Abstract:
A template for assisting in the hanging of framed objects a predetermined distance from one another in which openings are spaced so that either the location for mounting hardware can either be marked or mounting hardware can be installed through the openings. The template may be used to position and visualize installation of subsequent framed objects.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 61/021,208, filed Jan. 15, 2008. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to the positioning and hanging of pictures, and more specifically to mounting uniformly-spaced picture frames on a wall using a template. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Many people choose to adorn the walls of their home with pictures, shadowboxes, signs or artwork. However, in order to maintain and contribute to the aesthetic qualities that these adornments provide, it is important that they are mounted straight and clean, with even spacing with respect to each other. To this end, devices and methods for leveling and spacing picture frames have been used. 
         [0004]    Historically, spirit levels have been used in many applications as a cheap and easy method of ensuring that objects are either horizontally or vertically level. These spirit levels, comprised of a vial incompletely filled with yellow-colored ethanol, indicate a level surface when a bubble is located between two indicator lines. More recently, laser line levels, which mount to the wall and use an internal spirit level or pendulum to self-level, have been used to project a level line that can be used as an edge guide for mounting frames. And, of course, many different types of measuring devices have been used to measure the distance between objects and to provide guides for spacing. Tape measures, rulers, string, grids and lasers are among the many tools that have been used to measure distance and provide for desired spacing. 
         [0005]    However, while levels and measuring tools may work in combination to mount one or two simple square or rectangular frames in a room, when mounting a plurality of frames with respect to each other, the use of the aforementioned tools and methodology quickly becomes complicated and often leads to mistakes. Not only are measurements and levels required for mounting frames with offsets, but multiple measuring and leveling steps are required to mark the wall for the locations to attach the frame mounting hardware (i.e., a nail or hook), resulting in a marred wall. Furthermore, as the number of frames to be mounted increases and the frame geometry becomes more complex, proper mounting requires an escalating number of different measuring and leveling steps in succession, making the process quite arduous and increasing the likelihood that mistakes will be made. This is especially troublesome when mounting frames in close proximity to each other as any discrepancies in spacing or leveling are more noticeable. 
         [0006]    Therefore, what is needed is an inexpensive and simple way to hang picture frames that does not require multiple tools and numerous successive required steps, but yet ensures that the frames will be level and evenly spaced. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The foregoing and other features of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description and drawings of illustrative embodiments of the invention in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a template in accordance with the present invention and a picture frame corresponding thereto; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a front view of a template in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0010]      FIGS. 3A-3C  show the progression of using the template to mount additional frames with respect to one, two and three frames, respectively, that have been mounted in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0011]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a template  10  for hanging a plurality of frames on a wall in a pattern with uniform spacing between the frames is disclosed. The template can be provided as part of kit that includes a plurality of frames and a corresponding template  10 . The template  10  can be used by a user to hang the plurality of frames in a nearly limitless number of patterns and orientations on a wall while maintaining a uniform spacing between the frames. For example, one possible hanging pattern of frames is shown in  FIGS. 3A-3C  as an illustrative embodiment, which is discussed in further detail below. 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  shows the template  10  and a frame  40  that is to be hung. The template  10 , which corresponds to frame  40 , is geometrically similar to the frame  40 , but is scaled-up by a distance indicated by dimension A. Dimension A is a predetermined distance representing a predetermined desired spacing between frames, for example one inch; however other spacing distances may be used and the invention is not so limited. In the embodiment shown, the template  10  is an L-shaped figure with two equal legs having first and second long edges  12  and  14 , first and second short edges  16  and  18 , and first and second inner edges  20  and  22 . 
         [0013]    The template  10  may be composed of any number of different materials, such as plastic, aluminum or wood, and it may be a paper-based material such as cardboard since it is an inexpensive material that is easy to manufacture, cut and use. The frame  40  can be a picture frame, a shadow box, a sign, an artwork or any other piece of wall décor or item to be hung. 
         [0014]    The template  10 , which is larger in size than the frame  40  because of the spacing distance A, may be provided with indicia  24  to indicate what the bounds of the frame  40  will be once it is mounted on a wall and to show the size of a spacing border  26  located between the peripheries of the frame  40  and the template  10 . The indicia  24 , which is shown as a dashed line, but can be any other marking, allows the user to visualize where the outline of the frame will be when mounted on the wall. The template  10  may also be provided with first and second spirit levels  28  and  30 , each comprising a vial  32  with indicator lines  36  and a bubble  34  contained therein ( FIG. 2 ). While the first and second spirit levels  28  and  30  are shown just inside the indicia  24  near the center of the first and second long edges  12  and  14 , they may be located anywhere on the template  10  so long as the vials  32  of the first and second spirit levels  28  and  30  are substantially parallel with the first and second long edges  12  and  14 , respectively. Other leveling indicators may also be provided. 
         [0015]    The template  10  may be further provided with openings  32  so that either the wall can be marked to indicate the location to attach frame mounting hardware or so that the hardware can be attached while the template  10  is against the wall. The openings  32 , which may be any size and shape, but are preferably similar in size and shape to the frame mounting hardware, are cut-outs from the template  10  inside of the frame outline indicia  24  corresponding to mounting locations on the back of the frame  40 . For example, the openings  32  may be small circles to mark a point to attach a nail, screw or hook and would correspond to a hook located on the back of the frame  40 , or alternatively, could be representative of the size of the periphery of a hook, multiple screw or nail attachment locales or the size of a different type of attachment device, such as magnets or a slide and slot. Thus, while the template is against the wall, the location for attaching the hardware to the wall is marked so that once the template is removed, the mounting hardware can be attached to the wall and the frame can then be mounted on the wall. Alternatively, the opening  32  can be sized such that the mounting hardware can fit through the opening  32 . Thus, while the template is still against the wall, the mounting hardware can be placed through the opening and then attached to the wall. After the mounting hardware is attached to the wall, the template can be removed, leaving the mounting hardware behind, and the frame can then be mounted with the attached mounting hardware. 
         [0016]    The template  10  can be provided as part of a kit that includes a plurality of frames and a corresponding template  10 . The plurality of frames all have substantially the same size and shape and the template provided in the kit has a corresponding size and shape to the frames. As discussed above the template has the same general shape as the frames except that is slightly larger so that a spacing border is provided. The kit can include three frames (e.g. frames  40 ,  42 , and  44 ) and a corresponding template  10 . The kit can have any number of frames. In addition to the frames and the template, the kit can also include the hardware necessary to mount the frames on the wall, as well as other various items. Alternatively, the frames and the corresponding template can be provided separately, so that for example, a user can purchase several packages of frames and a corresponding template which the user can use to assist in the mounting of the frames with uniform spacing between the frames. 
         [0017]    In use the template  10  is placed on the wall at the desired location to hang a frame  40  and is adjusted clockwise or counter-clockwise so that either the first or second spirit levels  28  or  30  (whichever one has a horizontally oriented vial  32 ) shows that the template  10  is level, which is indicated by the bubble  34  being located midway between the indicator lines  36 . Once the template  10  is located and leveled, the wall is marked at one or more of the openings  32 , the template  10  is removed and the frame mounting hardware is attached at the locations where the wall was marked. Alternatively, as previously mentioned, the frame mounting hardware may be attached through one or more of the openings  32  while the template is still against the wall. Either way, once the template has been used to locate the frame mounting hardware and the frame mounting hardware has been attached to the wall, the frame  40  may then be hung. 
         [0018]      FIGS. 3A-3C  show the progression of successive hanging of additional frames in relation to the established position of the already-hung frame  40  of the plurality of frames to be hung. Each frame of the plurality of frames has substantially the same size and shape. To hang a second frame  42 , the template  10  is placed back on the wall so that it abuts the frame  40 . Again, the wall is marked at one or more of the openings  32 , the frame mounting hardware is attached at the markings and the second frame  42  is hung. Because of the spacing border  26 , there is a defined uniform spacing equal to distance A between frame  40  and  42  when they are hung on the wall. The template can be abutted against a hung frame so that the template can be quickly positioned and the location of the next frame can be easily marked and the spacing border  26  ensures that when the frames are hung there is a uniform spacing distance between them. 
         [0019]    As shown in  FIG. 3B , the third frame  44  is hung by placing the template  10  back on the wall so that it abuts mounted frame  42 , the wall is marked at one or more of the openings  32 , the frame hardware is mounted at the markings and the third frame  44  is hung. In this way, any number of successive frames may be mounted in accordance with the present method by placing the template  10  on the wall so that it abuts any frame that has already been hung, marking the wall at one or more of the openings  32 , removing the template  10 , attaching wall mounting hardware at the markings (or, alternatively, attaching the hardware through the openings while the template is still on the wall) and hanging the frame. The number of locations at which the template  10  may abut any previously-hung frame results in an endless number of possible mounting patterns and the spacing border  26  ensures that there will be uniform spacing between successively hung frames. 
         [0020]    In other embodiments, the template and the plurality of frames may be provided with different shapes, such as a cross, t-shaped or polygonal. If alternative shaped frames are used a corresponding template can be provided having the same shape as the frame to be hung, but scaled-up in size to provide a desired spacing, similar to spacing A shown on template  10 . For example, if a user wants to mount a plurality of T-shaped frames, having three equal legs, in different orientations with a spacing between frames of two inches, a template, similar to template  10  except having a T-shape corresponding to the frames, would be provided having a spacing border  26 . One or more spirit levels could then be added to the template and openings  32  could be provided in the template corresponding to points on the rear of the T-shaped frame where it will be held on the wall. 
         [0021]    In most cases, two spirit levels are provided, one being vertically oriented and the other horizontally oriented with respect to the edges of the template, so that one spirit level is usable (i.e., horizontally oriented) regardless of how a successive frame is to be mounted. For example, in the mounting of a frame as in  FIG. 1 , the first spirit level  28  is used to level the template  10  prior to marking the wall. However, if the next successive frame to be mounted has an orientation that is 90 degrees clockwise from the orientation of frame  40 , the second spirit level  30  would be the one having a horizontal orientation when the template  10  is placed against the wall and would thus be used to level the template  10  prior to marking. 
         [0022]    While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.