Patent Publication Number: US-8985534-B1

Title: Multi-configurable TV stand with bridging mount structure

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is related to and claims priority to earlier filed U.S. provisional patent application 61/680,713, filed Aug. 8, 2012, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The instant invention relates to the field of mounting systems for televisions to be wall-mounted or carried on a base (console). 
     The instant invention provides a flat panel television console and support kit for supporting a flat panel television (sold separately) in a plurality of different user assembled configurations. The kit incorporates components for a flat panel television console assembly with multiple shelves carried on horizontally extending shelf supports. 
     The manufacturer delivers to the consumer an unassembled kit including assembly instructions that instruct the consumer to assemble the console by engaging the shelves with the shelf supports and connecting the shelf supports to a pair of legs for structural support. When the shelves and legs are assembled, a flat panel television can be supported on an upper surface of the upper shelf. 
     The kit is customizable to suit consumer preferences. The kit includes additional features that may be selectively arranged and connected, depending on the desired configuration. The kit includes a bridging structure having two ends that can each be received in a bridge receptacle at an upper end of the first and second legs. The kit also includes a vertical column that has a lower end that can be detachably secured at a joint on the bridging structure so that the vertical column extends upwardly from the bridging structure. As described herein, the bridging structure and vertical column can be used together to provide an elevated support for the flat panel television. The kit also includes first and second cap structures that can be selectively received in the bridge receptacles when the bridging structure is not in use. For mounting a flat panel television, the kit includes a flat panel television mounting frame. 
     To facilitate customization of the console assembly by the consumer, the kit includes assembly instructions for various embodiments. Assembly instructions direct a consumer to assemble the kit in a first configuration in which a flat panel television is secured to the mounting frame, the mounting frame is secured adjacent to an upper end of the vertical column. The vertical column is hollow and has at least one opening for receiving wires, so that wires from the TV may be hidden within the vertical column. The vertical column is secured to the bridging structure, and the ends of the bridging structure are detachably secured in the bridge receptacles in the legs of the console assembly. The bridge receptacles may be upwardly facing openings, which may receive projections on the ends of the bridging structure. The consumer may then fasten the bridging structure to the legs. In this configuration, the flat panel television is supported above the upper surface of the upper shelf by the vertical column. 
     The kit may include a sound bar or sensor shelf that is detachably secured to the vertical column and extends horizontally from the vertical column. The sound bar/sensor shelf may be secured to the vertical column at various vertical positions. 
     The joint at which the vertical column is secured to the bridging structure may be fixed or may allow the vertical column to rotate with respect to the bridging section. 
     The bridging section may be in the form of an arch or may be linear between its ends. 
     The assembly instructions further directs a consumer to assemble the kit in a second possible configuration in which the flat panel television is secured to the mounting frame and the mounting frame is secured to a wall. Caps are received in the bridge receptacles in the legs. The console is positioned beneath the flat panel television, and can be used to support accessory components for the flat panel television. 
     Additionally, the assembly instructions directs a consumer to assemble the kit in a third possible configuration in which the consumer places a flat panel television, inclusive of its own stand (or base), on the upper shelf of the console. In this configuration, the consumer inserts the caps in the bridge receptacles on the legs. 
     Accordingly, among the objects of the instant invention is the provision of a console assembly, a bridging structure, a vertical column, a cap structure and a mounting frame that can be constructed and arranged with an aesthetically matched design to form an aesthetically matched set of kit components. It is further an object of the present invention to provide advantages for the consumer and the retailer. For the retailer, stocking the kit avoids having to stock multiple disparate kits, which would create a customer service burden, to help the consumer select the right kit, and restocking costs when kits are returned. For the consumer, the kit satisfies the mounting requirements for virtually any TV that the consumer might initially use it with, and to TVs that the consumer may acquire in the future. The console may be assembled and used alone with a conventional CRT TV, or with a flat panel TV mounted on its own stand (base). Then later when the consumer acquires a Vesa standard LCD TV, for example, the consumer can attach the mounting frame to the bridging structure, attach the bridging structure to the legs, and suspend the flat panel TV above the console by securing the flat panel TV to the mounting frame. Should the consumer later acquire a still larger TV, or prefer wall mounting, the mounting frame can be used again, and secured to a wall. The kit incorporates multi-purposed components to reduce the parts count. All components can be broken down to lie flat for shipping and storage in the minimum space. The kit provides for a floating appearance of the flat panel TV above the console and this visual effect is enhanced by being able to hide the wires and cables within the support. 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the present invention: 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of the flat panel television console and support kit of the present invention in a first configuration; 
         FIG. 1B  is a perspective view thereof in a first configuration with the sound bar/sensor shelf positioned above the mounting frame; 
         FIG. 1C  is a perspective view of assembly instructions; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the kit in a second configuration; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view thereof in a third configuration; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the kit in a first configuration without a television mounted on the mounting frame; 
         FIG. 5  is a top view thereof; 
         FIG. 6  is a front view thereof; 
         FIG. 7  is a right view thereof; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view thereof with the sound bar/sensor shelf positioned above the mounting frame; 
         FIG. 9  shows how the bridging structure may be removed from the legs; 
         FIG. 10  shows the kit in a second configuration; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the kit in a first configuration; 
         FIG. 12  is a top view thereof; 
         FIG. 13  is a front view thereof; 
         FIG. 14  is a right view thereof; 
         FIG. 15  shows how the bridging structure may be removed from the legs; and 
         FIG. 16  shows the kit in a second configuration. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, the flat panel television (TV) console and support kit of the instant invention is illustrated and generally indicated at  10  in  FIGS. 1A-16 . As will hereinafter be more fully described, the instant invention provides a multi-configurable television stand with a bridging structure and bridging mount structure that is usable in various configurations as selected by the consumer. 
     The manufacturer provides a set of aesthetically matched kit components that can be assembled in an aesthetically matched design in at least three configurations.  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  2 , and  3  show various configurations from which a consumer can choose when assembling the flat panel television console and support kit provided by the manufacturer.  FIG. 1C  shows a printed set of assembly instructions  15  that instruct the user to assemble the kit in the various configurations. In each configuration, the television  11  is mounted in a viewable position either on or above the console  10 , which can be used to support TV accessories (not shown—sold separately). Consumers can select from these configurations according to their preferences and the physical dimensions of the space in which they place the assembled console. The kit includes all of the parts required for the various configurations, and a consumer may convert the console from one configuration to another by incorporating or removing kit components, according to the assembly instructions, as discussed below. 
     Each of the configurations in  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  2 , and  3  includes a console  10  for supporting accessory components and a flat panel television  11  (sold separately), depending on the configuration. The console assembly  10  includes lower, middle, and upper horizontally extending shelf supports  12 ,  14 ,  16  supported between a pair of legs,  24 . Lower, middle, and upper shelves  18 ,  20 ,  22  are supported on the lower, middle, and upper shelf supports,  12 ,  14 ,  16 , respectively. The console  10  can support a flat panel television  11  on the upper surface of the upper shelf  22 . The console  10  may include more or fewer legs or shelf supports and shelves without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     The kit also includes a television mounting frame  34  to which a flat panel television  11  may be secured. The mounting frame  34  may be secured to the wall or to the console assembly  10 , depending on the desired configuration of the kit components, as discussed in more detail below. 
     The consumer may detachably secure a sound bar/sensor shelf  30  to the vertical column  28  at various positions. In  FIG. 1A , the consumer has chosen to place the sound bar/sensor shelf  30  of the kit below the TV  11 , while in  FIG. 1B , the consumer has chosen to place the sound bar/sensor shelf  30  above the TV  11 . 
     The assembly instructions  15  direct a consumer to assemble the kit in a first configuration, shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B . In this configuration, a flat panel television  11  is secured to the mounting frame  34 , and the mounting frame  34  is secured towards the upper end of the vertical column  28 , which is secured to the bridging structure  26  at a joint. The consumer attaches the bridging structure  26  to the console  10  by inserting each end of the bridging structure  26  into a bridge receptacle  25  in the legs  24  of the console  10 . In this configuration, the legs  24 , bridging structure  26 , vertical column  28 , and mounting frame  34  provide a secure support structure for the flat panel TV  11  so that the TV  11  is supported above the console  10 . 
     The vertical column  28  is hollow and has at least one opening for receiving wires. Thus, the consumer can hide wires connected to the TV  11  by running them through the vertical column  28 . 
     The assembly instructions  15  also direct a consumer to assemble the kit in a second possible configuration, as shown in  FIG. 2 , in which the flat panel TV  11  is secured to the mounting frame  34 , which is secured to a wall in the room. This configuration does not use the vertical column  28 , and the bridging structure  26  is not inserted into the bridge receptacles. Instead, to cover the openings in the legs  24  defined by the bridge receptacles  25 , the consumer inserts caps  35  into the bridge receptacles  25 . These caps  35  provide a solid upper end on each leg  24 . The console  10  is positioned beneath the mounting frame  34  so that the TV  11  is secured above the console  10 . The console  10  can be used to support accessory components for the TV  11 . 
     The assembly instructions  15  still further direct a consumer to assemble the components in a third possible configuration, as shown in  FIG. 3 , in which the TV  11  is supported directly on the upper surface of the upper shelf  22  of the console  10 . In this configuration, the mounting frame  34 , vertical column  28 , and bridging structure  26  are omitted. As in the second configuration, the caps  35  are inserted in the bridge receptacles  25 . The television  11  is supported by a TV stand, such as one typically purchased with a flat panel TV  11 , and which is not necessarily a part of the kit of the present invention. 
       FIGS. 4-7  show the console assembly  10  in the configuration of  FIG. 1A  without the TV  11  mounted on the mounting frame  34 .  FIG. 8  shows the console assembly in the configuration of  FIG. 1B  without the TV  11  mounted on the mounting frame  34 .  FIGS. 4-8  further illustrate the aesthetically matched design of the kit components. 
     When the ends of the bridging structure  26  are received in the bridge receptacles  25 , the bridging structure  26  spans the width of the console  10  and can be used to support a TV  11  above the console  10  by way of a vertical column  28 . The vertical column  28  has a lower end that can be detachably secured to the bridging structure  26  at a joint so that the vertical column  28  extends upwardly from the bridging structure  26  and the vertical column  28  provides an elevated support for a flat panel television  11 . The joint can be fixed or it can allow rotation of the vertical column with respect to the bridging structure so that the TV  11  can be rotated to the left or right with respect to the console  10  as desired. 
       FIGS. 9-10  show how the console  10  may be converted from the configuration of  FIG. 1A  to the configuration of  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 9  shows that the upper ends of the legs  24  have bridge receptacles  25  that can each receive an end of the bridging structure  26 . The bridge receptacles  25  visible in  FIG. 9  are upwardly facing openings on the upper ends of the legs  24  of the console  10 . The bridging structure has two ends, each with a downwardly facing projection  27 . To secure the bridging structure  26  to the legs  24 , the consumer inserts the projections  27  into the openings defined by the upwardly facing bridge receptacles  25 . The consumer may then use fasteners to further secure the ends of the bridging structure to the legs of the console assembly. To convert the console  10  from the first configuration to the second configuration, the consumer may simply unfasten the bridging structure  26  from the legs  24  and move the bridging structure  26  in the direction of the arrows A. The consumer then inserts a cap  35  into each bridge receptacle  25 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , to form a solid upper surface on each leg  24 . 
     The bridging structure  26  can be in the form of an arch between the first and second ends, as shown in  FIGS. 1A-10 , or it can be linear between the first and second ends.  FIGS. 11-16  show a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the bridging structure is not in the form of a continuous arch between its ends. The front view of the bridging structure  26  in  FIG. 13  shows upwardly concave sections  40  at the ends of the bridging structure and a downwardly concave middle section  42  of the bridging structure  26 . 
     It can therefore be seen that the present invention provides a console assembly, a bridging structure, a vertical column, a cap structure and a mounting frame that can be constructed and arranged with an aesthetically matched design to form an aesthetically matched set of kit components. Additionally, the present invention provides advantages to the consumer and the retailer. For these reasons, the instant invention is believed to represent a significant advancement in the art which has substantial commercial merit. 
     While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.