Field

The present invention relates to mounting blocks for mounting or hanging articles (e.g., pictures, posters, etc.) at selected depth from a mounting surface (e.g., a wall).

Background

A variety of apparatuses and techniques are known for mounting pictures and other decorative articles on walls and other mounting surfaces. Illustrative examples include adhesive apparatus (e.g., 3M™ Command™ Hooks), nails, screws, brackets, etc.

The need exists for additional apparatuses and ways for easily mounting decorative articles on mounting surfaces in desired arrangement.

Summary

The present invention provides novel mounting blocks that enable easily hanging common picture frames and other decorative articles on walls and other mounting surfaces as desired. Mounting blocks of the invention can be conveniently used to form arrays of two or more decorative articles mounted at varying depths from the mounting surface, facilitating the creation of collages of decorative articles in a variety of desired configurations.

Briefly summarizing, a mounting block of the invention comprises a body having first and second mounting faces and first and second hanging faces. The first mounting face and first hanging face are opposing faces on the body and separated by a distance Di and the second mounting face and second hanging face are opposing faces on the body and separated by a distance D2. The first and second mounting faces are each adapted to be mounted to a mounting surface and the first and second hanging faces are each adapted to retain a decorative article. Distance Di and distance D2 may be the same or different.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention is further explained with reference to the drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is perspective view of the body of an illustrative mounting block of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the first retaining face of the mounting block shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the second retaining face of the mounting block shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the top of the mounting block shown in Fig. 1; and

Figs. 5A-5C are plan views of illustrative collage arrangements of decorative articles.

These figures are not to scale and are intended to be merely illustrative and not limiting. Detailed Description of Illustrative Embodiments

The present invention facilitates hanging decorative articles on walls and other mounting surfaces. .

As described above, a mounting block of the invention comprises a body having first and second mounting faces and first and second hanging faces. The first mounting face and first hanging face are opposing faces on the body and separated by a distance Di and the second mounting face and second hanging face are opposing faces on the body and separated by a distance D2. The first and second mounting faces are each adapted to be mounted to a mounting surface and the first and second hanging faces are each adapted to retain a decorative article. Distance Di and distance D2 may be the same or different.

Referring to Figs. 1-4, there is shown an illustrative mounting block of the invention wherein mounting block 10 comprises body 12 having first mounting face 14, second mounting face 20, first hanging face 18, and second hanging face 16. First mounting face 14 and first hanging face 18 are opposing faces on the body 12 and separated by a distance Di; second mounting face 20 and second hanging face 16 are opposing faces on body 10 and separated by a distance D ₂ . Finally, body 12 includes ends 22 and 24. In some embodiments, ends 22 and 24 may be adapted to serve as a third mounting face and third hanging face.

Mounting Faces

The first and second mounting faces are each adapted to be mounted to a mounting surface. In some embodiments where distance Di and distance D2 are the same, the first mounting face and second mounting face may be adapted differently from one another to optimize mounting of the mounting block to different mounting surfaces or via different means, or the first mounting face and second mounting face may be similarly adapted.

In some embodiments, at least one of the first mounting face and second mounting face is substantially planar and substantially continuous over a desired zone to permit reliably bonding with adhesive (e.g., of a hook and loop fastener, stretch release mounting tape such as a 3M™ Command™ Hanging Strip, etc.). US Pat. Nos. 6,572,945 and 6,972,141 (both Bries et al.) disclose removable adhesive tape laminates that could be used to mount a mounting block of the invention to a desired mounting surface.

US Pat. Nos. 6,572,945 and 6,972, 141 (both Bries et al.) disclose removable adhesive tape laminates that could be used to mount a mounting block of the invention to a mounting surface.

In some embodiments distance Di and distance D ₂ are the same. In other embodiments, distance Di and distance D ₂ are different. One benefit of such embodiments is that a mounting block of the invention can be used to retain a decorative article at desired position from a mounting surface. Those skilled in the art will be able fashion mounting blocks of appropriate dimension. As will be understood, many known techniques may be used to mount mounting blocks of the invention on a mounting surface. In addition to adhesive laminates such as described above, illustrative examples such ubiquitous mechanical fasteners as nails, pegs, and screws, etc. Hanging Faces

The first and second hanging faces are each adapted to retain a decorative article. The precise manner of how the hanging faces are so adapted may be readily selected by those skilled in the art and will be dependent in part upon the nature of the decorative article(s) with which the mounting block is intended to be used. As will be understood, the selected adaptation of the hanging face must be compatible with the decorative article (e.g., a hook or stud on the hanging face will typically be suitable for use with a decorative article equipped with a wire for hanging).

Illustrative features for retaining decorative article include a protruding element that engages with a suitable feature of the decorative article. Illustrative examples of protruding elements include a peg (e.g., straight or one with a larger radiused head at the end to engage more securely with feature(s) of the decorative article), stud, hook, nail, rod, screw, etc. that projects outwardly from the hanging face.

Corresponding illustrative examples of suitable features on the decorative article include wire, openings (e.g., keyhole, round hole, oval slot, etc.), sawtooth hangers, D-rings (sometimes in form of "hanging triangle"), etc. As will be understood, in some instances such protruding elements may be incorporated on the decorative article with corresponding features incorporated on the hanging face of the mounting block. US Patent 7,284,734 (Hamerski) discloses elongate peg constructions that could be used on mounting blocks of the invention if desired.

In some embodiments the protruding elements may be fixed (e.g., integrally formed in the body of the mounting block) or may be removable such that they can be removed and discarded if not needed or repositioned to a different location on the hanging face. For example, a mounting block with a protruding peg located in the middle of the hanging face may be hidden behind a decorative article having a wire hanging element but be undesirably visible if used with a decorative article equipped with a sawtooth back on its upper back portion. In the latter instance, it may be preferred for the protruding element to be located near the top portion of the hanging face of the mounting block as mounted on the surface so that the mounting block is more effectively hidden.

US Pat. Nos. 6,572,945 and 6,972, 141 (both Bries et al.) disclose removable adhesive tape laminates that could be used to retain a decorative article on the hanging face of a mounting block of the invention.

The first and second hanging faces are each adapted to retain a decorative article, preferably releasably. In some embodiments where distance Di and distance D ₂ are the same, the first hanging face and second hanging face may be adapted differently from one another to optimize retaining different decorative articles, or retaining decorative articles via different means, or the first hanging face and second hanging face may be similarly adapted. As mentioned above, in some embodiments the ends of the body may be adapted as a third mounting face and third hanging face, separated by distance D3.

In many embodiments, the body of the mounting block will be rectangular prism in shape.

Typically, the first mounting face and second mounting face are orthogonal to one another, and in embodiments having three mounting faces, the first mounting face, second mounting face, and third mounting face are mutually orthogonal to one another.

Typically the first mounting face and first hanging face are parallel to one another and the second mounting face and second hanging face are parallel to one another, and in embodiments having three mounting faces and three hanging faces, the first mounting face and first hanging face are parallel to one another, the second mounting face and second hanging face are parallel to one another, and the third mounting face and third hanging face are parallel to one another.

Typically, at least one of the mounting faces is generally planar so as to mount closely to a generally flat mounting surface.

In many typical household or office applications, distance Di will be in the range of 0.5 to 2 inches (1.2 to 5 cm), and distance D ₂ will be from about 0.5 to about 1.5 inches (1.2 to 3.7 cm) greater than distance Dl . In one example, distance Di is about 1 inch (2.5 cm) and distance D ₂ is about 1.5 inches (3.7 cm). In embodiments having third mounting face and third hanging face, distance D3 may be selected as the same as distance D 1 or D2, smaller than both, larger than both, or intermediate to the two as desired.

Uses

Typically, mounting blocks of the invention are used on mounting surfaces which have a generally upright or vertical orientation. Illustrative examples of mounting surfaces on which mounting blocks of the invention may be used include walls, room dividers or partitions, furniture cabinets and panels, easel boards, doors, windows, shelving, and the like. In some instances, the mounting block will be oriented such that its longest dimension runs substantially vertically on the mounting surface so that the body may support the decorative article more firmly.

Illustrative examples of decorative articles which can be mounted with mounting blocks of the invention include drawings, paintings, photographs, documents, certificates, posters, plates, sculptures, clocks, signs, and the like. In some instances, the decorative article may be framed; in other instances, the decorative article may be unframed.

In common applications, two or more decorative articles are mounted on a mounting surface within proximity to one another so as to be simultaneously visible from a viewing location. The term "collage" is used herein to refer to a grouping of two or more decorative articles which are separately mounted on the surface but within sufficient proximity to one another to be simultaneously visible so as to present a coherent collective impression when viewed from a viewing location, such as at a distance from a wall (e.g., standing in the middle of a room, seated within a room, etc.) and looking at a group of photographs or other decorative articles on the wall in substantially plan perspective. An advantage of the present invention is that it facilitates mounting different decorative articles within a collage at different relative distances from the mounting surface (e.g., a wall) so as to impart desired visual emphasis and to permit positioning of decorative articles relative to one another such that some are in relatively foreground or front position and occlude or overlap with adjacent decorative articles.

In applications with relatively wide decorative articles, it may be desired to use two or more mounting blocks of the invention, typically arranged horizontally across the decorative article (e.g., behind the top corners of a decorative article), with the mounting blocks collectively supporting the weight of the decorative article. In some applications, two or more mounting blocks of the invention may be mounted at varying heights on a mounting surface to support a single decorative article, with one or more serving in load bearing manner (i.e., supporting the weight of the decorative article in the vertical dimension) and one or more serving merely to support posture of the decorative article relative to the mounting surface (i.e., referred to herein as a footing) without supporting the weight of the decorative article in the vertical dimension.

Figs. 5A-5C show illustrative collage arrangements of a plurality of picture frames which may be mounted on a mounting surface such as a wall using mounting blocks of the invention.

In Fig. 5 A, collage 100 is made up of five decorative articles 1 10, 1 12, 1 14, 1 16, and 1 18 wherein decorative article 112 is mounted so as to be in front of and overlapping decorative articles 1 10 and 1 14. Each decorative article is hung on a mounting block of the invention (not shown), with the distance between the hanging face and mounting face of the mounting block supporting article 1 12 being greater than the corresponding distances of the mounting blocks supporting decorative articles 1 10 and 1 14. Similarly, decorative article 1 16 is mounted so as to be in front of and overlapping articles 1 14 and 1 18. Decorative articles 110, 1 14, and 118 may be at substantially equal distances or depths from the mounting surface or at different depths. Decorative articles 1 12 and 1 16 may be mounted at substantially equal distances or depths from the mounting surface or at different depths as desired.

Fig. 5B shows another illustrative collage where decorative article is 212 mounted so as to be in front of and overlapping articles 210 and 214. Similarly, article 216 is mounted in front of and overlapping articles 214 and 218.

Fig. 5C shows another illustrative collage 300 where none of decorative articles 310, 312, 314, 316, 318, and 320 is mounted so as to overlap one another. In accordance with the invention, the decorative articles may be mounted at substantially equal distances or depths from the mounting surface or at different depths as desired.

Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various chang and modifications are apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims unless they depart therefrom.

The complete disclosure of all patents, patent documents, and publications cited herein are incorporated by reference. The foregoing detailed description and examples have been given for clarity of understanding only. No unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom. The invention is not limited to the exact details shown and described, for variations obvious to one skilled in the art will be included within the invention defined by the claims.