Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/122,923, filed Jul. 27, 1998. U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,435. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a mounting channel member and a mounting channel member assembly and to an anchor fastener therefor. 
     By way of background, there are numerous structures for mounting members onto a wall or ceiling. However, insofar as known, there are no mounting channel members which have a plurality of substantially parallel spaced channels which receive fasteners, nor are there mounting channel member assemblies wherein a plurality of mounting channel members are placed in side-by-side relationship and secured to a wall or ceiling, nor are there specialized types of anchor fasteners which can be inserted directly in it to a channel and thereafter expanded to fit the channel and removed for reuse as desired. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is one object of the present invention to provide a mounting channel member having a plurality of substantially parallel channels therein which are capable of receiving anchor fasteners. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a mounting channel member assembly wherein a plurality of mounting channel members each having a plurality of substantially parallel channels therein are mounted in side-by-side relationship on a supporting wall or ceiling. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved anchor fastener which can be inserted directly into a channel and thereafter expanded to retain an external body in mounted relationship on a mounting channel member and which can be removed and reused. Other objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will readily be perceived hereafter. 
     The present invention relates to a mounting channel member comprising a body having an outer surface and a pair of side edges and a pair of ends, and a plurality of undercut channels extending away from said outer surface. 
     The present invention also relates to a mounting channel member assembly comprising a plurality of mounting channel members each having an outer surface and a pair of side edges and first and second ends, a plurality of undercut channels extending away from each of said outer surfaces, and said plurality of mounting channel members being oriented with said side edges in side-by-side adjacent relationship. 
     The present invention also relates to an anchor fastener comprising a body having an upper body portion and a lower body portion secured to said upper body portion, a bore in said upper body portion, said lower body portion comprising first and second legs with a space therebetween, and said bore being aligned with said space. 
     The present invention also relates to a mounting channel member and anchor fastener combination, said mounting channel member comprising an outer surface, a channel extending away from said outer surface and having a first pair of substantially parallel sides merging into a pair of diverging sides, and said anchor fastener comprising a body portion having a second pair of substantially parallel sides which fit between said first pair of substantially parallel sides, and a pair of spaced legs having outer surfaces, a bore in said body portion, and a screw which is held in said bore and extends into said space between said legs to force said outer surfaces of said legs into engagement with said diverging sides. 
     The various aspects of the present invention will be more fully understood when the following portions of the specification are read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a mounting channel member of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a portion of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an end elevational view taken substantially in the direction of arrows  3 — 3  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of a mounting channel member assembly comprising a plurality of mounting channel members oriented with their side edges in adjacent relationship and mounted on a wall; 
     FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective view showing the Z-bracket and adjacent mounting channel members of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the channel configuration of the mounting channel member; 
     FIG. 7 is an end elevational view of an anchor fastener; 
     FIG. 8 is a plan view of the anchor fastener taken substantially in the direction of arrows  8 — 8  of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of the anchor fastener taken substantially along line  9 — 9  of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the anchor fastener taken substantially in the direction of arrows  10 — 10  of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 11 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the channel of the mounting channel member with an anchor fastener therein before the anchor fastener member has been expanded into locking engagement with the channel; 
     FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view of a channel with an anchor fastener therein which has been expanded into locking engagement with the channel by a screw which attaches a bracket to the mounting channel member; 
     FIG. 13 is a fragmentary view taken substantially in the direction of arrows  13 — 13  of FIG. 12; and 
     FIG. 14 is a fragmentary plan view of adjacent mounting channel members showing the distances between the centerlines of the various channels of each mounting channel member and between adjacent mounting channel members. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Summarizing briefly in advance, the present invention relates to (1) a mounting channel member  10  and (2) a mounting channel member assembly  11  consisting of a plurality of mounting channel members  10  placed side-by-side and mounted on a supporting surface, and (3) an anchor fastener  12  for fastening foreign objects to a mounting channel member  10 . 
     The mounting channel member  10  is an extruded aluminum member which is fabricated in ten-foot lengths, and it can be used in the ten-foot lengths or can be cut to shorter lengths. Each mounting channel member  10  includes an outer surface  13  having a pair of side edges  14  and a pair of ends  15 . A plurality of undercut channels  17  extend away from the outer surface  13 . Each undercut channel  17  (FIG. 6) includes a pair of spaced parallel sides  19  which merge into diverging sides  20 . The channels also have a bottom wall  21 , the outer sides  22  of which all lie in the same plane. Each channel  17  is symmetrical about centerline  23 . There are beveled junctions  24  between spaced sides  19  and outer surface  13 . In an actual model, the dimension D (FIG. 6) is 0.891 inches, and FIG. 6 is drawn to scale and the angular relationship of the above-enumerated parts are accurately represented. The mounting channel member  10  is approximately 8⅝ inches across outer sides  14 . As can be seen from FIG. 1, there are three pairs of channels  17  in each mounting channel member. In an actual device, as shown in FIG. 14, the centerlines between the channels  17  of a pair of close channels  17  are one inch apart, and the distance between the closest channels  17  of adjacent pairs of channels is 1.875 inches. The centerlines of the uppermost and lowermost channels  17  of each channel member  10  are 0.9375 inches from sides  14  (FIG.  14 ). The foregoing spacing provides different distances among the six channels  17  of each channel member  10  for receiving fasteners for attaching objects to each channel member  10 . 
     One possible configuration of a channel member assembly  11  (FIG. 4) consists of four channel members  10  of any desired length, for example, 2½ feet, placed with their sides  14  adjacent to each other and mounted on a wall  26  by a pair of Z-brackets  25  (FIGS.  4  and  5 ). As noted from the above dimensions shown in FIG. 14, when the mounting channel members  10  are placed with sides  14  adjacent each other, the distance between the centerlines of the closest channels  17  on the opposite sides of sides  14  is 1.875 inches which is the same as the distance 1.875 inches between the centerlines of the closest channels  17  of adjacent pairs of channels. Thus, in an assembly  11  there is a uniform pattern of all of the channels  17 , that is, there is a spacing of one inch between two channels of a pair, and there is a spacing of 1.875 inches between all of the pairs of channels  17  of assembly  11 . 
     Each Z-bracket has a leg  27  fastened to wall  24  by screws  29  and a leg  30  which is connected to leg  25  by web  31 . Each leg  30  bears on the outer surfaces  13  of mounting channel members  10 . Additionally, each mounting channel member  10  is fastened to each leg  30  by a plurality of anchor fasteners  12  which function in a manner which is described in detail hereafter. 
     The anchor fastener  12  (FIGS. 8-12) which is utilized to fasten a foreign object  31  (FIG. 12) to a mounting channel member  10  consists of an upper body portion  32  and a lower body portion  33  having spaced legs  34 . The upper body portion  32  includes a pair of triangular flanges  35  which fit in complementary mating relationship to beveled surfaces  24  (FIGS. 11 and 12) when the anchor fastener  12  is in a fully installed position in a channel  17 . 
     The outer sides  37  of each fastener  12  (FIG. 7) are spaced from each other slightly less than the distance between the sides  19  (FIG. 6) of the channel  17  so that the anchor fastener  12  can be inserted into a channel  17  at any part of the channel by merely inserting it perpendicularly to the outer surface  13 . In an actual device, sides  37  were spaced 0.274 inches apart and sides  19  of the channel were spaced 0.281 inches apart. The anchor fastener, as shown in FIGS. 7-10, is drawn to scale. 
     The upper body portion  32  includes a bore  40  for receiving a screw  41 . The diameter of bore  40  is equal to the outer diameter of screw  41 . A plurality of ribs or strips  42  extend inwardly into bore  40 . The inner edges of ribs  42  lie on a diameter which is equal to the root diameter of screw  41 . Thus when screw  41  is threaded into bore  40 , it taps through ribs  42  without threading into the sides of bore  40 . The ribs provide the easy gripping surfaces when screw  41  is threaded into bore  40 . The spacing  46  between legs  34  is less than the root diameter of screw  41 , and it is this dimensioning which forces the legs  34  apart when screw  41  is in the position of FIG.  12 . 
     After the anchor fastener has been inserted into a channel  17  to the position shown in FIG. 11, as screw  41  is threaded through bore  40  to the position of FIG. 12, it will force legs  34  apart so that they will move from their parallel position of FIG. 11 to the expanded position of FIG.  12  and thus force the outer sides of legs  34  into engagement with the diverging sides  20  of channel  17 . As can be seen from a comparison of FIGS. 11 and 12 and as noted above, the space  46  between legs  34  is smaller than the diameter of screw  41 , and it is this relationship which forces legs  34  to the position of FIG. 12 when screw  41  is in its final position. 
     The anchor fastener  12  is fabricated from high impact nylon with approximately 33% of glass fibers. The nylon is known under the trade name CELANESE 7523 and it is a product of the Ticona Company. The 33% glass fibers are approximately 0.0007 inches in diameter and are chopped into approximately 0.125 inch lengths and are distributed in a random manner within the body of the anchor fastener  12 . The foregoing composition of the anchor fastener serves a plurality of purposes. In this respect, the nylon will not extrude when it is forced into the position of FIG. 12 by screw  41 . In addition, the memory of the anchor fastener is such that when screw  41  is removed, the legs  34  will return substantially to the position shown in FIG. 11, to thereby permit the anchor fastener  12  to be withdrawn directly outwardly from channel  17  for reuse. 
     As can be seen from FIGS. 12 and 13, the screws  41  are utilized to secure a foreign body  31  to surface  13  of channel member  10 . The screws pass through base  43  of foreign body  41  and the heads  44  of screws  41  are received in countersunk holes  45  of body  31 . While FIG. 13 shows both fasteners  12  in a single channel  17 , it will be appreciated that the base  43  can be oriented crosswise of channels  17  so that the fasteners  12  may be located in a plurality of channels, depending on the spacing between the holes in base  43 . In this respect, considering the above spacing among the plurality of channels  17 , by properly spacing the holes  45  in a base  43 , the base  43  can be mounted perpendicularly to the channels  17  or at 45 degrees relative to channels  17 , either in a single mounting channel member  10  or across adjacent mounting channel members  10 , as oriented in FIG.  4 . In the latter respect, a base  43  can bridge the 1.875 inch space across the edges  14  of adjacent channels in the same manner as it can bridge the 1.875 inch space between adjacent channels  17  within a single mounting channel member  10 . 
     While FIGS. 1-4 have shown the mounting channel members  10  oriented with the channels  17  oriented horizontally on a wall, it will be appreciated that the channels may be oriented vertically or at any desired angle. Also, while the mounting channel members  10  have been shown in FIG. 4 as being mounted on a wall, it will be appreciated that they can also be mounted on a ceiling, and further, the channel members  10  are sufficiently rigid so that they can be the walls by merely fastening them to studs by suitable screws which pass through bottom walls  21  of channels  17 , or by the use of suitable adhesive. 
     It will be appreciated that the above-discussed dimensions are by way of example and not of limitation, and other dimensions can be used within the scope of the present invention. 
     While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed, it will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited thereto, but can be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

Technology Category: 2