Abstract:
A speaker aiming system of one embodiment includes a speaker portion that is movable and configured to be aimed in a selected direction. A tilt adjustment device is coupled to the speaker portion. The tilt adjustment device has first and second adjustment portions configured to allow the speaker and the first adjustment portion to be adjustably moved to at least one of a plurality of tilt positions relative to the second adjustment portion. The first adjustment portion has an engagement member releasably coupled to the second adjustment portion to retain the speaker portion in the one of the plurality of tilt positions.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This non-provisional patent application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/622,153, entitled Support Assemblies with Tilt Adjustment and Associated Methods, filed Oct. 25, 2004, and which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     Embodiments of the present invention are directed toward support assemblies with tilt adjustment and associated methods, for example, an audio/visual support with tilt adjustment.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Audiovisual components often are placed in selected locations for operation and/or storage. In many cases, it is desirable to orient these components in certain directions and/or to adjust the orientation of the components periodically. For example, it is often desirable to orient speakers so that the sound is directed in a selected direction and/or to orient video displays for viewing from selected locations. Orienting these components in a certain direction can be difficult and time consuming, especially when the components are large and/or located in areas with limited space. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]      FIG. 1  is a partially schematic isometric view of a support system with tilt adjustment used to support a speaker system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0005]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the support system shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0006]      FIG. 3  is a close-up view of a portion of the support system shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0007]      FIG. 4  is a close-up view of a portion of the support system shown in  FIG. 1  from a different perspective than that shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0008]      FIG. 5  is a close-up view of a portion of the support system shown in  FIG. 1  from different perspective than that shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0009]     Embodiments of the present invention are directed toward support assemblies with tilt adjustment and associated methods. Several specific details of the invention are set forth in the following description,  FIGS. 1-5  to provide a thorough understanding of certain embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the art, however, will understand that the present invention may have additional embodiments, and that other embodiments of the invention may be practiced without several of the specific features described below. For example, the support system assemblies discussed below are discussed with reference to a speaker system and/or other audiovisual components. It will be understood that the support system can be used on any component where having a selectable tilted position is desirable.  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a partially schematic illustration of a support system  100  that includes a tilt adjustment device  110 . In the illustrated embodiment, the support system  100  is being used to support a speaker system  120 , but in other embodiments the support system can be used to support other components (e.g., a video display and/or other audio visual component(s)). The speaker system  120 , shown in  FIG. 1  includes two speakers  122   a  and  122   b.  In other embodiments, the speaker system  120  can include more or fewer speakers and/or be a sub-system (or portion) of a larger speaker system. For example, in  FIG. 2  the support system  100  and speaker system  120  (a first speaker system) are positioned on top of a second speaker system  150  and the first speaker system  120  and the second speaker system  150  are both sub-systems of a larger speaker system (e.g., the first speaker system  120  transmits mid and high frequency sound waves and the second speaker system  150  transmits low frequency sound waves). In other embodiments, the support system  100  can support another type of component (e.g., a display and/or other audiovisual component(s)).  
         [0011]     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , the tilt adjustment device  110  includes an engagement member  112  (e.g., a bar) and at least one receiving member  114  (e.g., one or more notches for receiving the engagement member  112 ). In other embodiments, the tilt adjustment device  110  can have more or fewer engagement members  112  and/or more or fewer receiving members  114 . In still other embodiments, the tilt adjustment device  110  can include other arrangements (e.g., an engagement member  112  that includes a pole or bar extending at least partially along a vertical plane that engages one or more receiving members  114  that include upwardly opening hole(s)). In still other embodiments, the support system  100  can include multiple tilt adjustment devices  110 .  
         [0012]     The tilt adjustment device  110  allows the component being supported to be tilted for various purposes. For example, the tilt adjustment device  110  can be used to aim a speaker system  120  to transmit sound in a selected direction. In other embodiments, the tilt adjustment device  110  can be used to provide a desired viewing angle of a video display device. In still other embodiments, the tilt adjustment device  110  can allow a component to be tilted for storage or transport (e.g., folded to occupy a small space or fit through a small opening).  
         [0013]     In the illustrated embodiment, the support system  100  also includes a base  102 . The speaker system  120  is pivotally coupled to the base  102  at pivot points P. The speaker system  120  can pivot about pivot points P to tilt forward or aft. Other embodiments can have more or fewer pivot points P. The receiving member  114  is also coupled to the base and configured to receive the engagement member  112  when the speaker system  120  is located in various tilted positions.  
         [0014]     In  FIG. 1 , the engagement member  112  is a bar and the receiving member  114  includes a series of notches for receiving the bar. The speaker system  120  can be tilted relative to the base  102  to a selected position and the bar can be placed into a selected notch (e.g., by moving the bar and/or by slight rotational movement of the speaker system  120 ). The speaker system  120  can then be released. In the illustrated embodiment, the center of gravity cg of the speaker system  120  is located toward the rear of the speaker system  120  so that the bar is maintained in the notch by the weight of the speaker system  120  (e.g., by gravity g tending to urge an upper portion of the speaker system  120  to rotate toward the tilt adjustment device) even when the front of the speaker system  120  is tilted slightly forward (past vertical).  
         [0015]     In other embodiments, the supported component can have a different center of gravity cg placement and the tilt adjustment device  110  can include other arrangements. For example, the center of gravity cg can be located toward a forward portion of a component (e.g., with certain video displays) so that when the front of the component is in a vertical position gravity g tends to cause an upper portion of the component to rotate in a forwardly direction. The tilt adjustment device  110  can be located toward the rear of the component and can include a bar that is urged in a forwardly and upwardly direction as the component tends to rotate forwardly. The tilt adjustment device can also include notches that open in a downwardly direction. The bar can engage at least one of the notches as the component pulls the bar in an upwardly and forwardly direction relative to the downwardly facing notches.  
         [0016]     In other embodiments, the tilt adjustment device  110  can be located forward of a component with a forward center of gravity cg and the tilt adjustment device  110  can include a bar that engages notches in a downwardly direction (similar to the notches in  FIG. 1 ). In certain embodiments, the tilt adjustment device  110  can include one or more notches that can be engaged in an upwardly or downwardly direction, and the engagement member  112  must be moved to a mid position relative to the notch(es) before moving the engagement member  112  away from the selected notch. In still other embodiments, the system can include multiple tilt adjustment devices  110  (e.g., one forward of the component and one aft of the component).  
         [0017]     The tilt adjustment device  110  can have one or more selectable positions corresponding to one or more tilted positions of the supported component. As shown in  FIGS. 3-5 , a scale or index can be provided proximate to and/or on the receiving member  114  to provide a reference for positioning the supported component in a selected position. In other embodiments, the support system  100  does not include a scale or index.  
         [0018]     In  FIG. 3 , a retention member  116  is provided above the notches of the receiving member  114 . The retention member  116  insures that the engagement member  112  remains proximate to the receiving member and in certain embodiments the retention member  116  can limit the forward or aft motion of the supported component. In other embodiments, the tilt adjustment device  110  does not include a retention member  116 .  
         [0019]     In certain embodiments, the tilt adjustment device  110  can include one or more locking mechanisms (e.g., one or more retaining nuts that can resist movement of the engagement member  112  from the engaged position where the engagement member  112  is received by the receiving member  114 ). For example, in  FIG. 3 , there is a nut and bolt arrangement that can be tightened against the edges of the notches to aid in retaining the engagement member  112  (e.g., bar) in the receiving member  114  (e.g., notch). Other embodiments can include more or fewer nuts and bolts  118  and/or other types of retention devices, including no retention devices  118 .  
         [0020]     In certain embodiments, the speaker system  120  is not pivotally coupled to the base  102 . In still other embodiments, the support system  100  does not include a base  102 , and the speaker system  120  and receiving member  114  are supported by one or more support surfaces (e.g., the ground, a floor, and/or another component). In certain embodiments, in addition to the one or more tilt adjustment devices discussed above, the support system  100  can also include other adjustment devices (e.g., a rotation adjustment device as disclosed in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/622,109, entitled SUPPORT ASSEMBLIES WITH ROTATION ADJUSTMENT AND ASSOCIATED METHODS, Attorney Docket No. 29671-8011US, which was filed Oct. 25, 2004, and which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety) and/or other devices (e.g., an aiming device for aiming the speaker system  120  similar to the sight holes and sight line shown in  FIG. 1  and as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/973,649, entitled SPEAKER ASSEMBLY WITH AIMING DEVICE, Attorney Docket No. 29671-8009US, which was filed Oct. 25, 2004, and which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety).  
         [0021]     A feature of embodiments discussed above is that a component supported by a support system can be quickly and easily tilted to a desired position. Additionally, the component can be securely supported in the selected position. An advantage of this feature is that components can be easily and quickly tilted to selected positions to obtain desired performance (e.g., better viewing angles and/or better sound dispersion).  
         [0022]     From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, aspects of the invention described in the context of particular embodiments may be combined or eliminated in other embodiments. Although advantages associated with certain embodiments of the invention have been described in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages. Additionally, none of the foregoing embodiments need necessarily exhibit such advantages to fall within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.