Abstract:
A flat panel electronic display mount includes a display mount assembly having a discontinuous bearing, the bearing being expandable radially responsive to an increased frictional biasing force, the biasing force being applied axially to the discontinuous bearing, the radial expandability assisting in maintaining a desired amount of frictional engagement afforded by the discontinuous bearing. A flat panel electronic display mount further includes a display mount assembly having a bearing, the bearing having a central axis, a biasing means being selectively engagable with the bearing. Additionally, in a flat panel electronic display mount, a method of maintaining a desired amount of frictional engagement.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     The present application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/756,181, filed Jan. 4, 2006, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention is directed to mounts for electronic displays and more specifically to devices for mounting flat panel electronic displays such as plasma and LCD screens on a fixed structure.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Flat panel displays have become an increasingly popular substitute for projection devices and CRTs. The flat panel display is typically mounted on a structure, such as a wall. Flat panel displays, especially LCD&#39;s, are typically most clearly viewable from a position directly in front of the display. The display image is often too dark or not visible at all if viewed from a significant angle.  
         [0004]     It is thus preferable that the angle of a flat panel display can be adjusted for optimum viewing. Various prior art positioning devices have been used, such as friction based hinges, mechanical linkages with springs or other biasing devices, and various mechanical latches. Traditional friction based devices and mechanical latches typically require that the flat panel display be held at the correct angle while the device is adjusted to maintain the position on its own. This may require the operator to lift and hold a substantial portion of the weight of the flat panel display. In some instances, the operator must also overcome the resistance of the positioning device.  
         [0005]     Also, the hinge and pivot joints used in some prior devices typically enable positioning of the display about only one axis per joint. The degree of display position adjustability of such devices is limited by the number of joints that can be economically and practically provided.  
         [0006]     Mechanical linkages with springs are expensive to build. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,419,196 (Sweere et al.) discloses a multi-jointed, pivoted support arm to support and position a flat panel display that uses a nitrogen gas spring counterbalance mechanism.  
         [0007]     In some prior mounting devices, described in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/449,834 and 11/147,987, each of which is hereby fully incorporated herein by reference, the mount is geometrically configured so that the center of pivoting motion of the display is positioned proximate the center of gravity of the display. This configuration enables the display and mount to be essentially self-balancing so that minimal operator effort is needed to position the display. Even in these devices, however, it may be advantageous to provide the ability to selectively adjust the amount of friction in the mount so as to enable the mount to resist accidental repositioning of the display through contact or to “lock” the display in a desired position. A drawback of previous friction adjustment mechanisms, however, is that they tend to require significant effort to adjust. Another drawback is that the friction adjustment tends to loosen over time due to the weight of the display.  
         [0008]     What is still needed in the industry is a low-cost self-balancing mount for a flat panel electronic display that enables stable friction adjustment in the mount with relatively little physical effort.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     In an embodiment, the present invention includes a mounting system for a flat panel display that substantially meets the aforementioned needs of the industry. According to an embodiment of the invention, a display interface having a hollow, frusto-spherical cup portion is attached to the rear surface of a flat panel electronic display. The frusto-spherical cup is clamped between a split outer bearing that engages the outer surface of the cup and an inner bearing disc that engages the inner surface of the cup. A friction adjustment screw is provided in a body portion which carries the outer bearing portion, and to which the inner bearing disc is also secured. Tightening of the friction adjustment screw causes the outer bearing portion to be forced outward from the body portion against the frusto-spherical cup, clamping it more tightly against the inner bearing disc and thereby providing increased frictional resistance to sliding movement of the frusto-conical cup and display attached thereto relative to the guide structure. A knob may be coupled with the friction adjustment screw to enable easy fingertip adjustment of friction. Loosening of the screw likewise causes reduced frictional resistance so that the display can be adjusted as desired for best viewing. The frusto-spherical cup may be formed with a radius of curvature having a center disposed proximate the center of gravity of the flat panel display so as to enable positioning of the flat panel display with minimal effort.  
         [0010]     In an embodiment, the present invention includes a flat panel electronic display mount including a display mount assembly having a discontinuous bearing, the bearing being expandable radially responsive to an increased frictional biasing force, the biasing force being applied axially to the discontinuous bearing, the radial expandability assisting in maintaining a desired amount of frictional engagement afforded by the discontinuous bearing. A flat panel electronic display mount according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a display mount assembly having a bearing, the bearing having a central axis, a biasing means being selectively engagable with the bearing. Additionally, in a flat panel electronic display mount, an embodiment of the present invention is a method of maintaining a desired amount of frictional engagement. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of a flat panel electronic display and mounting system according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of a mounting system according to an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a bottom plan view of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a rear elevation view of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is a rear perspective view of a mounting system according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 9  is a bottom plan view of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 10  is a side elevation view of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view taken through section  11 - 11  of  FIG. 8 ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 12  is a cross sectional view taken through section  12 - 12  of  FIG. 14A ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 13  is a fragmentary side elevation view of the guide structure and display interface portion of a mount according to an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0024]      FIG. 14A  is a fragmentary top plan view of the guide structure and display interface portion of a mount according to another embodiment of the invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 14B  is a fragmentary side elevation view of the guide structure and display interface portion depicted in  FIG. 14A ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 15  is an exploded view of the display interface and guide structure portions of a mount according to an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0027]      FIG. 16 a  side elevation view of a mounting system according to another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0028]      FIG. 17  is a top plan view of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 16 ;  
         [0029]      FIG. 18  is a bottom plan view of the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 16 ;  
         [0030]      FIG. 19  is a rear elevation view of an alternative embodiment of a mounting system according to an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0031]      FIG. 20  is a side elevation view of the embodiment of  FIG. 19 ;  
         [0032]      FIG. 21  is a top plan view of the embodiment of  FIG. 19 ; and  
         [0033]      FIG. 22  is a cross sectional view taken through section  22 - 22  of  FIG. 21 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0034]     A mounting device according to an embodiment of the present invention is depicted generally at  20  in the figures and generally includes a mounting device assembly  21  having a display interface  22 , guide structure  24 , and support structure  26 .  
         [0035]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-10 , the display interface  22  of the mounting device  20  generally includes a frusto-spherical cup  28  which defines opening  30 . Flange portion  32  extends laterally outward from outer edge  34  of frusto-spherical cup  28 , and includes apertures  36  defined therein for receiving fasteners  37  (see particularly  FIG. 1 ) to secure display interface  22  to an electronic display device  38 . The cup wall  33  of frusto-spherical cup  28  terminates at rear wall  35 . Rear wall  35  has central bore  39  defined therein.  
         [0036]     The guide structure  24  of the mounting device  20  generally includes body portion  40 , outer bearing  42 , and inner bearing assembly  44 . Body portion  40  is generally cup shaped and may be integrally formed from any suitable material such as metal or polymer, and generally includes outer circular wall  46  and inner circular wall  48  transversely coupled to rear wall  54 . The outer circular wall  46  and inner circular wall  48  cooperatively define circular recess  50  therebetween. Central boss  52  is generally cylindrically shaped and extends forwardly from rear wall  54 . An internally threaded bore  56  is defined coincident with the central axis  53  of the central boss  52 .  
         [0037]     The outer bearing  42  of the guide structure  24  is generally ring shaped and is received in recess  50  of body portion  40 . The axis of the outer bearing  42  is preferably in a coaxial disposition with a longitudinal axis  53  of the central boss  24  when the outer bearing  42  is integrated into the mounting device  20 . The outer bearing  42  has a bearing surface  58  which may be conformingly shaped, such as by beveling, with outer surface  60  of cup wall  33  of the frusto-spherical cup  28 . The outer bearing  42  has an opposed inner bearing surface  86  that bears against the rear wall  54 . The inner bearing surface  86  may be conformingly shaped with an adjacent surface of the rear wall  54 . Outer bearing  42  is generally annular, but may be discontinuous with a gap  62  defined between spaced apart ends  64 ,  66  (see particularly  FIG. 15 ).  
         [0038]     Set screw  68  extends through rear wall  54  of guide structure  24  and is received in gap  62  to inhibit rotation of outer bearing  42  in recess  50 . An advantage of the discontinuous outer bearing  42  is that the gap  62  allows the outer bearing  42  to expand radially, thereby assisting in the seating of the outer bearing  42 . Further, the discontinuous outer bearing  42  expands radially as the frictional biasing forces applied axially along axis  53  to the discontinuous outer bearing  42  are increased, thereby assisting in maintaining the desired amount of frictional biasing internal to the mounting device  20 .  
         [0039]     Inner bearing assembly  44  generally includes inner bearing disc  70 , washer  72  and threaded fastener  74  (see particularly  FIGS. 11 and 12 ). Inner bearing disc  70  defines square aperture  76 , which is received on flats  78  of central boss  52 . The central boss  52  extends through the bore  39  defined in the rear wall  35  of the cup  28 . Threaded fastener  74  extends through washer  72  and square aperture  76  and threads into bore  56  to secure inner bearing assembly  44  to body portion  40  with frusto-spherical cup  28  clamped between inner bearing disc  70  and outer bearing  42 .  
         [0040]     According to embodiments of the invention, friction adjustment control  80  enables selective frictional adjustment of the mounting device  20 . In an embodiment depicted in the cross-sectional view of  FIG. 11 , friction adjustment control  80  generally includes biasing screw  82 , which is threadedly received in a threaded aperture  83  defined in rear wall  54  of guide structure  24 .  
         [0041]     In operation, when screw  82  is tightened, distal end  84  of the screw  82  bears on inner bearing surface  86  of outer bearing  42 , forcing the outer bearing  42  forwardly against outer surface  60  of frusto-spherical cup  28  and in turn forcing inner surface  86  of the cup wall  33  of the frusto-spherical cup  28  more tightly against inner bearing disc  70 . Frusto-spherical cup  28  is thereby more tightly clamped between inner bearing disc  70  and outer bearing  72 , increasing frictional resistance to movement of frusto-spherical cup  28  relative to body portion  40 . Of course, it will be appreciated that loosening of biasing screw  82  will likewise result in less biasing clamping force applied to frusto-spherical cup  28  and a resultant lessening of frictional resistance to movement of frusto-spherical cup  28  relative to body portion  40 .  
         [0042]     In an alternative embodiment of the invention depicted in  FIG. 12 , screw  82  extends through threaded bore  88  defined in outer wall  46  of body portion  40 . Beveled surface  86  is provided on the outer bearing  42 . Distal end  84  of screw  82  may be tapered conformingly with beveled surface  86 . In operation, when screw  82  is tightened, tapered distal end  84  of screw  82  slides downward along beveled surface  86  and forces outer bearing  42  forward against outer surface  60  of frusto-spherical cup  28 . Again, frusto-spherical cup  28  is thereby more tightly clamped between inner bearing disc  70  and outer bearing  72 , increasing the frictional resistance to movement of frusto-spherical cup  28  relative to body portion  40 . As before, loosening of screw  82  will enable outer bearing  42  to recede rearward into recess  50 , resulting in less biasing clamping force applied to frusto-spherical cup  28  and a resultant lessening of frictional resistance to movement of frusto-spherical cup  28  relative to body portion  40 . In some embodiments, as depicted in  FIGS. 13, 14A  and  14 B, knob  90  may be coupled with screw  82  to enable fingertip adjustment of friction.  
         [0043]     In another alternative embodiment of the invention depicted in  FIGS. 19-22 , mounting device  20  generally includes wall interface plate  120  which receives mounting device assembly  21  thereon. Wall interface plate  120  defines wedge shaped central column  122  having opposing rearward facing beveled surfaces  124 . Rear face  126  of body portion  40  has a pair of spaced apart fastening structures  128 , each having a forward facing beveled surface (not depicted) confronting the rearward facing beveled surfaces  124  of the wall interface plate  120 .  
         [0044]     In the depicted embodiment, wall interface plate  120  may be mounted with rear face  129  confronting a wall surface  129 a. In operation, mounting device assembly  21  may be detached from wall interface plate  120  by moving mounting device assembly  21  vertically relative to wall interface plate  120  and pulling outwardly until fastening structures  128  are disengaged from central column  122 . Attachment of mounting device assembly  21  to wall interface plate  120  is accomplished by the reverse of this procedure.  
         [0045]     Also in the embodiment of  FIGS. 19-22 , outer wall  46  of mounting device assembly  21  includes raised boss  130  at top side  132  of body  40 . Boss  130  defines aperture  134  extending through from top surface  126  into recess  50 . Upper shaft  138  of wedge element  140  is slidably received and guided in aperture  134  while lower wedge shaped portion  142  bears on beveled surface  86  of outer bearing  42 . Screw  144  is threaded into aperture  134  and bears on upper shaft  138 . Knob  146  is fixed to screw  144  to enable a user to thread screw  144  in and out with only finger pressure. In operation, when screw  144  is tightened, wedge element  140  is forced downward, with lower wedge shaped portion  142  sliding downward along beveled surface  86 , thereby forcing outer bearing  42  outward against outer surface  60  of frusto-spherical cup  28 . Again, frusto-spherical cup  28  is thereby more tightly clamped between inner bearing disc  70  and outer bearing  42 , increasing the frictional resistance to movement of frusto-spherical cup  28  relative to body portion  40 . As before, loosening of screw  144  will enable outer bearing  42  to recede rearward into recess  50 , resulting in less biasing clamping force applied to frusto-spherical cup  28  and a resultant lessening of frictional resistance to movement of frusto-spherical cup  28  relative to body portion  40 .  
         [0046]     The friction adjustment mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention offers significant advantages over prior friction adjustment mechanisms. The weight of an electronic display attached to display interface  22  is borne primarily through fastener  74  to body portion  40  and does not tend to pull inner bearing disc  70  and outer bearing  42  apart. As a result, the weight of the electronic display does not tend to reduce the frictional clamping force on frusto-spherical cup  28  as in prior devices. In addition, since the friction adjustment mechanism is not working to partially support the weight of the display device, the friction adjustment requires much less force for a comparable friction effect. This may enable application of sufficient force to virtually “lock” the display in position with only finger tightness of screw  82 ,  144 . Further, the split outer bearing  42  enables relatively smoother sliding movement of frusto-spherical cup  28  between inner bearing disc  70  and outer bearing  42 .  
         [0047]     In embodiments of the invention, frusto-spherical cup  28  may be provided with a radius of curvature having a center generally coincident with the center of gravity of the display as described in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/449,834 and 11/147,987, previously incorporated herein by reference. This enables the electronic display to be substantially self-balancing, thereby requiring only minimal effort for positioning the display.  
         [0048]     Support structure  26  may be virtually any structure enabling attachment of guide structure  24  to a fixed structure such as a wall or column of a building. In the embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 1-6 , support structure  26  generally includes pivot block  92 , first arm  94 , second arm  96 , and wall plate  98 . Pivot block  92  is attached to rear wall  54  of guide structure  24  with fasteners  100 , which extend through apertures  102  in rear wall  54 , and that are received in threaded bores  104  in pivot block  92 . Vertical bore  106  is defined in pivot block  92  for receiving bolt  108 . First arm  94  has a corresponding vertical bore (not depicted) which receives bolt  108  and enables horizontal pivoting of pivot block  92  and guide structure  24  relative to first arm  94 . Nut  110  threads onto bolt  108  to secure pivot block  92  and first arm  94  together. Escutcheon  112  fits over bore  106  to provide a finished appearance to the upper surface of the device. Aperture  114  is provided in escutcheon  112  to enable bolt  108  to be accessed with a tool for tightening without requiring removal of escutcheon  112 .  
         [0049]     First arm  94  is pivotally attached to second arm  96 , and second arm  96  is pivotally attached to wall plate  98  using a similar arrangement to that described above. Spacer  116  may be provided between first arm  94  and second arm  96  to enable free movement of the arms without binding.  
         [0050]     In other embodiments of the invention, guide structure  24  may be coupled with wall plate  98  using only one swing arm as depicted in  FIGS. 7-10 , or directly pivotally attached to wall plate  98  as depicted in  FIGS. 16-18 . Again, however, it will be appreciated that virtually any other support structure may be used to couple guide structure  24  to a fixed structure. Such alternative support structures may include, for example, any combination of swinging, folding, or articulating arms enabling positioning of guide structure  24  horizontally or vertically relative to the fixed structure.