ACCESSORY MOUNTING DEVICE

• US 20200132249A1
• Filed: 10/30/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Horatio Bootstrap Entrepreneurs LLC
• Original Assignee: Horatio Bootstrap Entrepreneurs LLC
• Inventors: BROWNSTONE, Alan Scott
• Granted Patent: US 11,143,360 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47H 1/102 for mounting curtain rods A47H1/12, A47H1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47H 1/142 for supporting rods
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/04 internal, i.e. with spreading action F16B2/14 - F16B2/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/065 with an additional locking element
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/022 repositionable
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/027 Ceiling supports

Abstract

An accessory mounting device for removably mounting an accessory or fixture to a wall, ceiling, or other supporting surface. The device includes a bracket or clip which is affixable to the wall or other surface. The device further includes a cover which releasably mounts to the bracket or clip. The cover is configured to support and anchor various accessories and devices to the wall, ceiling, or other surface. The cover is mounted to and removed from the bracket by overcoming a biasing force provided between members of the bracket.

Claims

1. An accessory mounting device comprising:

a bracket having a fixed first member which includes a lower surface configured and dimensioned to conform to a wall or ceiling surface, the bracket having a movable second member spaced from the first member by a distance when in a first position, wherein the second member is biased toward the first position by a biasing force but is movable toward the first member by at least partially overcoming the biasing force to reduce the distance between the first member and the second member.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the bracket further comprises a track for receiving therein the second member of the bracket, and a stop member for preventing further movement of the second member of the bracket towards the first member of the bracket beyond a predetermined point.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the bracket further comprises a spring that provides the biasing force and wherein compression of the spring moves the second member of the bracket to reduce the distance between the first and second members of the bracket.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the bracket further comprises a track for receiving therein the second member of the bracket, and a stop member for preventing further movement of the second member of the bracket towards the first member of the bracket beyond a predetermined point, and wherein the spring is located between the stop member and the second member of the bracket.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the lower surface of the first member of the bracket is relatively flat and the first member of the bracket extends away from the lower surface at an acute angle.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the lower surface of the first member of the bracket includes one or more apertures therein for receipt of a fastener to securely affix the bracket to a wall or ceiling.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first member includes a wall that acts as a stop member for preventing further movement of the second member of the bracket towards the first member of the bracket beyond a predetermined point.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the second member includes plurality of legs with each carrying a protrusion that acts as a stop member for preventing further movement of the second member of the bracket beyond a predetermined point.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the first member includes a cavity to engage a phlange of a cover and the second member includes a cavity to engage another phlange of the cover.

10. The accessory mounting device of claim 1 further comprising:

a cover that is operatively associated with the bracket, the cover having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a structure for supporting, hanging or mounting an accessory, wherein the cover is attachable to the bracket by urging one side of the cover against the second member of the bracket to overcome the biasing force and reduce the distance between the first member of the bracket and the second member of the bracket so that the one side of the cover is positioned adjacent the second member of the bracket and another side of the cover is positioned adjacent the first member of the bracket when the cover is secured to the bracket, with the biasing force maintaining the cover in contact with the bracket.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein each side of the cover includes an angled inner surface and the angled inner surfaces sides are configured and dimensioned to respectively engage the first and second members of the bracket to lock the cover onto the bracket.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the cover is configured to completely surround the bracket to provide an ornamental feature when the cover is secured thereto.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the cover comprises a structure configured to engage an accessory.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the cover includes inwardly facing protrusions and the bracket includes open slots or channels that are configured and dimensioned to receive the protrusions of the cover to lock the cover onto the bracket.

15. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a cover that is operatively associated with the bracket, the cover having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a mounting mechanism for supporting, hanging or mounting an accessory, the cover including a first lateral portion and a second lateral portion on the lower surface, a recess between the lateral portions which is sized and configured to snugly receive the bracket, a phlange on one end of the recess to engage the cavity on the first member, and another phlange on another end of the recess to engage the cavity on the second member.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the cover is attachable to the bracket by urging one of the phlanges of the cover against the cavity on the second member to overcome the biasing force of the spring and reduce the distance between the first member and the second member so that the one of the phlanges of the cover is positioned within the cavity on the second member and is adjacent to the second member and the other one of the phlanges is positioned within the cavity on the first member and is adjacent the first member when the cover is secured to the bracket, with the biasing force maintaining each cavity of the bracket in contact with the respective phlange of the cover when the cover is secured to the bracket.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the lateral portions comprising a cutout to accommodate a mounting member of the first member.

18. A method of supporting, hanging or mounting an accessory on a wall or ceiling, which comprises:

providing accessory mounting device comprising a bracket and a cover,

the bracket comprising a first member, a second member, and a spring providing a biasing force; and

the second member being configured to move from a first position to a second position using a surface of the cover as part of installing, to move from the first position to the second position by applying a force to overcome the bias force, wherein the bias force holds the second member in position upon releasing the applied force;

affixing the bracket to the wall or ceiling; and

attaching the cover to the bracket.