Patent Abstract:
A mounting bracket assembly has a stationary bracket to be mounted on a pole or other surface, and an adjustable bracket to be attached to the object to be mounted. The adjustable bracket is then positioned on the stationary bracket to mount the object on the surface or pole. The adjustable bracket is first mounted on the stationary bracket in a preliminary mounting position using integrated hooks and latches, and then can be easily adjusted to a permanent mounting position and secured with screws.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a bracket for use in mounting speakers or other equipment to a pole, flat surface, or other structure. In particular, the invention relates to a two-part bracket that allows simple mounting of the equipment to the mounting surface by connecting the two parts of the bracket together. 
     2. The Prior Art 
     In order to mount a speaker or other object onto a pole, a pipe clamp is commonly used. The pipe clamp contains a U-bolt that is specifically sized for a single pipe diameter. The U-bolt usually has threaded ends for nuts to provide an extreme clamping force against the pole. One disadvantage of this type of system is that it requires a different pipe clamp for each size of pole. Another disadvantage is that the installer is required to hold the speaker or other object in place and to tighten the bolts at the same time. This operation thus usually requires two people for installation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a mounting bracket that can be used to install a speaker or other object on a variety of surfaces of different sizes. It is another object of the invention to provide a mounting bracket that can be used by one person to install the object in a simple and effective manner. 
     These and other objects are accomplished by a mounting bracket assembly comprising a stationary bracket to be mounted on a pole or other surface, and an adjustable bracket to be attached to the object to be mounted. The adjustable bracket is then positioned on the stationary bracket to mount the object on the surface or pole. 
     The invention provides the means to mount a product on a pole, pipe, column, or the like, and allow the product to be easily aimed in a particular direction, using separate pole adapters. It can also be used on walls without the pole adapters. It should be resistant to weather, wind, and vibration because it will typically be used outdoors. Stainless steel components are preferable. The bracket assembly is suitable for loudspeakers, lighting, signage, displays, monitors, video cameras, etc. 
     The invention is specifically designed for one person to install a fairly heavy item. The installer never needs to support the weight of the object and handle attachment hardware simultaneously. Competitive solutions require additional parts, more installers, expensive manufacturing methods, multiple adapters, etc. This system uses a minimal amount of inexpensive but robust components, providing both economic and time based efficiency for the installer. 
     The bracket assembly consists of two major components: a stationary bracket and an adjustable bracket. The stationary bracket is attached to the mounting surface, such as a wall, pole, column, etc. The adjustable bracket is attached to the product that requires directional positioning, and this can be done in a more convenient location than at the mount site which may be relatively inaccessible. Tapered springs guide the two brackets together during the initial mating. The adjustable bracket is then rotated into a locked position, and the two mount halves snap together temporarily (without tools or hardware) using integrated hooks and tabs. After this minimal effort, grip on the product can be released to allow for easy completion of the installation process. Two axel screws are inserted loosely through the adjustable bracket into locking threads in the stationary bracket. This forms the hinge, and the assembly is safely secured and ready for adjustment (although tightening of 4 mating screws and a safety tether is required for permanent use). To adjust the adjustable bracket, the tabs are released by compressing the angle adjustment wings on the adjustable bracket, and the product can then be rotated down. The spring causes these tabs to sequentially engage a series of holes so the user can evaluate the dispersion pattern or viewing angle achieved. When the desired position is selected, two screws permanently attach the brackets together and provide additional torque resistance. Finally the two axel screws are tightened to create 4 solid attachment points, and vertical adjustment from 0 to −70 degrees is achieved. 
     For use on poles and the like, the product includes a pole clamp assembly. Two adapter brackets with stepped teeth are attached to the stationary bracket. These adapters are designed for an ideal fit on 1-4″ cylinders, making contact with the cylinder at 4 points each. Larger diameters and irregular shapes can be accommodated, although contact points will likely be reduced to two per adapter. For convenience, a supplied nylon wire tie or other temporary tether is inserted through an opening in the stationary bracket. This can temporarily fasten the stationary bracket with adapters to the pole while clamp components are secured. The clamp is comprised of a length of link chain with a threaded J-hook or hooked rod at each end. These J-hooks pass through aligned slotted openings in the stationary bracket and pole adapters. Wing nuts on the J-hooks provide the means to easily tension the chain adequately without the need for tools, while preventing excessive clamping force. This combination of components fits a wide variety of pole shapes and sizes, produces excellent resistance to rotation, and reduces the likelihood of over tensioning. Additional tension on the clamp components only weakens the system, and wing nuts discourage over-tightening. After installation, the stationary mounting bracket is directly secured to the pole via the chain, hooks, and wing nuts, with the adapters trapped in between. This assembly can be tightened in any position around a pole, providing 360 degrees of horizontal adjustment. This clamp needs only to prevent rotation or slippage and, by nature, chain provides excellent resistance to these forces. 
     A speaker mounting bracket can be attached to the adjustable bracket, so that a loudspeaker can be mounted using the assembly according to the invention. The speaker mounting bracket is securely screwed to the adjustable bracket, and the speaker is mounted on the speaker mounting bracket. The assembly of the speaker, speaker mounting bracket and adjustable bracket can then be easily mounted on the stationary bracket to mount the speaker to a pole or other surface. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention. 
       In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views: 
         FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of the stationary bracket for use in the assembly according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows an embodiment of the adjustable bracket for use with the stationary bracket of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows the initial placement of the adjustable bracket of  FIG. 2  onto the stationary bracket of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3   a  shows an enlarged detail III of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 4  shows the preliminary mounting position of the adjustable bracket onto the stationary bracket; 
         FIG. 4   a  shows enlarged detail IV of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 5  shows the placement of the adjustable bracket into a final mounting position on the stationary bracket; 
         FIG. 5   a  shows enlarged detail V of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 6  shows the final mounting position of  FIG. 5 , with the screws attached to secure the adjustable bracket to the stationary bracket; 
         FIG. 6   a  shows enlarged detail VI of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 7  shows the pole mounting brackets and how they are mounted to the stationary bracket of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  shows a front view of the stationary bracket mounted on a pole; 
         FIG. 9  shows a side and rear view of the stationary bracket mounted on a pole; 
         FIG. 10  shows a speaker and a speaker mounting bracket for use with the adjustable bracket of  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 11  shows the entire bracket assembly connected to a speaker and mounted on a pole. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now in detail to the drawings and, in particular,  FIG. 1  shows stationary bracket  10  for use in the assembly according to the invention. Stationary bracket  10  has a flat rear panel  11  and two side walls  12 , extending from panel  11 . Side walls  12  have an upper edge with hooks  13 ,  14 , and a curved front edge with a series of apertures  15 . Side walls  12  also have a rear aperture  16 . Rear panel  11  has a plurality of mounting holes  17 , for mounting rear panel  11  on a flat surface, and also has slits  18  and supports brackets  19  (shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) for securing stationary bracket  10  to a pole, which will be described in detail below. 
       FIG. 2  shows one embodiment of an adjustable bracket  20  for use in the assembly according to the invention. Bracket  20  has a top surface  21 , and side walls  22  with flexible wings  25  below a slit  26 . Tabs  23  and  24  are disposed along the rear and front areas, respectively, of side walls  22 . 
     To connect adjustable bracket  20  to stationary bracket  10 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , tabs  24  on bracket  20  are placed into engagement with hooks  14  on bracket  10  (also shown in detail in  FIG. 3   a ), and bracket  20  is rotated into position, so that tabs  23  on bracket  20  engage hooks  13  (shown in detail in  FIG. 4   a ). This creates a temporary mounting position, where bracket  20  is supported by bracket  10  until a final adjustment position can be reached. 
     To reach a final adjustment position, where adjustable bracket  20  is placed at the desired angle with respect to stationary bracket  10 , two axel screws  29  are placed loosely through holes  16  and  28  on each side of brackets  10 ,  20  to hold them together. Then, wings  25  are pressed inward until tabs  23  and  24  clear hooks  13  and  14 , respectively, as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 5   a . Then, bracket  20  is rotated downward until a desired angle is reached. At this point, wings  25  can be released, which places tab  24  into one of the holes  15  along stationary bracket  10 . If the installer is satisfied with this position, then a further screw  30  is placed into one of holes  15  adjacent to tab  24 , which screw also extends though hole  31  on bracket  20 . Finally all of screws  29 ,  30  are tightened to secure bracket  20  to bracket  10  in a final position. 
     Prior to connection of bracket  20  to bracket  10 , the object to be mounted is connected to bracket  20 , and bracket  10  is connected to the mounting surface, such as a wall or a pole. Then, bracket  20  is secured to bracket  10 , to mount the object to the mounting surface, in a simple manner. This way, even large, cumbersome objects can be securely mounted to a pole or a wall by a single installer. 
     As described above, bracket  10  can be mounted to a wall or other flat surface via holes  17 , in any conventional manner. For pole mounting, the arrangement shown in  FIGS. 7-9  can be used. As shown in  FIG. 7 , pole mounting bracket  19 , which has a vertical section  32  with slots  34  and a horizontal pole-mounting section  33 , can be attached to stationary bracket  10  via screws  36  through holes  17  on bracket  10 , and holes  35  on brackets  19 . 
     The mounting of bracket  10  to a pole  50  is shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . Bracket  10 , with bracket  19  secured thereto, is placed against a pole  50 , so that horizontal section  33  of bracket  19  abuts pole  50 . Horizontal section  33  has a cutout to create ridged sections  55 , which can grip poles of various sizes, to reduce any slippage between pole  50  and brackets  19 . A strap  40  is then threaded through bracket  10  via slots  38  disposed on side walls  12  just in front of rear panel  11 . Strap  40  keeps bracket  10  in place until further securing measures are taken. 
     Subsequently, hooked securing rods  41  are fed through slots  18  and  34  in brackets  10 ,  19 , respectively, and secured on threaded portions  43  with wing nuts  44 . Securing rods  41  each have a hook  42  on its opposite end, which extends along pole  50 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , a chain is then hooked on hooks  42  to wrap around pole  50  to further secure bracket  10  to pole  50 . Finally, wing nuts  44  are tightened further to eliminate any slack in chain  52 , thus creating a tight connection between stationary bracket  10  and pole  50 . 
       FIG. 10  shows a possibility for mounting a speaker  60  to adjustable bracket  20 . First, speaker bracket  70  is attached to adjustable bracket  20  by screws  75  through holes  76  in speaker bracket  70  and holes  77  in adjustable bracket  20 . Knobs  63  are attached to speaker  60  on its top and bottom by extending threaded portion  64  of knob  63  through a washer  65  and then loosely screwing knob  63  into holes  62  on the top and bottom of speaker  60 . Thereafter, speaker bracket  70  is attached to speaker  60  by sliding speaker bracket  70  onto threaded portions  64  of knobs  63  via slits  72  until threaded portion  64  resides within aperture  71 . Then, knobs  63  are tightened to secure speaker  60  to speaker bracket  70 , as well as adjustable bracket  20 . 
     Once speaker  60  is connected to adjustable bracket  20 , adjustable bracket  20  can be mounted to stationary bracket  10 , which is already connected to a mounting surface or pole, in the manner discussed above with respect to  FIGS. 1-9 , to form a pole-mounted speaker, as shown in  FIG. 11 . In this Figure, adjustable bracket  20  has just been placed on stationary bracket  10 , prior to being moved into its final adjustment position and secured with screws, which is done in the manner described with respect to  FIGS. 5-6 . 
     Accordingly, while only a single embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5