Abstract:
A mounting mechanism for a flat panel TV or other flat panel viewing device permits vertical positioning as well as swinging, swiveling, and tilting positioning of the flat panel viewing device.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to brackets for mounting flat panel TVs and monitors and, more particularly, to a mounting mechanism that permits vertical positioning, as well as swinging, swiveling, and tilting positioning of the flat panel viewing device. 
     Flat panel TV mounts on the market today involve very complex, expensive articulating mechanisms or, if simpler in construction, they provide only minimal adjustment and travel, thereby limiting their ability to accommodate a wide range of positions from which a user may wish to view the screen. 
     It would therefore be advantageous to provide a simple, yet effective fully adjustable mounting mechanism for flat panel TVs and viewing devices that allows a user to comfortably view the screen from standing, seated or recumbent positions. 
     In accordance with the illustrated preferred embodiment of the present invention, an adjustable mounting mechanism includes an inverted u-shaped tubular swing arm having a proximal depending leg and a distal depending leg. A straight tubular swing arm extension is coupled to a lower end of the proximal depending leg of the swing arm by means of a tubular coupler stub at the juncture therebetween to permit rotational motion of the proximal depending leg of the swing arm with respect to the swing arm extension. A longitudinal open-ended tubular mounting bracket is fixedly attached in a vertical position to an environmental structural member, such as a bedwall of a bedroom adjacent one side of a bed positioned therein, for retaining the swing arm extension in a fixed vertically-adjustable position. A swivel and tilt bracket is coupled to a rear surface of the flat panel viewing device and to the lower end of the distal depending leg of the swing arm to permit motion of the flat panel viewing device about horizontal and vertical axes. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a pictorial diagram illustrating the way in which a flat panel TV coupled to the mounting mechanism of the present invention can be moved to a position that permits a user lying in bed to comfortably view the screen of the TV. 
         FIG. 2  is a detailed assembly diagram illustrating the attachment of a swivel and tilt bracket to the back surface of a conventional flat panel TV and also to an upper swing arm of the mounting mechanism of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a detailed assembly diagram of a wall mount bracket, a lower swing arm, a swing arm coupler, and the upper swing arm components of the flat panel TV mounting mechanism of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a pictorial diagram illustrating how the upper swing arm rotates with respect to the lower swing arm and how the height of the upper swing arm and, hence, the TV, is set by raising or lowering the lower swing arm within the wall mount bracket. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a mounting mechanism  10  contracted in accordance with the present invention. Mounting mechanism  10  permits a flat panel TV  12  to be quickly and easily positioned for viewing by a user lying in bed, for example, and to just as easily be swung out of the way against a bedroom wall, as shown in phantom. Of course, flat panel TV  12  may be moved to any desired position intermediate or beyond the two positions illustrated in  FIG. 1 , subject only to the structural limitations of the environment in which the mounting mechanism  10  is located. 
     Referring additionally to  FIGS. 2-4 , a lower tilt bracket component  20  is mounted to the rear surface of a conventional flat panel TV  20  by means of four bolts  22  threaded into mounting holes typically provided on the rear surface of commercially available flat panel TVs. An upper tilt bracket component  24  is mounted to outwardly extending flanges of lower tilt bracket component  20  by means of a pair of bolts  26  and wing nuts  28 . Wing nuts  28  permit securing lower tilt bracket component  20  and upper tilt bracket component  24  in a position that provides a desired tilt angle for optimal viewing of flat panel TV  12 . An outer end of an inverted U-shaped upper swing arm  30  is attached to upper tilt bracket  24  through a central opening therein by means of conventional swivel connector components  32  that allows flat panel TV  12  to be swiveled about the axis of the downwardly extending outer end of upper swing arm  30  to a desired viewing position. Upper swing arm  30  may be formed, for example, of a length of conventional electrical metallic tubing (EMT) of a chosen diameter. A lower swing arm  34  may comprise a straight length of EMT of the same diameter as upper swing arm  30 . Lower swing arm  34  is removably attached to a downwardly extending inner end  35  of upper swing arm  30  by means of a coupler stub  36  that fits within upper swing arm  30  and lower swing arm  34  so as to permit rotational motion therebetween. Lower swing arm  34  is positioned within a wall mount bracket  40  that may comprise a length of conventional square tubing. Wall mount bracket  40  may be mounted to a wall or other structural member by means of a plurality of screws  42 . The ends of wall mount bracket  40  may be beveled to permit access to mounting holes provided therein to accept upper and lower ones of screws  42 . An adjusting bolt  44  permits the user to adjust lower swing arm  34  upwardly or downwardly and then tighten the adjusting bolt against lower swing arm  34  in order to set the height of flat panel TV mounting mechanism  10  and, hence, the height of flat panel TV  12  itself. 
     Any signal or power cables  50  required for operation of flat panel TV  12  may be conveniently and unobtrusively routed through the bottom end of lower swing arm  34  and through upper swing arm  30 .