FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a fastening assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fastening assembly ideally suited for wall mount applications, which comprises of a male and female unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Figure 1 shows a conventional wall mount assembly 10 that is typically used for hanging artwork or an object (neither are shown to simplify illustration) on a wall 16. To implement assembly 10, a hole is first drilled inside wall 16 at a location where the artwork or the object will be mounted to wall 16. An anchor 14, which is typically made of plastic or metal, is then positioned inside the hole. Next, a screw 12 is driven into wall 16 such that it is received by anchor 14. The artwork or object is finally secured using assembly 10 by any number of ways well known to those skilled in the art. For example, the backside of the artwork or object has a slotted bracket or tooth hardware, which engages with screw 12. Alternatively, a wire hanging from one side to the other side of the artwork or object rests upon screw 12, and thereby hangs the artwork or object on assembly 10.

[0003] Unfortunately, the conventional wall mount assemblies suffer from several drawbacks. By way of example, conventional assemblies do not effectively support on a wall, artwork or objects that are relatively heavy. In fact, to mount plasma televisions on a wall, the above-described assembly design is abandoned in favor of a more complex mounting assembly that is more reliable and sturdy. Such complex mounting assemblies, however, are undesirable not only because they offer a complex design, but are both expensive and require labor-intensive installation.

[0004] As another example, the use of assembly 10 is limited to mount an object to sheet rock, and not well suited to mount to wall studs.

[0005] What is needed, therefore, is a novel fastening assembly, which is well suited for wall mount applications, that does not suffer from the above-described drawbacks encountered by conventional wall mount assemblies.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Inventive fastening assemblies, which are well suited for wall mount applications, eliminate the drawbacks of conventional wall mount assemblies . Inventive fastening assemblies described herein can both support relatively heavy objects, including plasma televisions, and are not limited to being used on walls made from sheet rock like the conventional wall mount assembly. In one aspect, the present invention offers a fastening assembly for fastening an object to a structure. The fastening assembly includes: (a) a female unit having a supporting surface covering an interior portion, the supporting surface having defined thereon a U-shaped channel, the interior portion having defined therein a U-shaped channel cavity, the channel being adjacent to the channel cavity, the channel having a width and a thickness; (b) a male unit including - (i) a shaft portion having a length, and (ii) a head portion having at least one dimension extending from one edge of the head portion to a second edge of the head portion; and wherein the length of the shaft portion being greater than the thickness of the channel such that the shaft portion is capable of sliding into the channel, at least one of the dimensions of the head portion is greater than the width of the channel which prevents the head portion from escaping through the channel, and in an engaged position of the male and female unit, the shaft portion is immobilized at a closed end of the U-shaped channel, the head portion is immobilized at a closed end of the U-shaped channel cavity, the male engages with the female unit by force of gravity and the supporting surface of the female unit immobilizes at least a portion of the male unit within the female unit.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the channel cavity has a width, which is greater than the width of the channel and at least one dimension of the head portion is smaller than the width of the channel cavity, such that the head portion is secured inside the second channel cavity when the male unit engages with the female unit. Furthermore, preferred embodiments include a female unit that is capable of attaching to a structure and include a male unit is capable of attaching to an object, which is ultimately fastened to the structure. The structure may be a wall and the object is a plasma television or a piece of art work.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the width of the channel is between about 0.25 inches and about 1.5 inches and the width of the channel cavity is between about 0.75 and 6 inches. The length of the shaft portion is preferably between about 0.25

inches and about 3.1 inches. The thickness of the channel is preferably between about 0.2 inches and about 3 inches. The shaft portion is preferably substantially cylindrical in shape and in such preferred embodiments, a diameter of the shaft portion is between about 0.25 inches and about 6 inches. The head portion is preferably circular and has a diameter that is preferably between about 0.75 inches and about 10 inches. Furthermore, effective mounting for heavy objects is realized when the channel is separated from the channel cavity by a distance that is substantially equal to a thickness of the head portion of the male unit.

[0009] In another aspect, the present invention provides another fastening assembly for fastening an object to a structure. The fastening assembly includes: (a) a female unit having a supporting surface covering an interior portion, the supporting surface having defined thereon a U-shaped channel, which has a width and a thickness; (b) a male unit including, (i) a shaft portion having a length, and (ii) a head portion having at least one dimension extending from one edge of the head portion to a second edge of the head portion; and wherein the length of the shaft portion being greater than the thickness of the channel such that the shaft portion is capable of sliding into the channel, said at least one dimension of the head portion is greater than the width of the channel which prevents the head portion from escaping through the channel, and in an engaged position of the male and female unit, the shaft portion is immobilized at a closed end of the U-shaped channel, the male engages with the female unit by force of gravity and the supporting surface of the female unit immobilizes at least a portion of the male unit within the female unit.

[00010] In a preferred embodiment, the fastening assembly includes a U- shaped channel cavity defined in the interior portion of the female unit, the channel cavity is adjacent to the channel, the channel cavity has a width which is larger than the width of the channel, and wherein at least one dimension of the head portion is smaller than the width of the channel cavity, such that the head portion is secured inside the channel cavity when the male unit engages with the female unit.

[00011] In yet another aspect, the present invention provides another female unit capable of receiving a male unit, which has a shaft portion and a head portion. The female unit includes: (i) a supporting surface capable of immobilizing at least a portion of the male unit within the female unit when the female unit engages with the male unit; (ii) an interior portion, the supporting surface covering the interior portion,

the supporting surface having defined therein a U-shaped channel having a width and a thickness, the thickness of the channel is configured to be less than a length of the shaft portion and the width of the channel is configured to be less than at least one dimension which extends from one edge of the head portion to a second edge of the head portion, such that female unit is capable of allowing the shaft portion of the male unit to slide into the channel of the female unit; and wherein in an engaged position with the male unit, the female unit is capable of preventing the head portion of the male unit from escaping through the channel, a closed end of the U-shaped channel of the female unit is capable of immobilizing the shaft portion of the male unit, and the female unit is capable of engaging with the male unit by force of gravity.

[00012] The female unit preferably includes a U-shaped channel cavity defined in the interior portion of the female unit, the channel cavity is adjacent to the channel, the channel cavity has a width that is larger than the width of the channel, and wherein at least one dimension of the head portion is smaller than the width of the channel cavity, such that the head portion is secured inside the channel cavity. The channel is preferably separated from the channel cavity by a distance that is substantially equal to a thickness of the head portion of the male unit. In preferred embodiments, the female unit is capable of attaching to a supporting structure and in its attached position to the structure, the female unit forms a pocket on the structure and the pocket includes a supporting surface that has defined therein the channel and covers the interior portion. In this embodiment, the pocket can support a load that is at least five hundred pounds.

[00013] The features and advantages of this invention may be further appreciated with reference to the following detailed description and associated drawings.

Brief Description Of The Drawings

[00014] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and, together with the description help to explain the principles of the inventions.

[00015] Figure 1 shows a conventional wall mount assembly for supporting an object, such as a plasma television or artwork on a wall.

[00016] Figure 2A shows a female unit of a fastening assembly, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, mounted on a supporting wall.

[00017] Figure 2B is a side view of the female unit of Figure 2A and shows the formation of a pocket like cavity between the female unit and the supporting wall.

[00018] Figure 3 shows the backside of the female unit of Figure 2A in greater detail and exposes the interior portion of the female unit.

[00019] Figure 4 shows how a male unit engages and disengages with the female unit of Figure 2A.

[00020] Figure 5 shows a shaft portion and a head portion of the male unit of Figure 4 in greater detail.

[00021] Figure 6 shows how a plasma television is mounted on a supporting wall using one embodiment of the fastening assemblies of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[00022] Presently, preferred fastening assemblies for wall mount applications, in accordance with the present invention, will be described below making reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the described embodiments, which are provided to present certain aspects and examples of the invention. It should be understood that while the methods and apparatus presented herein cover assemblies for mounting a plasma television and artwork, such inventive methods and apparatus could be used to fasten almost any object to a structure.

[00023] The fastening assembly of the present invention uses a female unit and a male unit to fasten or attach an object (e.g., plasma television or artwork) to a supporting structure (e.g., wall). In preferred embodiments, the female unit is designed such that it attaches to the supporting structure, upon which the object is ultimately supported. The male unit preferably attaches to the object, which is to be supported. As explained below, the female and the male unit engage under the force of gravity to form a strong interlocking connection.

[00024] Figure 2A shows a female unit 112 of an inventive fastening assembly attached via screws 114 to a wall 116. As shown in Figure 2A, in its attached position to wall 116, female unit 112 forms a pocket-like structure (hereinafter referred to as "pocket") on the wall. In other words, when female unit 112 attaches to wall 116, a pocket-like cavity is formed between a supporting surface 113 of female unit 112 and wall 116. The pocket-like cavity can be more clearly seen in Figure 2B, which is a side perspective view of female unit 112 mounted on wall 116.

[00025] As will be explained in greater detail below, the male unit is designed to engage specifically with this pocket. The pocket, while engaged with the male unit, distributes the load of the object throughout the pocket's surface area. Furthermore, the pocket also distributes the load of the object as shear load throughout the supporting wall. It is believed that the inventive fastening assemblies can distribute at least, and in certain embodiments, more than 500 lbs of shear load throughout the pocket region and the supporting wall.

[00026] The female unit can be made from any rigid material. Given that a significant amount of shear load is distributed through the pocket, however, the female unit is preferably made from a hard material, such as a metal.

[00027] Figure 3 shows female unit 112 (shown in Figures 2A and 2b) in greater detail from its backside, which faces a supporting wall when female unit 112 is mounted on the wall at screw holes 115. Specifically, the backside of female unit 112 shown in this figure forms the above-described pocket-like cavity when female unit 112 is mounted on the wall. Supporting surface 113 covers an interior portion of female unit 112, which portion is exposed in Figure 3, and includes thereon a channel 120. Interior portion of female unit 112 includes therein a channel cavity 118, which is shown adjacent to channel 120. The channel cavities are "U" shaped, and as will be explained later, each of the channel and the channel cavity provide a point of engagement with a portion of the male unit.

[00028] It is noteworthy that although Figure 3 shows one channel cavity, inventive fastening assemblies can have none or many such channel cavities. It is believed that a channel cavity of a female unit provides, among other things, an additional effective point of contact for distributing the load of the object, which the

channel cavity ultimately supports in the assembly's fastened position. For example, if the weight of the object is relatively small, the female unit preferably has a channel, without having a channel cavity. However, if the weight of the object is relatively large, the female unit preferably has one or more channel cavities to provide more points of load distribution.

[00029] For proper engagement with the male unit, the female unit should be fabricated to have feature dimensions, which complement the dimensions of the corresponding features of the male unit. Referring to Figure 3, channel 120 has a width (denoted by "wl"), which is measured from edge to a second opposite edge of channel 120. Similarly, a channel cavity 118 has a width (denoted by "w2"), which is measured from edge to a second opposite edge of channel cavity 118. In the inventive fastening assemblies, the width ("w2") of channel cavity 118 is greater than the width ("wl") of channel 120. In other words, the channel cavity is wider than the channel. In those embodiments, where there is more than one channel cavity in the female unit, it is preferable to have channel cavities with progressively greater widths as the channel cavities approach the wall (when the female unit is mounted on the wall).

[00030] Although channel cavity 118 and channel 120 are described as being adjacent to each other, they are nevertheless separated by a distance (denoted by "d"). The separating distance ("d") can also be thought of as the thickness or depth of channel cavity 118. Furthermore, channel 120 is separated from channel cavity 118 in a lateral direction by a surface area of pocket wall 130. When a male unit engages with female unit 112, a significant amount of load is borne by pocket wall 130. As a result, pocket wall 130, which has a large surface area and when made from a hard material, provides significant load bearing capability. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the ability of the female unit to form such a pocket, which can bear relatively heavy loads that are not supported by conventional wall mount assemblies, is novel and inventive.

[00031] Now turning to complementary features and dimension of the male unit, Figure 5 shows a male unit 132 having a shaft portion 134 and a head portion 136. According to this figure, shaft portion 134 has a length (denoted by "1") and a head portion having a diameter (denoted by "D"). To allow effective engagement between male unit 132 and female unit 112, the length ("1") of shaft portion 134 should be greater than width ("wl") of channel 120 of Figure 2A. Such

complementary dimensions allow shaft portion 134 of male unit 132 of Figure 5 to slide into channel 120 of female unit 112 of Figure 2 A, and thereby slidably connect the male and female units into a single fastening assembly. The "U" shape of channel 120 at a closed end provides a positive stop location for shaft portion 134, such that shaft portion 134 immobilizes at this point during engagement.

[00032] Furthermore, head portion 136 should have a diameter ("D"), which extends from one edge to another opposite edge of head portion 136, that is greater than width ("wl") of channel 120 of Figure 2A. In conjunction with channel 120, such complementary dimensions allow head portion 136 to provide an interlocking mechanism for the inventive fastening assemblies. Furthermore, diameter ("D") of head portion 136 is smaller than width ("w2") of channel cavity 118 of Figure 2A. In preferred embodiments, diameter ("D") of head portion 136 is slightly smaller than width ("w2") of channel cavity 118, so that head portion 136 is effectively secured inside channel cavity 118 during engagement. The "U" shape of channel cavity 118 at a closed end provides a positive stop location for head portion 136, such that head portion 136 immobilizes at this point during engagement and enhances the interlocking capability of the inventive fastening assemblies.

[00033] Although, Figure 5 shows shaft portion 134 substantially cylindrically shaped and head portion 136 circularly shaped, the present invention is not so limited. Shaft portion 134 can be of any shape so long as it allows male unit 132 of Figure 5 to slide into channel 120 of Figure 2A. Similarly, head portion 136 can be of any shape, including square or triangular shape, so long as head portion 136 has at least one dimension extending from one edge to a second opposite edge of head portion 136 that is greater than width ("w2") of channel cavity 118 to provide an effective interlocking mechanism during engagement.

[00034] In a preferred embodiment, the width of the channel is between about 0.25 inches and about 1.5 inches and the width of the channel cavity is between about 0.75 and 6 inches. The length of the shaft portion is preferably between about 0.25 inches and about 3.1 inches. The thickness of the channel is preferably between about 0.2 inches and about 3 inches. The shaft portion is preferably substantially cylindrical in shape and in such preferred embodiments, a diameter of the shaft portion is between about 0.25 inches and about 6 inches. The head portion is preferably circular and has a diameter that is preferably between about 0.75 inches

and about 10 inches. Furthermore, effective mounting for heavy objects is realized when the channel is separated from the channel cavity by a distance that is substantially equal to a thickness of the head portion of the male unit.

[00035] Figure 4 shows male unit 132 sliding into and engaging with female unit 112, which would be mounted to a supporting wall at screw locations 115. The vertical position of female unit 112 relative to a supporting structure (not shown to simplify illustration) utilizes gravity to effectively engage with male unit 132 that slides into the pocket-like cavity. As a result, the fastening assemblies of the present invention provide a female unit and a male unit that easily engage and disengage in a manner that is not realized when using conventional mounting assemblies.

[00036] Figure 6 shows a preferred embodiment of how an object 140, such as a plasma television or a piece of artwork, is mounted on a supporting structure 116, such as a wall, using fastening assemblies of the present invention. Object 140 has attached to its four corners male units 132A, 132B, 132C and 132 D. For effective mounting, each male unit has corresponding female units attached to the supporting structure 116. To facilitate discussion and illustration, only one such female unit 112C (corresponding to male unit 132C) is shown in Figure 6. The male units attached to the object simply slide into their corresponding female units attached to the supporting structure and accomplish relatively easy mounting of the object to the structure. Furthermore, in the engaged position, the closed ends of U-shaped channels and channel cavities of the female units immobilize the corresponding portions of the male units, such as the corresponding shaft portions and the corresponding head portions, respectively. Although the embodiment of Figure 6 shows four locations of engagement between the object and the supporting structure, those skilled in the art will recognize that there can be fewer or more than four locations of engagement depending on the weight of the object.

[00037] Figures described herein illustrate in greater detail the preferred embodiments of a single channel cavity. However, when embodiments with no channel cavity are employed, those skilled in the art will appreciate that a simpler design can be extracted from the more complex single channel cavity disclosure provided above.

[00038] Other embodiments and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope of the invention being indicated by the following claims.