Supports – Brackets – Specially mounted or attached
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-27
2002-11-05
Chan, Korie (Department: 3632)
Supports
Brackets
Specially mounted or attached
C248S304000, C411S457000, C411S471000, C411S473000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06474608
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, principally, to a fixture for attaching articles of various types to a wall surface, ceiling, or the like, made of a light and weak board, such as plaster board, aerated light concrete (ALC), rock wool sound absorption board, insulation board, or the like, and more particularly, it relates to a fixture whereby articles of various types can be attached to wooden side walls, external siding boards, mortar walls in a semi-hardened state, or the like, by means of a tool such as a hammer, or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, thumb tacks are commonly used as fixtures for attaching articles to plaster board, for example. A thumb tack has a simple structure and is also very easy to use, since it can simply be pushed in with a finger, but-it provides a weak force in holding an article, and generally can only be used for attaching light-weight articles, such as paper articles, or the like. Consequently, there is a requirement for a fixture which has a simple structure, like a thumb tack but provides strong article holding power.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a fixture for articles which provides strong article holding force, and which is light in weight, like a thumb tack, and is reusable and easy-to-use, in other words, a fixture which can be pushed in manually, without using a hammer, or the like, and when detached, can be pulled out manually, without using a tool, the constituent elements thereof being unchanged after detachment.
In order to achieve the aforementioned object, a fixture for articles according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises: a pin consisting of a single pivot and a pair of inserting blades, one end of each inserting blade being supported rotatably by means of the pivot and the other ends thereof being formed into sections for inserting into a board; and a washer having a hole through which the pair of inserting blades are passed; wherein the pair of inserting blades of the pin open up mutually when inserted into the board.
A fixture for articles according to this aspect of the invention can be inserted into a soft board, such as plaster board, manually, like a normal thumb tack, without using a hammer. Moreover, it can also be pulled out by a simple manual operation, like a conventional thumb tack, without using a tool, such as a pair of pliers, or the like. It is also possible to use the fixture according to the present invention in a hard board. This fixture displays no deformation after being detached, and it is reusable.
Moreover, if a small hole (for example, a 3.3 mm diameter hole) is provided in an article, then this article can be fixed by inserting the inserting blades through this hole. Moreover, when removing the fixture, since the effect of the pivot hinge causes the pair of inserting blades to follow the same course as the path they follow when inserted, then the inserting blades leave only a clean trace corresponding to their sectional shape, and there is virtually no damage to the surface of the board in the vicinity of the insertion trace.
The fixing strength provided by the fixture is very strong indeed compared to a thumb tack, for example. Moreover, when the fixture is removed from the board, there is no ‘spring back’ at the moment that the fixture leaves the board, and therefore safety is high, which is a major benefit. This fixture can also be applied to a small hole in the article.
A fixture for articles according to a further aspect of the present invention, comprises: a pin consisting of a single pivot and a pair of inserting blades, one end of each inserting blade being supported rotatably by means of the pivot and the other ends thereof being formed into sections for inserting into a board; wherein the pair of inserting blades of the pin open up mutually when inserted into a hole formed in the article.
According to this aspect of the invention, since the fixture is formed from a pin only, it is possible to provide a fixture for articles having a reduced number of constituent elements.
Preferably, the pair of inserting blades are elongated members which are bent in an intermediate position to form an approximate V shape. By forming the inner and the outer edge regions of the inserting sections respectively in a linear shape or a curved shape, it is possible to select the insertion angle and intersection angle of the inserting blades, and therefore the fixture can be made to cope with the hardness of the board and the required holding force.
Preferably the inner and outer edge regions of the aforementioned inserting section are formed respectively in a linear or curved shape. By attaching a cap for holding the pivot to the pin, and forming a knob region on said cap, it is possible to stabilize the attitude of the inserting blades and simplify the operation of pushing in and pulling out the fixture, whilst at the same time making it possible to improve design-related benefits by selecting an appropriate shape, color and material for the fixture.
Still preferably, a cap for holding the pivot is attached to the pin, and a knob region is formed on the cap.
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Armstrong Westerman & Hattori, LLP
Chan Korie
Takata Design Labo Company
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