U.S. patent application number 09/939016 was filed with the patent office on 2002-01-03 for clamp assembly for attaching panels to substrate.
Invention is credited to McGrath, Ralph D., O'Brien-Bernini, Frank C..
Application Number | 20020000072 09/939016 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22778249 |
Filed Date | 2002-01-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020000072 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
McGrath, Ralph D. ; et
al. |
January 3, 2002 |
Clamp assembly for attaching panels to substrate
Abstract
A quick and easy technology for attaching, and facilitating
reconfiguration (detachment and reattachment) of, panels to walls
that uses a clamp assembly including a base, a receptacle attached
to the base and a clasp that fits into and attaches to the
receptacle. The clasp has resilient arms and a head. Insertion of
the resilient arms of the clasp into the receptacle draws the head
towards the base, which produces a clamping action. Alternatively,
the clamp assembly includes a channel having sidewalls attached to
a base and at least one fastener having a blade-like shank and a
head. The sidewalls converge so as to be more closely spaced
together at the opening of the channel than at its base. The at
least one fastener appears. T-shaped in cross section, and is sized
so that insertion of the blade-like shank into the channel widens
the opening. Alternatively, the clamp assembly includes a first
clamping piece and a second clamping piece configured to
cooperatively engage each other. The first and second clamping
pieces include the members of a reclosable fastener pair, such as
hook and loop connector pair or strips of mushroom-shaped
stems.
Inventors: |
McGrath, Ralph D.;
(Granville, OH) ; O'Brien-Bernini, Frank C.;
(Granville, OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OWENS CORNING
2790 COLUMBUS ROAD
GRANVILLE
OH
43023
US
|
Family ID: |
22778249 |
Appl. No.: |
09/939016 |
Filed: |
August 24, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09939016 |
Aug 24, 2001 |
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09676257 |
Sep 29, 2000 |
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09676257 |
Sep 29, 2000 |
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09209307 |
Dec 11, 1998 |
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6199328 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/466 ; 52/208;
52/396.04; 52/465 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10S 52/13 20130101;
F16B 5/0642 20130101; E04F 13/0812 20130101; F16B 5/0664 20130101;
F16B 5/0657 20130101; E04F 19/066 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/466 ; 52/465;
52/396.04; 52/208 |
International
Class: |
E04B 001/68 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A clamp assembly comprising: a channel having sidewalls attached
to a base, said sidewalls converging so as to be more closely
spaced together at the opening to said channel than at said base;
and at least one fastener having a blade-like shank and a head so
as to appear T-shaped in cross section, said at least one fastener
being sized such that insertion of said blade-like shank into said
channel widens said opening.
2. The clamp assembly of claim 1, wherein said channel has a much
greater length than said at least one fastener.
3. The clamp assembly of claim 1, wherein said blade-like shank has
a non-smooth surface.
4. The clamp assembly of clam 3, wherein said non-smooth surface is
ringed.
5. The clamp assembly of claim 1, wherein said channel is
trapezoidal in cross-section.
6. The clamp assembly of claim 1, wherein said sidewalls are
curved.
7. The clamp assembly of claim 1, wherein said base of said channel
is plano-convex in cross-section, said sidewalls attaching to the
convex surface of said base.
8. The clamp assembly of claim 1, wherein said head of said
fastener is plano-convex in cross-section, said blade-like shank
attaching to the planar surface.
9. The clamp assembly of claim 1, wherein said fastener further
includes a finger-grip flange attached to an opposite side of said
head relative to said blade-like shank.
10. A clamp assembly comprising: a base; a receptacle attached to
said base; and a clasp having resilient arms and a head such that
insertion of said resilient arms of said clasp into said receptacle
draws said head toward said base in a clamping action.
11. The clamp assembly of claim 10, wherein said receptacle is a
flat tube that is rectangular in cross section.
12. The clamp assembly of claim ;11, wherein said receptacle has
narrow sides and wide sides, each of said narrow sides having a
slot therein, said resilient arms each having a raised locking tab
cooperatively configured to fit into said slots in said narrow
sidewalls, respectively.
13. The clamp assembly of claim 12, wherein a leading end of each
of said raised locking tabs is beveled to promote deflection of
said resilient arms upon said insertion of said clasp into said
receptacle.
14. The clamp assembly of claim 13, wherein a trailing end of each
of said raised locking tabs is beveled to promote deflection of
said resilient arms upon withdrawal of said clasp from said
insertion of said clasp into said receptacle.
15. The clamp assembly of claim 10, wherein said base and said head
are each characterized by a line of symmetry, said resilient arms
and said receptacle being positioned to a same side of said lines
of symmetry, respectively.
16. The clamp assembly of claim 15, wherein an upper surface of
said head is notched along said line of symmetry to promote
detachment of a portion of said head opposite to a portion of said
head to which said resilient arms are attached.
17. The clamp assembly of claim 16, wherein said base has at least
two holes for attachment to a substrate.
18. The clamp assembly of claim 17, wherein said at least two holes
are located on opposite side of said line of symmetry.
19. The clamp assembly of claim 16, wherein said head includes a
finger grip flange on the same side of said line of symmetry as
said resilient arms.
20. The clamp assembly of claim 16, wherein said head has a movable
arm on the same side of said line of symmetry as said resilient
arms, said movable arm being movable through said head between a
first position for storing said arm and a second position for
making said movable arm available as a finger grip.
21. The clamp assembly of claim 20, wherein said first position
disposes said movable arm to extend from said head toward distal
ends of said resilient arms and said second position disposes said
movable arm to extend from said head in a direction opposite to
which said resilient arms extend.
22. The clamp assembly of claim 20, wherein said movable arm
maintains said first position via a first detent arrangement with
said head and said movable arm maintains said second position via a
second detent arrangement with said head.
23. The clamp assembly of claim 10, wherein said head of said clasp
is plano-convex in cross-section.
24. The claim assembly of claim 10, wherein each of said first
clamping and said second clamping piece are integrally formed.
25. A clamp assembly comprising: a first clamping piece; and a
second clamping piece configured to cooperatively engage said first
clamping piece; said first clamping piece including a base plate, a
first shank attached to extend perpendicularly to said base plate,
and a first member, of a reclosable fastener pair, attached to said
first shank at an end distal to said base plate; said second
clamping piece including a head plate, a second shank attached to
extend perpendicularly to said head plate, and a second member, of
said reclosable fastener pair, attached to said second shank at an
end distal to said head plate; wherein said base plate and said
head plate are parallel when said first member and second member
are connected.
26. The clamp assembly of claim 25, wherein each of said first
member and said second member is a strip of mushroom-shaped
stems.
27. The clamp assembly of claim 26, wherein said reclosable
fastener pair is a hook and loop fastener pair.
28. The claim assembly of claim 25, wherein each of said first
clamping piece and said second clamping piece are integrally
formed.
29. The clamp assembly of claim 25, wherein said first clamping
piece and said second clamping piece are each characterized by a
line of symmetry, said first shank and said second shank being
positioned to a same side of said lines of symmetry,
respectively.
30. The clamp assembly of claim 29, wherein an upper surface of
said head plate is notched along said line of symmetry to promote
detachment of a portion of said head opposite to a portion of said
head to which said second shank is attached.
31. The clamp assembly of claim 29, wherein said base has at least
two holes for attachment to a substrate.
32. The clamp assembly of claim 31, wherein said at least two holes
are located on opposite sides of said line of symmetry.
33. The clamp assembly of claim 30, wherein said head includes a
finger grip flange on the same side of said line of symmetry as
said second shank.
34. The clamp assembly of claim 30, wherein said first clamping
piece has a movable arm on the same side of said line of symmetry
as said second shank, said movable arm being movable through said
head plate between a first position for storing said arm and a
second position for making said movable arm available as a finger
grip.
35. The clamp assembly of claim 34, wherein said first position
disposes said movable; arm to extend from said head plate toward a
distal end of said second shank and said second position disposes
said movable arm to extend from said head plate in a direction
opposite to which said second shank extends.
36. The clamp assembly of claim 34, wherein said movable arm
maintains said first position via a first detent arrangement with
said head plate and said movable arm maintains said second position
via a second detent arrangement with said head plate.
37. The clamp assembly of claim 25, wherein said head plate is
plano-convex in cross-section.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention is directed toward a clamping assembly, and
more particularly toward a clamping assembly for attaching panels
to a substrate such as a wall.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] For some rooms in a building, it is desirable to control
sound transmission. Such rooms include home theaters, recording
studios and offices in which confidential conversations take place.
In such an office, the control of sound transmission takes the form
of sound proofing to prevent the escape of intelligible
conversation from the room. This is true to a lesser extent with
the home theater or recording studio, where the emphasis is on
controlling the sonic quality inside the room.
[0003] An approach to control sound transmission is to attach
acoustically significant panels, be they absorbers or diffusers, to
the room's surfaces. Examples of such acoustically significant
panels are disclosed in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No.
08/871,021, filed Jun. 6, 1997, on behalf of McGrath et al. and
entitled "Acoustical Room Paneling and Method of Installation," the
entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
[0004] To initially tune a home theater or a recording studio, the
walls and/or ceiling must, at first, be covered by the panels.
Then, it is usually necessary to change at least a few panels from
being acoustical absorbers to acoustical dispersers/diffusers
and/or vice-versa. This requires removing the fasteners from the
first panel and reinstalling them through either the first panel
after it has been reversed or an entirely different second
panel.
[0005] Typically, the panels are attached using conventional
fasteners, e.g., drywall screws in rooms having walls formed of
drywall attached to studs. Drilling pilot holes in the panels for
such screws or screwing through the panels causes minor damage to
the panels. Screwing, unscrewing and rescrewing panels is time
consuming and protracts the process of tuning a room.
[0006] Nor is this the last time that such an attaching/detaching
process is likely to be required. If someone changes the furniture
and/or window treatments in the home theatre, the room should be
retuned. Such redecoration is likely to occur a only few times, at
most. In a recording studio, however, the need for retuning can
arise daily, and possibly more frequently. For example, if a
recording studio is tuned for vocal sessions on Monday, then it
should be retuned for string sessions on Tuesday, retuned for
percussion sessions on Wednesday, etc.
[0007] Not all recording studios are permanently constructed.
Temporary recording studios are becoming more prevalent. A musical
group might wish to record in an ancient castle or at a remote
location because of the location's ambience. A temporary recording
studio can significantly improve the quality of the recording.
Important to the success of a temporary recording studio is its
ease of assembly/disassembly. The need for easy
attachment/detachment of panels, as discussed above, contributes
greatly to the ease of the temporary recording studio's
assembly/disassembly. Moreover, a temporary recording studio, once
assembled, is as likely to be reconfigured to accommodate different
recording sessions as a permanently constructed recording
studio.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The invention, among other things, represents a recognition
that a better technology for attaching/detaching panels to
substrates (such as walls) is needed.
[0009] The invention, among other things, represents a recognition
that quick and easy reconfiguration of panels on walls can be
provided by a clamp assembly for attaching the panels to the
walls.
[0010] The first and second embodiments of the invention, among
other things, provide a clamp assembly including a base, a
receptacle attached to the base and a clasp that fits into and
attaches to the receptacle. The clasp has resilient arms and a
head. Insertion of the resilient arms of the clasp into the
receptacle draws the head towards the base, which produces a
clamping action.
[0011] A third embodiment of the invention, among other things,
provides a channel having sidewalls attached to a base and at least
one fastener having a blade-like shank and a head. The sidewalls
converge so as to be more closely spaced together at the opening to
of the channel than at its base. The at least one fastener appears
T-shaped in cross section, and is sized such that insertion of the
blade-like shank into the channel widens the opening.
[0012] The fourth and fifth embodiments of the invention, among
other things, provide a clamp assembly comprising a first clamping
piece and a second clamping piece configured to cooperatively
engage each other. The first clamping piece has a base plate, a
first shank attached to extend perpendicularly to the base plate
and a first member (of a reclosable fastener pair) attached to the
first shank at an end distal to the base plate. The second clamping
piece has a head plate, a second shank attached to extend
perpendicularly to said head plate and a second member (of the
reclosable fastener pair) attached to the second shank at an end
distal to the head plate. The base plate and the head plate are
parallel when the first member and second member are connected.
[0013] In the fourth embodiment, each of the first member and
second member is a strip of mushroom-shaped stems. In the fifth
embodiment, the reclosable fastener pair is a hook and loop
fastener pair.
[0014] The foregoing and other objectives of the present invention
will become more apparent from the detailed description given
hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed
description and specific examples, while indicating preferred
embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration
only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and
scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the
art from this detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The present invention will become more fully understood from
the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying
drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus do
not limit of the present invention and wherein:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a three-quarter perspective view of a first
embodiment of a clamp assembly according to the invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a top view of the receptacle and base according to
the first embodiment;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a top view of the clasp according to the first
embodiment;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a plan view of a plurality of panels attached to
the wall using the clamp assembly according to the first
embodiment;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment,
wherein the pull pin is retracted;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the clasp
according to the second embodiment, wherein the pull pin is
extended;
[0022] FIG. 7 is a top view of the clasp according to the second
embodiment;
[0023] FIG. 8 is a three-quarter perspective view of a third
embodiment of a clamp assembly according to the invention;
[0024] FIG. 9 is a plan view of the channels, according to the
third embodiment, attached to a wall;
[0025] FIG. 10 is a three-quarter perspective view of a plurality
of panels attached to the wall using the clamp assembly according
to the third embodiment; 5.
[0026] FIG. 11 is a plan view of a plurality of a first type of
panels for use with the first and second embodiments;
[0027] FIG. 12 is a plan view of a plurality of a second type of
panels for use with the first and second embodiments;
[0028] FIG. 13 is cross-sectional of channel having an alternative
arrangement of the sidewalls;
[0029] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional of channel having another
alternative arrangement of the sidewalls;
[0030] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of a fourth embodiment,
wherein the pull pin is retracted;
[0031] FIG. 16 is a top view of the fourth embodiment, as well as a
fifth embodiment;
[0032] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the fifth embodiment,
wherein the pull pin is retracted; and
[0033] FIG. 18 is partial plan view of a panel attached to the wall
via a fastener according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0034] FIG. 1 is a three-quarter perspective view of a first
embodiment of a clamp assembly 100 according to the invention,
which includes a lower clamp structure 104 (represented by a base
110 and a receptacle 112) and a clasp 102 that interlock.
[0035] The clasp 102 has resilient arms 106 and a head 108. In
cross-section, the head 108 is preferably plano-convex. The
resilient arms 106 attach to the planar side of the head 108. The
head 108 preferably (but not necessarily) has a finger grip 120 in
the form of a ridge. The cross-section of the ridge is a compromise
between finger-tip-grippablility and smoothness of the upper
surface of the head 108.
[0036] The technology of the interlock between the receptacle 112
and the resilient arms 106 is generally known, for example as
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,464 to Tracy et al., patented Apr.
24, 1979, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by
reference. The resilient arms 106 have a raised locking tab 114. A
leading edge 116 of the tab 114 is beveled to promote deflection of
the arm 106 toward the other arm 106 upon (and in furtherance of)
insertion of the clasp 102 into the receptacle 112. A trailing edge
118 of the tab 114 is beveled to promote deflection of the arm 106
toward the other arm 106 upon (and in furtherance of) withdrawal of
the clasp 102 from the receptacle 112.
[0037] The receptacle 112 has narrow sides 122 and wide sides 124.
In each narrow side 122 is a slot 126. The locking tab 114 fits
into the slot 126 upon full insertion of the clasp 102 into the
receptacle 112.
[0038] The head 108 of the clasp 102 and the base 110 are
preferably circular, as emphasized in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively.
FIG. 2 is a top view of the base 110 and FIG. 3 is a top view of
the head 108. Holes 202 are formed to facilitate attaching the base
110 to a substrate 510 (such as a wall) with typical fasteners,
such as drywall screws or nails. FIG. 2 depicts two holes 202, with
one hole on each side of the notch 206. The number and location of
holes will depend on the application to which the clamp system 100
is put. Alternatively, the base 110 could be attached to the wall
with an adhesive, or a type of reclosable fastener technology such
as that discussed in more detail below.
[0039] Where four panels meet, space must be made for the arms 106
and receptacle 112. This is accomplished by removing a triangular
or cone shaped portion of the corner of each of panels 404. Four
such triangles or cones define a square or circle of sufficient
area to accommodate the arms 106 and the receptacle 112. FIG. 3
depicts cone-shaped corner portions of the panels 404 as having
been removed. FIG. 2 depicts a similar implementation of the
panels, albeit in dashed lines because the panels overlay the base
110. The area of the head 108 must be large enough to provide
sufficient overlap of the arc-shaped corners 306 so that adequate
clamping force is applied to the panels 404.
[0040] FIG. 11 is a plan view of a plurality of panels 1102 which
have had cone-shaped corner portions 1104 removed. FIG. 12 is a
plan view of a plurality of panels 1202 which have had triangular
corner portions 1204 removed.
[0041] Preferably, but not necessarily, the base 110 and the head
108 have a notch 206 and 302, respectively, that defines an axis of
symmetry. The receptacle 112 is positioned entirely on one side of
the axis of symmetry 206. Similarly, if the optional finger grip
120 is present, it is positioned entirely on one side of the axis
of symmetry 302. The notches 206 and 302 promote the bending and
snapping-off of the unused portions 208 and 304 of the base 110 and
the head 108 along the axes of symmetry, respectively. This reduces
the capacity of the clamp assembly from four to two panels, as will
be discussed in regard to FIG. 4.
[0042] FIG. 4 is a plan view of a paneled wall 402 formed of a
plurality of panels 404 attached to a bare wall (not depicted in
FIG. 4 because obscured by the panels 404 and the heads 102 and
406) using the clamp assembly 100. The full heads 108 are depicted
where the corners of four panels 404 are adjacent. A half head 406,
formed by snapping off the unused portion 208 of the full head 108,
is depicted where only two panels are adjacent. If it were not
possible to form a half-head 208 (and associated half-lower-clamp
structure 104 (not depicted)), then a full head 108 (and associated
lower clamp structure 104) would overhang the edge regions, as
denoted by the dashed half circle 408 of FIG. 4.
[0043] The clamp assembly 100 is preferably formed of a material
that is rigid and that can be injection molded (so that the two
pieces of the clamp assembly can be integrally formed). Such a
material, e.g., is plastic such as nylon or delrin. If the panel
presents an absorptive surface to the room, then a clamp assembly
made of nylon or delrin will present a small area of diffusion.
However, the area of the head 108 of the clasp 102 is typically a
few square inches while the area of a typical 2 ft.times.4 ft
acoustically-significant panel is 1152 square inches, i.e., a
difference of three orders of magnitude. As such, the diffusion
caused by the head 108 is considered negligible.
[0044] FIG. 5 is a side view of a second embodiment. The second
embodiment differs from first embodiment by using a pull pin (or
movable arm) 504 rather than a finger grip 120. For the clasp 502,
the pull pin 504 is located entirely on one side of the axis of
symmetry and is movable through the head 108 between a first
position and a second position. The first position is the fully
retracted position wherein the pull pin 504 extends from the head
108 towards the distal ends of the resilient arms 106. In FIG. 5, a
first end 506 and a corresponding recess in the convex surface of
the head 108 cooperate in a first detent arrangement to hold the
pull pin 504 in the first position.
[0045] The second position is the fully extended position wherein
the pull pin extends from the head 108 in a direction opposite to
the direction that the resilient arms 106 extend. In the first or
fully retracted position, a second end 508 of the pull pin
preferably hangs down inside the receptacle 112. In the second or
fully extended position, the second end 508 of the pull pin 504 and
a second recess cooperate in a second detent arrangement to hold
the pull pin 504 in the second position. A user can move the pull
pin 504 from the first position to the second position by prying
the first end 506 out of the recess in the convex surface of the
head 108.
[0046] FIG. 6 is a partial side view of the clasp 502 according to
the second embodiment, wherein the pull pin 504 is in the second or
extended position. A user can move the pull pin 504 from the second
position to the first position pushing on the first end 506 until
the second end 508 disengages from the recess in the planar surface
of the head 108. FIG. 7 is a top view of the clasp 502 according to
the second embodiment.
[0047] FIG. 8 is a three-quarter perspective view of a third
embodiment of a clamp assembly according to the invention. The
clamp assembly 800 includes at least one fastener 802 and a channel
804.
[0048] The channel 804 has a base 810 and two sidewalls 812 that
converge so that they are more closely spaced together at or near
the opening to the channel than they are at the base 810. In
cross-section, the base 810 is preferably plano-convex, with the
sidewalls 812 extending from the convex surface of the base 810.
The plano-convex cross section is preferred because it provides
minimal separation between the panels 404 and the bare wall
510.
[0049] In FIG. 8, the cross-section of the sidewalls 812 and the
portion of the base 810 therebetween is trapezoidal. Alternatively,
the cross-section of the sidewalls 1302 and the portion of the base
810 therebetween can be concave-concave, as in FIG. 13. Also
alternatively, the cross-section of the sidewalls 1402 and the
portion of the base 810 therebetween can be convex-convex, as in
FIG. 14.
[0050] The fastener 802 has a blade-like shank 806 and a head 808.
In cross-section, the head 808 is plano-convex, with the shank 806
extending from the planar surface of the head 808 so that together
the head 808 and the shank 806 appear T-shaped. The width of the
blade-like shank 806 is slightly greater than the width of the
opening of the channel 804 between the sidewalls 812 so that the
blade-like shank 806 forces the sidewalls 812 apart slightly upon
insertion, which causes the sidewalls 812 to grip the blade-like
shank 806. To improve the grip on the blade-like shank 806 by the
sidewalls 812, the surface of the shank 806 is non-smooth, e.g.,
ringed.
[0051] The width of the head 108 must be large enough to provide
sufficient overlap of the edges of the panels 404 so that that
adequate clamping force is applied to the panels 404.
[0052] Preferably, but not necessarily, the fastener 802 includes a
finger grip flange 814 attached to the head 808. The flange 814 is
preferably bulbous in cross-section, with the larger end of the
bulb being disposed away from the convex surface of the head 808.
As such, in cross-section, the fastener 802 having the flange 814
looks like a push-pin.
[0053] FIG. 9 is a plan view of a plurality of the channels 804
attached to the bare wall 510. The channels 804 are depicted as
being attached to studs 910 within the wall 510 via typical
fasteners 904, such as drywall screws or nails, e.g., with a
fastener 904 located on either side of the channel 804, i.e.,
outside the sidewalls 812. The studs 910 are separated a uniform
distance 916, typically 16 inches from center to center.
[0054] The channels 810 are also uniformly space apart a distance
908, corresponding to a length or width of the panels 404. The
channels 804 are mounted in essentially the same way as furring
strips are mounted.
[0055] Like the heads 108 of the first and second embodiments, the
head 808 of the third embodiment presents a small area of
diffusion, which can be inconsistent with a goal of attaching
panels having an absorptive surface. Again, however, the area of
the head 808 is much smaller than the area of a typically-sized
panel 404, so that the diffusion caused by the head 808 is
considered negligible.
[0056] FIG. 10 is a three-quarter perspective view of a plurality
of panels 404 attached to a bare wall (not depicted in FIG. 10
because obscured by the panels 404 and the heads 808) using the
clamp assembly 800 according to the third embodiment. Because it is
not easy to form a half-head (as in the first and second
embodiments), a full head 808 overhangs the edge regions, examples
of which are denoted by arrows 1004. Examples of heads covering the
corners of four panels are denoted by arrows 1002.
[0057] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of a fourth embodiment of
a clamp assembly according to the invention. The fourth embodiment
is similar to the first and second embodiments. In FIG. 15, the
resilient arms 106 and the receptacle 112 of FIG. 1 have been
replaced by a first part 1502 and a second part 1504. The first
part 1502 includes a first shank 1506 connected to the planar side
of the head 108. Attached to an end of the first shank 1506, that
is distal to the head 108, is a strip 1508 of mushroom-shaped
stems. The second part 1504 includes a second shank 1510 connected
to the planar side of the base 110. Attached to an end of the
second shank 1510, that is distal to the base 110, is another strip
1508 of mushroom-shaped stems. The first part 1502 and the second
part 1504 can be split in half, e.g., like the first and second
embodiments.
[0058] The two strips 1508 of mushroom-shaped stems together form
reclosable fastener pair. Such reclosable fastener technology is
known, e.g., as marketed by the 3M Corporation under the trade name
of the Dual Lock Industrial Fastener.
[0059] The pair of mushroom-shaped stem strips provide a rigid,
strong connection when the mushroom-shaped stems are pushed
together to the point that they interlock. This connection also
provides torsional stability. Thus, the fourth embodiment shares
these qualities with the first to third embodiments. However, the
fourth embodiment is slightly different in that it provides less
alignment than is inherent to the first to third embodiments.
[0060] In FIG. 15, the pull pin 504 is depicted as being retracted.
FIG. 16 is a top view of the fourth embodiment, as well as a fifth
embodiment. The retracted pull pin 504 fits into a void 1602 in the
first shank 1506. The first shank 1506 (and therefore the second
shank 1510) is depicted as being circular in cross-section, but any
shape can be used.
[0061] FIG. 15 also depicts an alternative way to configure panels
that are attached by the clamp systems according to the invention.
In FIG. 16, only the panels 404 are notched. The panels 1604 do not
need to be notched at the corners because the first shank 506 is
formed to one side of the line 206 of symmetry.
[0062] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the fifth embodiment of
a clamp assembly according to the invention. FIG. 17 is similar to
FIG. 15, except that the strips 1508 of mushroom-shaped stems have
been replaced by a hook and loop fastener pair 1706, which defines
a new first part 1702 and a new second part 1704.
[0063] The first part 1702 has a strip 1710 of loops attached to
the end of the first shank 1506 that is distal to the head 108. The
second part 1704 has a strip of hooks attached to the end of the
second shank 1510. Such hook and loop reclosable fastener
technology is known, e.g., as marketed by the 3M Corporation under
the trade name of the Scotchmate Industrial Fastener.
[0064] As in FIG. 15, the pull pin 504 is depicted in FIG. 17 as
being retracted. As noted above, FIG. 16 is a top view of the first
part 1702 of FIG. 17 as well as the first part 1502 of FIG. 15.
[0065] FIG. 18 is partial plan view of a panel attached in a
different way to a wall via a fastener according to the invention.
In FIG. 18, a panel 1804 is attached to a wall (not shown) via a
clamp assembly, of which the head 1802 is depicted. Any of the
clamp assemblies according to the invention can be used. The panel
1804 has an aperture 1808 through which can pass a portion 1806
(corresponding to a shank, blade-like shank, resilient arms, etc.).
The aperture can be located anywhere in the panel 1804, e.g., in
the center.
[0066] Thus, the invention, among other things, provides a quick
and easy technology for attaching, and facilitating reconfiguration
(detaching and reattaching) of, panels to walls.
[0067] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that
the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be
regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention,
and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in
the art are intended to be included within the scope of the
following claims.
* * * * *