Adjustable mounting device

• US 6,550,739 B1
• Filed: 11/07/2000
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hangglider Partners Co.
• Original Assignee: Hangglider Partners Co.
• Inventors: Brindisi, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Application Number:
  US09/708,894
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 248/316.3, 248/476, 248/485, 248/489, 248/480, 248/495, 248/493, 248/496
• US Class Current: 248/476
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 1/1613 and being adjustable

Abstract

An adjustable linear locking assembly, such as may be used in a mounting device or other suitable devices, which assembly allows automatic, substantially continuous adjustment to the linear position of a locking element such as an interface. The assembly may also provide two-way adjustability.

Claims

1. An adjustable linear locking assembly comprising:

(a) an elongate member;

(b) a sliding element aligned with said elongate member and linearly slidingly connected thereto; and

(c) a remotely activatable rolling member clamp connecting said sliding element to said elongate member.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said clamp includes a remote trigger, and said clamp is fixedly attached to said elongate member.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein said sliding element includes a rigid rod or taut cable that is aligned with said elongate member and passes through said clamp.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein said trigger is aligned with said elongate member.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said clamp includes a rolling member detent means.

6. The assembly of claim 1, a wherein said clamp is fixedly attached to said sliding element, and said clamp includes a portion that is formed to catch a support member.

7. An adjustable mounting device comprising:

(a) a dovetailed vertical track formed to be fixedly incorporated or attached to an item;

(b) an interface formed to vertically slidingly engage the dovetailing of said dovetailed vertical track, and formed to engage a support; and

,

(c) a substantially continuous, automatic lock formed between said interface and said track.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the item has a rear, a top, and a bottom, and said track is formed to be fixedly incorporated or attached to approximately the top and bottom of the rear of the item.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein said track includes oblong slots for attaching screws or nails into the top and bottom of the rear of the item.

10. The device of claim 8, further comprising a bottom extender formed to snugly and slidingly engage with the dovetailing of said track.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein a central cutout is defined in said track, and said lock includes a clamp body formed to fixedly insert in said cutout.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein said lock is fixedly attached to said interface and slidingly connected to said track.

13. The device of claim 7, wherein the dovetail of said track is slanted.

14. The device of claim 7, wherein the dovetail of said track is right-angled.

15. An adjustable linear locking assembly, comprising:

(a) a support member;

(b) an elongate member;

(c) a clamp body slidingly connected to said elongate member and formed to engage said support member, said clamp body including a sloped interior face having a first end that is a first distance from said elongate member and a second end that is a second distance from said elongate member;

(d) a trigger including a portion between said sloped interior face and said elongate member, and including a trigger extension protruding out from said clamp body, said trigger extension being formed to catch said support member when said elongate member is firmly pressed toward said support member; and

(e) at least one rolling member in rolling contact between said elongate member and said sloped interior face, said at least one rolling member having a diameter that is lesser than said first distance t and greater than said second distance.

16. The assembly of claim 15, wherein said trigger includes a rolling member detent that surrounds at least two sides of said at least one rolling member.

17. The assembly of claim 15, further comprising a bias means that directly or indirectly urges said rolling member in the direction from said first end toward said second end of said sloped interior face.

18. The assembly of claim 15, wherein said support member is a horizontal support member.

19. The assembly of claim 15, wherein said elongate member is a track, said sloped interior face defines a surface of linear extrusion, and said at least one rolling member is cylindrical.

20. The assembly of claim 15, wherein said elongate member is a rod, said sloped interior face is conical, and said at least one rolling member is spherical.

21. An adjustable mounting device comprising:

(a) a vertical track formed to be fixedly incorporated or attached to an item;

(b) an interface vertically slidingly connected to said track and formed to engage a support member; and

,

(c) a remotely activatable lock connecting said interface and said track, selected from the group consisting of;

a rolling member clamps, a node in cone clamps, and a biased rod in collar clamp wherein the rod is separate from the track.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein said lock is fixedly attached to said interface and slidingly connected to said track.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein said lock is a rolling member clamp.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein said clamp includes a cylindrical rolling member.

25. The device of claim 21, wherein said lock is fixedly connected to said track, and further comprising a remote trigger that extends to said lock.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein said interface includes a rigid vertical rod or taut cable aligned with said track and extending through said lock, and wherein said trigger comprises a rigid rod aligned with said track.