Wall mounted item retention system and method therefor

Abstract

A wall-mounted item retention system include at least two bracket members, each having a plurality of hooks or retainers for retaining an end of an elastic band. A plurality of elastic bands are provided, with each elastic band being stretch from a hook or retainer on one bracket member to a hook or retainer on another bracket member, forming a region covered by stretched elastic bands in proximity to, and parallel with, the wall or surface on which the bracket members are mounted. Items can be retained by pulling the elastic bands away from the wall and placing the items between the elastic bands and the wall, wherein the force of the elastic band against the items will retain the items against the wall or surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A retention system for holding items on a wall, comprising:
 a first bracket member and a second bracket member, each of the first and second bracket members having an elongated body defining an axis and having a plurality of raised hook members, wherein each of the raised hook members is oriented perpendicular to the axis, and wherein the first bracket member and second bracket member are arranged on the wall parallel to each other such that their respective raised hook members are facing outward; and   a plurality of closed loop elastic bands, wherein each one of the plurality of closed loop elastic bands is stretched between, and retained by a raised hook member of the first bracket member and a raised hook member of the second bracket member.   
     
     
         2 . The retention system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second bracket members comprise a back surface that faces the wall, wherein the back surface of each of the first and second bracket members has a width of at least 0.5 inches. 
     
     
         3 . The retention system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second bracket members have a planar body having a width of at least 0.5 inches. 
     
     
         4 . The retention system of  claim 1 , wherein the raised hook members have a clearance of less than 0.5 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The retention system of  claim 1 , wherein the raised hook members are provided along an outer edge of the first and second bracket members. 
     
     
         6 . The retention system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second bracket members are each formed of a respective first and second pieces of sheet metal, and wherein the raised hook members are formed by pressing rectangular sections along one edge of each piece of sheet metal to be raised above a surface of the respective piece of sheet metal at a proximal end of each rectangular section, wherein each raised hook member comprises a hook body that is coplanar to the surface of the respective piece of sheet metal. 
     
     
         7 . The retention system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second bracket members are arranged vertically on the wall, and at least some of the plurality of closed loop elastic bands are stretched horizontally between corresponding raised hook members of the first and second bracket members. 
     
     
         8 . The retention system of  claim 1 , further comprising mounting holes at opposing ends of each of the first and second bracket members. 
     
     
         9 . A method of arranging a retention system for holding items on a wall, comprising:
 providing a first bracket member and a second bracket member, each of the first and second bracket members having an elongated body defining an axis;   providing a plurality of raised hook members on each of the first and second bracket members, wherein each of the raised hook members is oriented perpendicular to the axis of the respective one of the first and second bracket members;   arranging the first bracket member and second bracket member on the wall parallel to each other such that their respective raised hook members are facing outward; and   providing a plurality of closed loop elastic bands, wherein each of the plurality of closed loop elastic bands are stretched between, and retained by, a raised hook member of the first bracket member and a raised hook member of the second bracket member.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein providing the first and second bracket members comprises providing the first and second bracket members with each having a back surface that faces the wall, wherein the back surface of each of the first and second bracket members has a width of at least 0.5 inches. 
     
     
         11 . The method  claim 9 , wherein providing the first and second bracket members comprises providing the first and second bracket members each having a planar body having a width of at least 0.5 inches. 
     
     
         12 . The method  claim 9 , wherein providing the raised hook members comprises providing the raised hook members to have a clearance of less than 0.5 inches. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein providing the raised hook members comprises providing the raised hook members along an outer edge of the first and second bracket members. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein providing the first and second bracket members comprises providing the first and second bracket member to each be formed of respective first and second pieces of sheet metal, and wherein providing the raised hook members are provided by pressing rectangular sections along one edge of each piece of sheet metal to be raised above a surface of the respective piece of sheet metal at a proximal end of each rectangular section, wherein each raised hook member comprises a hook body that is coplanar to the surface of the respective piece of sheet metal. 
     
     
         15 . The method  claim 9 , wherein providing the first and second bracket members comprises providing the first and second bracket members vertically on the wall, and wherein providing the plurality of closed loop elastic bands comprises providing at least some of the plurality of closed loop elastic bands being stretched horizontally between corresponding raised hook members of the first and second bracket members. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein providing the first and second bracket members comprises providing the first and second bracket members with mounting holes formed at opposing ends of each of the first and second bracket members. 
     
     
         17 . A wall-mounted item retention system, comprising:
 a first bracket member and a second bracket member, each of the first and second bracket members having a plurality of retainers, wherein each of the retainers includes a shank portion that couples to the respective bracket and a head at the top of the shank portion; and   a plurality of elastic bands, wherein each one of the plurality of elastic bands is stretched between, and retained by a retainer of the first bracket member and a retainer of the second bracket member.   
     
     
         18 . The wall-mounted item retention system of  claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of retainers has a height of not more than 0.5″. 
     
     
         19 . The wall-mounted item retention system of  claim 17 , wherein each retainer comprises a head. 
     
     
         20 . The wall-mounted item retention system of  claim 17 , wherein the retainers integrally formed on the first and second brackets.