WALL DECORATIVE OBJECT HANGER

Abstract

A hanger comprises a planar surface spanning a horizontal width. An adhesive layer is configured horizontally along an upper edge of a first side of the planar surface and is attachable to the vertical surface. A receptacle is configured below the planar surface, and is fitted to receive therein a head of a hanging adaptor below a second side of the planar surface that is opposite the first side. When the head is contained within the receptacle, the hanging adaptor is centered along the horizontal width of the planar surface. Elongated panels extend between the planar surface and the receptacle and are configured to restrain a rim of the head of the hanging adaptor, such that a lateral movement of the hanging adaptor is bounded by the one or more elongated panels. A horizontal width of the receptacle is narrower than the horizontal width spanned by the planar surface.

Claims

1. A hanger, comprising: a planar surface spanning a horizontal width; an adhesive layer configured horizontally along an upper edge of a first side of the planar surface and attachable to a vertical surface; a receptacle configured below the planar surface, and fitted to receive therein a head of a hanging adaptor below a second side of the planar surface that is opposite the first side, such that, when the head is contained within the receptacle, the hanging adaptor is centered along the horizontal width of the planar surface; and one or more elongated panels extending between the planar surface and the receptacle and configured to restrain a rim of the head of the hanging adaptor, such that a lateral movement of the hanging adaptor is bounded by the one or more elongated panels; wherein a horizontal width of the receptacle is narrower than the horizontal width spanned by the planar surface.

2. The hanger of claim 1, wherein the one or more elongated panels comprise two panels arranged in a tapering fashion so as to define a channel that narrows between the planar surface and the receptacle.

3. The hanger of claim 1, further comprising a tab for manual engagement configured on a lower surface of the hanger below the receptacle.

4. The hanger of claim 1, wherein the horizontal width of the planar surface is as least twice as wide as the horizontal width of the receptacle.

5. A decorative block hanging system comprising: the hanger as defined in claim 1; and a decorative block having the hanging adaptor attached thereto at a horizontally centered position, such that when the head of the hanging adaptor is received within the receptacle, the decorative block is alignable to be levelled with respect to the vertical surface.

6. The decorative block hanging system of claim 5, wherein the head of the hanging adaptor is button-shaped.

7. A method comprising: adhering an adhesive layer of a hanger to a vertical surface, wherein the hanger comprises: a planar surface spanning a horizontal width, with the adhesive layer configured horizontally along an upper edge of the first side of the planar surface, a receptacle configured below the second side of the planar surface, and fitted to receive therein a head of a hanging adaptor below a second side of the planar surface that is opposite the first side, such that, when the head is contained within the receptacle, the hanging adaptor is centered along the horizontal width of the planar surface; and one or more elongated panels mounted to restrain a rim of the head of the hanging adaptor, such that a lateral movement of the hanging adaptor is bounded by the one or more elongated panels; wherein a horizontal width of the receptacle is narrower than the horizontal width spanned by the planar surface; and hanging the head of the hanging adaptor within the receptacle.

8. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein the one or more elongated panels comprise two panels comprise two panels arranged in a tapering fashion so as to define a channel that narrows between the planar surface and the receptacle, and the hanging step comprises lowering the head of the hanging adaptor between the two panels.

9. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein the hanger comprises a tab for manual engagement configured on a lower surface of the hanger below the receptacle, and the method further comprises grasping the tab, raising the hanger element while grasping the tab, and thereby peeling the adhesive layer of the hanger element from the vertical surface.

10. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein the horizontal width of the planar surface is as least twice as wide as the horizontal width of the receptacle.

11. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein the hanging adaptor is attached to a decorative block at a horizontally centered position of the decorative block, such that, when the head of the hanging adaptor is received within the receptacle, the decorative block is alignable to be levelled with respect to the vertical surface, and the method further comprises leveling the decorative block.

12. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein the head of the hanging adaptor is button-shaped.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Some embodiments of the invention are herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of embodiments of the invention. In this regard, the description taken with the drawings makes apparent to those skilled in the art how embodiments of the invention may be practiced.

[0025] In the drawings:

[0026] FIG. 1 is a left perspective view of a hanger, according to embodiments of the invention;

[0027] FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the hanger of FIG. 1 with a head of a hanging adaptor opposite a planar surface, according to embodiments of the invention;

[0028] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the hanger of FIG. 2, according to embodiments of the invention;

[0029] FIG. 4 is a left perspective view of a back side of the hanger of FIG. 1, according to embodiments of the invention;

[0030] FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the hanger of FIG. 1 with a head of a hanging adaptor within a receptacle, according to embodiments of the invention;

[0031] FIG. 6 is a side perspective view of the hanger of FIG. 5, according to embodiments of the invention;

[0032] FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the hanger of FIG. 5, according to embodiments of the invention;

[0033] FIG. 8 is a depiction of a hanging system including the hanger of FIG. 1 and a decorative object with a hanging adaptor attached thereto, according to embodiments of the invention;

[0034] FIG. 9 is a depiction of the hanger of FIG. 1 being attached to a vertical surface, according to embodiments of the invention;

[0035] FIG. 10 is a depiction the decorative object of FIG. 8 hanging on the hanger as depicted in FIG. 9, according to embodiments of the invention; and

[0036] FIG. 11 is a depiction of the hanger of FIG. 1 being removed from a vertical surface, according to embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0037] The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to a system for hanging an object onto a vertical surface, and in particular, but not exclusively, to a hanger with a planar surface and a receptacle below the planar surface having a horizontal width narrower than the horizontal width spanned by the planar surface.

[0038] Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components and/or methods set forth in the following description and/or illustrated in the drawings and/or the Examples. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

[0039] Referring to FIG. 1, hanger 10 is comprised of planar surface 12 and receptacle 16 below planar surface 12. Planar surface 12 is oriented in a substantially rectangular shape, although other configurations are possible. In the depicted embodiment, planar surface 12 includes visual indicators, in particular an arrow and the word “TOP,” to indicate the location of the top of the hanger when the hanger is hung on a vertical surface. As used in the present disclosure, the term “above” or “up” refers to the direction towards the top of the hanger, as so indicated in FIG. 1, and the term “down” or “below” refers to the opposite direction. In addition, the planar surface may be considered to have a “first side,” which is not visible in FIG. 1, and to which an adhesive layer is attached, and a “second” side, which is opposite the first side, and which is visible in FIG. 1. Planar surface has a horizontal width extending along axis A.

[0040] Receptacle 16 is located below planar surface 12. Receptacle 16 is centered along the horizontal width of the planar surface 12. The horizontal width of the receptacle 16 is narrower than the horizontal width spanned by the planar surface 12. Optionally, the horizontal width of the planar surface 12 is at least twice as wide as the horizontal width of the receptacle 16.

[0041] Reinforcing braces 20 provide structural strength to receptacle 16.

[0042] In the illustrated embodiment, receptacle 16 has a substantially circular shape. This shape is configured to match the shape of a head of a hanging adaptor, as will be discussed further herein. One advantage of the circular shape is that it is easy for a head of a hanging adaptor to rotate freely within the receptacle 16, thereby allowing a user to align the angular orientation of the hanging adaptor after it is inserted into the receptacle 16. In alternative embodiments, the shape of the receptacle 16 can be polygonal, such as rectangular, or any other suitable shape. In such embodiments, the alignment of the head within the receptacle 16 creates an axis, permitting horizontal calibration of the hanging adaptor after it is inserted in receptacle 16.

[0043] One or more elongated panels 18 extend between the planar surface 12 and the receptacle 16. Panels 18 may also be referred to herein as rails. The panels 18 may extend the entire distance between the planar surface 12 and the receptacle 16, as in the illustrated embodiment, or only a portion of that distance. The panels 18 are configured to restrain a rim of a head of a hanging adaptor placed along the planar surface 12, so that lateral movement of the hanging adaptor is bounded by the panels 18. In the illustrated embodiment, panels 18 comprise two panels arranged in a tapering fashion, so as to define a channel 14 that narrows between the planar surface 12 and the receptacle 16. The tapering channel 14 forms a guiding track that allows a user to intuitively lower the head of the hanging adaptor into the receptacle without requiring precise alignment of the hanging adaptor and the hanger 10.

[0044] Hanger 10 also includes tab 22 configured on a lower surface of the hanger 10, below the receptacle 16. Tab 22 is suitable for manual engagement, for example, when removing the hanger from a vertical surface. For example, a user can raise the tab in an outward and upward direction, allowing for the adhesive to peel slowly off of the vertical surface, which reduces potential damage to the vertical surface.

[0045] Hanger 10 also optionally includes groove 13. Groove 13 is oriented perpendicular to the horizontal axis A. When the hanging adaptor is attached to a vertical surface in a leveled position, groove 13 is oriented exactly vertically. Groove 13 thus serves as a visual aid to a user, to help identify whether hanger 10 is hung in a level fashion. However, even if hanger 10 is not hung level, a decorative object attached to the hanging adaptor is still capable of being levelled while hanging, as will be discussed further herein.

[0046] Hanger 10 may be constructed from any material suitable for carrying out the functions described herein, including, without limitation, a plastic or polymeric material.

[0047] Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, head 24 of a hanging adapter 26 is schematically shown opposite planar surface 12. The hanging adapter 26 is attachable to a decorative object that is to be hung on the vertical surface, such as a painting, poster, canvas, or polystyrene foam wall tile with a picture printed thereon. In the illustrated embodiment, the head 24 is button-shaped, and thus is configured to cooperate with receptacle 16.

[0048] The hanging adaptor may be comprised of a ball bearing, a slide bearing, or another material suitable for effecting a rotatable connection with a desirable amount of friction. In a preferred embodiment, the friction between the head 24 and the receptacle 16 is sufficiently large to prevent automatic self-leveling caused by gravity. Such automatic self-leveling is undesirable, because any slight air movement would cause the decorative object to swing back and forth.

[0049] Referring now to FIG. 4, adhesive layer 11 extends along the horizontal length of the first side of the planar surface 12, at the top of the first side. Adhesive layer 11 may contain a removable adhesive, such as a pressure-sensitive adhesive, which is designed to be attachable to, and removable from, the vertical surface, without causing damage to the vertical surface. In a preferred embodiment, the adhesive is a low-peel adhesive.

[0050] The vertical length of the adhesive layer 11 may vary according to the weight of the object that is to be hung on the vertical surface. In the illustrated embodiment, the adhesive layer 11 extends substantially along the entire planar surface 12. As discussed above, in a preferred embodiment, the planar surface 12 is at least twice as wide as the receptacle 16. Advantageously, this width ensures that there is sufficient adhesive across the horizontal span of the planar surface 12 to support a decorative object, without requiring the adhesive layer 11 to be permanent. The wide and high geometry of the adhesive layer 11 compared to the hanging adaptor 26 ensures that there is sufficient adhesive to support the weight of a decorative object attached to the hanging adaptor, without requiring an overly strong adhesive that will damage the wall. Due to the large surface area of the adhesive, a large item may be hung with even a low-peel adhesive.

[0051] Referring now to FIGS. 5-7, the hanger 10 is shown with the head 24 lowered within the receptacle 16. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the head 24 is shown as being larger than the receptacle 16. In this embodiment, the head has a portion of a narrower diameter at a frontal portion thereof (not shown in FIG. 5) that inserts into receptacle 16. In the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7, the head is shown as fitting within receptacle 16. In addition, in the embodiment of FIG. 6, the head 24 and receptacle 16 are shown as being substantially rectangular, rather than circular.

[0052] FIG. 8 depicts a hanging system including the hanger 10 and a decorative block 28 with hanging adaptor 26 attached thereto. In the view of FIG. 8, the hanging adaptor is obscured by button 24. The hanging adaptor 26 is attached to the decorative block 28 at a horizontally centered position. The horizontal centering of the hanging adaptor 26 ensures that when the head 24 is received within the receptacle 16, the decorative block 28 is able to self-level with respect to a vertical surface. Because of the free rotation of the button 24 within the receptacle 16, the decorative block 28 is able to be leveled even if the hanger 10 is not hung level itself. In embodiments in which the head 24 is not of a circular shape, the decorative block 28 is leveled through calibration around an axis of the head.

[0053] FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate a process of attaching hanger 10 onto a vertical surface 30, and hanging the decorative object 28 onto the hanger 10, according to embodiments of the invention. Referring to FIG. 9, a user attaches the hanger 10 to vertical surface 30 by arranging hanger 10 against the vertical surface 30, and applying pressure opposite the adhesive layer. The user may use groove 13 to assist in lining up hanger 10 so that it is level, although, as stated above, this is not essential for ensuring that the decorative object 28 is hung level.

[0054] After the hanger 10 is applied to the vertical surface 30, the user raises the decorative object 28 and places the head 24 of the hanging adapter 26 opposite the hanger 10. As can be seen in FIG. 10, the decorative object 28 may be of sufficient dimension to block the user's view of the hanger 10. However, the user may utilize the cooperation of head 24 with panels 18, in order to lower the head 24 into the receptacle 16. In particular, in embodiments in which the panels 18 are arranged in a tapering fashion, the user can slide the head 24 along the tapering edges of panels 18 in order to situate the head 24 correctly within the receptacle 16.

[0055] Optionally, the user may then adjust the alignment of the decorative object 28 to level it with respect to the vertical surface. For such levelling, the user may rely on his or her estimation of the desired alignment, or may use a tool such as a level.

[0056] Referring now to FIG. 11, to remove the hanger 10 from vertical surface 30, the user grasps tab 22, and pulls tab 22 horizontally outward and upward from the vertical surface 30. Instead of the removal force being transferred directly onto the adhesive layer 11, the removal force is initially applied to the tab 22. The removal force causes tab 22 to flex while the adhesive layer 11 remains completely attached to vertical surface 30. Continued horizontal and upward movement causes the receptacle 16 to flex, and then the planar surface 12 to flex. This flexing, in turn, causes the adhesive layer 11 to gradually peel off of the vertical surface 30, in a bottom-to-top direction. This gradual removal helps prevent damage to the vertical surface.

[0057] Optionally, a flexible strip may be attached to the hanger 10 between adhesive layer 11 and planar surface 12. The flexible strip may be substantially identical to the flexible strip disclosed in U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/958,340, entitled “Wall Hanging Decorative Assembly Having a Flexible Strip With Removable Adhesive and a Non-Adhesive Gap,” filed Jan. 8, 2020, the contents of which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. The flexible strip may further reduce the stress on the vertical surface during removal of the hanger 10.

[0058] It is expected that during the life of a patent maturing from this application many materials and configurations for forming a hanging adaptor, and many forms of permanent and removable adhesive, will be developed that are suitable for the functions described herein, and the scope of the terms hanging adaptor and permanent and removable adhesive is intended to include all such new technologies a priori.

[0059] As used herein the term “about” refers to ±10%.

[0060] The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes”, “including”, “having” and their conjugates mean “including but not limited to”. This term encompasses the terms “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of”.

[0061] The phrase “consisting essentially of” means that the composition or method may include additional ingredients and/or steps, but only if the additional ingredients and/or steps do not materially alter the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed composition or method.

[0062] As used herein, the singular form “a”, “an” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, the term “a compound” or “at least one compound” may include a plurality of compounds, including mixtures thereof.

[0063] The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance or illustration”. Any embodiment described as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments and/or to exclude the incorporation of features from other embodiments.

[0064] The word “optionally” is used herein to mean “is provided in some embodiments and not provided in other embodiments”. Any particular embodiment of the invention may include a plurality of “optional” features unless such features conflict.

[0065] Throughout this application, various embodiments of this invention may be presented in a range format. It should be understood that the description in range format is merely for convenience and brevity and should not be construed as an inflexible limitation on the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the description of a range should be considered to have specifically disclosed all the possible subranges as well as individual numerical values within that range. For example, description of a range such as from 1 to 6 should be considered to have specifically disclosed subranges such as from 1 to 3, from 1 to 4, from 1 to 5, from 2 to 4, from 2 to 6, from 3 to 6 etc., as well as individual numbers within that range, for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. This applies regardless of the breadth of the range.

[0066] Whenever a numerical range is indicated herein, it is meant to include any cited numeral (fractional or integral) within the indicated range. The phrases “ranging/ranges between” a first indicate number and a second indicate number and “ranging/ranges from” a first indicate number “to” a second indicate number are used herein interchangeably and are meant to include the first and second indicated numbers and all the fractional and integral numerals therebetween.

[0067] It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination or as suitable in any other described embodiment of the invention. Certain features described in the context of various embodiments are not to be considered essential features of those embodiments, unless the embodiment is inoperative without those elements.

[0068] It is the intent of the applicant(s) that all publications, patents and patent applications referred to in this specification are to be incorporated in their entirety by reference into the specification, as if each individual publication, patent or patent application was specifically and individually noted when referenced that it is to be incorporated herein by reference. In addition, citation or identification of any reference in this application shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the present invention. To the extent that section headings are used, they should not be construed as necessarily limiting. In addition, any priority document(s) of this application is/are hereby incorporated herein by reference in its/their entirety.