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US 9,541,112 B1Granted
Invisible picture hanging dot
AssigneeUniversity of South Florida
InventorMark William Weston
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is an art hanging system that uses a drywall anchor combined with monofilament to create a nearly invisible ceiling hangar. The monofilament is fed through the low profile drywall anchor, and tied to an anchor such that when force is applied to the monofilament, the anchor flattens and grabs the ceiling or wall panel. The plastic interior face of the anchor is low profile and transparent such that it presents limited visual distraction to the ceiling plane.
Claims16
A hanging system comprising:
- a proximal end cap having a proximal end, a distal end, a through hole extending between the proximal and distal ends, and a width extending outward in a radial direction with respect to the through hole;
- a panel washer affixed to and extending outward in a longitudinal direction from the distal end of the proximal end cap to create a distal end and a proximal end of the panel washer, wherein the panel washer has a through hole extending between the proximal and distal ends of the panel washer;
- a first set of pivoting arms, wherein each arm in the first set of pivoting arms has a distal end, a proximal end, an inward facing surface and an outward facing surface, the proximal end of each is pivotally connected to the distal end of the panel washer, and the first set of pivoting arms are convertible between a streamlined orientation and an anchoring orientation;
- a wire that is received by the through hole in the proximal end cap and the through hole in the panel washer;
- a wire anchor capable of securing an end of the wire, the wire anchor being of a size large enough to prevent passage through the panel washer's through hole;
- a second set of pivoting arms, wherein each arm in the second set of pivoting arms has a proximal end and a distal end;
- the distal end of each arm in the first set of pivoting arms pivotally connects to the proximal end of one of the arms in the second set of pivoting arms;
- the streamlined orientation includes the arms in the first set of pivoting arms being longitudinally aligned with the arms in the second set of pivoting arms;
- and
- the anchoring orientation includes the arms in the first set of pivoting arms and the arms in the second set of pivoting arms outspread in a radial direction with respect to a central longitudinal axis of the panel washer such that the arms extend beyond the width of the panel washer.
7 more elements
A hanging system comprising:
- a proximal end cap having a proximal end, a distal end, a through hole extending between the proximal and distal ends, and a width extending outward in a radial direction with respect to the through hole;
- a panel washer affixed to and extending outward from the distal end of the proximal end cap to create a distal end and a proximal end of the panel washer, wherein the panel washer has a through hole extending between the proximal and distal ends of the panel washer;
- a first set of pivoting arms, wherein each arm in the first set of pivoting arms has a distal end, a proximal end, an inward facing surface and an outward facing surface, the proximal end of each is pivotally connected to the distal end of the panel washer, and the first set of pivoting arms are convertible between a streamlined orientation and an anchoring orientation;
- a wire that is received by the through hole in the proximal end cap and received by the through hole in the panel washer;
- a wire anchor capable of securing an end of the wire, the wire anchor being of a size large enough to prevent passage through the panel washer's through hole;
- a portion of the proximal end cap has a width greater than a width of the panel washer;
- the arms are convertible between the streamlined orientation and the anchoring orientation by adjusting the amount of tension in the wire and in turn the force exerted on the wire anchor thereby altering the orientation of the pivoting arms;
- a second set of pivoting arms, wherein each arm in the second set of pivoting arms has a proximal end and a distal end;
- the distal end of each arm in the first set of pivoting arms pivotally connects to the proximal end of one of the arms in the second set of pivoting arms;
- the streamlined orientation includes the arms in the first set of pivoting arms being longitudinally aligned with the arms in the second set of pivoting arms;
- and
- the anchoring orientation includes the arms in the first set of pivoting arms and the arms in the second set of pivoting arms outspread in a radial direction with respect to a central longitudinal axis of the panel washer such that the arms extend beyond the width of the panel washer.
9 more elements
A hanging system comprising:
- a proximal end cap having a proximal end, a distal end, a through hole extending between the proximal and distal ends, and a width extending outward in a radial direction with respect to the through hole;
- a panel washer extending outward in a longitudinal direction from the distal end of the proximal end cap to create a distal end and a proximal end of the panel washer, wherein the panel washer has a through hole extending between the proximal and distal ends of the panel washer;
- a first set of pivoting arms, wherein each arm in the first set of pivoting arms has a distal end, a proximal end, an inward facing surface and an outward facing surface, the proximal end of each is pivotally connected to the distal end of the panel washer, and the first set of pivoting arms are convertible between a streamlined orientation and an anchoring orientation;
- a wire that is received by the through hole in the proximal end cap and the through hole in the panel washer;
- a wire anchor capable of securing an end of the wire, the wire anchor being of a size large enough to prevent passage through the panel washer's through hole;
- and
- the wire anchor further including locking arms and the panel washer further including a socket, the socket adapted to receive the locking arms and temporarily secure the locking arms in the socket.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.