DISPLAY MOUNT
A mounting system for mounting a plurality of devices to a surface, including an overhead surface. According to various embodiments, a support arm is configured to operatively attach to a mounting surface and is operatively connected to a plurality of device support assemblies that include a mount bracket a selectively moveable tilt bracket. A device support member is operatively coupled to the tilt brackets and configured to operatively attach to at least one display device such as a flat panel display. The device support member, and attached devices, are selectively tiltable to a tilt angle.
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This application in a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/624,134, filed Nov. 23, 2009. The contents of this application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to mounting systems for devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to mounting systems for mounting multiple flat-panel displays and similar devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis section is intended to provide a background or context to the invention that is recited in the claims. The description herein may include concepts that could be pursued, but are not necessarily ones that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, what is described in this section is not prior art to the description and claims in this application and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
In recent years, flat panel televisions have become enormously popular in both commercial and residential sectors. As the prices for plasma and liquid crystal display (LCD) flat panel displays have continued to fall, and the quality for the same devices have improved, more and more businesses and individuals have purchased such devices for both home and business purposes.
One of the advantages of flat panel television units that customers have found particular appealing is their relatively low thickness. Because conventional “tube” televisions have a relatively large depth, the display options for such devices are quite limited. In the residential setting, most users require a television stand or large entertainment center to store the television. Such stands or entertainment centers can take up significant floor space, which is often undesirable. In the commercial or educational setting, users will often install large overhead mounting systems that can contain the television.
Flat panel displays, on the other hand, may be mounted directly to a wall or other surface. With these considerations in mind, there have been various attempts to develop mounting systems that address mounting of flat panel display devices. Besides wall mounts, there have been various attempts to produce overhead mounts capable of suspending a display from a ceiling. Still other mounts have been developed that enable simultaneous mounting of multiple displays.
SUMMARYVarious embodiments comprise systems for mounting multiple display devices, including multiple LCD and plasma flat panel displays. The present mounting systems are particularly well suited to mounting a plurality of display devices from a ceiling or other overhead surface such as where a wall or similar surface may not be near or practical for mounting the displays. The mounting system is configured to mount multiple displays in a display plane that maintains the vertical alignment of the attached displays such that the displays are positioned at the same height and the orientation. The present mounting system may also be used for mounting displays to a wall or other horizontal surface. The mounting systems are further selectively adjustable to provide a desired tilt angle for the attached display devices to enhance viewing of the displays when mounted overhead.
In one set of embodiments, a display mount for mounting a plurality of displays to a surface comprises a surface bracket that is configured to operatively attach to an overheard surface, a support arm operatively coupled to the surface bracket, and a plurality of device mount assemblies operatively coupled to the support arm. Each of the plurality of device mount assemblies is configured to support at least one display device, and includes a mount bracket and a tilt bracket that is selectively moveable in relation to the mount bracket. The mounting system further comprises a device support member operatively connected to at least two of the plurality of tilt brackets and is configured to operatively attach to a plurality of display devices. The display mount may also include a rear cover operatively coupled to the support arm or other feature and configured to conceal at least the plurality of device mount assemblies and at least a portion of the plurality of display devices. Each of the tilt brackets is selectively tiltable in relation to the mount bracket such that the device support member and the attached display devices are selectively tiltable to a tilt angle.
These and other advantages and features of the invention, together with the organization and manner of operation thereof, will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements have like numerals throughout the several drawings described below.
It should be understood that, as used herein, the phrases “operatively connected,” “operatively coupled” and “operative attachment” do not require the specified components be directly connected or in direct physical contact with each other. Instead, an operative connection, coupling or attachment can involve the use of a number of intermediate components.
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An attached display device may be directly attached to the device support member 300 or, as shown in
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The above described configuration permits the devices attached to the mounting system 10 to be selectively tilted to a desired tilt angle. For example, in the case of a flat panel display device, the tilt angle may be adjusted to facilitate viewing the displays from a preferred viewing angle. Where the mounting system 10 is attached to an overhead surface such as a ceiling, the attached displays may be downwardly tilted as shown in
As previously noted, the mounting system 10 may be configured to support a plurality of display devices. As illustrated in
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The foregoing description of embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the present invention. The embodiments were chosen and described to explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the present invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
Claims
1. A display mount for suspending a plurality of display devices from a non-vertical mounting surface, comprising:
- a support arm configured to operatively attach to the non-vertical mounting surface;
- a plurality of tiltable device mount assemblies operatively coupled to the support arm, each of the plurality of tiltable device mount assemblies comprising: a mount bracket; and a tilt bracket selectively tillable in relation to a first mount bracket;
- a device support member coupled to each of the tilt brackets, the device support member including an upper engagement lip disposed along an upper portion of the device support member, the device support member configured to operatively attach to a first display device and a second display device vertically aligned in relation to the upper engagement lip and orientated in a display mounting plane,
- wherein the device support member is configured to retain the plurality of attached display devices at substantially the same vertical alignment.
2. The display mount of claim 1, further comprising a rear cover operatively coupled to the device support member, the rear cover configured to conceal the plurality of tiltable device mount assemblies opposite the plurality of display devices.
3. The display mount of claim 2, wherein the rear cover comprises a rear portion, a pair of side panels extending substantially perpendicular from the rear portion toward the device support member, and a bottom panel affixed to the rear portion and each of the pair of side panels.
4. The display mount of claim 3, wherein the rear cover further comprises a plurality of brackets coupled to the bottom panel, each of the plurality of brackets engageable with one of the plurality of display devices.
5. The display mount of claim 2, further comprising:
- a first set of device brackets engageable with the upper engagement lip and attachable to one of the plurality of the display devices; and
- a second set of device brackets engageable with the upper engagement lip and attachable to another of the plurality of the display devices.
6. The display mount of claim 5, wherein the rear cover comprises a rear cover assembly having a first rear cover portion operatively coupled to the first set of device brackets and a second rear cover portion operatively coupled to the second set of device brackets.
7. The display mount of claim 6, wherein the rear cover in configured to tilt about a horizontal axis in response to tilting of the device support member.
8. A display mount for mounting a plurality of displays to an overhead surface, comprising:
- a surface bracket operatively attachable to the overhead surface;
- a support arm operatively coupled to the surface bracket;
- a first device mount assembly operatively coupled to the support arm;
- a second device mount assembly operatively coupled to the support arm and spaced apart from the first device mount assembly; and
- a device support assembly adapted to mount the plurality of displays on a single display plane and selectively tiltable to a plurality of tilt angles, comprising: a continuous device support member operatively and tiltably coupled to the first device mount assembly and the second device mount assembly and tiltable in relation to the support arm about a substantially horizontal axis; a first set of device brackets attachable to the first display device and coupled to the device support member; and a second set of device brackets attachable to a second display device and coupled to the device support member,
- wherein the display mount is configured to retain the first display device and the second display device at substantially the same height and is further configured to continuously maintain the plurality of displays at substantially the same tilt angle in relation to each other.
9. The display mount of claim 8, further comprising a rear cover assembly disposed opposite the continuous device support member and configured to cover a portion of the first device mount assembly and the second device mount assembly.
10. The display mount of claim 9, wherein the rear cover assembly comprises a substantially planar rear cover portion, and a side portion extending from each end of the rear cover portion toward the continuous device support member.
11. The display mount of claim 10, wherein the rear cover portion comprises a first rear cover portion associated with the first set of device brackets and a second rear cover portion associated with the second set of device brackets.
12. The display mount of claim 11, wherein tilting of the continuous device support member causes the rear cover assembly to tilt about a substantially horizontal axis.
13. The display mount of claim 9, wherein the rear cover assembly is dimensioned to substantially conceal the first device mount assembly, the second device mount assembly, and at least a portion of the first display device and the second display device.
14. The display mount of claim 8, wherein each of the first device mount assembly and the second device mount assembly comprise:
- a mount bracket operatively coupled to the support arm; and
- a tilt bracket rotatably coupled to the mount bracket, the tilt bracket selectively tiltable about a substantially horizontal axis.
15. A display mount for mounting at least two displays to an overhead mounting surface, comprising:
- a surface bracket configured to operatively attach to the overhead mounting surface;
- a mount post coupled to the surface bracket and extending substantially downwardly from the overhead mounting surface;
- a substantially horizontal support arm operatively coupled to the mount post;
- a device support member operatively coupled to the substantially horizontal support arm and operatively attachable to the at least two displays and configured to continuously maintain orientation of the at least two displays at a uniform vertical elevation in a mounting plane, the device support member selectively tiltable in relation to the substantially horizontal support arm about a substantially horizontal axis to continuously orientate each of the at least two displays to one of a plurality of tilt angles;
- a rear cover operatively coupled to the device support member and tiltable about a substantially horizontal axis in relation to the substantially horizontal support arm in response to tilting of the device support member, the rear cover configured to conceal at least a portion of the display mount opposite the at least two display devices.
16. The display mount of claim 15, further comprising:
- a first device mount assembly operatively coupled to the substantially horizontal support arm and affixable to the device support member; and
- a second device mount assembly operatively coupled to the substantially horizontal support arm apart from the first device mount assembly and affixable to the device support member.
17. The display mount of claim 15, wherein the device support member includes an upper engagement portion disposed along an upper portion of the device support member and a lower engagement portion disposed along a lower portion of the device support member, and wherein a first outer device bracket and a first inner device bracket attachable to one of the at least two displays are engageable with the upper engagement portion and lower engagement portion and a second outer device bracket and second inner device bracket attachable to another of the at least two displays is engageable with the upper engagement portion and lower engagement portion.
18. The display mount of claim 17, wherein the rear cover includes a rear cover portion extending at least between the first outer device bracket and the second outer device bracket and a pair of side portions protruding substantially perpendicular from the rear portion toward the device support member.
19. The display mount of claim 18, wherein the rear cover includes a bottom portion protruding substantially perpendicular from the rear cover portion toward the device support member and a plurality of lower brackets coupled to the bottom portion, each of the plurality of lower brackets engageable with one of the at least two displays.
20. The display mount of claim 17, wherein the rear cover is operatively coupled to at least two of the first outer device bracket, the first inner device bracket, the second outer device bracket, and the second inner device bracket.
21. A display mount for mounting at least two displays to an overhead mounting surface, comprising:
- a surface bracket configured to operatively attach to the overhead mounting surface;
- a mount post coupled to the surface bracket and extending substantially downwardly from the overhead mounting surface;
- a device support member including an upper engagement portion disposed along an upper portion of the device support member and a lower engagement portion disposed along a lower portion of the device support member, the device support member operatively attachable to the at least two displays and configured to orientate the at least two displays at a uniform vertical elevation in a mounting plane selectively tiltable about a substantially horizontal axis to a plurality of tilt angles;
- a first outer device bracket and a first inner device bracket attachable to one of the at least two displays and engageable with the upper engagement portion and lower engagement portion;
- a second outer device bracket and second inner device bracket attachable to another of the at least two displays is engageable with the upper engagement portion and lower engagement portion; and
- a rear cover operatively coupled to the device support member and tiltable about a substantially horizontal axis in response to tilting of the device support member, the rear cover configured to conceal at least a portion of the display mount opposite the at least two display devices.
22. The display mount of claim 21, wherein the rear cover includes a rear cover portion extending at least between the first outer device bracket and the second outer device bracket and a pair of side portions protruding substantially perpendicular from the rear portion toward the device support member.
23. The display mount of claim 22, wherein the rear cover includes a bottom portion protruding substantially perpendicular from the rear cover portion toward the device support member and a plurality of lower brackets coupled to the bottom portion, each of the plurality of lower brackets engageable with one of the at least two displays.
24. The display mount of claim 21, wherein the rear cover is operatively coupled to at least two of the first outer device bracket, the first inner device bracket, the second outer device bracket, and the second inner device bracket.
Type: Application
Filed: May 17, 2010
Publication Date: May 26, 2011
Applicant:
Inventor: Matthew William Stifal (Portage, IN)
Application Number: 12/781,466
International Classification: F16M 11/00 (20060101);