Patent Application
20100314513
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a structure for mounting equipment and more particularly to a structure for mounting equipment overhead.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Audio visual presentation systems typically provide audio and/or visual presentations where they can be seen and/or heard by an audience. While some audio visual presentation systems can be supported from below, others benefit from being supported from above. For example, some audio visual presentation systems are mounted overhead, such as from a ceiling or other overhead structure.
U.S. Design Pat. 377,897 to Vogels illustrates an ornamental design for a TV ceiling support. The Vogels design patent discloses a mere design.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,156,359 to Dittmer et al. describes a secure mounting structure for overhead mounted projector. The Dittmer et al. patent is directed to a tamper-resistant overhead mounting system using at least one tamper resistant fastener to deter theft and tampering, which appears to complicate, rather than simplify, installation and/or maintenance.
Thus, an overhead equipment mount that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art is needed.
The present invention may be better understood, and its features made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings.
The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items.
A method and apparatus for overhead equipment mounting is provided. In accordance with at least one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a support tube and a flange. The support tube defines a longitudinal cable access slot and a plurality of support tube perforations. The flange comprises a collar defining a plurality of first collar perforations. At least one of the plurality of first collar perforations is adapted to align with at least one of the plurality of support tube perforations. In accordance with at least one embodiment, the plurality of support tube perforations and the plurality of first collar perforations are spaced so as to allow adjustment of an equipment mounting height with fine resolution. In accordance with at least one embodiment, a cable access slot cover is adaptable to cover at least a portion of the longitudinal cable access slot.
Several apertures may be defined in base 101 to facilitate attachment of components. For example, support tube aperture 107 and flange screw apertures 108 and 109 may be defined in base 101. A support tube may be installed through support tube aperture 107, and screws to secure a flange attached to the support tube may be installed through flange screw apertures 108 and 109. By defining support tube aperture 107 and flange screw apertures 108 and 109 in elongated forms, the position of the support tube and flange along the elongated forms of support tube aperture 107 and flange screw apertures 108 and 109 can be slidably adjustable, allowing movement of the support tube and flange closer to end trough 102, closer to end trough 103, or equidistant between end troughs 102 and 103. Apertures such as apertures 110 and 111 can be provided for mounting of accessories, such as electrical boxes, cable connectors, distribution amplifiers, signal splitters, jacks, switches, attenuators, terminations, power injectors or extractors, test instrumentation, etc.
Support tube 301 defines a plurality of support tube perforations 302, 306, 601, 602, 603, and 604, as well as support tube perforations 303, 304 and 305 visible on
Base 101 comprises end troughs 102 and 103 at opposite ends of base 101. End trough 103 comprises end plate 105. Perforations 114 and 115 are defined in end trough 103. Support tube aperture 107 and flange screw apertures 108 and 109 are defined in base 101. Base 101 comprises reinforcement 106, which may be made by bending base 101 at an angle, such as a right angle. Perforations 118 and 119 are defined in reinforcement 106. Wires may be installed, for example, through perforations 118 and 119 to hang base 101 from trusses or other structural members above a drop ceiling in which base 101 is installed. Other apertures, such as apertures 110 and 111 can be defined in base 101.
A lower end of support tube 301 is threaded with threads 307 to engage threads of support tube aperture 504 of bracket upper portion 501. Fasteners 608, 609, and 610 pass through fastener holes in attachment plate 502 and into a portion of a bracket intermediate portion to secure the bracket intermediate portion to bracket upper portion 501.
Fastener 605 is installed through an arcuate angular adjustment slot in angular adjustment plate 402 to pass through a fastener hole in the bracket intermediate portion. Fastener 607 is installed through a hole in angular adjustment plate 402 to pass through a fastener hole in the bracket intermediate portion. An arcuate angular adjustment slot 606, through which a fastener may be installed to pass through a fastener hole in the bracket intermediate, is also shown. Bracket lower portion 401 comprises mounting tab 404. Perforations 405 and 406 are defined in mounting tab 404. Bracket lower portion 401 also comprises rear mounting plate 411 and front mounting plate 412.
From any of steps 701, 702, or 703, the method continues to step 704. In step 704, an end of the support tube is threaded, wherein the support tube is adapted to engage threads of a bracket to coupled the support tube to equipment to be mounted. From step 704, the method continues to step 705. In step 705, a support tube is perforated, along a support tube longitudinal line spanning a first portion of a support tube length of the support tube, to define a plurality of support tube perforations, wherein the support tube defines a longitudinal cable access slot. In accordance with at least one embodiment, step 705 may comprise step 706. In step 706, the support tube is perforated such that the plurality of support tube perforations are spaced a support tube perforation spacing from each other, wherein perforating the collar to define a plurality of first collar perforations comprises perforating the collar to define the plurality of the first collar perforations such that the plurality of first collar perforations are spaced a collar perforation spacing from each other, wherein the support tube perforation spacing is an integer multiple of the collar perforation spacing. In accordance with at least one embodiment, step 706 may comprise step 707. In step 707, the support tube is perforated such that the plurality of support tube perforations are spaced the support tube perforation spacing from each other such that the support tube perforation spacing is n times the collar perforation spacing, where n is a number of the plurality of first collar perforations. As an example, with n equal to four, the support tube perforation spacing of the support tube perforations is four times the collar perforation spacing of the first collar perforations. In accordance with such an example, if the support tube perforations are spaced two inches apart, the collar perforations would be spaced half an inch apart, allowing for adjustment of the support tube position in half-inch increments without having to perforate the support tube every half inch.
From step 705, the method continues to step 708. In step 708, the collar is perforated to define a plurality of first collar perforations, wherein the plurality of first collar perforations are defined along a collar longitudinal line spanning a first portion of a collar length of the collar, at least one of the plurality of first collar perforations adapted to align with at least one of the plurality of support tube perforations, one of the plurality of first collar perforations further adapted to receive a fastener, one of the plurality of support tube perforations adapted for engagement of the fastener. From step 708, the method continues to step 709. In step 709, the collar is perforated to define a second collar perforation angularly offset from the collar longitudinal line and a third collar perforation angularly offset from the collar longitudinal line and from the second collar perforation, the second and third collar perforations adapted to receive, respectively, a second fastener and a third fastener, the support tube adapted to engage the second and third fasteners.
From step 709, the method continues to step 710. In step 710, threads are tapped in the plurality of support tube perforations, the second collar perforation, and the third collar perforation. From step 710, the method continues to step 711. In step 711, a plate is joined to a collar to form a flange. For example, the plate may be welded to the collar to form the flange. From step 711, the method continues to step 712. In step 712, a cable access slot cover adaptable to cover at least a portion of the longitudinal cable access slot is extruded.
The cable access slot cover 1001 comprises an arcuate exterior surface overlying thicker medial portions 1002 and 1005 and thinner lateral portions 1006 and 1007. The relationship of the thinner lateral portions 1006 and 1007 and the thicker medial portions 1002 and 1005 imparts a spring tension to the cable access slot cover 1001 that retains it in longitudinal cable access slot 308 and allows cable access slot cover 1001 to snap into place within longitudinal cable access slot 308.
At the opposite ends of the arcuate exterior surface, curved portions 1003 and 1004 are formed to engage the edges of support tube 301 within the longitudinal cable access slot 308. Curved portion 1003 comprises a proximate portion 1008 and a distal portion 1010. Curved portion 1004 comprises a proximate portion 1009 and a distal portion 1011. Since the arcuate exterior surface circumferentially spans the longitudinal cable access slot 308 and the proximate portions 1008 and 1009, respectively, of curved portions 1003 and 1004 are oriented radially with respect to an axis of support tube 301, the proximate portions 1008 and 1009 of curved portions 1003 and 1004, respectively, meet the arcuate exterior surface of the cable access slot cover 1001 at an angle of approximately ninety degrees. For example, the angle at which the proximate portion 1008 and/or the proximate portion 1009 meet the arcuate exterior surface may be between eighty and one hundred degrees. As another example, the angle may be between seventy and one hundred ten degrees.
The distal ends 1010 and 1011 of curved portions 1003 and 1004, respectively, angle away from each other so as to extend behind a portion of an interior surface of support tube 301, which allows cable access slot cover 1001 to snap into position within longitudinal cable access slot 308 and prevents cable access slot cover 1001 from falling out of longitudinal cable access slot 308.
In accordance with at least one embodiment, an overhead equipment mount comprises a support tube defining a longitudinal cable access slot and a plurality of support tube perforations, wherein the plurality of support tube perforations are defined along a support tube longitudinal line spanning a first portion of a support tube length of the support tube. In accordance with at least one embodiment, the overhead equipment mount further comprises a flange comprising a collar defining a plurality of first collar perforations, wherein the plurality of first collar perforations are defined along a collar longitudinal line spanning a first portion of a collar length of the collar, at least one of the plurality of first collar perforations adapted to align with at least one of the plurality of support tube perforations, one of the plurality of first collar perforations further adapted to receive a fastener, one of the plurality of support tube perforations adapted for engagement of the fastener, the collar further defining a second collar perforation angularly offset from the collar longitudinal line and a third collar perforation angularly offset from the collar longitudinal line and from the second collar perforation, the second and third collar perforations adapted to receive, respectively, a second fastener and a third fastener, the support tube adapted to engage the second and third fasteners.
In accordance with at least one embodiment, the flange further comprises a plate perpendicularly coupled to the collar, wherein the plate defines a plurality of plate perforations adaptable to attach the plate to a base. In accordance with at least one embodiment, the plurality of support tube perforations are threaded, the first plurality of collar perforations are unthreaded, and the second and third collar perforations are threaded. In accordance with at least one embodiment, a collar perforation spacing of the plurality of first collar perforations from each other along the collar longitudinal line bears an integer multiple relationship to a support tube perforation spacing of the plurality of support tube perforations from each other along the support tube longitudinal line. In accordance with at least one embodiment, the collar perforation spacing is between 0.25 inches and 0.75 inches and the support tube perforation spacing is between 2 inches and 3 inches. In accordance with at least one embodiment, the collar perforation spacing is between 0.45 inches and 0.55 inches and the support tube perforation spacing is between 1.9 inches and 2.1 inches. In accordance with at least one embodiment, the support tube perforation spacing is five times as far apart as the collar perforation spacing. In accordance with at least one embodiment, the first support tube perforation spacing is n times as far apart as the first collar perforation spacing, where n equals a number of the plurality of first collar perforations. As these examples illustrate, in accordance with at least one embodiment, the support tube perforation spacing on the support tube can be nominally two inches.
In accordance with at least one embodiment, the support tube has a generally C-shaped cross section. In accordance with at least one embodiment, the overhead equipment mount further comprises a cable access slot cover adaptable to cover at least a portion of the longitudinal cable access slot. In accordance with at least one embodiment, the support tube is threaded around its outside diameter at an end of the support tube.
In accordance with at least one embodiment, a method for providing an overhead equipment mount comprises perforating a support tube, along a support tube longitudinal line spanning a first portion of a support tube length of the support tube, to define a plurality of support tube perforations, wherein the support tube defines a longitudinal cable access slot. The method further comprises joining a plate to a collar to form a flange. The method further comprises perforating the collar to define a plurality of first collar perforations, wherein the plurality of first collar perforations are defined along a collar longitudinal line spanning a first portion of a collar length of the collar, at least one of the plurality of first collar perforations adapted to align with at least one of the plurality of support tube perforations, one of the plurality of first collar perforations further adapted to receive a fastener, one of the plurality of support tube perforations adapted for engagement of the fastener. The method further comprises perforating the collar to define a second collar perforation angularly offset from the collar longitudinal line and a third collar perforation angularly offset from the collar longitudinal line and from the second collar perforation, the second and third collar perforations adapted to receive, respectively, a second fastener and a third fastener, the support tube adapted to engage the second and third fasteners.
In accordance with at least one embodiment, the method further comprises tapping threads in the plurality of support tube perforations, the second collar perforation, and the third collar perforation. In accordance with at least one embodiment, the perforating the support tube comprises perforating the support tube such that the plurality of support tube perforations are spaced a support tube perforation spacing from each other, wherein perforating the collar to define a plurality of first collar perforations comprises perforating the collar to define the plurality of the first collar perforations such that the plurality of first collar perforations are spaced a collar perforation spacing from each other, wherein the support tube perforation spacing is an integer multiple of the collar perforation spacing. In accordance with at least one embodiment, the perforating the support tube such that the plurality of support tube perforations are spaced the support tube perforation spacing from each other further comprises perforating the support tube such that the support tube perforation spacing is n times the collar perforation spacing, where n is a number of the plurality of first collar perforations.
In accordance with at least one embodiment, the method further comprises threading an end of the support tube, wherein the support tube is adapted to engage threads of a bracket to coupled the support tube to equipment to be mounted. In accordance with at least one embodiment, the method further comprises extruding a cable access slot cover adaptable to cover at least a portion of the longitudinal cable access slot. In accordance with at least one embodiment, the method further comprises forming the support tube to define the longitudinal cable access slot by extruding the support tube. In accordance with at least one embodiment, the method further comprises forming the support tube to define the longitudinal cable access slot by rolling the support tube. In accordance with at least one embodiment, the method further comprises forming the support tube to define the longitudinal cable access slot by machining the support tube.
Thus, a method and apparatus for overhead equipment mounting is described. Although the present invention has been described with respect to certain specific embodiments, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the inventive features of the present invention are applicable to other embodiments as well, all of which are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention.
