Article support device mountable with stretch releasing adhesive

Abstract

An article support device for vertical mounting on a wall surface includes a base plate having opposed front and rear major surfaces, an upper edge, a lower edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge, and a cover plate having opposed front and rear major surfaces, an upper edge, a lower edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge. The base plate front surface and the cover plate rear surface include a raised connecting portion and a cooperating recess configured to engage by horizontal sliding engagement such that when the device is mounted vertically on a wall surface, any load applied to the cover plate creates a force in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of horizontal sliding engagement between the base plate and the cover plate. A method of mounting a hook on a vertical surface using the article support device is also disclosed.

1 . An article support device for vertical mounting on a wall surface, comprising: 
 (a) a base plate having opposed front and rear major surfaces, an upper edge, a lower edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge; and    (b) a cover plate having opposed front and rear major surfaces, an upper edge, a lower edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge;    wherein the base plate front surface and the cover plate rear surface include a raised connecting portion and a cooperating recess configured to engage by horizontal sliding engagement such that when the device is mounted vertically on a wall surface, a load applied to the cover plate will create a force in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of horizontal sliding engagement between the base plate and the cover plate.    
   
   
       2 . An article support device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the raised connecting portion is an elongated rail extending transversely along the rear surface of the cover plate.  
   
   
       3 . An article support device as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the rail extends from the first side edge of the cover plate to the second side edge of the cover plate.  
   
   
       4 . An article support device as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the rail includes a narrow neck portion adjacent the rear surface of the cover plate and a flange portion extending outwardly from the neck portion.  
   
   
       5 . An article support device as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the recess is a channel having a narrow throat region generally corresponding to the neck portion of the rail and has a wide retaining region generally corresponding to the flange portion of the rail.  
   
   
       6 . An article support device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the raised portion is an elongated rail extending transversely along the front surface of the base plate.  
   
   
       7 . An article support device as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the raised portion extends from the first side edge of the base plate to the second side edge of the base plate.  
   
   
       8 . An article support device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the cover plate front surface includes a load bearing functional portion extending outwardly therefrom, whereby the direction of the force created by the load applied to the device is generally perpendicular to the direction of sliding engagement between the base plate and the cover plate.  
   
   
       9 . An article support device as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the functional portion extends outwardly from the cover plate front surface adjacent the lower edge of the cover plate.  
   
   
       10 . An article support device as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a stretch releasing adhesive strip including a non-adhesive pull tab configured for attachment to the rear surface of the base plate.  
   
   
       11 . An article support device as defined in  claim 10 , wherein when the base plate is mounted on a surface, the adhesive strip non-adhesive pull tab extends outwardly from behind the base plate and further wherein the cover plate is arranged in overlapping relation with the non-adhesive pull tab, thereby to conceal the pull tab from view when the assembled device is viewed from the front.  
   
   
       12 . An article support device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein when the device is assembled, the first and second side edges of the base plate and the first and second side edges of the cover plate are visible to a user viewing the device.  
   
   
       13 . An article support device as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the base plate and cover plate have equal widths.  
   
   
       14 . An article support device as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising stop means for aligning the base plate and cover plate in a predetermined position.  
   
   
       15 . An article support device as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the stop means comprises a protrusion and a mating recess.  
   
   
       16 . An article support device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein base plate and cover plate are formed of a synthetic plastic material.  
   
   
       17 . A method of mounting a hook on a vertical wall surface, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a base plate having opposed front and rear major surfaces, an upper edge, a lower edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge, and providing a cover plate having opposed front and rear major surfaces, an upper edge, a lower edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge, wherein the base plate front surface and the cover plate rear surface include a raised connecting portion and a cooperating recess configured to engage by horizontal sliding engagement such that when the device is mounted vertically on a wall surface, a load applied to the cover plate will create a force in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of horizontal sliding engagement between the base plate and the cover plate;    (b) adhering a double-sided stretch releasing adhesive strip having a non-adhesive pull tab at one end to the rear surface of the base plate such that the non-adhesive pull tab extends outwardly from behind the base plate;    (c) vertically mounting the base plate on the wall surface by adhering the base plate to the vertical wall surface using the double-sided stretch releasing adhesive strip; and    (d) connecting the cover plate to the base plate by horizontally sliding the cover plate onto the base plate from a first side edge to a second side edge, whereby the cover plate overlays the non-adhesive pull tab.