Wall anchor assemblies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wall anchors are difficult to install, provide insufficient support strength, and cause significant damage to drywall, making them impractical for minor position adjustments and repositioning.
Innovation Solution
A dual-component anchor assembly with pivotably connected anchor components featuring downwardly curved wall penetrating retainers that allow for staged installation without tools, minimizing wall damage and enabling easy repositioning, and providing high support strength without requiring stud or wire/pipe location awareness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional wall anchors with curved saber tooth shaped retainers are used, then support strength in the wall is improved, but installation difficulty increases because a hammer is generally needed
Solution Approach 1:
The anchor is divided into two separate components: a base component with retainers and a cap component. The cap is designed to be manually pressed onto the base, allowing the retainers to be forced into the wall without requiring a hammer. This segmentation enables the installation process to be completed with simple manual pressure rather than requiring heavy tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap component is designed with a pressing surface that allows dynamic application of force during installation. The cap can be manually pressed onto the base with varying pressure to force the retainers into the wall, and the design allows for controlled application of this force without requiring impact tools.
2Strength
If anchors with large wall penetration are used, then support strength is improved, but wall damage increases causing large holes that are not easily repaired
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer geometry is optimized to achieve sufficient support strength with minimal wall penetration. The curved saber tooth shape and dimensions are specifically designed to engage the wall material effectively while minimizing the size of the penetration holes, thereby reducing wall damage and making repairs easier.
3Strength
If anchors are installed with large wall penetration, then support strength is improved, but ease of repair worsens due to large holes left upon removal
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer dimensions and penetration depth are optimized to create small holes that are easy to repair. The retainers are designed to achieve maximum support strength with minimal wall penetration, leaving small holes upon removal that can be easily patched and painted without significant repair work.
4Strength
If conventional anchors requiring hammer installation are used, then support strength is achieved, but adaptability worsens making repositioning impractical
Solution Approach 1:
The two-component design with a removable cap allows the base to be installed first and the cap to be added later. This enables the base to be repositioned or removed more easily than traditional one-piece anchors, as the cap can be taken off and the base adjusted before final installation.
Data Source
AI summary
An anchor assembly for hanging an object on a wall includes a first anchor component and a second anchor component. The first anchor component includes a base having front, back, top, bottom, left and right sides, and at least one wall penetrating retainer extending from the base and having a wall penetrating extent that protrudes rearwardly of the base and has a downwardly curved configuration. The second anchor component includes a base having front, back, top, bottom, left and right sides, at least one wall penetrating retainer extending from the base of the second anchor component and having a wall penetrating extent that protrudes rearwardly of the base of the second anchor component and has a curved configuration. The second anchor component is pivotably associated with the first anchor component for movement between an anchoring orientation and a non-anchoring orientation.