Device for fixing an object on a vertical rod

The article (37) is fastened to the rod (1), and the rod is fastened to a support such as a ceiling or a wall, by fastener means each comprising two parts (4, 19) that lock together around the rod.

The present patent application is a non-provisional application of International Application No. PCT/FR2003/001976, filed Jun. 26, 2003.

The invention relates to a device for fastening an article to a primary support such as a wall in premises, the device comprising a rod having a cylindrical body, and at least a first fastener arrangement for fastening the article to the body of the rod in releasable manner and in a position that is adjustable along the rod.

Such a device is known from FR 2 207 691 A, for example.

That known device comprises a multiplicity of metal parts for fastening a metal rod to a first primary support constituted by a ceiling, a multiplicity of metal parts for fastening the rod to a second primary support constituted by the floor, and still more parts for fastening the article to the rod, all of the parts being different from one another and the parts for fastening the article to the rod differing from one another depending on the nature of the article to be fastened. Putting the rod into place, and putting the article into place on the rod involves screw fastening operations.

The object of the invention is to make the manufacture and the use of the device simpler and less expensive.

The invention provides in particular a device of the kind defined in the introduction, and provides for the first fastener arrangement to comprise a first assembly part presenting two branches suitable for placing on either side of the body in such a manner as to hold the first assembly part in place on the body by friction, with it being possible for the part to be slid manually in a longitudinal direction to a selected position along the body, and a second assembly part suitable for being secured to the first assembly part with said branches being clamped against the body in such a manner as to lock the first assembly part in said selected position.

Optional characteristics of the invention that can be used in addition or in substitution are specified below:the device further comprises a second fastener arrangement for fastening the rod to the primary support in a vertical orientation, the second fastener arrangement comprising a first assembly part having two branches suitable for placing on either side of the body in such a manner as to hold the first assembly part in place on the body by friction, and a second assembly part suitable for being secured to the first assembly part with said branches being clamped onto the body in such a manner as lock the first assembly part in positionthe rod presents a head at its top end that is of section greater than that of the body and/or that is axially offset relative to the body, and that is suitable for pressing against the second fastener arrangement to enable the rod to be suspended freely therefrom;the head is integrally formed with the body;the first assembly part of the first fastener arrangement and the first assembly part of the second fastener arrangement are interchangeable;the second assembly part of the first fastener arrangement and the second assembly part of the second fastener arrangement are interchangeable;the device further comprises a secondary support for connecting the second fastener arrangement to a primary support in the form of a substantially horizontal top wall, said secondary support being fastened by screws to the top of the first assembly part and presenting at its own top means for fastening to the primary support;the device further comprises a secondary support for connecting the second fastener arrangement to a primary support in the form of a substantially vertical wall, said secondary support presenting means for fastening to the primary support, said secondary support and the first assembly part presenting co-operating shapes enabling the assembly part to be supported in stable manner by the support;the second assembly part presses the body against the end of a notch defined by the two branches;the first and second assembly parts present mutual guide elements for guiding movement of the second part relative to the first, downwards parallel to the longitudinal direction of the body, to a final abutment position in which the clamping of said branches against the body is obtained;the first and second assembly parts present respective ramps which transform said downward movement into movement in which said branches move towards each other;the first fastener arrangement presents at least one upwardly-open hole for receiving a downwardly-directed toe formed on an article for fastening;said hole passes downwards through the first arrangement;said hole is defined by a notch formed in the second assembly part and by a plane surface of the first assembly part;the first fastener arrangement presents two holes that are symmetrical to each other about a vertical plane in common with said branches so as to receive respective toes formed on two articles for fastening on either side of the arrangement;the second assembly part of the first fastener arrangement presents a hook opposite from its first face for the purpose of supporting an article for fastening;the second assembly part of the first fastener arrangement presents two through vertical holes opposite from the first part for the purpose of fastening a lighting appliance; andall or some of the components constituted by the rod, the assembly parts, and where appropriate the secondary support, are made of plastics material.

In the present description, the terms “top” and “bottom” refer to the orientation of the device when it is installed, the rod being suspended substantially vertically from the second fastener arrangement, and the terms “front” and “rear” as applied to a fastener arrangement make sense only after assembly, with the secondary assembly part of the arrangement being situated in front of the first assembly part.

The rod1shown inFIG. 1is made by extruding a transparent plastics material such as polycarbonate, or an opaque plastics material such as an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer. It possesses a cylindrical body2, e.g. having a diameter of 6 millimeters (mm) that is obtained directly by extrusion. At its top end, the body2is connected to a head3of greater diameter than the body, formed by hot flattening.

FIG. 1also shows a first assembly part4which, like the other assembly parts and the secondary support described below, is made by injection-molding a plastics material, for example polyoxymethylene. The part4presents a vertical plane surface5that, in the example shown, possesses an outline6that is substantially elliptical, having a major axis that is horizontal. The section of the part4on a plane parallel to the surface5presents an outline that is substantially elliptical with its major axis and minor axis decreasing progressively as the section plane is moved rearwards, becoming zero at the rear end7of the part so as to give it a substantially ovoid shape. A notch8is formed in the part4over its full height, from the surface5and symmetrically on either side of a vertical plane of symmetry of the above-mentioned elliptical profile, referenced P inFIG. 4. The notch8is cylindrical in shape with vertical generator lines. A first region9of the notch8, adjacent to the surface5, is of width that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the body2of the rod. The region9is connected to a region10that is further away from the surface5and of outline that is substantially circular in shape and of diameter substantially equal to that of the body2. Beyond the region9, the notch8is extended by a narrow slot11extending in the plane of symmetry P. Two vertically elongate tabs12are formed projecting from the surface5so as to define between them an extension of the region9of the notch8. Each tab12extends over a major fraction of the height of the part4and presents an L-shaped profile comprising a first limb13adjacent to the surface5and extending parallel to the plane P, and a second limb14following the limb13and extending at right angles away from the plane P. The faces15and16of the limbs13and14facing away from the plane P slope slightly so that they become slightly further away therefrom on going downwards.

FIG. 1also shows a second assembly part19that can also be seen inFIG. 4. The part19possesses a plane surface20having the same elliptical outline as the surface5of the part4, and its section on a plane parallel to the surface20presents an outline that is substantially elliptical with the major axis and the minor axis thereof decreasing progressively as the section plane is moved forwards. A middle housing21and two downwardly-extending grooves22are formed starting from the surface20, symmetrically on either side of the plane P. The housing21and the grooves22define an upside-down U-shaped connection structure23having a cross-piece24that extends horizontally along the top surface of the part19and two branches25that extend substantially vertically, each between the housing21and one of the grooves22. The branches25present an inside profile complementary to the outside profile of the tabs12of the part4, with sloping surfaces26and27suitable for co-operating with the sloping surfaces15and16of the tabs12. A through hole28is formed horizontally in the part19in the center of the elliptical profile thereof, and it becomes enlarged in an elliptical setback29in the vicinity of the rounded front face of the part. A pellet30having the same shape as the setback29can be inserted therein in order to mask the hole28when it is not being used for fastening an accessory.

When the rod2is fastened via its top end to a primary support such as a ceiling or a wall, and as described below, the fastener arrangement can be put into place as follows. The part4is initially moved horizontally relative to the rod along arrow F1inFIG. 1so that the body2engages between the tabs12, and then in the notch8, causing the two branches formed by the tabs12and by the portions of the part4that are situated on either side of the notch and the slot11to splay apart elastically. When the body2reaches the enlarged portion10, the two branches move towards each other so as to enclose the body2tightly and prevent it from moving relative to the part4, with movement in translation along the body then being possible only by exerting manual force on the part4.

To mount the part19on the part4, the part19is placed so that its plane surface20lies substantially in the same plane as the surface5of the part4and immediately above it, after which the part19is lowered so as to cause the surface20to slide on the surface4. The branches25of the structure23co-operate with the tabs12in order to hold the surfaces5and20pressed against each other, with the sloping surfaces26,27of the branches25moving along the sloping surfaces15,16of the tabs12. Because these surfaces are sloping, a clamping force is progressively exerted on the tabs12, and consequently on the sides of the notch8to which they are connected, with the body2of the rod being tightly clamped between the cylindrical surface portions10of the notch so as to hold the part4firmly stationary relative on the body2. Movement of the part19stops when the cross-piece24of the structure23comes to bear on the top ends of the tabs12. The elliptical outline of the surface20then coincides with the elliptical outline of the surface5, the outside surface of the part19running in continuity with the outside surface of the part4.

When the parts4and19are in the assembled state, the grooves22in the part19are closed beside the part4by the surface5, thus forming vertical through chimneys of rectangular cross-section. A toe35formed in the vertical edge36of a display panel37can be engaged downwards in each of the chimneys. The vertical edge of the panel37that is opposite from the edge36and not shown presents a toe similar to the toe35suitable for being engaged in the same manner in a chimney of a fastener arrangement similar to that formed by the parts4and19and fastened in the same manner on another vertical rod, for the purpose of fastening the panel.

In addition, the pellet30can be replaced by a hook38as shown inFIG. 3provided with a base39suitable for filling the setback29, a peg40projecting from the base39and snap-fastening in the hole28to secure the hook38, which can then be used to hang an article such as a picture.

Parts4and19identical to those described above and forming a first fastener arrangement for fastening an article on the body of the rod can be used to form a second fastener arrangement for fastening the rod to a primary support. Thus, inFIGS. 5 to 7, a second fastener arrangement4,19serves to fasten the rod1to a ceiling (not shown) via a secondary support5, itself fastened to the part4by screws51. The support50is a single part defining a top horizontal plate52and a half-skirt extending downwards from a portion of the periphery of the plate52to rest on the top of the part4. The screws51engage substantially vertically upwards in holes54in the part4and are screwed into threaded holes55in the half-skirt53, the screws being symmetrical to each other about the plane P. Advantageously, the holes54are prepared during molding of the part, but without opening out into the top thereof so as to remain invisible so long as they are not used, and the film of material closing off the end of each hole is broken under pressure from the screw51. A cavity56that is open towards the front and closed downwards by the part4, upwards by the plate52, and rearwards and sideways by the half-skirt53serves to hold the head3of the rod and enables a fastening screw57(FIG. 7) to be inserted for engaging in a hole58passing through the plate52in order to screw into the ceiling. In the variant ofFIG. 6, the fastening to the ceiling is provided by a suction cup59which is engaged in the hole58.

InFIGS. 10 and 11, the same parts4and19are associated with another part60show on its own inFIG. 8that serves a secondary support for fastening the device to a vertical wall (not shown). The support60comprises a base61for supporting the part4and a rim62extending upwards from about half of the rear portion of the periphery of the base in order to surround the part4in part. The top face of the base61presents projections.63which co-operate with recesses64(FIG. 9) formed in the underside of the part4to enable it to be positioned stably. The prepared holes54mentioned with reference toFIG. 5are advantageously formed starting from the recesses64. A notch65is formed in the base61to pass the rod1. The rim62is pierced by a hole66of horizontal axis lying in the plane of symmetry P, to pass a screw67for fastening the part60and via said part the fastener arrangement4-19to a vertical wall. In a variant, and as shown inFIG. 11, the hole66can receive a suction cup67similar to the suction cup59for fastening the device to a shop window.

FIGS. 12 and 13show a rod1, a secondary support60, and a suction cup67similar to the corresponding elements inFIG. 11, and parts104and119that are somewhat modified compared with the above-described parts4and19, the component elements of the parts104and119being given the same reference numerals as the corresponding elements of the parts4and19, plus100. The part104differs slightly from the part4in the shape of the limbs114of the tabs112, but without changing their function.

The cross-piece124of the connection structure of the part119carries a tenon70for engaging in the region109of the notch108in the part104, and for this purpose it presents plane and vertical side faces71suitable for pressing against the faces of the region109. The free end72of the tenon70presses the body2of the rod1against the end wall of the notch108and presents concave curvature so as to complete the region110of the notch so that it closely surrounds the body over the major fraction of its circumference when the parts104and119are assembled around it. The hole28and the setback29are omitted from the part119so it is not possible to fix the hook38ofFIG. 3thereto. Instead, a part80is provided that differs from the part119in that it has a hook-shaped projection81formed at its front end and which is therefore suitable for use in combination with the part104to replace the set of parts4,19, and38.

Similarly,FIG. 15shows a part85which differs from the part119by the presence of two through vertical holes86in the vicinity of its front end, suitable for fastening a lighting appliance.

As a replacement for the rod1ofFIG. 1, it is possible to use the rod that is shown in part inFIG. 2which comprises a body2similar to that of the rod1and a head formed by a vertical end segment3a-1and a sloping connection segment3a-2connecting the segment3a-1to the body2, with it being possible to obtain this head, like the head3, by hot-deformation of the extruded rod, with it being possible for this head likewise to press against the top of the part4. The rod1apresents the advantage of being usable not only with a second fastener arrangement as described above, but also with a horizontal rail to form a rail molding as described in FR 2 790 047 A.

The above description is not limiting in any way. In particular, the parts of the device can be modified without going beyond the ambit of the invention in order to adapt them to primary supports and/or articles for fastening that are different from those mentioned. The assembly parts can be connected together by profiles other than the L-shaped profile of the tabs12and the corresponding profile of the branches25, for example the profile could be dovetail-shaped. Snap-fastening means may be provided to make the assembled position of the parts more stable, e.g. in the form of pegs on one of the parts co-operating with cavities in the other part. A single secondary support can be provided with means enabling it to be fastened either to a horizontal primary support or to a vertical primary support. A first assembly part and a secondary support may be combined to form a single part.