US20220373012A1 - Plastic anchor for drywall, plaster, brick and concrete - Google Patents

Abstract

An anchoring device for insertion in a hole provided in a structure such as a wall (hollow or solid) comprises proximal and distal sections. The proximal section includes a head defining an aperture for receiving a fastener, and the distal section includes a pair of expandable wings displaceable between collapsed and expanded positions. Each wing is biased towards its expanded position such that the wings can engage the structural material delimiting the hole or a distal surface of the structure. The distal section comprises, proximally of the wings, a variable-length flexible portion for allowing the wings to engage the distal surface of the structure for various structure thicknesses. The distal section comprises, distally of the wings, a tip section adapted to spread outwardly when engaged by the fastener. The proximal section comprises a pair of legs each having a toothed rack for engaging the structural material.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• This Application claims priority on U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/759,045, filed on Jan. 17, 2006, which is herein incorporated by reference,
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates to wall anchors and, more particularly, to anchors suitable for both hollow and solid walls.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• Various wall anchors exist for hollow walls, including self-installable anchors and expandable anchors. Some of these anchors define outer threads adapted to engage the friable material that constitutes part of the wall structure, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,415 issued on Nov. 10, 1998 to McSherry. Other such anchors include a toggle member that is adapted to pivot between a longitudinal insertion position and a transversal retention position, wherein the toggle member adopts its transversal position once behind the wall, so as to then be drawn towards the wall until it engages a rear hidden surface of the hollow wall, thereby firmly securing the anchor to the hollow wall, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,865 issued on Jun. 26, 2001 to McSherry.
• Anchoring devices encounter various wall mediums, such as hollow walls and solid walls, and in the case of the former, the thickness of the hollow wall may vary. Anchoring devices thus need to have constructions suitable for such mediums.
• The present invention seeks to meet these needs and other needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• More specifically, it is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a novel anchoring device.
• It is also an aim of the present invention to provide an anchoring device adapted for various wall constructions, including hollow walls of various wall thicknesses.
• It is a further aim of the present invention to provide an anchoring device adapted for various wall constructions, such as hollow walls and solid walls.
• It is still a further aim of the present invention to provide an anchoring device, typically made of plastic, adapted for retention in various materials, such as drywall, plaster, brick, concrete, etc.
• More specifically, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an anchoring device for insertion in a hole provided in a structure, comprising proximal and distal sections, said proximal section comprising a head defining an aperture for receiving a fastener, said distal section comprising at least one expandable wing displaceable between inwardly collapsed and outwardly expanded positions, said wing being biased towards said expanded position such that said wing is adapted to at least one of engaging structural material delimiting the hole and engaging a distal surface of the structure.
• Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an anchoring device for insertion in a hole provided in a structure, comprising proximal and distal sections, said proximal section comprising a head defining an aperture for receiving a fastener, said proximal section comprising at least one leg, said distal section comprising a spreading member, said distal and proximal sections being displaceable towards one another such that said spreading member causes said leg to displace outwardly into engagement with the structural material delimiting the hole.
• Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of specific embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• In the appended drawings:
• FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of a first anchoring device in accordance with the present invention;
• FIGS. 3 and 4 are respectively front and side elevational views of the first anchoring device ofFIGS. 1 and 2;
• FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the first anchoring device ofFIGS. 1 and 2;
• FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second anchoring device in accordance with the present invention;
• FIGS. 7ato 7hare schematic successive partly cross-sectional side views showing the installation of the second anchoring device ofFIG. 6 into a wall, wherein inFIG. 7fthe anchoring device is shown rotated 90° with respect to its position in the other views; and
• FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a third anchoring device in accordance with the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
• The present invention is illustrated in further details by the following non-limiting examples.
• In accordance with the present invention,FIGS. 1 and 2 show an anchoring device, generally denoted hereinafter by the reference D.
• The anchoring device D includes aproximal head section10, anintermediate stem section12, and adistal tip section14. Typically, the anchoring device D is made of a plastic material, and is suitable for various hollow and solid walls, including wall of various thicknesses.
• Thehead section10 comprises a flangedproximal end16 adapted to abut a visible side of the wall (or other structure into which the anchoring device D is intended to be installed), and defines twoopposed legs18 extending symmetrically and distally from theflanged end16. Eachleg18 includes arack19 that defines a set ofangled teeth20 that are aligned parallelly to a longitudinal axis of the anchoring device D. Eachrack19 is pivotally mounted at a lower end thereof to the remainder of theleg18 with an inverted “U”-shaped gap21 (seeFIG. 4) being defined around therack19 such that theleg19 can pivot, at its lower end, relative to the remainder of theleg18.
• Thehead section10 also defines a centralaxial aperture22 adapted to receive therethrough a fastener, such as a screw. Thelegs18 and more particularly theteeth20 are adapted to engage the wall material delimiting a hole that has been pre-formed, e.g. with a drip, in the wall. When the fastener, e.g. screw, is thereafter rotatably inserted in the anchoring device D already positioned in the wall's pre-drilled hole, theteeth20 prevent the anchoring device D from rotating with respect to the wall. Furthermore, the fastener, as it is inserted in the anchoring device D, forceably spreads the twolegs18 radially outwardly (thelegs18 pivoting relative to their lower ends attached to the remainder of the legs18) such that theteeth20 engage the wall material, thereby substantially locking the anchoring device D in place and thus preventing the same from easily spinning within the hole defined in the wall.
• Thestem section12 includes basically three portions, namely a proximal cam orwedge portion24, an intermediateflexible portion26 capable of limited extension and retraction along a longitudinal axis of thestem12, and a pair of opposeddistal wings28 that are angled and biased towards a radially expanded position. Theflexible portion26 acts like a substantially strong spring for allowing the anchoring device D to assume various overall lengths and thus adapt itself to hollow walls of various thicknesses.
• More particularly, the pair ofwings28 are designed, in the case of hollow walls, to extend behind the wall and to engage the hidden surface thereof outwardly of the pre-drilled hole, thereby increasing significantly the pull-out force required to remove the anchoring device D from the wall. When the anchoring device D is used in a solid wall, thewings28 remain collapsed within the pre-drilled hole and, in view of their outward bias, engage the wall material around the pre-drilled hole.
• Returning to theflexible portion26 of thestem section12, it will be understood that for use in hollow walls, it can be designed in various ways. For instance, theflexible portion26 is like a spring that is biased towards a retracted position. Typically the spring force is greater than a friction force between the retractedwings28 and the wall material defining the pre-drilled hole. Therefore, when the anchoring device D is inserted in the pre-drilled hole, the friction between thewings28 and the wall material will not cause theflexible portion26 to contract, whereby thewings28 will have reached, by the time the anchoring device D has been fully inserted in the pre-drilled hole, the space behind the hollow wall.
• Thewings28 then, under their bias, expand to their position shown inFIGS. 1 to 3, such as to engage the hidden surface of the hollow wall, or such as to engage this hidden surface upon a slight attempt of withdrawing the anchoring device D from the wall, thereby greatly resisting a further withdrawal thereof from the wall.
• With the anchoring device D being securely inserted in the pre-drilled hole, the fastener can then be inserted in the anchoring device D, via theaperture22.
• Thetip section14 includes a pair ofsymmetrical tips30 adapted to expand, i.e. to spread away from one another, in hollow as well as in solid situations at the final stage of insertion of the fastener (screw). In the case of hollow walls, thespread tips30 add to the pull-out force required to rip the installed anchoring device D from the wall. In solid walls, thetips30, when spread outwardly, engage the wall material delimiting the pre-drilled hole thereby further retaining the anchoring device D in the wall.
• In cases where the anchoring device D is used in solid walls, thewedge portion24 of thestem section12 may displace towards theflanged end16 of thehead section10, thereby engaging further withinslots32 defined between thelegs18, on both sides of thehead section10. Once thewedge portion24 engages thelegs18, the flared shape of thewedge portion24 forces thelegs18 to expand outwardly, which thus wedge into the solid wall.
• Therefore, the anchoring device D of the present invention, which is mounted within a pre-made hole and which is typically made of a plastics material, can be used in hollow walls and in solid walls. The anchoring device D includes various wall-engaging features for firmly anchoring it in various wall constructions, such features including thespreadable legs18 and theteeth20 thereof provided in thehead section10, theexpandable wings28 of thestem section12, and thespreadable tips30 of thetip section14, which wall-engaging features being independent from each other and being used singularly or in any combinations thereof embodied in various non-illustrated variants of the anchoring device D. The anchoring device D also comprises an axially spring-like member, namely theflexible portion26, for allowing the anchoring device D to adapt to various hollow wall thicknesses, specifically so that thewings28 can engage the hidden surfaces of such hollow walls.
• FIG. 6 illustrates another anchoring device D′ in accordance with the present invention, which is generally similar to the anchoring device D ofFIGS. 1 to 5. However, the anchoring device D′ ofFIG. 6 further includes a pair ofretainer arms40′ each extending between a respectivedistal end42′ ofleg18 of thehead section10 and aproximal end44′ of awing28 of thestem section12. Theretainer arms40′ are in fact attached to thesedistal ends42′ andproximal ends44′ thereby significantly reinforcing the twowings28, compared to those of the anchoring device D ofFIGS. 1 to 5, so as to increase, in solid wall situations, the tension in thewings28 and thus frictional forces between thewings28 and the wall material defining the pre-drilled hole, and to increase the tension and shear in hollow wall situations.
• FIGS. 7ato 7hillustrate, in a number of sequential views, various steps for installing the anchoring device D′ ofFIG. 6 in a hollow wall W. InFIG. 7a, a drill bit B is used to form a hole H in the wall W.FIGS. 7bto 7dshow the anchoring device D′ being gradually pushed into the hole H, wherein inFIG. 7b, thetip14 is engaged in the hole H; then, inFIG. 7c, thelegs18 and theretainer arms40′ are forced by the wall W to collapse towards one another; and subsequently, as seen inFIG. 7d, thelegs18 and theretainer arms40′ return, after having reached a cavity C behind the hollow wall W and under their bias, to their expanded position, while theteeth20 of theracks19 engage the wall material delimiting the hole H.FIG. 7dalso shows a fastener, herein a screw S, prior to rotatably engaging the anchoring device D′. The engagement of theteeth20 in the wall W will subsequently oppose a rotation of the anchoring device D′ with respect to the wall W when the screw S is rotatably engaged therein.
• FIG. 7eillustrates the screw S engaged in thehead section10 of the anchoring device D′, via theaperture22 thereof. The screw S causes theracks19 to pivotally expand outwardly such that theteeth20 thereof engage more deeply and thus more strongly the wall material. InFIG. 7f(in which the anchoring device D′ is shown rotated 90° relative to its position inFIGS. 7ato 7e, 7gand 7h), the screw S is fully inserted in the anchoring device D′ thereby spreading thetips30 of thetip section14.
• FIG. 7gis the result of a further rotation of the screw S. More particularly, inFIG. 7f, the threads of the screw S engaged female threads previously defined in thestem section12′ of the anchoring device D′ or tapped such female threads in thestem section12′. After the screw S has abutted the wall W, a further rotation of the screw S causes, as the screw S cannot further translationally advance, thestem section12′ to translationally withdraw towards thehead section10. This displacement of thestem section12′ (with thetip section14 following) causes (1) thewings28 to engage the hidden surface of the wall W (with theretainer arms40′ deforming) and (2) thewedge portions24 of thestem section12′ to engage theslots32 and forceably spread thelegs18 outwardly into the wall material.
• As seen inFIG. 7h, a still further rotation of the screw S can cause thestem section12′ to further withdraw, such that thewings28 spread into a fuller engagement with the wall W, and with theflexible portion26 possibly collapsing (shortening) to allow for thewings28 to assume their shown position.
• FIG. 8 illustrates a third anchoring device D″ in accordance with the present invention, which includes aproximal section100 and adistal section102. Theproximal section100 comprises a flangedproximal end104 adapted to abut a visible side of the wall (or other structure into which the anchoring device D″ is intended to be installed), anintermediate portion106 that defines openings so as to provide flexibility to the intermediate portion106 (capable of limited extension and retraction along a longitudinal axis of the proximal section100), and distal portion that includes wedges (four such wedges being provided herein)108. Theproximal section100 also defines a centralaxial aperture110 adapted to receive therethrough a fastener, such as a screw.
• Thedistal section102 includes a pair ofsymmetrical tips112 adapted to expand, i.e. to spread away from one another, in hollow as well as in solid situations at the final stage of insertion of the fastener (screw). Thedistal section102 further defines, in eachtip112, aslot114, thereby providing fourwings118. In the case of hollow walls, thespread tips112 add to the pull-out force required to rip the installed anchoring device D″ from the wall. In solid walls, thetips112, when spread outwardly, engage the wall material delimiting the pre-drilled hole thereby further retaining the anchoring device D″ in the wall.
• When the anchoring device D″ is inserted in the pre-drilled hole, a strong internal cam mechanism will force thedistal section102 to ram into theproximal section100 of the anchoring device D″, with thewedges108 displacing thewings118 outwardly, i.e. from the inside to the outside, alongarrows116. This expansion of thewings118 will wedge the anchoring device D″ solidly into the pre-drilled hole in the case of the solid walls. In hollow wall situations, thewings118 will expand behind the wall thereby creating a retention strength to increase the tension or the shear of the anchoring device D″.
• Although the present invention has been described hereinabove by way of specific embodiments thereof, it can be modified, without departing from the spirit and nature of the subject invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (24)

1. An anchoring device for insertion in a hole provided in a structure, in combination with a fastener, the anchoring device comprising proximal and distal sections, said proximal section comprising a head defining an aperture for receiving a fastener, said proximal section comprises at least two legs separated by at least two slots, at least one lateral retention member being pivotally mounted to the legs for engaging the structural material, wherein the fastener when being introduced in the anchoring device is adapted to cause the retention member to pivot relative to at least one of the legs and into engagement in the structural material.

2. The anchoring device as defined inclaim 1, wherein said distal section comprises at least one expandable wing displaceable between inwardly collapsed and outwardly expanded positions, said wing being biased towards said expanded position such that said wing is adapted to at least one of engaging structural material delimiting the hole and engaging a distal surface of the structure.

3. The anchoring device as defined inclaim 2, wherein said distal section comprises, proximally of said wing, a variable-length portion for allowing said wing to engage the distal surface of the structure for various structure thicknesses, said variable-length portion comprises a flexible member capable of longitudinal size reduction.

4. The anchoring device as defined inclaim 2, wherein said distal section comprises a pair of said wings which are provided in substantially diametrically opposed positions, wherein each said wing extends at an angle towards said proximal section.

5. (canceled)

6. The anchoring device as defined inclaim 4, wherein a connecting member is provided between an outer end of each said wing and said proximal section.

7. The anchoring device as defined inclaim 2, wherein said distal section comprises, distally of said wing, a tip section adapted to spread outwardly when engaged by the fastener.

8.-9. (canceled)

10. The anchoring device as defined inclaim 1, wherein there are provided at least two retention members each provided with at least one tooth.

11. (canceled)

12. The anchoring device as defined inclaim 1, wherein said legs are substantially diametrically opposed.

13. The anchoring device as defined inclaim 1, wherein said distal section comprises at a proximal end thereof at least one wedge portion adapted to engage at least one of said slots when said distal section is drawn towards said proximal section, for spreading at least one of said legs outwardly into the structural material.

14. The anchoring device as defined inclaim 13, wherein there are provided two said wedge portions each being associated with a respective one of said slots.

15. The anchoring device as defined inclaim 1, wherein each said leg comprises one said retention member, each retention member being provided with a series of teeth adapted to engage the structural material.

16. The anchoring device as defined inclaim 17, wherein there are provided two said legs separated by a pair of slots.

17. An anchoring device for insertion in a hole provided in a structure, comprising proximal and distal sections, said proximal section comprising a head defining an aperture for receiving a fastener, said proximal section comprising at least one leg, said distal section comprising a spreading member, said distal and proximal sections being displaceable towards one another such that said spreading member causes said leg to displace outwardly into engagement with the structural material delimiting the hole, wherein the leg comprises a retention member pivotally mounted thereto, the retention member being adapted to pivot outwardly and into engagement in the structural material.

18. The anchoring device as defined inclaim 17, wherein the retention member is provided with at least one tooth.

19. The anchoring device as defined inclaim 16, wherein said legs are substantially diametrically opposed.

20. The anchoring device as defined inclaim 16, wherein said spreading member is adapted to engage at least one of said slots when said distal section is drawn towards said proximal section, for spreading at least one of said legs outwardly into the structural material.

21. The anchoring device as defined inclaim 20, wherein there are provided two said spreading members each adapted to engage a respective one of said slots.

22. The anchoring device as defined inclaim 21, wherein said spreading members each comprise a wedge portion, said wedge portions being slidable in said slots for spreading said legs.

23. The anchoring device as defined inclaim 16, wherein each said leg includes one said retention member, said retention members being adapted, when the fastener is engaged in said proximal section, to pivot outwardly into engagement in the structural material.

24. The anchoring device as defined inclaim 23, wherein each retention member is provided with at least one tooth.

25. The anchoring device as defined inclaim 23, wherein each retention member is provided with a rack of teeth adapted to engage the structural material

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