Wall mount

Abstract

A wall mount is disclosed. The wall mount can include a bracket and a frame, where the frame can be configured to support an outward portion of the bracket. The frame can be open to one side, and a guide part can be formed on the frame to guide the bracket in such a way that the bracket may be slidably inserted into the frame from the one side of the frame. In certain embodiments of the invention, the adjusting screws can be utilized to enable levelness adjustment, so that the wall mount can be installed in a more convenient manner, and the levelness of the bracket can be adjusted easily and accurately.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2008-0034745 filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Apr. 15, 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a wall mount.

2. Description of the Related Art

Flat panel displays, such as TV sets and monitors, employing LCD, PDP, LED technology, etc., provide the benefit of allowing efficient use of small spaces, and are fast replacing Braun tube TV's and monitors. The increase in demand for such flat panel displays is expected to continue into the future. A flat panel LCD or PDP TV may often be referred to as a “wall mount TV” and may be used attached to a wall surface.

A wall mount, which secures the flat panel display to a wall surface, is a device that allows a user to adjust the viewing angle, and consumer demands regarding the wall mount is becoming more varied. In particular, various consumer demands are focused on supplementary functions for providing greater convenience and higher performance, in addition to the main function of the wall mount.

A conventional wall mount can be large and heavy, and can be difficult to install. The structure of the conventional wall mount may require a worker to secure the bracket of the wall mount using fastening screws, etc., while carrying the wall mount. Thus, when installing the wall mount, the aid of another person may be required, other than the one worker mentioned above. Moreover, the conventional wall mount may not allow height or levelness adjustments, so that once the bracket is joined to the wall surface, etc., using fastening screws, it may be very difficult to afterwards adjust the height or levelness of the wall mount.

SUMMARY

An aspect of the invention provides a wall mount that allows levelness adjustments.

Another aspect of the invention provides a wall mount that includes a bracket and a frame, where the frame can be configured to support an outward portion of the bracket. The frame can be open to one side, and a guide part can be formed on the frame to guide the bracket in such a way that the bracket may be slidably inserted into the frame from the one side of the frame.

The guide part described above can include an upper guide part, which may be formed on an upper portion of the frame, and a lower guide part, which may be formed on a lower part of the frame to support the bracket.

A hole may be formed in each of the upper guide part and the lower guide part.

In each of the holes in the upper guide part and the lower guide part, an internal thread can be formed. Also, the hole of the upper guide part and the hole of the lower guide part can be formed diagonally in relation to each other.

In certain embodiments, the bracket can include an upper support part and a lower support part. The upper support part may protrude from an upper outer portion of the bracket and face the hole of the upper guide part, while the lower support part may protrude from a lower outer portion of the bracket and face the hole of the lower guide part.

On the other side of the frame, a first protruding part and a second protruding part can be formed, where the first protruding part may have a hole formed in the first protruding part, and the second protruding part may be positioned with a distance from the first protruding part and may have a hole formed in the second protruding part.

The bracket can include a first opposing part and a second opposing part. The first opposing part can be formed on the outward portion of the bracket, facing the first protruding part, with a hole formed in the first opposing part. The second opposing part can be formed on the outward portion of the bracket, facing the second protruding part.

An internal thread can be formed in each of the holes of the second protruding part and the first opposing part.

Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the frame of a wall mount according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the bracket of a wall mount according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view illustrating the frame of a wall mount according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a wall mount according to an embodiment of the invention before applying adjustment screws.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a wall mount according to an embodiment of the invention after applying adjustment screws.

FIG. 6 is a magnified view of portion A in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a magnified view of portion B in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a wall mount according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a wall mount according to an embodiment of the invention after removing the adjustment screws.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the frame of a wall mount according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating the bracket of a wall mount according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating a wall mount according to another embodiment of the invention before applying adjustment screws.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating a wall mount according to another embodiment of the invention after applying adjustment screws.

FIG. 14 is a magnified view of portion C in FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a magnified view of portion D in FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view illustrating a wall mount according to another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As the invention allows for various changes and numerous embodiments, particular embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the written description. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to particular modes of practice, and it is to be appreciated that all changes, equivalents, and substitutes that do not depart from the spirit and technical scope of the present invention are encompassed in the present invention. In the description of the present invention, certain detailed explanations of related art are omitted when it is deemed that they may unnecessarily obscure the essence of the invention.

While such terms as “first” and “second,” etc., may be used to describe various components, such components must not be limited to the above terms. The above terms are used only to distinguish one component from another.

The terms used in the present specification are merely used to describe particular embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present invention. An expression used in the singular encompasses the expression of the plural, unless it has a clearly different meaning in the context. In the present specification, it is to be understood that the terms such as “including” or “having,” etc., are intended to indicate the existence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof disclosed in the specification, and are not intended to preclude the possibility that one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof may exist or may be added.

The wall mount according to certain embodiments of the invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those components that are the same or are in correspondence are rendered the same reference numeral regardless of the figure number, and redundant explanations are omitted.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the frame of a wall mount according to an embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the bracket of a wall mount according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3 through FIG. 9 generally illustrate a wall mount according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the frame of a wall mount according to another embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating the bracket of a wall mount according to another embodiment of the invention. FIG. 12 through FIG. 16 generally illustrate a wall mount according to another embodiment of the invention.

In FIG. 1 through FIG. 16, there are illustrated a bracket 10, an outward portion 12 of the bracket, an upper outward portion 14 of the bracket, a lower outward portion 16 of the bracket, an upper support part 18a, a lower support part 18b, a frame 20, one side 22 of the frame, the other side 24 of the frame, a guide part 26, an upper guide part 26a, a lower guide part 26b, a hole 27a in the upper guide part, a hole 27b in the lower guide part, a first protruding part 28a, a second protruding part 28b, a first opposing part 29a, a second opposing part 29b, a hole 30a in the first protruding part, a hole 30b in the second protruding part, a hole 32a in the first opposing part, adjusting screws 40, securing screws 50, and a wall mount 60.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 through FIG. 9, a wall mount 60 according to an embodiment of the invention can include a bracket 10, which may be secured to a fixed body, such as a wall surface, etc., and a frame 20, which may be secured to the fixed body before the bracket so as to allow levelness adjustments for the bracket 10. The frame 20 may support an outward portion of the bracket 10 and may locally push or pull the outward portion 12 of the bracket 10 to provide levelness adjustments for the bracket 10.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the bracket 10 can be secured to a fixed body, and an arm 70 can be rotatably and movably coupled to the bracket 10, while a joining part 80 can be coupled to a flat panel display device such as a PDP, LCD, etc., as in the example illustrated in FIG. 2.

Thus, the levelness of a wall mount 60, as well as of a flat panel display device secured to the wall mount 60, can be said to depend on how accurately the bracket 10 is secured to the fixed body, i.e. wall surface, etc.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the frame 20 can be positioned along the outer side of the bracket 10, so as to surround the periphery of the bracket 10, and can thus support the outward portion 12 of the bracket 10. The frame 20 can be shaped to be open to one side.

The bracket 10 can be inserted into the frame 20 to be coupled together. The bracket 10 can be slid into the frame 20 from the open side of the frame 20. The frame 20 can include a guide part 26, which may guide the bracket 10 as it is inserted into the frame 20 and support the bracket 10 after it is inserted.

The guide part 26 can be shaped as a bent strip that extends from an inward portion of the frame 20 touching the bracket 10 and covers a portion of the outer side of the bracket 10.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the guide part 26 can include an upper guide part 26a, which may be formed on an upper portion of the frame 20 to guide the bracket 10, and a lower guide part 26b, which may be formed on a lower portion of the frame 20 to support the bracket 10. The guide part 26, which may secure the bracket 10, may also be formed on the other side 24 of the frame 20, opposite the one side 22, i.e. the open side, of the frame 20.

A description will be provided as follows on the procedures for installing a wall mount 60, and adjusting the levelness of the wall mount 60, according to an embodiment of the invention.

According to this embodiment, the frame 20 may first be secured to a fixed body, e.g. a wall surface, etc., as illustrated in FIG. 3. The frame 20 does not have to be perfectly level.

Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the bracket 10, to which the arm 70 and the joining part 80 have been coupled, may be slid into the frame 20. The upper guide part 26a and the lower guide part 26b may guide the bracket 10, allowing a sliding motion. That is, in order that the bracket 10 may be inserted in a sliding motion into the frame 20 and coupled to the frame 20 after it is inserted, the upper guide part 26a and lower guide part 26b can be shaped as strips bent in correspondence to the thickness of the bracket 10.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 5, adjusting screws 40 can be inserted through the upper guide part 26a and lower guide part 26b. That is, holes 27a, 27b may be formed in the upper and lower guide parts 26a, 26b, through which the adjusting screws 40 may pass.

FIG. 6 is a magnified view of portion A in FIG. 5, while FIG. 7 is a magnified view of portion B in FIG. 5.

The adjusting screws 40 penetrating the upper guide part 26a and lower guide part 26b may each be placed in contact with the outer side of the bracket 10. Internal threads can be formed in the holes 27a, 27b of the upper guide part 26a and lower guide part 26b, through which the adjusting screws 40 may be inserted, in correspondence to the threads formed on the adjusting screws 40. In other words, a female thread may be formed in each of the holes 27a, 27b of the upper guide part 26a and lower guide part 26b that correspond with the male thread formed in an adjusting screw 40.

As shown in FIG. 6, the thread of an adjusting screw 40 can mate with the internal thread formed in the hole 27a of the upper guide part 26a, with the end of the screw 40 penetrating the upper guide part 26a to contact the outward portion 12 of the bracket 10. According to this embodiment, an upper support part 18a can be formed on an upper outward portion 14 of the bracket 10 with which the adjusting screw 40 can be placed in contact. The upper support part 18a can be shaped as a strip protruding from the upper outward portion 14 of the bracket 10. Thus, when the adjusting screw 40 penetrating the upper guide part 26a is rotated, the adjusting screw 40 may push on the upper support part 18a of the bracket 10.

Similarly, a lower support part 18b can be formed as a protruding strip on a lower outward portion 16 of the bracket 10. As shown in FIG. 7, a hole 27b can be formed in the lower guide part 26b. An adjusting screw 40 may be inserted through the hole 27b in the lower guide part 26b to be in contact with the lower support part 18b formed on the bracket 10. Thus, when the adjusting screw 40 penetrating the lower guide part 26b is rotated, the adjusting screw 40 may push on the lower support part 18b formed on the bracket 10.

Thus, the bracket 10 surrounded and supported by the frame 20 can have the upper support part 18a and lower support part 18b pressed on by the adjusting screws 40 penetrating the upper guide part 26a and lower guide part 26b, respectively. In this particular embodiment, an adjusting screw 40 can penetrate the upper guide part 26a at a left side of the upper guide part 26a, while an adjusting screw 40 can penetrate the lower guide part 26b at a right side of the lower guide part 26b.

That is, the hole 27a in the upper guide part 26a and the hole 27b in the lower guide part 26b can be formed in a diagonal configuration, in order to enable the bracket 10 to rotate. Two adjusting screws 40 can be arranged to penetrate opposite directions in the guide part 26, and the upper support part 18a and lower support part 18b of the bracket 10 may be formed accordingly.

As in the example illustrated in FIG. 8, according to this embodiment, the adjusting screw 40 penetrating the upper guide part 26a and the adjusting screw 40 penetrating the lower guide part 26b can each be rotated and be made to press on the upper support part 18a and lower support part 18b of the bracket 10, respectively. The upper support part 18a and the lower support part 18b can be pushed by the adjusting screws 40, whereby the levelness of the bracket 10 may be adjusted.

In this particular embodiment, the center of mass of the collective set of the bracket 10, arm 70, and joining part 80 inserted into the frame 20 may be located on the right side. If there is no levelness adjustment, by way of the adjusting screws 40, after the bracket 10 is inserted into the frame 20, the bracket 10 may slant to the right. As such, by rotating the adjusting screw 40 that penetrates the left side of the upper guide part 26a and the adjusting screw 40 that penetrates the right side of the lower guide part 26b, the levelness of the bracket 10 can be adjusted, as illustrated in FIG. 8. The more the adjusting screws 40 are made to push on the upper support part 18a and lower support part 18b, the more the bracket 10 may be tilted to the left.

The levelness of the bracket 10 and of the entire wall mount 60 can thus be adjusted according to the degree to which the adjusting screws 40 push the upper support part 18a and lower support part 18b. When the desired levelness is obtained, the bracket can be secured, as a part of the configuration shown in FIG. 8, to a fixed body, such as a wall surface, etc.

After the bracket is secured to the fixed body, the adjusting screws 40 may be removed, as in the example shown in FIG. 9. In addition, the adjusting screws 40 may again be used to adjust the levelness, if the wall mount 60 is tilted after a flat panel display is coupled to the joining part 80 of the wall mount 60.

As such, according to the present embodiment, the burden of having to secure the bracket 10 of a heavy wall mount 60 in the exact position of the wall surface on the first try can be reduced. By first securing the relatively light frame 20 to the fixed body, and then adjusting the levelness after inserting the bracket 10, the levelness of the wall mount 60 may be adjusted with little effort to the exact degree of levelness desired.

A description will now be provided on a wall mount 60 according to another embodiment of the invention, with reference to FIG. 10 through FIG. 16.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the frame of a wall mount according to another embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 10, the frame 20 may be open to one side and may be shaped to support the outer side of the bracket 10, similar to configuration in the previously described embodiment. The upper guide part 26a and lower guide part 26b formed on the upper and lower portions of the frame 20 may also serve to slidably couple the bracket 10, as in the example described above.

According to this embodiment, the adjusting screws 40 used for pushing or pulling the bracket 10 to adjust the levelness of the bracket 10 can be arranged at the other side 24 of the frame 20. The adjusting screws 40 can be coupled to the other side 24 of the frame 20, which faces the one side 22, i.e. the open side, of the frame 20. Thus, the outward portion 12 of the bracket 10, which may contact the other side 24 of the frame 10, may be pushed or pulled by the adjusting screws 40, as in the example shown in FIG. 13.

On the other side 24 of the frame 20, a first protruding part 28a can be formed, which an adjusting screw 40 may penetrate. A hole 30a can be formed in the first protruding part 28a through which the adjusting screw 40 may pass. A second protruding part 28b can also be formed on the other side 24 of the frame 20, with a particular distance from the first protruding part 28a.

The second protruding part 28b may also be penetrated by an adjusting screw 40, and a hole 30b may be formed in the second protruding part through which the adjusting screw 40 may penetrate. An internal thread can be formed in the hole 30b of the second protruding part 28b that corresponds with the thread of the adjusting screw 40 penetrating the second protruding part 28b. That is, a female thread may be formed in the hole 30b of the second protruding part 28b that corresponds with the male thread formed in the adjusting screw 40.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the bracket of a wall mount according to another embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 11, a first opposing part 29a and a second opposing part 29b can be formed on the outward portion 12 of the bracket 10, in positions corresponding to the first protruding part 28a and the second protruding part 28b of the frame 20, respectively.

The first opposing part 29a and the second opposing part 29b can be formed on the outward portion 12 of the bracket 10, which comes into contact with the other side 24 of the frame 20. When the bracket 10 is inserted in the frame 20, the first opposing part 29a and the second opposing part 29b may each face the first protruding part 28a and the second protruding part 28b, respectively.

In this embodiment of the invention, the first opposing part 29a may be pulled by the adjusting screw 40 penetrating the first protruding part 28a, while the second opposing part 29b may be pushed by the adjusting screw 40 penetrating the second protruding part 28b.

According to this embodiment, a hole 32a can be formed in the first opposing part 29a, with an internal thread formed in the hole 32a in correspondence with the thread formed on the adjusting screw 40 that penetrates the first protruding part 28a. That is, a female thread may be formed in the hole 32a of the first opposing part 29a that corresponds with the male thread formed in the adjusting screw 40.

As in the example shown in FIG. 12, the bracket 10 can be inserted into the frame 20, which may be secured to a fixed body such as a wall surface, etc. As described above for the previously disclosed embodiment, the wall mount 60 may be slanted to the right before a levelness adjustment is applied using the adjusting screws 40.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 13, adjusting screws 40 can be coupled to the first protruding part 28a and second protruding part 28b, respectively, to gradually tilt the bracket 10 to the left.

FIG. 14 and FIG. 15 are magnified views of portions C and D in FIG. 13. As shown in FIG. 13 through FIG. 15, the adjusting screw 40 that penetrates the first protruding part 28a may mate with the internal thread formed in the hole 32a of the first opposing part 29a, to be coupled with the first opposing part 29a. Conversely, the adjusting screw 40 that penetrates the second protruding part 28b may mate with the internal thread formed in the hole 30b of the second protruding part 28b, to be in contact with the second opposing part 29b.

Thus, by rotating each of the adjusting screws 40 that penetrate the first protruding part 28a and second protruding part 28b, respectively, the first opposing part 29a can be pulled towards the first protruding part 28a, while the second opposing part 29b can be pushed away from the second protruding part 28b.

With the wall mount 60 having its center of mass positioned on the right side and therefore slanted to the right, the adjusting screws 40 may each be rotated, as described above, to adjust the levelness of the bracket 10. That is, as in the example shown in FIG. 13, the first opposing part 29a located on the outward portion 12 of the bracket 10 can be pulled, and the second opposing part 29b also located on the outward portion 12 of the bracket 10 can be pushed away, to tilt the bracket 10 to the left.

Thus, according to this embodiment, the bracket 10 can be secured to the fixed body by way of securing screws 50, as illustrated in FIG. 16, with a degree of levelness desired by the user.

Using certain embodiments of the invention, the burden of having to secure the bracket of a heavy wall mount in the exact position of the wall surface on the first try can be reduced. The adjusting screws can be utilized to enable levelness adjustment, so that the wall mount can be installed in a more convenient manner. Because of such convenience in installation, the wall mount may be secured to affixed body, e.g. wall surface, etc., by just one person.

While the spirit of the invention has been described in detail with reference to particular embodiments, the embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the invention. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. As such, many embodiments other than those set forth above can be found in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A wall mount comprising:

a bracket; and

a frame configured to support an outward portion of the bracket, the frame open to one side and having a guide part formed thereon, the guide part configured to guide the bracket such that the bracket is slidably inserted into the frame from the one side of the frame.

2. The wall mount of claim 1, wherein the guide part comprises:

an upper guide part formed on an upper portion of the frame; and

a lower guide part formed on a lower part of the frame and configured to support the bracket.

3. The wall mount of claim 2, wherein the upper guide part and the lower guide part each have a hole formed therein.

4. The wall mount of claim 3, wherein the hole of the upper guide part and the hole of the lower guide part each have an internal thread formed therein.

5. The wall mount of claim 3, wherein the hole of the upper guide part and the hole of the lower guide part are formed diagonally in relation to each other.

6. The wall mount of claim.3, wherein the bracket comprises:

an upper support part protruding from an upper outer portion of the bracket, the upper support part configured to face the hole of the upper guide part; and

a lower support part protruding from a lower outer portion of the bracket, the lower support part configured to face the hole of the lower guide part.

7. The wall mount of claim 1, wherein the other side of the frame has a first protruding part and a second protruding part formed thereon,

the first protruding part having a hole formed therein, and

the second protruding part separated from the first protruding part and having a hole formed therein.

8. The wall mount of claim 7, wherein the hole of the second protruding part has an internal thread formed therein.

9. The wall mount of claim 7, wherein the bracket comprises:

a first opposing part formed on the outward portion of the bracket, the first opposing part facing the first protruding part and having a hole formed therein; and

a second opposing part formed on the outward portion of the bracket, the second opposing part facing the second protruding part.

10. The wall mount of claim 9, wherein the hole of the first opposing part has an internal thread formed therein.