Abstract:
A mounting assembly for a flat panel display comprising a base panel, a bracket, and a cleat. The bracket connects the display to the base panel at approximately a right angle relative to the base panel. The cleat is in receipt of the base panel to secure the base panel at a support surface and to secure the display approximately perpendicular to the support surface.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to mounting assemblies. In particular, the present disclosure relates to mounting assemblies for a flat panel display. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. 
         [0003]    Consumers often find it desirable to mount their flat panel display on a shelf or in a cabinet, such as an entertainment center cabinet or an armoire cabinet. In order to securely mount the display in a cabinet or on a shelf, current display assemblies often include a protruding tab or tongue at the front of the cabinet or shelf with the display positioned behind the tab or tongue. Such an arrangement is undesirable because it prevents the display from being positioned at the very front edge of the cabinet or shelf, thus resulting in an unsightly mounting arrangement. Further, such an arrangement makes it difficult to insert and remove the display from within the cabinet because the display must be raised over the tab during installation and removal. While current display assemblies are suitable for their intended uses, they are subject to improvement. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The present teachings provide for a mounting assembly for a flat panel display comprising a base panel, a bracket, and a cleat. The bracket connects the display to the base panel at approximately a right angle relative to the base panel. The cleat is in receipt of the base panel to secure the base panel at a support surface and to secure the display approximately perpendicular to the support surface. 
         [0005]    The present teachings further provide for a mounting assembly for a flat panel display comprising a cleat and a bracket. The cleat has a base and a flange extending from the base. The bracket assembly is mounted to the display. The cleat slidably receives the bracket assembly beneath the flange to retain the display in an upright position. 
         [0006]    The present teachings also provide for a method for supporting a flat panel display in an upright position upon a support surface comprising the following steps: fastening a cleat to the support surface; mounting a bracket assembly to a flat panel display; and sliding the bracket assembly into contact with the cleat to secure the flat panel display in an upright position on the support surface. 
         [0007]    Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a flat panel display and a mounting assembly according to the present teachings; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the mounting assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the mounting assembly of  FIG. 1 , the mounting assembly seated within a cabinet; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the mounting assembly of  FIG. 1  showing a cleat of the mounting assembly separated from the remaining portions of the mounting assembly; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5A  is a side view of the cleat in cooperation with a base panel of the mounting assembly; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5B  is a side view of the base panel separated from the cleat; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a rear view of an additional mounting assembly according to the present teachings; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the mounting assembly of  FIG. 6 ; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a rear perspective view of yet another mounting assembly according to the present teachings. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. 
         [0019]    A mounting assembly according to the present teachings is illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4  at reference numeral  10 . The mounting assembly  10  can be used to mount or support a variety of different devices, such as a flat panel display  12 . The assembly  10  can be used to mount the display  12  in a variety of different locations, such as on a shelf  14  ( FIG. 1 ) or in an enclosed space, such as a cabinet  16 . 
         [0020]    The mounting assembly  10  can generally include a bracket assembly  18  and a cleat  20 . The bracket assembly  18  can include a bracket  22  and a base panel  24 . The bracket  22  can be any suitable mounting device to mount the display  12  to the base panel  24 . For example, the bracket  22  can be an “L” bracket as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4 . The base panel  24  can be any suitable device for supporting the bracket  22  and the display  12 . For example, the base panel  24  can be a generally planar panel, as illustrated in the figures. 
         [0021]    The bracket  22  can be mounted to both the display  12  and the base panel  24  using any suitable fastening device or method, such as fasteners  26 . The bracket  22  can be mounted to a variety of suitable locations on both the base panel  24  and the display  12 . For example, the bracket  22  can be aligned with preexisting mounts on the display  12  installed by the manufacturer of the display  12 . The fastener  26  can then be inserted through an opening in the bracket  22  and into the preexisting mounts to secure the bracket  22  to the display  12 . The display  12  can be mounted at a height such that the display  12  abuts or closely abuts a support surface  28  that the mounting assembly  10  is secured to. 
         [0022]    The bracket  22  can be mounted at a variety of different locations on the base panel  24 . For example, the bracket  22  can be mounted at or proximate to an edge of the base panel  24 , such as an edge  30 . Mounting the bracket  22  at the edge  30  allows the display  12  to be positioned offset from the base panel  24  so that the display  12  can abut or closely abut the support surface  28 . Mounting the bracket  22  at the edge  30  further permits the display  12  to be flush or nearly flush with a front face  29  of the article that the mounting assembly is seated in or on, such as the shelf  14  or the cabinet  16 . 
         [0023]    The cleat  20  can be any suitable retention device for retaining the display  12  in an upright position. For example, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4 , the cleat  20  can include a base portion  32  and a flange portion  34 . The base portion  32  can be mounted to the support surface  28  using any suitable fastening device or method. The base portion  32  can be mounted directly to the support surface  28 , as illustrated. An intermediary plate or panel can be positioned between the base portion  32  and the support surface  28 . When the cleat  20  is mounted to the support surface  28 , the flange  34  defines a slot  36  between the flange  34  and the support surface  28 . The slot  36  is sized to receive the base panel  24 . 
         [0024]    The base panel  24  and/or the cleat  20  can include a retention device to enhance the retention of the base panel  24  in the slot  36 . The retention device can be any suitable retention device for securing the base panel  24  within the slot  36 . For example, as illustrated in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the retention device can include a protruding detail  38  and a recessed detail  40 . The protruding detail  38  can be positioned on the base panel  24  and the recessed detail  40  can be positioned on a surface of the flange  34  facing the slot  36 , or vice versa. The protruding detail  38  and the recessed detail  40  can be positioned so that they are in alignment with each other when the base panel  24  is seated within the slot  36 . When the details  38  and  40  are in alignment, the protruding detail  38  can be seated within the recessed detail  40  to enhance retention of the base panel  24  within the slot  36 . 
         [0025]    Assembly and installation of the mounting assembly will now be described. The order in which the different assembly and installation steps are set forth herein is for exemplary purposes only. 
         [0026]    The cleat  20  can be secured to the support surface  28  of the area or article where the mounting assembly is to be installed, such as on the shelf  14  ( FIG. 1 ) or within the cabinet  16  ( FIG. 3 ). The cleat  20  can be secured to the support surface  28  by mounting the base portion  32  to the support surface  28  using any suitable fastening device. The cleat  20  can be positioned on the support surface  28  at a distance from the front face  29  such that a viewing side of the display  12  is flush with the front face  29  of the shelf  14  or the cabinet  16  when the display  12  is in the installed position of  FIGS. 1 and 3 . If it is desirable to position the display  12  offset from the front face  29 , then the cleat  20  can be mounted further from the front face  29 . 
         [0027]    The bracket  22  can be mounted to the base panel  24  using the fasteners  26 . The bracket  22  can be mounted at or proximate to the edge  30  of the base  24  so that the display  12  is mounted beyond the edge  30  of the base panel  24 . 
         [0028]    The display  12  can be mounted to the bracket  22  using the fasteners  26 . The fasteners  26  can be inserted through apertures in the bracket  22  to engage mounts in a rear of the display  12 . The display  12  can be mounted on the bracket  22  at a height such that the display  12  abuts, or nearly abuts, the support surface  28 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1  after installation is complete. The height of the display  12  can be adjusted by mounting the display  12  at different vertical positions on the bracket  22 , which can be accommodated by providing the bracket  22  with a plurality of vertical mounting apertures, and/or by mounting the bracket  22  to different vertical positions on the display  12 , which can be accommodated by providing the display  12  with different vertical mounts. 
         [0029]    The base panel  24  can be inserted within the slot  36  defined by the cleat  20  to retain the display  12  in the upright position as illustrated and to retain the display  12  at the front face  29  of the shelf  14  or the cabinet  16 . To further retain the base panel  24  in the slot  36 , the base panel  24  can include the protruding detail  38  and the flange  34  can include the recessed detail  40 , or vice versa. When the base panel  24  is inserted within the slot  36  the protruding detail  38  is received by the recessed detail  40  to further secure the base panel  24  within the slot  36 . 
         [0030]    With additional reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , an additional bracket assembly according to the present teachings for use with the mounting assembly  10  is illustrated at reference numeral  100 . The bracket assembly  100  can include a horizontal base  102 , a vertical support  104 , a horizontal plate  106 , and one or more mounting strips  108 . 
         [0031]    The horizontal base  102  can be any suitable base for supporting the display  12 . The horizontal base  102  can be a generally planar base. The horizontal base  102  can be mounted to the base panel  24  or, for example, it can be a stand-alone base that can be directly received by the cleat  20 . The horizontal base  102  can include one or more mounting apertures  103 . The mounting apertures  103  can receive a fastener to, for example, secure the horizontal base  102  to the base panel  24  or secure the horizontal base  102  to the support surface  28 . The mounting apertures  103  can also be used to engage a suitable fastening device of the cleat  20  to retain cooperation between the cleat  20  and bracket assembly  100 . 
         [0032]    The vertical support  104  can be secured to the horizontal base  102  or can be unitary with the horizontal base  102 . The vertical support  104  can include one or more through holes or slots  110  for receiving a fastener. The slots  110  can be positioned at a variety of different locations on the vertical support  104 , such as at the outer edges of the vertical support  104 . 
         [0033]    The horizontal plate  106  can be an elongated, generally planar plate. The plate  106  can include a variety of horizontal slots  112 . The slots  112  can receive a suitable fastening device. The slots  112  can be positioned at any suitable location on the plate  106 , such as along the upper and lower edges of the plate  106 . 
         [0034]    The mounting strips  108  can be elongated strips each having a first portion  114  and a second portion  116 . The first portion  114  can be offset from the second portion  116 , as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . The first portion  114  and the second portion  116  of each of the mounting strips  108  can include one or more elongated slots  118 . The slots  118  can receive a suitable fastening device. 
         [0035]    The mounting strips  108  can be mounted to opposite sides of a rear surface of the display  12 . The mounting strips  108  can be mounted to preexisting mounts or holes in the rear of the display. Each of the mounting strips  108  can be mounted using one or more fasteners extending through one of the slots  118  of the first portion  114 . With the first portion  114  secured to the rear of the display  12 , the second portion  116  is offset from the rear of the display  12 , as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . The distance between the mounting strips  108  may vary depending on the location of the mounts in the rear of the display  12 . For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , mounting strips  108 A are mounted to display mounts of the display  12  that are at the outer edges of the display  12 . If the mounts of the display  12  are further inboard, the mounting strips  108  can be moved to the position of mounting strips  108 B. The length of the horizontal slots  112  is sufficient to accommodate a fastener for engaging the mounting strips  108  at a variety of different locations on the display  12 . 
         [0036]    The horizontal plate  106  can be mounted to the vertical supports  104  using a suitable fastener. The fastener can engage any of the slots  110  at any point along the length of the slots  110 . The fastener can also engage the horizontal slots  112  at any point along the length of the horizontal slots to mount the vertical support  104  to the horizontal plate  106 . The height of the horizontal plate  106  can be adjusted based on the point in the slots  110  where the horizontal plate  106  is mounted. 
         [0037]    The horizontal plate  106  can be mounted to the mounting strips  108  using fasteners that engage both the horizontal slots  112  of the horizontal plate  106  and the elongated slots  118  of the second portion  116  of the mounting strips  108 . The height at which the panel  12  is mounted can be adjusted by mounting the horizontal plate  106  to a higher or lower location on the mounting strips  108 , which can be accommodated by the elongated slots  118 . 
         [0038]    With additional reference to  FIG. 8 , an additional bracket assembly according to the present teachings is illustrated at reference numeral  200 . The bracket assembly  200  is similar to the assembly  18 . The only substantial difference between the bracket assembly  200  and the bracket assembly  18  is that the bracket assembly  200  includes an integrated bracket  202 , which takes the place of the bracket  22  and the base panel  24 . Specifically, the bracket assembly  200  includes vertical supports  204  that are integrated with a base  206  that is received by the cleat  20 . 
         [0039]    The cleat  20  can be made of any suitable material, such as a metal, wood, and a polymeric material. 
         [0040]    The bracket assemblies  18 ,  100 , and  200  can also be made of any suitable material, such as a metal, wood, or polymeric material.