Flat panel display mounting

• US 20090184221A1
• Filed: 01/05/2009
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Twin-Star International Inc
• Original Assignee: Bell'O International Corporation (Twin-Star International Inc)
• Inventors: Sculler, Steven J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,322,673 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/221.110
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle

Abstract

A television mounting system includes a wall plate, at least one monitor arm mountable on the wall plate, and a locking mechanism including a rotating locking element permanently connected with the monitor arm. The rotating element is moveable, by rotation of the rotating element a portion of a revolution, between an unlocked position for enabling dismounting of the at least one monitor arm from the wall plate, and a locked position for preventing dismounting of the at least one monitor arm from the wall plate. The rotating element includes a first side having a different height than a second side. In the locked position of the locking element, the first side is less of a distance from a contact portion of the wall plate than a distance the monitor arm must be moved for dismounting the monitor arm from the wall plate, such that the locking element contacts the contact portion before the monitor can be moved for being dismounted from the wall plate.

Claims

1. A television mounting system comprising:

a wall plate;

at least one monitor arm mountable on the wall plate;

a rotating locking element permanently connected with the at least one monitor arm and moveable, by rotation of the rotating element a portion of a revolution, between an unlocked position for enabling dismounting of the at least one monitor arm from the wall plate and a locked position for preventing dismounting of the at least one monitor arm from the wall plate, wherein the rotating element includes a first side having a different height than a second side;

wherein, when the rotating element is in the locked position and the at least one monitor arm is mounted on the wall plate, the first side of the rotating element is a first distance from a contact portion of the wall plate; and

wherein the first distance is less than a second distance the monitor arm must be moved for dismounting the monitor arm from the wall plate, such that, with the rotating element in the locked position and the monitor arm mounted on the wall plate, the first side contacts the contact portion before the monitor arm can be moved the second distance, thereby preventing dismounting of the monitor arm from the wall plate.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein, when the rotating element is in the unlocked position and the at least one monitor arm is mounted on the wall plate, the second side of the rotating element is a third distance from the contact portion of the wall plate, and

wherein the third distance is greater than the second distance, such that, with the rotating element in the unlocked position and the monitor arm mounted on the wall plate, the monitor arm can be moved a distance at least equal to the second distance before the second side contacts the contact portion of the wall plate, thereby enabling dismounting of the monitor from the wall plate.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the portion of the revolution is at least about 30 degrees.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein one end of the rotating element includes the first and second sides, the system further comprising:

an extension element including an end connectable to an end of the rotating element opposite the one end of the rotating element, wherein an end of the extension element opposite to the end connectable to the rotating element includes at least one groove engageable by a tool for rotating the rotating element between the unlocked position and the locked position.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the rotating element is connected opposite a back wall of the monitor arm.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the rotating element is connected to a side extending from a back wall of the monitor arm.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a flange attached to the monitor arm and including an opening through which the rotating element extends, wherein the flange separates an upper portion of the rotating element including the first and second sides and from a lower portion of the rotating element; and

a resilient element coupled to the flange and the lower portion of the rotating element, wherein the resilient element urges the upper portion of the rotating element against the flange, such that at least a predetermined force is required for rotating the rotating element.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the resilient element is a spring.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one stop element for restricting a range of rotation of the rotating element.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

an engagement element extending from the rotating element, wherein the stop element is positioned for contacting the engagement element for restricting the range of rotation of the rotating element.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the stop element is positioned for restricting the range of rotation of the rotating element at the locked position or the unlocked position of the rotating element.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the engagement element is a pin.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a keying element for indicating a rotational position of the rotating element.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the keying element indicates whether the rotating element is at a desired locked position.

15. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

at least one stop element for restricting a range of rotation of the rotating element by contacting an engagement element extending from the rotating element, wherein the stop element and the keying element, in combination, are for engaging the engagement element.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the engagement element is a pin and the keying element opposes, and is spaced from, the stop element, and wherein the pin is in an engaged position when disposed between the key element and the stop element.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

a resilient element coupled to the rotating element for restricting free rotation of the pin.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one monitor arm comprises at least one hook engageable with the wall plate for mounting the at least one monitor arm on said wall plate, wherein when the monitor arm is mounted to the wall plate, the hook must be moved a distance equal to the second distance for enabling dismounting of the monitor arm from the wall plate.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein a first end of the rotating element includes the first and second sides and a second end of the rotating element opposite the first end includes a friction engaging surface.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein a first end of the rotating element includes the first and second sides and a second end of the rotating element opposite the first end includes at least one groove engagable by a tool for rotating the rotating element between the unlocked position and the locked position.

21. A television mounting system comprising:

a wall plate including at least one ledge;

at least first and second monitor arms including at least first and second hooks, respectively, wherein the first and second monitor arms are mountable on the wall plate by engaging the respective first and second hooks with the ledge; and

first and second rotating locking elements permanently connected with the first and second monitor arms, respectively, and moveable, by rotation of the first and second rotating elements a portion of a revolution, between a locked position and an unlocked position for selectively securing the first and second monitor arms to the wall plate;

wherein each of the first and second rotating elements includes a first side having a different height than a second side,

wherein, when the first and second rotating elements are in the locked position, the first sides of the respective first and second rotating elements are a first distance from a contact portion of the wall plate, and

wherein the first distance is less than a second distance the first and second hooks must be moved for disengaging the first and second hooks from the ledge, such that, with the first and second rotating elements in the locked position and the first and second monitor arms mounted on the wall plate, the first sides of the respective first and second monitor arms contact the contact portion before the first and second hooks can be moved the second distance, thereby preventing dismounting of the first and second monitor arms from the wall plate.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein, when the first and second rotating elements are in the unlocked position and the first and second monitor arms are mounted on the wall plate, the second sides of the respective first and second rotating elements are a third distance from the contact portion of the wall plate, and

wherein the third distance is greater than the second distance, such that, with the first and second rotating elements in the unlocked position and the first and second monitor arms mounted on the wall plate, the first and second hooks can be moved a distance at least equal to the second distance before the second sides of the respective first and second rotating element contact the contact portion of the wall plate, thereby enabling dismounting of the first and second monitors from the wall plate.

23. The system of claim 21 further comprising:

a plurality of extension elements of different length, wherein each of the extension elements is connectable to the first and second rotating elements and includes at least one groove rotatable by a tool for rotating the rotating elements between the unlocked position and the locked position.

24. The system of claim 23, where at least one of the first and second rotating elements and at least one of the extension elements include means for selectively attaching the one rotating element with the one extension element for selectively defining a length that the one extension element extends from the one rotating element.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the attaching means includes a plurality of apertures in the one rotating element and the one extension element.

26. The system of claim 21 further comprising:

a resilient element coupled to at least one of the first and second rotating elements for restricting free rotation of the one rotating element.

27. The system of claim 21 further comprising:

a stop surface in a path of rotation of a pin extending from at least one of the first and second rotating elements for indicating rotation of the one rotating element to a desired locked position or unlocked position.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein each of the first and second monitor arms includes a back wall and the first and second rotating elements are attached opposite to the back walls of the respective first and second monitor arms.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein each of the first and second monitor arms includes a back wall and a side extending from the back wall, where the first and second rotating elements are attached to the sides of the respective first and second monitor arms.

30. A television mounting system comprising:

a wall plate including first engagement means;

at least one monitor arm including at least one second engagement means engagable with the first engagement means, wherein the monitor arm is mountable on the wall plate by engagement of the first engagement means with the second engagement means; and

a rotating locking means permanently connected with the at least one monitor arm and being moveable, by rotation of the rotating means a portion of a revolution, between an unlocked position for enabling dismounting of the at least one monitor arm from the wall plate and a locked position for preventing dismounting of the at least one monitor arm from the wall plate, wherein the rotating means includes a first side having a different height than a second side;

wherein, when the rotating means is in the locked position and the at least one monitor arm is mounted on the wall plate, the first side of the rotating means is a first distance from a contact portion of the wall plate; and

wherein the first distance is less than a second distance the second engagement means must be moved for being disengaged with the first engagement means for enabling dismounting of the monitor arm from the wall plate, such that, with the rotating means in the locked position and the monitor arm mounted on the wall plate, the first side contacts the contact portion before the second engagement means can be moved the second distance, thereby preventing dismounting of the monitor arm from the wall plate.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein, when the rotating means is in the unlocked position and the at least one monitor arm is mounted on the wall plate, the second side of the rotating means is a third distance from the contact portion of the wall plate, and

wherein the third distance is greater than the second distance, such that, with the rotating means in the unlocked position and the monitor arm mounted on the wall plate, the second engagement means can be moved a distance at least equal to the second distance before the second side contacts the contact portion of the wall plate, thereby enabling dismounting of the monitor from the wall plate.

32. The system of claim 30 further comprising:

extension means connectable to the rotating means for selectively extending a length of the rotating means, and including means for engagement with a tool for rotating the rotating means between the unlocked position and the locked position.

33. The system of claim 30 further comprising:

restricting means coupled to the rotating means for restricting free rotation of the rotating means.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the restricting means includes means for indicating rotation of the rotating means to a desired locked position or desired unlocked position.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the restricting means includes means for restricting rotation of the rotating means to less than or equal to about 180 degrees.