Locking wall hanger

Abstract

The invention provides a locking wall hanger having a pointed end, which is designed to create the hole in the wall as the hanger is inserted therethrough. Whereas a self-boring tip penetrates the wall and embeds itself in the rear wall surface a mid-parabolic portion of the hanger is adjusted to provide a spring force for locking the hanger to the wall. In order to provide a maximum holding force, the hanger comprises reinforcement means.

1 . A wall hanger ( 10 ) for mounting in a wall for hanging objects thereon comprising a one-piece first metal wire having:
 a wall penetrating tail portion ( 20 ) with a pointed free end ( 22 ) being adapted to penetrate a wall,   a resilient C-shaped intermediate portion ( 18 ) adjacent to the tail portion ( 20 ), the intermediate portion having a radius of curvature sufficiently large that a passageway ( 34 ) in the wall ( 32 ) is not enlarged upon insertion of the intermediate portion into the passage,   a substantially straight shank portion ( 16 ) adjacent to the intermediate portion ( 18 ) being adapted to penetrate the wall ( 32 ) upon locking of the hanger in a final assembly position,   a hook portion ( 12 ,  14 ,  26 ,  28 ) adjacent to the shank portion ( 16 ) having a hook-like geometry and being adapted to receive objects for hanging thereon,   wherein at an intermediate assembly position by insertion of the first metal wire into the wall from the wall's front side, the pointed tail portion ( 20 ) contacting a rear side of the wall ( 32 ) and in response to further insertion of the metal wire, the C-shaped intermediate portion ( 18 ) being adapted to be resiliently deformed applying a spring force to the tail portion ( 20 ) and providing a locking of the first metal wire in the wall ( 32 ) when reaching a final assembly position,   wherein for increasing the holding force, at least the hook portion comprising reinforcement means.   
   
   
       2 . The hanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement means comprising a doubling of material ( 16   a ,  24   a ,  14   a ,  26   a ,  12   a ;  24   a ,  42   a ,  44   a ;  54   a ,  52   a ,  56   a ,  62 ) by means of a second metal wire. 
   
   
       3 . The hanger according to  claim 2 , wherein the second metal wire ( 16   a ,  24   a ,  14   a ,  26   a ,  12   a ) and the first metal wire ( 16   b ,  24   b ,  14   b ,  26   b ,  12   b ,  18 ,  20 ) are sections of a common single metal wire being folded or curved about 180° near the free end ( 28 ;  48 ;  58 ;  78 ) of the hook portion. 
   
   
       4 . The hanger according to  claim 3 , wherein in a projection parallel to the plane defined by the first metal wire, the second metal wire ( 16   a ,  24   a ,  14   a ,  26   a ,  12   a ;  62 ) is aligned substantially parallel to respective portions of the first metal wire ( 16   b ,  24   b ,  14   b ,  26   b ,  12   b ). 
   
   
       5 . The hanger according to  claim 3 , wherein in a projection perpendicular to the plane defined by the first metal wire, the second wire ( 16   a ,  24   a ,  14   a ,  26   a ,  12   a ;  44   a ,  42   a ,  46   a ;  54   a ,  52   a ,  56   a ) is substantially overlapping with the first metal wire ( 16   b ,  24   b ,  14   b ,  26   b ,  12   b ;  44   b ,  42   b ,  46   b ;  54   b ,  52   b ,  56   b ). 
   
   
       6 . The hanger according to  claim 3 , wherein the hook portion comprising an S-shaped portion comprising a first ( 24   a ,  24   b ) and a second ( 26   a ,  26   b ) oppositely curved curvature section and an intermediate abutment piece ( 14   a ,  14   b ), the abutment piece being adapted to get in contact with the front side of the wall when reaching the final assembly position. 
   
   
       7 . The hanger according to  claim 6 , wherein the hook portion adjacent to the S-shaped portion ( 24   a ,  24   b ,  14   a ,  14   b ,  26   a ,  26   b ) comprising a straight snag portion ( 12   a ,  12   b ) being inclined to the abutment piece at about 45°. 
   
   
       8 . The hanger according to  claim 7 , wherein the first ( 24   b ,  52   b ) and the second metal wire ( 24   a ,  52   b ) at the snag portion diverge towards the free end of the hook portion and form a closed loop by means of an interjacent elbow piece ( 54   a ,  58 ,  54   b ). 
   
   
       9 . The hanger according to  claim 2 , wherein the second metal wire ( 16   a ,  24   a ,  14   a ,  26   a ,  12   a ) almost completely abuts to the respective portions ( 16   b ,  24   b ,  14   b ,  26   b ,  12   b ) of the first metal wire. 
   
   
       10 . The hanger according to  claim 2 , wherein the first ( 16   b ,  24   b ,  14   b ,  56   b ,  52   b ,  54   b ;  46   b ,  42   b ,  44   ba ) and the second metal wire ( 16   a ,  24   a ,  14   a ,  56   a ,  52   a ,  54   a ;  46   a ,  42   a ,  44   a ) at least partially abut to one another. 
   
   
       11 . The hanger according to  claim 4  or  5 , wherein the first ( 72   b ) and the second metal wire ( 72   a ;  62 ) are spaced apart from each other. 
   
   
       12 . The hanger according to  claim 4 , wherein the second metal wire ( 62 ) runs substantially straight from the hook portion's free end ( 68 ) to the first wire's shank portion ( 16   b ). 
   
   
       13 . The hanger according to  claim 5 , wherein at the S-shaped portion ( 24 ,  14 ,  26 ) of the hook portion the first and the second wire abut to one another. 
   
   
       14 . The hanger according to  claim 2 , wherein the second wire ( 16   a ,  30 ) extends to the shank portion of the first wire ( 16   b ), the free end of the second wire  comprising a pointed tip ( 30 ) and extends substantially parallel to the first wire's shank portion ( 16   b ). 
   
   
       15 . The hanger according to  claim 12 , wherein the tip ( 30 ) of the second wire being slanted at an angle of approximately 30° with respect to the direction of elongation of the second wire. 
   
   
       16 . The hanger according to any one of the  claims 12  or  13 , wherein the second wire's free end ( 30 ) being adapted to serve as anti-twist protection upon insertion into the wall's front side. 
   
   
       17 . An adapter piece ( 80 ) being adapted for hanging on a hanger according to one of the preceding claims comprising at its rear, wall-facing side, a cavity  82 ) having a geometry corresponding to the shape of the hanger's hook portion. 
   
   
       18 . The adapter piece according to  claim 17 , further comprising a hook portion ( 86 ). 
   
   
       19 . The adapter piece according to any one of the  claims 17  or  18 , further comprising a protrusion ( 84 ) being adapted to engage with the hangers' hook portion.