Adjustable projector mount

• US 7,988,119 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2011
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• 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: Dittmer, Jay, Smith, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): STERLING, AMY JO
• Application Number:
  US13/005,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20110108692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 202 Days
• Field of Search: 248/179, 352/243, 352/242, 746/65
• 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 bi-directionally drive shifting of the projector interface assembly about the first axis or arranged to bi-directionally drive shifting of the projector interface assembly about the second axis upon rotation of the at least one selectively rotatable drive element.

2. The mount of claim 1, wherein the at least one selectively rotatable drive element includes a gear.

3. The mount of claim 1, wherein the at least one selectively rotatable drive element includes a screwdriver.

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

5. 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.

6. 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 bi-directionally drive shifting of the projector interface assembly about the pitch axis or arranged to bi-directionally drive shifting of the projector interface assembly about the roll axis upon rotation of the drive element.

7. The mount of claim 6, wherein the at least one selectively rotatable drive element includes a gear.

8. The mount of claim 6, wherein the at least one selectively rotatable drive element includes a screwdriver.

9. The mount of claim 6, wherein the support structure interface includes structure enabling selective shifting of the projector interface assembly and the projector device orientation adjustment assembly about a yaw axis oriented perpendicular to the pitch axis and the roll axis.

10. The mount of claim 6, 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 bi-directional 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 bi-directional 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 10, wherein at least one of the first and second rotatable drive elements comprises a screwdriver.

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 bi-directionally drive shifting of the projector interface assembly about the first axis,

a second drive element selectively rotatable to bi-directionally drive shifting of the projector interface assembly about the second axis, and

a third drive element selectively rotatable to bi-directionally 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 first plurality of gear teeth, and wherein the first drive element is engagable with the first plurality of gear teeth to enable shifting of the projector interface assembly about the first axis.

15. The mount of claim 14, wherein the first drive element comprises a gear.

16. The mount of claim 14, wherein the first drive element comprises a screwdriver.

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

18. The mount of claim 17, wherein the second drive element comprises a gear.

19. The mount of claim 17, wherein the second drive element comprises a screwdriver.