2. Description of the Related Art [0002] Referring to Fig. 1, a generally planar frameless wall decor article 10, such a mirror, is mounted to a generally vertical support surface 11, such as a wall, by multiple clips 12 that clamp the frameless mirror 10 to the support surface 11. The process usually requires two people, a first person to hold the frameless mirror 10 in an intended mounting place and a second person to recommend position adjustments to align the frameless mirror 10 horizontally and vertically. For frameless oval mirrors, a level cannot be used to align the frameless mirror 10 which results in a trial and error method of ensuring that the frameless mirror 10 is axially straight up and across. Once the frameless mirror 10 is adjusted to the desired position by the first person, the second person places marks, for example with a pencil, on the support surface 11 where the clips 12 will be mounted, such as at the 2,4,8 and 10 o'clock positions around the frameless mirror 10. Holes are then drilled in the support surface 11 and anchors 13 are installed in the holes. Screws 14 are then driven partially into the anchors 13 through the clips 12 to position the clips 12. The frameless mirror 10 is then placed between the clips 12 and the support surface 11 by the first person and the screws 14 are fully tightened by the second person to clamp the frameless mirror 10 in place against the support surface 11.

[0003] The conventional method of mounting a frameless mirror to a support surface is time consuming and labor intensive as it requires two people and multiple clips to clamp the frameless mirror to the support surface. A hole must be drilled for each anchor and each screw must be initially partially driven to position each clip and then must be fully driven into each anchor to secure each clip and clamp the frameless mirror to the support surface. As the number of clips increases, generally with an increase in the size of the frameless mirror, the number of holes that must be drilled for the anchors increases and the number of screws that must first be partially driven and then fully driven also increases. The possibility of misalignment also increases. In addition, the clips are visible after mounting of the frameless mirror, which may detract from the appearance of the frameless mirror. As the thickness of frameless mirrors varies, the size of the clips must vary so that the frameless mirror is firmly clamped against the support surface with no play between the support surface and the clips. This requires that the clips be checked prior to mounting to ensure that the clips are the correct size for the thickness of the particular frameless mirror.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004] There exists a need for a method for mounting frameless wall decor articles, such as frameless mirrors, to a generally vertical support surface that provides for proper horizontal and vertical positioning of the frameless wall decor article. There also exists a need for a system for mounting frameless wall decor articles that can be used by a single person to properly mount the frameless wall decor article in less time than conventional mounting apparatus. There also still exists a need for an apparatus for mounting frameless wall decor articles that does not require precise manufacturing of mating parts and that allows use of the mounting apparatus on frameless wall decor articles of any size and thickness.

[0005] A method for mounting frameless wall decor articles to a generally vertical support surface according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention wherein the frameless wall decor article has a mounting member attached thereto, the mounting member including a vertical engaging surface and a downward support surface that is perpendicular to a vertical centerline of the frameless wall decor article, the method including aligning a receiving member with the generally vertical support surface by leveling an upward support surface of the receiving member with the generally vertical support surface, attaching the receiving member to the generally vertical support surface with the upward support surface in a level position, and engaging the mounting member with the receiving member so that the vertical engaging surface of the mounting member is in abutting relationship with a vertical engaging surface of the receiving member and the downward support surface of the mounting member is parallel to the upward support surface of the receiving member and the frameless wall decor article and mounting member are horizontally adjustable with respect to the receiving member.

[0006] A mounting system for frameless wall decor articles according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a frameless wall decor article configured to be mounted to a generally vertical support surface, a mounting member attached to the frameless wall decor article and a spacer attached to the frameless wall decor article, the mounting member including a vertical engaging surface and a downward support surface perpendicular to a vertical centerline of the frameless mirror, and a receiving member including a vertical engaging surface and an upward surface, the receiving member being attachable to the generally vertical support surface in a horizontally level position, whereupon engagement of the mounting member with the receiving member the vertical engaging surface of the mounting member is in abutting relationship with the vertical engaging surface of the receiving member and the downward support surface of the mounting member is parallel to the upward support surface of the receiving member and the frameless wall decor article and mounting member are horizontally adjustable with respect to the receiving member.

[0007] A frameless wall decor article according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a mounting member attached to a surface of the frameless wall decor article, the mounting member including an attachment surface attached to a surface of the frameless mirror, a vertical engaging surface configured to engage a vertical engaging surface of a receiving member in abutting relation, and a downward support surface perpendicular to a vertical centerline of the frameless wall decor article.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0008] Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail by reference to the following drawings, in which like reference characters represent like features, wherein: [0009] Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of a conventional frameless wall decor article mounting system; [0010] Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of a mounting member for a frameless wall decor article mounting system according to the present invention; [0011] Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration of a receiving member for a frameless wall decor article mounting system according to the invention; [0012] Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the mounting member of Fig. 2 taken along line 4-4; [0013] Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of the receiving member of Fig. 3 taken along line 5-5; [0014] Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of the receiving member of Figs. 3 and 5 mounted to a support structure and receiving the mounting member of Figs. 2 and 4 mounted to a frameless wall decor article; [0015] Fig. 7 is a schematic illustration of the mounting member of Figs. 2 and 4 including adhesive for mounting of the mounting member to a frameless wall decor article; [0016] Fig. 8 is a schematic perspective view of the mounting member of Figs. 2,4 and 7 mounted to a frameless wall decor article; [0017] Figs. 9 (a)-9d) are examples of various shapes of frameless wall decor articles mountable by the frameless wall decor article mounting system according to the present invention; and [0018] Figs. 10-13 are schematic illustrations of a frameless wall decor article mounting method according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS [0019] As used throughout, the terms vertical, horizontal, upward and downward refer to the position of the various components of the invention in an attached, engaged, mating and/or assembled state.

[0020] Referring to Figs. 2-6, a mounting member 20 to be mounted to a frameless mirror 10 includes a vertical attachment surface 21 that is attached to the frameless mirror 10.

As shown in Figs. 2,4 and 6, the attachment surface 21 may be serrated or grooved to improve an adhesive bond (described later with reference to Fig. 7) between the attachment surface 21 and the frameless mirror 10. The mounting member 20 also includes a central portion 22 that defines a thickness of the mounting member 20. The central portion 22 includes an engaging shoulder 23 that supports the mounting member 20 and the frameless mirror 10 when assembled with the receiving member 30. A vertical engaging surface 25 extends from the central portion 22 and a downward surface 24 engages a shoulder 33 of a central portion 32 of the receiving member 30 when the mounting member 20 and the frameless mirror 10 are assembled to the receiving member 30. As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the downward support surface 24 may be rounded or tapered to facilitate insertion of the mounting member 20 between the generally vertical support surface 11 and the receiving member 30.

[0021] Referring to Figs. 3,5 and 6, the receiving member 30 includes a vertical attachment surface 31 for attachment to the generally vertical support surface 11. Apertures 36 are provided in the attachment surface 31 for passage of fasteners, such as screws (described later with reference to Fig. 12), that fasten the receiving member 30 to the support surface 11.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the attachment surface 31 may also be serrated or grooved similarly to the attachment surface 21 of the mounting member 20. The reason for the serrated or grooved attachment surface 31 of the receiving member 30 is described later.

[0022] A central portion 32 defines a thickness of the receiving member 30 and includes an engaging shoulder 33 that engages the downward support surface 24 of the mounting member 20 when the mounting member 20 and the frameless mirror 10 are assembled with the receiving member 30 as shown in Fig. 6. A vertical engaging surface 35 extends from the central portion 32 and an upward support surface 34 engages the shoulder 23 of the central portion 22 of the mounting member 20 when the mounting member 20 and the frameless mirror 10 are assembled to the receiving member 30 as shown in Fig. 6. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the upward support surface 34 may be rounded or tapered similarly to the downward support surface 24 of the mounting member 20.

[0023] As shown in Figs. 4-6, the mounting member 20 and receiving member 30 have identical cross sections and size, i. e., the mounting member 20 and the receiving member 30 are mirror images of one another. This allows the mounting member 20 and the receiving member 30 to be formed from a single piece of stock by merely cutting the single piece of stock into a plurality of pieces. The mounting member 20 and the receiving member 30 may be formed from a single piece of stock having the cross section shown in Figs. 4-6. The single piece of stock may be formed of metal, for example aluminum, or thermoplastic and may be extruded, stamped, cast, or molded. The receiving member 30 is formed by forming the apertures 36 in the attachment surface 31.

[0024] As the mounting member 20 and the receiving member 30 are formed from a single piece of stock, the cost of manufacturing the mounting apparatus according to the present invention can be reduced as it is unnecessary to have two different extrusion templates, or two different stamps, or two different molds or casts. In addition, as the mounting member 20 and the receiving member 30 are formed from a single piece of stock having the cross section shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the central portions 22 and 32 and the engaging surfaces 25 and 35 are identical in size and ensure that the mounting member 20 and the receiving member 30 have perfectly complementary mating shapes as shown in Fig. 6. This eliminates the problem of intended complementary mating parts not correctly engaging due to factors such as excesses in manufacturing tolerances or other manufacturing defects. It also allows mounting of frameless mirrors of any thickness with any size mounting member 20 and receiving member 30 as the engaging surfaces 25 and 35 completely fill the space between the support surface 11 and the frameless mirrorlO with no gap or play between them. As the engaging surfaces 25 and 35 are in abutting relation and the downward support surface 24 and the upward support surface 34 are in parallel relation and abut the shoulders 33 and 23, respectively, as shown in Fig. 6, the frameless mirror 10 cannot pivot relative to the support surface 11 and the frameless mirror 10 is prevented from skewing in the event that it is contacted or disturbed.

[0025] As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in a preferred embodiment of the mounting apparatus according to the present invention, the mounting member 20 may be longer than the receiving member 30. It should be appreciated, however, that the mounting member 20 and receiving member 30 may have equal lengths or the mounting member 20 may have a length shorter than the receiving member 30. In a preferred embodiment, the length of the mounting member 20 is longer than the length of the receiving member 30 to allow the frameless mirror 10 attached to the mounting member 20 to be adjusted horizontally with respect to the receiving member 30 while still maintaining full contact between the mounting member 20 and the receiving member 30 and full support of the mounting member 20 and the frameless mirror 10 by the receiving member 30.

[0026] Referring to Figs. 7-13, an exemplary method of mounting a frameless wall decor article to a generally vertical support surface 11 according to the present invention includes attaching the mounting member 20 to a frameless wall decor article 10 by adhesive. As shown in Fig. 7, a semi-solid adhesive 40, such as mastic, is applied to the attachment surface 21.

Double-sided adhesive tape 41 is also applied to the attachment surface 21 to maintain the mounting member 20 in position while the semi-solid adhesive 40 cures.

[0027] Referring to Fig. 8, the mounting member 20 is attached to the back of the frameless mirror 10 so that the downward support surface 24 is perpendicular to a vertical centerline 50 of the frameless mirror 50. The position of the downward support surface 24 perpendicular to the vertical center line 50 is maintained by the double-sided adhesive tape 41 while the semi-solid adhesive 40 cures. The double-sided adhesive tape 41 also allows the position of the mounting member 20 to be adjusted or readjusted before curing of the semi-solid adhesive 40 if the downward support surface 24 is not mounted perpendicularly to the vertical centerline 50 or is moved out of the perpendicular position. The serrated or grooved portion of the attachment surface 21 facilitates the bond between the mounting member 20 and the frameless wall decor article 10 as the semi-solid adhesive 40 fills the grooves or serrations and allows the attachment surface 21 to be bonded to the frameless wall decor article 10 while contacting the frameless mirror 10.

[0028] As shown in Figs. 8 and 9 (a)- (d), the frameless wall decor article 10 may be any geometrical shape, including oval, trapezoidal, round, or any polygonal shape or combination of linear and curvilinear shapes. The mounting member 20 is mounted perpendicularly the vertical centerline 50 of any frameless wall decor article 10 by the manufacturer and/or supplier of the frameless wall decor article by attaching the mounting member 20 to the frameless wall decor article 10 so that the horizontal engaging surface 24 of the mounting member 20 is perpendicular to the vertical centerline 50 of the frameless wall decor article 10. The receiving member 30 is supplied with the frameless wall decor article 10 (with the mounting member 20 attached thereto) for mounting to the support surface 11. It should be appreciated, however, that the manufacturer and/or supplier of the frameless wall decor article 10 may supply both the mounting member 20, unattached to the frameless wall decor article 10, and the receiving member 30. The manufacturer and/or supplier of the frameless wall decor article 10 may also provide the semi-solid adhesive 40 and the double-sided adhesive tape 41. It should also be appreciated that the mounting member 20 and the receiving member 30 may be separately supplied as a kit that may include the semi-solid adhesive 40 and the double sided adhesive tape 41 so that purchasers may remount frameless wall decor articles mounted by the conventional method. As the mounting apparatus according to the invention firmly secures the frameless wall decor article 10 to the support surface 11 regardless of the thickness of the frameless wall decor article 10, the purchaser of the kit need not know the exact thickness of the frameless wall decor article 10 to be mounted when purchasing the kit.

[0029] Referring to Figs. 10 and 11, a first indicia point 65 corresponding to the desired position of the center 15 of the top edge of the frameless wall decor article 10 is made on the support surface 11 with a marking device 61, such as a pencil. The vertical distance D between the shoulder 23 of the mounting member 20 and the center 15 of the top edge of the frameless wall decor article 10 is measured. The distance D is measured vertically down from the first indicia point 65 and a second indicia point 66 is made on the support surface 11 with the marking device 61. A level 60 is placed on the second indicia point 66 and adjusted until horizontally level. Upon leveling of the level 60, a horizontal indicia line 62 is made on the support surface 11 with the marking device 61. Using the receiving member 30 as a template, the desired position of the receiving member 30 is marked with third indicia points 67 using the marking device 61 through the apertures 36 of the receiving member 30 while the engaging surface 34 of the receiving member 30 is maintained in alignment with the horizontal indicia line 62. The first indicia point 65, the second indicia point 66 and the horizontal indicia line 62 may then be removed from the support surface 11, such as by erasing.

[0030] Referring to Figs. 12 and 13, holes are drilled in the support surface 11 at the points indicated by the third indicia points 67 and anchors 13 are inserted in the drilled holes, for example, by tapping the anchors 13 into the holes with a hammer. The receiving member 30 is then secured to the support surface 11 by passing fasteners 14, such as screws, through the apertures 36 into the anchors 13. The receiving member 30 is firmly secured to the support surface 11 by fully driving or threading the fasteners 14 into the anchors 13. The receiving member 30 is thus firmly secured to the support surface 11 by only two fasteners 14 and does not require a fastener for numerous clips, as required in conventional frameless wall decor article mounting apparatus shown in Fig. 1. It should b appreciated, however, that although two apertures 36 are shown in the receiving member 30, more than two apertures may be provided in the receiving member 30.

[0031] Referring to Fig. 13, the frameless wall decor article 10 is mounted to the support surface 11 by placing the engaging surface 25 into the space between the support surface 11 and the engaging surface 35 of the receiving member 30 as shown by arrow A. A spacer or spacers 70, such as tape squares, are attached to an area of the frameless wall decor article 10 below the mounting member 20 to fill the space between the attachment portion 31 of the receiving member 30 or the support surface 11. In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, each spacer 70 is two tape squares 70a and 70b (Fig. 6) adhered together back to back. The release tape of the tape square 70b that contacts the support surface 11 is left on to prevent the frameless wall decor article 10 from adhering to the support surface 11. It should be appreciated that any number of spacers may be provided to the frameless wall decor article 10. The spacers 70 provide a reaction force against the frameless wall decor article 10 that counter the moment force of the weight of the frameless wall decor article 10 and ensure that the frameless wall decor article 10 is uniformly spaced from the support surface 11. In addition, the spacers 70 prevent marring of the support surface 11 by the frameless wall decor article 10 during mounting of the frameless wall decor article 10 to the receiving member 30. The spacers 70, the anchors 13, and the fasteners 14 may also be provided by the manufacturer and/or supplier of the frameless wall decor article 10.

[0032] Although the present invention has been described with reference to the exemplary embodiments outlined above, it should be appreciated that numerous variations of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.