Abstract:
A hook comprises an adhesive body and a hook body attached to the adhesive body, where the adhesive body comprises a base layer and an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer is a thermoplastic elastomer with an intrinsic adhesion. The hook body and the adhesive layer are respectively attached to two opposite surfaces of the base layer. The hook includes a base layer interposed between the hook body and the adhesive layer, so that the hook body is not directly attached to the adhesive layer. While in use, the adhesive layer isn&#39;t directly pulled by the object, thus the adhesive layer has prolonged service life and enhanced adhesive intensity. Besides, through setting the base layer, the hook has better tenacity, and various needed patterns, colors or textures are easily printed on the base layer.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a device for fixing articles, and more especially to a hook for fixing object by an adhesion means. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Some devices for fixing articles are seen around daily works and family lives, wherein hooks are most widely used. The hooks mainly include two different types. 
         [0003]    One is an adhesive type, which uses a glue or plastic to fix on a wall and the likes by adhesiveness. Taking a sticker hook as a typical example, it includes a sticker and a hook body attached to the sticker. The sticker has a relatively large surface area. The sticker with large surface area is attached to the wall and forms an airtight effect. The sticker is forced to be pulled away from the wall, and then a certain vacuum is formed therebetween, when the hook body hangs an object. Thus, the hook body can support an object with a certain weight due to an atmosphere pressure action. This sticker hook is a one-off product and adhesiveness of the sticker becomes weakened while being moved, thereby requiring no removal. Besides, a certain adhesive remains stays on the wall after the hook is out of work. 
         [0004]    The other is a vacuum suction type hook, which generally uses a sucker attached to the wall to achieve a desired fixation and support for an object. However, the sucker has a relatively small weight load and is usually adapted for only even wall surfaces rather than for ordinary walls or wood walls with rough surfaces. Further, material of the sucker is easy to become weary and aging after a long work, accordingly decreasing working life. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    Therefore, an adhesive type of hook is provided, which has a firm fixation and a variety of applications. 
         [0006]    A hook comprises an adhesive body and a hook body attached to the adhesive body. The adhesive body comprises a base layer and an adhesive layer. The hook body and the adhesive layer are attached to two opposite surfaces of the base layer respectively. 
         [0007]    The above-described hook has a base layer between the hook body and the adhesive layer to avoid that the hook body is directly attached to the adhesive layer. As such, object does not generate a direct pulling force to the adhesive layer in practical application to increase working life of the adhesive layer and enhance adherent intensity. As a result, the hook can firmly support the object. Besides, by means of using the base layer, flexibility of the hook can be enhanced. The hook is not easy to be transformed and has a good tensile and a good aging resistance. Further, a variety of desired patterns, colors, or textures can be readily printed on the base layer, thereby bringing out various wide applications and good practicability. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The embodiments of the present invention is described in detail with reference to the drawings, wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is an isometric, schematic view of a hook in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a side, schematic view of the hook in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an isometric, schematic view of a hook in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a disassembled, schematic view of a hooking portion of the hook in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is an isometric, schematic view of a hook in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a disassembled, schematic view of a hooking portion of the hook in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    In order to make clearer the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the invention, the present invention will be explained below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It is to be understood that the following description of the embodiments is merely to explain the present invention and is no way intended to limit the invention. 
         [0016]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show a hook  10  according to a first embodiment of the present invention, which includes an adhesive body  12  and a hook body  16  attached to the adhesive body  12 . The adhesive body  12  comprises a base layer  13  and an adhesive layer  14 . The hook body  16  and the adhesive layer  14  are attached to two opposite surfaces of the base layer  13  respectively. The adhesive body  12  has a surface area larger than an area where it is in contact with the hook body  16 . 
         [0017]    Wherein, the base layer  13  may include a polypropylene film, a polycarbonate film, a polyethylene film, a polyethylene terephthalate film, a cloth, a leather and a synthetic paper. The adhesive layer  14  inherently has a flexible property such that the hook  10  can be suspended on a curved, rough or rugged surface, even very rough or seriously rugged surface. It is to be understood that the base layer  14  could be a film or sheet with a certain pliable and tough, for example, a metal sheet. In practical application, the base layer  14  could include at least one of a polypropylene film, a polycarbonate film, a polyethylene film, a polyethylene terephthalate film, a cloth, a leather and a synthetic paper. 
         [0018]    The adhesive layer  14  may be thermoplastic elastomer, preferably styrene thermoplastic elastomer, for example, TPE (Thermo plastic elastomer), TPR (Thermo plastic rubber), or styrene-butadiene styrene block copolymer (SBS) and so on. The adhesive layer preferably includes the following compositions by weight: 100 parts styrene-ethylene-butadiene styrene (SEBS) block copolymer, 100-300 parts hydrogenated naphthenic oil, 100-300 parts white oil, 0-10 parts petroleum adhesion promoter resin, 1-5 parts polypropylene resin, 2-10 parts assistant agent. Wherein, SEBS may be a G or D series product from Kraton Company in American, or an YH series product from Balin Huaxing Petrochemical Ltd. in Yueyang, China. The hydrogenated naphthenic oil preferably occupies 150-300 parts, more preferably 200-280 parts. The hydrogenated naphthenic oil acts as filling oil, may be KNH or NK series naphthenic oil from Petrochina Karamay Petrochemical Company. For example, the hydrogenated naphthenic oil may be made by hydrogenising and furfural caly refining an atmospheric distillate of a naphthenic crude oil, then blending with an antioxidant. The white oil cooperates with the naphthenic oil. The white oil preferably occupies 150-300 parts, more preferably 200-280 parts. The petroleum adhesion promoter resin could be, e.g., four series products of C 9  petroleum resin, C 5  petroleum resin, C 5 /C 9  copolymer petroleum resin, dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) petroleum resin, and is made of raw material mainly including C 5 , C 9  fractions. The petroleum adhesion promoter resin preferably occupies 1-10 parts, more preferably 3-8 parts. The added polypropylene resin can improve modulus and hardness of product. The assistant agent includes but not limited to plasticizer (e.g., paraffin or polyethylene oligomer), antioxidant (e.g., calcium carbonate or silica micro powder), photostabilizer and ultraviolet stabilizer (e.g., UV-P and UV-320) and so on. The assistant agent preferably occupies 4-8 parts, for plasticizing, anti-oxidation, anti-aging, improving light stability and ultraviolet stability. Wherein hardness and surface viscidity depend on content of the filling oil, accordingly, content of adhesion promoter resin can be decreased. Thus, it is much convenient to clean up dirt adherent to the surface of the adhesive layer and accordingly maintain the properties of the product during working period of the hook. 
         [0019]    As required by the properties of the hook, the adhesive layer  14  with the formulas mentioned above can possess an excellent adhesion intensity and hardness. For example, the hook can firmly adhered to the wall and the likes and it is adapted to be reused, has a relatively longer working life, and is substantially able to use again after being torn off without loss of viscidity. 
         [0020]    Advantageously, the adhesive layer has a surface adhesion intensity in a range of 0.1-0.6 N/cm, a thickness in a range of 0.1-2.0 mm, a shore A hardness in a range of 0-20. The adhesive layer  14  is bonded to the base layer  13  by a hot-melt injection or coating. The base layer  13  may be pretreated prior to bonding with the adhesive layer  14 , and further may be formed with a variety of patterns, colors or textures. This thermoplastic elastomer adhesive layer  14  can be reused many times without loss of its viscidity, since it is adhered to the wall and the likes with itself inherent adhesion of the thermoplastic elastomer material instead of binder. Further, the adhesive layer  14  can maintain its adhesion intensity after being removed and its adhesion intensity is substantially not decreased after a long working period and being frequently removed and reused, thereby prolonging working life of the hook. No adhesive material remains stays on the region where the adhesive layer is bonded, accordingly providing a lot of convenience for user. Besides, such a thermoplastic elastomer facilitates washing of dirt or impurity on the surface of the thermoplastic elastomer. It is easy to clean up or remove off the dirt or impurity, after all, the dirt or impurity is just adsorbed on the surface of the thermoplastic elastomer rather than being stuck thereon as happened in the art. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a protective film  18  covers on an outer surface of the adhesive layer  14 . The protective film  18  includes a plastic film or paper layer and a releasing layer. The releasing layer is attached to a surface of the plastic film or paper layer which the adhesive layer  14  comes into contact with to facilitate removal of the protective layer  18  from the adhesive layer  14 . The protective layer  18  may use polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), all kinds of papers and so on. The protective layer  18  is used to decrease contamination to product resulting from manual manipulation and to ensure a good quality of the product. For example, the protective layer  18  can protect the adhesive layer  14  during packaging, transporting, or in idle period, and then is removed off in use to support object with adhesion of adhesive layer  14 . 
         [0022]    The hook body  16  includes a fixing portion  17  and a hooking portion  19 . The fixing portion  17  is attached to the base layer  13 , for example, with an adhesive. The hook body  16  could be made of a material selected from a group consisting of plastic, synthetic plastic, hardware, wood, ceramic, rubber and any combinations thereof. Generally, different materials of the hook body  16  are adapted to be bonded to various base layers  13  by using various adhesive materials. The fixing portion  17  has an even surface which is attached to the base layer  13  to enhance adhesion intensity therebetween. The fixing portion  17  and the hooking portion  19  could be configured as a whole as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , or in a detachable form. If in an integral form, the fixing portion  17  and the hooking portion  19  are formed as a monolithic structure by an integrated molding. If in a detachable form, the fixing portion  17  and the hooking portion  19  are bonded together with various detachable means. Such a detachable means has some advantages in that, on one hand, the hooking portion  19  is readily replaced when it get worn or breakage, on the other hand, the hooking portion  19  is removable for washing. Furthermore, the hooking portion  19  is able to be taken off to hook an object, and then the hooking portion  19  with the object hooked is installed back to the fixing portion  17 . As such, it is benefit for suspending some object which is not readily and directly hung up to the hook  10  on the wall. 
         [0023]      FIGS. 3 and 4  show a hook  20  according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The hook  20  is essentially similar to the hook  10  according to the first embodiment expect of an engagement means between the fixing portion  17  and the hooking portion  19 . Wherein, the same components in the  FIGS. 3 and 4  to those in  FIGS. 1 and 2  are designated as identical reference numbers, without repeating what has been so lately described. 
         [0024]    For the hook  20  according to the second embodiment, the fixing portion  17  and the hooking portion  19  are connected with a snap mechanism, as shown, the snap mechanism includes grooves  21  defined in the fixing portion  17  and projections  22  disposed at the hooking portion  19 . Two grooves  21  are illustrated in the drawings, which are defined in both ends of a column lying on the fixing portion  17 . The hooking portion  19  is a resilient clip and has two opposite clip ends which act as the projections  22 . In use, the projections  22  are inserted into the grooves  21  and snap into the grooves  21  due to a resilient force. When disassembling, the projections  22  are directly drawn out of the grooves  21 . 
         [0025]      FIGS. 5 and 6  show a hook  30  according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The hook  30  is essentially similar to the hook  20  according to the second embodiment expect of an engagement means between the fixing portion  17  and the hooking portion  19 . Wherein, the same components in the  FIGS. 5 and 6  to those in  FIGS. 1 and 2  are designated as identical reference numbers, without repeating what has been so lately described. 
         [0026]    According to the third embodiment, the fixing portion  17  and the hooking portion  19  are connected with an pluggable connection means, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the hooking portion  19  includes an insertion plate  33  and a hanger  34  disposed on the insertion plate  33 . The pluggable connection means includes sliding grooves  31  defined in the fixing portion  17  and slides  32  disposed on the insertion plate  33 . It is apparently understood that the sliding grooves  31  and the slides  32  can transpose, namely are correspondingly disposed on the insertion plate  33  and the fixing portion  17 . The sliding grooves  31  are open at both upper ends and are close at both lower ends which form stop portions for facilitating fixation of the slides  32  into the sliding grooves  31 . The slides  32  could be a flange extending from edges of the insertion plate  33  and are thinner than the insertion plate  33 , or alternatively are just the edges of the insertion plate  33 . Besides, the slides  32  are not limited to those structure described above. When using, object is firstly hung onto the hanger  34  and then the slides  32  slide into the sliding grooves  31 , accordingly achieving suspension of object. Alternatively, to achieve suspension of object, it is possible that the hanger  34  is firstly fixed onto the fixing portion  17  through the slides  32 , and then object is hung onto the hanger  34 . When detaching, the fixing portion  17  and the hooking portion  19  are freely departed from each other by directly sliding away the insertion plate  33 . 
         [0027]    Additionally, it is understood that detachable connection of the fixing portion  17  and the hooking portion  19  is not limited to embodiments mentioned above which are illustrated as examples but are not limitative. 
         [0028]    For the hook according to these embodiments described above, a base layer  13  is interposed between the hook body  16  and the adhesive layer  14 , and so it is not necessary that the hook body  16  is directly bonded to the adhesive layer  14 . As such, the adhesive layer  14  is not subjected to a direct draw from the object, thereby enhancing working life of the adhesive layer  14  and increasing adhesion intensity thereof. Accordingly, the hook can firmly support the object. Besides, with the base layer  14  interposed between the adhesive layer  14  and the hook body  16 , the hook has an enhanced flexibility, is not easy to transformed and has a good anti-aging and tensile properties. A variety of desired patterns, colors, or textures are readily printed on the base layer  14 , thereby bringing out merits like various wide applications and good practicability. 
         [0029]    Furthermore, according to above embodiments, these detachable connections facilitate use, clean, placing and picking of the hooking portion. Further, the hooking portion  19  is able to be departed, and the fixing portion  17  and the adhesive body  12  are kept to be fixed on the wall, thereby improving application convenience. 
         [0030]    The above-mentioned is only the preferred embodiments of the present invention, but places no limit to the present invention. Therefore, any modification, equivalent replacement and improvement etc on the basis of the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be within the protective scope of the present invention.