Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a mobile for displaying an almost limitless variety items including artistic creations, memorabilia, ephemera, or even documents or renditions representing the prosaic and mundane. The mobile comprises essentially a box frame attachable to a planar surface and housing a plurality of reels with spring-loaded cables for suspending the displayed items vertically, in generally the same plane, against a typically nondescript backdrop, such as a wall. The displayed items can be suspended at various vertical distances from the box frame and arranged in an ordered or random fashion.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/997,070 filed May 22, 2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to a method and device for displaying items of décor or interest, typically against the backdrop of a relatively plain or visually harmonious wall. More specifically, this invention relates to a mobile comprising a box frame attachable to a flat surface such as a ceiling or a wall, said box frame housing a plurality of reels of spring-loaded cables, and said cables having attachment means at their distal ends for easy attachment and removal of any of a variety of items of art or interest for display against the backdrop of a wall. Even more specifically, the spring-loaded reels permit the displayed items to be suspended and presented in an almost limitless variety of two-dimensional arrays against the designated backdrop. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
       [0003]    The patent art is replete with mobiles displaying items of amusement and interest while enhancing or personalizing room décor. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,567,682; 4,729,182 and 5,606,816 describe displays of photographs that can be hung vertically from a support mechanism, allowed to rotate freely and be exchanged with other photos from time to time. U.S. Pat. No. 5,068,535 describes a mobile having a number of detachable mobile elements to enable the user to re-balance the mobile after removing one or more of the mobile elements. And, U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,197 describes a mobile having an improved mounting mechanism with which the mobile hangs vertically without requiring a mounting arm of the mounting mechanism to be positioned in a specific orientation. Additionally, the mounting mechanism has a spring connector allowing vertical movement of the mobile relative to the mounting mechanism and stop surfaces on the mobile to limit vertical movement to a finite distance. 
         [0004]    Notwithstanding the features and advantages of the mobiles described in the prior art, there remains a need for a mobile that will allow the user to create, alter and re-create a two-dimensional mobile while permitting an almost limitless variety of suspended and displayed items of art, interest and amusement. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Generally disclosed and described herein is a mobile which comprises essentially a box frame containing a plurality of reels having spring-loaded cables. The cables are releasable from the reels and descend vertically from the box frame so that items of interest can be attached to the extended ends of the cables. Specifically disclosed herein is a mobile comprising a box frame wherein the box frame has top, bottom, front and back sides. The top and bottom sides contain a plurality of slots for the attachment of the reels and extension of the cables, respectively. The front side of the box frame is a valance; typically decorated and pivotally attached to one of the other sides of the frame, generally the top side. End sides are contemplated but are not essential to the function of the mobile. 
         [0006]    Within the confines of the sides of the box frame are a plurality of reels having spring-loaded cables. As mentioned supra, the reels are attached to the slots in the top side of the frame, the slots providing some measure of lateral positioning. The spring loaded cables, when extended, are intended and designed to exit and extend from the frame via the slots in the bottom side of the frame. -The distal ends of the cables can be extended to a variety of lengths, limited only by the lengths of the cables, and are fitted with means for attaching items of interest, which become a part of and are the purpose of the mobile. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of the disclosed mobile sectioned to illustrate the indeterminate length of said mobile. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a sectioned disassembled front view of the mobile. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a sectioned rear view of the disassembled mobile. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the mobile illustrating the attachment of the reels; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1  depicting the location of all functional components of the assembled mobile. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0012]      FIG. 1  of the drawing is a sectioned depiction of the mobile  10  illustrating the indeterminate length of the mobile and displaying items of interest  25 . In its most basic embodiment, the disclosed mobile  10  is a four-sided box frame  12  housing a plurality of reels  20 ′ with spring-loaded cables  22  extending vertically from the box frame. The distal ends of the spring-loaded cables are fitted with means  30  for attaching items of interest  25  for décor or display. 
         [0013]    More specifically, the box frame  12  is an elongated rectangular housing having top  16 , bottom  24 , front  14  and back  18  sides. The top  16  and bottom  24  sides contain a plurality of slots. The top slots  15  are for the attachment of the reels  20 , and the bottom slots  26  permit the vertical extension and exit of the cables  22  from the reels to a predetermined or an arbitrary distance below the box frame  12 . 
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a disassembled view of the front side of the mobile  10 . The front side  14  of the box frame  12  is shown detached from the top  16 , bottom  24  and back  18  sides of the box frame  12 . The front side  14  is termed a valance and is preferably pivotally attached or hinged to the other sides of the box frame  12 . This permits easy access to the locking/release mechanisms  32  beneath the reels on the cables  22  enabling vertical extension and locking of the cables to the desired length. An opened front side  14  permits lateral positioning of the reels along slots  15  in the top side  16  of the box frame. Lateral adjustment of the reels  20  is easily effected by loosening and tightening the simple bolt, washer and nut fasteners  29  that attach the reels to the top side  16  of the box frame  12 .  FIG. 4 , an exploded view of all the “working” elements of the mobile  10  as presented and sold to the customer for installation in the home, office or dorm room, presents a clear depiction of the positioning and attachment of the reels within the confines of the box frame  12 . 
         [0015]    Initially, an open front side of the box frame  12  facilitates the release and extension of the spring-loaded cables  22  through the bottom slots  26  in the bottom side  24  of the box frame to the desired vertical extension to a predetermined length. At the desired extension below the box frame, the locking/release mechanism  32  is utilized to lock the vertical positioning of the cable and the item of interest  25  is affixed via the attachment means  30 . The attachment means  30  can be any of a variety of attachment mechanisms such as hooks, clips or the like. 
         [0016]    The front side  14 , or valance, is preferably attached pivotally to the top side  16  of the box frame by means of a valance bracket  21 , which is securely attached to the back side of the valance  14  and inserted into a bracket slot  19  in the top side  16  of the box frame  12 .  FIG. 3  illustrates the interaction between the valance  14  and the box frame  12 . It is apparent that bracket  21 , when inserted into bracket slot  19 , permits the valance  14  to hang or be suspended from the top side  16  of the box frame and pivot 90° and extend perpendicularly from the box frame when opened. The pivoting valance opens and closes to permit and discourage access to the confines of the box frame  12 . 
         [0017]    Also apparent in  FIG. 3  are attachment slots  27 , which are positioned in the back side  18 , and can be used to attach the box frame  12  of the mobile to a stable structure such as a wall. It should be noted that such attachment slots  27  could also be cut into the top side  16  of the box frame for handing the mobile  10  from a ceiling. 
         [0018]    The valance  14 , as shown, may also have end pieces or flanges  23  to completely enclose the box frame  12  and present a more elegant and “finished” appearance to the mobile  10 . 
         [0019]    The components of the mobile described herein can be fabricated from a variety of materials. Currently, the inventor is finding success and satisfaction by constructing the valance  14  from either wood or metal and with a simple mounting means for attachment to the frame box  12  as per the description, supra. The frame box  12  is ideally laser cut from  22  gauge steel then formed and painted. The cables  22  and reels  20  are preferably purchased as preassembled units from a vendor/manufacturer. The reel  20  is attached to the bracket  31  by wing nut  35  and the reel  20  and bracket  31  assembly, is attached to the frame box  12  with steel fastener  29 . Currently, the reel assembly incorporates a 0.027″ diameter stainless steel cable, clear nylon coated to 0.034″ diameter, affixed to a constant force spring that evenly exerts 0.5 lbs. of force throughout the 48″ cable travel. As the cable is unwound from the reel, the spring exerts an opposite force of 0.5 lbs., which allows for the retraction of the cable onto the reel. To permit the cable to remain in the desired extended position, a 0.5 lb. spring loaded cable lock  32  is positioned between the mounted reel  20  and the bottom side  24 . The cable lock  32  prevents the cable  22  from retracting when released after extension and will also provide an additional 0.5 lb. of frictional force that will then allow the user to display items ( 25 ) of interest weighing up to 1 lb. Items in excess of 1 lb. will overcome the spring force of 0.5 lbs. and the cable lock frictional force of 0.5 lbs. causing the cable to extend to its maximum 48″, which may not be desirable. To allow for items weighing more than 1 lb., the wing nut fasteners  35  can be easily hand-tightened to constrain the internal assembly of the reel, rendering it immovable, thus allowing objects of significant weight, e.g. 5 lbs., to be hung and held static as desired. 
         [0020]    The mobile  10  sans suspended decorative items can be sold to consumers and hung in a limitless variety of residential and business environments. The disclosed mobile  10  allows the purchaser/user to quickly and easily create a montage of any theme or display without putting any more than a minimum number of attachment holes in the wall or ceiling. Currently the reels  20  and cables  22  have been selected to provide an ample number of suspending means that can extend to a vertical depth of 48″. Currently, the top side  16  of the box frame  12  has a plurality of 4″ slots  15  to which the reels are loosely bolted by fastener  29  allowing the user to adjust the spacing between the reels. Currently, the reels can be positioned anywhere from 2″ to 8″ apart. Objects of interest are currently being attached to the distal ends of the extended cables with a variety of attachment means  30  including hooks, clips, and the like. 
         [0021]    While the foregoing is a complete and detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the disclosed mobile and its use for suspending items of interest vertically, but in the same plane, and in ordered or random fashion, it should be apparent that numerous variations and modifications of the disclosed mobile can be made and employed to implement the overall purpose of the disclosed mobile without deviating or departing from the spirit of the invention, which is fairly defined by the appended claims.