Picture frame key slot alignment apparatus

Abstract

A device may include a body configured to be inserted into a key-slot of a picture frame or key-slot bracket. A device may include a pointer attached to the body and configured to mark a position on a wall for locating a wall mounting screw. A device may include an eccentric post operatively connected to the body, the eccentric post having a shape that allows it to rotate within the key-slot and lock into position. A device may include a knob attached to the eccentric post, wherein the knob has knurls to facilitate gripping and rotating the post, such that the pointer is properly aligned for marking. A device may include the eccentric post has a height greater than its width, enabling it to slide into the key-slot in a first position and lock by rotation in a second position.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This patent application takes priority from U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,516 filed on Oct. 21, 2024, by Shari Hammond and entitled “A KEY SLOT HANGING APPARATUS,” which hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Many “ready-to-hang” picture frames come with an attached key-slot bracket or simply a key-slot or keyhole. A key-slot bracket is often screwed on, welded on, or machined into a wooden or plastic part of the frame (keyhole). A headed screw is then screwed into the wall leaving the screw head sticking out slightly. The screw head is inserted in the key slot and moves up in the narrow slot trapping the screwhead at the top of the slot and supporting the frame to the wall. The extreme difficulty is how to locate the screw on the wall so that the frame will be level and the right height and position.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates to the field of locating a screw for hanging a picture frame.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] A device is provided that fastens on the frame key-slot or key-slot bracket and position a steel pointer that when pushed will punch a mark on the wall. The frame is first leveled and vertically positioned on the wall. The user then pushes in on the frame with the device inserted into the key-slot and the steel pointer will mark the location of the wall mounting screw.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] FIGS. 1A-1H show a cross section A-A and exploded view of the key hole marking tool;

[0006] FIG. 2 shows a typical key slot bracket;

[0007] FIGS. 3-7 show the key hole marking tool inserted into a typical key slot bracket;

[0008] FIG. 8 shows how the tool is held and how the knurls help the user hold and rotate the tool;

[0009] FIG. 9 shows the key hole marking tool attached to a key hole slot bracket on the back of a picture frame; and

[0010] FIG. 10 shows the key hole marking tool attached to a key hole slot bracket on the back of a picture frame pressed into a wall to make a mark on the wall for hanging the picture frame.

[0011] The drawings presented herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of the claims. Rather, the drawings are intended to help enable one having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the claimed inventions. The drawings are drawn to scale.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONDetailed Description

[0012] A detailed description will now be provided. The purpose of this detailed description, which includes the drawings, is to satisfy the statutory requirements of 35 U.S.C. § 112. For example, the detailed description includes a description of inventions defined by the claims and sufficient information that would enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the inventions. In the figures, like elements are generally indicated by like reference numerals regardless of the view or figure in which the elements appear. The figures are intended to assist the description and to provide a visual representation of certain aspects of the subject matter described herein. The figures are drawn to scale, but do not show all the structural details, nor do they limit the scope of the claims.

[0013] Each of the appended claims defines a separate invention which, for infringement purposes, is recognized as including equivalents of the various elements or limitations specified in the claims. Depending on the context, all references below to the “invention” may in some cases refer to certain specific embodiments only. In other cases, it will be recognized that references to the “invention” will refer to the subject matter recited in one or more, but not necessarily all, of the claims. Each of the inventions will now be described in greater detail below, including specific embodiments, versions, and examples, but the inventions are not limited to these specific embodiments, versions, or examples, which are included to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the inventions when the information in this patent is combined with available information and technology. Various terms as used herein are defined below, and the definitions should be adopted when construing the claims that include those terms, except to the extent a different meaning is given within the specification or in express representations to the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO). To the extent a term used in a claim is not defined below or in representations to the PTO, it should be given the broadest definition persons having skill in the art have given that term as reflected in at least one printed publication, dictionary, or issued patent.

[0014] Certain specific embodiments of methods, structures, elements, and parts are described below, which are by no means an exclusive description of the inventions. Other specific embodiments, including those referenced in the drawings, are encompassed by this application and any patent that issues therefrom.

[0015] Many “ready-to-hang” picture frames come with an attached key-slot bracket or simply a key-slot or keyhole for hanging the picture frame from a threaded screw attached to a wall. A key-slot bracket is often screwed on, welded on, or machined into a wooden or plastic part of the picture frame (keyhole). A threaded screw having a slotted head at one end for using a screw driver to rotate the slotted head is typically used to hang a picture on a wall. The threaded screw is then screwed into the wall leaving the slotted screw head sticking out slightly, which will be used to slid into the key-slot for hanging the picture frame on the wall. The screw head is inserted in the key slot and moves up in a narrow slot trapping the screwhead at the top of the slot and supporting the frame to the wall. The extreme difficulty is how to locate the screw on the wall so that the frame will be level and the desired height and position.

[0016] In a particular illustrative embodiment of the invention a device, a KEY SLOT ALIGNMENT APPARATUS is provided that fastens into the picture frame key-slot or key-slot bracket and positions a steel pointer that when pushed against the wall, will punch a mark on the wall where the hanging screw should be screwed into the wall. The mark on the wall locates the desired position of the threaded screw for mounting the picture frame on the wall. The frame is first leveled and vertically positioned on the wall. The user then pushes on the front of the picture frame and in toward the wall on the frame with the KEY SLOT ALIGNMENT APPARATUS inserted into the key-slot on the back of the frame between the back of the frame and the wall, wherein the steel pointer marks the location of the wall mounting screw on the wall when attached and pressured from the front of the picture frame.

[0017] FIGS. 1A through 1H shows a cross section A-A and exploded views of the KEY SLOT ALIGNMENT APPARATUS, also referred to herein as a “key hole marking tool”. As shown the eccentric post 15 is oval-shaped and is attached to knob 24. Knob 24 has knurls 11 to facilitate rotation of the eccentric post. The sharp pointer 10 is attached to the opposite side of the knob 24. The eccentric post 15 is longer that it is wide so that when the eccentric post is inserted into the key slot hanger (bracket) 34 and moved into marking position (shown in FIG. 5) at the end of the key slot hanger (bracket) 21 where the wall mounting screw will insert into the larger end 23 of the key slot 22 slide in the key slot 22 attach to the end 21 of the key slot hanger (bracket) where the slot hanger is supported by the wall mounting screw head, and rotated the eccentric post 15 and O-rings 12 clamp the key hole marking tool into place at the marking position at the end 21 of the key slot hanger. The oval-shaped eccentric post is then rotated within the key slot 22 which creates tension between the oval-shaped eccentric post and clamps the key slot hanger in place. The width of the oval-shaped eccentric post is narrower than height of the eccentric post. The narrower width of the eccentric post slides easily inside of the key slot 22 as shown in FIG. 3. The height of the of the eccentric post is wider than the key slot 22 so that when the eccentric post is rotated 90 degrees by knob 24, the wider height is frictionally attached inside of the key slot 22 as shown in FIG. 6. When the eccentric post is rotated tension clamps the key hole market tool in place.

[0018] FIG. 1A shows knurls 11 on knob 24 and a sharp point marker 10 attached to knob 24. Section A-A shows the shape of the eccentric post 15. FIG. 1B shows a side view and perspective view of the knob 24, knurls 11 and rubber O-rings 12. FIG. 1C shows marker arrows 14 which indicate the orientation of the eccentric post attached to the other side of the knob. FIG. 1D shows a side view of the know 24, O-rings 12, knurls 11, pointer 10. FIG. 1E shows a front side and back view of the knob 24, marker arrows 25, pointer 10, and eccentric post 15. FIGS. 1F, 1G and 1H show exploded perspective views of the pointer 10 O-rings 12, eccentric post 15.

[0019] Turning now to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a typical key slot bracket which is usually permanently sealed to the back of a picture frame. The key slot 22, has a large end 23 for insertion of the head of a wall mounting screw and a small end 21 to which the wall mounting screw head slides when the picture is hung.

[0020] Turning now to FIG. 3, FIG. 3 shows the plan view of FIG. 2 with the KEY SLOT ALIGNMENT APPARATUS inserted at the large end 23 with narrow width of the eccentric post parallel to the slot 22 as indicated by the marker arrows. This is referred to initial position.

[0021] FIG. 4 shows top perspective view the KEY SLOT ALIGNMENT APPARATUS after it has been slid down slot 22 to the small end of the slot 21 and rotated 90 degrees to lock the eccentric post in place in slot 22.

[0022] FIG. 5 shows bottom perspective view the KEY SLOT ALIGNMENT APPARATUS after it has been slid down slot 22 to the small end of the slot 21 and rotated 90 degrees to lock the eccentric post in place in slot 22 with O-ring 12 against the bottom of the key slot bracket.

[0023] FIG. 6 shows a top plan view of the KEY SLOT ALIGNMENT APPARATUS after it has been slid down slot 22 to the small end of the slot 21 and rotated 90 degrees to lock the eccentric post in place in slot 22.

[0024] FIG. 7 shows a side view of the O-rings 12 on each side of the bracket after the eccentric post has been rotated and lock in place as shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 8 shows how the KEY SLOT ALIGNMENT APPARATUS is held and how the knurls help the user hold and rotate the tool. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a picture frame key slot alignment apparatus, including: a body configured to be inserted into a key-slot 2. The apparatus, wherein the eccentric post has a height greater than its width, enabling it to slide into the key-slot in a first position and lock by rotation in a second position.

[0025] FIG. 9 shows the key hole marking tool 24 attached to a key hole slot bracket 22 on the back of a picture frame 31. FIG. 10 shows the key hole marking tool attached to a key hole slot bracket on the back of a picture frame pressed into a wall to make a mark 32 on a wall 30 for placing a wall mounting screw for hanging the picture frame.

[0026] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, further including rubber O-rings positioned on the eccentric post, wherein the O-rings provide frictional resistance to secure the apparatus in place within the key-slot.

[0027] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, wherein the pointer is a steel sharp point that, when pressed against a surface, leaves a mark indicating the proper position of a wall mounting screw.

[0028] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, wherein the knob includes marker arrows to visually indicate the orientation of the eccentric post during operation, facilitating alignment and locking.

[0029] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, wherein the body of the apparatus is configured to be inserted into the large end of the key-slot and then slid along the slot to the smaller end, where the apparatus locks into position through rotation. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to an apparatus, further including a rotational mechanism that allows the user to rotate the apparatus 90 degrees to secure the eccentric post in the key-slot, creating tension between the post and the slot to hold the apparatus in place.

[0030] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method of marking the position for a wall mounting screw for a picture frame, including the steps of: inserting a key-slot alignment apparatus into a key-slot or key-slot bracket on the back of a picture frame; leveling and positioning the picture frame on a wall; pushing on the front of the picture frame such that a pointer on the apparatus marks the desired location of the wall mounting screw. In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the key-slot alignment apparatus includes an eccentric post that is rotated within the key-slot to lock the apparatus into position before marking the wall.

[0031] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the key-slot alignment apparatus includes a knob with knurls for gripping, and the pointer is a steel point that is pressed against the wall to leave a mark for the wall mounting screw.

Claims

1. A picture frame key slot alignment apparatus, comprising:a body configured to be inserted into a key-slot of a picture frame or key-slot bracket;a pointer attached to the body and configured to mark a position on a wall for locating a wall mounting screw;an eccentric post operatively connected to the body, the eccentric post having a shape that allows it to rotate within the key-slot and lock into position; anda knob attached to the eccentric post, wherein the knob has knurls to facilitate gripping and rotating the post, such that the pointer is properly aligned for marking.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the eccentric post has a height greater than its width, enabling it to slide into the key-slot in a first position and lock by rotation in a second position.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising rubber O-rings positioned on the eccentric post, wherein the O-rings provide frictional resistance to secure the apparatus in place within the key-slot.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pointer is a steel sharp point that, when pressed against a surface, leaves a mark indicating the proper position of a wall mounting screw.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the knob includes marker arrows to visually indicate the orientation of the eccentric post during operation, facilitating alignment and locking.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body of the apparatus is configured to be inserted into the large end of the key-slot and then slid along the slot to the smaller end, where the apparatus locks into position through rotation.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a rotational mechanism that allows the user to rotate the apparatus 90 degrees to secure the eccentric post in the key-slot, creating tension between the post and the slot to hold the apparatus in place.

8. A method of marking the position for a wall mounting screw for a picture frame, comprising the steps of:inserting a key-slot alignment apparatus into a key-slot or key-slot bracket on the back of a picture frame;leveling and positioning the picture frame on a wall;pushing on the front of the picture frame such that a pointer on the apparatus marks the desired location of the wall mounting screw.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the key-slot alignment apparatus includes an eccentric post that is rotated within the key-slot to lock the apparatus into position before marking the wall.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the key-slot alignment apparatus includes a knob with knurls for gripping, and the pointer is a steel point that is pressed against the wall to leave a mark for the wall mounting screw.

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