WO2011122952A1

WO2011122952A1 - Self-leveling suspension system for hanging an object

Info

Publication number: WO2011122952A1
Application number: PCT/NL2011/050223
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hendrikus Petrus Ekelenburg Van
Original assignee: VANE BEHEER BV
Current assignee: VANE BEHEER BV
Priority date: 2010-04-01
Filing date: 2011-04-01
Publication date: 2011-10-06
Anticipated expiration: 2012-10-01
Also published as: NL2004494C2

Abstract

The invention relates to a suspension system for optionally releasable hanging of an object, such as for instance a painting or a mirror, intended for mounting on a vertical surface such as for instance a wall or a door, comprising a wall part for mounting on the vertical surface and an object part to be attached to the object, wherein wall part and object part are adapted for co-action by means of sliding a foot in a holder provided with an enclosing edge such that, in the co-acting situation of the object part and the wall part, the object is rotatable in a plane substantially parallel to the vertical surface and the object hangs substantially freely of the vertical surface.

Description

SELF-LEVELING SUSPENSION SYSTEM FOR HANGING AN OBJECT

The invention relates to a suspension system for optionally releasable hanging of an object, such as for instance a painting, clock, photo frame, diploma or a mirror, intended for mounting on a vertical surface such as for instance a wall or a door, comprising a wall part for mounting on the vertical surface and an object part to be attached to the object, wherein wall part and object part are adapted for co- action by means of placing, such as sliding, of a foot in a holder provided with an enclosing edge such that, in the co-acting situation of the object part and the wall part, the object is rotatable in a plane substantially parallel to the vertical surface and the object hangs substantially freely of the vertical surface.

Such a suspension system is described in the international patent application WO01/34001. The known suspension system consists of a holder which is mounted on a wall and an object part attached to for instance a painting. The holder and the object part are provided with a co-acting profile, wherein the holder is provided with a semtcylindricai recess and the object part is provided with a semtcylindricai or fully cylindrical rim. When the object part is placed in the holder, the object part is clamped such that a movement of the object part in a direction at right angles to the vertical surface is not possible. When a painting is attached to a wall, the holder is mounted at the correct position on the vertical surface. The object part is then attached in the middle of the upper side of the painting. The painting is then hung on the vertical surface by placing the rim of the object part into the holder. Because the rim of the object part and the recess in the holder take a cylindrical form, the painting can be hung straight. Due to the clamping of the object part in the holder the painting hangs here parallel to and at a distance from the vertical surface.

The known system has the drawback that the suspension system is not self- leveling. This is the result of the fact that, in the co-acting situation of the object part and the holder, the recess and the rim undergo a great deal of friction.

In addition, a suspension system according to the preamble of claim 1 is described in US 5605313. This suspension system likewise has the drawback that in the situation of use the suspension system is not self-leveling because of the friction to which the object part is subjected when it is placed in the wall part.

The suspension system according to the invention has for its object to provide a suspension system of the type stated in the preamble which obviates the above stated drawbacks.

The suspension system according to the invention has for this purpose the feature that the shaft part is connected rotatably to the foot such that the mounting member is rotatable relative to the foot. The invention separates the supporting and rotation function of the suspension system. The suspension system according to the invention makes use here of the physical principle that the centre of gravity of the object automatically seeks the lowest point below the rotation point, and is brought under the suspension point solely under the influence of the force of gravity. The shaft part is mounted on the foot such that, in the assembled situation of the object part and the wall part, the shaft part and the holder can rotate substantially without friction relative to each other. Achieved in this way is that the desired horizontal reference line/sight line comes to lie substantially perpendicularly of the line formed by the suspension point and the centre of gravity.

Friction is further limited by mounting the shaft part on the foot such that, in the assembled situation of the object part and the wall part, the shaft part and the holder are non-contacting and can therefore rotate freely of each other.

This inventive concept has been developed in two practical embodiments. In a first practical preferred embodiment of the suspension system according to the invention the object part is provided with the shaft part, wherein a first outer end of the shaft part is connected to an object mounting member which is intended for attachment to the object, and a second outer end of the shaft part is connected to the foot and the wall part is provided with the holder and adapted to receive the foot.

In a second practical preferred embodiment of the suspension system according to the invention the wall part is provided with the shaft part, wherein a first outer end of the shaft part is connected to a wall mounting member which is intended for mounting on the vertical surface, and a second outer end of the shaft part is connected to a foot and the object part is provided with the holder and adapted to receive the foot.

The holder of the suspension system according to the invention is preferably tapering, so facilitating placing of the foot in the holder.

in the suspension system according to the invention the holder preferably comprises a guide channel for bringing the foot into position. The optionally releasable guide channel is arranged on one side of the holder and will, during use of the inventive suspension system, guide the shaft part, and thereby the foot, to their end position in the holder.

The foot and the holder of the suspension system according to the invention preferably have corresponding shapes. Placing of the object part in the holder is hereby further facilitated.

The invention is further described in the following figure description, in which Figure 1 shows a first preferred embodiment of the suspension system according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows a second preferred embodiment of the suspension system according to the invention;

Figure 3 shows a third preferred embodiment of the suspension system according to the invention;

Figure 4 shows an alternative preferred embodiment of the suspension system according to the invention;

and wherein the same reference numerals designate the same components.

Figure 1 shows a first preferred embodiment 1-1 of the suspension system according to the invention. The suspension system 1-1 is formed by wall part 1-2, which is embodied as a holder 1-4A, and object part 1-3. Wall part 1-2 and object part 1-3 are intended for co-action.

Wall part 1-2 is formed by a holder 1-4A and preferably takes a tapering form.

Wall part 1-2 is mounted to the vertical surface using known techniques, for instance by means of a screw connection.

Object part 1-3 is formed by foot 1-5A, object mounting member 1-10, transverse rod 1-7 and shaft part 1-6. Object part 1-3 is intended for attaching to an object (not shown) such as a painting, wherein object mounting member 1-10 is connected to the object using known techniques, such as a screw connection. Foot 1-5A is preferably embodied as a wheel and connected to a first outer end of shaft part 1-6. The second outer end of shaft part 1-6 is connected to transverse rod 1-7. Transverse rod 1-7 is connected to object mounting member 1-10. By way of illustration, the object mounting member 1-10 is intended to be connected to the object on the upper part of transverse rod 1-7, although this can of course also take place on the underside of transverse rod 1-7. Transverse rod 1-7 will in that case have to be rotated 180°. Shaft part 1-6 is preferably rotatable relative to foot 1-5A, although shaft part 1-6 can optionally be rotatable relative to transverse rod 1-7. Alternatively, mounting member 1-10 can be attached directly to shaft part 1-6. Known techniques such as ball bearings, slide bearings and the like are used for rotatable connection of the above stated components. A bearing having a minimum friction is preferably chosen.

Wall part 1-2 and object part 1-3 co-act through sliding or placing of foot 1-5A into holder 1-4A. Placing of foot 1-5A is further facilitated by the tapering form of holder 1-4A. Holder 1-4A is provided here with an enclosing edge 1-8 and has an internal space with a depth 1-9 of at least the thickness of foot 1-5A. This depth 1-9 is preferably such that, after placing of foot 1-5A into the holder, object part 1-3 has no or hardly any play in a direction perpendicularly of holder 1-4A. Thus realized is that the object hangs substantially freely of the vertical surface, whereby the self- leveling effect can occur. Object part 1-3 must be placed on the object such that the shaft part lies perpendicularly of the desired horizontal. In the case of for instance a painting the object part 1-3 will have to be placed on the upper part and the middle thereof. It is also possible for this purpose to provide object part 1-3 with means for the purpose of enabling displacement of object mounting member 1-10 relative to transverse rod 1-6 in a direction at a right angle thereto.

Figure 2 shows a second preferred embodiment of suspension system 1-1, wherein holder 1-4B and foot 1-5B have a corresponding shape.

Figure 3 shows a third preferred embodiment of suspension system 1-1, wherein holder 1-4C and foot 1-5C also have a corresponding shape and wherein holder 1-4C is tapering.

Figure 4 shows an alternative preferred embodiment of suspension system 2- 1 according to the invention. Suspension system 2-1 is formed by object part 2-2 and wall part 2-3. Object part 2-2 is embodied as holder 2-4 and is intended for attachment to the object (not shown). Holder 2-4 takes a tapering form for the same reason as described with reference to Figure 1. It is noted that holder 2-4 is mounted in reversed position relative to holder 1-4A of Figure 1. Wall part 2-3 is intended for mounting on the vertical surface (not shown). Wall part 2-3 is provided for this purpose with a wall mounting member formed by screw part 2-7 and wall plug 2-8. Wall part 2-3 is also provided with the foot 2-5, which is connected to shaft part 2-6. Foot 2-5 is preferably rotatable relative to shaft part 2-6, although shaft part 2-6 can optionally be rotatable relative to screw part 2-7. Holder 2-4 is pushed over foot 2-5 during placing of the object on the vertical surface.

Finally, the invention is expressly not limited to the described and shown preferred embodiments and all possible combinations thereof, but extends to any embodiment falling within the scope of protection as defined in the claims as seen in the light of the foregoing description and accompanying drawings. The kinematic reversal, in which the foot (1-5A, 1-5B, 1-5C, 2-5) is rotatable relative to the mounting member (1-10, (2-7, 2-8)), does of course also fall within the scope of protection.

Claims

1. Self-leveling suspension system (1-1, 2-1) for optionally releasable hanging of an object, such as for instance a painting or a mirror, intended for mounting on a vertical surface such as for instance a wall or a door, comprising a wall part (1-2, 2- 2) for mounting on the vertical surface and an object part (1-3, 2-3) to be attached to the object, wherein wall part (1-2, 2-2) and object part (1-3, 2-3) are adapted for co-action by means of sliding a foot (1-5A, 1-5B, 1-5C, 2-5) in a holder (1-4A, 1-4B, 1-4C, 2-5) provided with an enclosing edge (1-8), wherein in the co-acting situation of the object part (1-3, 2-3) and the wall part (1-2, 2-2) the object is rotatable in a plane substantiaily parallel to the vertical surface and the object hangs substantially freely of the vertical surface, the object part (1-3, 2-3) or the wall part (1-2, 2-2) is provided with the foot (1-5A, 1-5B, 1-5C, 2-5) which can rotate relative to a mounting member (1-10, (2-7, 2-8)) intended for attachment to respectively the object and the vertical surface, and the suspension system (1-1 , 2-1) is also provided with a shaft part (1-6, 2-6) which is received in the wall part (1-2, 2-2) or the object part (1-3, 2-3), characterized in that the shaft part (1-6, 2-6) is connected rotatably to the foot (1-5A, 1-5B, 1-5C, 2-5) such that the mounting member (1-10, (2-7, 2-8)) is rotatable relative to the foot (1-5A, 1-5B, 1-5C, 2-5).

2. Suspension system (1-1 , 2-1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the assembled situation of the object part (1-3, 2-3) and the wall part (1-2, 2-2) the shaft part (1-6, 2-6) and the holder (1-4A, 1-4B, 1-4C, 2-5) are non-contacting.

3. Suspension system (1-1) as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the object part (1-3, 2-3) is provided with the shaft part (1-6), wherein a first outer end of the shaft part (1-6) is connected to an object mounting member (1-10) which is intended for attachment to the object, and a second outer end of the shaft part (1-6) is connected to the foot (1-5A, 1-5B, 1-5C) and the wall part (1-2) is provided with the holder (1-4A, 1-4B, 1-4C) adapted to receive the foot (1-5A, 1-5B, 1-5C).

4. Suspension system (2-1) as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the wall part (2- 2) is provided with the shaft part (2-6), wherein a first outer end of the shaft part (2- 6) is connected to a wall mounting member (2-7, 2-8) which is intended for mounting on the vertical surface, and a second outer end of the shaft part (2-6) is connected to the foot (2-5) and the object part (2-3) is provided with the holder (2-5) adapted to receive the foot (2-5).

5. Suspension system (1-1 , 2-1) as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the holder (1-4A, 1-4B, 1-4C, 2-5) is tapering.

6. Suspension system (1-1 , 2-1) as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the holder (1-4A, 1-4B, 1-4C, 2-5) comprises a guide channel for bringing the foot (1-5A, 1-5B, 1-5C, 2-5) into position.

7. Suspension system (1-1, 2-1) as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the foot (1-5A, 1-5B, 1-5C, 2-5) and the holder (1-4A, 1-4B, 1-4C, 2-5) have corresponding shapes.