Multi-function sports equipment wall hanger

Abstract

In order to provide for storage and display of sports equipment on a finished interior wall (such as on a bed room or den wall), a multi-function sports equipment wall hanger apparatus includes a pair of adjustably spaced apart hangers supported on the wall. Each hanger provides a padded and tapering upwardly disposed nest or recess for receiving an edge portion of a sports board, such as a surf or snow board. The board is retained by its own weight in these recesses and is angulated for advantageous display from an elevated position. Depending below the hangers, a pair of straps provide for suspending a variety of additional support features, including board nest members, suspension members for skate boards, or suspension members for Razor-type scooters. In each instance a spacer feature maintains the sports equipment away from a finished surface of the wall so as to prevent contact of the sports board or other sports equipment with the wall surface.

1 . A multi-function wall hanger and spacer configured for hanging and displaying a variety of sports equipment on a wall while maintaining the sports equipment spaced away from contact with the wall, comprising: 
 a support and spacer member mountable on a wall, said support and spacer member having a pair of spaced apart upwardly curving integral hooks horizontally aligned and extending outwardly from said support and spacer member, said pair of hooks being spaced outwardly from said wall on an integral spacer portion, and said pair of hooks being sized and spaced apart for receiving and supporting a horizontally extending portion of an elongate board-type of sports equipment, whereby said elongate board-type of sports equipment may be supported in an elevated horizontal and outwardly angulated position on the wall and is spaced from contact with the wall by a horizontally spaced apart and aligned pair of said support and spacer members;    an elongate flexible strap member depending from said support and spacer member to support a board nest member;    said board nest member including a hooked arm defining an upwardly disposed recess for receiving a lower edge portion of a second elongate board-type of sports equipment, said board nest member including a protruding foot portion engaging the wall and maintaining the second elongate board-type of sports equipment away from contact with the wall; and    a gravity hook member slidably received along said elongate flexible strap member, said gravity hook member including a hooked arm defining a downwardly disposed recess for receiving an upper edge portion of the second elongate board-type of sports equipment.    
   
   
       2 . The wall hanger of  claim 1  further including a suspension member attaching to said support member and supporting said elongate strap member, said suspension member including a pair of protruding dove-tail keys received into a matching pair of dove-tail grooves defined on said support member.  
   
   
       3 . The wall hanger of  claim 2  wherein said pair of dove-tail keys each define one of a pair of through bores, and a pair of threaded fasteners pass through said through bores to threadably engage into a doubler plate received within said support member.  
   
   
       4 . The wall hanger of  claim 1  wherein said elongate strap member includes a hook member disposed at a lower end thereof, and said strap member engaging said support member, while the hook member supports said board nest member.  
   
   
       5 . The wall hanger of  claim 1  wherein the hooked arm of said board nest member and the hooked arm of said gravity hook member each define respective ones of a pair of lateral grooves, and a safety strap member removably received into said lateral grooves for retaining an elongate board-type item of sports equipment in support by said board nest and gravity hook members.  
   
   
       6 . The wall hanger of  claim 1  wherein said gravity hook member includes a slot slidably receiving said elongate strap member, and a locking device for preventing said gravity hook member from sliding along said elongate strap member.  
   
   
       7 . The wall hanger of  claim 6  wherein said locking device includes a boss defined by said gravity hook member, and a locking lever including a protruding cam surface engageable with said elongate strap member, and said locking lever moving from an unlocked position to a locked position along an arcuate path.  
   
   
       8 . The wall hanger of  claim 1  wherein said board nest member further supports an additional elongate strap member, and said additional elongate strap member supports an additional board nest member, and has an additional gravity hook member slidably received thereon.  
   
   
       9 . The wall hanger of  claim 1  wherein said board nest member further supports an additional elongate strap member, and said additional elongate strap member supports a member selected from the group consisting of: a structure for hangingly supporting a skate board, and a structure for hangingly supporting a sidewalk scooter.  
   
   
       10 . The wall hanger of  claim 9  wherein said structure for hangingly supporting a sidewalk scooter includes a pair of outwardly protruding hooks spaced away from a plate portion by an intervening spacer portion, said pair of hooks being sized and configured to accept and support the handlebar of a folded sidewalk scooter, and an outwardly protruding resilient spacer arm spaced below and centrally of said pair of hooks and being adapted to engage the vertical handle bar support of said sidewalk scooter such as to maintain the handle bar away from the wall and the spacer arm is adapted to extend outwardly from the wall a distance to contact said vertical handle bar support to maintain the folded scooter away from contact with the wall, said spacer arm at a distal termination is provided with an arched receiving tip for receiving the vertical handle bar support therein, and said plate portion defining a view opening interposed between said spacer portion and said spacer arm, whereby said view opening allows a user to place an item of visual interest, such as a graphic design or a photograph behind the wall hanger and adjacent to the wall to be viewed through said view opening.  
   
   
       11 . The wall hanger of  claim 9  wherein said structure for hangingly supporting a skateboard includes a pair of outwardly protruding hooks spaced away from a plate portion by an intervening spacer portion, said pair of hooks being sized and configured to accept and support an axle of the skateboard, and an outwardly protruding resilient spacer arm spaced below and centrally of said pair of hooks and being adapted to engage the hanging board portion of said skateboard such as to maintain the lower axle and wheels of said skateboard away from the wall, said spacer arm at a distal termination is provided with a curved tip portion for contacting the hanging board portion of said skateboard for resiliently maintaining the lower axle away from the wall, and said plate portion defining a view opening interposed between said spacer portion and said spacer arm, whereby said view opening allows a user to place an item of visual interest, such as a graphic design or a photograph behind the wall hanger and adjacent to the wall to be viewed through said view opening.  
   
   
       12 . The wall hanger of  claim 1  wherein said support and spacer member is mountable on a wall via an elongate rail member secured to said wall, said elongate rail member defining a rectangular shape in cross section, and said support and spacer member defining a T-shaped notch slidably passing along said rail member.  
   
   
       13 . The wall hanger of  claim 12  wherein said elongate rail member defines a plurality of detent notches spaced along its length, and said support and spacer member includes a detent member resiliently engaging into and disengaging from said dentent notches in response to movement of said support and spacer member along said elongate rail member.  
   
   
       14 . The wall hanger of  claim 13  wherein said detent member includes said support and spacer member defining an integral web of plastic material extending internally of said support and spacer member from a wall thereof to said elongate rail member in order to resiliently engage into said detent notches.  
   
   
       15 . The wall hanger of  claim 12  wherein said rail member is composed of two complementary parts cooperatively defining a self-aligning lap joint therebetween, said lap joint including one of said two complementary parts defining a pair of spaced apart dowel projections, and the other of said two complementary parts defining a pair of dowel holes matching said dowel projections, whereby said two complementary parts are self aligning when engaged with one another via engagement of said pair of dowel projections into said pair of dowel holes.  
   
   
       16 . A multi-function wall hanger and spacer configured for hanging and displaying a variety of sports equipment on a wall while maintaining the sports equipment spaced away from contact with the wall, comprising: 
 a support and spacer member mountable on a wall, said support and spacer member having a pair hooks horizontally aligned and extending outwardly from said support and spacer member, said pair of hooks being spaced outwardly from said wall on an integral spacer portion, and said pair of hooks being sized and spaced apart for receiving and supporting a horizontally extending portion of an elongate board-type of sports equipment, whereby said elongate board-type of sports equipment may be supported in an elevated horizontal and outwardly angulated position on the wall and is spaced from contact with the wall by a horizontally spaced apart and aligned pair of said support and spacer members;    said support and spacer member carrying a suspension member removably attached thereto;    said suspension member supporting an elongate flexible strap member depending therefrom to support a hook member;    said hook member engaging and supporting a board nest member, said board nest member including a hooked arm defining an upwardly disposed recess for receiving a lower edge portion of a second elongate board-type item of sports equipment, said board nest member including a protruding foot portion engaging the wall and maintaining the second elongate board-type item of sports equipment away from contact with the wall; and    a gravity hook member slidably received along said elongate flexible strap member, said gravity hook member including a hooked arm defining a downwardly disposed recess for receiving an upper edge portion of the second elongate board-type of sports equipment;    the hooked arms of said board nest member and of said gravity hook member each defining respective ones of a pair of lateral grooves, and a safety strap member removably received into said lateral grooves for retaining an elongate board-type item of sports equipment in support by said board nest and gravity hook members.    
   
   
       17 . The wall hanger of  claim 16  wherein said gravity hook member includes a slot slidably receiving said elongate strap member, and a locking device for preventing said gravity hook member from sliding along said elongate strap member.  
   
   
       18 . The wall hanger of  claim 17  wherein said locking device includes a boss defined by said gravity hook member, and a locking lever including a protruding cam surface engageable with said elongate strap member, and said locking lever moving from an unlocked position to a locked position along an arcuate path.  
   
   
       19 . The wall hanger of  claim 16  wherein said support and spacer member is mountable on a wall via an elongate rail member secured to said wall, said elongate rail defining a rectangular cross section, and said support and spacer member defining a T-shaped notch the larger portion of which slidably passes along said rail member, said elongate rail member defining a plurality of detent notches spaced along its length, and said support and spacer member includes a detent member resiliently engaging into and disengaging from said dentent notches in response to movement of said support and spacer member along said elongate rail member.  
   
   
       20 . The wall hanger of  claim 19  wherein said detent member includes said support and spacer member defining an integral web of plastic material extending internally of said support and spacer member from a wall thereof to said elongate rail member in order to resiliently engage into said detent notches.  
   
   
       21 . The wall hanger of  claim 19  wherein said rail member is composed of two complementary parts cooperatively defining a self-aligning lap joint therebetween, said lap joint including one of said two complementary parts defining a pair of spaced apart dowel projections, and the other of said two complementary parts defining a pair of dowel holes matching said dowel projections, whereby said two complementary parts are self aligning when engaged with one another via engagement of said pair of dowel projections into said pair of dowel holes.  
   
   
       22 . A method of hanging and displaying elongate board-type items of sports equipment as well as other items of sports equipment on a wall while preventing damage to the wall, said method including steps of: 
 providing a pair of support and spacer members mountable on a wall;    configuring each of said pair of support and spacer members to include a pair hooks horizontally aligned and extending outwardly from said support and spacer member, arranging said pair of hooks to be spaced outwardly from said wall on an integral spacer portion of said support and spacer member, and sizing and spacing apart said pair of hooks for receiving and supporting a horizontally extending portion of an elongate board-type item of sports equipment so that the elongate board-type item of sports equipment is frictionally engaged at an edge portion there of and is supported in an elevated horizontal and outwardly angulated position on the wall and is spaced from contact with the wall;    further configuring said pair of support and spacer members each to carry a suspension member extending downwardly and outwardly from the wall;.    depending an elongate flexible strap member from each suspension member, and supporting a hook member at a lower termination of each strap member;    engaging and supporting a board nest member with each hook member;    configuring said board nest members to each include a hooked arm defining an upwardly disposed recess for receiving a lower edge portion of a second elongate board-type item of sports equipment, providing for each board nest member to include a protruding foot portion engaging the wall and maintaining the second elongate board-type item of sports equipment spaced away from contact with the wall; and    providing a gravity hook member slidably received along each elongate flexible strap member, said gravity hook members each including a hooked arm defining a downwardly disposed recess for receiving an upper edge portion of the second elongate board-type of sports equipment.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  further including the steps of: providing for the hooked arms of said board nest members and of said gravity hook members to each define respective ones of a pair of lateral grooves, and providing a safety strap member removably received into said lateral grooves for retaining an elongate board-type item of sports equipment in support by said board nest and gravity hook members.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22  further including the steps of: providing said gravity hook members with a slot slidably receiving the respective one of said elongate strap members, and providing on each gravity hook member a locking device for preventing said gravity hook member from sliding along said elongate strap member.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 22  further providing the steps of: providing for said board nest member to further support an additional elongate strap member, and providing for said additional elongate strap member to support an additional board nest member, and has an additional gravity hook member slidably received thereon.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 22  further including the steps of: providing for said board nest member to further support an additional elongate strap member, and providing for said additional elongate strap member to support a member for hangingly supporting a sidewalk scooter; 
 and configuring said structure for hangingly supporting a sidewalk scooter to include a pair of outwardly protruding hooks spaced away from a plate portion by an intervening spacer portion, providing for said pair of hooks to be sized and configured to accept and support the handlebar of a folded sidewalk scooter, and further providing an outwardly protruding resilient spacer arm spaced below and centrally of said pair of hooks; and providing for said spacer arm to be adapted to engage the vertical handle bar support of said sidewalk scooter such as to maintain the handle bar away from the wall; and adapting said spacer arm to extend outwardly from the wall and is provided at a distal termination with an arched receiving tip receiving the vertical handle bar support therein.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 22  further including the steps of: providing for said board nest member to further support an additional elongate strap member, and providing for said additional elongate strap member to support a member for hangingly supporting a skate board, and 
 providing for said structure for hangingly supporting a skateboard to include a pair of outwardly protruding hooks spaced away from a plate portion by an intervening spacer portion, configuring said pair of hooks to accept and support an axle of the skateboard, and providing an outwardly protruding resilient spacer arm spaced below and centrally of said pair of hooks and being adapted to engage the hanging board portion of said skateboard such as to maintain the lower axle and wheels of said skateboard away from the wall, and providing said spacer arm at a distal termination with a curved tip portion for contacting the hanging board portion of said skateboard for resiliently maintaining the lower parts of said skate board away from the wall.    
   
   
       28 . A wall hanger and spacer configured for hanging a skateboard or foldable scooter on a wall while maintaining the skateboard or foldable scooter away from contact with the wall, comprising: 
 a panel mountable on a wall, said panel having a pair of spaced apart upwardly curving integral hooks horizontally aligned and extending outwardly from said panel, said pair of hooks being spaced outwardly from said panel on an integral spacer portion, and said pair of hooks being sized and spaced apart for receiving and supporting a horizontally extending portion of a skateboard or foldable scooter which is retained by and hangs generally dependent below the pair of hooks with the horizontally extending portion maintained away from contact with the wall by the spacer portion;    spaced below the hooks, an integral resilient spacer arm protruding outwardly from the panel a distance for contacting a downwardly extending portion of the skateboard or foldable scooter to maintain all other portions of the skateboard or foldable scooter away from contact with the wall; and    said panel defining a view opening interposed between said spacer portion and said spacer arm, whereby said view opening allows a user to place an item of visual interest, such as a graphic design or a photograph behind the wall hanger and spacer and adjacent to the wall, to be viewed through said view opening.    
   
   
       29 . The hanger and spacer of  claim 28  wherein said pair of hooks are configured to receive therein a wheel mount of a skateboard, and the spacer portion is adapted to maintain the wheels at said wheel mount away from the wall, and the spacer arm is adapted to extend outwardly from the wall a distance to contact a board portion of the skateboard to maintain the skateboard away from contact with the wall.  
   
   
       30 . The hanger and spacer of  claim 28  wherein said pair of hooks are further configured to receive a handle bar of a folded scooter therein, and the spacer portion is adapted to maintain the handle bar away from the wall and the spacer arm is adapted to extend outwardly from the wall a distance to contact a vertical handle bar support to maintain the folded scooter away from contact with the wall, and wherein the spacer arm is provided with an arched receiving tip on an outer end of the spacer arm for receiving the vertical handle bar support therein.