Patent Abstract:
A hole patching device including mechanism for covering an opening on an interior surface of a wall, the covering mechanism being formed of a generally rigid material and being at least two inches in diameter; mechanism for guiding the covering mechanism through the opening, which may include a slit cut from a center of the covering mechanism to an outer edge of the covering mechanism; mechanism for securing the covering mechanism to the interior surface of the wall to define a pocket; an insert for filling the pocket; and a hardenable material spread over the insert and pocket smoothable with the wall and a method of use.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/171,842, filed Dec. 22, 1999 and titled HOLE PATCHING DEVICE &amp; METHOD OF USE. The present invention relates to devices for patching holes and more specifically devices for patching holes in a wall. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Modern homes generally include wall coverings of plywood, drywall or other such material secured to studs. These materials, while strong, do become damaged typically in the form of a hole. One common method that causes holes is opening a door too far and sending the opposing door knob into and occasionally completely through the adjacent wall. Holes are considered unattractive, unsightly and generally undesired. 
     Previously, home owners could fix these holes in a couple manners. In one method, the home owner would cut a large square or rectangular block of drywall out of the wall. The block would extend half way across the adjacent wall studs. A new piece of drywall with similar dimensions of the now enlarged opening is cut and secured inside the opening. The wall is then taped and plastered in the manner used in original construction. This method is time consuming, messy and exceeds the abilities of most home owners, requiring the services of a professional. 
     In an alternate method, a variety of strips of wood are cut with a length longer than the diameter of the opening and a width narrower. The pieces of wood are tied to a string and inserted into the opening. The string is held taught and the wood stripes are fanned out across the back of the hole. The hole is then filed with plaster, smoothed and sanded. This method requires substantial coordination and time and has a poorly secured backside to the now filled hole. 
     What is needed is a device and method of repairing a hole in a wall that is simplistic enough to allow the average home owner to repair the hole. The process should be fast, solid, requiring a minimum amount of time and talent to accomplish the task with professional results. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention includes a device for repairing a hole in a wall. The device includes a cover for an opening that secures on an interior surface of a wall. The cover is preferably formed of a generally rigid material and is at least two inches in diameter. The device includes a guide for directing the cover through the opening, which preferably is a slit cut from a center of the cover to an outer edge of the cover. The device further provides a securement mechanism for joining the cover to the interior surface of the wall, where it together with the edges of the hole defines a pocket. An insert is placed in the pocket to substantially fill the same. A hardenable material, such as plaster, spreads over the insert and pocket, where it is smoothed with the wall. 
     This device may have additional components that augment the invention. For instance, the securement mechanism may include a temporary and a permanent portion. Temporary securement may be done with a t-bar together with a wedge or a cord and stop. These hold the cover to the wall while adhesive permanently attaches the cover to the wall. Once permanent securement is complete the temporary securement portions may be removed in whole or in part. The wedge may be designed to include a cutting edge, e.g., saw for cutting smooth edges to the hole and other modifications are made apparent with the description herein. 
     The present invention also includes a method of repairing a hole. The inventive steps include guiding a cover through an opening using a slit extending from a center of the cover to an outer edge of the cover. This may be done in a cork screw type manner. Next, one secures the cover to an interior surface of a wall to define a pocket. The pocket does not need to be filled with plaster, which tends to shrink upon drying. Instead, one may insert a plug to substantially fill the pocket and then apply a hardenable material over the insert and pocket such as plaster. This process may be augmented with other steps, which may for instance include adhesively securing the cover to the interior surface of the wall. Additionally, the cover may be temporarily secured to the interior of the wall using a t-bar and wedge. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 shows the present invention installed on a wall; 
     FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 shows the covering mechanism; and 
     FIG. 4 shows the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention  10 , shown in FIGS. 1-4, is the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The present invention is preferably for the purpose of patching holes  12  in walls  14 , such as drywall, although one using the drawings and description can easily find many other uses for the present invention. Hole  12  and opening  12  are used interchangably throughout the specification with both referencing a hole through a wall. The present invention  10  may include, mechanism  16  for covering the opening  12  on an interior surface  18  of the wall  14 , mechanism  20  for guiding the covering mechanism  16  through the opening  12 , and mechanism  22  for securing the covering mechanism  16  to the interior surface  18  of the wall  14 , creating a pocket  15  and mechanism  17  for filling the pocket  15 . Each mechanism and the operation,is described further below. 
     The covering mechanism  16  may be any size or shape suitable for substantially covering the opening  12  in the wall  14 . Small gaps may be present, the size of which need to be small enough to allow effective plastering of the covered hole  12  as described in the operation section below. The preferred shape of the covering mechanism is circular as this is believed to be the most common shape of a hole  12  in a wall  14 . 
     The covering mechanism  16  preferably may cover holes  12  that are an inch in diameter to the size of the largest holes. Commonly holes  12  range from about 3 inches to about 5 inches in diameter, although larger and smaller holes are found. The covering mechanism preferably is about two or more inches in diameter larger than the opening  12  such that at least a one inch perimeter  24  (FIG. 1) is obtained around the circumference of the holes  12 , although a smaller perimeter  24  may be used. The perimeter  24  prevents the covering mechanism  16  from being pulled back through the opening  12 . 
     The covering mechanism  16  may be formed of any sufficiently rigid material for the purpose intended. The material needs to provide a firm surface without substantial bowing into the opening, but preferably provides some flexibility for working the covering mechanism  16  through the opening  12 . Suitable materials include, metals, substantially rigid plastics, substantially rigid elastomers, wood, ceramic, and any other substantially rigid material. The preferred material for the covering mechanism  16  is a substantially rigid plastic due to its cost and ease of use. 
     The guiding mechanism  20  may be any mode of changing the size of the profile of the covering mechanism  16  without damaging the covering mechanism  16 . The preferred mode, shown best in FIG. 1, includes an opening  26  defined in the approximate center of the changing mechanism  16  and a cut  28 , extending from the hole  26  to the outer edge  30  of the changing mechanism  16 . When the opposing edges  32 ,  34  are spread, one can plainly see that the profile of the changing mechanism can be corkscrewed through an opening that is approximately the size to the width of the changing mechanism, preferably a half inch or less, by approximately half the diameter of the changing mechanism  16 . 
     The securing mechanism  22  may include string or other cord-like material  36  and stop  38 . Preferably, the securing mechanism  22  is a t-bar  21  with or without a wedge  23 . The wedge  23  passes through slot  25  of the t-bar  21  and biases against the edges of the opening to be filled to draw the covering mechanism  16  tight against the wall  14 . The wedge  23  may have a serrated edge  27  for cutting a clean opening in the wall  14 . 
     The stop  38  is preferably of a size larger than the opening  26  such that when the string  36  is pulled through the opening  26  the stop will brace against the perimeter of the opening  26 . The opening  26  may be of any suitable size, but is preferably about one inch in diameter. The stop may be of any size or shape so long as it secures against the perimeter of the opening  26  and does not extend beyond the outer surface of the wall  14  and into the room. The string  36  and stop  38  combination also provides a mechanism for retrieving the, invention  10  should it drop down inside the wall  14 . The mechanism  22  may further include a ring of adhesive  40  for adhering the covering mechanism  16  to an interior surface of a wall  14 . The securing mechanism  22  holds the covering mechanism  16  in position covering the opening  12 , creating a pocket  15  between the covering mechanism  16  and the sides of the opening  12 . 
     The opening  12  in a preferred embodiment is a circular or other common shape. The circle may be drawn on the exterior surface of the wall  14  with a stencil and then cut with a keyhole saw, serrated edge  27  of the wedge  23  or like implement. A filling mechanism  17  may then be positioned to substantially fill the pocket  15 . The filing mechanism  17  may be any material which substantially fills and does not require substantial drying or hardening time. While various foams could be used, the preferred filling mechanism  17  is a plug  19  formed of preformed foam, wood or other solid material. Once the filling mechanism  17  is in place, the installer may cover the hole with plaster and paint. 
     In operation, the opening  12  may be widened into a circular or other common shape, perhaps through a stencil and cutting process. The cutting may be done with the serrated edge  27  of the wedge  23 . The string  36  or t-bar  21  is fed through the opening  26  of the covering mechanism  16  for later use. The covering mechanism  16  is spread along the guiding mechanism  20 , changing the profile of the covering mechanism  16  to a dimension smaller than the opening  12 . The configuration is similar to the letter “c” twisted along its central axis. An opposing edge  32  or  34  is fed through the opening  12 . The covering mechanism  16  may then be corkscrewed into the wall  14 . Once inside, the installer manipulates the string  36  or t-bar  21  and stop  38  combination to hold the covering mechanism  16  in a desired location. Adhesive  40  may be uncovered (if preapplied) or applied to further provide securement of the covering mechanism  16  about the opening  12  on the interior surface of the wall  14 . The best adhesive  40  which has been found is sold under the trade name “Liquid Names,” due to the absorption of the adhesive  40  prior to the adhesive  40  setting up. A wedge  23  may be fed through slot  25  in the t-bar  21  and biased against the wall  14  to secure the covering mechanism  16  in place while the adhesive dries. Screws or other fasteners may also be used to hold the covering mechanism  16  in place. 
     The wedge  23  may be removed and t-bar  21  may be broken, pushed into the interior wall or otherwise vacated, when the adhesive or other permanent fastener has taken hold, assuming a wedge  23  and t-bar  21  were used. This configuration defines a pocket  15  between the edges of the hole  12  in the wall  14  and the covering mechanism  16 . The pocket  15  is filled with a plug  19 , plaster, wood filler, putty, other filling material or combination thereof. The string  36 , no longer needed, may be clipped, the filler material smoothed and the wall  14  painted or otherwise decorated. 
     It will be appreciated that the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention is presented by way of illustration only, and not by way of any limitation. It should be noted that use of appropriate materials would allow the present invention to be used for patching of holes in automobile walls and automotive bumper walls or other areas. Various alternatives and modifications may therefore be made to the above mentioned and illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4