GB2594940A

GB2594940A - A mounting device

Info

Publication number: GB2594940A
Application number: GB2006910.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Weeks Jerry
Original assignee: Dale William David Kendrick
Current assignee: Dale William David Kendrick
Priority date: 2020-05-11
Filing date: 2020-05-11
Publication date: 2021-11-17
Anticipated expiration: 2040-05-11
Also published as: GB2594940B; GB202006910D0

Abstract

A mounting device 1, suitable for attachment to a support structure such as walls (32, 33; Figure 5), comprises two contact portions 3. Contact planes of each contact portion 3 being transverse to each other. At least two engagement members 10 adapted to engage with the support structure (32, 33; Figure 5), one engagement member 10 associated with each contact portion 3. At least two coupling members 9, 12 are disclosed, movably coupling one of the engagement members 10 to the respective contact portion 3 to permit relative movement between said member 10 and portion 3. A retaining member 16 is coupled to the engagement members 10. Movement of the coupling members 9, 12 moves the engagement members 10 relative to the contact portions 3 from a disengaged position to an engaged position, in use, to attach the mounting device 1 to the support structure (32, 33; Figure 5). Movement of the coupling members 9, 12 also causes the retaining member 16 to move to a retaining position to retain the members 10 in the engaged position. The contact portions 3 may include an aperture 6 through which each member 10 may extend in the engaged position.

Description

A Mounting Device The invention relates to a mounting device and especially, but not solely, a mounting device for mounting a shelf, such as a corner shelf, on a vertical support surface, for example, a wall.

Shelves are frequently mounted on walls using mounting brackets to mount and support the shelf on the wall.

Generally, when fixing a shelf to a wall it is necessary to first install a mounting bracket on the wall to support the shelf. Conventionally, such brackets are installed using a number of fasteners that fix the bracket to the wall. The fasteners require power or hand tools to install the fasteners in the wall. Such tools typically may include one or more of a drill, hammer and screwdriver. For example, it may be necessary to drill a hole in the wall and then insert a wall plug into the hole before inserting a screw through a hole in the bracket and then screwing the screw into the wall plug to secure the bracket to the wall. Other fasteners may require to be hammered into the wall. The type of fastener used often depends on the material used to fabricate the wall.

Typically, it is necessary to insert at least two fasteners into the wall in order to fix the mounting bracket on the wall.

In addition, it is also usually necessary to ensure that the holes in the wall are properly aligned with the corresponding holes in the bracket and that the holes are positioned so that the shelf is level when it is mounted on the bracket. If the holes are not positioned correctly, the shelf will not be level when located on the mounting bracket. The more fasteners it is necessary to use to fix the bracket to the wall, the more complicated it becomes to align the wall holes with the bracket holes and to ensure that the installed shelf is level. This becomes even more problematic when the bracket has to be fixed to two adjacent walls, such as a corner shelf that requires a bracket to be fixed to two adjacent, mutually perpendicular walls.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mounting device for attachment to a support structure, the mounting device comprising two contact portions, each contact portion for contacting a surface of the support structure, in use and a surface of each contact portion that is adapted to contact the surface of the support structure in use defining a contact plane, the contact planes of each contact portion being transverse to each other; at least two engagement members adapted to engage with the support structure, one engagement member associated with each contact portion; at least two coupling members, each coupling member movably coupling one of the at least two engagement members to the respective contact portion to permit relative movement between each engagement member and the respective contact portion; a retaining member coupled to the at least two engagement members; and wherein movement of the at least two coupling members moves the at least two engagement members relative to the contact portions from a disengaged position to an engaged position in which each of the at least two engagement members extends beyond the contact plane of each of the contact portions to engage the support structure, in use, to attach the support device to the support structure, and to cause the retaining member to move to a retaining position to retain the at least two engagement members in the engaged position.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of attaching a mounting device according to the first aspect on a support structure, the method comprising locating each contact portion against a surface of the support structure, moving the coupling members to cause the engagement members to move from the disengaged position to the engaged position in which they engage with the support structure and the retaining member to move to the retaining position to retain the engagement members in engagement with the support structure.

An advantage of the invention is that it enables a bracket to be attached to a support structure, such as attached to two walls that meet to form a corner, without the use of additional tools, as the engagement members can be engaged with the support structure by movement of the coupling members moving the engagements members relative to the contact portions.

Typically, the contact portions each include an aperture, one aperture being formed in each contact portion and being associated with each engagement member, and each engagement member extending through the respective aperture in the engaged position.

Preferably, each coupling member couples one of the at least two engagement members to the respective contact portion adjacent the respective aperture.

Preferably, the mounting device further comprises a retaining formation formed on or coupled to the contact portions, and wherein the retaining member in the retaining position engages with the retaining formation. The retaining formation may be located between the contact portions.

Typically, the retaining member is releasable to permit the at least two engagement members to be moved from the engaged position to the disengaged position.

Preferably, a normal vector of one of the contact planes lies in the same plane as a normal vector of the other contact plane.

In one example, the contact planes are substantially perpendicular to each other. In other words the dihedral angle between the contact planes is substantially 90 degrees. However, in other examples, the dihedral angle between the contact planes could be at any desired angle to each other from 10 degrees to 150 degrees, more preferably the dihedral angle is from 30 degrees to 120 degrees. Preferably, the support structure comprises two support members having surfaces

S

that define an angle that is substantially the same as the dihedral angle between the contact planes, for example this may be 90 degrees. Typically, the support members are walls and the angle between the walls forms a corner in which the bracket is attached. For example, the support members may be substantially vertical.

Typically, the contact portions each comprise a first elongate member. Each contact portion may lie in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the contact planes and preferably, the first elongate members each lie in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the contact planes. Preferably, the first elongate members lie in the same plane. The retaining member may also lie in substantially the same plane as at least one of the first elongate members.

Typically, the contact portions are coupled together by a link member, preferably, at or adjacent one end of the contact portions. The link member may be engaged by the retaining member in the retaining position to retain the at least two engagement members in the engaged position. The retaining formation, if present, may be formed on the link member.

Preferably, the at least two engagement members are coupled together by a movable coupling. Typically, the movable coupling comprises an elastically flexible member. The movable coupling may be movable between a first position and a second position, and movement of the movable coupling from the first to the second position causes movement of the at least two coupling members to move the at least two engagement members from the disengaged position to the engaged position.

Typically, the retaining member is coupled to the movable coupling. Preferably, movement of the movable coupling from the first to the second positions causes the retaining member to move to the retaining position.

In other words the movable coupling may act as an activation member that, when moved from the first position to the second position, moves the engagement members from the disengaged position to the engaged position and optionally moves the retaining member to the retaining position.

Preferably, the movable coupling may comprise a second elongate member. In 15 one example, the second elongate member may be located in substantially the same plane as the first elongate members.

Preferably, there are least four engagement members and two engagement members may be movably coupled to each contact portion. Typically, where there 20 are at least four engagement members, there are at least two movable couplings, one movable coupling coupling together two engagement members. In one example of the invention, there are four engagement members and two movable couplings, each movable coupling coupling together two engagement members.

Where there is more than one movable coupling, the movable couplings may be coupled together so that movement of one movable coupling causes movement of the other movable coupling(s). Typically, the retaining member is coupled to at least one of the movable couplings.

The movable couplings may be substantially parallel to each other. In one example, the movable couplings may be in the form of substantially parallel curves, such as substantially concentric arcs.

Typically, at least four coupling members are provided, one coupling member for each of the at least four engagement members, each coupling member movably coupling each of the at least four engagement members to the respective contact portion. The coupling members that couple the respective engagement members to the same contact portion may be spaced apart from each other on the contact portion and optionally, the respective engagement members may be spaced apart from each other.

Preferably, the mounting device is adapted to receive a planar member and the mounting device mounts the planar member on the support structure, in use. The mounting device may be adapted to receive the planar member after the mounting device is attached to the support structure.

Typically, the mounting device comprises a frame structure comprising at least three outer frame sections, one of the contact portions forming at least part of a first outer frame sections and the other contact portion forming at least part of a second outer frame sections. If the movable coupling is present, the activation member may form at least part of a third outer frame section.

lo Preferably, the mounting device is in the form of the frame structure with all components of the mounting device lying in substantially the same plane.

The mounting device may be formed from a plastics material, such as a thermoplastics materiel, or a metal material, such as sprung steel.

The mounting device may be integrally formed, for example, by a molding process or three-dimensional printing process. The engagement members may be incorporated during a molding process or may be added after the rest of the mounting device is formed. The engagement members may comprise a metal, such as steel, for example hardened steel.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a shelf assembly comprising a mounting device having any of the features according to the first aspect of the invention and a planar member for mounting on the mounting device. The planar member may form a shelf when mounted on the mounting device.

Preferably, the planar member is in the form of a sleeve that is positioned over the mounting device after the mounting device has been attached to the support structure.

An example of a mounting bracket in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a mounting bracket for a corner shelf in a first disengaged position; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the mounting bracket in a second engaged position; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the mounting bracket and the corner shelf prior to mounting of the corner shelf on the bracket; Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the corner shelf mounted on the mounting bracket; Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the mounting bracket positioned in a corner formed from two adjacent walls with the bracket in the first, disengaged position; Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 5 but with the mounting bracket in the second, engaged position; and Fig. 7 shows the corner shelf mounted on the bracket of Fig. 6.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a mounting bracket 1 for a corner shelf 2 (see Fig. 3). The mounting bracket 1 has two side plates 3 that are connected together at adjacent ends 4 by a link plate 5 so that the side plates are substantially mutually perpendicular to each other. Each side plate 3 is in the form of an elongate member and has two apertures 6, which are spaced apart along the length of the side plate 3. The link plate 5 also has an aperture 7. Each of the side plates 3 has a flat or planar surface 8. Each planar surface 8 faces away from the other side plate 3.

First and second movable members 9, 12 are hingedly coupled to each side plate 3 with one movable member 9, 12 being hingedly coupled adjacent each aperture 6. The movable members 9, 12 are hingedly coupled to their respective apertures 6 by flexible sections 27 (see also Figs. 5 and 6) which connect the movable members to a side of the respective aperture 6 and which flex to permit the movable members 9, 12 to move with respect to the apertures 6. The flexible sections 27 effectively form hinged couplings that hingedly couple each of the movable members 9, 12 to the side plates 3.

Hence, each movable member 9, 12 is movable by means of the hinged coupling between a first, disengaged position (see Fig. 1) and a second, engaged position (see Fig. 2) in which the movable member 9, 12 is located in the respective aperture 6 and an engagement member 10, mounted on the movable member 9, 12, protrudes through the aperture and extends beyond the respective surface 8. In the first, disengaged position the engagement member 10 does not extend beyond the surface 8 but either extends no further than the respective aperture 6 or is located wholly on the other side of the respective side plate 3 from the surface 8.

On each side plate 3, the apertures 6 are spaced apart along the length of the side plate such that one aperture 6 and the movable member 9 is adjacent to the end 4 and the other aperture 6 and the other movable member 12 is adjacent to an opposite end 11. In the example described, the apertures 6 are in identical positions in each side plate 3. However, it is possible that in different examples of the invention, the location of the apertures 6 in one side plate 3 could be different positions from the locations of the apertures 6 in the other side plate 3.

A first connecting member 13 connects the first movable members 9 to each other and a second connecting member 14 connects the second movable members 12 to each other. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the connecting members 13, 14 are generally curved between their respective movable members 9, 12. Connecting the connecting members 13, 14 together is a connecting bar 15. A lock member 16 extends inwardly from the connecting member 13 towards the link plate 5 and the aperture 7 in the link plate 5. The lock member 16 is elastically flexible so that it can bend (or flex) towards one of the side plates 3. The lock member 16 includes a barb 17 at its end remote from the member 13 and the barb 17 is configured to enable it to pass through the aperture 7 and engage with the link plate 5, as shown in Fig. 2. This retains the bracket 1 in the position shown in Fig. 2.

Although in the example shown in Figs 1 and 2 and described above there is only one barb 17, it is possible that the lock member 16 could include additional barbs positioned at different locations along the length of the locking member 16.

Fig. 3 shows the corner shelf 2 that can be used in conjunction with the mounting bracket 1. The corner shelf 2 comprises an upper planar member 20 and a lower planar member 21. The planar members 20, 21 are substantially parallel to each other and are connected by an edge plate 22. The planar members 20, 21 are each generally in the shape of a quadrant. However, the lower planar member 21 has a truncated corner 26. The purpose of the truncated corner 26 will be explained in more detail below.

The height of the edge plate 22 is such that the separation of the inner surfaces of the planar members 20, 21 is approximately equal to or slightly greater than the height of the side plates 3 and connecting members 13, 14. This enables the shelf 2 to be slid over the bracket 1 with the bracket located between the planar members 20, 21. Preferably the internal dimensions of the shelf 2 and the external height of the side plates 3, the link plate Sand the connecting members 13, 14 are chosen such that the shelf 2 is a close or tight fit on the bracket 1. The internal surfaces of the planar members 20, 21 each have a locking formation 23 (only one shown). The locking formation 23 on the upper planar member 20 is adjacent corner 28 and the locking formation 23 on the lower planar member 21 is adjacent the truncated corner 26. When the shelf 2 is slid over the bracket 1, the locking formations 23 engage with the link plate 5 to retain the shelf 2 in position on the bracket 1.

Fig. 4 shows the bracket 1 with the shelf 2 mounted on the bracket 1 and it can be seen that the locking formations 23 engage with the link plate 5.

In use, the bracket 1 is positioned against surfaces 30, 31 of two adjacent walls 32, 33 in a corner where the walls meet, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the surfaces 8 of the side plates 3 are pressed against the wall surfaces 30, 31. In the example shown in Fig. 5, the walls 32, 33 are perpendicular to each other and form a right angle where they meet.

However, the bracket 1 could be modified for use with walls that meet at other angles by modifying the angle between the side plates 3 accordingly to conform to the angle formed by the walls. If necessary, the dimensions and angles of other components of the bracket 1 and shelf 2 could also be altered appropriately. These other angles could be any angle that is less than 180 degrees, and preferably from 20 degrees to 150 degrees.

In the position shown in Fig. 5, the movable members 9, 12 are located on the opposite side of the side plates 3 from the surface 8 and the walls 32, 33 and are not located within the apertures 6. This results in the engagement members 10 being spaced from the wall surfaces 30, 31. As shown in Fig. 5, the engagement members do not protrude through the respective apertures 6. In the example shown in Fig. 5, the engagement members protrude into the apertures 6 but do not protrude through the apertures 6 to the surfaces 8. This enables the bracket to be positioned on the walls 32, 33 without the engagement members 10 touching the wall surfaces 30, 31.

With the bracket in the position shown in Fig. 5, the bracket 1 can be installed on the walls 32, 33 by exerting a force against the connecting member 14 in a direction along the bar 15 towards the lock member 16 and the barb 17. This force deflects the connecting member 14 towards the link plate 5, which causes bar 15, to lock member 16 and the barb 17 to be deflected towards the aperture 7. The movement of the bar 15 towards the link plate 5 also causes a deflection of the connecting member 13 towards the link plate 5.

The deflection of the connecting members 13, 14 cause the movable members 9, 12 to move into their respective apertures 6 and to drive the engagement members 10 into the surfaces 30, 31 of the walls 32, 33, as shown in Fig. 6. Simultaneously, the lock member 16 and the barb 17 are moved towards the aperture 7 until the barb 17 contacts the edge of the aperture 7, as the barb 17 presses against the edge of the aperture 5, this causes the lock member to flex thereby deflecting the barb 17 and permitting the barb to pass through the aperture 7. After the barb 17 passes through the aperture 7, the lock member 16 springs back and the barb 17 engages with the link plate 5 to retain the lock member 16 in the position shown in Fig. 6. When the lock member 6 is retained in this position by the barb 17 being engaged with the link plate 5, this maintains the connecting members 13, 14 in their deflected positions, the movable members 9, 12 within the apertures 6 and the engagement members 10 engaged with the walls 32, 33. Hence, this retains the bracket 1 attached to the walls 32, 33 by retaining the engagement members engaged with the walls 32, 33.

Typically, the bracket 1 is formed from an elastically flexible material, such as a plastic material, for example a thermoplastics material. This assists in enabling the bracket 1 to compensate for variations in the actual angle between the walls 32, 33 if the angle between the walls is not exactly a right angle. In addition, or alternatively, the amount of movement of the engagement members 10 beyond the surfaces 8 is sufficient to accommodate variations in the angle between the walls 32, 33 from the nominal right angle.

The use of the multiple barbs on the lock member 16, as described above, may assist in enabling the engagement members 10 to be pushed through the apertures 6 by varying amounts to ensure that the engagement members 10 are fully engaged with the walls 32, 33 and also assist in accommodating variations in the actual angle between the walls 32, 33, where this is not exactly a right angle.

For example, the bracket 1 could be integrally formed from a plastics material, such as by a molding process or a three-dimensional printing process. the engagement members 10 may not be integrally formed with the rest of the bracket and could be attached to the movable members 9, 12 after the rest of the bracket is formed. Alternatively, they could be attached to the movable members 9, 12 during a molding or forming process. It is also possible that the bracket 1 could be formed from other elastically flexible materials, such as metal material. For example, it could be formed from sprung steel. Typically, the engagement members are in the form of needles or nails with a sharp end that engages with the walls 32, 33. The engagement members may be formed from a metal material, such as a hardened metal, for example hardened steel.

Typically, the bracket 1 is formed from a plastics material which is typically a thermoplastics material. The bracket 1 may be formed by a moulding process or by a three-dimensional printing process. Preferably, the bracket 1 is formed in one piece, except for the engagement members 10, which are typically formed from a metal material and are inserted into the movable members 9, 12 after the bracket has been formed.

After the bracket 1 has been installed, as shown in Fig. 6, the shelf 2 is mounted on the bracket 1 by sliding it over the bracket, as described above with reference to Figs. 3 and 4, until the locking formations 23 pass over the edges 24, 25 to engage and lock with the link plate 5.

Fig. 7 is a plan view from above showing the finished shelf with the shelf 2 mounted over the bracket 1 and the bracket attached to the walls 32, 33.

If it is desired to remove the shelf 2 and bracket 1 from the walls 32, 33, the shelf 2 is first removed from the bracket 1 by inserting an object, such as a pencil or a screwdriver the aperture formed between the truncated corner and the surfaces 30, 31 of the walls 32, 33 to push the upper planar member 20 up so that the upper locking formation on the upper member 20 is released from engagement with the link plate 5 and can pass over the upper edge 24. The lower locking formation 23 on the lower planar member 21 is then disengaged from the link plate 5, for example by pulling downwards on the truncated corner 26 by means of a hook or a finger of a user, so that the lower locking formation 23 is able to pass over the lower edge 25. When both of the locking formations 23 are disengaged from link plate 5, the shelf 2 can be removed from the bracket 1 by sliding it off the bracket 1.

After the shelf 2 is removed, the barb 17 can be deflected manually by hand to disengage the barb from the link plate, thereby permitting the barb 17 to pass back through the aperture 5. This releases the lock member 16 from the link plate 5, which permits the connecting members 13, 14 to move back to their original positions shown in Fig. 1, thereby disengaging the engagement members 10 from the walls 32, 33 and permitting the bracket 1 to be removed from the walls 32, 33.

Advantages of the invention are that it permits a shelf bracket to be mounted on a wall without requiring additional tools or fixings to mount the bracket on the wall. It also permits the bracket to be removed from the wall also without requiring any tools. Furthermore, by using engagement members 10 that are in the form of needles or are needle like, it is not necessary to drill holes in the wall or insert fixing anchors to the wall. Therefore, it is then possible to remove the bracket 1 from a wall without leaving any perceptible marks on the wall or perceptible damage to the wall.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A mounting device for attachment to a support structure, the mounting device comprising two contact portions, each contact portion for contacting a surface of the support structure, in use and a surface of each contact portion that is adapted to contact the surface of the support structure in use defining a contact plane, the contact planes of each contact portion being transverse to each other; at least two engagement members adapted to engage with the support structure, one engagement member associated with each contact portion; at least two coupling members, each coupling member movably coupling one of the at least two engagement members to the respective contact portion to permit relative movement between each engagement member and the respective contact portion; a retaining member coupled to the at least two engagement members; and wherein movement of the at least two coupling members moves the at least two engagement members relative to the contact portions from a disengaged position to an engaged position in which each of the at least two engagement members extends beyond the contact plane of each of the contact portions to engage the support structure, in use, to attach the support device to the support structure, and to cause the retaining member to move to a retaining position to retain the at least two engagement members in the engaged position.
2. A mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the contact portions each include an aperture, one aperture being formed in each contact portion and being associated with each engagement member, and each engagement member extending through the respective aperture in the engaged position.
3. A mounting device according claim 2, wherein each coupling member 5 couples one of the at least two engagement members to the respective contact portion adjacent the respective aperture.
4. A mounting device according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a retaining formation formed on or coupled to the contact portions, and wherein the retaining member in the retaining position engages with the retaining formation.
5. A mounting device according to claim 4, wherein the retaining formation is located between the contact portions.
6. A mounting device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the retaining member is releasable to permit the at least two engagement members to be moved from the engaged position to the disengaged position.
7. A mounting device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the contact planes are substantially perpendicular to each other.
8. A mounting device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the contact portions each comprise an elongate member and each elongate member lies in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the contact planes.
9. A mounting device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the contact portions are coupled together by a link member.
10. A mounting device according to claim 9, wherein the link member is engaged by the retaining member in the retaining position to retain the at least two 10 engagement members in the engaged position.
11. A mounting device according to claim 10 when ultimately dependent on claim 4, wherein the retaining formation is formed on the link member.
12. A mounting device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least two engagement members are coupled together by an activation member.
13. A mounting device according to claim 12, wherein the activation member comprises an elastically flexible member.
14. A mounting device according to claim 13, wherein the activation member is movable between a first position and a second position, and movement of the activation member from the first to the second position causes movement of the at least two coupling members to move the at least two engagement members from the disengaged position to the engaged position.
15. A mounting device according to any of claims 12 to 14, wherein the retaining member is coupled to the activation member.
16. A mounting device according to claim 15 when dependent on claim 14, wherein the movement of the activation member from the first to the second positions causes the retaining member to move to the retaining position.
17. A mounting device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein there 15 are least four engagement members and two of the at least four engagement members are movably coupled to each contact portion.
18. A mounting device according to claim 17, wherein there at least four coupling members, one coupling member for each of the at least four engagement 20 members to movably couple the at least four engagement members to the respective contact portion.
19. A mounting device according to claim 18, wherein the coupling members that couple the respective engagement members to the same contact portion are spaced apart from each other on the contact portion and the respective engagement members are spaced apart from each other.
20. A mounting device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting device is adapted to receive a planar member and the mounting device mounts the planar member on the support structure, in use.lo
21. A mounting device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting device comprises a frame structure comprising at least three outer frame sections, one of the contact portions forming at least part of a first outer frame section and the other contact portion forming at least part of a second outer frame section.
22. A mounting device according to claim 21 when dependent on any of claims 12 to 16, wherein the activation member forms at least part of a third outer frame section.
23. A method of attaching a mounting device to a support structure, the mounting device being in accordance with any of claims 1 to 22, the method comprising locating each contact portion against a surface of the support structure, moving the coupling members to cause the engagement members to move from the disengaged position to the engaged position in which they engage with the support structure and the retaining member to move to the retaining position to retain the engagement members in engagement with support structure.
24. A shelf assembly comprising a mounting device according to any of claims 1 to 22 and a planar member for mounting on the mounting device.
25. A shelf assembly according to claim 24, wherein the planar member is in lo the form of a sleeve that is positioned over the mounting device after the mounting device has been attached to the support structure.