Configurable mounting apparatus

• US 7,320,450 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Issued: 01/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey D Carnevali
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey D Carnevali
• Inventors: Carnevali, Jeffrey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): STERLING, AMY JO
• Application Number:
  US10/883,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20050092877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: 248/160, 248/181.1, 248/180.1, 248/534, 248/535, 248/159, 248/121, 248/122.1
• US Class Current: 248/160
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/14 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 ; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/40 by means of coilable or bendable legs or spiral shaped legs
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/022 repositionable
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/022 by friction
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/027 by friction
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/08 Foot or support base

Abstract

A multiply configurable mounting apparatus having an elongated permanently bendable support leg with a support base coupled to a first end of the support leg, the support base being structured for securing the mounting apparatus relative to an external surface; and a mounting platform coupled to a second end of the support leg opposite from the first end, the mounting platform is structured for mounting an external device to the second end portion of the permanently bendable support leg.

Claims

1. A multiply configurable mounting apparatus, comprising:

a support base configured for being fixed to an external surface, the support base comprising an ankle portion coupled adjacent to a first end of an elongated foot portion;

a solitary permanently bendable support leg formed of a continuously solid metal having first and second end portions at opposite ends thereof, the first end portion being fixedly coupled to the ankle portion of the support base and the second end portion being structured for having an external device coupled thereto; and

device mounting means for fixedly mounting an external device to the second end portion of the permanently bendable support leg, wherein the device mounting means further comprises;

a connector comprising a female collar forming therein an internal cavity sized to receive the second end portion of the support leg thereinto and means for retaining the support leg relative thereto, and a pair of arm members forming a socket-shaped cavity therebetween,

a mounting base with a pressure deformable ball mount projected therefrom and sized to be relatively rotatably received into the socket-shaped cavity of the connector, and

means for applying clamping force between the pair of arm members relative to the socket-shaped cavity formed therebetween; and

wherein the anide portion of the support base further comprises an aperture formed therein sized to receive the first end portion of the support leg thereinto and means for retaining the support leg relative thereto, and the elongated foot portion thereof further comprises an aperture formed therethrough that is sized to pass a mechanical fastener.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the aperture formed in the ankle portion of the support base further comprises a substantially tubular aperture sized to receive the first end portion of the support leg thereinto in a relatively rotationally rotatable relationship therewith.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the support leg is coupled to the ankle portion of the support base by a threaded joint.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the female collar further comprises a polygonal positionable mount formed external of the internal cavity and comprising a disc-shaped wheel portion mounted on a polygonal axle portion and substantially enlarged relative thereto;

and

the pair of arm members further forming therebetween adjacent to an exterior surface thereof opposite from the socket-shaped cavity a polygonal aperture substantially matched to the polygonal axle portion of the polygonal positionable mount, and a space therebetween contiguous with the polygonal aperture and sized to receive the disc-shaped wheel portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein:

the female collar further comprises a longitudinal slit in one wall between the internal cavity and an external wall surface; and

the means for retaining the support leg relative thereto further comprises a threaded joint comprising a threaded side closure operating across the longitudinal slit in the wall and having a threaded fastener operable between a fastener clearance aperture formed on the external wall surface on one side of the longitudinal slit and an internally threaded aperture formed on the external wall surface on an opposite side of the longitudinal slit from the fastener clearance aperture.

6. A multiply configurable mounting apparatus, comprising:

a single elongated support leg that is formed of a permanently bendable continuously solid metal rod having opposing first and second substantially straight end portions;

device mounting means for mounting an external device positions relative to the first end portion of the support leg, the device mounting means further comprising;

a connector comprising a compressible female collar sized to receive the first end portion of the support leg thereinto, means for compressing the female collar relative to the first end portion of the support leg, and first and second substantially rigid arm members forming a substantially part-spherical socket cavity therebetween,

a mounting base having a plurality of mounting apertures formed therethrough with a pressure deformable ball mount projected therefrom and sized to be relatively rotatably received into the socket cavity of the connector, and

threaded means for applying clamping force between the arm members of

the connector relative to the socket cavity formed therebetween; and

leg securing means for securing the second end portion of the support leg relative to an external surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the leg securing means further comprises a substantially rigid shoe-shaped support base comprising an elongated foot portion formed with an elongated slot sized to admit a threaded fastener;

an ankle portion adjacent one end of the foot portion, the anide portion comprising an aperture sized to receive the second end portion of the support leg, and one or more threaded apertures extending between the aperture and an exterior surface of the ankle portion; and

a threaded fastener matched to each of the one or more threaded apertures.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the female collar further comprises a longitudinally split tubular aperture sized to admit the first end portion of the support leg in a relatively rotationally rotatable relationship therewith, and the means for compressing the female collar relative to the first end portion of the support leg further comprises a threaded closure operable across the split in the tubular aperture.

9. The mounting bracket of claim 8 wherein

the pressure deformable ball mount further comprises a substantially smooth, part spherical-shaped ball mount formed of a resiliently pressure deformable elastomeric materials;

the mounting base further comprises a substantially planar mounting surface opposite from the ball mount, the connector further comprises a polygonal axle opposite from the tubular aperture, and a wheel portion sized larger around than the polygonal axle and mounted at an end of the axle distal from the support leg;

each of the arm members formed with;

(a) a part hemispherical socket adjacent a first end, the socket sized to conform to the ball mount, and

(b) a polygonal part collar adjacent a second end, the part collar structured to conform to the polygonal axle of the positively-positionable mount; and

the threaded means for applying clamping force further comprising a clamp assembly structured to secure together the pair of relatively rigid arm members in an operatively juxtaposed configuration with the part hemispherical sockets cooperating with the ball mount to form a positionable ball-and-socket assembly, and simultaneously the polygonal part collars cooperating with the polygonal positively-positionable mount to form a positively-positionable wheel-and-axle assembly.

10. A mounting apparatus, comprising:

a single elongated substantially cylindrical support leg formed of a continuously solid and permanently bendable metal rod having opposing first and second substantially straight end portions;

a slotted shoe mechanism coupled to the first straight end portion of the support leg, the shoe mechanism comprising;

an ankle portion formed with a substantially cylindrical aperture sized to receive the first straight end portion of the support leg and being relatively rotationally rotatable there about, and a plurality of threaded apertures extending between the aperture and an exterior surface of the ankle portion,

a foot portion that is coupled to the ankle portion and structured with an elongated slot for securing the mounting apparatus relative to an external surface, and

a threaded fastener matched to each of the plurality of threaded apertures; and

a mounting platform comprising;

a female collar having an internal cavity structured to be coupled to the second straight end portion of the support leg and being truncated by a closed base, and

a platform structured on the closed base of the female collar, the platform being structured for coupling an external device thereto.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the platform further comprises:

a polygonal axle portion projected from an outer surface of the closed base opposite from the truncated cavity, and

a relatively larger wheel portion formed at one end of the axle portion distal from the closed base.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a split arm assembly comprising first and second relatively rigid arm members and a clamp structured to secure together the arm members in an operatively juxtaposed configuration, each of the arm members being formed with a polygonal part collar adjacent a first end, the polygonal part collar of each of the arm members being structured to cooperate with the polygonal axle portion to form a positively-positionable wheel-and-axle assembly.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a ball mount assembly comprising a radially compressible ball mounted on a mounting base;

and

wherein the split arm assembly further comprises a socket structured to cooperate with the ball of the ball mount assembly to form a securely positionable ball-and-socket assembly, each of the first and second relatively rigid arm members further comprising a part hemispherical socket adjacent to a second end opposite from the split arm assembly part collar.