Hubs for wall mounting systems

The present application is claims priority of Great Britain patent application Serial No. 0712264.1, filed Jun. 22, 2007, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The invention relates to improvements in hubs for wall mounting systems for screens, and in particular to a hub for a wall mounting system for a flat panel screen, such as a plasma display or television screen, which enables the screen to be tilted.

As a result of the use of plasma and LCD technology, many modern display screens and televisions are now significantly flatter than previously. This means that there is considerably more flexibility for mounting and installing them. It is particularly advantageous that these flatter screens can be wall mounted, either for home or business use, as this does not use up valuable floor or surface space. Although flat wall mounting systems have been the most common mounting option for such screens, tiltable wall mounting systems are preferable as this enables the screen to be placed higher than the desired eye level. Thus the screen can be located above shelves or a fire place and the need for a ceiling mount is avoided, which have hitherto been commonly used with commercial display screens.

As screens become heavier and larger, this creates complexities in the design and the components of the wall mounting system and in particular the mechanisms which enable the screen to be tilted. One such mechanism is the hub, which connects the screen bracket(s) to the wall mount.

Tilt adjustment in a number of prior art hubs is provided by a mechanical friction lock which allows an axle to freely move in a predetermined slider. After adjustment, the hub is locked by turning a threaded bar. The disadvantage of these devices is that the screens are generally heavy and awkward to handle and the full weight of the screen must be supported when the hub is unlocked.

In another prior art tiltable wall mount described in WO 2004/063619, the hub comprises an arcuate sliding connection between the screen mount and the wall mount enables the screen to be pivoted about a virtual pivot axis which passes through the centre of gravity of the display. This device has no clamping or other locking device to maintain the tilt position as the weight of the screen is balanced in any on of the angular positions.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved hub which makes it easy to adjust the tilt angle of the screen.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the hub of the present invention attached to screen brackets;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the hub of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is the opposite side elevation to that of FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 4 is a sectional side elevation on the line IV-IV of FIG. 1 ; and

FIG. 5 is sectional end elevation on the line V-V of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 1 shows a hub 10 for a wall mounting system attached by suitable fixings, such as bolts, to a screen bracket 11 for a screen. The bracket 11 illustrated is an X-shaped bracket consisted of a four arms 12 attached to a central plate 13 . The bracket can, however, be of other designs.

The hub 10 has a casing 18 formed by two sections 19 , 20 (see FIG. 5 ) bolted together through the sides 21 of the casing sections 19 , 20 . The hub 10 has a front face 22 and a rear face 23 .

Projecting through the casing 18 from the front face 23 of the hub 10 is a support member 14 which provides the means for attaching the hub 10 to the central plate 13 of the bracket 11 . The support member 14 is preferably cylindrical, having flat end surfaces. One end surface is provided with means for attaching it to the central plate, such as threaded holes to receive a plurality of bolts. A groove 15 is formed in its peripheral wall, leaving flanges 16 , 17 on either side of the groove 15 . The casing sections 19 , 20 have first recesses so that when they are bolted together the first recesses from the two sections 19 , 20 define a first cavity 24 which is shaped to receive and secure the grooved section and inner flange 16 of the support member 14 .

Projecting through the casing from the front face 22 of the hub 10 is the tilt member 25 . The tilt member 25 is a flanged member having an inner flange 26 , which forms a sliding member, and an outer flange 27 joined by a central section 28 . The casing sections 19 , 20 are provided with second recesses so that when they are bolted together the second recesses from the two sections 19 , 20 define an arcuate cavity 29 which is shaped to receive the inner flange 26 of the tilt member 25 and to allow it to slide within the cavity 29 . The cavity 29 defines the range of sliding motion of the screen and the arc defined by the cavity 29 is a portion of a circle having its centre (which is the pivot axis) within the hub 10 . Thus the pivot axis is offset from the centre of gravity of the screen, and this creates a moment of force.

On the underside of the casing 18 is a nodule 30 , which defines a bore 31 , which merges at its upper end with the arcuate cavity 29 . Located on a spigot 33 projecting up into the bore 31 is a compression spring 32 . The lower surface of the tilt member 25 also contains a bore 34 , which receives the upper end of the spring 32 . The spring 32 provides a counterbalancing force.

A locking arm 36 extends from one side 21 of the casing 18 . Rotation of the arm 36 in one direction locks the relative positions of the casing 18 and the tilt member 25 ; rotation of the arm 32 in the other direction releases the tilt member 24 so that it is able to slide within the arcuate cavity 29 .

The outer flange 27 is shaped to slot into a recess in a holder attached to the wall mount (not shown).

In use, the central plate 13 of the screen bracket 11 is attached to the support member 14 and the screen bracket 11 attached to a screen. The outer flange 27 of the tilt member 25 is placed in the holder of a wall mount attached to a wall, and the screen is thus mounted on the wall. To adjust the tilt position of the screen, the locking arm 31 is released and the screen moved to the desired angle as the casing 18 rotates about the tilt member 25 . The counterbalancing force of the spring 32 supports the weigh of the screen by cancelling the moment force resulting from the offset pivot point to maintain the natural balance of the screen, so that it remains stationery in the position it is moved to. The locking arm 31 is not necessary to maintain the screen position, but serves to prevent accidental alteration of the screen position.