Abstract:
An apparatus expanding around the perimeter of a box-shaped electronic device, the apparatus having a rectangular frame which is expandable lengthwise and widthwise and brackets for three-dimensional retention of an electronic device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Entertainment center consoles of varying constructs have long been used to support television sets and house the various electronic accessories, such as cable converter boxes, VCR&#39;s and satellite receivers, which often accompany them. However, with the rise in popularity of flat panel televisions, which tend to be lighter and smaller than their predecessor televisions of comparable monitor size, stands of various configurations for enabling televisions to be mounted to walls or suspended from ceilings have been developed in the prior art. In many homes and other facilities, such stands have largely replaced entertainment center consoles due to the fact that they occupy considerably less space. Consequently, wall-mounted open shelves have become popular means for supporting the electronic accessories that were previously stored in entertainment console cabinets. However, some consumers prefer electronics mounting solutions other than horizontal shelves. Among other things, open shelves present the dangerous specter of equipment cascading down from them and landing upon unsuspecting children who may have occasion to tug on the equipment cords. 
     Mounting apparatuses that provide adjustable perimeter support for electronic devices have been developed as well. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,692 to Cyrell discloses an adjustable framing support system comprised of elongate side frame components which are connected by corner frame components to form a typically rectangular enclosure. The side components slide relative to the corner components, and the all have a continuous internal slot through which a cable is threaded so that the entire frame circumference contracts in response to the cable being drawn. This support system is to be placed around the lateral perimeter of an electronic device and adjusted to snugly fit thereabout. Another example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,460,817 to Bosson. Specifically, Bosson teaches a perimeter support frame constructed of four L-shaped pieces that are in sliding relation to form a rectangular enclosure that adjustably fits around the lateral perimeter of an electronic device. The frame can be mounted to a horizontal or vertical surface to suspend the equipment from the floor. It is anticipated that the Bosson support is to be used to hold computer central processing units, but it certainly could be used to retain other types of electronic devices. 
     Nevertheless, there remains a need for an improved, space efficient holding apparatus that can be adjusted to fit snugly around a box-shaped electronic device so that it cannot be accidentally dislodged from the holding apparatus and that configured to mount to a vertical surface, such as a wall or the side of an entertainment center. The present invention substantially fulfills this need. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to apparatuses for mounting objects, and it is specifically directed to an apparatus that can be affixed to a wall or other flat surface and which has a rectangular frame that can be expanded and contracted bi-directionally to grip and securely retain most rectangular box-shaped electronic devices. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for securely mounting an electronic audio or video device against a wall. 
     It is another object of the invention that the apparatus include a rectangular frame that can be expanded and contracted along two axes so as to be able to conform to the perimeter of rectangular box-shaped electronic devices of varying lengths and widths. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a bottom perspective view of the device holder of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of the device holder; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of a connector; 
         FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of a connector; 
         FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of a retainer; and 
         FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of the base. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a preferred embodiment of the expandable device holder  1  broadly comprises a base support  4  to which a rectangular perimeter frame  6  is operatively attached. As will be explained, the frame  6  is slidably expandable in the L and W directions so that it may be conformed to the lengths and widths of rectangular box-shaped devices that would be inserted into it. 
     As depicted in  FIG. 6 , the base  4  preferably has a moderately thick rectangular profile and features four non-contiguous, insertion pockets  5  (only one of which is shown) formed within its perimeter sides. Multiple threaded holes  7  extend through the base so that screws  50  may be inserted to bind the plate to a flat surface, such as a wall. The perimeter frame  6  is formed by four generally L-shaped retaining elements  30  which, themselves, are held together in an expandable rectangular configuration by four generally T-shaped connecting elements  10 . 
     As more clearly illustrated in  FIG. 5 , each retainer  30  comprises two elongate slats  32  that are perpendicularly joined by a corner bracket  34 ,  36 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , each connector  10  is formed by an elongate arm  16  and a linear slide track  12  that is perpendicularly joined at the distal end  20  of the arm  16 . The connector arm slides into an insertion pocket  5  within the base plate. Running down each connector arm  16  is a notched slot  17 , and within the base  4  are holes  9  axially aligned with the slots  17 . Therefore, pins or screws (not shown) may be inserted through the base  4  and the connector arms  16  in order to fix the connectors  10  relative to the base  4  and thereby fix the length or width of the perimeter frame  6 . 
     Formed within each connector&#39;s slide track  12  are parallel upper and lower slide grooves  11 ,  13  within which the L-shaped retainer slats  32  are slidably held. The L-shaped retainers  30  are positioned at right angles to one another to form a rectangular enclosure. Consequently, when both pairs of opposing connectors  10  are fully extended from the base  4 , the diagonally facing corner brackets  34 ,  36  are spaced furthest apart and vice versa. In fact, the slide track portion  12  of a connector  10  can be fixedly positioned right alongside the base  4 , as far away from the base  4  as the connector arm  16  will permit or anywhere therebetween. Preferably, the proximal end  18  of the connector arm  16  is flanged to prevent it from dislodging from the base  4 . 
     At the corners of the L-shaped retainers  30  are L-shaped corner brackets  34 ,  36  for fitting over the corners of a box-shaped electronic device (not shown). More specifically, the brackets  34 ,  36  are configured so that at the front end of the frame  6 , the brackets  34  face each other, and at the rear end of the frame  6 , the brackets  36  both face their adjacent front end counterparts  34 . This orientation ensures retention of three of the four perimeter sides of an electronic device which is set within the partial enclosure formed by the retainers  30  and their corner brackets  34 ,  36 . The front end of the holding apparatus  1  is left unrestricted so that the device can slid in and out of the frame  6 . 
     Preferably, the undersides of the perimeter frame  6  feature cable wire guides  40  so that a held electronic device&#39;s cable can be directed along the holder as may be appropriate. 
     Although the present invention has been described in some detail and with reference to and illustration of a preferred version and reference to various alternative embodiments, it should be understood that other versions are contemplated as being a part of the present invention.