Mounting apparatus for an audio/video system and related methods and systems

• US 9,273,473 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2012
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Millson Custom Solutions Inc.
• Original Assignee: Millson Custom Solutions Inc.
• Inventors: Millson, Richard Blair, Ima, Alan Toyonobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Allen
• Application Number:
  US14/000,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20130321715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,474 Days
• Field of Search: 348/61, 348/836
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/38 Connections for building structures in general
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 19/08 Built-in cupboards; Masks of niches; Covers of holes enabling access to installations inspection openings in bathtub aprons A47K3/1615; covers for electrical distribution boxes H02G3/14; movable ceiling parts E04B9/003; removable wall partitions E04B2/74; clean-out doors of chimneys F23J
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/048 adapted to forward-backward translation movement
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/08 around a vertical axis , e.g. panoramic heads 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 2200/061 Scissors arms
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/64 Constructional details of receivers, e.g. cabinets or dust covers furniture aspects of television cabinets A47B81/06

Abstract

An audio-video (AV) system in one embodiment includes a mounting apparatus for mounting the system to a wall support located behind a wall surface and within an in-wall space. The mounting apparatus includes a support member for supporting at least one component in a support space within the in-wall space, a display mounting member 30 for mounting a display device, and a removable wall opening cover for concealing at least a portion of the in-wall space that would otherwise be visible through a wall opening to a viewer. Various multimedia-supportive devices, including loudspeakers and a subwoofer, may be concealed behind the cover in the in-wall space.

Claims

1. A mounting apparatus for an audio-video system, comprising:

a support member providing a support space for holding at least one component of the audio-video system, the support member being operably configured to be installed in an in-wall space located within a wall such that the support space is disposed within the in-wall space and is accessible through a wall opening of the wall, the support member defining an access region operable to register with the wall opening to provide access to the support space through the wall opening from outside the wall;

a display mounting member connected to the support member and operably configured to mount a display device such that the display device, when mounted, is positioned outside the wall to conceal a first portion of the in-wall space from a viewer situated to view the display device from a generally frontal display viewing position outside the wall; and

a cover operably configured to be removably mounted in a plane disposed generally in parallel to a plane of the wall and interposed between the support space and the display device, the cover being dimensioned to conceal a second portion of the in-wall space separate from the first portion of the in-wall space, a peripheral portion of the cover being dimensioned to overlap a wall surface portion proximate the wall opening to conceal the wall surface portion.

2. A method of mounting an audio-video system to a wall support located in an in-wall space behind a wall surface supported by the wall support, the method comprising:

supporting at least one component of the audio-video system in a fixed position relative to the wall support, within a support space located inside the in-wall space such that the support space is accessible from outside the wall surface through an opening in the wall surface;

mounting a display device to the wall support such that the display device is positioned outside the wall surface to conceal a first portion of the in-wall space that would otherwise be visible through the opening in the wall surface, to a viewer situated to view the display device from a generally frontal viewing position outside the wall surface; and

obstructing a line of sight of the viewer at the viewing position in a generally planar obstruction region disposed between the in-wall space and the display device and spaced apart from the display device, the obstruction region extending beyond a periphery of the display device and being oriented generally parallel to a plane of the wall surface, to conceal a second portion of the in-wall space and a peripheral portion of the wall surface proximate the wall opening that would otherwise be visible to the viewer at the viewing position.

3. An apparatus for mounting an audio-video system to a wall support located in an in-wall space behind a wall surface supported by the wall support, the apparatus comprising:

means for supporting at least one component of the audio-video system in a fixed position relative to the wall support, within a support space located inside the in-wall space such that the support space is accessible from outside the wall surface through an opening in the wall surface;

means for mounting a display device to the wall support such that the display device is positioned outside the wall surface to conceal a first portion of the in-wall space that would otherwise be visible through the opening in the wall surface, to a viewer situated to view the display device from a generally frontal viewing position outside the watt surface; and

means for obstructing a line of sight of the viewer at the viewing position in a generally planar obstruction region disposed between the in-wall space and the display device and spaced apart from the display device, the obstruction region extending beyond a periphery of the display device and being oriented generally parallel to a plane of the wall surface, to conceal a second portion of the in-wall space and a peripheral portion of the wall surface proximate the wall opening that would otherwise be visible to the viewer at the viewing position.

4. A cover operably configured to be removably mounted between a display device mounted outside a wall and an in-wall space located within the wall and accessible from outside the wall through a wall opening in the wall, the wall opening being dimensioned larger than the display device in at least one dimension of height and width, wherein the cover is dimensioned to conceal a peripheral portion of the wall opening that is not otherwise concealed from the viewer by the display device at a display viewing position, a peripheral portion of the cover dimensioned to overlap a wall surface portion of the wall proximate the wall opening to conceal the wall surface portion.

5. A method of installing in a wall a mounting apparatus for an audio-video system, the method comprising:

connecting a support member of the mounting apparatus to a support for supporting a wall surface and located in an in-wall space of the wall, the support member being operably configured to support at least one component of the audio-video system in a support space within the in-wall space;

mounting a first signal source device on a signal source device mounting member supported by the support member, wherein both the signal source device mounting member and the first signal source device are located in the support space within the in-wall space;

removably mounting a cover to conceal at least a peripheral portion of the in-wall space from a display viewing position outside the wall;

mounting a display device to a display mount member supported by the support member, such that the display device is spaced apart from the wall and held in front of the wall to be viewable by a viewer located at the display viewing position, the display device being positioned to conceal a generally central portion of the in-wall space from the viewer at the display viewing position; and

electrically coupling a first signal from the first signal source device in the support space to the display device;

wherein the display device and cover, when both mounted, cooperate to conceal the entirety of the in-wall space from the viewer at the display viewing position.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

forming an opening in an outer wall surface of the wall to connect the support member and to provide access to the in-wall space.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein connecting the support member further comprises installing a support member in the wall to at least partially enclose the in-wall space located within the wall, the support member being operably configured to mount a power distribution module in the in-wall space.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising mounting a signal processor to the mounting apparatus, the signal processor being operably configured to receive a plurality of input signals from a plurality of signal sources and to generate a first output signal to the display device based on the plurality of input signals, the signal processor being mounted in the support space.

9. The method of claim 5 further comprising removably mounting a second signal source device to the signal source device mounting member, and electrically coupling the second signal source device to provide a second input signal to the signal processor.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising configuring the signal processor to switch between basing the output signal on the first input signal and basing the output signal on the second input signal.

11. The method of claim 5 further comprising installing the mounting apparatus in a portion of a room wherein the wall surface comprises gypsum wall board, the wall surface being supported by at least one wall stud running substantially between a floor and a ceiling of the room.

12. The method of claim 5 further comprising replacing a peripheral portion of the wall surface proximate a peripheral portion of the support member.

13. The method of claim 5 further comprising adjusting a position of a subwoofer in the in-wall space whereby a sound opening of the subwoofer is aligned between a top of the display device and an upper edge of the cover.

14. An audio-video system comprising:

a support member providing a support space for holding components of the audio-video system including a plurality of signal source devices removably mounted in the support space, the support member being installed in an in-wall space located within a wall such that the support space is disposed within the in-wall space and is accessible through a wall opening of the wall, the support member defining an access region operable to register with the wall opening to provide access to the support space through the wall opening from outside the wall;

a display mounting member connected to the support member and operably configured to mount a display device such that the display device is positioned outside the wall;

a signal processor operably configured to receive a plurality of input signals from a plurality of signal sources and to generate a first output signal to the display device based on the plurality of input signals, the signal processor being mounted in the support space;

a display device mounted on the display mounting member and spaced apart from the support space, the display device being configured to receive the first output signal from the signal processor.

15. An entertainment system having a positionable in-wall loudspeaker mounting, the system comprising:

a support member providing a support space for holding at least one component of the audio-video system, the support member being operably configured to be installed in an in-wall space located within a wall such that the support space is disposed within the in-wall space and is accessible through a wall opening of the wall, the support member defining an access region operable to register with the wall opening to provide access to the support space through the wall opening from outside the wall;

a display device mounting member connected to the support member and operably configured to mount a display device such that the display device, when mounted, is positioned outside the wall to conceal a first portion of the in-wall space from a viewer situated to view the display device from a display viewing position outside the wall; and

a loudspeaker mounting member including a guide for receiving a loudspeaker enclosure into a mounted position in which the loudspeaker will project sound in a line of sight towards a viewer position without obstruction of the sound by the display device.