Supports – Mirror or picture type – Suspended
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-16
2001-11-20
King, Anita (Department: 3632)
Supports
Mirror or picture type
Suspended
C248S489000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318698
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a suspension device for an object, preferably pictures, at a vertical surface, comprising a base element for fastening of the suspension device, an elongated element displaceably provided in relation to the base element, a suspension member provided on the elongated element, and means arranged to enable the positioning of the elongated element in its longitudinal direction in relation to the base element.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Such suspension devices may be used for the suspension of for example pictures, whereby the position of the pictures in the vertical direction may be adjusted. It is especially important that the pictures may hang exactly straight at exhibitions, since the visual impression of a valuable work of art, partly may disappear if the picture is slanting.
Usually, the pictures are transported between different art exhibitions without suspension devices. Usually, suspension devices in form of two loops are attached by screws to the rear side of the picture frame in connection with the suspension of the work of art. Thereafter, the pictures are suspended by metal wires introduced into the loops. An exact adjustment of the pictures takes time and is relatively complicated to perform. Another problem is that the loops are removed after every occasion of suspension and new loops are attached at the next suspension. This leads to a great wear of the frame and deteriorate seriously the strength of the frame on the long view, and at the same time the possibilities to find new suitable positions for the loops decrease.
SE, A, 8301109-8 shows an adjustable suspension device comprising a base element for fastening of the device, and an elongated element having a fixed loop, wherein a toothed mechanism is provided to lock said elongated element in relation to the base element An exact positioning may not be performed by this device because it comprises fixed positions. Even if said toothed mechanism is performed very finely, an exact positioning may not be realised.
By GB, A, 2 221 666 a picture hanger is known, which is adjustable in a continuous manner, comprising a base element for the fastening, a rotatable elongated element and a nut which is provided thereon and to which a loop is fasten. The disadvantage of this picture hanger is that the loop is not fixedly provided, in relation to the other parts, but moveable in the vertical direction, Therefore, an exact adjustment of the picture in the vertical direction may be difficult to perform.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a suspension device, preferably for pictures, which is possible to adjust exactly in the vertical direction. This is particularly important when more than one suspension device are utilised for an object, since a very exact adjustment is required so that the object will hang straight.
This object is obtained by the device initially defined which, according to the present invention, is characterised in that said means is arranged to adjust in a continuous manner the elongated element in relation to the base element. By this design of the suspension device a picture may be adjusted in a continuous manner exactly in the vertical direction. In that case when two suspension devices are used one of them may in a simple way be adjusted in such a manner that the picture is hanging exactly straight. According to a preferred embodiment of the suspension device, the suspension members are fixedly provided to the elongated element. By this embodiment the suspension member is adjusted together with the elongated element as a solid unit, wherein no relative moments between the suspension member and the base element, which disturb the adjustment work, may arise.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the base element comprises a passage for receiving the elongated element and said means is provided at said passage. BY the passage is obtained that the elongated element is kept steadily in the base element and thereby effectively prevented from moving in any other directions than in its displacement direction. By providing said means at the passage, said means may immediately be in engagement with the elongated element without any additional movement transmission parts. In order to adjust the suspension member in a continuous manner in relation to the base member it is suitable to design said means comprising a rotatable unit. Thereby, for the adjustment of the suspension device, one may by rotating the unit by the fingers of the hand in a continuous manner adjust the elongated element in the vertical direction in relation to the base element.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said rotatable unit comprises an essentially cylindrical shape having a rotation axis essentially in parallel to the extension of the elongated element. According to one embodiment of the rotatable unit, it comprises an internal passage arranged to receive the elongated element. This passage is provided to be aligned with the passage of the base element. In order to obtain an adjustment in a continuous manner, said passage of the rotatable unit may comprise internal threads which are arranged to interact with threads provided on the elongated element. According to another embodiment of the rotatable unit, it comprises external threads, which are arranged to interact with threads provided on the elongated element. By the rotation of the rotatable unit, the external threads transmit a screw movement to the corresponding external threads provided on the elongated element, wherein the elongated element may be displaced in a continuous manner upwardly or downwardly in the passage.
According to another embodiment of said rotatable unit, it has an essentially cylindrical shape having a rotation axis essentially perpendicular to the extension of said elongated element. By this embodiment, which above all is intended for lighter suspension objects, said elongated element with the associated suspension member is provided manually in a desired position, whereafter said rotatable unit fixedly locks the elongated element in the passage. Said rotatable unit may comprise a screw device.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the device comprises means arranged to keep the elongated element non-rotatable in relation to the base element during said adjustment in a continuous manner. Thereby, it is obtained that the suspension member, which is fixedly provided on the elongated element, is kept non-rotatable during said adjustment, which facilitates the adjustment work and leads to a better and quicker result. It is preferable, if the opening of the suspension member in this case is provided essentially perpendicular to said vertical surface in such a way that a wire during the suspension of the object simply may be threaded through the opening of the suspension member. Said means may comprise at least a pin member provided on the elongated element and an elongated gap provided in the base element, wherein the pin member is arranged to be guided in the gap. By an alternative embodiment of said means, which only is adapted to the second embodiment of the rotatable unit, the threads on the elongated element may only be provided on that part of its circumference, which is adjacent to said rotatable unit in order to prevent the elongated element with the associated suspension member from rotating during the displacement movement. It is also preferable, if the threads of the elongated element at their outer positions extend around a greater part of the circumference of the elongated element. Thereby, it is obtained that the suspension member with the associated opening, which member is fixedly provided on the elongated element, may be turned, for example about 90°. By such a turning of about 90° the suspension member is not protruding appreciably outside the rear delimiting surface of the suspension object and thereby the suspension device not need to be dismounted from the o
Baxter Gwendolyn
Hovey Williams Timmons & Collins
King Anita
LandOfFree
Suspension device for an object does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Suspension device for an object, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Suspension device for an object will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2617190