The present invention is in the technical field of mounting systems. More specifically, the present invention is in the technical field of mounting systems for digital media players.
Users often place digital media players near a television. Television owners desire a convenient means to mount digital media players.
We have discovered an apparatus and a method that allow users to mount digital media players.
The accompanying drawings form part of the detailed description below.
The drawings show specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced, by way of example or illustration and not by way of limitation. These embodiments are described in enough detail through text and drawing figures to enable those skilled in the art to practice the claimed invention. The embodiments may be combined, other embodiments may be utilized, or structural, logical and mechanical changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense. The description below illustrates implementations of the invention and does not limit the invention.
In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numerals describe substantially similar components throughout the several views. The drawings illustrate generally, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, various embodiments discussed in this disclosure.
Digital media players include Digital Video Disc (DVD) players, Blu-ray players, and digital media extenders such as Apple TVs. Digital media players often transmit digital signals wirelessly or through a wire such as a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) cable to a screen that displays an image based on the digital signal. Screens include computer monitors, televisions, and image-producing portions of movie projectors. Televisions include flat-panel displays, flat-screen televisions, and tube televisions.
Owners of digital media players often prefer to mount their digital media player near their screens. For example, a person who owns a flat screen television that is mounted on the wall might want to mount her Apple TV onto her flat screen television or onto the wall behind her flat screen television.
In one embodiment, the tray 2 is configured such that a user can connect electrical cables 3 to the digital media player 1 and then slide the digital media player 1 into the tray 2 without having to disconnect the electrical cables 3. For example, the tray 3 in
The digital media player has two large sides 11 and four small sides 12. In one embodiment, the tray has two retaining lips 9 that engage the large side 11 that faces away from the tray base 13. In this embodiment, the two retaining lips 9 are separated by the open portion 4. In another embodiment, the tray 2 includes an open top 14 to allows the digital media player 1 to slide into the tray 2. The open top 14 is located on the opposite side of the tray relative to the open portion 4.
The tray 2 can attach to vents 10 in a screen 15. This mounting method is advantageous because it can be achieved without tools.
Hooks 20 attach the tray 2 to the vents 10.
a and 6b show a vertical hook 20b, which is configured to attach to vertical vents 10b. The cross section of the front portion 30b of the vertical hook 20b that enters the vent 10 is taller than it is wide. In one embodiment, the vertical hook 20b is at least twice as tall as it is wide.
a and 7b show a horizontal hook 20c, which is configured to attach to horizontal vents 10c. The cross section of the front portion 30c of the horizontal hook 20c that enters the vent is wider than it is tall. In one embodiment, the horizontal hook 20c is at least twice as wide as it is tall.
In one embodiment, the hooks 20 are metal. In another embodiment, the hooks 20 are a non-electrically conductive material such as plastic or rubber.
The hooks 20 have a back portion 40, which is configured to attach to the tray 3.
In one embodiment, the following method is used to attach the tray 2 to the screen 15. The user determines which style of hook 20 is compatible with the vents 10 on her screen 15. The user attaches the hooks 20 to the tray 2. The user attaches the hooks 20 to the vents 10. The user attaches the digital media player 1 to the tray 2. The above steps can be performed in orders different from the order listed above. For example, the user can attach the hooks 20 to the vents 10 before attaching the hooks 20 to the tray 2. In another method, the user attaches the tray 2 to the vents 10 by using hooks 20.
In one embodiment, the tray includes additional openings 55 as illustrated in
Fastening loops 65 include cable ties, zip ties, ropes, strings, and bands such as Velcro bands. Screen mounts 60 attach screens 15 to walls such as the vertical walls that form the outer perimeter of rooms in a building such as a home or office. Screen mounts 60 often include vertical bars 62 and horizontal bars. In one embodiment, the user ties the tray 2 to the vertical bar 62. In another embodiment, the user ties the tray 2 to the horizontal bar. The user ties the tray 2 to the bar 62 by placing a fastening loop 65 around the bar 62 and through the opening 50, 55.
In another embodiment, the tray 2 also includes screw holes 70 as shown in
In another embodiment, the tray 2 includes first openings 50, additional openings 55, and screw holes 70 such that the user can mount the tray 2 by attaching the tray 2 to the vents 10 by using hooks 20, can mount the tray 2 by attaching the tray 2 to the bars 62 by using fastening loops 65, or can mount the tray 2 by attaching the tray 2 to the wall by using screws or nails. In a related embodiment, a package in which the tray 2 is sold to customers includes hooks 20, fastening loops 65, and nails. In a related embodiment, the package in which the tray is sold to customers includes hooks 20, fastening loops 65, and screws. Thus, the package is a universal mounting system because it provides means for an extremely wide range of customers to mount their digital media players.
In one embodiment, the hooks 20 attach to the tray 2 via a snap fit. A snap fit is a self-locking joint in which one part flexes until it slips past a second part. Once the part that flexes slips past the second part, the part that flexes returns to substantially its initial shape, which prevents the two parts from inadvertently separating.
Many other tray geometries are possible. In another embodiment, the tray 2 includes at least three screw holes 70.
The tray 2 can be molded from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic with a hardness of 75 shore D. The hooks 20 can be molded from ABS plastic with a hardness of 75 shore D, from ABS plastic with a hardness of 60 shore D, from polyurethane with a hardness of 90 shore A, or from silicone rubber with a hardness of 95 shore A.
The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above embodiments and aspects thereof may be used in combination with each other. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art after reading the above description. While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use the claimed invention, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, permutations, combinations, equivalent means, and equivalents of the specific embodiments, methods, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiments, methods, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention as claimed.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 61/416,736, filed on Nov. 23, 2010 and entitled Mounting System for Digital Media Players. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
61416736 | Nov 2010 | US |