Item securing hook assembly

• US 8,376,297 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2011
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas J. Portz
• Original Assignee: Thomas J. Portz
• Inventors: Portz, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Teri P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Erin W
• Application Number:
  US13/016,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20110127398A1
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 248/215
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 25/0607 Clothes hooks

Abstract

Units or hook assemblies arranged and configured to adequately capture and hold personal items which have some type of handle, rope, strap or the like. Preferred embodiments include a mounting plate for attachment to a restroom stall wall, door or the like. The mounting plate includes an upper end and a lower end. Preferred embodiments further include a first and second hook elements extending outwardly from the mounting plate. Preferred embodiments are arranged and configured to hinder theft of personal items stored on the hook from an over the stall door or wall attempt.

Claims

1. An article support unit for attachment to a vertical surface, the unit comprising:

a mounting plate having a planar surface, an upper end and a lower end;

a lower hook element having a distal end;

the lower hook element connected to and extending outwardly from a first location on said planar surface of the mounting plate in a generally orthogonal direction; and

an upper hook element including a first member connected to said planar surface of the mounting plate at a second location, with the second location closer to the upper end of the mounting plate than the first location, and with the first member extending generally perpendicular from said planar surface, the upper hook element further including a second member extending from the first member, the second member including a crook having a distal end;

wherein, when the unit is operatively secured to the vertical surface, the first member is spaced from and extends above the lower hook element, the second member extends downwardly from the first member so that it is spaced from and located in front of the lower hook element, and the distal end of the crook is spaced from and located below the lower hook element;

wherein a first distance between the distal end of the crook of the upper hook element and the mounting plate is not greater than a second distance between the distal end of the lower hook element and the mounting plate;

wherein the upper hook element and the lower hook element are coplanar;

wherein the upper hook element and the lower hook element are attached to the mounting plate at a fixed, nonadjustable distance from one another.

2. The unit of claim 1, wherein the lower hook element extends from a location adjacent the lower end of the mounting plate and the upper hook element extends from a location adjacent the upper end of the mounting plate.

3. The unit of claim 1, wherein the second member of the upper hook element having a generally concave, rearwardly facing curvature relative to the mounting plate.

4. The unit of claim 1, wherein the upper hook element includes a reinforcing web, and the first member and the second member are interconnected by the reinforcing web.

5. The unit of claim 1, wherein when the unit is secured to the vertical surface, the crook of the second member is below the distal end of the lower hook element.

6. An article support unit for attachment to a vertical surface, the unit comprising:

a substantially planar mounting plate having a first surface and a second surface, with the second surface parallel with the first surface, an upper end and a lower end;

a lower hook element having a distal end;

the lower hook element connected to and extending outwardly from the first surface of the mounting plate in a generally orthogonal direction; and

an upper hook element including a first member connected to and extending generally outwardly from the first surface of the mounting plate, the upper hook element further including a second member extending from the first member, the second member including a crook with a distal end;

wherein, when the unit is operatively secured to the vertical surface so that the upper end is above the lower end, the first member extends over the lower hook element, the second member extends downwardly in front of the lower hook element, and the crook extends inwardly towards the mounting plate such that the distal end of the crook is located below the distal end of the lower hook element;

wherein a first distance between the distal end of the crook of the upper hook element and the mounting plate is not greater than a second distance between the distal end of the lower hook element and the mounting plate;

wherein the upper hook element and the lower hook element are attached to the mounting plate at a fixed, nonadjustable distance from one another.

7. The unit of claim 6, wherein the upper hook element and the lower hook element are coplanar.

8. The unit of claim 6, wherein the lower hook element extends from a location adjacent the lower end of the mounting plate and the upper hook element extends from a location adjacent the upper end of the mounting plate.

9. The unit of claim 6, wherein the second member of the upper hook element having a generally concave, rearwardly facing curvature relative to the mounting plate.

10. has been amended to read:

The unit of claim 6,wherein the upper hook element includes a reinforcing web, and the first member and the second member are interconnected by the reinforcing web.

11. An article support unit for attachment to a vertical surface, the unit comprising:

a mounting plate having a planar surface, an upper end and a lower end;

a lower hook element having an attachment end and a distal end;

the attachment end fixedly connected to and extending from the planar surface at a location closer to the lower end than the upper end of the mounting plate such that the lower hook element extends outwardly from the mounting plate in a generally orthogonal direction;

and an upper hook element connected to and extending from the planar surface at a location that is closer to the upper end than the lower end of the mounting plate, the upper hook element including a crook having a distal end;

wherein, when the unit is operatively secured to the vertical surface, the upper hook element extends outwardly from the mounting plate such that a first portion of the upper hook element is spaced from and located above the lower hook element and a second portion of the upper hook element is spaced from and extends in front of the lower hook element;

wherein the distal end of the crook is spaced from and located below the distal end of the lower hook element;

wherein a first distance between the distal end of the crook of the upper hook element and the mounting plate is not greater than a second distance between the distal end of the lower hook element and the mounting plate;

wherein when the unit is secured to the vertical surface, the crook is below the distal end of the lower hook element;

wherein the upper hook element and the lower hook element are coplanar;

wherein the upper hook element and the lower hook element are attached to the mounting plate at a fixed, nonadjustable distance from one another.

12. The unit of claim 11, wherein the second op ion of the upper hook element having a generally concave, rearwardly facing curvature relative to the mounting plate.

13. The unit of claim 11, wherein the distal end of the lower hook element includes a crook.

14. The unit of claim 11, wherein the crook of the upper hook element is positioned entirely below the lower hook element.