with snap-action in which the stud, pin, or spigot has a resilient part with a series of flexible ribs or fins extending laterally from the shank of the stud, pin or spigot, said ribs or fins deforming predominantly in a direction parallel to the direction of insertion of the shank
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Dowels (AREA)
Abstract
A combination wall anchor and support fastener comprises a wall anchor (A) adapted to be securely installed in a support structure such as a wall or a ceiling, and a support fastener (F, F') having an elongated member or stem (26) and a proximal support system (32). The wall anchor (A) defines an inne r bore (20) delimited by an inner wall (24). The elongated member or stem (26) is translationally insertable in the inner bore (20). A locking mechanism (2 2, 30/30') is provided for locking the elongated member (26) to the inner wall (24) upon sufficient translational insertion of the elongated member (26) in the inner bore (20). Therefore, with the wall anchor (A) secured to the support structure, the support fastener (F, F') can be inserted in the wall anchor (A) and locked thereto with the support system (32) being usable for suspending, mounting, attaching, etc., an item to the support structure. The locking mechanism (22, 30/30') may comprise a notch or recess (22) which is defined in the inner wall (24) and at least one tooth (30/30') protruding sideways from the stem (26). Typically, a number of axially spaced and align ed teeth (30/30') are provided on the outside of the stem (26), with each tooth (30/30') being adapted for engagement in the recess (22) such that various locked relativepositions can be obtained between the wall anchor (A) and the support fastener (F, F'). The locking mechanism (22, 30/30') can be disengaged, for instance, by rotating the support fastener (F, F') with respect to the wall anchor (A) such that the relevant tooth (30/30') is rotated out of the recess (22) thereby allowing for the support fastener (F, F') to be translationally withdrawn from the wall anchor (A).
Description
COMBINATION WALL ANCHOR AND
PUSH SUPPORT FASTENER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to wall anchors for securing a support fastener and particularly to a cylindrical wall anchor with an outer thread for threading into wall material such as dry wall, sheet rock and wood comprising the surface material of a hollow wall or similar structure.
PUSH SUPPORT FASTENER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to wall anchors for securing a support fastener and particularly to a cylindrical wall anchor with an outer thread for threading into wall material such as dry wall, sheet rock and wood comprising the surface material of a hollow wall or similar structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art In U.S. Patent No. 5,308,203 issued on May 3, 1994 to McSherry, the distal or cutting end of the anchor is constructed to provide a circular cut in the wall in advance of the outer threads as the distal end of the anchor is press-turned into the wall. The anchors disclosed in U.S. Pat.
No. 5,308,203 have through bores extending from the flanged end of the anchor to the open cutting end where opposed saw teeth extend from the periphery.
The open end provides access to the bore for wall material that is displaced by sawing action of the teeth as the anchor is rotated and pressed into the wall. The threads which preferably extend and diminish in size from the flanged end to closely adjacent the teeth act to assist in drawing the anchor through the wall as do the threads of a screw when rotated into material.
In U.S. Patent No. 5,536,121 issued on July 16, 1996 to McSherry hollow cylindrical anchors are disclosed which provide centering points at their distal ends. In one instance, a flat arrow shaped drill bit straddles the open distal end of the anchor. In another instance, a centering finger extends from the inner surface of the bore adjacent a single cutter which extends from the periphery of the open end. In yet another instance the single cutter extending from the periphery of the anchor is formed as a cowl with the tip brought to the anchor's axis.
In U.S. Patent No. 5,752,792 issued to McSherry on May 19, 1998, the through bore extending centrally in the hollow anchor has a cruciform shape as longitudinal splines are defined on the inner wall of the anchor. A threaded fastener rotatably engaged in the anchor will tap a female thread in these splines for secure engagement of the fastener to the wall anchor. This anchor, illustrated in Figure 4 of the present application, will be described in further details hereinafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a novel combination of a wall anchor and a support fastener.
It is also an aim of the present invention to provide the above combination, wherein the support fastener is translationally inserted in the wall anchor with a locking mechanism being provided for securing the support fastener to the wall anchor upon translational insertion of the support fastener in the wall anchor.
It is a further aim of the present invention to provide the above combination, wherein the locking mechanism is selectively disengageable for allowing the support fastener to be removed from the wall anchor.
Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a combination wall anchor and support fastener, comprising anchor means adapted to be securely installed in a support structure, and support means having an elongated member and a proximal support system, said anchor means defining an inner bore delimited by an inner wall, said elongated member being insertable in said bore, locking means for locking said elongated member to said inner wall upon sufficient translational insertion of said elongated member in said bore, whereby with said anchor means secured to the support structure, said support means can be inserted in said anchor means and locked thereto by virtue of said locking means with said support system being usable for suspending, mounting, attaching, etc., an item to the support structure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which:
Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a combination wall anchor and pushed support fastener in accordance with the present invention, where the wall anchor is shown in a longitudinal cross-section to clearly illustrate the interaction between the support fastener and the wall anchor in a locking position thereof;
Fig. 2 is a schematic end view of the combination of Fig. 1, but wherein only the cylindrical body of the anchor A is shown, that is without its flanged end, its spiral thread and its pointed end;
Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a variant of the support fastener of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a bottom perspective view of a wall anchor of the prior art.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Figure 4 illustrates an outwardly threaded hollow wall anchor 10 of the prior art, which comprises a cylindrical body 11 with a flange 12 at its proximal end and a single cutter 13 at its distal end. A through bore 14 extends from the flanged end 12 to the cutting end 13 where it is partially closed because of the dome shape of the cutting end 13 which itself terminates at a tip 15 of the wall anchor 10 with the tip 15 substantially intersecting the central longitudinal axis of the wall anchor 10. A
deep tapping thread 16 (specially adapted for engagement in friable structures, such as gypsum walls? spirals around the cylindrical body 11 which constitutes the root of the tapping thread, from near the flange 12 where its diameter is the largest, to adjacent the tip 15 where its size is diminished for ease of entry into the wall material as soon as the cutting end 13 penetrates the wall. In this way, the anchor 10 screws into the wall without the need for drilling.
The proximal end of the through bore 14 is formed at 114 to accept a torque producing tool to rotate the anchor 10 thereby driving it into a wall once the tip 15 is inserted in the wall and the distal terminal end of the thread 16 enters the wall and assists in then drawing the anchor 10 through the wall material in a screw-like fashion. A compression band 17 extends between the turns of the thread 16 to increase the compacting pressure of the wall material against the body 11 of the anchor 10 between the turns of the thread 16.
As the anchor 10 is turned with the cutting end 13 inserted in the wall, it advances because of the threads 16 and the cutting edge 13 cuts the wall material. The bore 14 at the distal end receives wall material cut by the cutter so that the material is not pushed to explode at the exit surface of the wall to thereby weaken the holding capacity of the anchor.
Four splines 18 extend axially in a cruciform configuration along the inner surface of the bore 14 for receiving the threading of a support screw, not shown. The crests of the threading 16 are formed with cutting indentations 19 to assist in the threading of the anchor 10 into the wall. As the anchor 10 is rotated, these indentations 19 actually cut the path of the threading 16 in the wall material.
A variant of the prior art anchor 10 of Figure 4 is shown in U.S. Patent No. 5,752,792 issued to McSherry on May 19, 1988. The splines 18 of the anchor 10 of Figure 4 are best seen at 115 in Figure 4 of U.S. Patent No. 5,752,792. The external thread of a support screw when rotated within the bore 14 taps a mating female thread in the spline 18 for securing the support screw or the like to the anchor 10. This necessitates for the support fastener to be secured to the anchor 10 to be rotated for secure connection therebetween.
In accordance with the present invention, Figure 1 illustrates a combination of an anchor A and of a push support fastener F. The wall anchor A
resembles the wall anchor 10 of Figure 4 in its outside configuration and in its ability to be securely mounted to a support member, such as a gypsum panel. On the other hand, the anchor A of the present invention differs from the prior art anchor of Figure 4 in that an inner bore 20 of the wall anchor A does not define any splines such as the splines 18 of Figure 4 or the splines 15 of U.S.
Patent No. 5,752,792. In fact, the bore 20 of the present wall anchor A is mostly cylindrical, being only typically interrupted by at least one small recess, notch or indentation 22 defined on an inner wall 24 of the wall anchor A.
The support fastener F is shown here as a pin-type push member having a cylindrical stem 26 including an outer wall 28 defining a series of aligned ratchet teeth 30. The support fastener F also comprises a head member 32 defining a diametrical slot 34.
The support fastener F is, for instance, made of nylon such that the ratchet teeth 30 thereof are somewhat compressible. Other suitable materials could also be used. When the stem 26 of the support fastener F is translationally inserted in the bore 20 of the wall anchor A which has been previously secured, for instance, to a wall, the ratchet teeth 30 compress inwardly since the outside diameter of the stem 26 is only slightly less than the diameter of the bore 20, whereby for the support fastener F to be insertable in the wall anchor A, the ratchet teeth 30 must inwardly give; in other words, the outside transverse dimensions of the stem 26 at its teeth 30 is greater than the inside diameter of the cylindrical portion of the inner wall 24 (i.e. not at the recess 22 thereof) which defines the bore 20 of the wall anchor A.
Once either one of the ratchet teeth 30 has reached the indentation 22 defined in the inner wall 24 of the anchor A, it resiliently extends or deploys back to its original at rest position, as seen in Figure 1, that is within the indentation 22. The fastener F can be adjustably pushed in the wall anchor A in order to get a desired position of the head member 22 thereof with respect to the flanged end 12 of the wall anchor A.
The ratchet teeth 30 each define distally a sloped section 36 and proximally a straight annular locking section 38 which defines a radially extending locking surface 39. The sloped section 36 assists in the compression of the ratchet teeth during the insertion of the support fastener F in the wall anchor A, either when the ratchet teeth 30 encounter proximal edge 40 (of the inner wall 24) or when they are pushed out of the indentation 22. The locking section 38, including its locking surface 39, prevents the support fastener F from being withdrawn from the wall anchor A once one of the ratchet teeth 30 thereof is lodged in the indentation 22.
To remove the support fastener F from the wall anchor A, the fastener F is rotated, in the illustrated embodiment by using, for instance, a screwdriver engaged in the slot 34 of the head member 32 thereof, thereby rotating the engaged tooth 30 along a circular path parallel to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the wall anchor A and thus out of the recess 22 while forcing the ratchet tooth 30 engaged in the indentation 22 to become compressed by the adjacent cylindrical inner wall 24 of the anchor A until the ratchet teeth 30 are not actually aligned with the indentation 22, at which point the support fastener F can be withdrawn from the wall anchor A with its ratchet teeth 30 being compressed by the inner wall 24.
Obviously, the head member 32 can be replaced by various other fixtures, such as various types of hooks, etc.
Therefore, the present support fastener F
does not need to be rotated in order to become engaged to the wall anchor A, as in the prior art.
Indeed, the present fastener F is simply translationally inserted into the bore 20 of the anchor A. Indicia may be formed on the head 32 and on the flanged end 12 in order that the ratchet teeth 30 are actually aligned with the indentation 22 during the insertion of the support fastener F into the wall anchor A.
Obviously, various designs of anchors can be used and also the configuration of the stem of the fastener can also be modified as long as there is a locking interaction between the stem of the fastener and the inner wall of the anchor during translational insertion of the latter into the former. The ratchet teeth 30 could also engage any other shoulder-like element of the anchor A, and not only the shoulder defined in the recess 22; indeed, as seen in figure 1, the intermediate ratchet tooth has its locking surface 39 in abutment with a locking shoulder 42 defined at a junction of the stem 26 with the open distal end of the anchor.
It is also possible to have the ratchet teeth 30 extending completely around the stem 28 in order that the fastener F cannot at all be removed from the anchor A, which might be desirable in certain applications.
Figure 3 illustrates a variant support fastener F' with a larger number of ratchet teeth 30' than in Figure 1.
In Figures 1 and 2, it is noted that the ratchet teeth 30 are illustrated as extending half way around the outer wall 28 of the stem 26 of the fastener F with the indentation 22 also extending half way in the inner wall 24 of the anchor A thereby requiring that the fastener F be rotated for instance 180° to dislodge its ratchet teeth 30 from the wall anchor A.
The male elements of the locking mechanism are provided on the stem 26 of the support fastener F, whereas the female element is provided on the inner wall 24 of the wall anchor A. It must be noted that the male elements can take forms other than the above-described and herein illustrated resilient ratchet teeth 30. For instance, the male elements can each be embodied in the form of a mechanical spring biased leaf extending at an angle with respect the longitudinal axis of the support fastener F and towards the head member 32 thereof; in such a case, when the stem 26 would be introduced in the bore 20, the leafs would be forced by the inner wall 24 to bend towards the stem 26 but would bounce back to their deployed or expanded position upon reaching the recess 22. Other male elements displaceable between collapsed and expanded/deployed positions could also be contemplated. Similarly, the female element can vary in number and in structure (in the described embodiment, the female element is embodied by the recess 22 and/or shoulder 42).
Furthermore, the male elements and the female elements) of the locking mechanism are herein described and shown as being provided respectively on the support fastener F and on the wall anchor A;
however, this arrangement could be obviously reversed.
It is also readily understood that the wall anchor A can be designed to be engageable to the wall, or other supporting structure, with means other than the present screw thread 16.
No. 5,308,203 have through bores extending from the flanged end of the anchor to the open cutting end where opposed saw teeth extend from the periphery.
The open end provides access to the bore for wall material that is displaced by sawing action of the teeth as the anchor is rotated and pressed into the wall. The threads which preferably extend and diminish in size from the flanged end to closely adjacent the teeth act to assist in drawing the anchor through the wall as do the threads of a screw when rotated into material.
In U.S. Patent No. 5,536,121 issued on July 16, 1996 to McSherry hollow cylindrical anchors are disclosed which provide centering points at their distal ends. In one instance, a flat arrow shaped drill bit straddles the open distal end of the anchor. In another instance, a centering finger extends from the inner surface of the bore adjacent a single cutter which extends from the periphery of the open end. In yet another instance the single cutter extending from the periphery of the anchor is formed as a cowl with the tip brought to the anchor's axis.
In U.S. Patent No. 5,752,792 issued to McSherry on May 19, 1998, the through bore extending centrally in the hollow anchor has a cruciform shape as longitudinal splines are defined on the inner wall of the anchor. A threaded fastener rotatably engaged in the anchor will tap a female thread in these splines for secure engagement of the fastener to the wall anchor. This anchor, illustrated in Figure 4 of the present application, will be described in further details hereinafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a novel combination of a wall anchor and a support fastener.
It is also an aim of the present invention to provide the above combination, wherein the support fastener is translationally inserted in the wall anchor with a locking mechanism being provided for securing the support fastener to the wall anchor upon translational insertion of the support fastener in the wall anchor.
It is a further aim of the present invention to provide the above combination, wherein the locking mechanism is selectively disengageable for allowing the support fastener to be removed from the wall anchor.
Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a combination wall anchor and support fastener, comprising anchor means adapted to be securely installed in a support structure, and support means having an elongated member and a proximal support system, said anchor means defining an inner bore delimited by an inner wall, said elongated member being insertable in said bore, locking means for locking said elongated member to said inner wall upon sufficient translational insertion of said elongated member in said bore, whereby with said anchor means secured to the support structure, said support means can be inserted in said anchor means and locked thereto by virtue of said locking means with said support system being usable for suspending, mounting, attaching, etc., an item to the support structure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which:
Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a combination wall anchor and pushed support fastener in accordance with the present invention, where the wall anchor is shown in a longitudinal cross-section to clearly illustrate the interaction between the support fastener and the wall anchor in a locking position thereof;
Fig. 2 is a schematic end view of the combination of Fig. 1, but wherein only the cylindrical body of the anchor A is shown, that is without its flanged end, its spiral thread and its pointed end;
Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a variant of the support fastener of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a bottom perspective view of a wall anchor of the prior art.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Figure 4 illustrates an outwardly threaded hollow wall anchor 10 of the prior art, which comprises a cylindrical body 11 with a flange 12 at its proximal end and a single cutter 13 at its distal end. A through bore 14 extends from the flanged end 12 to the cutting end 13 where it is partially closed because of the dome shape of the cutting end 13 which itself terminates at a tip 15 of the wall anchor 10 with the tip 15 substantially intersecting the central longitudinal axis of the wall anchor 10. A
deep tapping thread 16 (specially adapted for engagement in friable structures, such as gypsum walls? spirals around the cylindrical body 11 which constitutes the root of the tapping thread, from near the flange 12 where its diameter is the largest, to adjacent the tip 15 where its size is diminished for ease of entry into the wall material as soon as the cutting end 13 penetrates the wall. In this way, the anchor 10 screws into the wall without the need for drilling.
The proximal end of the through bore 14 is formed at 114 to accept a torque producing tool to rotate the anchor 10 thereby driving it into a wall once the tip 15 is inserted in the wall and the distal terminal end of the thread 16 enters the wall and assists in then drawing the anchor 10 through the wall material in a screw-like fashion. A compression band 17 extends between the turns of the thread 16 to increase the compacting pressure of the wall material against the body 11 of the anchor 10 between the turns of the thread 16.
As the anchor 10 is turned with the cutting end 13 inserted in the wall, it advances because of the threads 16 and the cutting edge 13 cuts the wall material. The bore 14 at the distal end receives wall material cut by the cutter so that the material is not pushed to explode at the exit surface of the wall to thereby weaken the holding capacity of the anchor.
Four splines 18 extend axially in a cruciform configuration along the inner surface of the bore 14 for receiving the threading of a support screw, not shown. The crests of the threading 16 are formed with cutting indentations 19 to assist in the threading of the anchor 10 into the wall. As the anchor 10 is rotated, these indentations 19 actually cut the path of the threading 16 in the wall material.
A variant of the prior art anchor 10 of Figure 4 is shown in U.S. Patent No. 5,752,792 issued to McSherry on May 19, 1988. The splines 18 of the anchor 10 of Figure 4 are best seen at 115 in Figure 4 of U.S. Patent No. 5,752,792. The external thread of a support screw when rotated within the bore 14 taps a mating female thread in the spline 18 for securing the support screw or the like to the anchor 10. This necessitates for the support fastener to be secured to the anchor 10 to be rotated for secure connection therebetween.
In accordance with the present invention, Figure 1 illustrates a combination of an anchor A and of a push support fastener F. The wall anchor A
resembles the wall anchor 10 of Figure 4 in its outside configuration and in its ability to be securely mounted to a support member, such as a gypsum panel. On the other hand, the anchor A of the present invention differs from the prior art anchor of Figure 4 in that an inner bore 20 of the wall anchor A does not define any splines such as the splines 18 of Figure 4 or the splines 15 of U.S.
Patent No. 5,752,792. In fact, the bore 20 of the present wall anchor A is mostly cylindrical, being only typically interrupted by at least one small recess, notch or indentation 22 defined on an inner wall 24 of the wall anchor A.
The support fastener F is shown here as a pin-type push member having a cylindrical stem 26 including an outer wall 28 defining a series of aligned ratchet teeth 30. The support fastener F also comprises a head member 32 defining a diametrical slot 34.
The support fastener F is, for instance, made of nylon such that the ratchet teeth 30 thereof are somewhat compressible. Other suitable materials could also be used. When the stem 26 of the support fastener F is translationally inserted in the bore 20 of the wall anchor A which has been previously secured, for instance, to a wall, the ratchet teeth 30 compress inwardly since the outside diameter of the stem 26 is only slightly less than the diameter of the bore 20, whereby for the support fastener F to be insertable in the wall anchor A, the ratchet teeth 30 must inwardly give; in other words, the outside transverse dimensions of the stem 26 at its teeth 30 is greater than the inside diameter of the cylindrical portion of the inner wall 24 (i.e. not at the recess 22 thereof) which defines the bore 20 of the wall anchor A.
Once either one of the ratchet teeth 30 has reached the indentation 22 defined in the inner wall 24 of the anchor A, it resiliently extends or deploys back to its original at rest position, as seen in Figure 1, that is within the indentation 22. The fastener F can be adjustably pushed in the wall anchor A in order to get a desired position of the head member 22 thereof with respect to the flanged end 12 of the wall anchor A.
The ratchet teeth 30 each define distally a sloped section 36 and proximally a straight annular locking section 38 which defines a radially extending locking surface 39. The sloped section 36 assists in the compression of the ratchet teeth during the insertion of the support fastener F in the wall anchor A, either when the ratchet teeth 30 encounter proximal edge 40 (of the inner wall 24) or when they are pushed out of the indentation 22. The locking section 38, including its locking surface 39, prevents the support fastener F from being withdrawn from the wall anchor A once one of the ratchet teeth 30 thereof is lodged in the indentation 22.
To remove the support fastener F from the wall anchor A, the fastener F is rotated, in the illustrated embodiment by using, for instance, a screwdriver engaged in the slot 34 of the head member 32 thereof, thereby rotating the engaged tooth 30 along a circular path parallel to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the wall anchor A and thus out of the recess 22 while forcing the ratchet tooth 30 engaged in the indentation 22 to become compressed by the adjacent cylindrical inner wall 24 of the anchor A until the ratchet teeth 30 are not actually aligned with the indentation 22, at which point the support fastener F can be withdrawn from the wall anchor A with its ratchet teeth 30 being compressed by the inner wall 24.
Obviously, the head member 32 can be replaced by various other fixtures, such as various types of hooks, etc.
Therefore, the present support fastener F
does not need to be rotated in order to become engaged to the wall anchor A, as in the prior art.
Indeed, the present fastener F is simply translationally inserted into the bore 20 of the anchor A. Indicia may be formed on the head 32 and on the flanged end 12 in order that the ratchet teeth 30 are actually aligned with the indentation 22 during the insertion of the support fastener F into the wall anchor A.
Obviously, various designs of anchors can be used and also the configuration of the stem of the fastener can also be modified as long as there is a locking interaction between the stem of the fastener and the inner wall of the anchor during translational insertion of the latter into the former. The ratchet teeth 30 could also engage any other shoulder-like element of the anchor A, and not only the shoulder defined in the recess 22; indeed, as seen in figure 1, the intermediate ratchet tooth has its locking surface 39 in abutment with a locking shoulder 42 defined at a junction of the stem 26 with the open distal end of the anchor.
It is also possible to have the ratchet teeth 30 extending completely around the stem 28 in order that the fastener F cannot at all be removed from the anchor A, which might be desirable in certain applications.
Figure 3 illustrates a variant support fastener F' with a larger number of ratchet teeth 30' than in Figure 1.
In Figures 1 and 2, it is noted that the ratchet teeth 30 are illustrated as extending half way around the outer wall 28 of the stem 26 of the fastener F with the indentation 22 also extending half way in the inner wall 24 of the anchor A thereby requiring that the fastener F be rotated for instance 180° to dislodge its ratchet teeth 30 from the wall anchor A.
The male elements of the locking mechanism are provided on the stem 26 of the support fastener F, whereas the female element is provided on the inner wall 24 of the wall anchor A. It must be noted that the male elements can take forms other than the above-described and herein illustrated resilient ratchet teeth 30. For instance, the male elements can each be embodied in the form of a mechanical spring biased leaf extending at an angle with respect the longitudinal axis of the support fastener F and towards the head member 32 thereof; in such a case, when the stem 26 would be introduced in the bore 20, the leafs would be forced by the inner wall 24 to bend towards the stem 26 but would bounce back to their deployed or expanded position upon reaching the recess 22. Other male elements displaceable between collapsed and expanded/deployed positions could also be contemplated. Similarly, the female element can vary in number and in structure (in the described embodiment, the female element is embodied by the recess 22 and/or shoulder 42).
Furthermore, the male elements and the female elements) of the locking mechanism are herein described and shown as being provided respectively on the support fastener F and on the wall anchor A;
however, this arrangement could be obviously reversed.
It is also readily understood that the wall anchor A can be designed to be engageable to the wall, or other supporting structure, with means other than the present screw thread 16.
Claims (10)
1. A combination wall anchor and support fastener, comprising anchor means adapted to be securely installed in a support structure, and support means having an elongated member and a proximal support system, said anchor means defining an inner bore delimited by an inner wall, said elongated member being insertable in said bore, locking means for locking said elongated member to said inner wall upon sufficient translational insertion of said elongated member in said bore, whereby with said anchor means secured to the support structure, said support means can be inserted in said anchor means and locked thereto by virtue of said locking means with said support system being usable for suspending, mounting, attaching, etc., an item to the support structure.
2. A combination as defined in Claim 1, wherein said locking means comprise at least one male element and at least one female element provided on one and the other of the anchor means and the support means.
3. A combination as defined in Claim 2, wherein female element comprises a recess defined in said inner wall, and wherein said male element comprises at least one tooth protruding sideways from said elongated member.
4. A combination as defined in Claim 3, wherein there are provided on said elongated member a number of axially spaced and aligned teeth each adapted for engagement in said recess, whereby various locked relative positions can be obtained axially between said anchor means and said support means.
5. A combination as defined in Claim 1, wherein said locking means can be disengaged by rotating said elongated member with respect to said anchor means.
6. A combination as defined in Claim 3, wherein said tooth and said recess each extend substantially halfway around said elongated member and said inner wall, respectively, and wherein said locking means can be disengaged by rotating said elongated member with respect to said anchor means.
7. A combination as defined in Claim 3, wherein each said tooth is of resilient construction and is capable of being compressed by said inner wall and to bounce back to a deployed position when it reaches said recess for lockingly lodging therein.
8. A combination as defined in Claim 7, wherein said locking means is of the ratchet-type, each said tooth having a sloped distal section and a locking proximal section, said sloped section facilitating the introduction of the tooth into said bore, whereas said locking section is adapted to lockingly engage said recess.
9. A combination as defined in Claim 3, wherein transverse outside dimensions of said elongated member at said tooth, with said tooth in a deployed position thereof, are greater than transverse dimensions of said inner wall adjacent to said recess.
10. A combination as defined in Claim 1, wherein said support system comprises grip means engageable to rotate said support means.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002348939A CA2348939A1 (en) | 1998-10-28 | 1999-10-28 | Combination wall anchor and push support fastener |
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2252008 CA2252008A1 (en) | 1998-10-28 | 1998-10-28 | Combination wall anchor and push support fastener |
| CA2,252,008 | 1998-10-28 | ||
| PCT/CA1999/000986 WO2000025031A1 (en) | 1998-10-28 | 1999-10-28 | Combination wall anchor and push support fastener |
| CA002348939A CA2348939A1 (en) | 1998-10-28 | 1999-10-28 | Combination wall anchor and push support fastener |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2348939A1 true CA2348939A1 (en) | 2000-05-04 |
Family
ID=25680602
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002348939A Abandoned CA2348939A1 (en) | 1998-10-28 | 1999-10-28 | Combination wall anchor and push support fastener |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2348939A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US7713013B2 (en) | 2004-10-08 | 2010-05-11 | Innozinc, Inc. | Supporting device |
| CN111779748A (en) * | 2020-07-18 | 2020-10-16 | 杨磊 | Reinforced punching-free expansion screw |
-
1999
- 1999-10-28 CA CA002348939A patent/CA2348939A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US7713013B2 (en) | 2004-10-08 | 2010-05-11 | Innozinc, Inc. | Supporting device |
| CN111779748A (en) * | 2020-07-18 | 2020-10-16 | 杨磊 | Reinforced punching-free expansion screw |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Discontinued |