Appliance support assembly
An appliance support assembly including a wall bracket is provided. The wall bracket has a channel-shaped body including first and second sides which are substantially perpendicular to each other, and a third side which connects the first and second sides. The first side includes a first mounting aperture, the second side includes a second mounting aperture, and the third side includes a third mounting aperture. Guide portions operatively associated with each of the first and second mounting apertures for guiding screws through the mounting apertures are provided. An arm is pivotably connected to the bracket about a first axis at a first end of the arm.
Pivoting wall mounted appliance supports are useful for mounting televisions or other appliances which are to be viewed or actuated. Such supports allow mounting of an appliance at a useable height without the use of furnishings which consume floor space.
Known wall mounted appliance supports include provisions for mounting on a flat wall surface. These known supports are typically fastened to a wall by driving screws through the support perpendicularly to the wall surface. However, mounting the known appliance supports to an inner corner of a wall presents a substantial challenge since the known supports do not have a shape which complements a wall inner corner. Further the known supports do not include mounting structure which allows their fastening to studs at a wall corner.
It would be desirable to provide an appliance support which could be interchangeably mounted at a wall corner or a flat portion of a wall.
SUMMARYThe present invention provides an appliance support assembly including a wall bracket. The wall bracket has a channel-shaped body including first and second sides which are substantially perpendicular to each other, and a third side which connects the first and second sides. The first side includes a first mounting aperture, the second side includes a second mounting aperture, and the third side includes a third mounting aperture. Guide portions operatively associated with each of the first and second mounting apertures for guiding screws through the mounting apertures are provided. An arm is pivotably connected to the bracket about a first axis at a first end of the arm.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)
Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not considered limiting. Words such as “front”, “back”, “top” and “bottom” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. This terminology includes the words specifically noted above, derivatives thereof and words of similar import. Additionally, the terms “a” and “one” are defined as including one or more of the referenced item unless specifically noted.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the drawing figures where like numerals represent like elements throughout.
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The wall bracket 12 preferably also includes first, second, and third structural members 28,30,32 attached to the channel-shaped body 14. The structural members 28, 30, 32 are preferably separate sheet metal pieces welded to the channel-shaped body 14. Alternatively, the structural members 28, 30, 32 may be provided on the channel-shaped body 14 using any suitable method, such as by applying adhesive, casting or forging in place. The structural members 28, 30, 32 include openings 28A, 30A, 32A for receiving a bolt 38, as shown in
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The support assembly 10, as described, is useful for supporting appliances, especially appliances such as televisions which are to be viewed or accessed by users. For example, a television can be placed on the first support platform 60A on the arm 40 and adjusted by rotating the platform 60 about the pivot cone 90 or by rotating the arm 40 about the wall bracket 12. An additional appliance can be placed on the second support platform 60B on the arm 50, such as an appliance compatible with the appliance on the arm 40. For example, a DVD player or VCR could be placed on the second support platform 60B.
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While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail above, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, which should be considered as merely exemplary. Further modifications and extensions of the present invention may be developed, and all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A wall bracket for mounting an appliance, the wall bracket comprising:
- a channel-shaped body including first and second sides which are substantially perpendicular to each other, and a third side which connects the first and second sides, wherein the first side includes at least a first mounting aperture, the second side includes at least a second mounting aperture, and the third side includes at least a third mounting aperture;
- at least one guide portion operatively associated with each of the at least the first and the second mounting apertures for guiding screws through the mounting apertures;
- a first member positioned between the first and second sides of the channel including a first opening; and
- a second member positioned between the first and second sides of the channel spaced from the first member and including a second opening aligned with the first opening.
2. The wall bracket according to claim 1, wherein the at least one guide portion includes a fourth side connected to the first side, the fourth side including at least a fourth mounting aperture for receiving a fastener therethrough.
3. The wall bracket according to claim 2, wherein the at least the first and fourth mounting apertures are positioned to provide a path which is angled between about 30 and 60 degrees relative to the first side, and wherein the at least one guide portion further includes a fifth side connected to the second side, the fifth side including at least a fifth mounting aperture for receiving a fastener therethrough, wherein the at least the second and fifth mounting apertures are positioned to provide a path which is angled between about 30 and 60 degrees relative to the second side.
4. The wall bracket according to claim 2, wherein the at least one guide portion further includes a fifth side connected to the second side, the fifth side including at least a fifth mounting aperture for receiving a fastener therethrough.
5. The wall bracket according to claim 2, wherein the at least one guide portion further includes at least one tube connected to the first side over the at least the first aperture and the fourth side over the at least the fourth aperture of the channel-shaped body to create a passage between the at least the fourth aperture and the at least the first aperture.
6. The wall bracket according to claim 1, wherein the at least one guide portion includes at least a first tube connected to the first side over the at least the first aperture, and at least a second tube generally parallel to the first tube connected to the second side over the at least the second aperture to form a passage through the each of the tubes.
7. The wall bracket according to claim 1, wherein the first member includes sheet material positioned generally perpendicular to the first, the second and the third sides of the channel shaped body.
8. The wall bracket according to claim 1, further comprising a third member positioned between the first and second sides of the channel including a third opening which is generally aligned with the first and second openings of the first and second members.
9. The wall bracket according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the first member, the second member, and the third member further includes a fourth opening for forming a connection with a cover for at least partially concealing an open portion of the channel-shaped body.
10. The wall bracket according to claim 1, wherein the channel shaped body includes sheet metal.
11. An appliance support assembly comprising:
- a wall bracket comprising: a channel-shaped body including first and second sides which are substantially perpendicular to each other, and a third side which connects the first and second sides, wherein the first side includes at least a first mounting aperture, the second side includes at least a second mounting aperture, and the third side includes at least a third mounting aperture; at least one guide portion operatively associated with each of the at least the first and second mounting apertures for guiding fasteners through the mounting apertures at an angle between about 30 and 60 degrees relative to the first side and the second side respectively; and
- a first arm pivotably connected to the bracket about a first axis at a first end of the first arm.
12. The appliance support assembly according to claim 11, wherein the wall bracket further comprises:
- a first member positioned between the first and second sides of the channel including a first opening; and
- a second member positioned between the first and second sides of the channel spaced from the first member and including a second opening;
- wherein the arm includes a through aperture at its first end, and wherein the support assembly further comprises a rod which extends through the first opening of the first member, the second opening of the second member, and the through aperture of the arm to form the pivotable connection between the arm and the bracket.
13. The appliance support assembly according to claim 12, wherein the rod is cylindrical.
14. The appliance support assembly according to claim 12, wherein the wall bracket further includes a third member positioned between the first and second sides of the channel including a third opening which is generally aligned with the first and second opening of the first and second members, wherein the rod extends through the third opening.
15. The appliance support assembly according to claim 12, further comprising a cover connected to at least one of the first, second and third members which at least partially conceals an open portion of the channel-shaped body and which includes an open area through which the arm passes.
16. The appliance support assembly according to claim 11, further comprising a first support platform connected to the first arm.
17. The appliance support assembly according to claim 11, further comprising a second arm pivotably connected to the bracket about a second axis at a first end of the second arm, wherein the first and second axes are substantially aligned.
18. The appliance support assembly according to claim 17, further comprising a first support platform connected to the first arm and a second support platform connected to the second arm.
19. A method for supporting an appliance comprising:
- providing a wall bracket including: a channel-shaped body including first and second sides which are substantially perpendicular to each other, and a third side which connects the first and second sides, wherein the first side includes at least a first mounting aperture, the second side includes at least a second mounting aperture; at least one guide portion operatively associated with each of the at least the first and second mounting apertures for guiding fasteners through the mounting apertures at an angle between about 30 and 60 degrees relative to the first side and the second side respectively; a first member positioned between the first and second sides of the channel, including a first opening; and a second member positioned between the first and second sides of the channel spaced from the first member and including a second opening;
- positioning the wall bracket at an inner corner of a wall;
- driving at least a first fastener through the at least one guide portion operatively associated with the at least the first mounting aperture, through the at least the first mounting aperture and through the wall to attach the wall bracket to the wall;
- driving at least a second fastener through the at least one guide portion operatively associated with the at least the second mounting aperture, through the at least the second mounting aperture and through the wall to attach the wall bracket to the wall;
- pivotably connecting an arm to at least one of the first and the second members; and
- connecting an appliance to the arm.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the providing the at least one guide portion includes providing at least a first tube connected to the first side at the at least the first aperture, and providing at least a second tube connected to the second side at the at least the second aperture, and wherein the first and second tubes are substantially parallel.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein the providing the at least one guide portion includes providing a fourth side including a fourth mounting aperture connected to the first side, and providing a fifth side including a fifth mounting aperture connected to the second side, and wherein the driving the at least one fastener includes driving a first fastener through the fourth mounting aperture and the first mounting aperture, and driving a second fastener through the fifth mounting aperture and the second mounting aperture generally parallel to the first fastener.
22. The method of claim 19, further comprising covering an open portion of the channel with a cover.
23. The method of claim 19, wherein the connecting an appliance to the arm includes connecting a television to the arm.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 22, 2005
Publication Date: Oct 26, 2006
Applicant: Qingdao Minmetals and Machinery, Inc. (Hillsborough, NJ)
Inventor: John Shi (Ringoes, NJ)
Application Number: 11/187,131
International Classification: A47B 96/06 (20060101);