Mounting systems for loudspeakers

Abstract

A mounting system for mounting a loudspeaker to a substrate includes a mounting assembly having an elongated screw, a support member received on and movable along the screw, and a mounting arm rotatably connected to the support member, the mounting arm having a rest position and an operating position. The mounting assembly also includes a guide housing that receives the mounting assembly when the screw extends longitudinally therethrough, the guide housing including a wall structure having an open front side and a cap at a top portion of the wall structure. In the rest position, the support member is positioned along the screw to be at least partially received within the cap and the mounting arm is substantially contained within the wall structure. In the operating position, the support member is positioned along the screw outside of the cap and the mounting arm is spring biased away from the screw and extends outward through the front side of the wall structure.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 62 / 879,743, filed on July 29, 2019, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] Embodiments are directed to a mounting system for mountable ceiling and in-wall speakers. Background Art

[0004] Mounting speakers in walls and ceilings presents many challenges related to maintaining the strength and stability of the speakers during and after installation. Ceiling speaker installations can be particularly difficult because gravity will consistently pull the speakers away from the mounting surface, and the speakers may not be supported by the surface other than their fastening interfaces.

[0005] To provide support for ceiling or wall mounted speakers, a general class of devices known as "doglegs" may be used. A dogleg mounting or retention system is configured to clamp or grip a peripheral portion of a wall or ceiling surface, such as drywall or wood, between the doglegs and a flange of the speaker frame. Typically, two or more doglegs are provided around the speaker or other device along the perimeter so that the device can be secured to the wall or ceiling by the clamping force of the doglegs.

[0006] In conventional operation, a screw or similar device is used to rotate the dogleg so that the dogleg moves away from a rest position adjacent to the speaker frame and toward the inner surface of the wall or ceiling mounting surface. However, during installation, current dogleg technology requires the installer to hold the speaker in place with one hand and use a tool with the other hand to rotate the doglegs one by one into a working position to engage the inner wall surface and properly hold the speaker in the wall or ceiling cutout. When the dogleg is rotated into the working position, the screw can drop along with the dogleg, which can cause the speaker to fall out of the cutout. Therefore, the installer needs to keep one hand on the speaker at all times to hold the speaker inside the cutout and lay the speaker flat on the drywall before securing the speaker.

[0007] Additionally, conventional dogleg mounting systems tend to be rather loose and may not provide adequate retention of the speaker within the wall or ceiling after multiple uses or reconfigurations. When the friction between the dogleg and the screw is affected, the dogleg may move around undesirably, which in turn may affect the stability and / or positioning of the mounted speaker.

[0008] When the speaker is to be removed, the dogleg may be moved away from the mounting surface and into a rest position in which the dogleg does not protrude outwardly from the periphery of the speaker. This rest position may be maintained while a force is applied to the dogleg, such as a force to loosen the dogleg. However, once the force is no longer present, the dogleg may move out of the rest position and into a position that may complicate removal of the mounted speaker. In some cases, when the dogleg is stuck in an obstructed position, the user may have to remove a portion of the wall or ceiling in order to remove the speaker. Summary of the invention

[0009] In one or more embodiments, a mounting system for a speaker includes a mounting assembly having: an elongated screw; a support member received on and movable along the screw; and a mounting arm rotatably connected to the support member, the mounting arm having a rest position and an operating position. The mounting assembly also includes a guide housing that receives the mounting assembly as the screw extends longitudinally therethrough, the guide housing including a wall structure having an open front side and a cap at a top portion of the wall structure. In the rest position, the support member is positioned along the screw to be at least partially received within the cap and the mounting arm is substantially contained within the wall structure. In the operating position, the support member is positioned along the screw on the outside of the cap, and the mounting arm is spring biased away from the screw and extends outward through the front side of the wall structure.

[0010] In one or more embodiments, a speaker includes a frame and at least one mounting system coupled to the frame. The at least one mounting system includes: an elongated screw; a support member received on the screw and movable along the screw; and a mounting arm rotatably connected to the support member, the mounting arm having a rest position and a working position. The at least one mounting system also includes a guide housing that receives the mounting assembly when the screw extends longitudinally therethrough, the guide housing including a wall structure having an open front side and a cap at a top portion of the wall structure. In the rest position, the support member is positioned along the screw to be at least partially received within the cap and the mounting arm is substantially contained within the wall structure. In the working position, the support member is positioned along the screw on the outside of the cap, and the mounting arm is spring biased away from the screw and extends outward through the front side of the wall structure.

[0011] In one or more embodiments, the speaker has a plurality of mounting systems coupled to the frame and spaced around the perimeter of the speaker.

[0012] In one or more embodiments, the mounting arm includes a front wall and opposing side walls depending from the front wall, thereby forming a hollow interior of the mounting arm.

[0013] In one or more embodiments, the bottom end of the side wall includes an inwardly extending flange.

[0014] In one or more embodiments, the front wall includes a notch on a proximal end thereof, the notch being arranged to receive the support member when the mounting arm is in the operative position.

[0015] In one or more embodiments, in the operating position, the mounting arm is oriented substantially perpendicular to the threaded rod with the support member abutting the mounting arm at the recess.

[0016] In one or more embodiments, the support member includes a protrusion and the inner surface of the wall structure includes relative longitudinal slots, which are arranged to receive the protrusions so that as the screw rotates, the support member translates longitudinally along the screw and is prevented from rotating.

[0017] In one or more embodiments, the bottom end of the support member includes at least one tab extending outwardly therefrom, wherein the guide housing includes a bottom surface that limits translation of the support member along the screw via engagement with the tab.

[0018] In one or more embodiments, the screw is fastened to the cap by a nut to secure the mounting assembly to the guide housing.

[0019] In one or more embodiments, a method of mounting a speaker to a substrate includes providing at least one mounting system coupled to a frame of the speaker. The at least one mounting system includes a mounting assembly, the mounting assembly including: an elongated screw; a support member, the support member being received on the screw and being movable along the screw; and a mounting arm, the mounting arm being rotatably connected to the support member, the mounting arm having a rest position and a working position. The at least one mounting system also includes a guide housing, the guide housing receiving the mounting assembly when the screw extends longitudinally therethrough, the guide housing including a wall structure having an open front side and a cap at a top portion of the wall structure. The method also includes inserting the speaker into an aperture of the substrate such that the mounting arm is disposed above an inner surface of the substrate. The method also includes placing the mounting arm in the working position by rotating the screw in a first direction to position the support member outside the cap such that the mounting arm is spring biased away from the screw and extends outward through the front side of the wall structure and is positioned to contact the inner surface of the substrate.

[0020] In one or more embodiments, placing the mounting arm in the operative position occurs prior to inserting the speaker into the aperture.

[0021] In one or more embodiments, the method further includes placing the mounting arm in the rest position by rotating the screw in a second direction to position the support member at least partially within the cap such that the mounting arm is substantially contained within the wall structure to remove the speaker from the orifice. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mounting assembly according to one or more embodiments, wherein a mounting arm is shown in a rest position;

[0023] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the mounting assembly with the mounting arm shown in an operative position;

[0024] Figure 3 is an exploded view of a mounting assembly according to one or more embodiments;

[0025] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a speaker including a mounting system according to one or more embodiments, the mounting system including a guide housing receiving a mounting assembly, wherein a mounting arm is shown in a rest position;

[0026] Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the mounting system with the mounting arm in a rest position;

[0027] Figure 6 is a perspective view of a loudspeaker including a mounting system with a mounting arm in an operating position;

[0028] Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the mounting system with the mounting arm in another working position engaging the substrate;

[0029] Figure 8 is a bottom view of a speaker including a plurality of mounting systems according to one or more embodiments;

[0030] Fig. 9 is an enlarged bottom view of the mounting system showing the longitudinal slot along the interior of the guide housing;

[0031] Fig.10 is a perspective view of an alternative mounting arm according to one or more embodiments; and

[0032] Fig.11 yes Fig.10 Bottom view of the mounting arm. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the present invention that may be embodied in various alternative forms. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to employ the present invention in various ways.

[0034] According to one or more embodiments and referring to the drawings, the mounting system 100 includes a mounting assembly 200 and a guide housing 300 for mounting a speaker 400 to a substrate 500. Figures 1 to 3 , a mounting assembly 200 is shown and includes an elongated screw 202 , a support member 204 received on the screw 202 , and a mounting arm 206 rotatably connected to the support member 204 . Figure 1 The mounting arm 206 is shown in a rest position, Figure 2 The mounting arm 206 is shown in a working position, and Figure 3 An exploded view of the components of mounting assembly 200 is shown.

[0035] The support member 204 may be generally cylindrical and internally threaded so that as the screw 202 rotates, the support member can move along the screw 202. The support member 204 includes a protrusion 210 or a bump extending from either side thereof, wherein the protrusions 210 are approximately 180 degrees opposite to each other. As shown, the protrusion 210 may be generally cylindrical, but is not limited to such a shape. The support member 204 may also include at least one tab 212 extending outwardly near its bottom end 214, wherein the tab 212 may act as a stop to limit the support member 204 from traveling downward along the screw 202 in the direction of the screw head 216. As further described below, the nut 218 is received on the screw end 220 and cooperates with the guide housing 300 to limit the support member 204 from traveling upward along the screw 202 in the direction of the screw end 220.

[0036] In one or more embodiments, the mounting arm 206 may include a front wall 222 and an opposing side wall 224 depending from the front wall 222, thereby forming a hollow interior of the mounting arm 206. As further described below, the front wall 222 may include a notch 226 on its proximal end, the notch being sized to receive the support member body 208 when the mounting arm 206 is rotated to the working position. The side walls 224 each include an aperture 228, the aperture being arranged to receive one of the protrusions 210 on the support member 204 to rotatably connect the mounting arm 206 to the support member 204. A spring 230 is provided on the protrusion 210, which functions to bias the mounting arm 206 outwardly away from the screw to the working position. In one or more embodiments, the working position may include the mounting arm 206 being oriented substantially perpendicular to the screw 202, limited by the abutment of the notch 226 with the support member body 208. Of course, the working position is not limited to a perpendicular orientation between the mounting arm 206 and the screw 202, and other outward positions of the mounting arm 206 are also contemplated.

[0037] On the mounting arm 206, the bottom end 232 of the side wall 224 can have any configuration suitable for engaging the substrate 500 to mount the speaker 400. In one or more embodiments, the bottom end 232 can be as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, or in other embodiments, the bottom end 232 may include Figure 10 to Figure 11 The inwardly extending flange 234 is shown to provide greater load distribution. It should be understood that the mounting arm 206 is not limited to the configuration shown and described herein, and other shapes and sizes are fully contemplated. The mounting arm 206 can be constructed of a metal material, or alternatively can be constructed of a rigid plastic material or other material having the strength and durability required for the speaker mounting applications described herein.

[0038] Now turn to Figure 4 and Figure 5, a speaker 400 is shown having a body or frame 402, wherein the mounting system 100 is coupled to the frame 402 or formed integrally therewith. The mounting system 100 includes a guide housing 300 that receives the mounting assembly 200 described above. The guide housing 300 includes a wall structure 302 having an open front side 304 through which the mounting arm 206 can extend, wherein the screw 202 extends longitudinally within the wall structure 302. The inner surface 306 of the wall structure 302 includes opposing longitudinal slots 308 that are arranged to receive the protrusion 210 of the support member 204, wherein a bottom view of one of the longitudinal slots 308 is Fig. 9 With the protrusion 210 received in the slot 308 , the support member 204 and its connected mounting arm 206 are prevented from rotating when the screw 202 is turned, and instead the support member 204 translates up and down along the screw 202 .

[0039] In one or more embodiments, the guide housing 300 also includes a generally cylindrical cap 310 disposed on a top portion 312 of the wall structure 302. The screw end 220 extends through an aperture (not shown) in the cap 310 and the nut 218 is secured to the screw 202 and abuts the cap 310, thereby securing the mounting assembly 200 to the guide housing 300. The guide housing 300 may include a rubber grommet or bottom surface 314 having an aperture 315 through which the screw 202 is inserted, wherein the screw head 216 abuts the underside of the bottom surface 314. The bottom surface 314 may also be used to limit the travel of the support member 204, such as via engagement with the tab 212. The guide housing 300 may be constructed of plastic or another suitable material.

[0040] exist Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the rest position shown, the support member 204 is received within the cap 310 of the guide housing 300, and the mounting arm 206 is thus collapsed inwardly and contained within the wall structure 302 substantially parallel to the screw 202. When the screw 202 is rotated in a first direction (e.g., counterclockwise), the support member 204 translates downwardly along the screw 202 toward the screw head 216 until the mounting arm 206 is positioned downwardly from the cap 310 and positioned outside of the cap. When this occurs, the mounting arm is released to the position as shown. Figure 6 The working position shown in FIG. 2 is a view of a spring 230 biasing the mounting arm 206 outwardly to an orientation of approximately 90 degrees to the screw 202. As the screw 202 is further rotated in the same direction, the support member 204 continues to travel downwardly along the screw 202 until the bottom end 232 of the side wall 224 of the mounting arm 206 is as shown in FIG. Figure 7310. The mounting arms 206 are shown as engaging the inner surface 502 of the substrate 500. The clamping action of the mounting arms 206 applies a moderate mounting force to a portion of the speaker 400 being mounted, such as the back of the speaker mounting flange 404. If the screw 202 is rotated in an opposite second direction (e.g., clockwise), the support member 204 will translate upward along the screw 202 toward the screw end 220 and eventually, the support member 204 and mounting arms 206 will again be at least partially received within the cap 310 and the mounting arms 206 will be collapsed to the rest position.

[0041] Figure 8 is a bottom view of a loudspeaker 400 having a plurality of mounting systems 100 included around its perimeter, with three mounting arms 206 shown in an operative position and extending generally perpendicular to the axis of the screw 202 and guide housing 300. Of course, the loudspeaker 400 is not limited to four equally spaced mounting systems 100, but may alternatively have two diametrically opposed mounting systems 100, or three or more mounting systems 100 spaced around the perimeter.

[0042] In prior art mounting arrangements, the dogleg must be in a rest position in order to insert the speaker into a cutout in a wall or ceiling. Advantageously, mounting a speaker using the mounting system 100 disclosed herein can be accomplished with the mounting arm 206 already in the working position. During the process of inserting the speaker 400 into the cutout (aperture 504) of the wall or ceiling (substrate 500) with the mounting arm 206 in the working position, the substrate 500 contacts the mounting arm 206 because the mounting arm extends substantially perpendicular to the axis of the guide housing 300. Since the mounting arm 206 is spring-mounted to the support member 204, the engagement of the mounting arm 206 with the substrate 500 causes the mounting arm 206 to collapse toward the screw 202, thereby allowing the speaker 400 to be inserted into the cutout. Once the mounting arm 206 passes through the aperture 504, the spring-biased mounting arm 206 elastically deploys to the working position, thereby allowing the speaker 400 to be suspended by the mounting arm 206 without requiring the installer to support the speaker 400 in the wall or ceiling.

[0043] Thus, even before the speakers 400 are secured via fasteners, a speaker having the mounting system 100 described herein can be installed into the cutout and held in position relative to the substrate 500, without requiring the installer to support the speakers 400 prior to or during fastening. This allows the installer to place several speakers 400 in position as a first step, and then fasten all of the speakers 400 as a second step, resulting in a more efficient installation process. The mounting system 100 also allows the installer to check for acceptable electrical signals from each speaker 400 once it is held in the wall or ceiling by the mounting arms 206, before the speakers 400 must be secured in the substrate 500 using fasteners, thereby avoiding the possibility of having to remove fasteners for troubleshooting.

[0044] Although exemplary embodiments are described above, these embodiments are not intended to describe all possible forms of the present invention. Rather, the words used in this specification are descriptive rather than restrictive, and it should be understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In addition, the features of various implemented embodiments may be combined to form additional embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A mounting system for a loudspeaker, the mounting system comprising: a mounting assembly comprising: an elongated screw; a support member received on and movable along the screw; and a mounting arm rotatably connected to the support member, the mounting arm having a rest position and an operating position, wherein a bottom end of the support member includes at least one tab extending outwardly therefrom; and a guide housing that receives the mounting assembly when the threaded rod extends longitudinally therethrough, the guide housing comprising a wall structure having an open front side and a cap at a top portion of the wall structure, wherein the guide housing includes a bottom surface that limits translation of the support member along the threaded rod via engagement with the tab, Wherein in the rest position, the support member is positioned along the screw to be at least partially received within the cap, and in the working position, the support member is positioned along the screw on the outside of the cap, and the mounting arm is spring biased away from the screw and extends outwardly through the front side of the wall structure.

2. The mounting system of claim 1, wherein the mounting arm includes a front wall and opposing side walls depending from the front wall to form a hollow interior of the mounting arm.

3. The mounting system of claim 2, wherein the bottom end of the side wall includes an inwardly extending flange.

4. The mounting system of claim 2, wherein the front wall includes a notch on a proximal end thereof, the notch being arranged to receive the support member when the mounting arm is in the working position.

5. The mounting system of claim 4, wherein in the operating position, the mounting arm is oriented substantially perpendicular to the threaded rod with the support member abutting the mounting arm at the recess.

6. A mounting system as described in claim 1, wherein the support member includes a protrusion and the inner surface of the wall structure includes relative longitudinal slots, and the relative longitudinal slots are arranged to receive the protrusion so that as the screw rotates, the support member translates longitudinally along the screw and is prevented from rotating.

7. The mounting system of claim 1, wherein in the rest position, the mounting arm is received within the wall structure.

8. The mounting system of claim 1, wherein the threaded rod is fastened to the cap by a nut to secure the mounting assembly to the guide housing.

9. A speaker, comprising: frame; at least one mounting system coupled to the frame, the at least one mounting system comprising A mounting assembly comprising: an elongated screw; a support member received on and movable along the screw; and a mounting arm rotatably connected to the support member, the mounting arm having a rest position and an operating position, wherein a bottom end of the support member includes at least one tab extending outwardly therefrom; and a guide housing that receives the mounting assembly when the threaded rod extends longitudinally therethrough, the guide housing comprising a wall structure having an open front side and a cap at a top portion of the wall structure, wherein the guide housing includes a bottom surface that limits translation of the support member along the threaded rod via engagement with the tab, Wherein in the rest position, the support member is positioned along the screw to be at least partially received within the cap, and in the working position, the support member is positioned along the screw on the outside of the cap, and the mounting arm is spring biased away from the screw and extends outwardly through the front side of the wall structure.

10. The speaker of claim 9, wherein the speaker has a plurality of mounting systems coupled to the frame and spaced around the perimeter of the speaker.

11. The loudspeaker of claim 9, wherein the mounting arm includes a front wall and opposing side walls depending from the front wall to form a hollow interior of the mounting arm.

12. The loudspeaker of claim 11, wherein the bottom end of the side wall includes an inwardly extending flange.

13. The loudspeaker of claim 11, wherein the front wall includes a notch on a proximal end thereof, the notch being arranged to receive the support member when the mounting arm is in the operative position.

14. The loudspeaker of claim 13, wherein in the operating position, the mounting arm is oriented substantially perpendicular to the threaded rod with the support member abutting the mounting arm at the recess.

15. A loudspeaker as described in claim 9, wherein the support member includes a protrusion and the inner surface of the wall structure includes relative longitudinal slots, which are arranged to receive the protrusions so that as the screw rotates, the support member translates longitudinally along the screw and is prevented from rotating.

16. The loudspeaker of claim 9, wherein in the rest position, the mounting arm is received within the wall structure.

17. The loudspeaker of claim 9, wherein the screw is fastened to the cap by a nut to secure the mounting assembly to the guide housing.

18. A method of mounting a loudspeaker to a substrate, the method comprising: Providing at least one mounting system coupled to a frame of the speaker, the at least one mounting system comprising A mounting assembly comprising: an elongated screw; a support member received on and movable along the screw; and a mounting arm rotatably connected to the support member, the mounting arm having a rest position and an operating position, wherein a bottom end of the support member includes at least one tab extending outwardly therefrom; and a guide housing that receives the mounting assembly when the threaded rod extends longitudinally therethrough, the guide housing comprising a wall structure having an open front side and a cap at a top portion of the wall structure, wherein the guide housing includes a bottom surface that limits translation of the support member along the threaded rod via engagement with the tab; inserting the speaker into the aperture of the substrate such that the mounting arm is disposed above an inner surface of the substrate; and The mounting arm is placed in the working position by rotating the screw in a first direction to position the support member outside the cap so that the mounting arm is spring biased away from the screw and extends outwardly through the front side of the wall structure and is positioned to contact the inner surface of the substrate.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein placing the mounting arm in the operative position occurs prior to inserting the speaker into the aperture.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising placing the mounting arm in the rest position by rotating the screw in a second direction to at least partially position the support member within the cap such that the mounting arm is received within the wall structure to remove the speaker from the aperture.

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