Releasable mounting apparatus

Abstract

Apparatus for releasably mounting an article in a blind opening in a wall. The apparatus comprises: a body having a base for attachment to an article to be mounted in a wall opening; a member supported on the body and spaced from the base; an arm mounted on the member and moveable from an inoperative position to an operative position projecting to one side of the body for bearing against a surrounding wall surface; and a mechanism for releasably securing the arm in the inoperative position.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to related Great Britain Patent Application Serial No. GB 04 15965.3 filed Jul. 16, 2004, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to apparatus for releasably mounting an article in a blind opening in a wall or the like and, more specifically but not exclusively, to apparatus for mounting a loudspeaker in an opening in a wall.

2. Related Art

It is well known in the art to provide discreet loudspeaker installations in a building. In-wall clamps, which are intended to be mounted in a wall (e.g., stud wall) and clamp a loudspeaker thereto, are often used in such installations as an alternative to unsightly brackets or other forms of external support. However, in use, part of an in-wall clamp is mounted inside the wall, thus compromising accessibility and making servicing (e.g., fitting or removal) of in-wall clamps difficult. Accordingly, the present applicant has appreciated the need for an improved in-wall clamp which overcomes, or at least alleviates, some of the problems associated with conventional in-wall clamps.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for releasably mounting an article in a blind opening in a wall, comprising: a body having a base for attachment to an article to be mounted in a wall opening; a member supported on the body and spaced from the base; and an arm mounted on the member and with a portion moveable from an inoperative position substantially aligned with the body to an operative position substantially spaced from and projecting to one side of the body for bearing against a surrounding wall surface; and a mechanism for releasably securing the arm in the inoperative position.

In this way, apparatus is provided for forming an in-wall clamp that may be locked or at least held in the inoperative (or service) position during installation and removal of the clamp in or from a surrounding wall (e.g., stud wall) or the like, such as furniture. In the inoperative position, the arm is retracted to an extent whereby the article may be removed from the opening in the wall without the arm fouling the surrounding wall (i.e., close enough to avoid snagging of the arm).

In one embodiment, the mechanism has a positive engaging action, for example, a snap-fit action. For example, the mechanism may comprise a part configured to trap the arm (directly or indirectly) in the inoperative position. The part may be resilient with flexure thereof providing a resistive force to retain the arm in the inoperative position. The resilient part may have a protuberant component (e.g., flange or lip) against which the arm bears and passes when moving to the inoperative position. The arm may be released from the mechanism by overcoming the resistive force.

The member may be moveable relative to the base to adjust spacing there-between. In this way, the apparatus may be configured for use with different thicknesses of wall cladding.

In one embodiment, the member comprises a carriage which is moveable along a notional line extending between the base and the member. The carriage may be moveable between a first position furthest from the base and a second position closer to the base. The mechanism may be configured to engage either the arm, the carriage, or both.

The carriage may be mounted on a rotatable shaft housed by the body, the carriage and the rotatable shaft having interengaging threaded profiles. The rotatable shaft may be constrained to rotate within the body, with shaft rotation producing linear movement of the carriage relative to the body between the first and second positions. The rotatable shaft may have a drive face accessible adjacent or through the base. In this way, the rotatable shaft may be rotated via the drive face even once the apparatus is mounted in a wall.

The mechanism may be configured to move the arm from the operative position to the inoperative position as the carriage moves from the second position to the first position. For example, the mechanism may comprise a protuberance configured to be slidingly engaged by the arm and urge the arm into the inoperative position as the carriage moves towards the first position.

The arm may be pivotally mounted to the member. For example, the arm may be configured to pivot between the inoperative and operative positions about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to a notional line extending between the base and member.

The arm may be resiliently biased to adopt the operative position when possible. For example, the arm may be pivotally coupled to the member via a resilient member (e.g., a spring).

The arm may further comprise a resilient part for mechanically decoupling or isolating the arm from a surrounding wall surface. In this way, vibrations originating from an article (e.g., loudspeaker) may be damped to reduce unwanted interaction between the article and the wall. In one form, the arm may comprise a rubber foot for engaging a surrounding wall surface when the arm is in the operative position and bearing against the surrounding wall surface.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for releasably mounting an article in a blind opening in a wall, comprising: a body having a base for attachment to an article to be mounted in a wall opening; a member supported on the body and spaced from the base; and an arm mounted on the member and with a portion moveable from an inoperative position to an inoperative position substantially aligned with the body to an operative position substantially spaced from and projecting to one side of the body for bearing against a surrounding wall surface; characterized in that the arm is configured to pivot between the inoperative and operative positions about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to a notional line extending between the base and member.

The member may be moveable relative to the base to adjust spacing there-between. In this way, the apparatus may be configured for use with different thicknesses of wall cladding. The member may comprise a carriage moveable along the notional line. The carriage may be moveable along the notional line between a first position furthest from the base and a second position closer to the base.

The carriage may be mounted on a rotatable shaft housed by the body, the carriage and the rotatable shaft having interengaging threaded profiles. The rotatable shaft may be constrained to rotate within the body, with shaft rotation producing linear movement of the carriage relative to the body between the first and second positions. The rotatable shaft may have a drive face accessible adjacent or through the base. In this way, the rotatable shaft may be rotated via the drive face even once the apparatus is mounted in a wall.

The arm may be configured to move from the operative position to the inoperative position as the carriage moves from the second position to the first position. For example, the body may comprise a protuberance configured to be slidingly engaged by the arm and urge the arm into the inoperative position as the carriage moves towards the first position.

The arm may be resiliently biased to adopt the operative position when possible. For example, the arm may be pivotally coupled to the member via a resilient member (e.g., a spring).

The arm may further comprise a resilient part for mechanically decoupling or isolating the arm from a surrounding wall surface. In this way, vibrations originating from an article (e.g., loudspeaker) may be damped to reduce unwanted interaction between the article and the wall. In one form, the arm may comprise a rubber foot for engaging a surrounding wall surface when the arm is in the operative position and bearing against the surrounding wall surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of apparatus in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention in its service position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in an operative position;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in its service position;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 from another side;

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a loudspeaker assembly comprising the apparatus of FIG. 1 before being mounted to a wall surface;

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the loudspeaker assembly of FIG. 5 in its service position during attachment to a wall surface;

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the loudspeaker assembly of FIG. 5 in its operative position and mounted to a wall surface;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the apparatus in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention in an operative position;

FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 8 in an operative position; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 9 in its service position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 to 7 show apparatus 10 comprising: an elongate body 20 having a base 22 for attachment to an article (see FIGS. 5 to 7) and a slot (e.g., slit) 24 extending axially along the body 20; a carriage 30 supported on the body 20 and moveable along the slot 24, the carriage 30 and the base 22 defining a notional line “N”; an arm 40 pivotally mounted to the carriage 30 and with a portion 42 moveable about an axis “A” (perpendicular to the notional line “N”) from an inoperative position substantially adjacent and aligned with the body 20 (as shown in FIG. 1) to an operative position substantially spaced from and projecting to one side of the body 20 (as shown in FIG. 2); and a mechanism 50 for releasably securing the arm in the inoperative position.

The carriage 30 is mounted in the body 20 on a rotatable shaft 60 which is housed by the body 20. The carriage 30 and the rotatable shaft 60 have inter-engaging threaded profiles 32, 62. The rotatable shaft 60 has a drive face 64 located at base 22 and is constrained to rotate relative to the body 20. Rotation of the drive face 64 (and thus the rotatable shaft 60) causes the carriage 30 to move along the slot 24. The carriage 30 is moveable in this way from a first position, furthest from base 22, to a second position, closer to base 22.

The carriage 30 includes a resilient member (not shown) for biasing the arm 40 to adopt the operative position. The body 20 includes a curved protuberance 26 to slidingly engage the arm 40 and urge the arm into the inoperative position as the carriage 30 moves towards the first position. In addition, mechanism 50 comprises a pair of resilient parts or prongs 52, each part 52 having a first end coupled to the body 20 and a second end comprising a protuberant component 54 (e.g., lip or flange) configured to engage a corresponding recess 34 in the carriage 30 as the arm 40 moves into the first, and thus inoperative, position.

The portion 42 of arm 40 includes a rubber foot 44 for mechanically damping the arm 40 to reduce transmission of vibrations from the arm to a surrounding wall surface when the arm is in the operative position and bearing against the surrounding wall surface.

FIGS. 5 to 7 show a loudspeaker assembly 70 comprising: apparatus 10 and a frame 80. Frame 80 includes a flange 72 which, in combination with the arm 40, forms a set of jaws which can move together to clamp the loudspeaker assembly to a wall surface 90. Flange 72 includes a series of ridges or teeth 74 configured to grip into the wall surface 90 when the loudspeaker assembly 70 is attached to the wall surface 90 (as shown in FIG. 7).

FIGS. 8 through 10 show a second embodiment of the present invention in which the apparatus 10 is formed as an integral part of a chassis 100 of a loudspeaker assembly 110 (e.g., is integrally molded as a part of the chassis 100). Features in common with the first embodiment of the present invention are labeled accordingly.

The rotatable shaft 60 has a drive face 64 located at base 22 and is constrained by protuberant member 66 to rotate relative to the body 20. Rotation of the drive face 64 (and thus the rotatable shaft 60) causes the carriage 30 to move along the slot 24. The carriage 30 is moveable in this way between a first position, furthest from base 22, and a second position, closer to base 22.

The carriage 30 includes a resilient member (not shown) for biasing the arm 40 to adopt the operative position. Mechanism 50 provided on the body 20 includes a protuberant member 26′ to slidingly engage the arm 40 and urge the arm into the inoperative position as the carriage 30 moves towards the first position. The protuberant member 26′ also includes an inner surface 28 for abutting the arm 40 and trapping the arm 40 in the inoperative position when the carriage is in the first position. Once trapped in the inoperative position, the arm 40 is released by rotating the drive face 64 in a counter direction to move the carriage 30 away from the first position and towards the second position.

Claims

1. Apparatus for releasably mounting an article in a blind opening in a wall, comprising:

a body having a base for attachment to an article to be mounted in a wall opening; a member supported on the body and spaced from the base;

an arm mounted on the member and with a portion moveable from an inoperative position, substantially aligned with the body to an operative position, substantially spaced from and projecting to one side of the body for bearing against a surrounding wall surface; and

a mechanism for releasably securing the arm in the inoperative position.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism has a positive engaging action.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the mechanism has a snap-fit action.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the member comprises a carriage which is moveable along a notional line extending between the base and the member, the carriage being moveable between a first position furthest from the base and a second position closer to the base, with the arm being configured to move from the operative position to the inoperative position in dependence upon the position of the carriage along the notional line.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the arm is configured to move from the operative position to the inoperative position as the carriage moves from the second position to the first position.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the mechanism is configured to engage at least one of the arm and the carriage.

7. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the carriage is mounted on a rotatable shaft housed by the body, the carriage and the rotatable shaft having inter-engaging threaded profiles, the rotatable shaft being constrained to rotate within the body, with shaft rotation producing linear movement of the carriage relative to the body between the first and second positions.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the arm is resiliently biased to adopt the operative position when possible.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the arm further comprises a resilient part for mechanically decoupling the arm from a surrounding wall surface.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the arm is configured to pivot between the inoperative and operative positions about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to a notional line extending between the base and member.

11. A loudspeaker assembly configured to be releasably mounted in a blind opening in a wall, comprising:

a body for housing a loudspeaker drive unit, the body having a base which in use is configured to engage a surrounding wall external surface;

a member supported on the body and spaced from the base;

an arm mounted on the member and with a portion moveable from an inoperative position substantially aligned with the body to an operative position substantially spaced from and projecting to one side of the body for bearing against a surrounding wall internal surface; and

a mechanism for releasably securing the arm in the inoperative position.