Mounting system for flat panel displays

• US 7,731,143 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ergotron Incorporated (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Original Assignee: Omnimount Systems, Inc. (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Inventors: Muday, Tom, Stenhouse, Brett, Eyman, Zachary
• Primary Examiner(s): Wujciak, III; A. Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): EPPS, TODD MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US11/514,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20080054147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 248/309.1, 248/304, 248/305, 248/306, 248/308, 248/317, 248/339, 248/284.1, 248/276.1, 248/917, 248/919, 248/920, 248/923, 248/289.11
• US Class Current: 248/284.1
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 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 2200/024 by positive interaction, e.g. male-female connections

Abstract

A mounting system for adjustably mounting a flat panel display to a support medium. The system consists of a frame assembly that can be attached to a support medium. One or more adjustable mounts are attached to the frame assembly, and a flat panel display is attached to the adjustable mounts. Each adjustable mount can extend from a retracted position to an extended position in order to tilt the flat panel display and provide an optimum viewing angle to a viewer. As the adjustable mount extends, the center of gravity of the attached flat panel display moves in approximately a horizontal plane, enabling the display to be tilted by a user with a minimum amount of applied force. In some embodiments, a friction assembly is provided to maintain the selected position of each adjustable mount.

Claims

1. A mounting system for adjustably mounting a flat panel display to a support medium, the mounting system comprising:

a frame assembly comprised of a first rail and a second rail, wherein the first and second rails are horizontally oriented and equally spaced from one other; and

an adjustable mount comprising;

a first body portion configured to be removably coupled to the first and second rails of the frame assembly, such that the first body portion may be moved laterally along the first and second rails;

a second body portion configured to be coupled to a flat panel display, wherein the flat panel display has a fixed center of gravity; and

a linkage assembly coupled to the first body portion and the second body portion, the linkage assembly allowing the second body portion to move from a retracted position wherein the second body portion is adjacent the first body portion to an extended position wherein the second body portion is maintained at an angle from the first body portion,

wherein the movement of the second body portion with respect to the first body portion from the retracted position to the extended position causes the center of gravity of the flat panel display to move only in a single horizontal plane perpendicular to the first body portion such that the center of gravity of the flat panel display does not move vertically during movement from the retracted position to the extended position, further comprising a friction assembly to maintain a selected angle of the first body portion; and

wherein the friction assembly comprises;

a friction rod coupled to one of the first or second body portions;

a pair of friction shoes adjacent to the friction rod; and

a compression assembly coupled to the pair of friction shoes and the other of the first or second body portions, wherein adjustment of the compression assembly causes pressure to be applied between the pair of friction shoes and the friction rod, thereby preventing undesired movement of the friction shoes along the friction rod and maintaining a selected angle of the first body portion.

2. The mounting system of claim 1, wherein the linkage assembly comprises:

a first linkage directly coupled to the first body portion and the second body portion; and

a second linkage directly coupled to the first body portion and to the first linkage,

wherein a movement arc of the second linkage operates to change a movement of the first linkage so that the center of gravity of the flat panel display is caused to move in a horizontal plane.

3. The mounting system of claim 2, wherein the linkage assembly comprises:

a third linkage directly coupled to the first body portion and the second body portion; and

a fourth linkage directly coupled to the first body portion and to the first linkage, wherein a movement arc of the third linkage operates to change a movement of the fourth linkage so that the center of gravity of the flat panel display is caused to move in a horizontal plane.

4. The mounting system of claim 1, further comprising a second adjustable mount, wherein the flat panel display is coupled to both the first adjustable mount and the second adjustable mount.

5. The mounting system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first linkage directly coupled to the first body portion and the second body portion; and

a second linkage directly coupled to the first body portion and to the first linkage, wherein the first linkage directly couples to the second body portion at a pivot point, and

the pivot point extends outward and moves only in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the first body portion such that the pivot point does not move vertically during movement of the second body portion from the retracted position to the extended position.

6. The mounting system of claim 1, wherein an end of the second body portion slides upward and parallel to the first body portion when the second body portion moves from the retracted position to the extended position.

7. The mounting system of claim 6, wherein the end of the second body portion slides in contact along a vertical slot of the first body portion.

8. The mounting system of claim 2, wherein the first linkage rotates in an arc in a first direction and the second linkage rotates in an arc in a second direction opposite the first direction when moving from the retracted position to the extended position.