Abstract:
This invention may be used to fasten or anchor lightweight, three-dimensional objects such as lettering, numbers and symbols, party and holiday decorations, arts and crafts, teaching and learning aids, informational displays, and other penetrable, three-dimensional objects, fastening these kinds of objects to surfaces such as bulletin boards, gypsum wallboard surfaces, corkboards, wooden surfaces, or to other penetrable objects or surfaces by being pressed like standard pushpins, screwed, or pressed and twisted into the objects or surfaces to be joined, depending on the types of materials being fastened or anchored. Handy Pins are intended for, but not limited to, indoor uses in homes, places of business, offices, schools, libraries and other public, governmental or private institutions or facilities rather than for use outdoors and in the woodworking and construction industries.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/792,861, filed on 2006 Apr. 18 by the present inventor. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not Applicable  
       REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX  
       [0003]     Not Applicable  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     This invention pertains to a special class of hardware fasteners herein referred to as Handy Pins, also known as Craft Pins, Handy Tacks, or Double Pointed Tacks. Any reference to “Handy Pins” may also include the other names of this invention. This invention includes three types of Handy Pins, along with optional special application tools or accessories to facilitate the installation process. This invention provides an alternative means for connecting three-dimensional objects to other three-dimensional objects, or to other pin-penetrable surfaces that solves the problems associated with the use of other means to attach such objects discussed herein.  
         [0005]     Connecting pin-penetrable materials such as three-dimensional lightweight letters and numbers, arts and crafts, and holiday and party decorations to penetrable surfaces such as bulletin boards, wooden surfaces, gypsum wallboard walls, corkboards, polystyrene foam boards, or to other soft surfaces has generally been accomplished by using glues, double-sided tapes, hook and loop materials such as Velcro, or by placing nails, brads, or straight pins completely through one object and then into the other object or surface.  
         [0006]     Attaching individual wooden three-dimensional letters or numbers to bulletin boards or to other pin-penetrable surfaces is generally accomplished by hanging larger letters or numbers as a small picture, or by using glues or double-sided tapes. The use of nails or brads is another option, but nails and brads can leave the surface of the letters or numbers blemished with unsightly nail heads or nail holes that may need to be touched-up or concealed afterwards.  
         [0007]     Projects involving glue type products can become time-consuming, messy, and difficult because of certain issues or problems that often arise. Projects sometimes take longer because of added wait-time for the hot melt glue gun to heat up, or because of added wait-time for other types of glues to harden or set; The task is often messy because hot melt glues tend to leave spider-web like remnants when removing the tip of the glue gun from the glued object, and those remnants are difficult to remove. The task may also become messy when using glues because glues can start running or dripping due to their varying viscosities or overabundant application. Sometimes it is difficult for a person to know how much glue is needed, or which type of glue is best suited for the materials being joined, and using the wrong glue often necessitates having to remove the inappropriate glue afterwards, which can be messy and add to the time it takes to complete the project. Some glues produce objectionable or unpleasant odors in the home or office as well.  
         [0008]     The use of double-sided adhesive tapes to attach three-dimensional objects to vertical surfaces sometimes does not offer sufficient holding strength for the desired connections. The holding strength of double-sided tape increases as the surface contact area of both sides of the tape increases, and sometimes there is inadequate surface area on an object to be fastened, or the object being fastened has such irregularity in shape that the. double-sided tape cannot support the weight of the object due to limited surface area contact; because with double-sided adhesive tapes, the side with the least amount of surface contact governs the performance of the connection.  
         [0009]     Using double-sided adhesive tapes can also be difficult to use because some adhesive tape covers, found on both sides of double-sided adhesive tapes, are hard to remove, especially when the user does not have long enough fingernails to aid in the removal of these adhesive covers. Afterwards, picking up all the removed covers may add to the project time as well, especially if the covers were randomly dropped in the work area while the connections were being made.  
         [0010]     Some double-sided adhesive tapes can leave unsightly adhesive residue on the surfaces of walls or on the objects after the tape has been removed, and sometimes the Styrofoam insulation between the adhesive edges of some double-sided tapes tears apart when the fastened object is removed, leaving unsightly Styrofoam remnants on both surfaces. These remnants can be very difficult to remove due to the adhesive beneath them. Removing these remnants often requires the aid of chemical solvents and scraping tools, and the task can be very difficult and time consuming as well. If double-sided tapes are to be reused, they must be protected from collecting dust or debris when being stored in order to be effective for additional uses later on.  
         [0011]     Fastening three-dimensional objects to flat surfaces is more difficult than fastening thinner, mostly two-dimensional objects such as construction paper, cardboard, poster board, and other flatter objects that can be easily glued, stapled, tacked, or straight-pinned.  
       PRIOR ART  
       [0012]     Relative to this invention is prior art U.S. Pat. No. 1,272,696 to Mock (1918) that teaches the use of a double-pointed pin used as a single device for the primary structural support of articles such as pictures on walls. The Mock invention utilizes a removable head that fits over one end of the double-pointed pin that, after said removable head has been used as a means to guide and transfer the loads from a striking hammer onto the pin in order to drive a portion of the pin into a wall without damaging the pin, said removable head is afterward removed. The picture or article is then pressed onto the remaining portion of the protruding pin, or else a special hanger that resembles a wooden hook is attached to the protruding pin, and the picture or article is then hung from the special hanger.  
         [0013]     The Mock invention, however, did not have an integral head like this invention has, and the Mock invention was primarily designed to support only “articles such as pictures on walls.” This invention not only serves as a fastener to attach lightweight three-dimensional objects to walls, but it is different from the Mock invention in that it is intended to be used as a general use fastener to connect lightweight objects to flat, textured or irregular surfaces, as well as to other objects. The Mock invention is also different from this invention in that it was to be driven or hammered into the wall, whereas this invention is to be pressed, like a pushpin, or screwed, or pressed and twisted into the material.  
         [0014]     Also relative to this invention is prior art U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,584 to Harrison (1992), that shows a multi-pointed nail driver system that includes the use of special two-pointed nails as part of a system “provided for joining materials, such as planks together.” This multi-pointed nail driver system by Harrison was designed for the nail class of fasteners, and was intended to be used “in the woodworking and construction industries, in carpeting or just for handymen” to join “two pieces of material, such as wood,” or “materials, such as planks together.” The driver for the Harrison multi-pointed nail driver system was to be struck with a hammer in order to drive the two-pointed nail into the intended material. The second material was then driven onto the fastener.  
         [0015]     This invention is different from the Harrison invention in that it is to be used in a different type of environment and for a different purpose. Handy Pins are suited primarily for joining small, lightweight materials commonly used for home, office or classroom type projects and displays. Also, Handy Pins are to be pressed into the material, like standard pushpins, or screwed, or pressed and twisted, rather than to be struck or hammered into the material as the Harrison invention requires. This invention is intended for, but not limited to, indoor uses in homes, places of business, offices, schools, libraries and other public, governmental or private institutions or facilities, whereas the Harrison invention was intended for use outdoors and “in the woodworking and construction industries.” 
         [0016]     Additionally, prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,078 Donovan (2000) introduces a wall-mounting hanger that does not utilize a double-pointed pin, but the Donovan invention does teach the use of small diameter pins as a method for attaching objects to vertical surfaces so as not to damage the surfaces.  
         [0017]     Finally, pending U.S. Patent Application by Signor (myself), filed on Mar. 14, 2007, introduces Picture Stabilizers. These are devices that resemble this invention in appearance, but that are different from this invention in function and purpose. Picture Stabilizers are to be used as a secondary fastener to keep anchored objects such as pictures stabilized so as not to need reorientation or realignment when the original alignment or orientation could be disturbed by vibrations or other disturbances. Handy Pins are different from the Picture Stabilizers in that Handy Pins are intended to be primary fasteners, whereas Picture Stabilizers are not, but are instead to be used “as a subordinate fastener for aesthetic purposes, transferring very insignificant lateral loads that are not even associated with the primary structural function of holding the picture or object on the wall so as not to fall down.” 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]     Handy Pins are devices used for attaching, connecting or joining lightweight, three-dimensional objects such as letters, numbers and symbols, party and holiday decorations, arts and crafts, teaching aids, informational aids, or other objects to surfaces such as gypsum wallboard walls, paneling or other wooden surfaces, corkboards, bulletin boards, foam boards, or to other soft surfaces or objects.  
         [0019]     This invention provides an easy and effective means to fasten penetrable, three-dimensional, lightweight objects to other penetrable objects or surfaces that does not result in unsightly nail heads or nail holes that must be touched up, and does not result in any of the other problems already described that can occur using glues and tapes.  
         [0020]     This invention also opens up a whole new frontier for more three-dimensional types of displays on bulletin boards in classrooms and offices. This invention is unique in that it can be used for fastening three-dimensional objects to other three-dimensional objects as well as be used for fastening three-dimensional objects onto the bulletin board surface, and this dual function creates new possibilities for three-dimensional displays on bulletin boards where the norm has been mainly two-dimensional in appearance.  
         [0021]     Fastening lightweight objects to other objects or surfaces has customarily been accomplished using brads, staples, glues, adhesive tapes, magnets, and hook-&amp;-loop type products. However, the thicker an object is, the more difficult it is to find an easy-to-use fastener that will dependably and discretely hold the object in place when certain conditions are encountered; conditions such as objects being handled by the fingers of curious individuals, changes in room temperature, vibrations, or strong breezes entering a room due to doors or windows being opened. Many adhesive tapes and other means typically used to hold three-dimensional lightweight objects to walls or bulletin boards in classrooms or offices tend to be effected by these conditions mentioned, resulting in the objects sometimes working loose, twisting out of alignment, or even falling down from where they were mounted. This invention offers strong mechanical connections to minimize the effects of such conditions.  
         [0022]     Thumbtacks, staples and straight pins are effective for fastening relatively thin objects such as construction paper and thin cardboards to flat, penetrable surfaces such as gypsum wallboard walls or bulletin boards, but said fasteners are not as effective for attaching the thicker, three-dimensional lightweight objects, especially when it is preferred that the fasteners not be noticeable to the observers.  
         [0023]     This invention is very effective and discrete for fastening the thicker, three-dimensional, lightweight objects to walls, bulletin boards, or to other pin-penetrable surfaces and objects. Handy Pins are very easy to use for this purpose, and unlike many types of glues, there is no mess and no wait time for them to bond or set, or to melt first before they will hold the materials together. With Handy Pins, the task is done quickly, with no mess to clean up.  
         [0024]     Handy Pins are very effective for attaching wooden balls together. Simply press the Handy Pin into one wooden ball, and then press the other wooden ball onto the protruding pin, thereby sandwiching the Handy Pin between the two balls and easily making the discrete connection. This invention is an excellent means for assembling chemical molecule models involving wooden or Styrofoam balls. Styrofoam balls have typically been connected using straight, smooth, wooden dowel pins, but with the hook style Handy Pins, the balls do not readily separate like they do when using straight, smooth, wooden rods to connect them.  
         [0025]     The use of Handy Pins does not generally require pre-drilling pilot holes in wooden objects because Handy Pins are small like thumbtacks. The exception is when fastening the screw-type Handy Pins into hardwoods, where the use of pilot holes is recommended. Otherwise, to attach a wooden or polystyrene foam type object to a bulletin board, simply press the Handy Pin into the object, and then press the object onto the bulletin board so that the protruding pin penetrates the surface. The object is easily moved to a different location if desired. The use of Handy Pins is discrete, since no unsightly holes or nail heads are left exposed for observers to notice.  
         [0026]     This invention requires no wait time like when using glues and glue guns. This invention is not inherently messy. It is fast and easy to use, and it can be used again and again.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
       [0027]      FIGS. 1-4  are perspective representations of the Type  1  Handy Pins.  
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is a perspective representation of the Type  2  Handy Pins, the asterisk adjacent to the number  4  indicating another possible option other than shown.  
         [0029]      FIG. 6  is a perspective representation of the Type  3  Handy Pins, the two asterisks adjacent to the number  4  indicating another possible option other than shown.  
         [0030]      FIGS. 7 and 8  are perspective view representations of an Optional Special Application Tool.  
         [0031]      FIGS. 9 and 10  are perspective view representations of an Optional Special Hex Bit Accessory.  
         [0032]      FIG. 11  is a side view representation showing an optional Handy Pin installation method. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0033]      FIGS. 1-6  have been enlarged for clarity. The approximate sizes are comparable to, and range in size from slightly larger than, to the same size as, or smaller than the size of typical thumbtacks; but the stems may be longer or shorter.  
         [0034]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a Type  1  Handy Pin, showing the flat head  1  not limited to round shape, the point of attachment and/or the pin-head joint  3 , and the pin stem with sharpened point  4 . This figure being further described in this section of the specification after the heading, “Three Types of Handy Pins.” 
         [0035]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a Type  1  Handy Pin, showing the flat head  1  not limited to round shape, the point of attachment and/or the pin-head joint  3 , the pin stem with sharpened tip  4 , and the longer pin stem with sharpened tip  5 . This figure being further described in this section of the specification after the heading, “Three Types of Handy Pins.” 
         [0036]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a Type  1  Handy Pin, showing the point of attachment and/or the pin-head joint  3 , the pin stem with sharpened tip  4 , and the back-to-back thumbtacks with flat heads attached  8 . This figure being further described in this section of the specification after the heading, “Three Types of Handy Pins.” 
         [0037]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a Type  1  Handy Pin, showing the flat head  1  not limited to round shape, the point of attachment and/or the pin-head joint  3 , and the optional ring shank (or spiral style, not shown) pin stem with sharpened point  10 . This figure being further described in this section of the specification after the heading, “Three Types of Handy Pins.” 
         [0038]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a Type  2  Handy Pin, showing the flat head not limited to round shape  1 , the hooked stem not limited to a specific angle  2 , the point of attachment and/or the pin-head joint  3 , the pin stem with sharpened point  4 , or the asterisk adjacent to the number  4  indicating another possible option other than shown, that option being an additional hooked stem as item  2 . This figure being further described in this section of the specification after the heading, “Three Types of Handy Pins.” 
         [0039]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a Type  3  Handy Pin, showing the point of attachment and/or the pin-head joint  3 , the pin stem with sharpened tip  4 , or the two asterisks adjacent to the number  4  indicating an optional threaded screw shank as item  7 . This figure being further described in this section of the specification after the heading, “Three Types of Handy Pins.” 
         [0040]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an Optional Special Application Tool, a Handy Pin Attachment Device with optional magnetized receiving holes not limited to sizes, showing the pin stem receiving hole  11 , and the optional magnetized receiving ring  17 .  
         [0041]      FIG. 8  is another perspective view of the  FIG. 7  Optional Special Application Tool, a Handy Pin Attachment Device with optional magnetized receiving holes not limited to sizes and showing the hexagonal head  13  for screwing Type  3  Handy Pins, the receiving hole  16  for receiving either the pin stem or the threaded screw shank for Type  3  Handy Pins,  FIG. 6 , and the optional magnetized receiving ring  17 .  
         [0042]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a Type  3  Handy Pin aligned to be fitted into an Optional Special Hex Bit Accessory for multi-bit screwdrivers and electric drill drivers, said Optional Special Hex Bit Accessory shown within a dashed circle for clarity and  FIG. 9  also showing the pin stem or optional threaded screw shank  12 , the Hexagonal head for screwing  13 , the threaded crew shank  14 , the Special Hex Bit Accessory  15 , and the receiving hole  16  for pin stem or threaded screw shanks of Type  3  Handy Pins,  FIG. 6 .  
         [0043]      FIG. 10  is another perspective view of a Special Hex Bit Accessory for multi-bit screwdrivers and electric drill drivers for use in attaching Type  3  Handy Pins, showing the Special Hex Bit Accessory for Type  3  Handy Pins  15 , and the receiving hole  16  for pin stem or threaded screw shanks of Type  3  Handy Pins,  FIG. 6 .  
         [0044]      FIG. 11  is a side view representation indicating an optional method of attachment for Handy Pins using pliers, and showing the Handy Pin held with pliers  19 , and a wooden ball aligned to receive the Handy Pin  18 .  
         [0045]     Three types of Handy Pins:  
         [0046]     Type  1 —The regular style Handy Pin is a double-pointed tack made of metal or other hard material suitable for the purpose of penetrating soft surfaces and objects, and consisting of two straight pins of the same length [ FIG. 1  ] or different lengths [ FIG. 2 ], being attached to opposite sides of a single head like a thumbtack, but generally flat; Said head being of variable thickness and diameter; Said pins being aligned within the same ray, extending from said head and pointing in opposite directions perpendicular to the face of the head; Said pin stems having a smooth or rough surface texture [FIGS.  1  - 4 ], and being attached at or near the center of each face of the head by adhesive, brazing, soldering, or any other effective means of attachment, or said pins and head together being manufactured by being molded, cast or otherwise composed as one solid device, or manufactured instead by attaching two flathead thumbtacks back to back so that the pins point in opposite directions [ FIG. 3 ], and said flatheads are joined or attached by being brazed, bonded with an adhesive, or by any other effective means of attachment; said thumbtacks being of suitable strength for the purpose herein described.  
         [0047]     Type  2 —The hooked style Handy Pin is a device designed with either a straight pin on one side, and a hooked pin on the other side [ FIG. 5 ], or a hooked pin on both sides; said hooked style Handy Pins being described the same as the Type  1  Handy Pins, but instead of having a pointed pin on each side of the head, said hooked style Handy Pins have a straight pin stem on one side of the head, and a hooked pin stem on the other side, or else a hooked pin stem on each side of the head so that the hooked stem(s) may be pressed and twisted into an object that is made of a material such as Styrofoam whereby the object cannot easily slip off of the pin stems.  
         [0048]     Type  3 —The screw style Handy Pin is a double pointed device designed with a pin and screw means of attachment, or a double screw means of attachment; Said screw style Handy Pin [ FIG. 6 ] being described the same as the Type  1  Handy Pin, but instead of having pointed pin stems on opposite sides of the head, said screw style Handy Pin has either a sharp pin stem on one side, and a threaded stem, similar to a wood screw with a sharpened point on the other side, or a threaded screw shaft with a point on each side of the head, with the head being thickened and shaped like a hexagon so that an optional Handy Pin Attachment Device [ FIG. 8 ] may be used to attach the screw style Handy Pin, or a Special Hex Bit Accessory [FIGS.  9  &amp;  10 ], designed to fit standard hand-driven multi-bit screwdrivers, or electric drills, may be used to attach the screw style Handy Pin into a screw-penetrable material; or said head having any other suitably shaped design that would enable the side with the screw to be screwed into a screw-penetrable surface or object by use of an optional special tool designed to fit any alternate, suitably shaped design.  
         [0049]     The method of operation of said Handy Pins is as follows:  
         [0050]     The Type  1 , regular style Handy Pin attachment is accomplished using a common pair of pliers [ FIG. 1   1 ], or the Optional Handy Pin Attachment Device (“Attachment Device”) [FIGS.  7  &amp;  8 ], or any other safe and effective means. Attachment of object “A” to object “B” or surface “B” is as follows: (1) placing a Handy Pin stem into the pin stem receiving hole of the Attachment Device, or griping one Handy Pin stem with pliers such that the Handy Pin head rests against the front edge of the pliers [ FIG. 11 ], or using any other safe and effective means to hold one end of the Handy Pin, press the opposite, protruding pin into object “A”, and afterward remove the Attachment Device, or let loose with the pliers or other means; (2) Next, taking hold of object “A” with the Handy Pin in it, safely press the protruding pin into the other object “B” or surface “B” by pressing object “A” such that the protruding pin points directly toward object “B” or surface “B,” and penetrates object “B” or surface “B.” The task is complete.  
         [0051]     The Type  2 , hook style Handy Pin [ FIG. 5 ] is especially useful for attaching Styrofoam objects together, including Styrofoam balls. Using fingers, a pair of pliers, or any other safe and effective means, simply press the Handy Pin into one of the two Styrofoam objects and twist it one-quarter turn; next, press the other Styrofoam object onto the protruding pin such that the Handy Pin is sandwiched between them. Finally, twist the Styrofoam objects approximately one-half turn in opposite directions making sure that the original ball is being twisted in the same initial direction in order for the Handy Pin hooks to catch hold.  
         [0052]     The Type  3 , screw type Handy Pins, or the double screw type Handy Pins [ FIG. 6 ] are useful for joining heavier wooden objects such as two wooden balls of 2½-inch diameters together, where a stronger connection is desired on one side or on both sides of the Handy Pins. Simply screw a screw side of the screw type Handy Pin into one of the wooden balls using the Special Hex Bit Attachment accessory [FIGS.  9  &amp;  10 ], the Optional Handy Pin Attachment Device [FIGS.  7  &amp;  8 ], or by using any other safe and effective means, then, press and screw the other wooden ball onto the protruding screw. However, pilot holes may need to be drilled first if the wooden balls are made of a hardwood such as oak or walnut in order to prevent the hardwood from splitting.