WALL ANCHORS AND HEAVY FITTINGS

Abstract

A wall hook comprising at least a base plate including opposite front and back surfaces, an upper edge, a lower edge, and two opposite side edges; a downward-curving prong having a base, wherein the prong extends outward along an arc to an end penetrating the wall, a load-bearing structure adjacent to the upper edge, and an alignment notch in the lower edge, wherein the base of the prong is an integral part of one of the opposite side edges.

Description

WALL ANCHORS AND HEAVY FITTINGS Background of the Invention There are numerous products and devices for installing a hook or hanging device on a wall, such as for hanging a picture frame, mirror, or similar items. Conventional nails and screws are not always the most convenient solution and may not provide sufficient support strength on the wall, particularly in the case of drywall or other relatively weak, friable wallboards. Other hanging devices can eliminate the use and associated disadvantages of conventional fasteners, but they may nevertheless result in excessive damage to the drywall, require the use of conventional tools, or fail to consistently support the desired weight. Summary of the Invention The present inventors have devised a wall anchor construction and wall anchor assemblies that provide stronger support in load-bearing directions than currently available solutions. The wall anchors and anchor assemblies can be installed without tools and can be used to mount heavy objects such as picture frames without damaging the wall or compromising the image quality. The anchors feature a base plate. Ref. 331736 and one or more prongs with a relatively high height-to-thickness ratio, which can provide a better installation experience and more routinely successful mounting. The anchors can be combined with other components that allow for the temporary attachment of an anchor assembly to the wall, enabling a user to iteratively select the best location for the anchor and the object to be mounted without fully committing to the installation. In one aspect, the present description provides a wall anchor comprising: a base plate including opposing front and rear surfaces, an upper edge, a lower edge, and two opposing side edges; and a curved spike having a base, wherein the spike extends externally along an arc to an outer end penetrating the wall, and wherein the base of the spike is an integral part of one of the opposing side edges. In another aspect, the present description provides a wall anchor assembly comprising: a base plate, a first insert plate pivotally coupled to the base plate and including a proximal edge, a distal edge, and opposite lateral edges, the insert plate further including a curved spike having a base, wherein the spike extends outward along an arc to an outer end penetrating the wall, and wherein the base of the spike coincides with one of the opposite lateral edges. Such wall anchor assemblies may further comprise a second insert plate pivotally coupled to the base plate and including a proximal edge, a distal edge, and opposite lateral edges.The second insert plate may further include a second curved prong having a base, wherein the prong extends outward along an arc to an outer end that penetrates the wall, and wherein the base of the prong coincides with one of the opposite side edges of the second insert plate. As used in the present description, layer means a single stratum that may be continuous or discontinuous over a surface. As used in this description, geometry refers to the size and shape of an element. The words "preferred" and "preferably" refer to embodiments of the invention that may provide certain benefits under certain circumstances. However, other embodiments may also be preferred under the same or other circumstances. Furthermore, the mention of one or more preferred embodiments does not imply that other embodiments are not useful, nor is it intended to exclude other embodiments from the scope of the invention. In this application, terms such as a, an, and the are not intended to refer only to a single entity, crnznn / zznz / E / YiAi, but rather include the general class of which a specific example may be used for illustrative purposes. The terms a, an, and the are used interchangeably with the term at least one. The phrases at least one of and comprise at least one of followed by a list refer to any of the items in the list and any combination of two or more items in the list. As used in the present description, the term or is generally used in its usual sense which includes and / or, unless the content clearly indicates otherwise. The term and / or means one or all of the elements mentioned or a combination of any two or more of the elements mentioned. In this description, it is further assumed that all numbers are modified by the term "approximately" and, preferably, by the term "exactly." As used herein in relation to a measured quantity, the term "approximately" refers to the variation in the measured quantity as would be expected by someone skilled in the technique performing the measurement and exercising a level of attention appropriate to the objective of the measurement and the accuracy of the measuring equipment used. Furthermore, in the present description, narratives of numerical intervals by extreme points include all the crnznn / zznz / E / YiAi numbers included within that interval, as well as the extreme points (e.g., 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, 5, etc.). As used in this description as a modifier of a property or attribute, the term "generally," unless otherwise specifically defined, means that the property or attribute can be readily recognized by a person skilled in the art, but without requiring absolute accuracy or perfect match (e.g., within + / - 20% for quantifiable properties). The term "substantially," unless otherwise specified, means to a high degree of approximation (e.g., within + / - 10% for quantifiable properties), but again, without requiring absolute accuracy or perfect match. Terms such as identical, equal, uniform, constant, strictly, and similar are understood to be within usual margins of error or to define an applicable error for the particular circumstance, rather than requiring absolute accuracy or perfect match. The preceding summary of this description is not intended to describe every modality or every implementation of this description. The description provided below focuses more specifically on illustrative modalities. In several sections throughout crnznn / zznz / E / YiAi, guidance is provided by means of example lists, which may be used in various combinations. In each instance, the list provided serves only as a representative group and should not be interpreted as an exhaustive list. Brief Description of the Figures The present invention will be further described with reference to the figures, where the corresponding reference characters indicate the corresponding parts in the different views and where: Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a wall anchor, according to one modality of the present description; Figure 2 is a side view of the wall anchor from Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front view of the wall anchor from Figures 1-2; Figures 4A - 4C show a side view of the wall anchor of Figures 1-3 during and after insertion into a wall; Figure 5 illustrates a perspective view of a wall anchor assembly according to another embodiment of the present description; Figure 6 is a side view of the wall anchor in Figure 5; cenznn / zznz / E / YiAi Figure 7 is a front plan view of the wall anchor of Figures 5-6; Figure 8 illustrates a perspective view of a wall anchor assembly according to yet another embodiment of the present description; Figure 9 is a side view of the wall anchor assembly of Figure 8; and Figure 10 is a front plan view of the wall anchor assembly of Figures 9-10; The layers in certain illustrated embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to absolutely define the thickness, relative or otherwise, or the absolute location of any component. While the figures identified above represent several embodiments of the invention, other embodiments are also contemplated, as mentioned in the description. In all cases, this disclosure presents the invention by way of representation and not by way of limitation. It should be understood that those skilled in the art may conceive of many other modifications and embodiments that are within the scope and spirit of the principles of the invention. Detailed Description of the Invention While the figures identified above represent several embodiments of the invention, other embodiments are also contemplated, as mentioned in the description. In all cases, this disclosure presents the invention by way of representation and not by way of limitation. It should be understood that those skilled in the art may conceive of many other modifications and embodiments that are within the scope and spirit of the principles of the invention. A wall anchor 100 according to one embodiment of the present description is illustrated in Figures 1-4. The wall anchor 100 includes a base plate 110 that has a rectangular composite shape (as seen in Figure 2). The base plate 110 includes a front surface 111 opposite a back-facing surface 112, a top edge 113, a bottom edge 114, and opposite side edges 115, 116 that connect the top and bottom edges 113, 114 to define an outer plate perimeter. A pair of downward-curving prongs 150 extends from each side edge 115, 116 (see Figure 3) in a generally orthogonal direction to the back surface 112. The prongs 150 extend to an outer end 152 that can be sharpened to facilitate insertion when pressed into the wallboard or other penetrable surface. The base 110 includes a lower section 120 comprising a lower edge 114 and an upper section 122 comprising the upper edge 113. Sections 120 and 122 are typically coplanar and include front surfaces lying in a plane P. The lower section 120 includes an open region or recess 130 generally aligned with the central axis crnznn / zznz / E / YiAi of the base plate. The recess 130 generally corresponds, at least in width, to the width of a first load-bearing structure 170. The base plate 110 is generally rectangular overall when viewed in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the base plate P. In other embodiments, the base plate 110 has another shape or combination of shapes in the same viewing direction, including circular, oval, triangular, tetrahedral, Y-shaped, etc. Other variations are contemplated and discernible to those skilled in the art. The upper base section 122 includes a second load-bearing structure 180, illustrated herein as a hook, near the upper edge 113 for receiving, e.g., a sawtooth on a frame or other item to be mounted. The hook 180 can also provide visual confirmation of the placement and orientation of the anchor 100 on a wall surface from behind a frame or other mounting item. The lower base section 120 includes an alignment notch 160 on the lower edge 114. The alignment notch 160 can also provide visual confirmation of the placement and orientation of the anchor 100 on a wall surface, as well as provide a location where a user can mark the wall surface for subsequent anchor placement.The alignment notch 160 may be triangular, as illustrated, to guide the needle of a pencil or other marking instrument to the desired location and may be sized and shaped to ensure that a visible mark can be made on the surface. In other embodiments, the notch may be arcuate, rectangular, or another knowable shape designed to communicate the placement and accept the tip of a marking instrument. Other embodiments not illustrated may include an alignment notch on some or all of the other edges 114, 115, and 116. The upper base section 120 includes a pair of curved prongs 150 near the upper edge 113. Each prong 150 extends to an outer end 152 over a length that is generally equal to or less than the thickness of the wallboard to which the anchor would typically be attached. The lengths of one or both prongs 150 can be varied to allow selection of a specific wallboard thickness. The curved prong 150 can have a fixed radius of curvature, or it can have variable radii of curvature at several points, either discretely or continuously, along the outer profile of the prong 150 from the wall base 151 to the outer end 152. The curvature produces a point distance from the upper edge 151a of the prong base 151 to a plane parallel to the outer end 152, with greater curvature producing a greater point distance.Without intending to limit this to theory or solely to the drywall panel, it is believed that an increase in the prong distance leads to an increase in the weight that can be mounted on the anchor 100. In one illustrative embodiment, the prong distance is approximately 0.15 inches. In the illustrated implementations, the prongs 150 curve downward, as the end 152 is closer than the lower edge 151b to a plane that includes the lower edge 114 of the base plate 110. In other circumstances, one or more prongs may include an upward curve, as the end 152 is closer than the upper edge 151a to a plane that includes the upper edge 113 of the base plate 110. The spikes 150 may include one or more flat surfaces and may comprise different cross-sectional shapes and a combination of shapes (e.g., rectangular, circular, oval, triangular, etc.). For example, a top surface of a spike may be rounded, with a flat bottom surface to prevent crack propagation in the wallboard. The flat surface may also help prevent pullback due to stress concentrations in the wallboard. In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-4, each spike 150 includes substantially flat opposing side surfaces 156, each side surface extending in a plane generally orthogonal to the base plane P. In other implementations, one or both edges 158 of the spike may be serrated. Each of the 150 picks includes a height 155 and a thickness at the base 151. The thickness is measured in a direction parallel to the top edge 113 (e.g., the x-direction) and corresponds to the distance between the pick's side surfaces 156. A comparison of height 155 with thickness defines a pick aspect ratio. In currently preferred implementations, the aspect ratio is at least 1.5:1, at least 2:1, or at least 3:1. In an illustrative embodiment, the height 155 may be approximately 0.10 inches and the thickness may be approximately 0.022 inches, resulting in a pick aspect ratio of 4.55:1. In other illustrative configurations, the height 155 may be approximately 100 mils, and the thickness may be approximately 50 mils, resulting in an aspect ratio closer to 2:1. Typically, the pick aspect ratio is no greater than approximately 5:1 and, in other configurations, no greater than approximately 4:1.As further described below, the relatively thin nature of the 150 prongs reduces the required insertion force, while the wall plate itself helps prevent buckling of the 150 prong as it is inserted. Relying on the wall to prevent buckling allows the anchor to progressively secure heavier objects. The curved 150 prongs may taper in height over all or a portion of the arc length from the base 151 to the tip 152, or they may have a generally uniform height over their length, as illustrated. crnznn / zznz / E / YiAi Without intending to limit ourselves to theory, the spike aspect ratio can change the anchor's failure mode by improving the spike's strength in load-bearing directions (e.g., towards the bottom edge 114). The improved strength counteracts bending in the spike as progressively heavier objects are mounted; such bending would otherwise potentially result in the destruction of the wallboard before the spike fails. A spike with a relatively high aspect ratio can therefore perform according to the user's expectations for more typical mounting hardware (e.g., nails, screws, etc.) while still reducing the labor required for installation. In the illustrated embodiment, and as can be seen particularly clearly from Figures 1 and 2, the prongs 150 can be formed from a monolithic piece of material that has been bent or otherwise hinged at selected locations to form both the baseplate section 120 and the prongs 150. Each of the prongs 150 therefore includes at least one section that is integral and substantially coplanar with a side edge 115, 116 of the frame 110. In other embodiments, one or more of the prongs can be welded, brazed and cast, or otherwise attached to the back surface 112 of the frame 110 at an edge 115, 116, or other location separate from the recess 130. Any of the prongs 150 can be pre-hinged when supplied to a user, or the user can choose to bend each of the components that penetrate the wall according to the user's preference. As illustrated, the prongs 150 extend to coplanar end points, and each prong 150 includes the same radius of curvature. In alternative embodiments, either prong 150 may deviate from the other along the length of the respective edge 115, 116, such that one dowel base 151 is closer to the top edge 113 than the other. Furthermore, the base plate 110 may include one or more prongs in addition to the pair of prongs 150 illustrated; such additional prongs may have the same or different radius of curvature, prong aspect ratio, outer end plane, length, or position with respect to a side edge 115, 116 or back surface 112 of the base plate 110. The additional prongs may increase the weight-hanging capabilities of the anchor but may result in additional damage to a wall surface during installation.Furthermore, the plurality of insertion points provided by multiple prongs can improve the stability of an anchor during installation, use, and removal. Both the first load-bearing projection 170 and the second load-bearing projection 180 extend outward from the front surface 111 of the base plate 110 and are aligned along the central longitudinal axis of the anchor 100. The first and second load-bearing projections 170, 180, as illustrated, are hooks that include a base 172, 182. The load-bearing structures used on the plate 110 may instead include a button, a projection, a tenon, or any number of load-bearing structures for hanging items. In addition, an anchor 100 may include three or more load-bearing structures aligned along a longitudinal axis, a latitudinal axis, or both. In other embodiments, the front face of the base plate may have an adhesive layer (described in more detail below).As can be seen in Figure 2, the second projection 180 is arranged on the front face 111 such that the hook base 182 is located above the lower edge 151a of the prong base 151, while the first projection 170 is arranged on the front face 111 such that the hook base 172 is located below the lower edge 151a of the prong base 151. However, it should be appreciated that the projections 170, 180 can be placed in any desired location on the front face 111, although such placements may reduce the shear holding capacity of the anchor and limit the type of objects that can be mounted on it. Like the prongs 150, the first and second load-bearing projections 170, 180 can be formed from a monolithic piece of material that has been bent or otherwise hinged at selected locations to form both the base plate section 120 and the load-bearing structures 170, 180. The hooks 170, 180 can be created, for example, by cutting (e.g., punching, laser cutting, etc.) a portion of the base plate 110 along a path to form a hook outline, which can then be bent outwards from the front surface 111 to form the respective projection. With reference to Figures 4A–4C, a method for attaching the wall anchor 100 to a substantially vertical surface is illustrated. In a first step, the lower section 114 is positioned at the desired location on the wall, optionally using the alignment groove 123. The anchor 100 is rotated approximately about its lower edge so that the outer end 152 of each curved prong 150 extends horizontally into the wall, with the outer point 152 at a desired entry point (Figure 4A). Force is applied orthogonally to the front face 111 of the lower section 120, preferably at a location on the front face 111 adjacent to each of the curved prongs 150. The applied orthogonal force results in the rotation of the anchor about the lower edge 114 and the outer end 152 of the prongs 150 penetrating the wallboard (Figure 4B).Further rotation results in the remaining length of the prong being driven into the wall plate until the back surface 112 of the base plate 110 is generally aligned with the wall (Figure 4C). Notably, the hook base 182 remains substantially aligned with or separated below the insertion point of the prong ends 152 in the wall. In models featuring upward-curved prongs, the hook base typically remains aligned with or separated above the insertion point. An object can be secured to the load-bearing projection 170, 180 before or after the anchor 100 has been inserted into the wall. Once an object is on one or both hooks 170, 180, it has a weight W that creates a moment of force in the direction of rotation away from the wall and downward. This translates into a force F that provides an outward displacement or impulse of the curved prong 150. This force also acts around the lower edge 114 of the anchor 100, which acts as a pivot. The smaller the distance between the curved prong 150 and the pivot point, the greater the force F that drives the anchor away from the wall. As can be seen with the anchor 100, however, this force is distributed through the core of the wallboard below the curved prong 150. Having the force distributed below the prong 150 presents a considerable amount of material to be torn away by the prong.Consequently, the 100 anchor is less likely to be dislodged from the wall or cause significant damage to the wallboard. For removal, the base plate can be pulled down and out by the top section 122. The lower edge 114 rotates naturally, and the anchor dislodges as the outer ends 152 of the prongs 150 emerge from the wall. The top section 120 may feature structures in addition to or instead of the hook 180 on the top edge 113 to assist with removal, such as a protrusion that can be engaged with a screwdriver, wrench, or other implement, or a tab that can be engaged with a finger. In currently preferred implementations, the anchor is made of a metal-containing material; however, it can be seen that other suitable materials may be used. The Anchor 100 is typically made of a flexible metal or metal alloy, such as stainless steel, titanium, a cobalt-chromium alloy (such as that produced by Elgiloy Specialty Metals, Elgin, IL), or a shape-memory alloy such as a nickel-titanium alloy (e.g., Nitinol). Preferably, the Anchor 100 is sufficiently flexible so that its shape, when relaxed, does not change significantly during the assembly path of an object. Alternatively, the Anchor 100 could be made of any other flexible material known to a person skilled in the art, such as a flexible polymer or composite material.Furthermore, although the Anchor 100 is specifically described as mountable on a drywall panel, it can be used with walls of other materials or to secure an object to something other than a wall. Figures 5-7 illustrate another embodiment of a wall anchor 200 according to the present description. The wall anchor 200 includes a base plate 210 which includes a front surface 211 opposite a rear surface facing the wall 212. A pair of downward-curving prongs 250 extend from each side edge 215, 216 in a generally orthogonal direction to the rear surface 212. The base 210 includes a lower section 220 and an upper section 222. Sections 220 and 222 are typically coplanar and include front surfaces lying in a plane P. It should be understood that many other aspects of the anchor 200 may have a form and function similar to those described with respect to the anchor 100 and need not be repeated. In slight deviations from anchor 100, the base plate 210 includes a cone 227 between the upper section 222 and the lower section 220. Therefore, the lower section 220 has a smaller width 220a than the upper section. The upper edge 213 also bends outward in a direction away from the front surface 211 and plane P, providing a back purchase 290 that may be useful in removing the anchor 200 from the wall. Also, a unique load-bearing structure 270 and the recess 230 are arranged in the upper section 222, with the hook base 272 positioned below the prong base 250. crnznn / zznz / E / YiAi Yet another form of a 300 wall anchor according to the present description is illustrated in Figures 8-10. The 300 anchor includes two pivotally coupled plates that can cooperate in mounting relatively heavier objects. The wall anchor 300 includes a base plate 310 and an insert plate 330 pivotally coupled to the base plate 310 at hinge segments 329 adjacent to the upper edge 313 of the base plate 310. The base plate includes a front surface 311, a rear surface 312, a bottom edge 314, and side edges 315, 316. Both the front surface 311 and the rear surface 312 are substantially flat, with the front surface 311 residing in a frame plane P. A deployed load-bearing projection 370 extends outward in a direction away from the front surface 311. A pair of hinge guides 305 defining the openings 306 extend outward from the front surface 311.It should be understood that many other aspects of the 300 anchor may have a similar form and function to those described with respect to the 100 and 200 anchors, and it is not necessary to repeat them. The insert plate 330 includes a front surface 331, a rear surface 332, a top edge 333, and a bottom edge 334. A pair of legs 337 extends outward from the side edges 335, 336 adjacent to the bottom edge 334 and engages the insert plate 330 with the openings. 306 in hinge guides 305 to form a hinge segment 329. The hinge segment 329 allows the base plate 310 and insert plate 330 to pivot relative to each other along a hinge axis. The hinge guide 305 and openings 306 may include geometry or other structures designed to limit the rotation of the insert plate away from the wall, such as a triangular, trapezoidal, or other shape with linear stop surfaces. In alternative embodiments, the insert plate 330 may be engaged with the base plate 310 by one or more hinge pins, live hinges, or similar structures to provide pivoting motion. The openings 306 may include geometry designed to limit the rotation of the insert plate away from the wall, such as a triangular, trapezoidal, or other shape with linear stop surfaces. The insert plate 330 includes a pair of curved prongs 350, each extending from one of the lateral edges 315, 316 adjacent to the distal upper edge 313. The hinge segment 329 can be separated from the prong base 351 such that the hinge segment 329 can be positioned at the radial center of an arc defined by the curved prong. Such separation can, in certain modalities, help to ensure that the prongs 350 are inserted along a suitable curved path. The 310 motherboard includes two pairs of linear pins crnznn / zznz / E / YiAi 360, 362 extending from opposite side edges 315, 316. Tenons 360, 362 each extend to a pointed outer end 364, 366 over a length that is generally less than the thickness of the wallboard to which the anchor would typically be attached. The lengths of tenons 360, 362 may be varied to allow selection for a specific wallboard thickness, although the curved prongs 350 on the insert plate typically have a linear or arc length that is at least twice the length of tenons 360, 362. As illustrated, all tenons 360 and 362 extend to coplanar end points and are of the same length. In other embodiments not illustrated, tenons 360 may be longer than tenons 362 or vice versa.In still other forms, any of the tenons in a given pair of tenons 360, 362 may deviate from the other along the length of the respective edge 315, 316, in such a way that one tenon base is closer to the upper edge 313 than the other complementary tenon. Tenons 360, 362 form an angle 365 with the back surface 312 of the base. By way of example, the angle 365 (e.g., taken relative to a plane parallel to the frame plane P) can be from approximately 75 degrees to approximately 90 degrees (such as from approximately 80 degrees to approximately 90 degrees or from approximately 85 degrees to approximately 90 degrees), although variations are possible. In currently preferred implementations, tenons 360, 362 generally extend along a plane that is substantially orthogonal to the frame plane P. Without intending to be limited to theory, providing an excessively acute angle between tenons 360, 362 and the back surface 312 can tend to shear the drywall board. A slightly acute angle (e.g., an angle of 165 of 80 degrees or greater); however, it can facilitate the insertion of the base plate 300 and assist in bringing the rear surface 112 substantially parallel to the wall in certain modalities. Like the 350 prongs, the 360, 362 dowels can be formed from a monolithic piece of material that has been bent or otherwise articulated at selected locations to form both the 310 base plate and the 360, 362 dowels. Therefore, all 360, 362 dowels include at least one section that is integral and substantially coplanar with a side edge 315, 316 of the 110 base plate. In other embodiments, one or more of the dowels can be welded or otherwise mated to the back surface 312 of the 310 base plate at an edge 315, 116, or other location separate from the 330 rebate. Any pair of 360, 362 dowels can be pre-articulated when supplied to a user, or the user can choose to bend each of the wall-penetrating components to their liking. user. Instead of or in addition to the 360, 362 studs, a back surface 312 of the 310 baseplate may include an adhesive construction for temporarily securing the 330 insert plate to a wall surface. The use of a removable adhesive on the 310 baseplate allows a user to adjust the position of the 310 baseplate before committing to the location of the 300 anchor or otherwise drilling into the wall. For example, the back surface may be attached to a Command™ Adhesive Strip or a Command™ Picture Hanging Strip, both available from 3M Company. In some embodiments, the adhesive construction may include a pressure-sensitive adhesive and a coating, while in other embodiments the adhesive construction includes only a continuous or discontinuous layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive. In the Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Engineering, Vol.A general description of useful pressure-sensitive adhesives can be found in Wiley-Interscience Publishers (New York, 1988). A further description of useful pressure-sensitive adhesives can be found in the Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology, Vol. 1, Interscience Publishers (New York, 1964). Pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions are known to those skilled in the art because they possess properties that include the following: (1) adhesion, (2) adhesion with finger pressure alone, (3) sufficient ability to remain on an adherent, and (4) sufficient cohesive strength to be removed from the adherent without leaving residue.Materials that have been determined to perform well as pressure-sensitive adhesives are polymers designated and formulated to exhibit the required viscoelastic properties, resulting in a desired balance of adhesion, removeability, and shear holding power. Suitable PSAs may be based on crosslinked or non-crosslinked (meth)acrylates, rubbers, thermoplastic elastomers, silicones, polyurethanes, and the like, and may include bonding surfaces to provide the desired adhesion, as well as other additives. In some embodiments, the PSA is based on a (meth)acrylic PSA or at least a poly(meth)acrylate, where (meth)acrylate refers to both acrylate and methacrylate groups. In some embodiments, the PSA is an olefin block copolymer-based adhesive. The adhesive construction used on the 330 insert plate can be either peelable or stretch-release. In embodiments featuring a stretch-release construction, the construction can be pulled off a surface by stretching it at an angle less than 35°. In embodiments featuring a peel-release construction, the adhesive can be pulled off a wall surface by stretching it at an angle of 35° or greater. In some embodiments, the peel-release adhesive can be removed by a combination of stretch and peel-release mechanisms. A 330 insert plate having one or more stretch-release adhesive constructs may include, for example, any of the adhesives and constructs described in any of the following patents: U.S. Patent No. 5,516,581 (Kreckel et al.); U.S. Patent No. 6,231,962 (Bries et al.); U.S. Patent No. 7,078,093 (Sheridan et al.); U.S. Patent No. 6,395,389 (Veatch et al.); and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2016 / 0068722 (Schmitz-Stapela et al.), which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. A 350 insert having one or more peelable adhesive constructs may include, for example, any of the adhesives and constructs described in any of the following patent applications: International Publications Nos. 2015 / 035556, 2015 / 035960, U.S. Patent Application No. 2015 / 034104, and PCT Applications Nos. US2017 / 015163 and US2017 / 014733, which are incorporated herein by reference. The adhesive construction may also include one or more release liner(s). The release liner may be, for example, on one or both of the main surfaces of the adhesive layers. The release liner protects the adhesive during manufacturing, transit, and prior to use. When the user wishes to use the adhesive construction, the release liner can be peeled off to expose the adhesive. Examples of suitable liners include paper, e.g., kraft paper, or polymeric films, e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyester. To use the anchor assembly 300, a user first optionally removes a release liner from any adhesive construction on the base plate 310, if such an adhesive / liner combination is present. The base plate 310 is then positioned in the desired location and secured to the wall surface using finger pressure in the direction of the wall. This pressure drives the dowels 360, 362 into the wall and / or causes initial adhesion to form between the adhesive construction and the wall surface (see). Once the user is satisfied with the location of the base plate 310, force is applied orthogonally to the front face 331 of the insert plate 330. The applied orthogonal force causes the anchor to rotate around the hinge segment 329, and the outer end 352 of the prongs 350 penetrates the gypsum board.The additional rotation results in the remaining length of the prongs 350 being driven into the wall plate until the rear surface 332 of the insert plate 330 is generally aligned with the front surface 311 of the base plate 310. crnznn / zznz / E / YiAi The wall anchors and assemblies described herein can be used even when the object does not include a wire, but rather a different cladding hardware configuration. Illustrative support hardware configurations include, but are not limited to, D-ring hangers, serrated hangers, locking hangers, etc. The wall anchors described herein can be used to mount a variety of items and objects to surfaces such as painted drywall, plaster, concrete, glass, ceramic, fiberglass, metal, or plastic. Items that can be mounted include, but are not limited to, tapestries, organizers, stands, baskets, containers, decorations (e.g., holiday decorations), calendars, signs, dispensers, wire clips, guitars, floating shelves, curtain rods, heavy-duty hooks, brackets, wall sconces, and carrying handles. The patents, patent documents, and patent applications cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety as if each had been incorporated individually by reference. It will be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the concepts of the invention set forth above. Therefore, the scope of this description should not be limited to the structures described herein. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that many changes can be made to the details of the embodiments and implementations described above without departing from their underlying principles. Furthermore, various modifications and alterations to the present invention will be evident to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.The scope of this application must therefore be determined solely by the following claims and their equivalents. It is hereby stated that, as of this date, the best method known to the applicant for putting the aforementioned invention into practice is the one that is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims

1. A wall anchor, characterized in that it comprises: a base plate including opposite front and rear surfaces, an upper edge, a lower edge and two opposite side edges; a downward-curved spike having a base, wherein the spike extends outwards along an arc to an outer end penetrating the wall, a load-bearing structure adjacent to the upper edge, and an alignment notch in the lower edge, wherein the base of the spike is integrated with one of the opposite side edges.

2. The wall anchor according to claim 1, characterized in that the base of the spike is adjacent to the upper edge.

3. The wall anchor according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the load-bearing structure comprises a hook, and wherein the lower part of the hook is arranged in a plane parallel to or below an upper edge of the base of the prong.

4. The wall anchor according to claims 1-3, characterized in that the base of the prong crnznn / zznz / E / YiAi has a height measured along the side edge and a thickness measured along the top edge, and wherein the height is at least 1.5 times the thickness.

5. The wall anchor according to claim 4, characterized in that the height is at least twice the thickness.

6. The wall anchor according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the height is no greater than 4 times the thickness.

7. The wall anchor according to any of claims 1-6, characterized in that the prong curves downwards in the direction of the lower edge.

8. The wall anchor according to any of claims 1-7, characterized in that it further includes a second curved prong extending outwards along an arc to an outer end, and wherein the outer end of the first prong and the outer end of the second prong are coplanar.

9. The wall anchor according to claim 8, characterized in that each prong curves downwards in the direction of the lower edge of the base plate.

10. A wall anchor assembly, characterized in that it comprises: a base plate, a first insert plate pivotally coupled to the base plate and including a proximal edge, a distal edge, and opposite lateral edges, the insert plate further including a curved spike having a base, wherein the spike extends outward along an arc to an outer end penetrating the wall, and wherein the base of the spike coincides with one of the opposite lateral edges.

11. The wall anchor assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that the base plate includes first and second opposing principal surfaces, and at least one tenon extends to an outer end penetrating the wall.

12. The wall anchor assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that the base plate includes at least one pair of dowels extending to a coplanar outer end.

13. The wall anchor assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that the base plate includes two pairs of dowels, each pair extending to a coplanar outer end.

14. The wall anchor assembly according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base plate is pivotally coupled to the insert plate in a first hinge segment. crnznn / zznz / E / YiAi 15. The wall anchor assembly according to claim 14, characterized in that the prong base is disposed on the lateral edge of the insert plate in a location distal to both the hinge segment and the base plate.

16. The wall anchor assembly in accordance with any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base of the spike has a height measured along the side edge and a thickness measured along the top edge, and wherein the height is at least three times the thickness.

17. The wall anchor assembly in accordance with any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the insertion plate can be rotated in the direction away from the front surface of the base plate to insert the curved prong into a surface.

18. The wall anchor assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that it further includes a second curved prong extending outwards along an arc to an outer end.

19. The wall anchor assembly according to claim 18, characterized in that the outer end of the first prong and the outer end of the second prong are coplanar.

20. The wall anchor assembly according to crnznn / zznz / E / YiAi claim 10, characterized in that it further includes an adhesive construction attached to at least a portion of the back surface of the base plate.

21. The wall anchor assembly according to claims 10-20, characterized in that it is adjustable between an open state and a closed state, and wherein the first insert plate includes a rear surface that lies in a plane substantially parallel to a front surface of the base plate in the closed state.

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