Patent Publication Number: US-7594636-B2

Title: Picture frame positioner

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to improved methods and apparatus concerning picture frames. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Individuals usually guess or make a rough estimate about where picture frames need to be hung. In order to make it right, the most common way is to measure the distance from the top of a ceiling to a top of the picture frame, and then the distance from the left to the right of the wall, and then to mark down the center point where the frame is about to be hung. Even after an individual has found the center point, there are still difficulties for the individual to hang the particular picture frame the precisely to the place they want. To get more precise measurement, they need to: (a) match the center point that they mark down on the wall to the center point of the frame; (b) calculate the exact distance from the top of the wire at the back of the frame to the top of the frame; (c) know the design of the metal hanger, the measurement from the top of the hanger to the hook; and (d) know the tension of the wire. Usually nails are applied on the wall along with metal hangers. However, the nails may be removed and reapplied repeatedly on the wall if the position of the frame is incorrect, causing physical damage to the wall. It&#39;s a tedious and time consuming process which requires professional skill to handle. 
   There are various devices known in the prior art for hanging picture frames. U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,884 to Hart et. al. discloses a picture frame hanging backing sheet  10 . (Hart et. al, FIG. 1). The sheet  10  includes adhesive areas  44  for releasably adhering to a picture frame and adhesive areas  48  for releasably adhering to a wall. (Hart et. al, FIGS. 1 and 2). Hangers  12  are inserted into slots in the backing sheet  10 . (Id.) In operation, the adhesive areas  44  are adhered to the back of a picture frame (with the hangers  12  inserted into the sheet  10 ), such that a wire  52  at the back of the frame is hung over the hangers  12  and is slightly tensioned. (Hart et. al, FIGS. 1 2, 4a, col. 5, Ins. 1-10). Next the adhesive areas  48  are pressed against a wall, and adhered to the wall, causing the sheet  10  to be adhered to the wall. Next the picture frame is removed from the sheet  10 , by releasing the adhesive areas  44  from the picture frame and by removing the wire  52  from the hangers  12 . With the sheet  10  adhered to the wall by adhesive areas  48 , and the hangers  12  inserted into the sheet  10 , the hangers  12  are fixed to the wall by, for example, hammering nails into the hangers  12 . (Hart et. al., FIG. 4b). Each of the hangers  12  has a single opening for a nail. (Hart et. al., FIG. 1). Next, the sheet  10  is removed from the hangers  12 , leaving the hangers  12  nailed into the wall. (Hart et al., FIG. 4c). The picture frame can then be hung by draping the wire  52  over the hangers  12 . 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,465 to Weck et. al. discloses a picture hanger member  12  with a triangular shaped base  14  and an opening  20 . (Weck et. al., FIG. 1, col. 4, Ins. 60-65). A temporary adhesive  46  is attached to a hanger member  12 . (Weck, FIG. 1). The hanger member  12  can be temporarily attached to a wall  34 , by adhesive  46  and then moved if the hanger member  12  is not at the correct position. (Weck, col. 5, Ins. 48-60). The hanger member  12  includes three nail receiving guide holes  22  within three guides or protrusions  28 . (Weck, FIG. 2). Nails can be driven through a shock absorbing layer  40  to fix the hanger member  12  to the wall  34 . (Weck, Fig., col. 5 In. 48-col. 6, In. 56). 
   U.S. Pat. No. 3,622,116 to Fellows, discloses a tongue member  10  which is fixed to a picture frame  26  and then inserted into a bracket member  30  fixed to a supporting surface  32 . (Fellows, FIGS. 1-8). U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,982 to Sellera discloses a wall pad  16  and a frame pad  22 . (Sellera, col. 1, In. 50-col. 2, In. 30). The wall pad  16  and the frame pad  22  have adhesives which adhere to a wall and a back of a picture frame, respectively. (Id.). The frame pad  22  has a downward extension  82  which can be inserted into a pocket  53  of the wall pad  16  to hang a picture frame onto a wall. (Id.) U.S. Pat. No. 2,492,411 to Barnes provides a resilient member  29  which adheres to a wall and a picture frame to keep the frame straight. (Barnes, col. 2, In. 44-col. 3, In. 29). U.S. Patent Application No. US 2004/0084598 A1 to Dodig, J R. discloses a mounting carrier  22  having a pair of hooks  20 . (Dodig, p 2, paragraph 19-paragraph 25). The carrier  22  is mounted on a wall  14  and thereafter a picture  12  is hung by a wire from 18 from the hooks  20 . (Dodig, Id.). 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   One or more embodiments of the present invention provide a simple way to position and hang picture frames on a wall without professional skill. A picture frame can be aligned visually on a wall without precise measurements. A picture frame can be positioned and adjusted precisely before hardware is applied, eliminating unnecessary holes in walls. 
   The present invention in one embodiment provides an apparatus comprising a J-shaped hanger and a first device. The J-shaped hanger includes a hook and a base, the hook connected to the base, the base forming a substantially flat vertical portion of the J-shape, the hook forming the hook portion. The first device has a first portion having an opening which is large enough so that the base can pass through the opening of the first portion while the base is substantially parallel to the first device. The first device has a front with a first temporary or removable adhesive and a back with a second temporary or removable adhesive. 
   The base of the J-shaped hanger may include an opening. The first device may include a lower cap portion having a protrusion which can be inserted into the opening of the J-shaped hanger and which snaps into the opening of the base of the J-shaped hanger to hold the J-shaped hanger to the lower cap portion of the first device. The base of the J-shaped hanger may have attached thereto a plurality of protrusions each having an opening through which a nail can be driven. 
   The present invention in one embodiment includes a method comprised of pulling a wire of a picture frame up with a J-shaped hanger of an apparatus, and attaching the apparatus including the J-shaped hanger to a back of the picture frame, so that the wire is tensed. The apparatus may be configured as previously described. The method may further include detaching the J-shaped hanger from the rest of the apparatus, and attaching the second temporary adhesive to a wall to attach a first portion of the apparatus to the wall. The method may also include inserting the J-shaped hanger into the first portion of the apparatus and fastening the J-shaped hanger to the wall. In one embodiment any remaining portion of the apparatus may be detached from the wall, while leaving the J-shaped hanger fastened to the wall. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an apparatus or positioner in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention with the apparatus shown taken apart; 
       FIG. 2A  shows a perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  with the apparatus assembled; 
       FIG. 2B  shows a side cross sectional view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  with the apparatus assembled; 
       FIG. 2C  shows a rear partial cross sectional view and a partial rear view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  with the apparatus assembled; 
       FIG. 3A  shows a perspective view of a second apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention with the second apparatus shown taken apart; 
       FIG. 3B  shows a perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 3A  with the apparatus shown partially put together; 
       FIG. 3C  shows a perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 3A  with the apparatus assembled; 
       FIG. 4A  shows a perspective view of a third apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention with the third apparatus shown taken apart; 
       FIG. 4B  shows a perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 4A  with the apparatus shown partially put together; 
       FIG. 4C  shows a perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 4A  with the apparatus assembled; 
       FIG. 5A  is a cross sectional view of a picture frame, the apparatus of  FIG. 1 , a wire, and a wood frame hanger in a first state; 
       FIG. 5B  is a cross sectional view of the picture frame, the apparatus of  FIG. 1 , the wire, and the wood frame hanger in a second state; 
       FIG. 5C  is a cross sectional view of the picture frame, part of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 , the wire, the wood frame hanger in a third state, and a wall; 
       FIG. 5D  is a cross sectional view of the picture frame, part of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 , the wire, the wood frame hanger in a fourth state and a wall; 
       FIG. 5E  is a cross sectional view of part of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  and a nail in a fifth state, and the wall; 
       FIG. 5F  is a cross sectional view of part of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  and a nail in a sixth state, and the wall; 
     and  FIG. 5G  is a cross sectional view of the picture frame, part of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 , the wire, the nail, and the wood frame hanger in a seventh state, and the wall. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an apparatus  10  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention with the apparatus  10  shown taken apart.  FIG. 2A  shows a perspective view of the apparatus  10 , with the apparatus  10  assembled.  FIG. 2B  shows a cross sectional view of the apparatus  10 , with the apparatus  10  assembled. 
   The apparatus  10  is comprised of hanger  12 , wax paper  14 , a portion  16 , an upper cap  18 , a lower cap  20 , a portion  22 , and wax paper  24 . 
   The hanger  12  can be made of metal. The hanger  12  has a hook portion  12   a , a base portion  11   a , a triangular opening  12   b , and protrusions  12   c ,  12   d , and  12   e , having openings  13   c ,  13   d , and  13   e , respectively. Opening  13   c  of protrusion  12   c  is shown in  FIG. 2B . The base portion  11   a  may be flat or substantially flat. 
   The wax paper  14  has an opening  14   a  into which the hanger  12  can be inserted. The portion  16  is comprised of a removable adhesive layer  16   a , a foam tape  16   b , and a permanent adhesive layer  16   c . The portion  16  also has an opening  16   d  shown in  FIG. 1 , into which the hanger  12  can be inserted and snugly fit as shown in  FIG. 2A . The base portion  11   a  of the hanger  12  can be inserted through the opening  14   a  and through the opening  16   d , while the base portion  11   a  is parallel or substantially parallel to the wax paper  14 , the opening  14   a , the portion  16 , and the opening  16   d . The upper cap  18  has an opening  18   a  into which the hanger  12  can be inserted. The lower cap has a recess  20   a  shown in  FIG. 1 , into which the hanger  12  can be inserted as shown in  FIG. 2A . The lower cap  20  has a triangular protrusion  20   b  which can be inserted into the opening  12   b  of the hanger  12 . 
   The portion  22  is comprised of a permanent adhesive layer  22   a , a foam tape  22   b , and a removable adhesive layer  22   c.    
   The wax paper  14  has an inner opening or slot  14   a  into which the metal hanger  12  snugly fits as shown by  FIG. 2A . The portion  16  and the upper cap  18  have inner openings of slots  16   d  and  18   a  respectively, into which the metal hanger  12  snugly fits as shown by  FIG. 2A . The lower cap  20  includes a recess  20   a  into which the metal hanger  12  snugly fits as shown by  FIG. 2A . The lower cap  20  also includes a substantially triangular portion or protrusion  20   b . The substantially triangular portion  20   b  may be of a type similar to that used for holding DVDs. The portion or protrusion  20   b  fits into the triangular portion  12   b  in order to hold the hanger  12  onto the lower cap  20 . The substantially triangular portion  20   b  includes sections  21   a ,  21   b , and  21   c  and central opening  21   d.    
     FIG. 2C  shows a rear partial cross sectional view and a partial rear view of the apparatus  10  with the apparatus assembled. In  FIG. 2C  the hook portion  12   a  of the hook is shown. In addition the wax paper  14 , portion  16 , upper cap  18 , lower cap  20 , portion  22 , and waxpaper  24  is shown in  FIG. 2C .  FIG. 2C  also shows that the protrusions  13   e  and  13   c  are in line but are not in line with the protrusion  13   d.    
     FIG. 3A  shows a perspective view of an apparatus  100  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention with the apparatus  100  shown taken apart.  FIG. 3B  shows a perspective view of the apparatus  100  of  FIG. 3A  with the apparatus  100  shown partially put together.  FIG. 3C  shows a perspective view of the apparatus  100  of  FIG. 3A  with the apparatus  100  assembled. 
   The apparatus  100  is comprised of hanger  112 , portion  114 , an upper cap  122 , a lower cap  120 , and portion a  126 . The hanger  112  may include a hook  112   a  and a triangular opening  112   b , and may be identical to hanger  12  of  FIG. 1 . The portion  114  may have an inner opening or slot  114   a  into which the hanger  112  can be snugly inserted as shown in  FIG. 3C . The portion  122  has an inner opening or slot  122   a  into which the hanger  112  can be snugly inserted as shown in  FIG. 3C . The portion  120  has a recess  120   a  and an inner protrusion  120   b  (marked in  FIG. 3A ). The metal hanger  112  can be inserted into the recess  120   a  so that the inner protrusion  120   b  is inserted through the opening  112   b  in the hanger  112 . 
     FIG. 4A  shows a perspective view of an apparatus  200  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention with the apparatus  200  shown taken apart.  FIG. 4B  shows a perspective view of the apparatus  200 , with the apparatus  200  shown partially put together.  FIG. 4C  shows a perspective view of the apparatus  200  with the apparatus assembled. 
   The apparatus  200  is comprised of portion  212 , an upper cap  222 , a lower cap  224 , and a portion  226 . The portion  212  may be comprised of wax paper, similar to  14  in  FIG. 1  and foam tape, similar to  16  in  FIG. 1 . Wax paper  14  is for protecting the adhesive layer  16   a  of the foam tape  16  from exposing to the outside. The adhesive layer  16   a  is a temporary or removable adhesive layer and  16   c  is a permanent adhesive layer so the portion  212  is adhered permanently to upper cap  222 . The temporary adhesive layer  16   a  is used for easier removal of portions  212  and upper cap  222  from a wall after a metal hanger, such as  12  is firmly nailed on a wall. Same theory is applied to lower cap  224  and portion  226 , except they are to be removed from the picture frames. 
     FIG. 5A  is a cross sectional view of a picture frame  300 , the apparatus or positioner  10  of  FIG. 1 , a wire  302 , fastened on a metal wood frame hanger  304  attached to the picture frame  300  in a first state.  FIG. 5B  is a cross sectional view of the picture frame  300 , the apparatus  10  of  FIG. 1 , the wire  302 , and the wood frame hanger  304  in a second state.  FIG. 5C  is a cross sectional view of the picture frame  300 , part of the apparatus  10  of  FIG. 1 , the wire  302 , the wood frame hanger  304  in a third state, and a wall  306 . 
     FIG. 5D  is a cross sectional view of the picture frame  300 , part of the apparatus  10  of  FIG. 1 , the wire  302 , the wood frame hanger  304  in a fourth state and a wall  306 .  FIG. 5E  is a cross sectional view of part of the apparatus  10  of  FIG. 1  and a nail  312  in a fifth state, and the wall  306 .  FIG. 5F  is a cross sectional view of the part of the apparatus  10  of  FIG. 1  and a nail  312  in a sixth state, and the wall  306 .  FIG. 5G  is a cross sectional view of the picture frame  300 , part of the apparatus  10  of  FIG. 1 , the wire  302 , the nail  312 , and the wood frame hanger  304  in a seventh state, and the wall  306 . 
   In operation, with the wax paper  24  removed from the foam tape  22 , of the apparatus  10  or positioner  10 , the middle of the frame  300  is located and the apparatus  10  is hooked onto the wire  302  and adhered onto a back  300   a  of the frame  300  as shown as  FIG. 5A . The metal hanger  12  is detached from the apparatus or positioner  10 , along with a wire  302  and the wax paper  14  on the temporary adhesive  16  as shown in  FIG. 5B . With the hanger  12  removed from the wire  302 , the frame  300  is positioned and an individual presses down on the front  300   b  of the frame  300  so as to let the upper cap  18  adhere to the wall  306 , as shown in  FIG. 5C . Next the upper cap  18  is disengaged from the lower cap  20 , as shown in  FIG. 5D . Next the hanger  12  is put back into the upper cap  18  (mounted on a wall) so its position is defined as shown in  FIG. 5E . A nail  312  is applied as shown in  FIG. 5E . The upper cap  18  is removed from the wall after the hanger  12  is nailed on the wall as shown in  FIG. 5F . Finally the picture frame  300 , with the lower cap  20  removed, is hung back on the wall  306  as shown in  FIG. 5G . 
   The hangers  12  can be made of metal or another material. The hangers  12  can be of different shapes. 
   Although the invention has been described by reference to particular illustrative embodiments thereof, many changes and modifications of the invention may become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to include within this patent all such changes and modifications as may reasonably and properly be included within the scope of the present invention&#39;s contribution to the art.