Wall tack

• US 6,478,273 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2001
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matrix Innovative Products
• Original Assignee: Matrix Innovative Products
• Inventors: Spencer, Russell B., McKeirnan, Robert D. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Leslie A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baxter, Gwendolyn
• Application Number:
  US09/861,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20020171017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 248/684, 248/546, 248/216.4, 248/216.1, 248/217.1, 248/217.3, 248/218.1, 248/218.2, 248/218.3, 248/304, 248/339, 248/302, 248/303, 24/67.P
• US Class Current: 248/217.3
• CPC Class Codes: B43M 15/00 Drawing-pins, Thumb-tacks extractors B25C11/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/209 Paper-penetrating

Abstract

An improved wall tack is provided for quick and easy mounting onto an upholstered wall surface or the like for supporting documents such as memoranda, pictures, calendars, etc. The wall tack comprises a plastic molded tack body having a hanger hook protruding from a front side thereof, and a lower prong or push pin projecting rearwardly from a lower margin at a rear side thereof. The rear side of the tack body further includes an elongated recessed groove lined by a plurality of undercut lock tabs for secure snap-fit reception of an elongated wire member having opposite ends defining a pair of rearwardly projecting pointed prongs at an upper margin of the tack body rear side. The pair of pointed prongs cooperate with the lower push pin for engaging and securely supporting the tack body on the upholstered wall surface.

Claims

1. A wall tack, comprising:

a generally flat tack body defining a front face and a rear face;

a hanger hook protruding from said front face of said tack body;

a lower pointed tip prong projecting rearwardly from said rear face of said tack body generally at a lower margin thereof; and

an elongated wire member having a pair of upper pointed tip prongs at opposite ends thereof, and a central segment interconnecting said upper prongs;

said rear face of said tack body defining a groove for removably receiving said central segment of said wire member, said upper prongs projecting generally rearwardly from said rear face of said tack body generally at an upper margin thereof when said central segment of said wire member is received within said groove.

2. The wall tack of claim 1 wherein said wire member comprises an elongated metal element.

3. The wall tack of claim 1 wherein said groove defined on said rear face of said tack body comprises a partially undercut groove, said central segment of said wire member being springably deformable for substantially snap-fit reception into said partially undercut groove.

4. The wall tack of claim 3 further including a plurality of lock tabs formed on said tack body in positions spaced rearwardly from said rear face of said tack body, said lock tabs cooperating with said rear face of said tack body to define said partially undercut groove.

5. The wall tack of claim 1 wherein said lower prong comprises a rearwardly projecting push pin.

6. The wall tack of claim 5 wherein said rearwardly projecting push pin is formed integrally with said tack body.

7. The wall tack of claim 1 wherein said tack body, said hanger hook, and said lower prong comprise a unitary plastic molding.

8. The wall tack of claim 1 wherein upper prongs each extend generally rearwardly and then turn generally upwardly relative to said tack body, when said wire member is received within said groove.

9. The wall tack of claim 1 wherein said tack body has a generally triangular shape defining a pair of spaced-apart upper corners and a lower corner, said lower prong extending generally rearwardly from said lower corner of said tack body, and said upper prongs respectively extending generally rearwardly from said upper corners of said tack body.

10. A wall tack, comprising:

a tack body defining a generally flat front face and a generally flat rear face, said tack body having a generally triangular shape defining a pair of spaced-apart upper corners and a lower corner, a hanger hook protruding from said front face of said tack body, and a lower pointed tip prong projecting rearwardly from said rear face of said tack body generally at a lower margin thereof, said tack body and said hanger hook and said lower prong being formed as a unitary plastic molding; and

an elongated wire member having a pair of upper pointed tip prongs at opposite ends thereof, and a central segment interconnecting said upper prongs;

said rear face of said tack body defining a groove for seated reception of said central segment of said wire member in a position with said upper prongs projecting generally rearwardly from said upper corners of said tack body.

11. The wall tack of claim 10 wherein said wire member comprises an elongated metal element.

12. The wall tack of claim 10 wherein said groove defined on said rear face of said tack body comprises a partially undercut groove, said central segment of said wire member being springably deformable for substantially snap-fit reception into said partially undercut groove.

13. The wall tack of claim 12 further including a plurality of lock tabs formed on said tack body in positions spaced rearwardly from said rear face of said tack body, said lock tabs cooperating with said rear face of said tack body to define said partially undercut groove.

14. The wall tack of claim 10 wherein said lower prong comprises a rearwardly projecting push pin.

15. The wall tack of claim 10 wherein upper prongs each extend generally rearwardly and then turns generally upwardly relative to said tack body, when said wire member is received within said groove.

16. The wall tack of claim 10 wherein said wire member comprises said central segment having a curved shape and joined at opposite ends thereof to a pair of generally straight side legs, said side legs being joined in turn respectively to said upper prongs, and further including at least one lock tab formed in rearwardly spaced relation to said rear face of said tack body to define an undercut for snap-fit reception of said central segment of said wire member, a peripheral rim extending rearwardly from said rear face of said tack body, and a pair of lock tabs projecting inwardly from said peripheral rim generally at opposite side edges of said tack body and in spaced relation with said rear face of said tack body, said pair of lock tabs cooperating with said peripheral rim and rear face of said tack body to define undercuts for respective snap-fit reception of said side legs of said wire member.