U.S. patent application number 12/970723 was filed with the patent office on 2011-04-14 for mounting system for flat panel display.
This patent application is currently assigned to OMNIMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC. Invention is credited to Zachary Eyman, Tom Muday, Brett Stenhouse.
Application Number | 20110084187 12/970723 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39150174 |
Filed Date | 2011-04-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110084187 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Muday; Tom ; et al. |
April 14, 2011 |
Mounting System for Flat Panel Display
Abstract
A mounting system for adjustably mounting a flat panel display
to a support medium. The system consists of a frame assembly that
can be attached to a support medium. One or more adjustable mounts
are attached to the frame assembly, and a flat panel display is
attached to the adjustable mounts. Each adjustable mount can extend
from a retracted position to an extended position in order to tilt
the flat panel display and provide an optimum viewing angle to a
viewer. As the adjustable mount extends, the center of gravity of
the attached flat panel display moves in approximately a horizontal
plane, enabling the display to be tilted by a user with a minimum
amount of applied force. In some embodiments, a friction assembly
is provided to maintain the selected position of each adjustable
mount.
Inventors: |
Muday; Tom; (Scottsdale,
AZ) ; Eyman; Zachary; (Phoenix, AZ) ;
Stenhouse; Brett; (Phoenix, AZ) |
Assignee: |
OMNIMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC
Phoenix
AZ
|
Family ID: |
39150174 |
Appl. No.: |
12/970723 |
Filed: |
December 16, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12779796 |
May 13, 2010 |
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12970723 |
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11514716 |
Aug 31, 2006 |
7731143 |
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12779796 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
248/284.1 ;
248/286.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16M 13/02 20130101;
F16M 2200/024 20130101; F16M 11/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/284.1 ;
248/286.1 |
International
Class: |
F16M 13/00 20060101
F16M013/00 |
Claims
1-9. (canceled)
10. An adjustable mount for holding a display, comprising: a first
portion; a second portion that has a sliding connection to the
first portion and is tiltable relative to the first portion; and a
linkage that has a sliding connection to one of the first and
second portions, and has a pivot connection to the other of the
first and second portions.
11. The adjustable mount of claim 10, wherein the first portion is
configured to be mounted to a support medium, and the second
portion is configured to be mounted to the display.
12. The adjustable mount of claim 11, wherein the support medium
includes a rail, and the second portion includes a flange that fits
to the rail.
13. The adjustable mount of claim 10, wherein the sliding
connections are pins that move within ranges of motion defined by
slots; and the pivot connection is a pin that passes through a
corresponding hole.
14. The adjustable mount of claim 10, wherein the second portion is
sized to encompass the first portion and the linkage in a retracted
position.
15. An adjustable mount for holding a display, comprising: a first
portion; a second portion that has a sliding connection and is
tiltable relative to the first portion; a first linkage that has a
sliding connection to one of the first and second portions, and has
a pivot connection to the other of the first and second portions;
and a second linkage that has a pivot connection to the first
linkage and a pivot connection to the one of the of the first and
second portions that has the sliding connection to the first
linkage.
16. The adjustable mount of claim 15, wherein the first portion is
configured to be mounted to a support medium, and the second
portion is configured to be mounted to the display.
17. The adjustable mount of claim 16, wherein the support medium
includes a rail, and the second portion includes a flange that fits
to the rail.
18. The adjustable mount of claim 15, wherein the sliding
connections are pins that move within ranges of motion defined by
slots; and the pivot connections are pins that pass through
corresponding holes.
19. The adjustable mount of claim 15, wherein the second portion is
sized to encompass the first portion and the first and second
linkages in a retracted position.
20. An adjustable mount for mounting a flat panel display to a
support medium comprising: a back body portion that is configured
to be mounted to the support medium; a front body portion that is
configured to be mounted to the flat panel display, has a sliding
connection to the back body portion and is tiltable relative to the
back body portion; a first linkage that has a sliding connection to
the back body portion and a pivot connection to the front body
portion; and a second linkage that has a pivot connection to the
first linkage and a pivot connection to the back body portion.
21. The adjustable mount of claim 20, wherein the support medium
includes a rail, and the back body portion includes a flange that
fits to the rail.
22. The adjustable mount of claim 20, wherein the sliding
connections are pins that move within ranges of motion defined by
slots; and the pivot connections are pins that pass through
corresponding holes.
23. The adjustable mount of claim 20, wherein the front body
portion is sized to encompass the back body portion and the first
and second linkages in a retracted position.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention is related to systems for mounting
flat panel displays to support mediums.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Flat panel video displays, such as plasma displays, liquid
crystal displays, digital light processing displays, e-ink
displays, and other existing and developing display technologies,
are becoming increasingly popular because of their smaller profile
when compared to traditional video displays using cathode ray
tubes. As a result, flat panel displays are being used more
frequently in a number of applications, including in the home, in
corporate meeting rooms, in manufacturing facilities, in museums,
in public spaces, and in a variety other uses. Because of the large
number of flat panel display manufacturers, the range of panel
sizes, and the significantly different applications in which flat
panels are being used, a number of different mounting systems and
mounting techniques have been developed to secure flat panel
displays to walls or other support mediums. Mounting systems run
the gamut from simple fixed brackets to motorized systems for
raising and lowering flat panel displays from decorative
cabinets.
[0003] Most traditional mounting devices for flat panel displays
allow a user to tilt or otherwise adjust the relative position of
the display for optimum viewing performance. One of the
disadvantages of many of the existing mounting devices, however, is
the amount of force required to adjust the position of the flat
panel display. Particularly as flat panel displays become larger
and heavier, the amount of force necessary to orient displays has
become increasingly an issue with some mounting devices. Since many
uses of a flat panel display require frequent adjustments to the
position of the display, it would be beneficial to develop a
mounting system that would minimize the force necessary to position
the flat panel display and reduce the force required to hold the
flat panel display in the desired position after adjustment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG 1A and 1B are isometric views of a system for adjustably
mounting a flat panel display to a support medium, including two
adjustable mounts and one frame assembly.
[0005] FIG. 2 is an exploded isometric view of a adjustable mount
that may be attached to the frame assembly.
[0006] FIGS. 3A-3D are side views of the adjustable mount of FIG. 2
as the adjustable mount extends from a retracted position to an
extended position.
[0007] FIG. 4 is a front cross-sectional view of the adjustable
mount of FIG. 2 in the retracted position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0008] FIGS. 1A and 1B are isometric views of a mounting system 100
for adjustably mounting a flat panel display 105 (shown in broken
lines) to a support medium (not shown). The system consists of a
frame assembly 110 that can be attached to a wall, column, bracket,
or any other structure that may act as a support medium. One or
more adjustable mounts 115 are attached to the frame assembly 110,
and a flat panel display 105 is attached to the adjustable mounts.
The mounting system 100 is designed to allow significant
flexibility in placing and orienting the attached flat panel
display. For example, the frame assembly may be mounted to a
support medium at a desired vertical height. The adjustable mounts
may be moved laterally on the frame assembly to allow the flat
panel to be positioned at a desired horizontal location. And, as
will be described in greater detail below, each adjustable mount
115 can extend from a retracted position to an extended position in
order to tilt the flat panel display and provide an optimum viewing
angle to a viewer. As the adjustable mount extends, the center of
gravity of the attached flat panel display moves in an at least
approximately horizontal plane. Since the center of gravity of the
display does not move up or down along a circular arc as the
adjustable mount extends, the display may be tilted by a user with
less force than with mounting systems that pivot the display along
a circular arc. In some embodiments, a friction assembly is
provided to maintain the selected position of each adjustable
mount. The friction assembly is simple to manufacture and adjust.
The disclosed mounting system is therefore easy to use and suitable
for a variety of different applications.
[0009] With reference to FIG. 1A, the frame assembly 110 is
comprised of a top rail 117A, a bottom rail 117B, a left support
120A, and a right support 120B. In some embodiments, the top and
bottom rails are fixed to the left and right supports in a roughly
rectangular configuration. The left and right supports 120A, 120B
maintain the spacing of the top and bottom rails 117A, 117B so that
they are at least substantially parallel with one another and at a
distance that accommodates attachment of the adjustable mounts. The
frame assembly is screwed or otherwise attached to the support
medium using a plurality of fasteners (not shown) that will support
the weight of the frame assembly 110, adjustable mounts 115, and
flat panel display 105. It will be appreciated that the left and
right supports for the frame assembly facilitate the installation
of the mounting system, as an installer mounting the frame assembly
to the support medium does not have to ensure that the top and
bottom rails are correctly spaced. In other embodiments, however,
the left and right supports may be omitted, and the mounting system
installer may mount the rails 117A and 117B directly to the support
medium at the appropriate distance and orientation. Those skilled
the art will appreciate that other configurations for the frame
assembly 110 may also be used in order to maintain the proper
spacing and orientation of the top and bottom rails.
[0010] The top and bottom rails 117A and 117B can be formed of
aluminum, steel, plastic, or other material that has sufficient
strength to support the weight of the attached adjustable mounts
and flat panel monitor. In the illustrated embodiment, the top of
each of the rails is formed with a lip 125 that runs the length of
the rail along the proximal edge of the rail from the perspective
of the installer mounting the frame assembly. Because the lip 125
of each rail is spaced away from the support medium to which the
frame assembly is attached, the adjustable mounts 115 can be hung
from the top and bottom rails 117A and 117B as will be described in
greater detail below. The adjustable mounts can also be slid
laterally along the rails to allow the flat panel display to be
horizontally positioned within a range of motion defined by the
length of the top and bottom rails. The adjustable mounts are
attached to the rear of a flat panel display 105 using one or more
fasteners (not shown) that mate with any mounting holes, brackets,
or couplers that are provided by the flat panel display
manufacturer. FIG. 1B depicts two adjustable mounts 115 that have
been attached to the flat panel display 105 and hung from the frame
assembly 110. It will be appreciated that depending on the size of
the flat panel display that is being mounted, a greater or lesser
number of adjustable mounts may be required to support the weight
and size of the display.
[0011] FIG. 2 is an exploded isometric view of a adjustable mount
115 that is used to hang the flat panel display 105 from the frame
assembly 110. The adjustable mount 115 is comprised of a back body
portion 205 and a front body portion 210 that are coupled by a
linkage assembly 215 that allows the front body portion to move
through a range of motion that will be described in additional
detail below. The adjustable mount also includes a friction
assembly 220 that enables the adjustable mount to maintain a
particular position within its range of motion without adjustment
by the user. In some embodiments, the adjustable mount 115 enables
an attached flat panel display to be tilted at an angle of between
0 to 15 degrees as measured from the frame assembly 110.
[0012] The back body portion 205 of the adjustable mount is
generally manufactured of aluminum, steel, plastic, or other
material that has sufficient strength to support the weight of the
flat panel monitor. The back body portion can be formed with two
"T-shaped" slots 225 at either end of the body portion. The slots
are oriented towards the rear of the mounting system, and are sized
to fit over the top rail 117A and bottom rail 117B. The sides of
each slot define a groove 230 and a flange 235 on the back body
portion, one groove/flange in each slot oriented upwards and one
groove/flange oriented downwards when the adjustable mount is
vertically oriented. The downwardly-oriented groove 230 is sized to
receive the lip 125 of the corresponding top or bottom rail 117A or
117B and connect the adjustable mount 115 to the frame assembly
110. The weight of the flat panel 105 results in sufficient
pressure between the flange 235 and the lip 125 to secure the
connection. In some embodiments, nylon rail glides 240 are inserted
into the slots 225 to cover the surface of the flange and the
corresponding groove that receives the lip. The nylon rail glides
make it easier to slide the adjustable mount along the frame
assembly, protects the finish of the adjustable mount and frame
assembly, and may provide some "stickiness" in the flange/lip
connection to prevent the flat screen from moving as a result of
inadvertent jostling. Note that the downwardly-oriented grooves 230
and flanges 235 are utilized to secure the adjustable mount to the
frame assembly. The upwardly-oriented grooves and flanges are
provided to allow the adjustable mount to be rotated 180 degrees
and attached to the frame assembly. In one orientation (depicted),
the adjustable mount allows the flat panel to be tilted away from
the frame assembly and downwardly towards a viewer. In the other
orientation with the adjustable mount rotated 180 degrees (not
shown), the adjustable mount allows the flat panel to be tilted
away from the frame assembly and upwardly towards a viewer. The
slots are therefore configured to maximize the flexibility of the
adjustable mount.
[0013] The front body portion 210 is sized to encompass the back
body portion 205 and the linkage assembly 215 when the adjustable
mount 115 is in the retracted position. A plurality of slots 245
are provided on the front body portion to secure the front body
portion to a flat panel monitor using a plurality of fasteners (not
shown). The slots are preferably sized to enable the adjustable
mount to be attached to flat panels manufactured by a variety of
manufacturers. The front body portion is constructed of aluminum,
steel, plastic, or other material that has sufficient strength to
support the weight of the flat panel monitor.
[0014] The front body portion 210 is coupled to the back body
portion 205 at two connection points. At a first connection point,
a pin 250 passes through a hole 255 in the front body portion,
through slots 260 in the back body portion, and through a
corresponding second hole (not shown) in the front body potion. The
pin is secured by an e-clip 265 or other retainer. Since the pin
passes through slots 260 in the back body portion, the first
connection point of the front body portion 210 to the back body
portion 205 is allowed to float within a range of motion defined by
the slots. That is, the body of the pin can slide upward and
downward within the slots 260 as the front body portion tilts
relative to the back body portion. While the slots 260 are depicted
as straight in FIG. 2, it will be appreciated that the slots may be
curved or may have a different shape.
[0015] The front body portion 210 is coupled to the back body
portion 205 at a second connection point by the linkage assembly
215. The linkage assembly includes a pair of first links 270 and a
pair of second links 275. The pair of first links 270 are
positioned on opposite sides of the back body portion 205. A pin
280 passes through an end of one of the first links 270, through a
pair of small slots 290 in the back body portion 205, and through a
corresponding end of the other of the first links 270, thereby
securing both first links to the back body portion. The pin 280 is
secured in place by an e-clip or other fastener, and is allowed to
float within a range of motion defined by the slots 290 as the
front body portion tilts relative to the back body portion. The
other ends of the first links 270 are secured to the front body
portion 210. A pin 285 passes through a hole 295 in the front body
portion, through the end of one of the first links 270, through the
end of the other first link 270, and through a corresponding hole
(not shown) in the front body portion. The pin 285 is secured by an
e-clip or other fastener. The linkage assembly 215 can further
include second links 275 pivotally attached to the back body
portion 205 and pivotally attached to a corresponding first link
270.
[0016] By virtue of the first links 270 being attached to the back
body portion 205 and the front body portion 210, the front body
portion is allowed to move relative to the back body portion,
thereby tilting the attached flat panel display towards or away
from a viewer. To maintain the center of gravity of the flat panel
display in a more horizontal plane, the pair of second links 275
are connected between the back body portion 205 and a point on the
pair of first links 270 between the points where the first links
are coupled to the front and back body portions. Specifically, one
end of each second link is coupled to the back body portion 205 by
a pin that extends through a hole 300 in the back body portion. The
other end of each second link is connected to the first link by a
pin that extends through a hole 305 in the first link. The hole 305
is located on the first link roughly one-quarter of the distance
between the points where the first link is coupled to the body
portions, as measured from the coupling point with the back body
portion. When the linkage assembly is configured in this manner,
the path of the center of gravity of the display more closely
approximates a horizontal line as the front body portion pivots
outward. Specifically, as the bottom pivot points of the first
links 270 move outward, the second links 275 are driven in an arc
in the opposite direction. Pin 250 slides in slots 260 and pin 280
slides in slots 290 to accommodate this motion. The arc of the
second links 275 alters the path of the first links 270 so that the
path traced by the bottom pivot points of the first links 270 is
roughly a straight line, or along a curve that is not a circular
arc. FIGS. 3A-3D depict the motion of the front body portion and
the back body portion as the front body portion tilts outwardly
from the back body portion.
[0017] FIGS. 3A-3D are side views of the adjustable mount 115 as
the adjustable mount extends from a retracted position to an
extended position. FIG. 3A depicts the adjustable mount when
retracted. Provided that the adjustable mount was attached to a
vertical frame assembly, in this position an attached flat panel
monitor is oriented vertically with no angle of tilt (zero
degrees). In the retracted position, the second link 275 is angled
away from the front body portion 210. The pin 250 representing the
lower pivot point between the front and back portions of the
adjustable mount is resting at or near the bottom of the slot 260.
FIG. 3B depicts the adjustable mount as the front body portion 210
is beginning to be tilted away from the back body portion 205. One
end of the second link 275 has started to pivot upwards, causing
the lower end of the first link 270 to move in roughly a straight
line. As this is occurring, the pivot point represented by the pin
250 has moved upward in slot 260. FIG. 3C depicts the point where
movement of the second link 275 has the maximum corrective effect
as the second link 275 reaches a vertical position. As noted above,
by correcting the motion of the first link 270, the amount of
effort to move the attached flat screen is minimized because the
center of gravity of the attached flat screen display is moved in
an at least substantially horizontal plane. As the front body
portion 210 continues to be tilted away from the back body portion
205, the pin 250 continues to move upward in the slot 260. FIG. 3D
depicts the adjustable mount in the fully-extended position.
Provided that the adjustable mount was attached to a vertical frame
assembly, in this position an attached flat panel monitor is
oriented at a fifteen degree (15.degree.) angle of tilt. In this
position, the second link 275 is now angled toward the front body
portion 210. The pin 250 representing the lower pivot point between
the front and back portions of the adjustable mount is resting at
or near the top of the slot 260. While a 0-15 degree angle of tilt
was found to be sufficient for most applications involving flat
screen displays, those skilled in the art will appreciate that
various modifications may be made to the linkage assembly to either
increase or decrease the available range of motion.
[0018] Returning to FIG. 2, a friction assembly 220 is provided on
each adjustable mount 115 to ensure that the position of the
adjustable mount is maintained at a desired angle after adjustment.
The friction assembly 220 is composed of a friction rod 310, two
friction shoes 315, a compression plate 320, and an adjustable
handle 325. One end of the friction rod 310 is rotatably coupled to
the back body portion 205 by passing the friction rod through a
hole 330 and securing the end of the friction rod with a pushnut
335. The other end of the friction rod 310 is sandwiched between
the two friction shoes 315. The friction shoes and the friction rod
are secured to the front body portion 210 by a threaded stub on the
compression plate 320 that passes through a hole 340 in the front
body portion and is secured on the other side by the adjustable
handle 325. By utilizing a threaded coupler to compress the
friction shoes around the friction rod, a user gains a mechanical
advantage over other methods. Turning the adjustable handle in one
direction increases the amount of pressure that is applied to the
friction rod by the friction shoes, as the compression plate
compresses the friction shoes against the rod. Turning the
adjustable handle in the other direction decreases the amount of
pressure that is applied to the friction rod. A user of the
mounting system is thereby able to adjust the amount of friction in
order to gain a desired amount of friction in the friction
assembly.
[0019] FIGS. 3A-3D depict the operation of the friction assembly
220 as the adjustable mount 115 extends from a retracted position
to an extended position. As shown in FIG. 3A, when the adjustable
mount is in the retracted position, the friction rod 310 is largely
vertical and the friction shoes 315 compress the friction rod at a
location past the midpoint on the friction rod as measured from the
point where the friction rod is attached to the back body portion.
In FIGS. 3B and 3C, as the front body portion 210 is tilted away
from the back body portion 205 the friction shoes travel along the
friction rod, away from the attachment point to the back body
portion. In FIG. 3D, as the front body portion 210 reaches the
extended position, the friction shoes approach the end of the
friction rod. By appropriately tightening the friction assembly, a
user is able to maintain enough friction in the assembly to keep
the desired angle of the adjustable mount without having to tighten
the adjustable handle after each use. Instead, the friction
assembly only has to be tightened on a periodic basis as the
component parts wear or as the handle and compression plate loosen
through use. The friction assembly 220 offers several advantages
over existing friction assemblies. For example, the friction rod
can have an inexpensive and durable surface, the friction shoes can
have large surface areas giving smooth and durable friction, and
the compression plate tightens the friction shoes via a leveraged
screw action that makes it easier to achieve a particular friction
force as compared to traditional methods.
[0020] Returning to FIG. 2, the adjustable handle 325 for the
friction assembly 220 is depicted as being installed on the left
side of the adjustable mount 115 as viewed from the perspective of
the user. Mounting the handle on the left side of the left
adjustable mount ensures that a user will have easier access to the
handle even after a flat panel display has been attached to the
adjustable mounts. For similar reasons, the handle on the right
adjustable mount is mounted on the right side of the adjustable
mount. FIG. 1A depicts both a left and a right adjustable mount
with friction assembly handles installed on the appropriate side of
each assembly.
[0021] FIG. 4 is a cross-section view of the adjustable mount 115
that depicts the layout of the components when the adjustable mount
is in the retracted position. As shown in FIG. 4, both the linkage
assembly 215 and the friction assembly 220 are designed in a manner
so that they are contained in the space between the front body
portion 210 and back body portion 205 of the adjustable mount when
the adjustable mount is in the retracted position. The disclosed
construction thereby allows the adjustable mount to fold nearly
flat and maintain a minimum profile when installed.
[0022] It will be appreciated that utilizing pairs of linkages,
including two first links 270 and two second links 275, distributes
the supported weight of the attached flat panel display more evenly
across the back body portion and the front body portion. Those
skilled in the art will appreciate that under certain conditions
the linkage assembly 215 may be constructed with a different number
of linkages, such as a single first link and second link, or more
than two first links and second links. Such construction may be
applicable depending on the linkage material, size of the flat
panel display, intended use of the mounting system, and other
factors.
[0023] Returning to FIG. 1, two locking bars 130 are optionally
provided with the mounting system 100. The locking bars may be
screwed or otherwise fastened to the support medium in order to
lock the horizontal movement [inventors--accurate?] of the
adjustable mounts 115 with respect to the frame assembly 100.
Locking the adjustable mounts in this fashion prevents unwanted
lateral motion of the flat panel display 105 once a desired
location has been selected.
[0024] While various embodiments are described above, those skilled
in the art will appreciate that various changes to the mounting
system may be made without departing from the scope of the
invention. For example, various spacers, washers and other
fastening mechanisms are depicted in the figures but not discussed
herein for purposes of clarity. While many of the connection points
have been represented as pins that pass through the front or back
body portions of the assembly, the pins could be readily replaced
with other couplers that allow the same motion at the connection
points.
[0025] From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific
embodiments of the invention have been described herein for
purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be
made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention.
For example, although several specific embodiments of the present
invention are particularly useful for adjustably mounting flat
panel displays, the mounting systems of the invention are not
limited to displays and can be applied equally well in other
applications including devices adjustably mounted and/or supported
by a wall or other support structure. Additionally, the mounting
assemblies can be mounted directly to a wall or other medium such
that the frame assembly is not needed. In alternative embodiments,
the back body portion may not be vertical, but rather the back body
portion may be at an angle relative to vertical. Aspects of the
invention described in the context of particular embodiments may be
combined or eliminated in other embodiments. Further, while
advantages associated with certain embodiments of the invention
have been described in the context of these embodiments, other
embodiments may also exhibit such advantages, and not all
embodiments need necessarily exhibit such advantages to fall within
the scope of the invention. The following examples provide further
illustrations of embodiments of the invention.
* * * * *