Abstract:
A mounting system comprising an incremental angular position and locking system. A tilt bracket is configured to operatively connect to a surface, and an adapter bracket is operatively and movably connected to the tilt bracket, with the adapter bracket being configured to operatively connect to an object such as an audio/video device. A plurality of angular position features are associated with one of the tilt bracket and the adapter bracket, and an angular positioning element is configured to selectively engage at least one of the plurality of angular position features. When the angular positioning element is in engaged with at least one angular position feature, the adapter bracket is impeded from moving relative to the tilt bracket. When the angular positioning element is not in engagement with at least one angular position feature, the adapter bracket is substantially free to move relative to the tilt bracket.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/758,718, filed Jan. 13, 2006 and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to tilt systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to audio and/or video tilt systems that enable a user to position an attached device in a variety of orientations. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In recent years, flat-panel television units have become enormously popular in both the commercial and the residential sectors. As the prices for plasma and liquid crystal display (LCD) flat panel displays have continued to fall, and as the quality for the same devices have improved, more and more businesses and individuals have purchased such devices both for business and home entertainment purposes. 
         [0004]    One of the advantages of flat-panel television units that customers have found particularly 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 tilt systems that can contain the television. However, these systems usually require professional installation and, once the television is secured in the mount, it is often very difficult to access and adjust due to its height. 
         [0005]    With flat-panel televisions, on the other hand, users are presented with a relatively new option: tilt the television directly to a wall or similar surface. By tilting the television relative to a wall, a person can eliminate the need to take up potentially valuable floor space with a television stand or entertainment unit. Furthermore, individuals and entities can mount the television at a sufficiently low height to be able to adjust the television&#39;s orientation with little difficulty. 
         [0006]    Although the introduction of flat-panel televisions on a wide scale has presented new opportunities to both residential and commercial customers, it has also presented new challenges. Over the past few years, a number of wall tilt systems have been developed for use with flat panel televisions, but each has their own drawbacks. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,905,101 discloses a wall tilt system that permits a flat panel television to have a limited range of motion once it is mounted to the wall. The products described in these disclosures rely upon the use of a set of curved slots to form a rotatable connection between a tilt bracket and a support bracket, with rolling pins being used to create a rolling connection between the two brackets. Similarly, U.S. application Publication No. 2004/0245420 discloses a tilt system where a plurality of arc-shaped glides are used instead of rolling pins. 
         [0007]    Although such systems are moderately useful, they suffer from a number of important drawbacks. Such systems often rely upon friction knobs or other friction-based mechanisms both to control the amount of resistance during the adjustment process, as well as to maintain a particular angular orientation once the positioning process has been completed. However, these friction-based mechanisms do not definitely “lock” the respective brackets in place, and these mechanisms can be forced from their set positions. As a result, even a slight bump of the flat screen unit can cause the orientation of the mount to be altered. In many settings, once the mount has been correctly positioned, it will not be (or will only infrequently be) readjusted. In such situations, accidental movement of the mount is especially undesirable. 
         [0008]    It would therefore be desirable to provide an adjustable tilt system that enables a user to more securely fix the orientation of the mount once a desired orientation has been attained. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention provides an improved tilt system including an incremental angular position and locking system. According to various embodiments of the present invention, an adapter bracket is slidably and/or rollingly engaged with a tilt bracket. One of the adapter bracket and the tilt bracket includes a plurality of angular positioning portions along at least one side wall thereof. The other of the adapter bracket and the tilt bracket includes a locator portion on at least one side wall thereof. The locator portion is positioned to selectively align with the various angular positioning portions depending upon the particular orientation of the adapter bracket relative to the tilt bracket. When a locator portion is aligned with one of the angular positioning portions, the user can use a locking member to fix the position of the tilt bracket relative to the adapter bracket. 
         [0010]    With the present invention, a user is capable of effectively fixing the angular orientation of the tilt system, and therefore an attached device, once a desired angular orientation has been achieved, while still providing a user with a large degree of autonomy in selecting the desired orientation. Additionally, when these systems are used in an “array” format, the present invention allows for all of the individual mounting systems in the array to be positioned and locked at the same angular orientation from one unit to the next. This allows the array of mounted audio/visual products to be oriented in a highly organized, professional and orderly manner, making the use of the mounting systems more efficient. 
         [0011]    These and other objects, 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. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an adjustable tilt system with an angular position and locking mechanism constructed according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the tilt bracket of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the adapter bracket of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a magnified view of an adapter bracket with various components attached thereto; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an adjustable tilt system with an angular position and locking mechanism constructed according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the adapter bracket of  FIG. 5 ; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the tilt bracket of  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0019]      FIG. 1  shows an adjustable mounting system  10  constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. The adjustable mounting system  10  of  FIG. 1  comprises a tilt bracket  12  which is configured to engage a retaining member (not shown) which can be affixed to a wall, floor pedestal, ceiling mount, or other surface. The tilt bracket  12  includes a tilt bracket engagement portion  11  and a pair of tilt bracket flanges  13  on each side thereof. It should also be noted, however, that the tilt bracket  12  can be directly secured to a wall, floor pedestal, ceiling mount, or other surface instead of engaging one or more retaining members. The tilt bracket  12  can also be connected to the wall, floor pedestal, ceiling mount, or other surface via several intermediate components, such as an articulating arm (not shown) or other brackets or plates. These various components can be used to translate an attached electronic device away from or towards the wall, floor pedestal, ceiling mount, or other surface, to tilt the electronic device to the left or right, or for other purposes. 
         [0020]    In the embodiments shown in  FIG. 1 , an adapter bracket  14  is rotatably coupled to the tilt bracket  12 . The adapter bracket  14  includes an adapter bracket contact portion  15  bounded by a pair of adapter bracket flanges  17  on each side thereof in one embodiment of the invention. In this particular embodiment, the adapter bracket  14  is attached directly to the respective electronic device (not shown). However, it should also be noted that, in other embodiments of the invention, a display bracket (not shown) can be secured to the adapter bracket contact portion  15 , with the display bracket being configured to attach to a flat panel display or other electronic device. 
         [0021]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the tilt bracket  12  includes a plurality of tilt bracket guide paths  24 , and the adapter bracket  14  includes a plurality of adapter bracket guide paths  26 .  FIG. 1  shows the tilt bracket guide paths  24  and adapter bracket guide paths  26  as slots that are formed completely within the tilt bracket  12  and adapter bracket  14 , respectively. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not strictly limited to the use of slots. Instead, guide paths for the tilt bracket  12  and the adapter bracket  14  can comprise items such as rails and outer surfaces that define a path of travel, as well as other structures that provide guide paths. The present invention should therefore not be strictly limited to the use of slots. 
         [0022]    Both the tilt bracket guide paths  24  and the adapter bracket guide paths  26  are sized to accept a carrier  22  therethrough. In one embodiment, the carriers  22  comprise rolling pins. However, other types of carriers, such as gliders or other items, could also be used. In one particular embodiment of the invention, two rolling pins are used, with one rolling pin passing through the uppermost tilt bracket guide paths  24  and adapter bracket guide paths  26  on each of the respective flanges, and another rolling pin passing through the lowermost tilt bracket guide paths  24  and adapter bracket guide paths  26  on each of the respective flanges. 
         [0023]    In the embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 1 , each guide path is substantially straight in nature. While the tilt bracket guide paths  24  and the adapter bracket guide paths  26  can also be curved, the use of straight guide paths creates a “scissoring” action which diminishes sliding and promotes the smooth movement of the carrier mechanisms with the guide paths. The substantially straight guide paths also aid in ensuring that the carrier mechanisms do not slip when a user or installer lifts and removes the electronic device from the remainder of the adjustable mounting system  10 . 
         [0024]    The tilt bracket guide paths  24  are located on the tilt bracket flanges  13 , and the adapter bracket guide paths  26  are located on the adapter bracket flanges  17 . In one embodiment of the invention, each tilt bracket flange  13  includes two tilt bracket guide paths  24 , and each adapter bracket flange  17  includes two adapter bracket guide paths  26 , each of which are configured to align with a respective tilt bracket guide slot  24 . 
         [0025]    The embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 1  also includes a friction member  30  for adjusting the level of resistance that is met during the adjustment process. In one particular embodiment, the friction member  30  includes an adjustment screw that passes through both a friction slot  28  in the adapter bracket flange  17 , shown in  FIG. 3  and a friction hole  29  in the corresponding tilt bracket flange  13 , shown in  FIG. 2 . It should be noted that the friction hole  29  and friction slot  28  can also be reversed, such that the friction slot  28  appears on the tilt bracket  12 . It is also possible to include two friction slots instead of one friction slot and one friction hole. A plurality of washers  31  may also be used along with the adjustment screw. In this embodiment of the invention, a clockwise rotation of the adjustment screw causes the respective adapter bracket flange  17  and tilt bracket flange  13  to come into closer contact with each other, which results in an increased level of friction when the user moves the electronic device (and therefore the adapter bracket  14 ) relative to the tilt bracket  12 . A counterclockwise rotation of the adjustment screw correspondingly reduces the friction level between the tilt bracket  12  and the adapter bracket  14 . It should be understood that other types of friction devices may also be used, and that these friction devices may or may not include an adjustment screw of the type described herein. 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the tilt bracket  12  also includes a plurality of angular position features  40  on at least one of the tilt bracket flanges  13 . In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 2 , the angular position features  40  comprise holes in the tilt bracket flange(s)  13 . However, it should be noted that other features, such as slots, could also be used. The angular position features  40  are strategically placed to track the tilting motion of the adjustable mounting system  10  for the purposes described below. 
         [0027]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the adapter bracket  14  of  FIG. 1 . The adapter bracket  14  includes an angular positioning element  42  that passes through a locking feature (shown at  43  in  FIG. 7 ) within the adapter bracket flanges  17 . The angular positioning element can comprise a screw or similar item. The locking feature  43  can comprise a hole, slot, or other item which is capable of cooperating with the angular positioning element  42 . 
         [0028]    The operation of the present invention is generally as follows. As discussed above, the tilt bracket  12  is directly or indirectly attached to a surface such as a wall, while the adapter bracket  14  is directly or indirectly attached to an object to be mounted. As discussed previously, the object may comprise an audio/visual device such as a flat screen television. However, a wide variety of other objects can also be mounted using the adjustable mounting system  10  of the present invention. Once the object is mounted, the user can adjust the angular tilt of the object by simply rotating the object, which causes the adapter bracket  14  to rotate relative to the tilt bracket  12 . 
         [0029]    In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the adapter bracket  14  rotates about an axis that runs substantially parallel to adapter bracket flanges  17  and tilt bracket flanges  13 , as well as about an axis substantially parallel to the wall or other surface to which the adjustable mounting system  10  is attached. This rotation is also about an axis substantially parallel to the tilt bracket engagement portion  1 . However, it is also possible for some or all of these orientations to be altered. For example, if the tilt bracket  12  is coupled to an articulating arm with different degrees of movement, then the axis of rotation of the adjustable mounting system  10  may be different than substantially parallel to the wall or other surface. During the rotation process, adjusting the friction member  30  allows the user to control the amount of resistance that is encountered while rotating the adapter bracket  14 . 
         [0030]    When the user has positioned the adapter bracket  14  relative to the tilt bracket  12  to his her own satisfaction, he or she uses the angular positioning element  42  to secure the position of the adapter bracket  14 . In the situation where the angular positioning element  42  comprises a screw, pin, spring loaded pin, locking pin, clevis pin, clevis pin with lanyard, pin with ball detent, or similar fastener, this is accomplished by passing the angular positioning element  42  through the locking feature  43  and the angular position features  40  which most closely aligns with the angular positioning element  42 . Because there is a certain amount of space between the angular position features  40 , it is possible that a very slight adjustment of the adapter bracket  14  may be necessary in order to create the proper alignment. Once the angular positioning element  42  has been secured with the proper angular position features  40 , the adapter bracket  14  is prevented from further rotation. If a user later wants to readjust the orientation of the object about the axis created by the sliding or rolling connection depicted in  FIG. 1 , he or she simply has to disengage the angular positioning element  42  from the respective angular position feature  40 . 
         [0031]    The engagement and disengagement of the angular positioning element  42  can take a variety of forms. For example, in a case where the angular positioning element  42  comprises a simple screw, then the screw may, when not engaged with an angular position features  40 , may not be engaged with the locking feature  43  either. Alternatively, the screw or other angular positioning element  42  may, in the default position, be nested within the locking feature  43  such that it only needs to be “pushed into” the appropriate angular position feature for locking to occur. This provides the benefit of not having to worry about losing the angular positioning element  42  during the adjustment process. 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , one embodiment of the adjustable mounting system  10  also includes an alignment feature  44  strategically positioned relative to the locking feature  43  and the angular positioning element  42 . The alignment feature  44  is utilized by the user to quickly and easily align the tilt bracket  12  and the adapter bracket  14  so that the locking system can be used. In particular, the angular position features  40  are positioned such that, if one of the angular position features  40  is aligned with the locking feature  43 , then the alignment feature  44  will indicate the presence of such an alignment. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the alignment feature  44  comprises a visual alignment feature in the form of a hole. Therefore, when one of the angular position features  40  is aligned with the locking feature  43 , the user will be able to see another of the angular position features  40  through the alignment feature  44 . 
         [0033]    In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the alignment feature  44  is shown as being positioned substantially above the locking feature  43 . In such a case, it is possible that, if a user wants to use the upper most angular position features  40  for alignment and locking, the user may not observe the alignment through the alignment feature  44 . To resolve this issue, one could use a “dummy” angular position feature (not shown), solely for the purpose of using the alignment feature  44 . For example, the tilt bracket flanges  13  could include a colored marking where the next angular position features  40  would otherwise have been located, or a “dummy” hole that is too small for locking purposes could be used instead of a marking. Other types of “dummy” features could also be used in such a situation, and the location of this feature can be positioned to strategically correlate to the requirements set by the location of the alignment feature  44 . Other systems to demarcate angular position include but are not limited to angular scales and/or numbered readouts that are visible through the alignment feature  44 . 
         [0034]    It should be noted that, although the alignment feature  44  comprises a hole in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , it is also possible for the alignment feature to comprise a slot or similar visual indicator. Additionally, it is also possible for the alignment feature  44  to not be visual in nature in other embodiments. For example, the alignment feature can comprise a structure that creates an audible “click” or similar sound when a proper alignment has been attained. Other types of alignment features would also be understood to be applicable by those skilled in the art. 
         [0035]    Additionally, it should also be noted that many of the components depicted and described herein can essentially be reversed while still achieving the intended results of the present invention. For example, in the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the tilt bracket flanges  13  are positioned outside of the respective corresponding adapter bracket flanges  17 . However, it is possible that the tilt bracket flanges  13  can be positioned inside of the corresponding adapter bracket flanges  17 . In such a scenario, the angular positioning features  40  can be located on the adapter bracket  14 , and the tilt bracket  12  can include the locking feature  43  and the alignment feature  44  can be located on the adapter bracket  14 .  FIGS. 5-7  show such an embodiment of the present invention. Although  FIGS. 5-7  show a structure that is similar to the structure depicted in  FIGS. 1-4 , these figures show that the various components are capable of being formed in a variety of shapes and sizes. For this reason, it should be understood that the various components used in the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the shapes and sizes depicted herein. Other arrangements and combinations would also be understood by those in the art. 
         [0036]    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 in order 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.