Low Profile Articulating Mounting System

• US 20100171014A1
• Filed: 12/14/2009
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peerless Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Peerless Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Stemple, James Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,561,955 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/201
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/04 Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/12 in more than one direction
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2014 around a vertical axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/022 repositionable
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/065 with a special structure, e.g. reinforced or adapted for space reduction
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/068 being part of the undercarriage

Abstract

A device mount for affixing a device to a surface such as a wall. The device mount has a surface bracket, an articulation mechanism, and a device mount plate. In various embodiments, the device mount further includes a tilt assembly. The surface mount bracket includes an upper surface bracket, a lower surface bracket and a vertical support positioned there between and connected to the lower all bracket and the upper surface bracket. The articulation mechanism has an inner articulating arm pivotally connected to the surface mount bracket and an outer articulating arm is rotatably connected to the inner articulating arm such that it maybe disposed substantially within a void of the inner articulating arm. The tilt assembly is connected to the outer articulating arm and pivotally connected to the device mount plate that is adapted to have a device mounted thereto, such that the device mount plate is selectively tiltable. The tilt assembly may comprise at least one friction hinge that substantially maintains the tilt angle of the device mount plate. When in a collapsed position, the inner articulating arm is substantially disposed between the upper surface bracket and lower surface bracket and the outer articulating arm is substantially disposed within the inner articulating arm presenting a thin profile.

Claims

1. An articulating mount comprising:

a surface mount having an upper surface bracket, a lower surface bracket and a vertical support positioned there between and connected to the lower all bracket and the upper surface bracket;

an articulation mechanism having an inner articulating arm and an outer articulating arm, the inner articulating arm having a void therein and pivotally affixed at a first inner articulating arm end to the surface mount, the inner articulating arm rotatably affixed at a second inner articulating end to a first end of the outer articulating arm, the inner articulating arm adapted to pivot in relation to the surface mount about a first axis to a position substantially parallel to the surface mount, the outer articulating arm adapted to rotate in relation to the inner articulating arm about a second vertical axis to a position within the void of the inner articulating arm substantially parallel to the surface mount; and

a device mount plate adapted to have a device mounted thereto, the device mount pivotally affixed to a second end of the outer articulating arm,

wherein the inner articulating arm is pivotable about a first vertical axis with regard to the surface mount, the outer articulating arm is rotatable about a second vertical axis with regard to the inner articulating arm, and the device mount plate is pivotable about a third vertical axis with regard to the outer articulating arm.

2. The articulating mount of claim 1, wherein a height adjustment block is provided in communication with the device mount plate, the height adjustment block adapted to adjust a height of the device mount plate relative to the surface bracket.

3. The articulating mount of claim 2, wherein the height adjustment block is adapted to pivot about a third vertical axis in relation to the outer articulating arm.

4. The articulating mount of claim 3, wherein the height adjustment block is pivotally connected to the device mount plate via an upper tilt mount pivotable about a first horizontal axis and a lower tilt mount pivotable about a second horizontal axis such that the device mount plate is tiltable about a third horizontal axis.

5. The articulating mount of claim 1, wherein the inner articulating arm is positionable so as to be substantially co-planar with the surface bracket.

6. The articulating mount of claim 5, wherein the outer articulating arm is rotatable such that the outer articulating arm is substantially disposed within the inner articulating arm and substantially co-planar therewith.

7. A hinged articulating mount comprising:

a surface mount;

an articulation mechanism having an inner articulating arm and an outer articulating arm, the inner articulating arm having a void therein and pivotally affixed at a first inner articulating arm end to the surface mount, the inner articulating arm rotatably affixed at a second inner articulating end to a first end of the outer articulating arm, the inner articulating arm adapted to pivot in relation to the surface mount about a first vertical axis to a position substantially parallel to the surface mount, the outer articulating arm adapted to rotate in relation to the inner articulating arm about a second vertical axis to a position within the void of the inner articulating arm substantially parallel to the surface mount;

a tilt assembly pivotally affixed to a second end of the outer articulating arm, the tilt assembly adapted to pivot in relation to the outer articulating arm about a third vertical axis, the assembly including a shaft rotatable about a horizontal axis; and

a device mount plate adapted to have a device mounted thereto, the device mount plate affixed to the shaft, the device mount plate being selectively tiltable about the horizontal axis with regard to the tilt assembly.

8. The articulating mount of claim 7, wherein the tilt assembly comprises a first friction hinge assembly coupled to the device mount plate at a first location, and wherein the first friction hinge assembly is configured to substantially maintain a tilt orientation of the device mount at a selected tilt angle.

9. The articulating mount of claim 8, wherein the selected tilt angle is non-zero.

10. The articulating mount of claim 8, wherein the tilt assembly further comprises a second friction hinge assembly coupled to the device mount plate at a second location.

11. The articulating mount of claim 7 wherein the outer articulating arm is rotatable such that the outer articulating arm is substantially disposed within the inner articulating arm and substantially co-planar therewith.

12. A tilt assembly for use in a device mounting assembly, comprising:

a tilt body having a first end, a second end and an engagement portion, the engagement portion configured for rotatable connection of the tilt body to a support assembly of the device mounting assembly about a first axis; and

a first friction hinge assembly including a first shaft rotatable about a second axis, the first friction assembly attached to the tilt body, the first shaft configured for operative connection to a device bracket assembly of the device mounting assembly such that the device bracket assembly is selectively tiltable to a tilt angle about the second axis in relation to the support assembly,

wherein the first friction hinge assembly is characterized by a resistance that retards rotation of the first shaft.

13. The tilt assembly of claim 12, further comprising a second friction hinge assembly including a second shaft rotatable about a third axis, the second friction hinge assembly attached to the tilt body, the second rotatable shaft configured for operative connection to the device bracket assembly.

14. The tilt assembly of claim 12, further comprising a biasing element operatively connected to the tilt body and attachable to the device bracket assembly, the biasing element configured to generate a rotational force to at least partially counter the resistance in a first direction of rotation of the first shaft.

15. The tilt assembly of claim 12, wherein the resistance is defined such that it is sufficient to substantially maintain the tilt angle.

16. A hinged articulating mount comprising:

a surface mount;

an articulating arm assembly pivotally coupled to the surface mount and rotatable about a first axis;

a tilt assembly, the tilt assembly pivotally coupled to the articulating arm assembly and rotatable about a second axis; and

a device mount assembly coupled to the tilt assembly and configured for operative attachment to a device, the device mount assembly selectively rotatable in relation to the tilt assembly about a third axis,

wherein the tilt assembly is configured to substantially maintain the rotational orientation of the device mount assembly about the third axis.

17. The articulating mount of claim 16, wherein the tilt assembly comprises a first friction hinge assembly having a first resistively rotatable shaft coupled to the device mount assembly.

18. The articulating mount of claim 17, wherein the tilt assembly further comprises a second friction hinge assembly having a second resistively rotatable shaft coupled to the device mount assembly.

19. The hinged articulating mount of claim 16, wherein the articulating arm assembly comprises:

an inner articulating arm pivotally coupled to the surface mount; and

an outer articulating arm pivotally coupled to the inner articulating arm at a first end of the outer articulating arm, the outer articulating arm pivotally coupled to the tilt assembly at a second end of the outer articulating arm.

20. The hinged articulating mount of claim 19, wherein the inner articulating arm includes a void therein, and wherein the outer articulating arm is adapted to rotate in relation to the inner articulating arm to a position within the void of the inner articulating arm.