Method and apparatus for adjustably mounting a speaker

• US 7,455,271 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2005
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RGB Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RGB Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Lu, Xiaozheng, Edwards, Andrew C., Stewart, William Cameron Jr., Coe, Stanley S., Pincek, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver; J. Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): EPPS, TODD MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US11/161,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20070040085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 248/288.31, 248/288.51, 248/181.1, 248/481, 248/483, 248/484, 248/683, 248/220.21, 248/220.22, 248/222.52, 248/323, 248/324, 403/76, 403/122, 403/90, 403/114, 381/87, 381/332, 381/386, 381/394
• US Class Current: 248/288.31
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/14 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 ; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30
• 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 2200/022 by friction
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/026 Supports for loudspeaker casings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32196 Articulate joint is ball and socket
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32631 Universal ball and socket

Abstract

A speaker mount includes a support structure attachment, an adjustable mount connected to the structure attachment and including a first connector, and a speaker attachment including a second connector. The first and second connectors may selectively be connected or disconnected, permitting a speaker to be connected to and disconnected from the remainder of the mount. The first connector is mounted to a ball. A lock plate is mounted at an opposing side of the ball from the first connector. A fastener controls the distance between the first connector and the lock plate. In one position, the fastener draws the lock plate and first connector towards one another, fixing the lock plate in a position on the ball, and in another position allows the first connector to be moved relative to the ball. The mount permits orientation of a speaker in a variety of positions relative to a support structure.

Claims

1. A mount configured to support a body from a structure in a plurality of possible orientations comprising:

a structural mount, said structural mount configured to be connected to a support structure;

an adjustable support, said adjustable support comprising;

a ball mounted outwardly of and supported by said structural mount, said ball having a first diameter, a first side generally facing said structural mount, and a second side facing generally away from said structural mount;

a locking member disposed between said first side of said ball and said structural support, said locking member comprising a first aperture having a second diameter less than said first diameter of said ball, said first aperture configured to engage a portion of said first side of said ball;

and a first connector disposed between said second side of said ball and a body support, said first connector comprising a second aperture having a third diameter less than said first diameter of said ball and configured to engage a portion of said second side of said ball;

said body support including a second connector configured to be mounted external to a body, said second connector configured to engage said first connector to connect said body to said adjustable support and support said body from said support structure.

2. The mount in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second connector is configured to be located exterior to a housing of said body.

3. The mount in accordance with claim 2 wherein said body is a speaker.

4. The mount in accordance with claim 2 wherein said body support includes an interior support located in said housing, said second connector connected to said interior support.

5. The mount in accordance with claim 4 wherein said body is a speaker and said interior support comprises a secondary support for one or more components of said speaker located within said housing.

6. The mount in accordance with claim 1, further comprising an adjustable threaded fastener for selectively locking said first connector in a plurality of positions relative to said ball.

7. The mount in accordance with claim 6 wherein said threaded fastener extends between said locking member and said first connector.

8. The mount in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first aperture of said locking member comprises a serrated edge.

9. The mount in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second aperture of said first connector comprises a serrated edge.

10. A speaker mount configured to adjustably support a speaker from a support structure in a plurality of possible orientations comprising:

a structural mount configured to be connected to a support structure;

an adjustable speaker support, said adjustable speaker support comprising;

a stem having a first end connected to said structural mount and a ball mounted at a second end of said stem, said ball positioned outwardly of said structural mount, said ball having a first diameter, a first side generally facing said structural mount, and a second side facing generally away from said structural mount;

a first connector mounted adjacent to said second side of said ball, said first connector comprising a first aperture having a second diameter less than said first diameter of said ball and configured to engage a portion of said second side of said ball;

and a locking member mounted adjacent to said first side of said ball and connected to said first connector;

said locking member comprising a second aperture having a third diameter less than said first diameter of said ball and configured to engage a portion of said first side of said ball, and

a speaker attachment, said speaker attachment comprising a second connector configured to be located external to said speaker, said second connector configured to be mated to said first connector to mount said speaker to said adjustable speaker support.

11. The speaker mount in accordance with claim 10, further comprising at least one member configured to adjustably draw said first connector and said locking member towards one another thereby engaging said ball.

12. The speaker mount in accordance with claim 10, further comprising a speaker having a housing and a chassis plate located on an inside of said housing of said speaker, said chassis plate configured to support one or more components of said speaker assembly.

13. The speaker mount in accordance with claim 12 wherein said second connector and chassis plate are configured to be located at opposing sides of a rear wall of said housing of said speaker.

14. Thee speaker mount in accordance with claim 13 wherein a plurality of stands extend between and connect said chassis plate and said second connector, and space said chassis plate and second connector from one another.

15. The speaker mount in accordance with claim 14 wherein said stands pass through said rear wall of said housing.

16. The speaker mount in accordance with claim 10 wherein said locking member and said first connector are fixedly joined in at least one first location.

17. The speaker mount in accordance with claim 16 wherein said locking member and said first connector are adjustably joined in at least one second location.

18. The speaker mount in accordance with claim 17 wherein said at least one first location is in a first direction from said ball and said at least one second location is in a second, generally opposing direction from said ball.

19. The speaker mount in accordance with claim 10 wherein said locking member and said first connector are adjustably joined by a threaded fastener having a head facing in a direction of said speaker.

20. The speaker mount in accordance with claim 19 wherein said second connector has a passage there through aligned with said head of said fastener, whereby a tool may be passed through said second connector into engagement with said head.

21. The speaker mount in accordance with claim 20, further comprising a speaker, said speaker having a passage there through from a front of said housing through said rear of said housing, said passage aligned with said passage through said second connector.