Hook rail

• US 10,258,180 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2016
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hillman Group Incorporated (Hillman Solutions Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hillman Group Incorporated (Hillman Solutions Corp.)
• Inventors: Malott, Dale G., Will, Gary E., Grice, Byron K., Hamblin, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Krycinski, Stanton L
• Application Number:
  US15/255,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20170127867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 211 9401
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 25/06 Clothes hooks; Clothes racks; Garment-supporting stands with swingable or extending arms with lockable hooks E05B69/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 25/0678 Hook-to-rail connections, with provisions for easy removal of the hooks
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/00 Supports, holders, or containers for household use, not provided for in groups A47G1/00-A47G27/00 or A47G33/00 for fastening kitchen utensils A47J45/00; for drying towels A47K10/04; stands, racks or the like for airing beds, garments or the like, clothes, drying devices D06F57/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/086 the shank of the stud, pin or spigot having elevations, ribs, fins or prongs intended for deformation or tilting predominantly in a direction perpendicular to the direction of insertion
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 45/00 Hooks; Eyes if the attaching parts or means are concerned, groups F16B13/00, F16B15/00, F16B19/00, F16B25/00, F16B35/00, F16B47/00 take precedence; for hanging pictures or the like A47G1/16; towing hooks for ships B63B21/58; for hoisting or hauling purposes B66C; hooks or eyes with integral parts designed to facilitate quick attachment to cables or ropes at any point F16G11/14

Abstract

A hook rail assembly for hanging objects on a wall includes an elongated rail member for abutting the wall, at least one anchor component connected to a back side of the rail member and at least one hook member positioned at a front side of the rail member. The anchor component including a base and at least one wall penetrating retainer, the wall penetrating retainer having a wall penetrating extent that that protrudes rearwardly of the rail member and has a curved configuration. The wall penetrating extent may be arcuate and have a radius of curvature with a center point proximate a bottom side of the rail member.

Claims

1. A hook rail assembly for hanging objects on a wall, comprising:

an elongated rail member for abutting the wall;

at least one anchor component connected to a back side of the rail member, the anchor component including a base and at least one wall penetrating retainer, the wall penetrating retainer having a wall penetrating extent that that protrudes rearwardly of the rail member and has a curved configuration, wherein the anchor component is connected within a recess of the back side of the rail member, a back side of the base is spaced forward from a wall mount plane of the rail member and a front side of the base is spaced rearward of a front side of the rail member, wherein the front side of the rail member covers the recess, wherein the wall penetrating extent includes a distal end defining a tip that is configured to penetrate a wall;

at least one hook member positioned at a front side of the rail member;

wherein the wall penetrating extent is arcuate and has a radius of curvature with a center point proximate a bottom side of the rail member.

2. The hook rail assembly of claim 1 wherein the center point is proximate a bottom rear corner of the rail member.

3. The hook rail assembly of claim 2 wherein the anchor component is connected to the rail member such that a relative position between the anchor component and the rail member does not change during installation of the hook rail assembly on a wall.

4. A hook rail assembly for hanging objects on a wall, comprising:

an elongated rail member having a front side, a back side, a top side, a bottom side, a left side and a right side, the back side including one or more portions that define a wall mount plane of the rail member;

first and second anchor components connected to the back side of the rail member, each of the first and second anchor components including a base having a front side, a back side, a top side, a bottom side, a left side and a right side, at least one wall penetrating retainer extending from the base and having a wall penetrating extent that that protrudes rearwardly of a wall mount plane of the rail member and has a downwardly curved configuration,

the front side of the rail member including multiple protruding hook members;

wherein each of the first and second anchor components is formed separate from the rail member and attached thereto, wherein each of the first and second anchor components is attached to the rail member such that a relative position between the anchor component and the rail member does not change during installation of the hook rail assembly on a wall, wherein the bottom side of each base is located above the bottom side of the rail member, wherein the wall penetrating extent of each of the first and second anchor components is arcuate and has a radius of curvature with a center point proximate the bottom side of the rail member.

5. The hook rail assembly of claim 4 wherein the rail member is of molded plastic material, the back side of the rail member is recessed and includes a first seating arrangement to which the first anchor component is retained and a second seating arrangement to which the second anchor component is retained, wherein each of the first and second anchor components is of metal material.

9. The hook rail assembly of claim 4 wherein each center point is proximate a bottom rear corner of the rail member.

10. The hook rail assembly of claim 9 wherein the back side of the first anchor component is spaced forward from the wall mount plane of the rail member and the back side of the second anchor component is spaced forward from the wall mount plane of the rail member.

12. The hook rail assembly of claim 5 wherein the first seating arrangement is configured to receive the first anchor component only when the first anchor component is in a specific orientation, the second seating arrangement is configured to receive the second anchor component only when the second anchor component is in a specific orientation, wherein the specific orientation of the first anchor component and the specific orientation of the second anchor component are matched to assure similar anchor component orientation on the rail member.

6. A hook rail assembly for hanging objects on a wall, comprising:

an elongated rail member having a front side, a back side, a top side, a bottom side, a left side and a right side, the back side including one or more portions that define a wall mount plane of the rail member;

first and second anchor components connected to the back side of the rail member, each of the first and second anchor components including a base having a front side, a back side, a top side, a bottom side, a left side and a right side, at least one wall penetrating retainer extending from the base and having a wall penetrating extent that that protrudes rearwardly of a wall mount plane of the rail member and has a downwardly curved configuration,

the front side of the rail member including multiple protruding hook members;

wherein each of the first and second anchor components is formed separate from the rail member and attached thereto;

wherein the rail member is of molded plastic material, the back side of the rail member is recessed and includes a first seating arrangement to which the first anchor component is retained and a second seating arrangement to which the second anchor component is retained, wherein each of the first and second anchor components is of metal material;

wherein the first anchor component includes a first mount opening in the base of the first anchor component, the second anchor component includes a second mount opening in the base of the second anchor component, the first seating arrangement includes a first mount hole aligned with the first mount opening, the second seating arrangement includes a second mount hole aligned with the second mount opening, a first fastener passing through the first mount opening and into the first mount hole to secure the first anchor component, a second fastener passing through the second mount opening and into the second mount hole to secure the second anchor component.

7. The hook rail assembly of claim 6 wherein the multiple protruding hook members include a first hook member having a first rearwardly protruding boss positioned within the first mount hole and a second hook member having a second rearwardly protruding boss positioned with the second mount hole, wherein the first fastener engages a first passage in the first boss to secure both the first anchor component and the first hook member to the rail member, wherein the second fastener engages a second passage in the second boss to secure both the second anchor component and the second hook member to the rail member.

8. The hook rail assembly of claim 7 wherein a front side of the first mount hole includes a keyed configuration and the first boss includes a keyed configuration to assure that the first boss can only be inserted into the first mount hole in a specified orientation, wherein a front side of the second mount hole includes a keyed configuration and the second boss includes a keyed configuration to assure that the second boss can only be inserted into the second mount hole in a specified orientation, wherein the specified orientation of the first mount boss and the specified orientation of the second mount boss are matched to assure similar hook orientation on the rail member.

11. A hook rail assembly for hanging objects on a wall, comprising:

an elongated rail member having a front side, a back side, a top side, a bottom side, a left side and a right side, the back side including one or more portions that define a wall mount plane of the rail member;

first and second anchor components connected to the back side of the rail member, each of the first and second anchor components including a base having a front side, a back side, a top side, a bottom side, a left side and a right side, at least one wall penetrating retainer extending from the base and having a wall penetrating extent that that protrudes rearwardly of a wall mount plane of the rail member and has a downwardly curved configuration,

the front side of the rail member including multiple protruding hook members;

wherein each of the first and second anchor components is formed separate from the rail member and attached thereto;

wherein the rail member is of molded plastic material, the back side of the rail member is recessed and includes a first seating arrangement to which the first anchor component is retained and a second seating arrangement to which the second anchor component is retained, wherein each of the first and second anchor components is of metal material;

wherein the first seating arrangement includes spaced apart ribs with recessed slots that receive and support the base of the first anchor component, the second seating arrangement includes spaced apart ribs with recessed slots that receive and support the base of the second anchor component.

13. A hook rail assembly for hanging objects on a wall, comprising:

an elongated rail member for abutting the wall;

a first anchor component connected to a back side of the rail member, the anchor component including a base and at least one wall penetrating retainer, the wall penetrating retainer having a wall penetrating extent that protrudes rearwardly of the rail member and has a curved configuration;

a first hook member positioned on a front side of the rail member;

wherein the first anchor component is formed separate from the rail member and attached thereto and the first hook member is formed separate from the rail member and attached thereto, and wherein a shared fastener engages the first anchor component and the first hook member to secure both the first anchor component and the first hook member to the rail member;

wherein the wall penetrating extent includes a distal end defining a pointed tip that is spaced rearwardly of the rail member.

14. The hook rail assembly of claim 13 wherein the first anchor component includes a first mount opening in the base of the first anchor component, the rail member includes a first mount hole aligned with the first mount opening, the first hook member includes a rearwardly protruding boss positioned within the first mount hole, the common fastener passes through the first mount opening, into the first mount hole and engages a passage in the rearwardly protruding boss to secure both the first anchor component and the first hook member to the rail member.

15. The hook rail assembly of claim 14 wherein a front side of the first mount hole includes a keyed configuration and the rearwardly protruding boss includes a keyed configuration to assure that the first boss can only be inserted into the first mount hole in a specified orientation.

16. A hook rail assembly for hanging objects on a wall, comprising:

an elongated rail member for abutting the wall;

a plurality of hook members positioned on a front side of the rail member;

an anchor component connected to a back side of the rail member, the anchor component including a base and at least one wall penetrating retainer, the wall penetrating retainer having a wall penetrating extent that protrudes rearwardly of the rail member and has a curved configuration, wherein the wall penetrating extent includes a distal end defining a pointed tip that is spaced rearwardly of the rail member,

wherein the back side of the rail member is recessed and includes a seating arrangement comprising spaced apart first and second ribs with respective distal edges, the distal edge of the first rib including a first recessed slot formed in and along the distal edge of the first rib and the distal edge of the second rib including a second recessed slot formed in and along the distal edge of the second rib, the first recessed slot spaced from and aligned with the second recessed slot, the first recessed slot and the second recessed slot receive and support the base of the anchor component.

17. The hook rail assembly of claim 16 wherein the first rib and second rib run substantially parallel to each other, wherein a third rib interconnects with and runs substantially perpendicular to the first rib and a fourth rib interconnects and runs substantially perpendicular to the second rib.

18. The hook rail assembly of claim 17 wherein the third rib and the fourth rib extend in opposite directions.

19. A hook rail assembly for hanging objects on a wall, comprising:

an elongated rail member for abutting the wall;

a plurality of hook members positioned on a front side of the rail member;

an anchor component connected to a back side of the rail member, the anchor component including a base and at least one wall penetrating retainer, the wall penetrating retainer having a wall penetrating extent that protrudes rearwardly of the rail member and has a curved configuration,

wherein the back side of the rail member is recessed and includes a seating arrangement comprising spaced apart first and second ribs with respective distal edges, the distal edge of the first rib defining a first recessed slot and the distal edge of the second rib defining a second recessed slot, the first recessed slot aligned with the second recessed slot, the first recessed slot and the second recessed slot receive and support the base of the anchor component;

wherein the first rib and second rib run substantially parallel to each other, wherein a third rib interconnects with and runs substantially perpendicular to the first rib and a fourth rib interconnects and runs substantially perpendicular to the second rib;

wherein the wall penetrating retainer extends from the base and has an initial forward progression, a distal edge of the third rib is recessed relative to the distal edge of the first slot to accommodate the initial forward progression, and the distal edge of the fourth rib is not recessed relative to the second rib, such that the anchor component can only be seated in the seating arrangement with the wall penetrating retainer positioned by the third rib.