Adjustable projector mount

• US 7,891,624 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2010
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Legrand AV Inc. (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Milestone AV Technologies LLC (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Smith, Paul, Dittmer, Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Tan
• Application Number:
  US12/758,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20100193650A1
• Time in Patent Office: 316 Days
• Field of Search: 248/317, 248/323, 248/343, 248/292.12, 248/292.14, 248/489, 248/495, 248/496, 248/514, 248/515, 248/518, 248370-371, 248919-923, 352/166, 352/192, 352/193, 352/197, 352/104, 352/34, 352/243, 352/284.1, 352/285.1, 352/286.1, 353/74, 353/79
• US Class Current: 248/323
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/02 Locking means

Abstract

A mount for attaching a projection device to an overhead structure includes a device interface operably attachable to the projection device and a device orientation adjustment structure operably coupled with the device interface. The device orientation adjustment structure has structure defining up to three independent axes for adjustment of projector pitch, roll, and yaw. A single selectively adjustable friction element may be provided to enable projector position to be fixed about for any one or all of the independent axes. A gear adjustment mechanism may be provided to enable fine adjustment of projector position. Moreover, any one or all of the independent axes may pass through the projector device, preferably proximate its center of gravity so that it is self balanced on the mount to ease adjustment.

Claims

1. A mount for coupling a projector device to an overhead support structure, the mount comprising:

a projector interface assembly adapted to attach to the projector device;

a support structure interface adapted to attach to the overhead support structure; and

a projector device orientation adjustment assembly coupling the projector interface assembly and the support structure interface, the projector device orientation adjustment assembly comprising;

a first portion attached to the projector interface assembly;

a second portion coupling the first portion and the support structure interface, the first portion being adapted to selectively shift the projector interface assembly relative to the support structure interface about a first axis, and the second portion being adapted to selectively shift the projector interface assembly relative to the support structure interface about a second axis oriented transverse to the first axis; and

at least one selectively rotatable drive element arranged to drive shifting of the projector interface assembly about the first axis or arranged to drive shifting of the projector interface assembly about the second axis upon rotation of the at least one selectively rotatable drive element,

wherein the first portion of the projector device orientation adjustment assembly includes structure defining a plurality of gear teeth, wherein a first rotatable drive element of the at least one selectively rotatable drive element is engaged with the gear teeth to enable shifting of the projector interface assembly about the first axis, and wherein the first rotatable drive element comprises a gear element and a knob.

2. The mount of claim 1, wherein the gear element is a spur gear.

3. The mount of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the projector device orientation adjustment assembly includes structure defining a plurality of gear teeth, and wherein a second rotatable drive element of the at least one selectively rotatable drive element is engaged with the gear teeth to enable shifting of the projector interface assembly about the second axis.

4. The mount of claim 3, wherein the second rotatable drive element comprises a gear element and a knob.

5. The mount of claim 4, wherein the gear element is a spur gear.

6. The mount of claim 1, wherein the support structure interface defines an aperture for receiving a portion of the overhead support structure.

7. The mount of claim 1, wherein the support structure interface includes structure enabling selective shifting of the projector interface assembly and the projector device orientation adjustment assembly about a third axis oriented perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis.

8. A mount for coupling a projector device to an overhead support structure, the mount comprising:

a projector interface assembly adapted to attach to the projector device;

a support structure interface adapted to attach to the overhead support structure; and

a projector device orientation adjustment assembly coupling the projector interface assembly and the support structure interface, the projector device orientation adjustment assembly comprising;

a pitch adjustment assembly attached to the projector interface assembly;

a roll adjustment assembly coupling the pitch adjustment assembly and the support structure interface, the pitch adjustment assembly being adapted to selectively shift the projector interface assembly relative to the support structure interface about a pitch axis, and the roll adjustment assembly being adapted to selectively shift the projector interface assembly relative to the support structure interface about a roll axis oriented transverse to the pitch axis; and

at least one selectively rotatable drive element arranged to drive shifting of the projector interface assembly about the pitch axis or arranged to drive shifting of the projector interface assembly about the roll axis upon rotation of the drive element,

wherein at least one of the pitch adjustment assembly and the roll adjustment assembly include structure defining a plurality of gear teeth, wherein the at least one selectively rotatable drive element is engaged with the gear teeth to enable shifting of the projector interface assembly about the respective pitch axis or the roll axis, and wherein the at least one rotatable drive element comprises a gear element and a knob.

9. The mount of claim 8, wherein the gear element is a spur gear.

10. The mount of claim 8, wherein each of the pitch adjustment assembly and the roll adjustment assembly of the projector device orientation adjustment assembly include structure defining a plurality of gear teeth, wherein a first rotatable drive element of the at least one selectively rotatable drive element is engaged with the gear teeth of the pitch adjustment assembly to enable shifting of the projector interface assembly about the pitch axis, and wherein a second rotatable drive element of the at least one selectively rotatable drive element is engaged with the gear teeth of the roll adjustment assembly to enable shifting of the projector interface assembly about the roll axis.

11. The mount of claim 10, wherein each of the first and second rotatable drive elements comprises a gear element and a knob.

12. The mount of claim 11, wherein the gear element is a spur gear.

13. A mount for coupling a projector device to an overhead support structure, the mount comprising:

a projector interface assembly adapted to attach to the projector device;

a support structure interface adapted to attach to the overhead support structure; and

a projector device orientation adjustment assembly coupling the projector interface assembly and the support structure interface, the projector device orientation adjustment assembly comprising;

a first portion attached to the projector interface assembly;

a second portion coupling the first portion and the support structure interface, the first portion being adapted to selectively shift the projector interface assembly relative to the support structure interface about a first axis, and the second portion being adapted to selectively shift the projector interface assembly relative to the support structure interface about a second axis oriented transverse to the first axis;

a first drive element selectively rotatable to drive shifting of the projector interface assembly about the first axis;

a second drive element selectively rotatable to drive shifting of the projector interface assembly about the second axis; and

a third drive element comprising a gear element and a knob, the gear element engaged with gear teeth defined in a portion of the support structure interface, the third drive element being selectively rotatable to drive shifting of the projector interface assembly about a third axis oriented transverse to each of the first axis and the second axis.

14. The mount of claim 13, wherein a portion of the projector device orientation adjustment assembly defines a plurality of gear teeth, and wherein the first drive element is engaged with the gear teeth to enable shifting of the projector interface assembly about the first axis, and wherein the first drive element comprises a gear element and a knob.

15. The mount of claim 13, wherein a portion of the projector device orientation adjustment assembly defines a plurality of gear teeth, and wherein the second drive element is engaged with the gear teeth to enable shifting of the projector interface assembly about the second axis, and wherein the second drive element comprises a gear element and a knob.