Fastening assembly for wall mount applications

Abstract

Inventive fastening assemblies are described. In accordance with one embodiment, an inventive 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, a head portion; and wherein 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.

1 . A fastening assembly, comprising: 
 (a) a female unit having a supporting surface covering an interior portion, said supporting surface having defined thereon a U-shaped channel, said interior portion having define 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, 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 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.  
   
     
     
         2 . The fastening assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the channel cavity having a width, the width of the channel cavity being greater than the width of the channel and said 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.  
     
     
         3 . The fastening assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the female unit is capable of attaching to a structure, the male unit is capable of attaching to an object, which is ultimately fastened to the structure.  
     
     
         4 . The fastening assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the structure is a wall.  
     
     
         5 . The fastening assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the object is a plasma television or a piece of art work.  
     
     
         6 . The fastening assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the width of the channel is between about 0.25 inches and about 1.5 inches.  
     
     
         7 . The fastening assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the width of the channel cavity is between about 0.75 inches and about 6 inches.  
     
     
         8 . The fastening assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the length of the shaft portion is between about 0.25 inches and about 3.1 inches.  
     
     
         9 . The fastening assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the channel is between about 0.2 inches and about 3 inches.  
     
     
         10 . The fastening assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft portion is substantially cylindrical in shape.  
     
     
         11 . The fastening assembly of  claim 10 , wherein a diameter of the shaft portion is between about 0.25 inches and about 6 inches.  
     
     
         12 . The fastening assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the head portion is circular and has a diameter that is between about 0.75 inches and about 10 inches.  
     
     
         13 . The fastening assembly of  claim 1 , wherein 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.  
     
     
         14 . A fastening assembly for fastening an object to a structure, comprising: 
 (a) a female unit having a supporting surface covering an interior portion, said 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.    
     
     
         15 . The fastening assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising 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 said 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.  
     
     
         16 . A female unit capable of receiving a male unit, which has a shaft portion and a head portion, said female unit comprising: 
 (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.    
     
     
         17 . The female unit of  claim 16 , further comprising 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 said 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.  
     
     
         18 . The female unit of  claim 17 , wherein 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.  
     
     
         19 . The female unit of  claim 16 , wherein said 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.  20 . The female unit of clam  19 , wherein said pocket can support a load that is at least five hundred pounds.