DISPLAY SYSTEM WITH MOUNTING ASSEMBLIES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

• US 20130301216A1
• Filed: 05/14/2012
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Target Brands Inc. (Target Corporation)
• Inventors: TRINH, Nick Quang, BOWSER, Joseph Harlan, KOSTKA, Jim W., JURIC, Nicholas C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,711,553 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.58
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/0246 for rectangular articles, e.g. books, cassettes on the article itself E05B73/0023
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0082 for office machines, e.g. PC's, portable computers, typewriters, calculators
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/105 the horizontal axis being the roll axis, e.g. for creating a landscape-portrait rotation
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2021 around a horizontal axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/08 Foot or support base

Abstract

A mounting fixture includes a box, a first arm, and a second arm. The box includes a primary panel, four sidewalls rearwardly extending from the primary panel, and a central hub rearwardly extending from a rear surface of the primary panel. The first arm extends beyond one of the four sidewalls, includes a first elongated slot, and has a first hook section at an outermost end thereof. The first elongated slot extends around and is slidably adjustable relative to the central hub to cause the first arm to extend further from or closer to the one of the four sidewalls. The second arm extends beyond a different one of the four sidewalls, includes a second elongated slot, and has a second hook section at an outermost end thereof. The second elongated slot extends around and is slidably adjustable relative to the central hub.

Claims

1. A mounting fixture for securely displaying a computing device in a retail store, the mounting fixture comprising:

a box including a primary panel, four sidewalls rearwardly extending from the primary panel, and a central hub rearwardly extending from a rear surface of the primary panel;

a first arm extending substantially perpendicularly to and beyond an outer surface of one of the four sidewalls, wherein the first arm includes a first elongated slot and has a first hook section at an outermost end thereof configured to receive an outer edge of the computing device, and the first elongated slot extends around and is slidably adjustable in a first direction relative to the central hub of the box to cause the first arm to extend further from or closer to the one of the four sidewalls; and

a second arm extending substantially perpendicularly to and beyond an outer surface of a second one of the four sidewalls, wherein the second arm includes a second elongated slot and has a second hook section at an outermost end thereof configured to receive a different outer edge of the computing device, wherein the second elongated slot extends around and is slidably adjustable in a second direction relative to the central hub to cause the second arm to extend further from or closer to the second one of the four sidewalls, the second direction being substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

2. The mounting fixture of claim 1, further comprising:

a third arm extending substantially perpendicularly to and beyond an outer surface of a third one of the four sidewalls opposite the one of the four sidewalls, wherein the third arm includes a third elongated slot and has a third hook section at an outermost end thereof, and the third elongated slot extends around and is slidably adjustable relative to the central hub to cause the third arm to extend further from or closer to the third one of the four sidewalls in the first direction; and

a fourth arm extending substantially perpendicularly to and beyond an outer surface of a fourth one of the four sidewalls opposite the second one of the four sidewalls, wherein the fourth arm includes a fourth elongated slot and has a fourth hook section at an outermost end thereof, wherein the fourth elongated slot extends around and is slidably adjustable relative to the central hub to cause the fourth arm to extend further from or closer to the fourth one of the four sidewalls in the second direction.

3. The mounting fixture of claim 1, further comprising:

a tightening device rotatably secured around the central hub opposite the primary panel of the box, wherein the tightening device transitions from a tight position in which the first arm and the second arm are securely held in place relative to the box and a loose position in which the first arm and the second arm are readily linearly adjustable relative to the box, and the tightening device is configured to be locked in the tight position.

4. The mounting fixture of claim 3, wherein:

the tightening device includes a wing nut with a handle,

the wing nut is rotatably secured around the central hub,

the mounting fixture further comprises a locking tab defining a support platform bordered by two opposing stops,

the locking tab is radially spaced from the central hub, and

the locking tab is configured to maintain the tightening device in the tight position when the handle is placed over the support platform between the two opposing stops.

5. The mounting fixture of claim 3, wherein:

the tightening device includes a rotating disk rotatably secured around the central hub,

the rotating disk includes an aperture near an outer perimeter thereof,

the box includes a locking post extending rearwardly from the primary panel, and being radially spaced from the central hub,

the tightening device further includes a spring biasing the rotating disk toward the primary panel, and

the aperture of the rotating disk selectively fits over the locking post to maintain the tightening device in the tight position.

6. The mounting fixture of claim 3, wherein:

the tightening device includes a rotating disk rotatably secured around the central hub,

the rotating disk includes a protruding post near an outer perimeter thereof, and

the mounting fixture further comprises a trunk assembly configured to be received in a retail display base and having a slot formed therein for receiving the protruding post to secure the tightening device in the tight position when the box is coupled with the trunk assembly.

7. The mounting fixture of claim 1, further comprising a trunk assembly including:

a hollow trunk configured to interface with a display base;

a mounting plate coupled to the hollow trunk and sized to cover a back of the box, wherein the mounting plate is secured to the box in a position covering the back of the box and extending between and contacting each of the four sidewalls to prevent adjustment the first arm and the second arm positioning within the box when the mounting plate is coupled to the box.

8. The mounting fixture of claim 7, wherein a lock secures the mounting plate to the box.

9. The mounting fixture of claim 1, wherein the first hook section of the first arm and the second hook section of the second arm each form substantially planar return prongs configured to extend in front of the computing device to facilitate securement of the computing device to the box.

10. The mounting fixture of claim 9, further comprising a spacer disk coupled to a front surface of the box, the spacer disk being configured to extend different distances from the primary panel as it is rotated relative to the primary panel, and when the computing device is in place, the spacer disk is configured to be rotatably adjusted to tightly interface with a rear surface of the computing device holding the computing device against the substantially planar return prongs of the first hook section and the second hook section.

11. The mounting fixture of claim 10, further comprising a pad coupled to a front surface of the spacer disk for interfacing with the computing device.

12. The mounting fixture of claim 10, wherein the primary panel of the box includes at least one aperture therethrough allowing finger access to the spacer disk from a rear side of the primary panel to rotate the spacer disk to change the distance the spacer disk extends away from the primary panel while a computing device is placed over the spacer disk.

13. The mounting fixture of claim 10, in combination with the computing device, wherein the computing device contacts each of the first arm, the second arm, and the spacer disk to securely hold the computing device relative to the box.

14. The combination of claim 13, further comprising:

a base with a mounting sleeve extending downwardly from a top surface of the base, and

a trunk assembly coupled with the box to cover a rear opening of the box, the trunk assembly including a trunk placed within the mounting sleeve such that the trunk assembly holds the computing device above the top surface of the base.

15. The combination of claim 13, wherein the computing device is a computing tablet.

16. A method of displaying a computing device, the method comprising:

providing a device securement container defining a primary panel and sidewalls rearwardly extending from an outer perimeter of the primary panel;

placing the computing device to extend over the primary panel of the device securement container, the computing device including outer edges, a rear surface, and a front surface opposite the rear surface;

linearly adjusting an elongated appendage member extending from the device securement container to change a distance the elongated appendage member extends from the device securement container such that the elongated appendage member extends around one of the outer edges of the computing device, wherein the elongated appendage member includes a return portion extending in front of the front surface of the computing device;

spinning an adjustment member on a front surface of the primary panel of the device securement container causing the adjustment mechanism to press the computing device toward and tightly against the return portion of the elongated appendage member to securely hold the computing device between the adjustment member and the return portion; and

mounting the device securement container on a trunk assembly extending upwardly from a top surface of a retail display base.

17. A mounting fixture for securely supporting a computing notebook having a keyboard portion and a screen portion hingedly connected thereto, the mounting fixture including:

a support platform for supporting the keyboard portion of the computing notebook;

a support bridge upwardly extending from a rear edge of the support platform;

a hollow support barrel laterally extending across the support bridge and defining a first open end and a second open end opposite the first open end, the hollow support barrel including a plurality of apertures arranged in a line across a topmost portion of the hollow support barrel;

a first retainer including a first slide tube and a first hook extending from a first end of the first slide tube, the first slide tube defining a first line of apertures extending along a topmost portion of the first slide tube, the first line of apertures being sized and positioned substantially identically to the plurality of apertures of the hollow support barrel; and

a second retainer including a second slide tube and a second hook extending from a second end of the second slide tube, the second slide tube defining a second line of apertures extending along a topmost portion of the second slide tube, the second line of apertures being sized and positioned substantially identically to the plurality of apertures of the hollow support barrel and the first line of apertures of the first slide tube;

wherein;

the first slide tube slidably fits within the first open end of the hollow support barrel,

the second slide tube slidably fits within the second open end of the hollow support barrel and into a portion of the first slide tube positioned within the hollow support barrel, and

the first retainer and the second retainer are linearly slidable relative to the hollow support barrel and one another to position the first hook and the second hook to fit snugly around opposing edges of the screen portion of the computing device and to align at least one of the apertures of the hollow support barrel with at least one of the first line of apertures of the first slide tube and at least one of the second line of apertures of the second slide tube.

18. The mounting fixture of claim 17, further comprising a pin extending through each of the at least one of the apertures of the support barrel, the at least one of the first line of apertures of the first slide tube, and the at least one of the second line of apertures of the second slide tube to maintain the first slide tube and the second slide tube in place relative to the support barrel.

19. The mounting fixture of claim 17, wherein each of the first open end, the second open end, the first slide tube, and the second slide tube are substantially D-shaped and define a flat side positioned such that the apertures of the support barrel, the first line of apertures, and the second line of aperture all remain at topmost portions of the respective support barrel, the first slide tube, and the second slide tube.

20. The mounting fixture of claim 17, wherein the support platform defines a two-line array of apertures near a front edge of the support platform, and the mounting fixture further comprises an adjustable appendage having two pegs each configured to selectively fit within an aperture in a different line of the two-line array of apertures to couple the adjustable appendage to the support platform, and an end of the adjustable appendage opposite the two pegs defines a hook section for receiving an front edge of the keyboard portion of the computing notebook.

21. The mounting fixture of claim 17, further comprising a pad magnetically coupled with a top of the support platform, wherein the keyboard portion of the computing device is configured to rest on the pad.

22. The mounting fixture of claim 18, further comprising a lock coupled with the pin to secure the pin in place extending through each of the at least one of the apertures of the support barrel, the at least one of the first line of apertures of the first slide tube, and the at least one of the second line of apertures of the second slide tube to maintain the first retainer and the second retainer in place relative to the support barrel to substantially prevent undesired movement of the computing notebook from the support platform.

23. The mounting fixture of claim 17, further comprising a trunk extending downwardly from the support platform, the trunk being configured to fit within a mounting sleeve of a retail display base.

24. The mounting fixture of claim 23, in combination with the retail display base defining the mounting sleeve, the trunk being placed within and coupled to the mounting sleeve.

25. The combination of claim 24, further comprising the computing notebook wherein the keyboard portion of the computing notebook is supported on the support platform, and the screen portion of the computing notebook is securely positioned between the first hook and the second hook.

26. A display system for displaying a computing device and a computing notebook in a retail store, the computing notebook having a keyboard portion and a screen portion hingedly connected thereto, the display system comprising:

a base defining a top surface and a plurality of mounting sleeves extending downwardly from the top surface;

a first mounting fixture for securely supporting the computing device, the first mounting fixture including;

a box including a primary panel, four sidewalls rearwardly extending from the primary panel, and a central hub rearwardly extending from a rear surface of the primary panel,

a first arm extending substantially perpendicularly to and beyond an outer surface of one of the four sidewalls, wherein the first arm includes a first elongated slot and has a first hook section at an outermost end thereof configured to receive an outer edge of the computing device, and the first elongated slot extends around and is slidably adjustable in a first direction relative to the central hub of the box to cause the first arm to extend further from or closer to the one of the four sidewalls, and

a second arm extending substantially perpendicularly to and beyond an outer surface of a second one of the four sidewalls, wherein the second arm includes a second elongated slot and has a second hook section at an outermost end thereof configured to receive a different outer edge of the computing device, wherein the second elongated slot extends around and is slidably adjustable in a second direction relative to the central hub to cause the second arm to extend further from or closer to the second one of the four sidewalls, the second direction being substantially perpendicular to the first direction; and

a second mounting fixture for securely supporting the computing notebook, the second mounting fixture including;

a support platform for supporting the keyboard portion of the computing notebook,

a support bridge upwardly extending from a rear edge of the support platform,

a hollow support barrel laterally extending across the support bridge and defining a first open end and a second open end opposite the first open end, the hollow support barrel including a plurality of apertures arranged in a line across a topmost portion of the support barrel,

a first retainer including a first slide tube and a first hook extending from a first end of the first slide tube, the first slide tube defining a first line of apertures extending along a topmost portion of the first slide tube, the first line of apertures being sized and positioned substantially identically to the plurality of apertures of the support barrel, and

a second retainer including a second slide tube and a second hook extending from a second end of the second slide tube, the second slide tube defining a second line of apertures extending along a topmost portion of the second slide tube, the second line of apertures being sized and positioned substantially identically to the plurality of apertures of the support barrel and the first line of apertures of the first slide tube,

wherein;

the first slide tube slidably fits within the first open end of the support barrel,

the second slide tube slidably fits within the second open end of the support barrel and into a portion of the first slide tube positioned within the support barrel, and

the first retainer and the second retainer are linearly slidable relative to the support barrel and one another to position the first hook and the second hook to fit snugly around opposing edges of the screen portion of the computing device and to align at least one of the apertures of the support barrel with at least one of the first line of apertures of the first slide tube and at least one of the second line of apertures of the second slide tube.