WO2019084563A1 - Virtual axis wall mount - Google Patents

Abstract

A tilting mount for an electronic display device including a rolling connection between a guide structure defining the path of tilt travel and the follower that interfaces with the guide structure.

Description

VIRTUAL AXIS WALL MOUNT

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.

62/578,491, filed October 29, 2017, said application being hereby fully incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to devices for mounting flat panel monitors and televisions, and more specifically, to mounting devices enabling tilting motion of such flat panel monitors and televisions when mounted.

BACKGROUND

Mounts for attaching fiat panel televisions and monitors to walls and other fixed structures are common. It is generally desirable for such mounts to offer some degree of adjustability to enable an optimal viewing angle for the display screen. A common desirable adjustment is for tilt angle of the display about a horizontal axis.

Examples of prior mounts enabling adjustment about a horizontal tilt axis are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,905,101 and 7,152, 836, which are owned by the owners of the present invention, both of said patents being hereby fully incorporated herein by referenced. Notably, these devices enable tilting about a horizontal "virtual axis" that does not extend through the mount, but instead can be positioned proximate a center of gravity of the television or monitor, thereby providing a "self-balancing" feature so that a selected tilt position can be maintained without the use of excessive friction in the mount. A drawback of some embodiments of prior devices is that excessive friction and wear can occur in the mount, especially in the sliding connections between mount components. What is needed is a virtual axis mounting device that addresses this drawback. SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention address the drawback of certain prior mount embodiments by including a rolling connection between the guide structure defining the path of tilt travel and the follower that interfaces with the guide structure.

In an embodiment, a mount for an electronic display device includes a support attachment bracket, a display interface bracket having a display attachment flange, and defining a pair of guide slots, the guide slots oriented along the circumference of a circle, the circle having a center disposed forward of the display attachment flange, and a tilt assembly operably coupling the support attachment bracket and the display interface bracket so as to enable tilting motion of the display interface bracket relative to the support attachment bracket about the center of the radius of curvature. The tilt assembly can include a carrier bracket operably coupled to the support attachment bracket, a follower assembly including pair of glides carried by the carrier bracket, and a pair of rolling sleeves, each rolling sleeve received on a separate one of the glides and having a portion extending through a separate one of the guide slots. The guide slots can curved so as to conform to the circumference of the circle. The center of the circle can be disposed proximate the center of gravity of an attached electronic display device.

Embodiments of the invention can include a pair of sleeve housings, each sleeve housing receiving a portion of a separate one of the rolling sleeves. Additional embodiments can include a friction knob for selectively adjusting friction to resist tilting of the support attachment bracket relative to the display interface bracket.

In embodiments, the rolling sleeves can be made from nylon material, the glides and sleeve housings can be made from polyoxymethylene material. Embodiments of the invention can include an electronic display device attached to the display interface bracket.

The above summary is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment or every implementation of the subject matter hereof. The figures and the detailed description that follow more particularly exemplify various embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Subject matter hereof may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments in connection with the accompanying figures, in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a mount according to an embodiment of the invention in an assembled state;

FIG. la depicts the mount of FIG. 1 coupled to an electronic display with the tilting motion center depicted relative to a center of gravity of the electronic display;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the mount of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is a close-up isometric view of the top follower assembly of the mount of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the top follower assembly depicted in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the bottom follower assembly of the mount of FIG. 1.

While various embodiments are amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the claimed inventions to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of die subject matter as defined by the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

There is depicted in FIGs 1-4 a mount assembly 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. Mount assembly 10 generally includes support attachment bracket 12, carrier

14, follower assemblies 16, 18, and display interface bracket 20. Carrier 14 is bolted to support attachment bracket 12 with bolt 22 extending through apertures 25 in support attachment bracket 12 and secured with washers 27 and nut 24. Those of skill in the art will recognize that support attachment bracket 12 can accommodate a mirror image second carrier

14 and attached display interface bracket 20 coupled in similar fashion using additional apertures 25 depicted in FIG 1.

Carrier 14 and follower assemblies 16, 18, comprise a tilt assembly enabling tilting of display interface bracket 20 relative to support attachment bracket 12. Follower assemblies 16, 18, generally include glide 26 carried in carrier 14, rolling sleeve 28, sleeve housing 30, washer 32, and rivet 34. Follower assembly 18 can include friction knob 36 and nut 52, in place of rivet 34, for selectively applying friction.

Display interface bracket 20 generally includes display attachment flange 38 defining apertures 40 for receiving fasteners to attach display interface bracket 20 to the rear side of a flat panel television or monitor 100, and guide flange 42 oriented perpendicular to display attachment flange 38. Guide flange 42 defines guide structures in the form of guide slots 44.

Each rolling sleeve 28 is received in a separate one of guide slots 44, and defines a central bore 46, receiving projecting portion 48 of glide 26 therein. Sleeve housing 30 is fitted over the periphery of rolling sleeve 28 so as to enable rolling sleeve 28 to rotate therein. As depicted in FIG. 4, for follower assembly 16, rivet 34 extends through an aperture in carrier 14, glide 26, rolling sleeve 28, sleeve housing 30, and washer 32 to attach follower assembly 16, 18, to carrier 14. As depicted in FIGs. 2 and 5, follower assembly 18 has friction knob 36 with threaded shank SO extending through an aperture in carrier 14, glide 26, rolling sleeve 28, and sleeve housing 30, to attach follower assembly 18 to carrier 14. Nut 52 threads onto threaded shank 50 to secure the assembly. Those of skill in the art will recognize that as friction knob 36 is tightened, more friction will be added to resist tilting of display interface bracket 20, and an attached electronic display 100, relative to support attachment bracket 12.

In an embodiment, rolling sleeve 28 may be made from nylon and the sleeve housing and glide may be made from polyoxym ethylene (Delrin) so as to reduce wear and friction between components. Rivet 34 and threaded shank 50 may be made from steel so as to provide structural support for the loads imposed by electronic display 100.

As described in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,905,101 and 7,152,836, previously incorporated herein by reference, and depicted in FIG. la, guide slots 44 can be oriented along the circumference of a circle having a radius R, with the center C of the circle spaced apart in front of display attachment flange 38. Guide slots 44 may be curved so as to conform to the circumference of the circle. Display interface bracket 20 and an attached television or monitor 100 can be tilted relative to support attachment bracket 12 about a "virtual" horizontal tilt axis which extends through the center C of the circle, and this horizontal tilt axis can be positioned proximate a center of gravity C.G. of the television or monitor 100 in order that the electronic display is "self-balancing" at any point in tilting motion, thereby minimizing the amount of friction needed from friction knob 36 to hold electronic display at a given tilt position.

As display interface bracket 20 is tilted, rolling sleeves 28 roll in guide slots 44, thereby reducing sliding wear of rolling sleeves 28 as they move in guide slots 44. When a desired tilt position for the television or monitor 100 has been reached, friction knob assembly 36 can be tightened so as to selectively provide additional friction, thereby inhibiting undesired further tilting of display interface bracket 20.

Various embodiments of systems, devices, and methods have been described herein. These embodiments are given only by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed inventions. It should be appreciated, moreover, that the various features of the embodiments that have been described may be combined in various ways to produce numerous additional embodiments. Moreover, while various materials, dimensions, shapes, configurations and locations, etc. have been described for use with disclosed embodiments, others besides those disclosed may be utilized without exceeding the scope of the claimed inventions.

Persons of ordinary skill in the relevant arts will recognize that the subject matter hereof may comprise fewer features than illustrated in any individual embodiment described above. The embodiments described herein are not meant to be an exhaustive presentation of the ways in which the various features of the subject matter hereof may be combined. Accordingly, the embodiments are not mutually exclusive combinations of features; rather, the various embodiments can comprise a combination of different individual features selected from different individual embodiments, as understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art. Moreover, elements described with respect to one embodiment can be implemented in other embodiments even when not described in such embodiments unless otherwise noted.

Although a dependent claim may refer in the claims to a specific combination with one or more other claims, other embodiments can also include a combination of the dependent claim with the subject matter of each other dependent claim or a combination of one or more features with other dependent or independent claims. Such combinations are proposed herein unless it is stated that a specific combination is not intended.

Any incorporation by reference of documents above is limited such that no subject matter is incorporated that is contrary to the explicit disclosure herein. Any incorporation by reference of documents above is further limited such that no claims included in the documents are incorporated by reference herein. Any incorporation by reference of documents above is yet further limited such that any definitions provided in the documents are not incorporated by reference herein unless expressly included herein.

For purposes of interpreting the claims, it is expressly intended that the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) are not to be invoked unless the specific terms "means for" or "step for" are recited in a claim.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A mount for an electronic display device comprising: a support attachment bracket;

a display interface bracket having a display attachment flange, and defining a pair of guide slots, the guide slots oriented along the circumference of a circle, the circle having a center disposed forward of the display attachment flange; and

a tilt assembly operably coupling the support attachment bracket and the display interface bracket so as to enable tilting motion of the display interface bracket relative to the support attachment bracket about the center of the radius of curvature, the tilt assembly comprising:

a carrier bracket operably coupled to the support attachment bracket;

a follower assembly including pair of glides carried by the carrier bracket; and

a pair of rolling sleeves, each rolling sleeve received on a separate one of the glides and having a portion extending through a separate one of the guide slots.

2. The mount of claim 1, further comprising a pair of sleeve housings, each sleeve housing receiving a portion of a separate one of the rolling sleeves.

3. The mount of claim 1 or 2, further comprising a friction knob for selectively adjusting friction to resist tilting of the support attachment bracket relative to the display interface bracket.

4. The mount according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the guide slots are curved so as to conform to the circumference of the circle.

5. The mount according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the rolling sleeves are made from nylon material.

6. The mount according to any one of the previous claims, wherein each of the pair of glides is made from polyoxymethylene material.

7. The mount according to any one of the previous claims, wherein each of the sleeve housings is made from polyoxymethylene material.

8. The mount according to any one of the previous claims, further comprising an electronic display device attached to the display interface bracket.

9. The mount according to claim 8, wherein the center of the circle is disposed proximate a center of gravity of the electronic display device.