Anchor array
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorJoseph A. Hoffman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An anchor array including at least two anchor segments that are integrally connected to each other by at least one reversibly bendable rail, wherein the at least one reversibly bendable rail is configured so that it is reversibly bendable about an axis of bending that is parallel to the transverse axis of the rail and wherein the anchor array, including the plurality of anchor segments and the at least one reversibly bendable rail, is a single-piece, integral entity.
Claims19
A anchor array for mounting onto a wall to form a support assembly, the anchor array exhibiting a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis, and an inward-outward axis, and the anchor array comprising a plurality of integrally-connected anchor segments, with each anchor segment comprising:
- a plate with upper and lower ends and first and second transverse edges;
- at least first and second curved prongs that integrally extend at least generally inward from the plate and that are respectively located proximate the first and second transverse edges of the plate, proximate the upper end of the plate, each curved prong extending along an arc to a wall-penetrating inward end;
- and,
- wherein at least two of the anchor segments of the plurality of anchor segments are directly integrally connected to each other by way of at least one reversibly bendable rail that integrally extends downward from an upper anchor segment of the two anchor segments and that integrally connects to an upper end of a lower anchor segment of the two anchor segments,
- and wherein the at least one reversibly bendable rail is configured so that it is reversibly bendable about an axis of bending that is parallel to the transverse axis of the rail and wherein the anchor array, including the plurality of anchor segments and the at least one reversibly bendable rail, is a single-piece, integral entity.
A method of installing an anchor array onto a wall, the method comprising:
- holding the anchor array against a wall in a generally vertical orientation;
- pressing a lowermost anchor segment of the anchor array inward against the wall so that curved prongs of the lowermost anchor segment penetrate into the wall until fully seated, during which procedure at least one reversibly bendable rail that integrally connects the lowermost anchor segment to an upward nearest-neighbor anchor segment is in a reversibly bent configuration, so that the upward nearest-neighbor anchor segment remains outwardly tilted relative to the wall;
- then,
- pressing the nearest-neighbor anchor segment inward against the wall so that curved prongs of the nearest-neighbor anchor segment penetrate into the wall until fully seated, during which procedure the at least one reversibly bendable rail that integrally connects the lowermost anchor segment to its upward nearest-neighbor anchor segment, is unbent to an at least substantially straight configuration;
- and,
- repeating the above procedure for any additional anchor segments of the anchor array, in upward sequence, until the anchor array is installed onto the wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.