GB2526892A

GB2526892A - Drywall fixing

Info

Publication number: GB2526892A
Application number: GB1419191.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Karl Dorn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-04-23
Filing date: 2014-10-29
Publication date: 2015-12-09
Anticipated expiration: 2034-10-29
Also published as: GB201419191D0; GB2526892B; GB201407138D0

Abstract

A device a for securing items to cavity walls covered in plasterboard or other materials, manufactured from a sheet of material which has bend lines c, d, e, f at specific points. A screw hole b allows a screw to be driven through the wall to engage with the slot g on the other side, tightening the fixing against both sides of the wall.

Description

Intellectual Property Office Application No. GB1419191.0 RTTVI Date:29 September 2015 The following terms are registered trade marks and should be read as such wherever they occur in this document: Dremel Intellectual Property Office is an operating name of the Patent Office www.gov.uk/ipo

FIXING DEVICE

The present invention relates to a fixing device and a method of securing a fixing in a structure. The present invention finds particular, though not exclusive, utility in providing fixing points in plasterboard cavity walls or ceilings for the purpose of affixing other items thereto.

Plasterboard fixings presently available require a minimum cavity behind the plasterboard of 17mm for light loads below 10kg, such as pictures,wall, mirrors, coat hooks and light fixings. For medium loads between 10kg and 20kg, such as shelves, floor supported cupboards and heaters, radiators and lighting tracks, a minimum cavity of 36mm would be required. For heavy duty loads between 20kg and 50kg, such as wall mounted cupboards and heaters, hand rails and televisions, a minimum cavity depth behind the plasterboard of 50mm would be required.

Certain prior art devices are available to address these problems, US2004052606 Dowel for lightweight building materials and use of a screw driver bit for screwing in such dowels provides a solution for lightweight fixings but in my experience they don't hold much weight in either walls or ceilings.

EP 0582374 A2 Is a fastener anchor for use with drywall/plasterboard which is screwed into the drywall/plasterboard then a screw is used to attach the fixings, in my experience any over tightening of the fixture crumbles the drywall/plasterboard and compromises the fixing.

EP 0169335 Bi Plug is used by first drilling a hole in the plasterboard and a screw is then inserted that causes the fixing to fold and grip the drywall/ plasterboard, as with the previous solution mentioned ER 0582374 A2 any over tightening can cause the fixture to weaken the drywall/plasterboard and compromise the fixture.

The aim of the present invention is to reduce the damage that can occur with some of the fixings mentioned and increase the amount of weight that a fixing can hold both in walls and ceilings.

The Dry Wall Fixing is designed to be used with drywall/plasterboard without the need to locate a timber joist to help support it, essentially the fixing is designed to be used with plasterboard if the user cannot locate a timber joist to fix too, it could also be used with other cavity wall coverings.

Most buildings have either 9.5mm or 12.5mm thick plasterboard so the internal bendable line is used with other bendable lines cut at 9.5mm, 12.5mm and 25mm which would ensure both the internal surface and the external surface end up flush on either side of the plasterboard, there are specialist plasterboards up to 50mm thick so for specialist situations a larger version could be custom made. In some situations plasterboard is doubled up so they would require one more than double the size of one for a standard plasterboard sheet thats why the invention has a bendable line at 25mm, there are also plasterboards that have insulation on one side so these too might require a specific size being custom made. The invention could be made to fit as wide a range of standard plasterboards or cavity wall coverings as necessary.

The current invention consists of a sheet of material that could be made in various thicknesses with holes and slots that allow the user to create multiple fixing points, the invention has slots at specific positions that allow the user to bend the material prior to insertion into the plasterboard. The current invention also has holes for screws to be inserted and narrow slots where the said screws grip and tighten the device to the plasterboards internal and external surfaces rather than creating pressure on any holes in the plasterboard, the shape of the fixing blade is essentially a rectangle with a pointed or rounded end to help insert into the plasterboard.To use the installer marks where screws need to be located and lines the mark up with one of the holes in the invention, then they mark where the internal bend will be in relation to the required fixing point or points. To fit the invention the users cuts a slot in the plasterboard at the desired position to the width of the invention with a knife, chisel, screwdriver or electrical tool like a Dremel or a drill, the user then bends the invention at the internal bend to approximately 90 degrees. The invention is then inserted into the slot with the pointed or rounded end first into the plasterboard through the slot trying not to straighten the bend too much, once inserted the user bends the externally exposed part of the invention using one or more of the other bend lines until it is flush with the plasterboard surface. The user then inserts a screw through the hole nearest to the slot in the plasterboard at an angle which should line up with and grip the central slot nearest to the internal bend and pull the internal and external surfaces tight against their respective plasterboard surfaces, at this point the user can remove the first screw and reinsert it with whatever the user is attaching to the wall, then the user could use the other holes to insert more screws to make the fitting even more secure together with whatever they are attaching to the plasterboard. If required the user could choose to also use self tapping screws to secure the invention and the item or items they are attaching to the wall even more securely, some self tapping screws require a pilot hole which the user would drill with an appropriately sized drill, the user could choose to use self tapping screws that cut their own holes.

For heavier loads the invention could be made with wider material and with more slots, they could also made with a thicker material to make the invention more load bearing.

If at some point in the future the user decides they no longer want the fixings in the wall or ceiling then they would simply undo the screws and pull the invention from the insertion slot, the current invention could be used with wall brackets, TV brackets, hooks etc. or to fix shelves, hooks etc. these can be fitted securely to cavities and totally removed whenever required.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect reference will now be made by way of example with reference to the accompanying 18 illustrations on 6 sheets of paper. I will refer to the cavity wall covering as plasterboard although the invention could be used with other cavity coverings, I'll also focus on using just one design of the fixing blade rather than repeat the same description several times. Non of the pictures are scale drawings as the design of the invention would essentially be the same whatever size or shape of fixing blade is used, the drawings show an upright installation but the same methods could be used to insert above, below or to either side of an insertion slot. The drawings also illustrate a straight cut for the bend lines but they could be slotted cuts. Please also note the drawings illustrate the device using one screw hole and one slot when users may be using one of the designs with more holes and slots together with more screws but the methods would be the same, all the designs could also use additional self tapping screws or self drilling tapping screws to give additional grip to any of the fixings.

Sheet 1/6 Figure 1. Shows a plan view of the fixing blade (a) which is a rectangular shape with a point at one end, in this illustration there is one screw hole (b) and bendable lines at (c), (d), (e) and an internal bendable line (f). Theres also a screw slot (g). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 9.5mm from bendable line (e). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 12.5mm from bendable line (d), the internal bendable line (f) is approximately 25mm from bendable line (c). The distance between the bendable lines is based on standard sizes of plasterboard but those lines could be cut at any position on the fixing blade depending on the thickness of cavity covering.

Figure 2. Shows a plan view of the fixing blade (h) which is similar to the fixing blade (a) in Figure 1. sheet 1/6. in this illustration it is wider and there are two screw holes (b) and bendable lines at (c), (d), (e) and an internal bendable line (f). Theres are two screw slots (g). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 9.5mm from bendable line (e). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 12.5mm from bendable line (d), the internal bendable line (f) is approximately 25mm from bendable line (c). The distance between the bendable lines is based on standard sizes of plasterboard but those lines could be cut at any position on the fixing blade depending on the thickness of cavity covering.

Figure 3. Shows a plan view of the fixing blade (h) which is similar to the fixing blade (a) in Figure 1. sheet 1/6. in this illustration it is wider and there are three screw holes (b) and bendable lines at (c), (d), (e) and an internal bendable line (f). Theres are three screw slots (g). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 9.5mm from bendable line (e). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 12.5mm from bendable line (d), the internal bendable line (f) is approximately 25mm from bendable line (c). The distance between the bendable lines is based on standard sizes of plasterboard but those lines could be cut at any position on the fixing blade depending on the thickness of cavity covering.

Sheet 2/6 Figure 4. Shows a plan view of the fixing blade (j) which is a rectangular shape that is rounded at one end, in this illustration there is one screw hole (b) and bendable lines at (c), (d), (e) and an internal bendable line (f). Theres also a screw slot (g). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 9.5mm from bendable line (e). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 12.5mm from bendable line (d), the internal bendable line (f) is approximately 25mm from bendable line (c). The distance between the bendable lines is based on standard sizes of plasterboard but those lines could be cut at any position on the fixing blade depending on the thickness of cavity covering.

Figure 5. Shows a plan view of the fixing blade (k) which is similar to the fixing blade (j) in Figure 4. sheet 2/6. in this illustration it is wider and there are two screw holes (b) and bendable lines at (c), (d), (e) and an internal bendable line (f). Theres are two screw slots (g). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 9.5mm from bendable line (e). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 12.5mm from bendable line (d), the internal bendable line (f) is approximately 25mm from bendable line (c). The distance between the bendable lines is based on standard sizes of plasterboard but those lines could be cut at any position on the fixing blade depending on the thickness of cavity covering.

Figure 6. Shows a plan view of the fixing blade (I) which is similar to the fixing blade (j) in Figure 4. sheet 2/6. in this illustration it is wider and there are three screw holes (b) and bendable lines at (c), (d), (e) and an internal bendable line (f). Theres are three screw slots (g). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 9.5mm from bendable line (e). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 12.5mm from bendable line (d), the internal bendable line (f) is approximately 25mm from bendable line (c). The distance between the bendable lines is based on standard sizes of plasterboard but those lines could be cut at any position on the fixing blade depending on the thickness of cavity covering.

Sheet 3/6 Figure 7. Shows a plan view of the fixing blade (m) which is similar to the fixing blade (a) in Figure 1. sheet 1/6. in this illustration there are four screw holes (b) and bendable lines at (c), (d), (e) and an internal bendable line (f).

Theres are four screw slots (g). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 9.5mm from bendable line (e). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 12.5mm from bendable line (d), the internal bendable line (f) is approximately 25mm from bendable line (c). The distance between the bendable lines is based on standard sizes of plasterboard but those lines could be cut at any position on the fixing blade depending on the thickness of cavity covering.

Figure 8. Shows a plan view of the fixing blade (n) which is similar to the fixing blade (a) in Figure 1. sheet 1/6. in this illustration it is wider and there are eight screw holes (b) and bendable lines at (c), (d), (e) and an internal bendable line (f). Theres are eight screw slots (g). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 9.5mm from bendable line (e). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 12.5mm from bendable line (d), the internal bendable line (f) is approximately 25mm from bendable line (c). The distance between the bendable lines is based on standard sizes of plasterboard but those lines could be cut at any position on the fixing blade depending on the thickness of cavity covering.

Figure 9. Shows a plan view of the fixing blade (0) which is similar to the fixing blade (a) in Figure 1. sheet 1/6. in this illustration it is wider and there are twelve screw holes (b) and bendable lines at (c), (d), (e) and an internal bendable line (f). Theres are twelve screw slots (g). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 9.5mm from bendable line (e). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 12.5mm from bendable line (d), the internal bendable line (f) is approximately 25mm from bendable line (c). The distance between the bendable lines is based on standard sizes of plasterboard but those lines could be cut at any position on the fixing blade depending on the thickness of cavity covering.

Sheet 4/6 Figure 10. Shows a plan view of the fixing blade (p) which is similar to the fixing blade (j) from Figure 4. sheet 2/6. its a rectangular shape that is rounded at one end, in this illustration there is four screw holes (b) and bendable lines at (c), (d), (e) and an internal bendable line (f). Theres also four screw slots (g). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 9.5mm from bendable line (e). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 12.5mm from bendable line (d), the internal bendable line (f) is approximately 25mm from bendable line (c). The distance between the bendable lines is based on standard sizes of plasterboard but those lines could be cut at any position on the fixing blade depending on the thickness of cavity covering.

Figure 11. Shows a plan view of the fixing blade (q) which is similar to the fixing blade (k) from Figure 5. sheet 2/6. its a rectangular shape that is rounded at one end, in this illustration there are eight screw holes (b) and bendable lines at (c), (d), (e) and an internal bendable line (f). Theres also eight screw slots (g). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 9.5mm from bendable line (e). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 12.5mm from bendable line (d), the internal bendable line (f) is approximately 25mm from bendable line (c). The distance between the bendable lines is based on standard sizes of plasterboard but those lines could be cut at any position on the fixing blade depending on the thickness of cavity covering.

Figure 12. Shows a plan view of the fixing blade (r) which is similar to the fixing blade (I) from Figure 6. sheet 2/6. its a rectangular shape that is rounded at one end, in this illustration there are eight screw holes (b) and bendable lines at (c), (d), (e) and an internal bendable line (f). Theres also eight screw slots (g). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 9.5mm from bendable line (e). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 12.5mm from bendable line (d), the internal bendable line (f) is approximately 25mm from bendable line (c). The distance between the bendable lines is based on standard sizes of plasterboard but those lines could be cut at any position on the fixing blade depending on the thickness of cavity covering.

Sheet 5/6 Figure 13. Shows an isometric view of the fixing blade (a) which is a rectangular shape with a point at one end, in this illustration there is one screw hole (b) and bendable lines at (c), (d), (e) and an internal bendable line (f). Theres also a screw slot (g). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 9.5mm from bendable line (e). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 12.5mm from bendable line (d), the internal bendable line (f) is approximately 25mm from bendable line (c). The distance between the bendable lines is based on standard sizes of plasterboard but those lines could be cut at any position on the fixing blade depending on the thickness of cavity covering.

Figure 14. Shows a view from the front of how the user would hold the fixing blade (a) against whatever cavity covering they plan to fix it too, the screw hole (b) is placed over the position that the user wants to place a screw, in the illustration the internal bendable line (f) is above but it could be below or to either side of the screw hole (b). The user marks the position of the internal bendable line (f) with a pen or pencil (s) which is the position that the user needs to cut a slot in the plasterboard. The screw slot (g) can be observed just above the internal bendable line (f). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 9.5mm from bendable line (e). The internal bendable line (f) is approximately 12.5mm from bendable line (d), the internal bendable line (f) is approximately 25mm from bendable line (c). The distance between the bendable lines is based on standard sizes of plasterboard but those lines could be cut at any position on the fixing blade depending on the thickness of cavity covering.

Sheet 6/6 Figure 15. Shows a view from the side of the fixing blade (a) from Figure 1.

sheet 1/6. that has been bent to approximately 90 degrees at bendable line (f). The plasterboard (t) has a slot (u) that the user has cut out. From this view the features of the fixing blade (a) from Figure 1. sheet 1/6. cannot be seen.

Figure 16. Shows a view from the side of the fixing blade (a) from Figure 1.

sheet 1/6. that has been pushed through the slot (u) in the plasterboard (t) please note how the 90 degree bend at bendable line (f). has straightened slightly. From this view the features of the fixing blade (a) from Figure 1. sheet 1/6. cannot be seen. a

Figure 17. Shows a view from the side of the fixing blade (a) from Figure 1.

sheet 1/6. that has been pushed through the slot (u) in the plasterboard (t) please note how the 90 degree bend at bendable line (f). has straightened slightly. The user has bent the bendable line (d) so that the external part of the fixing blade (a) from Figure 1. sheet 1/6. is flush with the plasterboard (t), a screw (v) has been driven through the screw hole (b) which can't be seen from this viewpoint (see Figure 1. sheet 1/6 for reference). As the screw (v) exits the plasterboard it comes into contact with the screw slot (g) which can't be seen from this viewpoint (see Figure 1. sheet 1/6 for reference) and grips it pulling the internal part of the fixing blade (a) from Figure 1. sheet 1/6.

against the internal surface of the plasterboard (t). From this view the features of the fixing blade (a) from Figure 1. sheet 1/6. cannot be seen (see Figure 1. sheet 1/6 for reference).

Figure 18. Shows a view from the side of the fixing blade (a) from Figure 1.

sheet 1/6. that has been pushed through the slot (u) in the plasterboard (t) please note how the bend at bendable line (f). has been returned to approximately 90 degrees because the tightening of the screw (v) has pulled the fixing blade (a) from Figure 1. sheet 1/6. tight against both sides of the plasterboard (t). The external part of the fixing blade (a) from Figure 1. sheet 1/6. is now tight against the plasterboard (t), the screw (v) has been tightened through the screw hole (b) and the screw slot (g) which can't be seen from this viewpoint (see Figure 1. sheet 1/6 for reference). The bendable line (d) forms the second 90 degree bend. From this view the features of the fixing blade (a) from Figure 1. sheet 1/6. cannot be seen (see Figure 1. sheet 1/6 for reference).