Wall mountable object support system and related accessories

• US 10,390,618 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2017
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hillman Group Incorporated (Hillman Solutions Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hillman Group Incorporated (Hillman Solutions Corp.)
• Inventors: Will, Gary E., Grice, Byron K., Schmidt, Michael J., Mayville, Wayne R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duckworth, Bradley
• Application Number:
  US15/425,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20170231388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 211106, D6566
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/02 made of metal only
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 95/008 Suspension fittings for cabinets to be hung on walls
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/083 Grids; Article supports therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/04 Racks
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 15/00 Nails; Staples surgical staples A61B17/064; manufacture of nails or staples B21G ; drawing-pins, thumb-tacks B43M15/00; railway spikes E01B9/06

Abstract

A wall mounted object support system includes a grid member with a peripheral portion proximate a wall and a body portion offset from the peripheral portion and spaced further away from the wall than the peripheral portion. The grid member is formed by a plurality of spaced apart first elongated rod or wire portions each running in a first direction and a plurality of spaced apart second rod or wire portions each running in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. One or more of a support block and/or pivoting anchor components may be used to hold the grid member against the wall.

Claims

1. A wall mounted object support system, comprising:

a grid member including a peripheral portion proximate a wall and a body portion offset from the peripheral portion and spaced further away from the wall than the peripheral portion, the grid member formed by a plurality of spaced apart first elongated rod or wire portions each running in a first direction and a plurality of spaced apart second rod or wire portions each running in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction;

a plurality of support blocks, each support block connected to both the peripheral portion and the body portion;

wherein each support block includes a portion disposed between the peripheral portion and the wall to hold the peripheral portion in spaced relation proximate to the wall;

wherein each support block includes at least first and second anchor components pivotably associated with the support block, each of the first and second anchor components pivotable for movement between a non-anchoring orientation relative to the wall and an anchoring orientation, where in the anchoring orientation a curved retainer of the first anchor component is inserted within the wall and a curved retainer of the second anchor component is inserted within the wall.

2. The wall mounted object support system of claim 1 wherein the first and second anchor components are configured such that when both the first and second anchor components are in respective anchoring orientations, the curved retainers oppose each other within the wall to form a jaw-type gripping action of the wall.

3. The wall mounted object support system of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second anchor components has a pivot axis that is offset from the wall by at least one-half inch.

4. The wall mounted object support system of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second anchor components is pivotably connected with the body portion of the grid member.

5. The wall mounted object support system of claim 1 wherein each support block includes a releasable cover, and the first and second anchor components are disposed behind the releasable cover.

6. The wall mounted object support system of claim 5 wherein, for each support block, the releasable cover must be released to enable the first and second anchor components to be moved to respective non-anchoring orientations.

7. The wall mounted object support system of claim 1 wherein each support block includes a slot that snap-fits onto one of the first elongated rod or wire portions.

8. The wall mounted object support system of claim 7 wherein each slot includes an entry throat with a dimension smaller than a corresponding dimension of the first elongated rod or wire portion to which it is connected.

9. The wall mounted object support system of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of elongate wire or rod portions and the second plurality of elongate rod or wire portions together form a plurality of rectangular mount zones arranged in an array.

10. The wall mounted object support system of claim 9, further comprising:

a mount accessory including a mount panel configured to retainably engage within any one of the rectangular mount zones so as to be selectively positionable within any one of the rectangular mount zones.

11. The wall mounted object support system of claim 10 wherein the mount panel includes an upper slot for engaging with an upper wire or rod segment of a rectangular mount zone and a lower slot for engaging with a lower wire or rod segment of the rectangular mount zone.

12. The wall mounted object support system of claim 11 wherein the lower slot includes an upper support surface that rests on the lower wire or rod segment when the mount panel is retainably engaged within the rectangular mount zone.

13. The wall mounted object support system of claim 12 wherein the upper slot includes a lower stop surface that is spaced from the upper wire or rod segment when the mount panel is retainably engaged within the rectangular mount zone, enabling the mount panel to be shifted vertically upward within the rectangular mount zone such that the lower slot clears the lower wire or rod segment to enable pivoting of the mount panel out of the rectangular mount zone.

14. The wall mounted object support system of claim 13 wherein the mount accessory includes a movable retaining mechanism having a retaining position and a non-retaining position, in the retaining position the retaining mechanism inhibits vertically upward shifting of the mount panel within the rectangular mount zone.

15. The wall mounted object support system of claim 10 wherein the mount accessory includes at least one of (i) a support hook or support arm protruding forward from the mount panel, (ii) a wedge mount bracket protruding forward from the mount panel, (iii) a basket structure or bin structure or shelf structure protruding forward from the mount panel or (iv) a power outlet component or lighting component facing forward from the mount panel.

16. The wall mounted object support system of claim 10 wherein the mount panel includes at least one releasable retainer that interacts with one or more of the elongated wire or rod portions to hold the mount accessory within a rectangular mount zone.

17. A wall mountable storage system, comprising:

a first grid member including a first plurality of elongated rod or wire portions arranged to form a first plurality of rectangular mount zones in a first array, each rectangular mount zone of the first array having a height dimension A and a lateral dimension B;

a second grid member including a second plurality of elongated rod or wire portions arranged to form a second plurality of rectangular mount zones in a second array, each rectangular mount zone of the second array having a height dimension A and a lateral dimension B;

wherein a peripheral portion of the first grid member includes multiple partial mount zones, and a peripheral portion of the second grid member includes multiple partial mount zones,

when the second grid member is arranged peripherally adjacent to the first grid member with a given one partial mount zones of the second grid member adjacent to and in alignment with a given one of the partial mount zones of the first grid member, the adjacent and aligned partial mount zones form a rectangular mount zone with a height dimension A and a lateral dimension B.

18. The wall mountable storage system of claim 17 wherein a ratio of a surface area size in front elevation view of the first grid member over a surface area size in front elevation view of the second grid member results in a whole number.

19. The wall mountable storage system of claim 17, further comprising:

a third grid member including a third plurality of elongated rod or wire portions arranged to form a third plurality of rectangular mount zones in a third array, each rectangular mount zone of the third array having a height dimension A and a lateral dimension B;

a fourth grid member including a fourth plurality of elongated rod or wire portions arranged to form a fourth plurality of rectangular mount zones in a fourth array, each rectangular mount zone of the fourth array having a height dimension A and a lateral dimension B;

wherein a first peripheral corner portion of the first grid member includes a first partial mount zone, a second peripheral corner portion of the second grid member includes a second partial mount zone, a third peripheral corner portion of the third grid member includes a third partial mount zone and a fourth peripheral corner portion of the fourth grid member includes a fourth partial mount zone;

when the first, second, third and fourth grid members are arranged proximate each other with the first, second, third and fourth corner portions adjacent and aligned, the first, second, third and fourth partial mount zones together form a rectangular mount zone with a height dimension A and a lateral dimension B.

20. A wall mounted object support system, comprising:

a first supporting member including a plurality of first mount zones, the first supporting member mounted to the wall by a plurality of wall anchors; and

the first mount zones have a predefined size;

a second supporting member including a plurality of second mount zones, the second supporting member mounted to the wall by a plurality of wall anchors, the second mount zones also have the predefined size;

wherein a peripheral portion of the first supporting member includes multiple partial mount zones, and a peripheral portion of the second supporting member includes multiple partial mount zones,

when the second supporting member is arranged peripherally adjacent to the first supporting member with a first partial mount zone of the first supporting member adjacent to and in alignment with a second partial mount zone of the second supporting member, the adjacent and aligned first partial mount zone and second partial mount zone form a complete mount zone having the predefined size.