US20080083185A1

US20080083185A1 - Wall hole patching device

Info

Publication number: US20080083185A1
Application number: US11/542,648
Authority: US
Inventors: Hon-Chang Lin
Original assignee: Faithful Engr Products Co Ltd
Current assignee: FAITHFUL ENGINEERING PRODUCTS Co Ltd; Faithful Engr Products Co Ltd
Priority date: 2006-10-04
Filing date: 2006-10-04
Publication date: 2008-04-10

Abstract

A device for patching and repairing a hole on a double-walled partition wall includes an umbrella-like element and a support frame. The umbrella-like element includes a stem provided at a rear end with external screw threads for a nut to screw thereto, and an umbrella-like front head fixed to a front end of the stem. The support frame includes two legs and a transverse bar extended between and held by the legs to a fixed distance from a wall surface having a wall hole to be patched. The transverse bar is provided with a long through hole, via which a rear end of the stem of the umbrella-like element is rearward extended. The umbrella-like front head may be forward extended beyond the wall hole to seal an inner end of the wall hole and thereby prevents patching material filled in the wall hole from rearward falling off the hole.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a wall hole patching device for filling patching material in a hole on a surface of a double-walled partition wall, so as to patch and repair the wall surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A lightweight partition wall has the advantage of easy to install, and is therefore frequently used in many offices. In recent years, the lightweight partition wall is also adopted in residential buildings in many countries, including the United States.
The lightweight partition wall typically includes a set of middle framework and a plurality of panels fixed to two sides of the middle framework, and is therefore a double-walled structure. Panels for the lightweight double-walled partition wall may be plaster boards, fiberboards, cane fiber boards, plywood, drywall, etc. These types of wall panel materials have low structural strength compared with a concrete wall, and tend to break or form a hole when they are impacted by something rigid.
When the hole is formed, patching is required to repair the wall surface. However, since there is a middle hollow space existed between the two sides of the double-wall partition wall, patching material filled in the wall hole tends to fall from an inner end of the wall hole into the middle hollow space to cause difficulties in patching and repairing the surface of the double-walled partition wall.
It is therefore tried by the inventor to develop a wall hole patching device to overcome the problems in patching and repairing a wall hole on a double-walled partition wall.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a wall hole patching device for exactly filling a patching material in an open-end hole on a surface of a double-walled partition wall, so as to repair the wall surface.
To achieve the above and other objects, the wall hole patching device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an umbrella-like element and a support frame. The umbrella-like element includes an umbrella-like front head, which is collapsible when an outer side thereof is subjected to rearward pressure, or turns inside out to form a spherical surface when an inner side thereof is subjected to forward pressure. The support frame includes two legs and a transverse bar extended between and supported by the two legs, so that the transverse bar is held by the two legs at a fixed distance from a wall surface having a hole to be patched. When the umbrella-like front head of the umbrella-like element has been forward forced through the wall hole, it is then pulled rearward and thereby turned inside out to form the spherical surface, which presses against and seals an inner end of the wall hole, and thereby prevents the patching material filled in the wall hole from rearward falling off the wall hole.
In the above embodiment, the umbrella-like element further includes a stem, which has a front end fixedly connected to the umbrella-like front head for forward forcing the latter through the wall hole, and an externally threaded rear end for a nut to screw thereto. The stem is rearward extended through a hole provided on the transverse bar of the support frame. When the nut is forward turned on the stem against the transverse bar, the umbrella-like front head is pulled rearward by the stem to finally seal the inner end of the wall hole.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the wall hole patching device includes an umbrella-like element having an umbrella-like front head and a long cord connected at a front end to an inner center of the umbrella-like front head, and a support frame. A rear end of the long cord may be wound around and held to a transverse bar of the support frame. When the long cord is pulled rearward, the umbrella-like front head extended beyond the wall hole is moved rearward to seal an inner end of the wall hole.
In the wall hole patching device of the present invention, one of the two legs of the support frame is movably connected to an end of the transverse bar, so that the leg may be moved along the transverse bar to adjust a distance between the two legs depending on a size of the wall hole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1 is an assembled perspective view of a wall hole patching device according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectioned side view showing an umbrella-like element of the wall hole patching device of FIG. 1 is forced through a wall hole;

FIG. 4 shows the umbrella-like element of FIG. 3 has been forced through and located at an inner side of the wall hole;

FIG. 5 is a sectioned side view showing a support frame of the wall hole patching device of FIG. 1 is tightly forced against a wall surface surrounding the wall hole and a patching material is filled in the wall hole;

FIG. 6 shows the support frame of FIG. 5 is removed from the wall surface and a finishing touch is added to the patched wall hole;

FIG. 7 is an assembled perspective view of a wall hole patching device according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an assembled perspective view of a wall hole patching device according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a sectioned side view showing an umbrella-like element of the wall hole patching device of FIG. 8 is forced through a wall hole;

FIG. 11 is a sectioned side view showing a support frame of the wall hole patching device of FIG. 8 is tightly forced against a wall surface surrounding the wall hole and a patching material is filled in the wall hole;

FIG. 12 shows the support frame of FIG. 11 is removed from the wall surface and a finishing touch is added to the patched wall hole.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2 that are assembled and exploded perspective views, respectively, of a wall hole patching device according to a first embodiment of the present invention for repairing a hole on a surface of a double-walled partition wall. As shown, the wall hole patching device in the first embodiment includes an umbrella-like element 10, a support frame 20, and a butterfly nut 14 having two wings 15 to facilitate manually turning of the nut 14. The umbrella-like element 10 includes a stem 11, and an umbrella-like front head 12. The stem 11 is provided on a rear end with external screw threads 13, to which the butterfly nut 14 is screwed.
The umbrella-like front head 12 of the umbrella-like element 10 is fixed to a front end of the stem 11, and has an outer periphery moderately bent toward the rear end of the stem 11. The umbrella-like front head 12 is made of an elastic material, such as a pliable plastic material having automatic recovery property. When an outer side of the umbrella-like front head 12 is subjected to rearward pressure, the umbrella-like front head 12 is brought to collapse toward the stem 11, as shown in FIG. 3. And, when an inner side of the umbrella-like front head 12 is subjected to forward pressure, the umbrella-like front head 12 is caused to turn inside out and form a spherical surface, as shown in FIG. 5.
The support frame 20 includes two legs 21, 22 and a transverse bar 23 extended between and supported by the two legs 21, 22. The two legs 21, 22 hold the transverse bar 23 at a desirable fixed distance from a wall surface 30 having a wall hole 31 formed thereon. The transverse bar 23 is provided at a predetermined position with a through hole 24, via which the rear end of the stem 11 of the umbrella-like element 10 is rearward extended. The butterfly nut 14 is screwed to the externally threaded rear end of the stem 11 rearward projected from the through hole 24 on the support frame 20, so that the umbrella-like element 10 is assembled to the support frame 20.
To use the wall hole patching device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, first press the umbrella-like front head 12 of the umbrella-like element 10 against the wall hole 31 from an outer end thereof. At this point, the small size of the wall hole 31 applies pressure against the outer side of the umbrella-like front head 12, causing the latter to collapse and deform, and be easily extended through the wall hole 31, as shown in FIG. 3. When the umbrella-like front head 12 has been fully extended beyond the wall hole 31, it automatically recovers to an original shape, as shown in FIG. 4. Then, extend the rear end of the stem 11 through the hole 24 on the transverse bar 23 of the support frame 20, and tighten the nut 14 on the rear end of the stem 11 with the two legs 21, 22 of the support frame 20 stably pressed against the wall surface 30 and the transverse bar 24 generally in parallel with the wall surface 30. When the nut 14 is gradually tightened on the stem 11 against the transverse bar 23, the umbrella-like element 10 is forced to move backward toward the wall surface 30. When the inner side of the umbrella-like front head 12 is brought to bear against a wall surface around an inner end of the wall hole 31, the umbrella-like front head 12 is forced to turn inside out to form a spherical surface. When the nut 14 is further turned, a central portion of the inner side of the umbrella-like front head 12 is finally in contact with and seals the inner end of the wall hole 31, as shown in FIG. 5. At this point, it is possible to fill the wall hole 31 with a patching material 40. When the patching material 40 in the wall hole 31 becomes dried, the stem 11 projected from the patching material 40 is cut, and the outer end of the wall hole 31 is touched with a finishing material 41, so that the wall surface 30 is recovered to a planar appearance, as shown in FIG. 6.
In the support frame 20, the leg 22 is provided at a predetermined position with a through hole 25, into which an end of the transverse bar 23 is tightly fitted to complete the support frame 20. When it is necessary, the leg 22 may be moved along the transverse bar 23 to adjust a distance between the two legs 21, 22. When the wall hole 31 is small in size, the leg 22 may be adjusted closer to the other leg 21. On the other hand, when the wall hole 31 is large in size, the leg 22 may be adjusted to increase the distance between it and the leg 21. The through hole 24 on the transverse bar 23 is a long hole, so that the support frame 20 may be more conveniently adjusted relative to the stem 11 to prevent the two legs 21, 22 from becoming too closer to the wall hole 31.
The umbrella-like front head 12 is structurally strengthened by providing at the inner side with a plurality of radially arranged ribs 16. The ribs 16 also help to hold the inside-out umbrella-like front head 12 in the spherical shape.
FIG. 7 is an assembled perspective view of a wall hole patching device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, there is included a support frame 20′ having three legs 21′, 22′, and 23′. The three-leg support frame 20′ may be more stably pressed against the wall surface 30.
FIGS. 8 and 9 are assembled and exploded perspective views, respectively, of a wall hole patching device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The wall hole patching device in the third embodiment includes an umbrella-like element 50, a support frame 60, and a pipe 70. The umbrella-like element 50 includes an umbrella-like front head 52, and a long cord 51 connected at a front end to an inner center of the umbrella-like front head 52. A rear end of the long cord 51 is extended through the pipe 70 with a front end of the pipe 70 bearing against the inner center of the umbrella-like front head 52. The support frame 60 includes two legs 61, 62 and a transverse bar 63 extended between and supported by the two legs 61, 62. The two legs 61, 62 hold the transverse bar 63 at a desirable fixed distance from the wall surface 30 having the wall hole 31 formed thereon. The transverse bar 63 is provided at a predetermined position with a retaining slot 64, to which a rear part of the long cord 51 may be held in place.
To use the wall hole patching device according to the third embodiment of the present invention, first use the pipe 70 to push the umbrella-like front head 52 of the umbrella-like element 50 into the wall hole 31 on the wall surface 30, as shown in FIG. 10. When the umbrella-like front head 52 has been fully extended beyond the wall hole 31, remove the pipe 70 from the wall hole 31, and exert a proper effort to pull the long cord 51 rearward, so that the umbrella-like front head 52 is turned inside out to form a spherical surface and seal the inner end of the wall hole 31, as shown in FIG. 11. Then, wind the long cord 51 around the transverse bar 63 of the support frame 60, which is firmly pressed against the wall surface 30 at the same time, and set the long cord 51 in the retaining slot 64, so that the long cord 51 is held to the transverse bar 63 without the risk of becoming loosened therefrom. At this point, it is possible to fill the wall hole 31 with a patching material 40, as shown in FIG. 11. When the patching material 40 in the wall hole 31 becomes dried, the long cord 51 exposed from the patching material 40 is cut, and the outer end of the wall hole 31 is touched with a finishing material 41, so that the wall surface 30 is recovered to a planar appearance, as shown in FIG. 12.
The long cord 51 may be, for example, a nylon cord having a quality similar to that of a fishing line. A front end of the long cord 51 is formed into an expanded head 53 to bear against an outer center of the umbrella-like front head 52, such that when the long cord 51 is pulled toward the outer side of the wall surface 30, the umbrella-like front head 52 is forced against a wall surface surround the inner end of the wall hole 31 to finally turn inside out and form a spherical surface.
The wall hole patching device according to the present invention allows a worker to conveniently repair a wall hole on a double-walled partition wall while gives the repaired and patched wall surface an increased structural strength. Moreover, the wall hole patching device of the present invention effectively prevents the patching material from falling into the hollow middle space of the double-walled partition wall, enabling the wall hole to be successfully repaired without unnecessarily wasting too many patching material. The wall hole patching device of the present invention is therefore ideal and practical for use.

Claims

1. A wall hole patching device, comprising:

an umbrella-like element including a stem and an umbrella-like front head fixed to a front end of said stem, and said stem being provided on a rear end with external screw threads;

a support frame including at least two legs and at least one transverse bar extended between and supported by said at least two legs, such that said transverse bar is held by said legs at a fixed distance from a wall surface having a wall hole to be patched; and said transverse bar being provided at a predetermined position with a through hole, via which the rear end of said stem of said umbrella-like element is rearward extended; and

a nut for screwing to said externally threaded rear end of said stem of said umbrella-like element by different depths against said transverse bar of said support frame, so as to produce a rearward pull on said umbrella-like element.

2. The wall hole patching device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said umbrella-like front head of said umbrella-like element is provided at an inner side with a plurality of radially arranged ribs.

3. The wall hole patching device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said through hole provided on said transverse bar of said support frame is a long hole.

4. The wall hole patching device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of said legs of said support frame is provided at a predetermined position with a through hole, in which an end of said transverse bar is tightly fitted, such that said leg with said through hole is movable along said transverse bar when necessary.

5. A wall hole patching device, comprising:

an umbrella-like element including an umbrella-like front head and a long cord connected at a front end to a center of said umbrella-like front head; and

a support frame including at least two legs and at least one transverse bar extended between and supported by said at least two legs, such that said transverse bar is held by said legs at a fixed distance from a wall surface having a wall hole to be patched;

and said long cord having a rear end being wound around said transverse bar.

6. The wall hole patching device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said transverse bar is provided at a predetermined position with a retaining slot, and said rear end of said long cord is wound around and set in said retaining slot to be held in place.

7. The wall hole patching device as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a pipe, through which the rear end of said long cord is extended to wind around said transverse bar.

8. The wall hole patching device as claimed in claim 5, wherein one of said legs of said support frame is provided at a predetermined position with a through hole, in which an end of said transverse bar is tightly fitted, such that said leg with said through hole is movable along said transverse bar when necessary.

9. The wall hole patching device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said umbrella-like front head of said umbrella-like element is provided at an inner side with a plurality of radially arranged ribs.