Method and device for wall mounting flat panel monitor and storing associated audio/video components

• US 9,408,465 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2015
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovative Americans, LLC
• Original Assignee: Innovative Americans, LLC
• Inventors: Dowling, James, FECTEAU, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Nkeisha
• Application Number:
  US14/713,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20150245712A1
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 248917-919, 248/921, 248/922, 248/285.1, 248/286.1, 248/287.1, 248/475.1, 248/476, 248/477, 248/489
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/02 Shelves movable shelves coupled to doors A47B96/16
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 97/001 Wall mounting or suspension arrangements for blackboards or the like easels or stands A47B97/04
• 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 2200/08 Foot or support base
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0213 Venting apertures; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0217 Mechanical details of casings covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener

Abstract

A mounting device for a flat panel monitor. The mounting device comprises a front panel and a mating second rear panel for connection with one another to form a housing. At least the front panel has a plurality of mounting apertures therein for securing the housing to a desired flat panel monitor while the rear panel has a mounting mechanism which facilitates attachment of the housing to a desired support surface. An internal recess is formed between the front panel and the rear panel, when assembled with one another, and the internal recess is sized for accommodating and retaining at least one peripheral electronic device therein.

Claims

1. A mounting device, for a flat panel monitor, comprising:

a front panel and a mating rear panel;

the front panel and the rear panel being adjustably connectable with one another by at least two side tabs;

at least one retaining feature extending from a lower portion of at least one of the front and the rear panels toward another of the front and the rear panels to form a base for supporting at least one peripheral electronic device thereon, and the front panel, the rear panel, the at least one retaining feature and the at least two side tabs together forming a housing which defines an internal recess;

at least the front panel having a plurality of mounting apertures therein for securing the housing to a desired flat panel monitor;

a mounting bracket for attachment to a desired surface by at least one fastener;

the rear panel of the housing having a hook which facilitates attachment of the housing to a mounting bracket desired support surface;

a removable locking member, being received by the mounting bracket, for preventing the housing from becoming inadvertently separated from the mounting bracket; and

the housing being open on a top side thereof to facilitate insertion and removal of at least one peripheral electronic device therefrom and being at least partially closed, on a remaining five sides thereof, so as to facilitate retaining the at least one peripheral electronic device within the housing, and the internal recess being sized for accommodating the at least one peripheral electronic device therein, on the at least one retaining feature, between the desired flat panel monitor and the desired surface,

wherein the top side of the housing is completely unobstructed so as to facilitate unhindered access to the internal recess and at least one peripheral electronic device to be located within the housing.

2. The mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one peripheral device is one of a HD box, a video network reception box, a cable TV satellite box, a video game device, a video game console, a DVD player, a cable TV box, a Blu-ray player and a Wired or Wireless Internet Reception Device.

3. The mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a plurality of ventilation openings therein which facilitate ventilation of the at least one peripheral electronic device.

4. The mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the front and the rear panels releasably engage with one another to form the housing and facilitate adjustment of a desired spacing between the front panel and the rear panel of the mounting device from one another and accommodate the at least one peripheral electronic device therebetween in the internal recess.

5. The mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the front and the rear panels releasably engage with one another to form the housing and facilitate adjustment of a desired spacing between the front panel and the rear panel of the mounting device from one another and provide a tilt of the front panel relative to the rear panel.

6. The mounting device according to claim 1, wherein a top most longitudinal edge of at least one of the front panel and the rear panel is bent over to form the hook which is substantially a C-shaped panel hook that facilitates hanging of the mounting device from the mounting bracket, and the C-shaped panel hook defines an interior cavity which is sized and shaped so as to intimately receive and engage with a mating edge of the mounting bracket.

7. The mounting device according to claim 6, wherein a longitudinal bottom edge of the mounting bracket curves inwardly and forms a mating C-shaped bracket hook which is sized and shaped to matingly receive and engage with the C-shaped panel hook of the mounting device.

8. The mounting device according to claim 6, wherein a longitudinal top edge of the mounting bracket is bent inwardly, toward the C-shaped bracket hook and the bent longitudinal top edge extends substantially along an entire top longitudinal edge of the mounting bracket, and the C-shaped bracket hook and the bent longitudinal top edge together, in combination with the locking member, form a retaining feature which facilitates secure, but releasable retention of the mounting device in engagement with the mounting bracket.

9. The mounting device according to claim 8, wherein the C-shaped bracket hook of the mounting bracket defines an interior cavity which is sized and shaped to intimately receive and engage with the C-shaped panel hook of the mounting device and facilitate secure retention thereof, and the C-shaped bracket hook extends substantially along an entire longitudinal bottom edge of the mounting bracket.

10. The mounting device according to claim 8, wherein the locking member is generally planar but both opposed longitudinal side edges are bent partially toward one another so that the locking member has a slight U-shaped profile which, when the locking member is installed, the locking member is captively retained between the bent longitudinal top edge and the C-shaped panel hook.

11. The mounting device according to claim 10, wherein the locking member has a length in a range of about 15 to 24 inches and a width of about 1 and 11/32 inches.

12. The mounting device according to claim 10, wherein the locking member has a threaded hole and a threaded fastener threadedly engages with the threaded hole for securing the locking member at a desired location along the mounting bracket.

13. The mounting device according to claim 1, wherein the mounting bracket has a length of between 26 and 31 inches and a width of about 2 inches, and the mounting bracket has a plurality of spaced apart mounting apertures formed therein, adjacent each opposed end thereof, for securing the mounting bracket to the desired surface.

14. The mounting device according to claim 1, wherein a shelving unit is supported by the rear panel and forms a shelf for supporting at least one additional peripheral electronic device thereon and the shelf facilitates access to the at least one additional peripheral electronic device.

15. The mounting device according to claim 14, wherein the shelving unit comprises at least two L-shaped brackets, each having an elongate body, a top end of the elongate body releasably engages a respective lateral side of the rear panel, an opposite bottom end of the elongate body comprises an arm that extends normal to the elongate body, a planar shelf plate extends laterally from one of the L-shaped brackets to an other of the L-shaped brackets and is fixed to the arms of the L-shaped brackets to form the shelf which supports the at least one additional peripheral electronic device thereon.

16. A flat panel mounting system, comprising:

a front panel and a mating rear panel;

the front panel and the rear panel being adjustably connectable with one another by at least two side tabs;

at least one retaining feature extending from a lower portion of at least one of the front and the rear panels toward another of the front and the rear panels to form a base for supporting at least one peripheral electronic device thereon, and the front panel, the rear panel, the at least one retaining feature and the at least two side tabs together forming a housing which defines an internal recess;

at least the front panel having a plurality of mounting apertures therein for securing the housing to a flat panel monitor;

a mounting bracket for attachment to a support surface by at least one fastener;

the rear panel of the housing having a hook which facilitates attachment of the housing to a mounting bracket attached to the support surface;

a removable locking member, being received by the mounting bracket, for preventing the housing from becoming inadvertently separated from the mounting bracket;

the housing being open on a top side thereof to facilitate insertion and removal of at least one peripheral electronic device therefrom and being at least partially closed, on a remaining five sides thereof, so as to facilitate retaining the at least one peripheral electronic device within the housing, and the internal recess being sized for accommodating the at least one peripheral electronic device therein, on the at least one retaining feature, between the flat panel monitor and the support surface; and

the flat panel monitor,

wherein the front panel includes four separate adjustable TV mounts which are securable adjacent a respective corner of the front panel by at least one fastener, and the four adjustable TV mounts are securable to the flat panel monitor for coupling the flat panel monitor to the mounting device.

17. The mounting device according to claim 16, wherein, when the flat panel monitor is of a first size, the four adjustable TV mounts are installed closer to a central region of the front panel, while when the flat panel monitor is of a second size greater than the first size, the four adjustable TV mounts are installed further away from the central region of the front panel.

18. The mounting device according to claim 16, wherein a first set of fasteners secure each one of the four adjustable TV mounts to the front panel, and a second set of fasteners secures the flat panel monitor to each respective one of the four adjustable TV mounts.

19. A method of attaching a flat panel monitor to a mounting device, the method comprising:

having separate front and rear panels;

adjustably connecting the front panel and the rear panel with one another by at least two side tabs; and

at least one retaining feature extending from a lower portion of at least one of the front and the rear panels toward another of the front and the rear panels to form a base for supporting at least one peripheral electronic device thereon, and the front panel, the rear panel, the at least one retaining feature and the at least two side tabs together forming a housing which defines an internal recess;

the rear panel of the housing having a hook which facilitates attachment of the housing to a mounting bracket desired support surface;

securing the front panel to the flat panel monitor by a plurality of mounting apertures of the front panel;

using at least one fastener to mount a mounting bracket to a desired surface by at least one fastener;

hanging the housing and the flat panel monitor on the mounting bracket and installing a removable locking member for preventing the housing from becoming inadvertently separated from the mounting bracket; and

the housing being open on a top side thereof to facilitate insertion and removal of at least one peripheral electronic device therefrom and being sufficiently closed, on a remaining five sides thereof, so as to facilitate retaining the at least one peripheral electronic device within the housing, and the internal recess being sized for accommodating the at least one peripheral electronic device therein, on the at least one retaining feature, between the flat panel monitor and the desired surface,

wherein the top side of the housing is completely unobstructed so as to facilitate unhindered access to the internal recess and at least one peripheral electronic device to be located within the housing.