|
(11) | EP 0 140 212 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (54) | A fastening means for mounting a plate originally made of several small pieces of plate onto a substantially planar wall |
| (57) (D A fastening means (1) for mounting a plate (45) optionally made of several smaller
pieces of plate (41,42,43,44) onto a substantially planar wall (40). The plate (45)
may for instance be a mirror composed of several smaller pieces of mirror or a relief
made of several smaller pieces of relief. The fastening means comprises a bottom member
(1) to be secured on the wall (40), and an intermediary member (15) secured atop the
bottom member (1). The intermediary member may cooperate with the bottom member (1)
and is adapted in such a manner that the distance (h) of its top surface (17) from
the bottom surface (4) of the bottom member (1) is adjustable. The intermediary member
(15) comprises projections for the support and/or carrying of the corners of the plate
(45) or the pieces of plate (41, 42, 43, 44). A cover (30) is positioned atop the
intermediary member and engages said intermediary member. Furthermore, the cover serves
to secure the plate (45), optionally the pieces of plate (41, 42, 43, 44) to the intermediary
member (15). In this manner it is possible to mount the plate onto a not completely
planar wall without the risk of said plate presenting a skew surface. Furthermore
it is possible for the plate composed of several smaller pieces of plate upon mounting
to form a completely planar front surface without skew pieces of plate. |
[0001] The invention relates to a fastening means for mounting a plate optionally made of several small pieces of plate onto a substantially planar wall, said plate for instance being a mirror made of several small pieces of mirror or a relief made of several small pieces of relief.
[0002] Fastening means of this type are known for mounting compound mirrors onto a wall. When all the pieces of the mirror are to be on the same level, which is necessary for producing a correct reflection of the person looking at himself in the mirror, the wall must be completely planar. The walls, onto which the mirrors are mounted, are, however, not always planar because of unevennesses in the layer of plaster or in case of walls of wood said unevennesses are caused by deformations on account of moisture or displacement of the boards.
[0003] The above problem may also arise when mounting a large plate of several smaller pieces of plate with a light-reflecting or gleaming surface such as for instance an enamelled surface. When one of the pieces of plate is obliquely-positioned, the appearance of the large plate is disturbed because of the incorrect light-reflection of the incorrectly positioned piece of plate. It turned out that the human eye is very sensitive regarding noticing such errors.Furthermore a risk exists when mounting only one plate onto a not completely planar wall, namely of said plate presenting a skew surface which also causes undesired light-reflections.
[0004] rhe object of the invention is to provide a fastening means of the above type and allowing an easy mounting of the plate onto a not completely planar wall without involving the risk of said plate presenting a skew surface, and which furthermore implies that a plate made of several smaller pieces of plate forms a completely planar front surface without skew pieces of plate upon the mounting.
[0005] The fastening means according to the invention is characterised in that it comprises a bottom member to be secured on the wall and an intermediary member secured on top of the bottom member, said intermediary member being adapted to cooperate with the bottom member in such a manner that the distance of its top surface from the bottom surface of the bottom member is adjustable, and whereby the intermediary member comprises projections for carrying and/or supporting the corners of the plate or the pieces of plate, as well as a cover situated on top of the intermediary member and engaging said intermediary member, and which serves to secure the plate, optionally the pieces of plate to the intermediary member. In this manner an easy mounting of the plate onto the not completely planar wall is obtained without risking a plate presenting a skew surface. The latter is obtained by the fact that the four fastening means used for mounting the plate ensure that the top surface of the intermediary member of said fastening means is adjusted so as to be at a predetermined level in such a manner that the plate is only carried and/or supported by the fastening means. The plate is not allowed to touch possible lopsidenesses on the wall. A plate mounted in this manner is not presenting a skew surface when it is being mounted. The bottom member may for instance be secured to the wall by means of pins.
[0006] When the plate is made of for instance four smaller pieces of plate and said pieces are to be mounted onto the uneven wall, the bottom member and intermediary member of a fastening means are initially mounted at each of the locations corresponding to the corner points of the plate mounted. Subsequently said intermediary members are adjusted in such a manner that their top surfaces are at one and the same level suitably spaced from the uneven wall. Finally the individual pieces of plate are mounted on the projections and the pieces of plate are fixedly pressed against the intermediary members by means of the covers. The fastening means turned out to be particularly suited for mounting mirrors composed of smaller pieces of mirror, e.g. four such pieces of mirror. In the latter case nine fastening means are necessary. The front surface of the completed mirror is nice uniform without the tendency of incorrect light-reflections and incorrect reflections of the person lookinq at himself in the mirror.
[0007] According to the invention the adjustment of the distance between the top surface of the intermediary member and the bottom surface of the bottom member may be carried out in short steps. Such a procedure turned out in practice to allow a satisfactory mounting of the pieces of plate without each fastening means being too complicated.
[0008] Moreover according to the invention the bottom side of the intermediary member may be provided with a recess receiving at least part of the bottom member. As a result, the intermediary member easily catches the bottom member during the mounting of the fastening means.
[0009] The intermediary member may according to the invention - compared to the bottom member - be adjustable into a plurality of angular positions, preferably four, with a mutual distance of 90 , whereby it is easy to adjust each fastening means during the mounting procedure.
[0010] In addition according to the invention, both the bottom member and the intermediary member may along both sides comprise a supporting engaging means with a plurality of step surfaces, whereby the bottom member reliably engages the intermediary member in such a manner that the intermediary member may form a solid base for the pieces of plate.
[0011] According to the invention all the step surfaces on the engaging means of the bottom member may abut all the step surfaces of each of the engaging means of the intermediary member when said intermediary member is in a specific angular position, whereas only a minority of said step surfaces on each engaging means of the bottom member abut the corresponding step surfaces of each engaging means of the intermediary member in the remaining angular positions of said intermediary member, the distance of the top surface of the intermediary member to the bottom surface of the bottom member changing in said remaining angular positions. This embodiment of the fastening means is particularly suited for mounting compound mirrors.
[0012] When a fastening means comprises four sides with their respective engaging means, each engaging means may according to the invention comprise four step surfaces, viz. in a first low level, a second slightly higher level, a third still higher level, and a fourth highest level, and considerable changes in distances may exist between two neighboring step surfaces, whereby it is obtained in a simple manner that the top surface of the intermediary member is at various levels in the various angular positions of said intermediary member.
[0013] A further embodiment of the fastening means according to the invention is characterised in that the engaging means at the first side of the bottom member comprises step surfaces arranged in the follow- ing level sequence: First, second, third, and fourth level; that the engaging means at the second side of the bottom member comprises step surfaces arranged in the following level sequence: Fourth, first, second, and third level; that the engaging means at the third side of the bottom member comprises step surfaces arranged in the following level sequence: Third, fourth, first, and second level; and that the engaging means at the fourth side of the bottom member comprises step surfaces arranged in the follow- ing level sequence; Second, third, fourth, and first level, whereby the step surfaces of the opposing engaging means on the intermediary member comprise levels complementary to the step surface levels on the bottom member. In this manner a great constructional simplicity is obtained.
[0014] According to the invention the first low level of the step surfaces may be fictive as it corresponds to the level of the bottom surface of the bottom member and is situated at an opening in the bottom member, whereby material is saved in connection with the bottom member.
[0015] Moreover according to the invention the top side of the bottom member may comprise guide pins in each corner, said pins being adapted to cooperate with corresponding guide openings on the bottom side of the intermediary member. In this manner it is additionally ensured that the intermediary member catches the bottom member when a user is to mount the fastening means onto the wall, and furthermore the intermediary member is prevented from turning relative to the bottom member when the latter is at the highest level.
[0016] Furthermore according to the invention the projections of the intermediary member may be provided on projections on the top surface of the intermediary member, whereby said projections are provided in a very simple manner.
[0017] Moreover according to the invention the cover may be secured to the intermediary member by means of securing pins projecting from the cover and cooperating with auxiliary openings in the projections of the intermediary member, whereby the cover can be secured very reliably to the intermediary member in such a manner that the piece of plate such as for instance the piece of mirror is well retained against the intermediary member.
[0018] According to the invention the securing pins may be free of grooves, and the auxiliary openings of the intermediary member may comprise recesses all being located to the same side and therefore influencing the securing pins on various sides depending on the angular position of the cover. This embodiment is particularly suited in connection with a demounting and a new mounting procedure.
[0019] The intermediary member is according to the invention secured to the bottom member by means of a central fixing means such as a screw with associated wall plug extending both through the intermediary member and the bottom member and into the wall. Such a securing of the fastening means turned out to be particularly reliable,
[0020] Moreover according to the invention the bottom member and the intermediary member may be made of a harder material, preferably acetal, than the cover preferably made of polyamide or propene (polypro= pylene). The use of these materials implies that the fastening means is both inexpensive and strong.
[0021] Finally according to the invention the bottom member may be secured to the wall by means of pin-like members extending through the channel in the guide pins of the bottom member.
[0022] The invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a top view of a bottom member of the fastening means according to the invention,
Figure 2 is a sectional view of the bottom member of Figure 1 taken along the line II-II of Figure 1,
Figure 3 is a top view of the intermediary member of the fastening means,
Figure 4 is a sectional view of the intermediary member of Figure 3 taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 3,
Figure 5 is an end view of the intermediary member of Figure 3,
Figure 6 is a top view of the cover of the fastening means,
Figure 7 is a sectional view of the cover of Figure 6 taken along the line VII-VII of Figure 6,
Figure 8 is an end view of the cover of Figure 6,
Figure 9 is a side view of a fastening means according to the invention mounted on a wall,
Figure 10 is a sectional view of the bottom member taken along the line X-X of Figure 1,
Figure 11 is a sectional view of the bottom member of Figure 10 taken along the line XI-XI of Figure 1,
Figure 12 is a sectional view of the bottom member of Figure 10 taken along the line XII-XII of Figure 1,
Figure 13 is a sectional view of the bottom member of Figure 10 taken along the line XIII-XIII of Figure 1,
Figure 14 is a sectional view of the intermediary member taken along the line XIV-XIV of Figure 5,
Figure 15 is a sectional view of the intermediary member of Figure 14 taken along the line XV-XV of Figure 5,
Figure 16 is a sectional view of the intermediary member of Figure 14 taken along the line XVI-XVI of Figure 5,
Figure 17 is a sectional view of the intermediary member of Figure 14 taken along the line XVII-XVII of Figure 5,
Figure 18 is a front view of a mirror composed of four pieces of mirror and mounted on a wall by means of nine fastening means according to the invention, and
Figure 19 is a bottom view of the intermediary member of the fastening means.
[0023] As illustrated in Figure 9 the fastening means according to the invention comprises a bottom member 1, an intermediary member 15, and a cover 30, said parts engaging each other when the fastening means is mounted on a wall 40, Figure 18 illustrates a mirror 45 composed of four pieces of mirror 41, 42, 43, 44. The mirror is secured to an uneven wall by means of nine fastening means according to the invention. As the top surface of the intermediary member of each fastening means is adjustable and serves to support each piece of mirror it is ensured that none of the pieces of mirror is positioned out of plane relative to the remaining three pieces of mirror.
[0024] Figures 1, 2, and 19 illustrate the bottom member, and Figure 2 illustrates how said bottom member comprises a top side 2 and a bottom surface 4. Figures 3, 4, and 5 illustrate the intermediary member comprising a top surface 17 and a bottom surface 16. When the intermediary member is mounted on the bottom member, the surface 16 faces downwards towards the top side 2 of the bottom surface. As the top side of the bottom member and the bottom side of the intermediary member comprise engaging means cooperating with each other, cf. the more detailed explanation below, the distance.h, cf. Figure 9, between the top surface 17 of the intermediary member and the bottom surface 4 of the bottom member is adjustable, which implies that the surface 17 may be positioned relatively close to the wall or relatively far from the wall. The intermediary member, cf. Figure 3, is provided with projections 25a, 25b, 25c, 25d - not all the projections have been provided with reference numerals - and these projections serve to support and/or carry the corners of the pieces of plate 41, 42,,.43, 44 which are to be mounted. A single corner piece 46 has been indicated by a dotted line. The cover 30 is illustrated in greater details in Figures 6, 7, and 8. This cover is provided with a plurality of securing pins 31, 32, 33, not all the securing pins being provided with reference numerals, These securing pins can be pressed into some auxiliary openings 18, 19 - only a few openings being provided with reference numerals - in some projections 21, not all the projections being provided with reference numerals. The latter projections are provided with the above projections 25a, 25b, 25c, 25d,
[0025] The bottom side 16 of the intermediary member is provided with a recess 28 receiving a portion 11 of the bottom member 1, Some guide pins 8, cf. below, on the bottom member ensure that the intermediary member can be turned when it is positioned at the highest level relative to the bottom member.
[0026] Figure 3 illustrates how the intermediary member can be turned - indicated by the double arrows A and B. The intermediary member can be turned into four angular positions which on a dial correspond to 9 and 12 o'clock a.m. and 3 and 6 o'clock p.m., respectively,
[0027] As illustrated in Figure 1, the bottom member 1 comprises at each side 1', 1", 1"', 1"" engaging means la, lb, lc, and ld. Each engaging means comprises a plurality of step surfaces, viz. in the present case four such surfaces. Thus the engaging means la comprises the step surfaces laa, lab, lac, and lad. The engaging means lb comprises the step surfaces lba, lbb, 1bc, 1bd. The engaging means lc comprises the step surfaces lca, 1cb, 1cc, and lcd, whereas the engaging means ld comprises the step surfaces 1da, ldb, ldc, and ldd, Correspondingly engaging means 15a, 15b, 15c, and 15d are provided at the sides 15', 15", 15"', 15"" of the intermediary member. The engaging means 15a comprises the step surfaces 15aa, 15ab, 15ac, 15ad, The engaging means 15b comprises the step surface 15ba, 15bb, 15bc, 15bd. The engaging means 15c comprises the step surfaces 15ca, 15cb, 15cc, 15cd, whereas the engaging means 15d comprises the step surfaces 15da, 15db, 15dc, 15dd. Figures 10 to 13 are longitudinal sectional views through each of the engaging means la, 1b, lc, and 1d of the bottom member, whereas Figures 14 to 17 are longitudinal sectional views through the engaging means 15a, 15b, 15c, and 15d of the intermediary member. It appears clearly from these Figures that the engaging means la and 15a are complementary, and the same applies to the engaging means lb and 15b, etc. When the engaging means 15a abuts the engaging means la, the engaging means 15b abuts the engaging means lb, etc. which is the case in one of the four angular positions of the intermediary member, all four step surfaces of two opposing engaging means abut each other. When, however, a 90° turning of the intermediary member is carried out in such a manner that the engaging means 15a of the intermediary member cooperates with the engaging means 1b of the bottom member, and the engaging means 15b of the intermediary member cooperates with the engaging means lc of the bottom member, etc., the contact surface common to two engaging means corresponds only to a single step surface. In the latter case, the top surface of the intermediary member and the bottom surface of the bottom member are interspaced as much as possible. When the intermediary member is subjected to an additional 900 turning, for instance the engaging means 15a of the intermediary member and the engaging means 1c of the bottom member have two step surfaces in common. At the same time the distance between the top surface of the intermediary member and the bottom surface of the bottom member is, however, somewhat smaller,
[0028] As illustrated in Figures 10 to 13 and 14 to 17, the four step surfaces of each engaging means are positioned at various levels, viz. at a first low level, a second slightly higher level, a third still higher level, and a fourth highest level, As illustrated considerable distances may exist between two neighboring surfaces, e.g. 15dc and 15dd. Figure 10 illustrates how the first engaging means on the bottom member comprises the step surfaces laa, lab, 1ac, lad positioned in the following level sequence: First, second, third, and fourth level. The second engaging means on the bottom member comprises the step surfaces lba, lbb, Ibc, lbd positioned in the following level sequence: Fourth, first, second, and third level. The third engaging means lc on the bottom member comprises its step surfaces 1ca, lcb, lcc, lcd positioned in the following level sequence: Third, fourth, first, and second level. Finally the fourth engaging means Id on the bottom member comprises its step surfaces 1da, 1db, 1dc, 1dd positioned in the following level sequence: Second, third, fourth, and first level. The step surfaces of the opposing engaging means 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d on the intermediary member 15 comprise levels complementary to the step surface levels on the bottom member 1.
[0029] As illustrated in Figure 19, the first low level, cf. laa of Figure 10, may be fictive, as it is in fact a question of an opening in the bottom member. The low level corresponds to the bottom surface of the bottom member. The dotted line in Figure 2 indicates a layer 6 of material, which can be removed so as to produce openings in the bottom member 2, cf. Figure 19, whereby the openings appear clearly at 7. In this manner material is saved in connection with the bottom member.
[0030] As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the bottom member 1 comprises in each corner guide pins 8 adapted to cooperate with corresponding guide openings 23 in the bottom side of the intermediary member 15. These guide pins prevent a turning of the intermediary member when the latter is positioned at the uppermost level,
[0031] As illustrated in Figure 3, the auxiliary openings 18, 19 of the intermediary member 15 may comprise small recesses 18a, 19a, 20a, not all the recesses being provided with reference numerals. All these recesses are situated to the same side and consequently influence the securing pins 31, 32, 33 of the cover on various sides depending on the angular position of the cover.
[0032] Usually the bottom member 1 is secured to the wall 40 by means of pin-like members 9 such as thin pins or nails, cf. Figures 1 and 19. These pins or nails may extend through the channel 10 in the guide pins 8. At the securing of the bottom member 1 to the wall 40 it is of importance that the bottom member is positioned on the wall exactly in the way shown in Figure 1. The latter has been symbolically indicated by means of the two fat arrows in the middle of Figure 1.
1, A fastening means for mounting a plate (45) optionally made of several small pieces
(41, 42, 43, 44) of plate onto a substantially planar wall (40), said plate (45) for
instance being a mirror made of several small pieces of mirror or a relief made of
several small pieces of relief, characterised in that it comprises a bottom member
(1) to be secured on the wall (40) and an intermediary member (15) secured on top
of the bottom member (1), said intermediary member being adapted to cooperate with
the bottom member (1) in such a manner that the distance (h) of its top surface (17)
from the bottom surface (4) of the bottom member (1) is adjustable, and whereby the
intermediary member (15) comprises projections (25a, 25b, 25c, 25d) for carrying and/or
supporting the corners (46) of the plate (45) or the pieces (41, 42, 43, 44) of plate,
as well as a cover (30) situated on top of the intermediary member and engaging said
intermediary member, and which serves to secure the plate (45), optionally the pieces
(41, 42, 43, 44) of plate to the intermediary member (15).
2, A fastening means as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the adjustment of
the distance (h) between the top surface (17) of the intermediary member (15) and
the bottom surface (4) of the bottom member (1) can be carried out in short steps
(cf. the steps laa, lab, lac, lad).
3. A fastening means as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the bottom
side (16) of the intermediary member (15) is provided with a recess (28) receiving
at least part of the bottom member (1) .
4. A fastening means as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the intermediary
member (15) - compared to the bottom member (1) - is adjustable into a plurality of
angular positions, preferably four, with a mutual distance of 90° (cf. the double
arrows A and B of Figure 3).
5, A fastening means as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterised
in that along both sides (1', 1", 1"', 1"", 15', 15", 15"', 15"") both the bottom
member (1) and the intermediary member (15) comprise a supporting engaging means (la,
lb, 1c, ld, 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d) with a plurality of step surfaces (1aa, lab, lac,
lad; 1ba, 1bb, lbc, lbd; lca, lcb, lcc, lcd; 1da, ldb, ldc, ldd; 15aa, 15ab, 15ac,
15ad; 15ba, 15bb, 15bc, 15bd; 15ca, 15cb, 15cc, l5cd; 15da, 15db, l5dc, 15dd).
6. A fastening means as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterised
in that all the step surfaces on the engaging means (la, lb, lc, ld) of the bottom
member (1) abut all the step surfaces of-each of the engaging means of the intermediary
member (15) when said intermediary member (15) is in a specific angular position,
whereas only a minority of said step surfaces on each engaging means (la, 1b, 1c,
ld) of the bottom member (1) abut the corresponding step surfaces of each engaging
means (15a, 15b, 15c, 15d) of the intermediary member (15) in the remaining angular
positions of said intermediary member (15), the distance (h) of the top surface (17)
of the intermediary member (15) to the bottom surface (4) of the bottom member changing
in said remaining angular positions.
7, A fastening means as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 6, and
comprising four sides (1', 1", 1"', 1"", 15', 15", 15"', 15"") with adjacent engaging
means (1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d), characterised in that each engaging means
(la, lb, 1c, Id, 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d) comprises four step surfaces, viz. in a first
low level (e.g. cor- responding to laa), a second slightly higher level (e.g. corresponding
to lab), a third still higher level (e.g. corresponding to lac), and a fourth highest
level (e.g. corresponding to lad), and that considerable changes in distances may
exist between two neighboring step surfaces (e.g. 15dc and 15dd).
8. A fastening means as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised
in that the engaging means (la) at the first side (1') of the bottom member (1) comprises
step surfaces (laa, lab, lac, lad) arranged in the following level sequence: First,
second, third, and fourth level; that the engaging means (lb) at the second side (1")
of the bottom member (1) comprises step surfaces (lba, lbb, lbc, lbd) arranged in
the following level sequence: Fourth, first, second, and third level; that the engaging
means (lc) at the third side (1"') of the bottom member (1) comprises step surfaces
(lca, 1cb, lcc, lcd) arranged in the following level sequence: Third, fourth, first,
and second level; and that the engaging means (ld)at the fourth side (1"") of the
bottom member (1) comprises step surfaces (lda, ldb, ldc, ldd) arranged in the following
level sequence: Second, third, fourth, and first level, whereby the step surfaces
of the opposing engaging means (15a, 15b, 15c, 15d) on the intermediary member (15)
com- prise levels complementary to the step surface levels on the bottom member (1),
9. A fastening means as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 8, characterised
in that the first low level of the step surfaces (laa, lbb, lcc, ldd) is fictive as
it corresponds to the level of the bottom surface (4) of the bottom member and is
situated at an opening (7) in the bottom member (1).
10. A fastening means as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 9, characterised
in that the top side (2) of the bottom member (1) comprises guide pins (8) in each
corner, said pins being adapted to cooperate with corresponding guide openings (23)
on the bottom side (16) of the intermediary member (15).
11, A fastening means as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 10, characterised
in that the projections (25a, 25b, 25c, 25d) of the intermediary member (15) are provided
on projections (21) on the top surface (17) of the intermediary member (15).
12. A fastening means as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims 1 to ll, characterised
in that the cover (30) is secured to the intermediary member (15) by means of securing
pins (31, 32, 33) pro- jecting from the cover (30) and cooperating with auxiliary openings (18, 19, 20)
in the projections (21f 22) of the intermediary member (15).
13. A fastening means as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 12, characterised
in that the securing pins (31, 32, 33) are free of grooves, and that the auxiliary
openings (18, 19, 20) of the intermediary member (15) comprise recesses (18a, 19a,
20a) all being located to the same side and therefore influencing the securing pins
(31, 32, 33) on various sides depending on the angular position of the cover (30).
14. A fastening means as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 13, characterised
in that the intermediary member (15) is secured to the bottom member (1) by means
of a central fixing means (47) such as a screw with associated wall plug extending
both through the intermediary member (15) and the bottom member (1) and into the wall
(40).
15. A fastening means as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 14, characterised
in that the bottom member (1) and the intermediary member (15) are made of a harder
material, preferably acetal, than the cover preferably made of polyamide or propene
(polypropylene).
16. A fastening means as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 15, characterised
in that the bottom member (1) is secured to the wall (40) by means of pin-like members
(9) extending through the channel (10) in the guide pins (8) of the bottom member
(1).