Abstract:
The present disclosure describes a device and method for the creation of a anchor points at any location in a wall through the injection of a curable anchor material into the cavity behind the wall. Once cured, the newly created anchor point will allow the wall to support heavy loads and undergo repeated stress over long periods of time without being damaged. The device of the present disclosure produces an anchor point that is at least as strong as the best methods currently available, yet is simpler and more economical to use than the methods currently available.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This disclosure relates generally to methods and devices for adding structural support to walls lacking sufficient structural support. Specifically, this disclosure relates to a device and method for inserting a curable material behind the surface of a wall to create an anchor point to a wall for providing additional structural support to the wall. 
     BACKGROUND 
     When attaching an article to a wall, either the wall itself must be capable of supporting the article, or the article must be attached so that it engages a supporting element behind the wall. This is especially true when the article is heavy, or the article is subject to repeated stresses. It is well know to most homeowners that in order to secure articles of significant weight, such as mirrors, pictures, shelves, light fixtures and the like, to a finished wall, the article must be secured to a frame stud behind the finished wall. In addition, articles that will undergo repeated stresses, such, as towel bars, cabinets, hooks and the like, must also be secured to a frame stud. If these articles are not secured to a frame stud, the articles may not remain secured to the wall, causing damage to the finished wall and possible injury to those nearby. In the case of most residential dwellings the frame studs are composed of wood. In other instances, the frame stud may be composed of aluminum or other metal. In either case, the frame studs are generally placed about 14 ½ inches apart in standard construction methods. As a result, in many cases there is not a frame stud available to secure an article in the selected location. 
     When this problem occurs, the options are to: 1) find an alternate location for the article where there is access to a frame stud; 2) insert a spring-loaded wingnut or similar device into the wall to secure the article to the wall; or 3) insert a blocking element, such as a section of wood, behind the wall to secure the article to the wall. Each of these options has advantages and disadvantages. Option number one, while being the simplest option, is not feasible in some instances as the article would not be functional in the alternate location, or would not have the desired aesthetic qualities in the alternate location. Options two and three allow the article to be placed in the desired location, but each suffers from its own drawbacks. The use of spring-loaded wingnuts or similar devices have the advantage that they are relatively simple to install, requiring only that a hole be drilled into the finished wall to receive the wingnut or other device. However, these devices do not provide a point of attachment of sufficient strength to secure heavy articles to the finished wall. In addition, over time, especially if the article is subject to repeated stress, the wingnut or other device will eventually cause damage to the sheet rock, or fail altogether. In such an instance, the finished wall may require extensive repairs to return it to its original condition. Option number three requires that the area behind the finished wall be “blocked,” typically with a section of wood or other material secured between two existing frame studs on either side of the point of installation. In this case, the blocked section receives the article and secures the article to the wall. The blocking method has the advantage that it is capable of securely fastening heavy articles to the wall so that they can withstand repeated stresses over time, but suffers from the drawback that installation of the blocking element is very labor intensive, time consuming and expensive. For example, installation of a wood block behind a finished wall made of sheet rock requires making a hole in the sheet rock wall large enough to expose the two frame studs on either side of the installation point, nailing the wood block to each frame stud, applying new sheet-rock to the hole created, applying mud to the new section of sheet rock, sanding the newly applied mud, applying a second coat of mud, re-sanding, priming the new sheet rock section and applying new paint or wall paper to the new finished wall section. If the finished wall is made of plaster or other material, the process may even be more involved. 
     As can be seen from the above discussion, a device and method are needed for adding structural support to a wall, such that the reinforced wall is able to securely receive heavy loads and stresses without failing or becoming damaged over time. The device and method should be simple to use and install, economical and provide at least as much strength as current alternatives, such as blocking with wood. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure describes a device and method for the creation of anchor points at any point in a wall through the application of a curable anchor material. The anchor material is injected behind the wall and allowed to cure. Once cured, the newly created anchor point will allow the wall to support heavy loads and undergo repeated stress without being damaged. 
     The device of the present disclosure is in its most general form a bladder, with openings, or adhesion points, therein which is packaged in a deflated state in a protective housing. The bladder is fluidly connected to a source of anchor material by a connecting means. Once the device is inserted behind the wall, the device is ready for use. On activation of the device, anchor material is dispensed from the source into the bladder through the connecting means. The anchor material is metered to expand the bladder beyond its capacity, causing the anchor material to be extruded through the adhesion points on the bladder into the space behind the wall. The anchor material adheres to everything it contacts, and creates a structural anchor point capable of securing heavy articles such that they can withstand repeated stress over time. After the anchor material has set (usually 10-30 minutes), the protruding portion of the device is snapped off at a pre-engineered breakpoint so that the portion of the device remaining is flush with the outer wall. 
     The anchor material may be any single or multi-component system, such as polyesters, or other high density structural foams with the necessary cured physical properties to handle heavy loads and repeated stress over a long period of time, while meeting all building codes. The area of the anchor point will depend on the size of the bladder used, the amount of anchor material used and the wall space available. For typical household uses, the device will be engineered to create an anchor point from 4 to 16 inches in diameter. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1A is a side elevation view illustrating one embodiment of the device, with the device shown in its pre-activation state; 
     FIG. 1B is a side elevation view of the device shown in FIG. 1A further illustrating the housing and one embodiment of the breaking means; 
     FIG. 2A is a side elevation view illustrating an alternate embodiment of the device, with the device shown in its pre-activation state; 
     FIG. 2B is a side elevation view of the frangible inner ring illustrating one embodiment of the notched sections; and 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevation view illustrating the embodiment of the device shown in FIG. 1A, with the device shown in its post-activation state. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Definitions 
     The following terms should be given the following meanings in this specification, the drawings and the claims that follow: 
     anchor point shall mean the area of structural support created by the anchor material; 
     article(s) shall mean any fixture, accessory, device, or other object that is capable of being secured to a wall; 
     blocking shall refer to the process of adding additional support to the backside of a sheet rock panel or other surface which requires reinforcement; 
     frame stud shall mean any structure, usually vertically oriented, regardless of composition that supports a wall; 
     wall shall mean any surface, including, but not limited to, walls, ceilings, floors, decks and roofs, but shall not be restricted to flat planar surfaces; 
     The present disclosure is designed to overcome the deficiencies in the devices and methods currently available for blocking walls. The devices and methods currently available are either incapable of securing heavy articles to a wall for extended periods of time, or are too time consuming and expensive to be a viable option for the majority of users. The present disclosure describes a simple device for creating an anchor point behind any wall, so that the wall is able to support articles of significant weight and articles that are subject to repeated stresses. The device and method are simpler to use than current blocking methods, produce a reinforced area that is at least as strong as that produced by currently blocking methods and requires only about 10-30 minutes for installation. 
     Referring now to the drawings where like reference numerals have been used throughout the various figures to designate like items, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate two embodiment of the device of the present disclosure. Generally, the device comprises a source of anchor material fluidly connected to an inflatable bladder by a connecting means. The function of the source of anchor material is to maintain the anchor material and/or its components in a state so that upon activation of the source, the same can be delivered in a functional state to the bladder. The function of the connecting means is to provide a fluid connection between the source of anchor material and the bladder. The exact configuration of the source of the anchor material and the connecting means can be varied, with two embodiments shown below being for illustration of the overall concept of the present disclosure. FIGS. 1 and 2 show the device before activation. 
     FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate one embodiment of the device. In this embodiment, the device  10  comprises a source of anchor material  20  and an inflatable bladder  16  and a connecting means comprising an insertion tube  12  fluidly connected to a discharge tube  44 . The insertion tube  12  has a first end  14  and a second end  18 , with the first end  14  secured to the bladder  16 . The bladder  16  is attached to the first end  14  by any convenient means, such as a heat seal, a glue seal or a crimping seal. The insertion tube  12  is fluidly connected on its second end  18  to the discharge tube  44 . The connection may be by any convenient means, such as a standard male/female threaded connection, a pressure connection, luer coupling, snap-fit coupling or bayonet coupling. FIG. 1A shows the connection made by virtue of a standard male/female threaded connection  40 . The insertion tube  12  and discharge tube  44  may also contain static mixing elements  45  to ensure the anchor material remains mixed during transit from source  20  to bladder  16 . In addition, the insertion tube  12  may have a stop  54  extending at along at least a portion of the circumference of the insertion tube  12 . As shown in FIGS. 3 and 3B, the insertion tube  12  is inserted into the cavity  30  and pushes the bladder  16  out the first end  24  of the housing  22  and into the interior  64  of the wall  60 . The stop  54  on the second end  18  of the insertion tube stops the inward motion of the insertion tube  12 , and prevents damage to bladder  16 . 
     The bladder  16  and the first end  14  are preferably contained, at least partially, within a protective housing  22 . The exact configuration of the housing is not critical, but the overall area of the housing should be as compact as possible. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the  40  housing is illustrated as being generally circular in shape. In FIGS. 1A and 1B, the housing  22  comprises a sealed, frangible first end  24  and an open second end  26 , the ends connected by a circular outer wall  28 . The first end  24 , the second end  26  and the outer wall  28  defined a cavity  30  to receive at least part of the bladder  16 . The open second end  26  functions to receive the first end  14  of the insertion tube  12 , and may be tapered to snugly receive the first end  14 . In addition, the outer wall  28  further comprises a stop  32  extending around at least a portion of the periphery of the outer wall  28 . The stop  32  can be located at various positions along the outer wall  28 , but it is preferred that the stop  32  be placed so that the first end  24  extends at least partially into cavity  64  (shown in FIG.  3 ). The location of the stop  32  can be varied as required. The stop  32  may be engineered to include notched wall sections  34  to allow the outer wall  28  to be separated into 2 pieces at the location of the notched wall sections  34 . The notched wall sections  34  are preferably located immediately next to the stop  32  and on the side of the stop proximal to the first end  24 . In addition, snap anchors  70  may be placed on the outer wall  28  on or near the first end  24 . The snap anchors  70  are angled to allow the first end  24  of the device  10  to be inserted through the wall  60 , but to engage wall  60  to prevent unintentional removal of the device  10  (shown in FIG.  3 ). 
     In FIG. 2A, an alternate embodiment of the device is shown. While the device  100  comprises the basic elements of a source of anchor material  20 , inflatable bladder  16  and a connecting means, the embodiments of these elements are different than that shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. The device  100  comprises a protective housing  122 . The housing  122  comprises a sealed, frangible first end  124  and a second end  146 . The first end  124  and second end  146  are connected by a circular outer wall  128 . The first end  124 , the second end  146  and the outer wall  128  defined a cavity  130  to receive at least part of the bladder  16 . The second end  146  has a connecting means adapted to receive a complementary connecting means on discharge tube  144 . The connection may be by any convenient means, such as a standard male/female threaded connection, a pressure connection, luer coupling, snap-fit coupling or bayonet coupling. FIG. 2A shows the connection made by virtue of a standard male/female threaded connection  140 . In addition, the outer wall  128  further comprises a stop  132  extending around at least a portion of the periphery of the outer wall  128 . The stop  132  can be located at various positions along the outer wall  128 , but it is preferred that the stop  132  be placed so that the first end  124  extends at least partially into cavity  64 . The location of the stop  132  can be varied as required. The stop  132  may be engineered to include notched wall sections  134  to allow the outer wall  128  to be separated into 2 pieces at the location of the notch ed wall sections  134 . The notched wall sections  134  are preferably located immediately next to the stop  132  and on the side of the stop proximal to the first end  124 . The function and operation of the notched wall sections  134  is analogous to the function and operation of the notched wall sections  34  described above. In addition, snap anchors  170  may be placed on the outer wall  128  on or near the first end  124 . The snap anchors  170  are angled to allow the first end  124  of the device  100  to be inserted through the wall  60 , but to engage wall  60  to prevent unintentional removal of the device  100  (shown in FIG.  2 A). The bladder  16  is secured to snap anchors  170  by any convenient means, such as a heat seal or a glue seal. 
     Referring to FIG. 3 which shows the embodiment of the device illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B after activation, the bladder  16  is generally spherical in shape and is composed of an elastic material (the principles described below and illustrated in FIG. 3 also applies to the embodiment illustrated in FIG.  2 ). Other shapes for the bladder  16  can be engineered if required for certain applications, such as rectangular blocks. The bladder  16  may contain a plurality of pre-engineered adhesion points  38  around the outer surface of the bladder  16 . The adhesion points  38  are simply openings to allow the anchor material  62  to escape the bladder  16  and come into contact with structures behind the wall  60  when the device  10  is activated. The number of adhesion points  38  on bladder  16  can be varied to fit individual applications. The interior volume of the bladder  16  can be adjusted depending on the intended use of the device. For a typical use of providing an anchor point in a interior residential wall, the volume of the balloon is 65 inches 3  (in 3 ) to 400 in 3 , preferably 230 in 3 . This will produce a finished anchor point of 4 to 16 inches in diameter. The volume of the bladder  16 , the diameter of the anchor point and the shape of the anchor point can be changed if desired. 
     Turning to a discussion of the source of anchor material  20 , the source  20  delivers the anchor material  62 , at sufficient speeds and pressure to the bladder  16  when the device  10  is activated. The pressure required on activation is dependent on the viscosity of the anchor material and its components, but is sufficient to ensure the anchor material is sufficiently mixed and dispensed into the inflatable bladder. The source  20 , therefore, may be any means that meets these requirements. Preferably, the source  20  is self contained and is portable for ease of use. 
     FIG. 1A shows a standard aerosol can  42  as one embodiment of the source  20 . The can  42  is of standard design, with a discharge tube  44  fluidly connected to at least one anchor material storage chamber  46  and a propellant chamber  48  at one end and the insertion tube  12  at the other. The end of the discharge tube  44  that connects to the insertion tube  12  may be flexible to facilitate ease of use. The activation means is shown in FIG. 1A as valve  52 . On depression of valve  52 , anchor material flows from the at least one storage chamber  46 , through the discharge tube  44  and insertion tube  12  into the bladder  16 . 
     In an alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 2A, the source  20  is a container  150 . The container  150  is separated into 2 compartments,  152  and  154  by a frangible separation means. The separation means functions to separate the components of the anchor material prior to activation, but can be ruptured when desired to allow the components of the anchor material to mix with one another. In FIG. 2A, the separation means comprises a planar O-ring  156  and a coupling shaft  158 . The diameter of O-ring  156  is selected to conform to the diameter of container  150  and contains a frangible portion. The frangible portion comprises an inner ring  162  and a center portion  164 , for connection to the coupling shaft. The inner ring  162  is constructed so that the seal integrity is comprimised on rotation of coupling shaft  158 . As illustrated in FIG. 2B, inner ring  162  may contain notched sections  166  for this purpose. The number and placement of notched sections  166  is not critical, with the embodiment shown in FIG. 2C illustrating 2 notched sections  166 . The coupling shaft  158  extends beneath the container  150 . The device is activated by rotating the coupling shaft  158  in either direction. The rotation breaks the inner rings  162  at notched sections  166 , allowing the components of the anchor material stored in compartments  152  and  154  to interact and mix. On mixing, the components of the anchor material undergo a chemical reaction, forming a foam and expand in volume 3-5 fold. The expansion forces the anchor material through the discharge tube  144  and into the bladder  16 , causing bladder  16  to expand. In this manner, the coupling shaft  158  serves as the activation means, with activation occurring on rotation of the activation shaft  158 . 
     Although specific embodiments of the source  20  have been illustrated with specific embodiments of the connecting means and protective housing, it should be understood that the various embodiments can be interchanged as desired to produce the device. 
     The anchor material may be any single or multi-component system that is capable of providing the necessary cured physical properties to handle heavy loads and repeated stress over a long period of time. Examples include, but are not limited to, structural polyurethane foam, thermoset plastics, polyester, foamed polymer concrete or modifications or combinations thereof. A preferred formulation of the anchor material is structural polyurethane foam with a density of 30 pounds per cubic foot in combination with non-elastic spheres. Preferably, the spheres are ceramic spheres, present at a concentration between 10% and 30% by volume. The diameter of the ceramic spheres is preferably from 0.005 inches to 0.008 inches. However, the composition, concentration percentage and diameter of ceramic spheres can be varied depending on the desired cured physical characteristics of the anchor material. The structural polyurethane foam described above is a two component system and generally requires 10 to 15 minutes to cure. A properly cured structural polyurethane foam anchor point can withstand over 300 pounds of screw pulling force. This force meets or exceeds the force that can be withstood by traditional blocking methods and materials, such as wood. 
     The device is simple to use in operation, as illustrated in FIG.  3 . FIG. 3 shows the device illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B. At any point in a wall requiring an anchor point, the user drills a hole  66  at the desired location in the wall  60 . In most applications for home use, a ½ inch hole is sufficient for operation of the device. The user then inserts the device  10  into the hole  66 . As shown in FIG. 3, the first end  24  of the housing  22  is inserted into the hole  66 . The stop  32  engages the outer surface of the wall  60  and stops the insertion of the device  10  at the proper point. Optional snap anchors  70  engage the interior side of wall  60  in response to the back pressure generated by the inflation of bladder  16  and prevent the device  10  from backing out of hole  66 . Once the device  10  is position in the hole  66 , it is ready for use. The user initiates the flow of anchor material  62  by engaging the activation means, in this case depressing valve  52 . Once activated, anchor material  62  flows from the at least one storage compartment  46  through the discharge tube  44 , into and through the insertion tube  12  and into the bladder  16 . If static mixing elements  45  are employed, the anchor material  62  is mixed as it travels through from the source  20  to the bladder  16 . The anchor material  62  expands the bladder  16  to its maximum volume while leaking from the pre-engineered adhesion points  38  in the bladder  16 . The anchor material  62  engages the back surface of the wall  60  and other structures contained within the interior  64  of the wall to form the anchor point. As discussed above, the size of the anchor point will depend on the volume of the bladder  16  and the amount of anchor material  62  used. These parameters may be altered to suit specific applications. 
     The anchor material is allowed to cure for 10 to 30 minutes. Once the curing process is complete the anchor point is ready for use. As the device  10  is still inserted into the hole, the user applies a slight lateral pressure to the device on the outer wall  28 . This pressure causes the device  10  to snap along the preformed notches  34 . The device  10  from the stop  32  to the second end  26  is then removed from the wall  60 . The result is a flush surface that is ready for sanding, priming and painting or other finishing. Alternatively, if finishing the wall is not desired, the unfinished area of the wall created by the use of the device  10  is so small, the article may be mounted so that the unfinished area is covered by the article. 
     The anchor point created by the device and method of the present disclosure has many advantages over the blocking methods of the prior art. First, pound for pound the anchor point formed according to the present disclosure is stronger than the strongest of the blocking methods in current use. Second, the installation of the anchor point formed according to the present disclosure is simpler to install and requires minimal destruction of the wall surface to be reinforced. Current blocking methods require a large hole to be cut into the finished wall sufficient to expose two frame members. A section of wood must then be nailed to the frame members to block or reinforce the wall section. Finally, the finished wall must be replaced and finished. In contrast, the anchor point formed according to the present disclosure only requires the drilling of a small hole in the wall, without the need for extensive replacement and finishing. Third, when installation and repair costs are factored in, the anchor point formed by the present disclosure is up to $200 to $300 less expensive than current blocking methods. The result of the device and method described above is a reinforced area in the wall that is capable of securing heavy articles over long period s of time without causing damage to the wall. 
     The above discussion has described several embodiments of the device in detail so that the device and its principles of operation may be understood. The above discussion should not be interpreted to exclude additional embodiments of the device. With respect to the above description, it should be considered that the optimal dimensional relationships for the various parts of the invention, including variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those described above and illustrated in the figures are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure. Therefore, the foregoing is considered illustrative only, and should not be understood to limit the scope of the disclosure to the exact construction and operation discussed and illustrated.