Arm apparatus for mounting electronic devices with cable management system

• US 6,409,134 B1
• Filed: 09/24/1999
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Innovative Office Products, LLC (IOP Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Innovative Office Products, Inc. (IOP Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Oddsen, Odd N. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): KING, ANITA M
• Application Number:
  US09/406,006
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 248/274.1, 248/558, 248/276.1, 248/278.1, 248/280.11, 248/281.11, 248/282.1, 248/284.1, 248/917, 248/919, 248/921, 248/922
• US Class Current: 248/274.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0088 Appliance support having rotary joint or articulated connection
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2014 around a vertical axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2092 comprising means allowing depth adjustment, i.e. forward-backward translation of the head relatively to the undercarriage
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/24 changeable in height or length of legs, also for transport only, e.g. by means of tubes screwed into each otherF16M11/42 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 2200/044 for balancing rotational movement of the undercarriage
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/063 Parallelogram arms
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/065 with a special structure, e.g. reinforced or adapted for space reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/919 Adjustably orientable video screen support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/57 Distinct end coupler
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/5741 Separate screw or pin-type connections

Abstract

An extension arm suitable for mounting a flat-screen electronic peripheral device, such as a computer monitor or television, comprises a forearm extension that has at one end a first coupling for attachment to a tilter, a platform or other means for supporting a flat-screen device and at the other end a second coupling with a slot formed therein. The extension arm also comprises a pair of endcaps, each having a shaft. The shaft of the first endcap is pivotably rotatable in a support mount, such as a wall, desk or pole mount. The shaft of the second endcap is hollow and is pivotably rotatable in the second coupling of the forearm extension. The extension arm also comprises an upper channel and a lower channel. Each channel has at opposite ends integrally cast rollers which are pivotably attached to each of the endcaps. The lower channel has a cable channel formed therein. The upper and lower channels and the endcaps form an adjustable parallelogram. The shape of the parallelogram is retained by a gas spring, which is attached at a first end to a ball stud mounted in the upper channel and adjustably mounted at a second end to the first endcap. A clevis is located within the first endcap and is pivotably attached to the second end of the gas spring. A threaded rod threadedly engages the clevis, such that the clevis slides within the first endcap when the rod rotates around its axial centerline. A cable from the flat-screen device can be hidden from view by being disposed within the forearm extension, the second endcap, and the lower channel of the extension arm.

Claims

1. An extension arm for adjustably mounting a device to a support mount and hiding cables to and from the device within said extension arm, said extension arm comprising:

a forearm extension having a body, means for attachment to the device disposed at a first end of said body, and a second end coupling disposed at a second end, said second end coupling having a cable slot formed in a wall thereof so that said second end coupling and said body are in communication with each other through said cable slot;

a first endcap including a support shaft for attachment to the support mount;

a second endcap including a partially enclosed housing and a hollow shaft, said hollow shaft pivotably attached to said second end coupling;

an upper channel having a first roller disposed at a first end and configured to be pivotably attached to said first endcap, and a second roller disposed at a second end and configured to be pivotably attached to said second endcap;

a lower channel having a third roller disposed at a first end and configured to be pivotably attached to said first endcap, a fourth roller disposed at a second end and configured to be pivotably attached to said second endcap, and a cable channel formed therein that runs longitudinally along said lower channel from a point close to the first end of said lower channel to the second end of said channel so as to cut through said fourth roller and form an opening in the second end of said lower channel; and

a gas spring rotatably attached at a first end to said upper channel and adjustably attached at a second end to said first endcap, wherein said gas spring is configured to retain said upper channel, said lower channel, said first endcap and said second endcap in a parallelogram shape when the device is positioned.

2. The extension arm of claim 1, further including a cable from the device is disposed within said extension arm starting at said body of said forearm extension and proceeding through said cable slot into said second end coupling, through said second end coupling into said hollow shaft, through said hollow shaft into said partially enclosed housing, through said partially enclosed housing into said lower channel, and through said lower channel exiting at a starting point of said cable channel.

3. The extension arm of claim 2, wherein said upper channel has a threaded hole formed therein.

4. The extension arm of claim 3, wherein the second end of said gas spring is rotatably mounted to said upper channel via a ball stud threadedly mounted in said threaded hole in said upper channel.

5. The extension arm of claim 3, wherein said threaded hole is integrally cast with said upper channel so as to be an integral part of said upper channel.

6. The extension arm of claim 1, wherein said means for attachment is a first end coupling.

7. The extension arm of claim 6, wherein said first end coupling has a set screw contained in a sidewall thereof.

8. The extension arm of claim 6, wherein an inner surface of said first end coupling has a plurality of grooves formed therein.

9. The extension arm of claim 6, wherein said first end coupling has a first axial centerline and said second end coupling has a second axial centerline and the first axial centerline and the second axial centerline are parallel to each other.

10. The extension arm of claim 9, wherein the first axial centerline and the second axial centerline are perpendicular to a longitudinal centerline of said body of said forearm extension.

11. The extension arm of claim 6, wherein a centerline of said first end coupling and a centerline of said second end coupling are aligned with a longitudinal centerline of said body of said forearm extension.

12. The extension arm of claim 6, wherein when said first end coupling and said second end coupling are vertically disposed, said body of said forearm extension is disposed therebetween at an angle.

13. The extension arm of claim 6, wherein when said first end coupling and said second end coupling are vertically disposed, said body of said forearm extension is horizontally disposed therebetween.

14. The extension arm of claim 6, wherein an edge of said body of said forearm extension is aligned with a first edge of said first end coupling and a first edge of said second end coupling.

15. The extension arm of claim 1, wherein said first and said second rollers of said upper channel are integrally cast with said upper channel so as to be an integral part of said upper channel, and said third and said fourth rollers of said lower channel are integrally cast with said lower channel so as to be an integral part of said lower channel.

16. The extension arm of claim 1, wherein said cable channel of said lower channel is integrally cast with said lower channel so as to be an integral part of said lower channel.

17. The extension arm of claim 1, wherein said support shaft is connected to a first end of said first endcap and a second end of said first endcap has a hole therein.

18. The extension arm of claim 17, wherein said first endcap further includes:

a clevis pivotably attached to the second end of said gas spring; and

a rod having an axial centerline in threaded engagement with said clevis, wherein said clevis is configured to slide within said first endcap when said rod rotates around its axial centerline.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein a first end of said rod is inserted through said hole in the second end of said first endcap.

20. The extension arm of claim 19, wherein the first end of said rod has a shaped opening and is configured to rotate around said axial centerline when a shaped key is inserted in said shaped opening and is turned.

21. The extension arm of claim 19, wherein said rod has a shoulder adjacent to the first end, said shoulder having a diameter larger than a diameter of said hole in said first endcap so that said shoulder abuts an inner surface of the second end of said first endcap and retains the first end of said rod in said hole.

22. The extension arm of claim 18, wherein said first endcap further includes a pair of shelves separated by a groove.

23. The extension arm of claim 22, wherein said pair of shelves is disposed in said first endcap adjacent to the first end.

24. The extension arm of claim 22, wherein each of said pair of shelves includes a self tapping crew hole disposed therein.

25. The extension arm of claim 22, wherein a second end of said rod is rotatably secured within said groove in said first endcap, and is retained in place by a retainer clip fastened to said shelves.

26. The extension arm of claim 25, wherein said retainer clip is fastened to said pair of shelves by screws.

27. The extension arm of claim 1, wherein said upper channel has a threaded hole formed therein.

28. The extension arm of claim 27, wherein the second end of said gas spring is rotatably mounted to said upper channel via a ball stud threadedly mounted in said threaded hole in said upper channel.

29. The extension arm of claim 27, wherein said threaded hole is integrally cast with said upper channel so as to be an integral part of said upper channel.

30. The extension arm of claim 1, wherein said extension arm comprises a zinc material.

31. The extension arm of claim 1, wherein said extension arm is cast molded.

32. The extension arm of claim 1, wherein said extension arm is manufactured via interlocking molding.

33. The extension arm of claim 1, further including a device comprising a flat-screen device attached to said means.

34. The extension arm of claim 33, wherein said extension arm is configured so as to be substantially hidden behind the flat-screen device when the flat-screen device is positioned flat against a mounting surface.

35. The extension arm of claim 1, wherein each roller has a hole therein at an axial centerline, said first endcap has a first pair of holes on an upper edge that align with said hole in said first roller and a second pair of holes on a lower edge that align with said hole in said third roller, and said second endcap has a first pair of holes on an upper edge that align with said hole in said second roller and a second pair of holes on a lower edge that align with said hole in said fourth roller.

36. The extension arm of claim 35, wherein each said endcap is pivotably attached to each said channel by inserting a pin through each said hole in each said endcap into each said respective hole in each said roller.

37. The extension arm of claim 1, wherein said first endcap further includes stops located within said first endcap at positions near a first end and near a second end.

38. The extension arm of claim 1, wherein said first endcap further includes a pair of trough walls within said first endcap, said pair of trough walls forming a trough therebetween.

39. The extension arm of claim 1, wherein said upper channel, said lower channel, said first endcap and said second endcap are pivotably attached in such a manner that said support shaft and said hollow shaft face opposite directions.

40. The extension arm of claim 1, wherein said cable channel has two opposite edges that are parallel to a longitudinal centerline of said lower channel.

41. The extension arm of claim 1, wherein one end of said cable channel is rounded.

42. The extension arm of claim 1, further comprising a cable cover that is removably attachable to said cable channel.

43. The extension arm of claim 1, wherein each of said rollers of said upper and said lower channels have axial centerlines that are parallel to each other.

44. The extension arm of claim 43, wherein the axial centerlines of each of said rollers of said upper and said lower channels are perpendicular to a longitudinal centerline of each of said channels.

45. The extension arm of claim 1, wherein said second end coupling has a set screw contained in a sidewall thereof.

46. The extension arm of claim 1, wherein an inner surface of said second end coupling has a plurality of grooves formed therein.

47. The extension arm of claim 1, wherein said forearm extension body is a U-shaped channel.

48. The extension arm of claim 47, wherein said U-shaped channel is disposed so that an opening of said U-shaped channel points downward.

49. The extension arm of claim 47, wherein said U-shaped channel includes a cable holder disposed therein.

50. The extension arm of claim 1, wherein said partially enclosed housing includes a first endwall, a second endwall and at least one sidewall, said first endwall having a endwall hole contained therein.

51. The extension arm of claim 50, wherein said hollow shaft includes two symmetrical endcap adapters connected together.

52. The extension arm of claim 51, wherein each of said symmetrical endcap adapters have a semicircular cross sectional profile.

53. The extension arm of claim 50, wherein said hollow shaft has a portion with a first diameter and a portion with a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter.

54. The extension arm of claim 53, wherein the second diameter of said hollow shaft is nearly the same as a diameter of said endwall hole.

55. The extension arm of claim 53, wherein said portion of said hollow shaft with the second diameter is inserted into said endwall hole.

56. The extension arm of claim 50, wherein said first endwall further includes threaded holes that are in communication with said endwall hole.

57. The extension arm of claim 56, further comprising fasteners that are inserted in said threaded holes so as to couple said hollow shaft and said partially enclosed housing.

58. The extension arm of claim 50, wherein said endwall hole is large enough so a plug of a cable can fit therethrough.

59. An extension arm for adjustably mounting a device to a support mount, said extension arm comprising:

a forearm extension including a body having a first end for mounting a device thereat and a second end coupling disposed at a second end, said second end coupling having a cable slot formed in a wall thereof so that said second end coupling and said body are in communication with each other through said cable slot;

a first endcap including a support shaft for attachment to the support mount;

a second endcap including a housing and a hollow shaft, said hollow shaft pivotably attached to said second end coupling;

an upper channel having a first end configured to be pivotably attached to said first endcap and a second end configured to be pivotably attached to said second endcap;

a lower channel having a first end configured to be pivotably attached to said first endcap, a second end configured to be pivotally attached to said second endcap, and a cable channel formed therein that extends longitudinally along said lower channel from adjacent the first end of said lower channel to the second end of said lower channel forming an opening in the second end of said lower channel; and

a gas spring attached at a first end to said upper channel and attached at a second end to said first endcap, wherein said gas spring retains said upper channel, said lower channel, said first endcap and said second endcap in a parallelogram shape.

60. The extension arm of claim 59, wherein said second endcap comprises:

said housing being partially enclosed and having a first endwall, a second endwall and at least one sidewall, said first endwall having an endwall hole contained therein; and

a shaft assembly including said shaft having a shaft hole therethrough, said shaft assembly connected to said first endwall so that said shaft hole and said endwall hole are aligned so as to form a continuous hole.

61. The extension arm of claim 60, wherein said first endwall further includes threaded holes that are in communication with said endwall hole.

62. The extension arm of claim 61, further comprising fasteners that are inserted in said threaded holes so as to couple said shaft assembly and said partially enclosed housing.

63. The extension arm of claim 60, wherein said endwall hole is large enough so a plug of a cable can fit therethrough.

64. The extension arm of claim 60, wherein said at least one sidewall is semicircular in shape and connects to said first endwall and said second endwall.

65. The extension arm of claim 60, wherein said shaft assembly includes two symmetrical endcap adapters connected together to form said hollow shaft.

66. The extension arm of claim 65, wherein each of said symmetrical endcap adapters have a semicircular cross sectional profile.

67. The extension arm of claim 65, wherein said hollow shaft has a portion with a first diameter and a portion with a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter.

68. The extension arm of claim 67, wherein the second diameter of said hollow shaft is nearly the same as a diameter of said endwall hole.

69. The extension arm of claim 67, wherein said portion of said hollow shaft with the second diameter is inserted into said endwall hole.

70. The extension arm of claim 59, wherein said lower channel comprises:

a body;

a first roller disposed at a first end of said body;

a second roller disposed at a second end of said body; and

said cable channel formed therein extending longitudinally along said lower channel from a point close to the first end of said lower channel to the second end of said channel so as to cut through said second roller and form said opening in the second end of said lower channel.

71. The extension arm of claim 70, wherein said cable channel has two opposite edges that are parallel to a longitudinal centerline of said body.

72. The extension arm of claim 70, wherein one end of said cable channel is rounded.

73. The extension arm of claim 70, further comprising cable cover that is removably attachable to said cable channel.

74. The extension arm of claim 70, wherein each of said rollers have holes located at a respective axial centerline.

75. The extension arm of claim 59, wherein said second end coupling has a set screw contained in a sidewall.

76. The extension arm of claim 59, wherein an inner surface of said second end coupling has a plurality of grooves formed therein.

77. The extension arm of claim 59, wherein said first end of said body is a first end coupling.

78. The extension arm of claim 77, wherein said first end coupling has a set screw contained in a sidewall.

79. The extension arm of claim 59, wherein an inner surface of said second end coupling has a plurality of grooves formed therein.

80. The extension arm of claim 77, wherein a centerline of said first end coupling and a centerline of said second end coupling are aligned with a longitudinal centerline of said body.

81. The extension arm of claim 77, wherein a lower surface of said body is aligned with a lower edge of said first end coupling and a lower edge of said second end coupling.

82. The extension arm of claim 77, wherein said body is disposed at an angle between said first end coupling and said second end coupling when said first end coupling and said second end coupling are disposed such that an axial centerline of each is vertical.

83. The extension arm of claim 77, wherein said body is horizontally disposed between said first end coupling and said second end coupling when said first end coupling and said second end coupling are disposed such that an axial centerline of each is vertical.

84. The extension arm of claim 59, wherein said body is U-shaped.

85. The extension arm of claim 84, further comprising a cable holder within said U-shaped body.