Low profile articulating mounting system

• US 8,561,955 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2009
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Peerless Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Peerless Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Stemple, James Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): McKinnon, Terrell
• Assistant Examiner(s): Breslin, Daniel J
• Application Number:
  US12/637,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20100171014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: 248/278.1, 248/282.1, 248/276.1, 248/284.1, 361/679.01, 403/57
• US Class Current: 248/278.1
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/04 Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/12 in more than one direction
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2014 around a vertical axis F16M11/2035 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 13/022 repositionable
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/065 with a special structure, e.g. reinforced or adapted for space reduction
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/068 being part of the undercarriage

Abstract

A device mount for affixing a device to a surface such as a wall. The device mount has a surface bracket, an articulation mechanism, and a device mount plate. In various embodiments, the device mount further includes a tilt assembly. The surface mount bracket includes an upper surface bracket, a lower surface bracket and a vertical support positioned there between and connected to the lower all bracket and the upper surface bracket. The articulation mechanism has an inner articulating arm pivotally connected to the surface mount bracket and an outer articulating arm is rotatably connected to the inner articulating arm such that it maybe disposed substantially within a void of the inner articulating arm. The tilt assembly is connected to the outer articulating arm and pivotally connected to the device mount plate that is adapted to have a device mounted thereto, such that the device mount plate is selectively tiltable. The tilt assembly may comprise at least one friction hinge that substantially maintains the tilt angle of the device mount plate. When in a collapsed position, the inner articulating arm is substantially disposed between the upper surface bracket and lower surface bracket and the outer articulating arm is substantially disposed within the inner articulating arm presenting a thin profile.

Claims

1. A hinged articulating mount comprising:

surface mount;

an articulation mechanism having an inner articulating arm and an outer articulating arm, the inner articulating arm having a void therein within which the outer articulating arm may collapsibly nest, the inner articulating arm pivotally affixed at a first inner articulating arm end to the surface mount, the inner articulating arm rotatably affixed at a second inner articulating arm end to a first end of the outer articulating arm, the inner articulating arm adapted to pivot in relation to the surface mount about a first vertical axis to a position substantially parallel to the surface mount, the outer articulating arm adapted to rotate in relation to the inner articulating arm about a second vertical axis to a position within the void of the inner articulating arm substantially parallel to the surface mount, the outer articulating arm having a second end having an upper portion and a lower portion;

a tilt assembly having an intermediate portion, a first end extending from the intermediate portion, and a second end extending from the intermediate portion and opposite the first end, the tilt assembly pivotally affixed to the second end of the outer articulating arm via a shaft extending from upper portion to the lower portion through the intermediate portion of the tilt assembly and positioned at least partially within a relief of the outer articulating arm defined by the upper portion and the lower portion, the tilt assembly adapted to pivot in relation to the outer articulating arm about a third vertical axis, the tilt assembly further rotatable about a horizontal axis; and

a device mount plate adapted to have a device mounted thereto, the device mount plate affixed to the tilt assembly at the first end and the second end of the tilt assembly, the device mount plate being selectively tillable about the horizontal axis via the tilt assembly;

the tilt assembly further adapted to pivot about the third vertical axis in relation to the outer articulating arm to a first position such that at least a portion of the first end of the tilt assembly is received within the relief of the outer articulating arm when the device mount plate is in a third position that is substantially parallel to the outer articulating arm and the outer articulating arm is collapsibly nested in the inner articulating arm, the second end extending away from the relief, and to a second position such that at least a portion of the second end of the tilt assembly is received within the relief of the outer articulating arm when the device mount plate is in a fourth position that is substantially parallel to the outer articulating arm and the outer articulating arm is collapsibly nested in the inner articulating arm, the first end extending away from the relief.

2. The articulating mount of claim 1, wherein the tilt assembly comprises a first friction hinge assembly coupled to the device mount plate at a first location, and wherein the first friction hinge assembly is configured to substantially maintain a tilt orientation of the device mount at a selected tilt angle.

3. The articulating mount of claim 2, wherein the selected tilt angle is non-zero.

4. The articulating mount of claim 2, wherein the tilt assembly further comprises a second friction hinge assembly coupled to the device mount plate at a second location.

5. The articulating mount claim 1 wherein the outer articulating arm is rotatable such that the outer articulating arm is substantially disposed within the inner articulating arm and substantially co-planar therewith.

6. A hinged articulating mount comprising:

a surface mount;

an articulation mechanism having an inner articulating arm and an outer articulating arm, the inner articulating arm having a void therein within which the outer articulating may collapsibly nest, the inner articulating arm pivotally affixed at a first inner articulating arm end to the surface mount, the inner articulating arm rotatably affixed at a second inner articulating arm end to a first end of the outer articulating arm, the inner articulating arm adapted to pivot in relation to the surface mount about a first vertical axis to a position substantially parallel to the surface mount, the outer articulating arm adapted to rotate in relation to the inner articulating arm about a second vertical axis to a position within the void of the inner articulating arm substantially parallel to the surface mount;

a tilt assembly having an intermediate portion, a first end extending from the intermediate portion, and a second end extending from the intermediate portion and opposite the first end, the intermediate portion of the tilt assembly at least partially received within a relief of an arm of the articulating arm assembly, the tilt assembly pivotally coupled to the articulating arm assembly and rotatable about a third axis; and

a device mount assembly having a device mount plate, the device mount assembly coupled to the tilt assembly at the first end and the second end of the tilt assembly, the device mount plate configured for operative attachment to a device, the device mount assembly selectively rotatable via the tilt assembly about a fourth axis,

wherein the tilt assembly is configured to substantially maintain the rotational orientation of the device mount assembly about the fourth axis,

wherein the tilt assembly is adapted to pivot about the third axis in relation to the arm to a first position such that at least a portion of the first end of the tilt assembly is received within the relief of the arm when the device mount plate is in a third position that is substantially parallel to the arm and substantially parallel to the surface mount, the second end extending away from the relief, and to a second position such that at least a portion of the second end of the tilt assembly is received within the relief of the arm when the device mount plate is in a fourth position substantially parallel to the arm and substantially parallel to the surface mount, the first end extending away from the relief.

7. The hinged articulating mount of claim 6, wherein the tilt assembly comprises a first fiction hinge assembly having a first resistively rotatable shaft coupled to the device mount assembly.

8. The articulating mount of claim 7, wherein the tilt assembly further comprises a second friction hinge assembly having a second resistively rotatable shaft coupled to the device mount assembly.

9. The hinged articulating mount of claim 6, wherein the outer articulating arm is adapted to rotate in relation to the inner articulating arm to a position within the void of the inner articulating arm substantially coplanar with the inner articulating arm.