Patent Abstract:
Improvements in a wall mount bracket are disclosed. The bracket works with flat panel televisions, monitors, signs and boards. An elongated back member is secured to a wall. The back member has a single vertical tang. One or more brackets have an angled slot that engages onto the tang. Once engaged the bracket is rotated to a vertical orientation. In the vertical orientation a ledge on the angled slot prevents the bracket from being lifted off the back member unless the bracket is rotated to align the angled slot with the tang. The back member further has bent tabs to prevent the bracket from being slid horizontally off the back member. The entire placement and locking of the bracket and the back member is performed from a top to bottom motion.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to improvements in a wall mountable bracket. More particularly, the present wall mountable bracket allows for placement of the bracket on a wall hanger in a top down motion. The bracket has a narrow rotational engage window where the bracket slides onto the wall hanger. Once engaged the bracket rotates into vertical orientation and locks the bracket onto the wall hanger preventing disengagement from vertical lifting of the bracket. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    There are many types of TV, board and shelf mounting patents that incorporate a variety of different attachment methods. Each patent approaches the problem based upon security of the device on the wall and the method of installation. To focus the background this disclosure limits the identified patents with inventions that secure to a back brace with a top to bottom securing motion and to brackets that provide some form of blocking to prevent disconnection with the back brace if the bracket is lifted vertically without the use of screws or additional hardware to secure the bracket onto the back brace. Exemplary examples of bracket mountings is found in the below identified patents. 
         [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,323 issued May 28, 1991 to Knud Clauson and U.S. Pat. No. 7,086,543 issued Aug. 8, 2006 to Lee E. Remmers both disclose a wall panel of shelving system made from sheet material where the shelf or panel is brought down into a back member and the shelf or panel is rotated into a cavity in the back member. Once the shelf or panel in installed a detail on the bracket or panel minimizes upward motion of the bracket or panel to prevent the bracket or panel from being dislodged. While both of these patents provide the blocking ability to prevent the shelf or panel from being removed from the back member they utilize an open cavity in the back member for capturing the bracket or panel that increases the cost of manufacturing and the bracket or panel must still be lifted slightly to engage it with the back member. In addition these patents do not disclose a stop on one or both ends of the back member to prevent the bracket or panel from being slid off the side of the back member. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,832 issued Sep. 24, 1991 to E. Desmond Lee et al., discloses a modular storage unit mounting system. The wall fastening components include a “C” bracket that is secured to the storage unit and a back member that has a raised lip on the tip. The installer hooks the top of the “C” bracket on the back member and then rotates the storage unit until the storage unit rests against the wall. The lower part of the “C ” bracket prevents vertical motion of the “C” bracket to prevent accidental dislodging of the storage unit from the wall. While this patent provides a bracket and back member that is vertically located on a back member and the engagement prevents accidental removal from vertical motion the “C” bracket engages on the back member from bends located both above and below the back member. The bracketing system also requires the storage unit to prevent rotation of the bracket. The patent does not provide an end stop to prevent the storage unit from being slid off the side of the back member. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,295 issued Jan. 19, 1982 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,761 issued Sep. 13, 1983 both to Walker Jamar disclose a wall mounting presentation system having a locking holder. The wall securing components are similar in construction with the previously identified Desmond Lee patent where a “C” bracket connects and secures to the back member. One major difference is the shape of the back member. In Desmond Lee the back member was formed from sheet metal while in these patents the back member is molded. The Jamar patents are most specifically intended for use on a presentation board to allow the presentation board to be easily secured and removed using the “C” bracket on the back member. In  FIGS. 4-6  in patent &#39;763 the mounting bracket uses a hinge to articulate the presentation board over and onto the back member. The addition of the hinge adds another level of complexity. The bracketing system relies upon a loose fit for the bracket to make the presentation board easy to erect and take down and the loose fit also makes it susceptible to accidental removal. In operation the presentation board sits at an angle and requires the “C” bracket to pivot to maintain engaged contact with the back member. These patents do not provide an end stop to prevent the presentation board from being slid off either side of the back member. 
         [0006]    What is needed is a simple bracket and back member that is installed from a top to bottom motion that locks the bracket to prevent accidental removal from vertical motion. The pieces would provide their own walls rotation stops and include details that prevent the brackets from being slid of the sides of the back member. The proposed bracket a back member provides this solution in a simple two or three piece system that can be used to hang a variety of items from flat panel televisions to writing boards, display signs, wall panels, posters, pictures and more. 
         [0007]    While the disclosed wall mounting components are ideally intended for use as a cost effective wall mounting method for a flat screen television the device is also well suited for securing writing boards, display signs, wall panels, posters, pictures and other planar and multi dimensional items. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is an object of the wall bracket with integrated vertical lock for the bracket to be configured with an angled slot that allows the bracket to only be removed from the back member when the slot is properly aligned. The alignment ensures that the bracket is not dislodged from the back member if it is bumped or lifted. In operation the removal of the bracket requires the user to rotate away the bottom of the bracket to align the slot before they begin to lift the bracket from the back member. 
         [0009]    It is an object of the wall bracket with integrated vertical lock to engage the wall bracket with the back member using a motion from top downward. This is particularly important when installing a heavy item where gravity forces the item downward. The down facing slot allows an installer to start with the apparatus far above the back member and slide the bracket down the wall until the bracket makes contact with the back member where it hooks onto the back member. Gravity will the pivot and rotate the slot into engagement with the back member thereby securing the two pieces in together. 
         [0010]    It is another object of the wall bracket with integrated vertical lock to have details to prevent the brackets from sliding off the ends of the back member. The details are bent ears on the ends of the back member that stop the bracket from sliding past the end of the back member. This is particularly important because a user may hang a television on the brackets and then want to re-position the television on the wall by sliding the television and brackets on the back member. Without the bent ears a user could slide the monitor until one bracket becomes dislodged from the back member that would result in the display falling. 
         [0011]    It is still another object of the wall bracket with integrated vertical lock to provide brackets that prevent excessive rotation of the mounted object. This is important because a mounted object such as a television requires some air flow for cooling and because the television should be mounted to align the television in a vertical orientation and without the rotation prevention details the television could rotate the screen to an undesirable angle. 
         [0012]    Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  shows an isometric view of the bracket and back member secured together. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2A-2D  shows the bracket being engaged on the back member 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  shows the bracket and back member mounted with a flat panel monitor or television. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  shows the engagement angle of the bracket. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a detailed view of the engagement portion of the bracket and the back member. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the bracket on the back member. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]      FIG. 1  shows an isometric view of the bracket  20  and back member  50  secured together and further bolted  56  to a wall. This is the configuration how the two components would be engaged when they are installed on a wall. This view provides a visual of the majority of the parts to provide a basic understanding of the design. Starting with the back member  50  that is formed from a sheet metal or equivalent material. The back member  50  is formed in an elongated shape from 12 inches or less to eight feet or more depending upon the installation. In the preferred embodiment for holding a flat panel monitor or television the back member is about 26 inches in length. This length is determined based upon the size of what is being supported. In the preferred embodiment the length allows the back member  70  to be disposed entirely behind the object being supported. 
         [0020]    The back member has two parallel sections including a wall mounting section  53  and an upper tab  51 . While these sections are identified as parallel it is contemplated that there could be some angular relationship between them based upon a desired engagement with the bracket  20 . A horizontal bend section  52  joins the wall mounting section  53  and an upper tab  51 . The wall mounting section  53  has a plurality of holes or elongated slots  55  for placement of screws or bolts  56  to mount the back member to a wall  49 . In the preferred embodiment these slots  55  are located and configured for placement of the bolt(s)  56  into wall studs in a home or building. On the outside ends of the upper tab a side stop  54  is deformed from the upper tab  51  to prevent the bracket  20  from being slid off the end of the back member  50 . 
         [0021]    The bracket  20  is also an elongated member that is made from sheet metal or equivalent material. The bracket is essentially an L bracket with a foot formed to make a wall contact tab  25  that is connected to a bottom bend  24  that is bend from the monitor mounting side  21  of the bracket. The L bracket has a monitor mounting side  21  where a monitor television cabinet, board or other item would be secures and a angled slot side  22  for mounting the bracket  20  onto the back member  50 . The monitor mounting side  21  has one or more holes  23  for hardware such as screws bolt or the like that go through the hole(s)  23  and into the device that is being hung. The angled slot  27  secures the bracket  20  onto the back member. Detailed description and images of the interface between the angled hook and the back member are found in  FIGS. 2A-2D ,  4 ,  5  and  6 . Vertical stop  26  on the bracket  20  makes contact with the horizontal bend  52  of the back member to block, or lock, vertical motion or lifting of the bracket from dislodging the bracket  20  from the back member  50 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 2A-2D  shows the bracket  20  being engaged on the back member  50 . These figures, starting from  FIG. 2A  and continuing through  FIG. 2D , show the installation and locking of the bracket  20  onto the back member  50  using motion only from above the back member down. Note not all item numbers appear in each figure and some figures will have item numbers that are not identified and described with each figure. 
         [0023]    In  FIG. 2A  the bracket  20  is located above the back member  50 . The head radius  28  is near or in contact with the wall  49  as the bracket is moved downward  70 . As the bracket  20  makes contact with the upper tab  51  of the back member  50  the bracket will ride over the top of the upper tab as shown in  FIG. 2B . 
         [0024]    From  FIG. 2B  the bracket  20  has moved down where the upper tab is being engaged into the angled slot  27 . The angled slot forms an angle of between 15 and 45 degrees and is preferably between 25 and 35 degrees. In the preferred embodiment the angle is 30 degrees. The nose radius  31  guides the angled slot  27  onto the upper tab  51 . There is a narrow angle of engagement of the upper tab and the angled slot to ensure proper engagement and locking to the bracket  20  and the back member  50 . The angle of engagement is shown and described in more detail in  FIG. 4 . The downward motion  70  continues until the nose radius  31  makes contact with the back bar vertical stop  57  as shown in  FIG. 2C . 
         [0025]    In  FIG. 2C  the downward motion of the bracket  20  has essentially stopped because the nose radius  31  of the bracket  20  is in contact with the back bar vertical stop  57 . The bracket  20  is now rotated  71  in the vertical slot  29  until the bracket  20  is in a vertical orientation as shown in  FIG. 2D . 
         [0026]    In  FIG. 2D  the bracket is in vertical orientation with the upper tab  51  engaged in the vertical slot  29 . The wall contact tab  25  (not shown) prevents additional rotation  71  of the bracket  20  beyond vertical. A clearance notch  30  provides clearance for a bolt  56  (not shown) that secures the back member. The side stop  54  prevents the bracket  20  from being slid off the end of the back member  50  because the material at the angled slot  27  will make contact with the side stop  54 . Once the bracket  20  and the back member  50  are engaged as shown in  FIG. 2D  vertical motion  72  is prevented because the vertical stop  26  is essentially in contact with the back bar vertical stop  57 . The only way to remove the bracket  20  is to rotate the bracket to align the angled slot  27  with the upper tab  51 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 3  shows the bracket  20  and back member  50  mounted with a flat panel monitor or television  80 . This is a typical installation where first the brackets  20  are screwed or bolted  81  into the back of a television or monitor  80 . While other clamping, bonding or securing methods are contemplated the result is essentially the same to secure a cabinet, board or other object to the bracket(s)  20 . The back member  80  is shown secured to a wall using screws bolts  56  or similar hardware. The wall contact tabs  25  on the brackets  20  maintain the flat panel monitor or television  80  a vertical orientation and further provide an air gap for cooling of the flat panel monitor or television. 
         [0028]      FIG. 4  shows the engagement angle of the bracket  20 . The bracket  20  has a narrow opening  32  for engagement onto the back member  50  (not shown). The narrow opening allows for a limited angle  82  where the two parts engage. This limited angle  82  is fairly naturally found (as shown and described in  FIG. 2A-2D ) as the bracket  20  is moved along a wall  49  since there is only a limited space  33  between the wall  49  and the angled slot  27 . The gap between the angled slot  27  and the horizontal stop  26  is typically less than three times the thickness of the vertically elongated upper lip or upper tab  51  on the back member  50 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 5  is a detailed view of the engagement portion of the bracket  20  and the back member  50 . This detailed view shows the upper tab  51  seated in the vertical slot  29 . From this view it is clear that vertical lifting of the bracket  20  will prevent removal of the bracket  20  from the back member  50  because the vertical stop  26  on the bracket is essentially in contact with the back bar vertical stop  57  that essentially locks the bracket  20  in position from accidental disengagement. The side stop  54  is shown to provide clarity how it prevents the bracket  20  from being slid off the end of the back member  50 . The clearance notch  30  is shown to provide clearance to a screw or bolt that secures the back member onto a wall as shown in more detail in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the bracket  20  on the back member  50 . In this figure the back member  50  is bolted  58  to a wall  49  the head  56  of the bolt  58  is visible with clearance from the bracket that is provided from clearance notch  30 . Bolts or screws  81  pass through the bracket  20  and enter into the object being mounted (not shown). The wall contact tabs  25  on the brackets  20  prevents rotation of the bracket and maintains the bracket  20  in a vertical orientation and may further provide an air gap or path. The vertical stop  26  on the bracket is essentially in contact with the back bar vertical stop  57  that essentially locks the bracket  20  in position from accidental disengagement. Spacer(s)  83  can be used on the screws or bolts  81  to change the angular relationship of a mounted object. 
         [0031]    Another contemplated embodiment would use only one bracket  20  on a back member  50  that utilizes one or more similar angled hook(s) to secure the object to a wall. Another contemplated embodiment uses an angled bracket or spacer to angle the flat panel monitor or television. 
         [0032]    Thus, specific embodiments of a wall mounting bracket have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5