Force distribution multi-piece hinged hanger

• US 6,641,106 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2002
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alan Keith Beaty, Wallace Andrew Pennington
• Original Assignee: Alan Keith Beaty, Wallace Andrew Pennington
• Inventors: Beaty, Alan Keith, Pennington, Wallace Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SZUMNY, JONATHON A
• Application Number:
  US10/293,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20030066941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: 248/216.1, 248/216.4, 248/217.1, 248/217.2, 248/217.3, 248/218.1, 248/218.3, 248/220.21, 248/220.22, 248/222.51, 248/225.11, 248/225.21, 248/304, 248/309.2, 248/475.1, 248/294.1, 248/546, 248/495, 248/497, 248/301, 407/45, 407/61, 411/457, 411/461, 411/466, 411/469, 411/470
• US Class Current: 248/475.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 1/20 Picture hooks; X-hooks plugs or hooks for general use F16B13/00, F16B45/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 1/22 Pin plates

Abstract

A hanger having a front plate attached through a plate junction to a back plate. At the rear of back plate are lower pins that extend outward from back plate. Back plate has slots that hold lower pins. A hinge pin is provided that traverses the upper portion of plate junction and fits into a slot that traverses the top of back plate horizontally. Hinge pin is bent backward and downward at right angles to ensure vertical portions of hinge pin do not create a binding condition between the fabric-covered wall or furniture and the back plate. Vertical portions of hinge pin are used to initially pin the hanger into the applicable fabric-covered wall or furniture. Once the tips of hinge pin are inserted into the fabric of the fabric-covered wall or furniture, the rest of the hanger will rotate freely on the horizontal axis of hinge pin allowing the lower pins to penetrate the fabric exterior surface and the inner core material at an angle slightly less than 90 degrees. Attached at the upper portion of the front plate is a hook or prong that extends outward and slightly upward from the plate. Upper pins are present in a second embodiment.

Claims

1. A force distributing hanger for a fabric-covered wall or furniture having a fabric exterior surface and an inner core material, said hanger comprising:

a first planar member overlapping a second planar member, each planar member having two faces, one face being an exposed face and the other face being an unexposed face, said overlapping being between said faces of said planar members to form an overlap junction;

a plurality of pins attached to and extending orthogonally from said exposed face of said second planar member;

a hinge pin that traverses said first planar member and said second planar member at said overlap junction, said hinge pin having a first horizontal portion perpendicular to two second horizontal portions, said second horizontal portions being contiguous with two vertical portions; and

a hanging means attached to said exposed face of said first planar member, whereby when said hinge pin is inserted into said fabric-covered wall or furniture, said plurality of pins can penetrate said fabric exterior surface and said inner core material thereby allowing distribution of any weight that is placed on said hanging means and preventing ripping of said fabric exterior surface.

2. The force distributing hanger for a fabric-covered wall or furniture having a fabric exterior surface and an inner core material of claim 1 wherein said plurality of pins comprises at least two lower pins.

3. The force distributing hanger for a fabric-covered wall or furniture having a fabric exterior surface and an inner core material of claim 2 wherein said hanging means is selected from the group consisting of hooks and prongs.

4. The force distributing hanger for a fabric-covered wall or furniture having a fabric exterior surface and an inner core material of claim 3 further comprising a defined area on said exposed face of said first planar member to attach advertisements.

5. The force distributing hanger for a fabric-covered wall or furniture having a fabric exterior surface and an inner core material of claim 4 wherein said said first planar surface to attach advertisements.

6. The force distributing hanger for a fabric-covered wall or furniture having a fabric exterior surface and an inner core material of claim 5 wherein said hinge pin traverses said first planar member and said second planar member at said overlap junction by way of said first horizontal portion.

7. A force distributing hanger for a fabric-covered wall or furniture having a fabric exterior surface and an inner core material, said hanger comprising:

a first planar surface;

a second planar surface attached behind said first planar surface;

at least two lower pins attached to and extending from said second planar surface;

a hinge pin that traverses said second planar surface; and

a hanging means attached to said first planar surface, wherein said hanging means is selected from the group consisting of hooks and prongs;

wherein said first and second planar surface each include an exposed and an unexposed face;

wherein each of said unexposed faces are attached at a junction;

whereby when said hinge pin is inserted into said fabric-covered wall or furniture, said at

least two lower pins can penetrate said fabric exterior surface and said inner core material

thereby allowing distribution of any weight that is placed on said hanging means and

preventing ripping of said fabric exterior surface.

8. The force distributing hanger for a fabric-covered wall or furniture having a fabric exterior surface and an inner core material of claim 7 further comprising a defined area on said first planar surface to attach advertisements.

9. The force distributing hanger for a fabric-covered wall or furniture having a fabric exterior surface and an inner core material of claim 8 further comprising at least two upper pins.

10. The force distributing hanger for a fabric-covered wall or furniture having a fabric exterior surface and an inner core material of claim 9 wherein said hinge pin traverses said second planar surface at said junction.

11. The force distributing hanger for a fabric-covered wall or furniture having a fabric exterior surface and an inner core material of claim 10 wherein said hinge pin is bent backward and downward from said second planar surface.