Mounting device

• US 7,540,456 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2005
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Thompson, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver; J. Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): EPPS, TODD MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US11/271,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20070102601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 248/205.1, 248/205.3, 248/223.3, 248/223.31, 248/220.21, 248/220.22, 248/222.52, 248/224.51, 248/223.41, 211/89, 211/87.01, 211/105.1, 403/407.1, 403/384
• US Class Current: 248/205.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 1/175 Stretch releasing adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2201/02 Connections to a wall mounted support
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 5/126 at least one of the sheets, plates, bars or strips having integrally formed or integrally connected snap-in-features

Abstract

A device for mounting an item on a surface includes a base plate having front and rear major surfaces, a fastener for securing the base plate to the surface, and a retaining member removably connected with the base plate front major surface to retain the item on the device.

Claims

1. A device for mounting an article on a target surface, comprising:

(a) a base plate having front and rear major surfaces, wherein the base plate front surface contains a channel for receiving an item that is connected to the article;

(b) a fastener for securing the base plate to the target surface; and

(c) a retaining member connected with the base plate front major surface movable between an open position spaced from the base plate and a closed position adjacent the base plate and including a shaft portion and a head portion extending outwardly from the shaft portion,

wherein when the item is received into the channel and the retaining member is in a closed position, at least a portion of the article extends outwardly away from the base plate beyond the head portion of the retaining member,

and wherein the base plate comprises a plurality of raised abutments, that include a central abutment and at least one secondary abutment spaced from the central abutment, for maintaining the item in a fixed position relative to the abutments.

2. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the head portion of the retaining member includes a contact surface for contacting the item as the retaining member is moved from the open position to closed position.

3. The device as defined in claim 2, wherein the retaining member is rotatably connected with the base plate.

4. The device as defined in claim 3, wherein the retaining member is threadably connected with the base plate.

5. The device as defined in claim 4, wherein the retaining member and base plate include an internally threaded counter bore and a mating externally threaded fastening member.

6. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the retaining member includes a rib portion extending outwardly from the shaft portion arranged to retain the item on the device between the front major surface of the base plate and the retaining member, thereby securely connecting the item to the device.

7. The device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a cover plate arranged over at least a portion of the base plate.

8. The device as defined in claim 7, wherein the cover plate contains a central opening at the location where the retaining member connects with the base plate.

9. The device as defined in claim 8, wherein the cover plate snap connects with the base plate.

10. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the base plate includes a plurality of secondary abutments arranged at regular spaced intervals around the central abutment.

11. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the space between the central abutment and a secondary abutment is between about 2 mm and 10 mm.

12. The device as defined in claim 1, further comprising an adhesive strip arranged along the rear surface of the base plate.

13. The device as defined in claim 12, wherein the adhesive strip is a stretch releasing strip including a non-adhesive pull tab extending outwardly beyond the perimeter of the base plate, thereby to be exposed so a user can access the pull tab and stretch remove the adhesive strip when removal is desired.

14. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the device further comprises an elongate item received into the channel of the base plate front surface, and wherein the item is securely held in the channel by the retaining member when the retaining member is in the closed position.

15. The device as defined in claim 14, wherein the elongate item protrudes, in a direction substantially parallel to the base plate front surface, beyond at least one side edge of the base plate.

16. A device for mounting an article on a target surface, comprising:

(a) a base plate having front and rear major surfaces, wherein the base plate front surface contains a channel for receiving an item that is connected to the article;

(b) a fastener for securing the base plate to the target surface; and

(c) a retaining member connected with the base plate front major surface movable between an open position spaced from the base plate and a closed position

adjacent the base plate and including a shaft portion and a head portion extending outwardly from the shaft portion,

wherein when the item is received into the channel and the retaining member is in a closed position, at least a portion of the article extends outwardly away from the base plate beyond the head portion of the retaining member,

and wherein the device further comprises a cover plate arranged over at least a portion of the base plate and that snap connects with the base plate and that contains a central opening at the location where the retaining member connects with the base plate.

17. The device as defined in claim 16, wherein the base plate includes at least one raised abutment for maintaining the item in a fixed position relative to the abutment.

18. The device as defined in claim 17, wherein the abutment includes an inclined surface.