Abstract:
A novel support system for the mounting/suspension/elevation of a commercial projector is disclosed. The projector support disclosed herein grasps the projector to be mounted at one of its surfaces (typically, the bottom surface) through the use of two support arms. The design/arrangement of these support arms is critical as numerous prior art attempts to come up with a general purpose solution to the projector mounting problem have failed. The support arms are affixed to the projector surface through mounting screws or other equivalent fastening mechanisms. Importantly, the support arms each feature an adjustment slot which runs substantially the entire length of the arms. The presence of the two slotted arms allows for a countless array of scissoring arrangements for the support arms. This is critical because it allows for interconnection with/mounting of the vast majority of commercial projectors (which invariably feature differing constellations of mounting holes). The projector support also employs a primary mount to facilitate swiveling/positioning of the projector so that the unit is effectually oriented for projection.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
     Field of the Invention  
       [0001]     This invention is directed towards the mounting systems designed to support projection equipment.  
         [0002]     Buyer&#39;s Remorse: Recognizing the Needfor a Support System After the Purchase of a Projector.  
         [0003]     Many purchasers of modern projector systems discover only after removing the projector from its packaging, and placing it in the company conference room, that an effective mounting system for the projector is desperately needed (time is usually short) and not at hand.  
         [0004]     Although  FIG. 1  depicts a novel projection equipment support system, the details of which will be reviewed shortly hereinbelow, the reader is directed instead initially to  FIG. 2A, 2B ,  2 C,  2 D, and  2 E. These figures have been included herein for the specific purpose of dramatizing the very real and vexing nature of the problem to which this invention is directed.  
         [0005]      FIG. 2A  depicts a perspective view of a typical unit of projection equipment  200  (or, projector  200 ). The projector  200  is shown in an upside-down state which is the orientation in which most such projectors are mounted when suspended from the company&#39;s conference room ceiling. Ceiling suspension of projectors  200  is desired because it frees up conference table space for working papers, telephone equipment, and other office paraphernalia. It also tends to minimize accidental blockage of the projection image when the projector  200  is in use.  
         [0006]     The bottom surface  202  of the projector  200  is also shown.  
         [0007]     Notice the presence of the three mounting holes  204   a ,  204   b ,  204   c  in  FIG. 2A . These mounting holes  204   a ,  204   b ,  204   c  also appear in  FIGS. 2B, 2C , and  2 D; however, their location is entirely different. Notice, as well, that, in  FIG. 2E , a fourth mounting hole  204   d  makes its appearance in that commercially available variant of projector  200 .  
         [0008]     If each of these projectors included a customized mounting system to facilitate its suspension from the ceiling, the buyer&#39;s task would be a simple one (i.e., following the installation instructions for the mounting system and suspending the projector). However, all too often, projectors are designed, manufactured and sold with the implicit assumption that their surface  202  will face the floor (the only consideration to the contrary being the existence of the mounting holes  204 ), and the poor buyer is therefore left to his own devices to locate a mounting system to stably, reliably, and cost-effectively suspend his newly purchased projector (on short notice).  
         [0009]     Unfortunately, the projector accessories aftermarket isn&#39;t terribly helpful either. Trying to locate a mounting system that will “fit” the fixed arrangement of mounting holes  204  can be extremely frustrating and, worse, time-consuming. Frequently, a user will locate, purchase, and attempt to install a mounting system only to discover that the a mounting system cannot mate with the constellation of mounting holes  204  at hand.  
         [0010]     In fact, even if the user was careful in his shopping, and he identified a mounting system that appeared to have support structures of the correct linear dimensions, he discovers another problem. The surface  202  of many projectors  200  feature surface irregularities  206  that vary widely. That is, for example, the bottom surface  202  of the projector  200  appearing in  FIG. 2A  features a bulged surface  206  owing to some of the projector  200 &#39;s internal components and circuitry. This irregular surface  206  can easily confound numerous mounts designed with a flat undersurface  202  in mind, and, once again, the contours of surface  202  vary from projector to projector (compare, for example,  FIG. 2A  with  FIG. 2C ).  
         [0011]     What is needed is a projection equipment support system that: (a) adapts to a wide variety of mounting hole constellations and projector surface topologies; (b) provides a stable source of support; and (c) is easy to use. It is to this long-felt need that the instant invention is directed.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     This patent application relates to a novel support system for the mounting a commercial projector.  
         [0013]     The projector support disclosed herein grasps the projector to be mounted at one of its surfaces (typically, the bottom surface) through the use of two support arms. The design/arrangement of these support arms is critical as numerous prior art attempts to come up with a general purpose solution to the projector mounting problem have failed.  
         [0014]     The support arms are affixed to the projector surface through mounting screws or other equivalent fastening mechanisms. Importantly, the support arms each feature an adjustment slot which runs substantially the entire length of the arms.  
         [0015]     The presence of the two slotted arms allows for a countless array of scissoring arrangements for the support arms. This is critical because it allows for interconnection with/mounting of the vast majority of commercial projectors (which invariably feature differing constellations of mounting holes).  
         [0016]     The projector support also employs a primary mount to facilitate swiveling/positioning of the projector so that the unit is effectually oriented for projection.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]      FIG. 1  presents a perspective view of the invention  100 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 2A  presents a perspective view of a projector  200  illustrating that projector&#39;s unique arrangement of mounting holes  204  and surface irregularities  206 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 2B  presents a perspective view of a projector  200  illustrating that projector&#39;s unique arrangement of mounting holes  204 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 2C  presents a perspective view of a projector  200  illustrating that projector&#39;s unique arrangement of mounting holes  204  and surface irregularities  206 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 2D  presents a perspective view of a projector  200  illustrating that projector&#39;s unique arrangement of mounting holes  204 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 2E  presents a perspective view of a projector  200  illustrating that projector&#39;s unique arrangement of mounting holes  204 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 3A  presents a perspective view of a portion of the invention  100  showing the placement of the mounting screws vis-à-vis the mounting holes. This first sample installation of the invention  100  responds to the mounting hole placement constellation presented in  FIG. 2A .  
         [0024]      FIG. 3B  presents a perspective view of a portion of the invention  100  showing the placement of the primary mount in a partially assembled state.  
         [0025]      FIG. 3C  presents a perspective view of the fully assembled invention  100  showing the placement of the primary mount.  
         [0026]      FIG. 3D  presents a perspective view of the invention  100  and depicts the positional adjustments that the invention  100  makes possible.  
         [0027]      FIG. 3E  presents a perspective view of the invention  100 . This second sample installation of the invention  100  responds to the mounting hole placement constellation presented in  FIG. 2B .  
         [0028]      FIG. 3F  presents a perspective view of the spacers  116  used in the invention  100 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 4A  presents a perspective view of an alternative primary mount  114  (namely, a dual-hinged mount).  
         [0030]      FIG. 4B  presents a perspective view of an alternative primary mount  114  (namely, a fixed mount).  
         [0031]      FIG. 4C  presents a perspective view of the invention  100  as used to elevate a projector  200  from above the surface of a conference room table (rather than to suspend a projector  200  from the surface of a ceiling).  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0032]     Turning, now, to the drawings, in which the use of similar reference characters denotes similar elements across the figures,  FIG. 3A  presents a perspective view of a portion of the invention  100 ; specifically, it and  FIGS. 3B, 3C , and  3 D which follow present a view of a sample installation of the invention  100 . A second sample installation of the projector support is shown in  FIG. 3E .  
         [0033]     Returning to  FIG. 3A , the projection equipment support system  100  is designed to support the projector  200  through inter-connection with the surface  202  of the projector  200 . When the invention  100  (or “projector support  100 ”) is properly installed and configured, the projector  200  will be maintained at an effectual orientation (relative to a support structure such as the ceiling (the usual case), a wall, or a conference table, podium, or floor) for projection of an image.  
         [0034]     Mounting holes  204  are a characteristic of surface  202  of projector  200 , and their presence was emphasized in the discussion of  FIGS. 2A, 2B ,  2 C,  2 D, and  2 E. These holes  204  are hidden from view in  FIGS. 3A, 3B ,  3 C,  3 D, and  3 E by the invention  100 . However, the mounting holes  204  present in  FIGS. 3A, 3B ,  3 C, and  3 D are the ones depicted in  FIG. 2A . The mounting holes  204  present in  FIG. 3E  are the ones present in  FIG. 2B .  
         [0035]     Although the invention is defined with reference to all of its elements and their inter-relationships with one another, there are still two important things to notice ab initio about the nature of the projector support  100  disclosed herein. First of all, notice that the projector support  100  features two support arms  102 ,  104 . Many mount designs envision the use of several support arms with all of the attendant complexity and cost that such a design methodology entails.  
         [0036]     Second, notice that each of the support arms  102 ,  104  features an adjustment slot portion  106 ,  108 . And notice, in particular, the elongate dimension of the adjustment slot portions  106 ,  108 . The elongate dimensions are such that they run the substantial length of the support arms  102 ,  104 . These long adjustment slot portions  106 ,  108  make it possible to configure the projector support  100  into innumerable shapes, responsive to the vast majority of mounting hole  204  constellations.  
         [0037]     It should also be noted that, while a single elongated adjustment slot (as shown in the drawings in this application) is doubtless the preferred embodiment of the adjustment slot portion  106 ,  108 , the adjustment slot portion  106 ,  108  could also be configured as a series of smaller slot segments, a series of holes, or even a combination of the two. Because the adjustment slot portion  106 ,  108  essentially acts as a generic fastener support portion, it is even conceivable to utilize clamp-fitted fasteners slidably positionable along the fastener support portion to effectuate the intent of the invention  100 . None of these variants would substantially impair the functionality of the projector support  100 .  
         [0038]     As shown in  FIG. 3A , the first support arm  102  is affixed to the surface  202  through the use of mounting screws  10   a ,  10   b . Each of the mounting screws  10   a ,  110   b  (or their functional equivalents) are positioned within the adjustment slot portion  106  of the first support arm  102  and engaged to a corresponding mounting hole  204   a ,  204   b  so as to affix the first support arm  102  to the surface  202 .  
         [0039]     The second support arm  104  is affixed in a slightly different manner. First, second support arm  104  is affixed to the surface  202  by means of mounting screw  112  which is similarly positioned within the adjustment slot portion  108  of second support arm  104 . The mounting screw  112  engages its corresponding mounting hole  204   c  on the surface  202  of projector  200 . The second support arm  104  is also affixed to projector  200  somewhat indirectly by means of a fastener  120  which is positioned within both of the adjustment slot portions  106 ,  108  of the support arms  102 ,  104 . This fastener  120  is shown as being of the screw-and-nut variety; its primary purpose, as its name suggests, is to secure the first support arm  102  to the second support arm  104 .  
         [0040]     It should be noted that, although, in  FIG. 3A , the second support arm  104  is affixed to both the surface  202  and the first support arm  102 , it could instead be fastened directly to the surface  202  in precisely the same manner as first support arm  102 . That is, the second support arm  104  could be affixed to the surface  202  through the use of a plurality of mounting screws  112 , each of which would be positioned within the adjustment slot portion  108  of the second support arm  104  and engaged to a corresponding mounting hole  204  so as to affix the second support arm  104  to the surface  202 . In such an embodiment, a fastener linking the support arms  102 ,  104  such as fastener  120  would be somewhat optional in character.  
         [0041]     In fact, if mounting holes  204  allowed for the creation of an angle between the support arms  102 ,  104  that is obtuse enough to effectually distribute the weight of the projector  200 , it is even believed to be possible to secure the projector  200  using only a single mounting screw  110 ,  112  for each support arm  102 ,  104 . However, given the low cost of these fasteners, and the tremendous incremental stability imparted through the use of additional inter-connective members, it is generally recommended to employ one of the preferred embodiments described hereinabove.  
         [0042]     Turning, now, to  FIG. 3B , an additional element of the projector support  100  is revealed: the primary mount  114 . The primary mount  114  is the link between the projector  200  (as fitted with the support arms  102 ,  104 ) and the support structure  300  (not shown in many of the figures) which will usually be the ceiling, a wall, or a table.  
         [0043]     A preferred embodiment of the primary mount  114  is a ball mount  114  as shown in  FIGS. 3A, 3B ,  3 C,  3 D, and  3 E. The designs of a broad array of ball mounts  114  are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art; however, a short review of the design and operation of a simple ball mount  114  ensures that the reader appreciates its operative contribution to the projector support  100 .  
         [0044]     In a nutshell, the ball mount assembly  114  features five components. First of all, there is the ball  114   a  itself which is most clearly visible in  FIG. 3B . Note that the ball is fixedly attached to a ball mount shaft  114   b . In  FIGS. 3B, 3C ,  3 D, and  3 E, the ball mount shaft  114   b  is fixedly attached at its lower end to the second support arm  104  through a screw-and-nut—type fastener. If the other components of the ball mount assembly  114  didn&#39;t block the reader&#39;s view, the ball mount shaft  114   b  would be apparent as a fixed structure rising perpendicularly from the second support arm  104  so as to elevate and support the fixed ball  114   a.    
         [0045]     The ball mount cup  114   c  is, as its name implies, a cup-shaped structure with a wide-diameter hole (not shown) centered in the bottom of the cup  114   c  to allow for broad movement of the cup  114   c  about the shaft  114   b ; however, the hole features a diameter which is smaller than that of the ball  114   a  so that the ball  114   a  cannot escape the cup  114   c  through the hole, and, in fact, the hole&#39;s edge is contoured so as to receive the ball  114   a  into a spherical recess. Notice that, in the absence of the ball mount clamp  114   d  (described below), the ball mount cup  114   c  could rotate quite freely about the ball mount shaft  114   b.    
         [0046]     The ball mount clamp  114   d  is essentially a solid cylinder with a spherical recess. Its outer surface features threads which interlace with threads on the inner surface of the ball mount cup  114   c . As the clamp is rotated, the clamp&#39;s recess tightens down on the ball  114   a  so that, when the clamp is rotated to its maximum, the ball  114   a  is tightly clamped between the two recess portions of the assembly.  
         [0047]     Notice that, in  FIG. 3C , the cup-and-clamp assembly has been tightened into place in such a position that the clamp mounting members  114   e  are essentially perpendicular to the surface  202 , while, in  FIG. 3D , the clamp mounting members  114   e  are at an angle to the surface  202 . This ability to configure and secure an angled orientation between ball mount shaft  114   b  and ball mount clamp mounting members  114   e  is what imparts the ball mount  114  its utility both in general and to this invention.  
         [0048]     It should also be noted that many ball mount designs  114  allow the designer to impart variable resistance to the primary mount  114 . This is usually done in part through the judicious selection of materials so as to manage the relevant coefficients of friction. In such a design, the user could gently impart a swiveling force to the projector  200 , and it would indeed swivel to a new location; however, once it reached a new location, it would tend to maintain that position until a similar, sufficient swiveling force motivated change to a new static position.  
         [0049]     In addition, although a preferred embodiment of the primary mount  114  is a ball mount (as shown in  FIGS. 3B, 3C ,  3 D, and  3 E), other mounts which impart similar/equivalent functionality may of course be employed. For example,  FIG. 4A  depicts an embodiment of the invention in which primary mount  114  is a dual-hinge—type mount which imparts functionality similar to that of the ball mount  114  in  FIG. 3C .  FIG. 4B , by contrast, features a primary mount  114  which is fixed in its orientation.  
         [0050]      FIG. 3D  demonstrates graphically one of the primary benefits of employing projector support embodying the principles of the invention  100 : its versatility. The figure makes readily apparent how the support arms  102 ,  104  can be scissored into a myriad number of positions, based upon the application at hand. Furthermore, as discussed above, the ball mount  114  can be swiveled about the full range of motion made possible by the ball; in addition, the primary mount  114  can be slidably re-positioned to any one of the countless locations along the support arm  104  so as to centralize the support function (i.e., distribute the weight of the projector so as to manage stresses imparted to the projector support  100  and to facilitate pointing the projector  200  in the desired direction).  
         [0051]     It should be noted that, although the embodiments shown herein depict a primary mount  114  mounted to the second support arm  104 , those of ordinary skill in the art will doubtless appreciate that the invention  100  will operate equally well with the primary mount  114  secured to the first support arm  102 .  
         [0052]     Turning, now, to  FIG. 3E , a perspective view of a second sample installation of the invention  100  is presented. This depiction of the projector support  100  responds to the mounting hole placement constellation presented in  FIG. 2B .  
         [0053]     Notice that, although the mounting hole  204  placement in  FIG. 2B, 3E  is radically different from the mounting hole placement shown in  FIG. 2A, 3A , the projector support  100  solves the problem of effectuating a stable, solid mounting/support structure with ease.  
         [0054]     Notice, in  FIG. 3E , the presence of spacers  116   a ,  116   b ,  116   c . These spacers are most useful when surface irregularities  206  are a problem (recall the examples presented in  FIGS. 2A, 2C ). In such cases, spacers  116  can be installed to separate a portion of the projector support  100  from the projector  200  (so as to get around or clear any surface irregularities  206 ). These spacers  116  are simply positioned on the mounting screws  110 ,  112 . Frequently, a single spacer  116  will be employed for each mounting screw  110 ,  112 ; however, irregular insertions of spacers may also be employed in response to substantial surface irregularities  206 .  
         [0055]     Turning, now, to  FIG. 3F , one observes the typical perspective appearance of one of the spacers  116 . Although the projector  200  is rarely moved once installed, it is certainly moved about during installation, during maintenance, and during office moves. Because of this, and because of the fact that most projectors  200  are of nontrivial weight, effective spacers  116  will commonly feature a wall thickness of no less than about one-third of the outer spacer diameter.  
         [0056]     Turning, now, to  FIG. 4A , a perspective view of an alternative primary mount  114 , namely, a dual-hinged mount, is presented. This mount, while operating according to physical principles which differ greatly from those at work in the ball mount shown in  FIG. 3C , effectuates similar/equivalent functionality.  
         [0057]      FIG. 4B  presents a perspective view of an alternative primary mount  114 , namely, a fixed mount. Use of such a fixed mount  114  might well be desirable in situations in which the desired orientation of the projector  200  to the support structure  300  is both known and also known to be unlikely to change.  
         [0058]      FIG. 4C  presents a perspective view of the invention  100  as used to elevate a projector  200  from above the surface of a conference room table (rather than to suspend a projector  200  from the surface of a ceiling).  
         [0059]     Although the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, this description should not be construed in a limiting sense. Rather, various improvements, modifications, and additions to the disclosed embodiment, which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention, will become apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art, and these improvements, modifications and additions, and their equivalents, are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the claimed invention as defined below.