WO1996002171A1

WO1996002171A1 - Fastener

Info

Publication number: WO1996002171A1
Application number: PCT/SE1995/000830
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fred SUNDSTRÖM
Original assignee: Sundstroem Fred
Priority date: 1994-07-15
Filing date: 1995-07-06
Publication date: 1996-02-01
Also published as: SE9402484L; AU2995195A; SE503295C2; SE9402484D0; JPH10502839A

Abstract

A fastener for the application of objects on gypsum boards comprises a driving unit (3) having a plurality of thin and flat elements which are driveable into the gypsum board and one of which is arranged to diverge relative to the other elements, as well as a plate (4) integrated with the driving unit (3) and arranged to bear against the outside of the gypsum board in order to serve as an externally available support for the object in question. At least one hole (12) is cut out in the plate (4) at a distance from the driving unit (3) in order to admit accommodation of a screw (2), which may be fastened in the gypsum board in order to improve the holding ability of the plate relative to the board in addition to the holding ability attained by means of the driving unit only. In association with the hole (12) there are means (13) for stopping the screw in a given bottomed twist angled position from which further rotation of the same is impossible during fastening of the screw in the gypsum board.

Description

FASTENER

Technical field of the invention This invention relates to a fastener for the application of objects on a backing, particularly in the form of a ■gypsum board, comprising a driving unit having a plurality of thin and flat elements which are driveable into the backing and one of which is arranged to diverge relative to the other element(-s) during driving-in, as well as a plate connected or integrated with the driving unit and arranged to bear against the outside of the backing in order to serve as an externally available support for the object in question.

Background of the invention and the prior art

To apply such objects as pictures or the like on a wall built up by gypsum boards is met with difficulties. The core of gypsum existing between the exterior paper layers on the two opposite surfaces of the board, offers little or no hold for conventional fastening members, such as nails, screws, pegs or the like, inasmuch as gypsum - contrary to wood - is a dead material which is inclined to be pulverized without pinching around such members when these are driven into the same. In order to attain a reliable holding of objects suspended on gypsum walls one has therefore previously used more or less complicated expansion-she11 bolts which, apart from being costly, has the disadvantage of calling for the preboring of holes in the gypsum board.

In order to clear away the need of the costly expansion- shell bolts one has previously developed relatively simple and inexpensive fasteners which are especially adapted for the suspension of such objects as pictures on gypsum walls. More particularly EP 0144388 (and the corresponding SE 8303114-6 and US 4613108) discloses a fastener which, in addition to an externally available, hook-shaped plate, includes a driving unit consisting of three thin, flat and point-shaped elements of which a central, wide element can be driven into the gypsum board at .an angle which slightly differs (e.g.1-3°) from the angle at which two adjacent, narrower elements are driven in. By the fact that the elements accordingly diverge relative to each other in the driven-in condition, a considerably greater force is required for an unintentional pulling-out of the elements than for the pulling-out of for instance a nail or a peg. This has, in practice, proved to give this fastener an excellent fastening or holding ability. A shortcoming of the embodiment of the fastener shown and disclosed in said patent specifications is, however, that the same is solely suitable for the application of such objects which lend itself to be hung on the fastener, e.g. pictures, inasmuch as the externally available plate which is integrated with the driving unit is in the form of a hook. Such a hook plate does not lend itself to the use for other fastening purposes then just hanging. If the hooked plate, perchance, would be subjected to repeated pulling forces in a direction perpendicularly to the plane of the plate the latter will be subjected to bending strains which may ultimately lead to the result that the various elements of the driving unit are dislodged from their driven-in position, meaning that the fastener may unfasten. For this reason the known fastener is not suited for fastening objects running the risk of being subjected to repeated pulling forces at angles relative to the plane of the gypsum board and the hooked plate respectively.

Objects and features of the invention

The present invention aims at setting aside the above- mentioned shortcomings of the previously known fastener and to further develop the same .so far that it will lend itself to the use for new and quite different purposes then just the hanging of pictures. Accordingly, a basic object of the invention is to provide a fastener which in comparison with the known fastener has a considerably better holding ability in the gypsum board or backing in order to create improved usefulness for the fastener. In a particular aspect the invention also aims at providing a fastener which in a simple and universal manner can be used for fastening of objects of most different nature. A further object of the invention is to simplify the driving of the driving unit into a gypsum board. According to the invention at least the basic object of the same - in two different versions - is attained by the features defined in the characterizing clauses of claims 1 and 2. Preferred embodiments of one version of the invention are further defined in the dependent claims 3 and 4.

Brief description of the appended drawings

In the drawings: Fig 1 is a perspective exploded view showing the fastener of the invention in combination with a screw,

Fig 2 is a partial section through a gypsum board with an attached fastener to which in turn an object indicated in the form of a toiletpaper-holder can be attached, Fig 3 is an exploded view showing a developed embodiment of a fastener in combination with a particular adapter in the form of a clip, Fig 4 is a similar exploded view showing an alternative embodiment of the fastener, and Fig 5 is a planar view from above of the proper fastener according to fig 3 and 4.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

In fig 1 reference numeral 1 generally designates a fastener according to the invention, while 2 designates a screw. The fastener 1 includes a driving unit generally desig¬ nated 3 as well as a plate 4 extending at an angle relative to said unit. In a manner known by EP 0144388 the driving unit 3 comprises three thin and flat elements 5,6,6' of which the central element 5 is considerably wider than the lateral, tongue-like elements 6,6'. The central element 5 extends rear- wardly from the plate 4 at an angle of approximately 90°. Portions of the tongue elements 6,6' may also extend at an angle of approximately 90° relative to the plate, but at there outermost portions 7,7' (see also fig 5) the tongue elements are bent to a certain, though small, angle relative to the central element 5. When the elements 5,6,6" are driven into a gypsum board therebehind, the elements 6,6' will therefore diverge in relation to the element 5 as illustrated in an exaggerated manner in fig 2. All of the elements 5,6,6' have outer tips 8,9,9' . The tip 8 is located between two angled edge portions 10,10' on the central element 5, while the tips 9,9' are located at the outer end of simply bevelled edges 11,11' on the tongue elements. As far as the driving unit 3 is hitherto described the same is in all essentials previously known by EP 0144388. An important advantage of this type of driving unit is that the same offers a very good grip and good holding ability respec¬ tively, in a gypsum board, thanks to the fact that the flat elements 5,5,6' are brought to diverge relative to each other in connection with the driving-in.

In the embodiment of the fastener shown in fig 1 a hole 12 is arranged in the plate 4 at a distance from the driving unit 3, said hole serving to receive and allow penetration of the screw 2. In connection with this hole 12 there is, accord¬ ing to the invention, means for stopping the screw in a given bottomed twist angle position from which further rotation of the same is impossible, when the screw is fastened in a gypsum board. Advantageously the screw is made with a rather coarse pitch thread and has a tapering shape from the head towards the tip so as to make it suitable for the screwing into gypsum. The idea of fastening a strengthening screw in an area at a dist¬ ance from the driving unit 3 is as follows.

If the object which is fixed against the wall is repeat- edly subjected to pulling forces in a direction perpendicularly to the plane of the wall, there is a certain risk that the driving unit will ultimately come loose inasmuch as the plate 4 is subjected to repeated bending stresses. In order to counteract this risk and substantially increase the force needed for unintentional pulling-out of the fastener from the gypsum board the strengthening screw 2 is installed. In order to make sure that the screw 2 will become effective in spite of the fact that the same is fastened in the dead gypsum material a stopping means is associated with the plate 4, more particularly in the form of a cone-shaped bulging 13 which has a helically extending delimiting edge, the arc length of which is slightly smaller than one turn. The thread of the screw 2 has a diameter which is slightly greater than the diameter of the hole 12 which is confined by the helical edge of the bulging 13 and therefore the edge portion of the bulging en¬ gages between the threads. When the head of the screw reaches its end position the edge portion of the bulging 13 is resiliently tightened against the closest thread, whereby the screw will be locked in a bottomed end position in which further rotation of the screw is made impossible. In this manner it is guaranteed that the screw will not, by continued rotation, crush the gypsum material in the board, meaning that the screw will have a genuine holding effect in spite of the fact that the same is fastened in gypsum.

In the embodiment shown in fig 1 and 2 the bulging 13 projects from the rear side of the plate 4, meaning that the front side or outer surface of the plate is left completely plane and suited for attaching objects substantially tightly against the outside of the gypsum board. Fig 2 illustrates how a toiletpaper-holder, designated 14, can be attached to the fastener 1 by means of the sc.ew 2. A toiletpaper-holder, in particular, is during its lifetime repeatedly subjected to pulling forces in a direction perpendicularly to the wall be- hind. Without help of the strengthening screw 2 the plate 4 would be subjected to bending stresses which ultimately could lead to the result that the elements 5,6,6' are dislodged from their positions driven into the gypsum core. By the presence of the strengthening screw such bending of the plate is, however, counteracted inasmuch as the screw substantially increases the force needed for unintentional pulling-out of the fastener perpendicularly to the board.

Now, reference is made to fig 3, which illustrates a further developed embodiment in which the plate 4 is in the form of a base plate having means for receiving and holding a selected adapter 15 included in a series of different adapters for holding various objects. In the example shown, said means consist of two spaced-apart and substantially parallel guide members 16,16' having an angled or L-shaped cross sectional shape between which a web portion 17 of substantially uniform width included in each adapter can be inserted. In this case the adapter 15 consists of a clip which, apart from the web portion 17, comprises two flanges 18,19 of resilient nature, which projects from opposite ends of the web portion and at an angle thereto. One of these flanges, viz the flange 18, has a greater width than the web portion along its entire extent, whereby it will serve as a dog or stop element when the web portion 17 is pushed in between the guide members 16,16'. The opposite flange 19 is connected to the web portion by a transition portion 20 having a smaller width than the web portion 17, recesses 21 being formed at each side of the transition portion 20, said recesses allowing the flange 19 to be pushed past the guide members 16,16' without obstruction thereof.

In the base plate 4 there is a simple hole 22 in the area between the guide members 16,16'. A hole 12', corre¬ sponding to the hole 12 according to fig 1, is arranged in the web portion 17 of the adapter 15. In this case too a bulging 13 ' having a helical edge is associated with the hole 12 ' , said bulging preventing the screw 2 from rotating after it has reached a bottomed end position. In this case the bulging 13' is turned outwardly from the web portion 17, but operates fundamentally in the same way as the inwardly turned bulging of the plate 4 according to fig 1.

As to fig 3 it should further be noted that the guide members 16,16' most suitable are made by punching tabs out of the plate 4, which suitably consists of metal sheet. These punched-out tabs are bent into -shape. Fig 4 illustrates a developed embodiment in which a frustroconical collar 23 is provided in connection with the hole 22, the shape of said collar partly corresponding to the shape of the bulging 13 of the web portion 17. hen the clip member 15 is inserted with its web portion 17 between the guide members 16,16' the collar 23 will snap into the hole or seating defined by the bulging 13, whereby the clip will be resiliently held in its given position relative to the base plate.

The advantages of the invention are evident. Irrespec¬ tive of whether the fastener is designed with a simple fasten- ing plate of the type shown in fig 1 or with a base plate for receiving an adapter, as shown in fig 3 and 4, the hole in question allows fastening of a screw in a gypsum board behind the fastener. This screw highly improves the engagement or holding ability of the fastener in comparison with the previously known fastener, whereby first and foremost is achieved that the externally available plate does not run the risk of being repeatedly subjected to bending stresses.

Conceivable modifications

The invention is not limited merely to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings. Thus, more than one hole may be arranged in the externally available plate of the fastener. Furthermore other types of adapters than precisely a clip, may be attached to the fastener provided with a base plate according to fig 3 and 4. As examples of other types of adapters may be mentioned mirror or plate holders, curtain holders, holders for cornices, etc. It should also be pointed out that the external plate which is connected to the driving unit, may be buckled or bent into two portions of which a lower one initially extends obliquely inwardly in relation to the upper one. In this manner the plate will be urged against the gypsum board while improving the holding ability relative to the board. It should finally be mentioned that the specific advantage of the screw-stopping bulging described, is that the helically running edge of the bulging will abut against the thread of the strengthening screw so as to support the screw and counteract tilting movements thereof.

Claims

1.Fastener for the application of objects on a backing, particularly in the form of a gypsum board, comprising a driving unit (3) having a plurality of thin and flat elements (5,6,6'), which are driveable into the backing and one of which is arranged to diverge relative to the other element(-s) during driving-in, as well as a plate (4) connected or integrated with the driving unit (3) and arranged to bear against the outside of the backing in order to serve as an externally available support for the object in question, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at least one hole (12,22) is cut out in the plate at a distance from the driving unit (3) in order to admit accom- modation of a screw (2) , which may be fastened in the backing in order to improve the holding ability of the plate relative to the backing in addition to the holding ability attained by means of said driving unit only, and that there are means (13) in connection with the hole (12) for stopping the screw in a given bottomed twist angle position from which further rotation of the same is impossible during fastening of the screw in the backing.

2. Fastener for the application of objects on a backing, parti- cularly in the form of a gypsum board, comprising a driving unit (3) having a plurality of thin and flat elements (5,5,6') which are driveable into the backing and one of which is arranged to diverge relative to the other element(-s) during driving-in, as well as a plate (4) connected or integrated with the driving unit (3) and arranged to bear against the outside of the backing in order to serve as an externally available support for the object in question, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at least one hole (12,22) is cut out in the plate (4) at a distance from the driving unit (3) in order to admit accommodation of a screw (2), which may be fastened in the backing in order to improve the holding ability of the plate relative to the backing in addition to the holding ability attained by means of said driving unit only, that the plate is in the form of a base plate (4) having means (16,16') for re- ceiving and holding a selected adapter (15) included in a series of different adapters for holding various objects, and that there is a hole (12') in the adapter (15) corresponding to the hole (12) in the plate (4), means (13) being arranged in connection with said hole (12') for stopping the screw in a given bottomed twist angle position from which further rotation of the same is impossible during fastening of the screw in the backing.

3. Fastener according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said holding means is in the form of two spaced-apart and substantially parallel guide members (16,16'), having an angled or L-shaped cross sectional shape, between which a web portion of substantially uniform width included in each adapter can be inserted, said hole (12') being located in an area between the guide members.

4. Fastener according to claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a frustroconical collar (23) is provided in association with the hole (22) in the base plate (4) , said collar serving to snap into the analogous hole (12') in the adapter and thereby resilientely hold the adapter in a given, desired position relative to the base plate.