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[01] The present application claims priority to U S provisional patent application serial no 60/844,019 to Hillborg, filed September 12 2008, titled "Support for Flat Panel Display," the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herøn The disclosure of US Patent Application Sena! No 11/854,527 to Hillborg et al, filed September 12, 2007, titled "Support for Flat Panel Display" is incorporated by reference herein

[02] The present invention relates generally to supports for flat panel displays

[03] According to one aspect of the present invention a two-piece flat panel support is provided that is made of a polymer material, such as a plastic material

[04] According to another aspect of the present invention, a two-piece flat panel support is provided that includes a rigidified wall mount and a πgidified display mount coupled to the wall mount

[05] According to another aspect of the present invention, a flat panel display and mounting assembly is provided The display and assembly includes a flat panel display configured to display images, a wail mount coupled to a wali, and a display mount coupled the flat pane! display and to the wail mount At least one of the wall mount and the display mount include a plurality of female flanges that define at least two channels At least one of the wall mount and the display mount includes a plurality of male flanges Af least one of the wall mount and the display mount includes a plurality of apertures The male flanges are positioned tn the channels directly between the apertures and the female flanges

[06] The detailed description of the drawing particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which

[07] Fig 1 is an exploded perspective view of a two-psece support for a flat pane! display, a portion of a flat panel display, and a portion of a wall,

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Fig 2 is a perspective view of a back side of the support of Fig 1 showing the support including a display mount and a wall mount, [09] Fig 3 is a view similar to Fig 2 showing the display mount and the wail mount coupled together,

[10] Fig 4 is a back view of the display mount and wail mount coupled together,

[11 ] Fig 5 is a side view of the display mount and wall mount coupled together,

[12] Fig 6 is a front view of display mount

[13] Fig 7 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment two-psece support showing an display mount supported by a wall mount, [14] Fig 8 is another perspective view of the two-piece support of Fig 7,

[15] Fig 9 is a front perspective view of the display mount of Fsg 7,

[16] Fsg 10 is a back perspective view of the wall mount of Fig 7,

[17] Fig 1 1 is a front perspective view of the wai! mount of Fig 7,

[18] Fig 12 is a back perspective view of the display mount of Fig 7,

[19] Fig 13 is a back view of the wall mount of Fig 7,

[20] Pig 14 ss an end view of the wall mount of Fig 7,

[21] Fig 15 is a front view of the wall mount of Fig 7,

[22] Fig 18 is a back view of the display mount of Fig 7,

[23] Fig 17 is an end view of the wail mount of Fsg 7, and

J24] Fig 18 is a front view of the wal! mount of Fig 7

Detailed Description of the illustrated Embodiments

[25] The embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed in the following detailed description Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may utilize their teachings

[26] As shown m Fig 1 , support 10 for a flat pane! display 12 according to the present disclosure is shown Support 10 includes a display mount 14 and a wall mount 16 Display mount 14 is configured to couple to the back of flat panel display

12 and wall mount 16 is configured to couple to a wall 18 or other portion of a building, such as a post, cabinet, or any other structure of a building After display

mount 14 is coupled to display 12 and wall mount 16 is coupSed to wall 18, display mount 14 is slide over wall mount 16 so that display 12 is coupled to wall 18 [27] Flat panel display 12 may be any of a plasma, LCD, OLED, SED ₁ FED,

NED, ELD, and other relatively flat displays known to those of ordinary skill in the art Display mount 14 includes a plurality of apertures 20 The position of apertures 20 are selected to align with various apertures 22 provided on the different models of displays 12 Fasteners 24, such as bolts, screws or other known fasteners, are provided that extend through apertures 20 of display mount 14 and into apertures 22 of flat panel display 12 Depending on the position of apertures 22 provided on the particular flat pane! display 12 being mounted, different positions and numbers of apertures 20 of display mount 14 may be used to mount display 12 to display mount 14 Similarly, wall mount 16 includes a plurality of apertures 28 that receives fasteners 24 to couple waSi mount 16 to wall 18

[28] Display mount 14 includes a plurality of female flanges 28 As shown in Fig 3, a first pair of flanges 28 cooperate to define a first channel 30 and a second pasr of flanges 28 cooperate to define a second channe! 32 Display mount 14 further includes a ledge 46 positioned above channels 30 32 Wail mount 16 includes a pair of male flanges 34, 36 and a plurality ribs 44 extending substantially transverse to flanges 34, 36, as shown m Fig 1

[29] When coupled together, flanges 34, 36 of wall mount 16 fit within channels 30, 32 of display mount 14 as shown in Fig 3 Channels 30, 32 of wall mount 16 cooperate to define an angie 38 Similarly, flanges 34, 36 of wall mount 16 cooperate to define substantially the same angle 38 so that flanges 34, 36 taper relative to each other

[30] After display mount 14 is coupled to display 12 and wall mount 16 is coupled to wall 18, display mount 14 is coupled to wall mount 16 Channels 30, 32 of display mount 14 are positioned over flanges 34, 36 of wall mount 16 so that enough room ss provided to insert flanges 34, 36 between channels 30, 32 Then wail mount 16 is lowered until flanges 34, 36 engages channels 30 32 When engaged, cord apertures 40, 42 of display mount 14 and waii mount 16 align so that a cord (not shown) extending to or from display 12 can extend through support 10 [31] Display mount 14 and wall mount 18 are each integral plastic pieces

Each component is formed through a plastic molding technique, such as injection molding PA66 (nyion) with 30% glass fill, ABS, other nylons, and any other suitable

plastic materials known to those of ordinary sksll in the art may be used to form display mount 14 and/or wall mount 16 Other materiaϊs such as stamped metai, sintered metal, or other suitable materials known to those of ordinary skill in the art may also be used

[32] As shown in Figs 7-18, an alternative support 110 for flat panel display

12 according to the present disclosure is shown Support 110 includes a display mount 1 14 and a wall mount 116 Display mount 1 14 is configured to couple to the back of flat panel display 12 and wall mount 116 is configured to couple to wall 18 or other portion of a building, such as a post, cabinet, or any other structure of a building After display mount 1 14 is coupled to display 12 and wall mount 116 is coupled to wail 18, display mount 1 14 is slide over wall mount 116 so that display 12 is coupled to wall 18

[33] Display mount 1 14 includes a plurality of apertures 120 The position of apertures 120 are selected to align with various apertures 22 provided on the different models of displays 12 Fasteners, such as bolts, screws or other known fasteners, are provided that extend through apertures 120 of display mount 1 14 and into apertures 22 of flat panel display 12 Depending on the position of apertures 22 provided on the particular flat panel display 12 besng mounted different positions and numbers of apertures 120 of display mount 1 14 may be used to mount display 12 to display mount 114 Similarly, wall mount 1 18 includes a plurality of apertures 128 that receives fasteners to couple wall mount 1 16 to wail 1 18 [34] Display mount 1 14 includes a plurality of female flanges 128 As shown in Figs 1 and 9, a first pasr of tabs or flanges 128 cooperate to define a first channel 130 and a second pair of flanges 128 cooperate to define a second channel 132 Display mount 114 further includes a ledge 146 positioned above channels 130, 132 and a plurality of ribs 150 extending substantially transverse to flanges 128 and ledge 146 Ledge 146 also includes a tab or flange 152 As shown in Fig 18, ledge 146 includes a curved profile or edge 154 As shown in Figs 8 and 12, a back side of display mount 1 14 includes a plurality of circular ribs 156, a plurality of radially extending ribs 158, and a plurality of perimeter ribs 159 Display mount 114 further includes windows or apertures 160, 162 positioned behind respective flanges 128 and flange 152 The respective windows 160, 162 have substantially the same profile and the respective flanges 128, 152

[35] WaIi mount 1 16 includes a pasr of male flanges 134, 136 and a plurality πbs 144 extending substantially transverse to flanges 134, 136, as shown in Fig 11 Wall mount 116 is terraced or stepped from edge to edge Flanges 134, 136 and a raised center portion 164 are in a common plane and recessed portions 166, 168 or in a common plane that ss parallel and spaced apart from the common piane of flanges 134, 136 and center portion 164 Wall mount 116 includes flanges or πbs 170 extending from flanges 134, 136 inward to raised center portion 164 As shown in Fig 10, raised center portion 184 includes a plurality of recesses or depressions 172 174, 176, 178 and a plurality of πbs 180 separating the recesses 172, 174, 176, 178 Wall mount 1 16 further includes a tab-receivtng recess 179 As shown in Figs 13 and 15, an upper edge 181 of wall mount 116 is curved to match the radsus of curvature of edge 154 of display mount 1 14 and a substantially flat bottom edge 132 [36] During mounting of wail mount 118 to wail 18, the installer positions aperture 142 in the desired location of the center of display 12 and straight bottom edge 182 is used to level wall mount 116 The installer then marks the locations on wall 18 to drill any necessary holes for fasteners 24 Once the necessary holes are drilled, wall mount 116 (or mount 16) is fastened to wall 18 with fasteners 24 [37] When coupled together, flanges 134, 136 of wall mount 1 16 fit within channels 130, 132 of display mount 114 as shown in Fsg 7 Tab 152 ss positioned in tab-receiving recess 179 The curved profiles of upper edge 181 of wail mount 116 and ledge 148 of dsspiay mount 116 assist in centering pieces together Channels 130, 132 of wall mount 1 16 cooperate to define an angle Similarly, flanges 134, 136 of wall mount 1 16 cooperate to define substantially the same angle so that flanges 134, 136 taper relative to each other

[38] After display mount 1 14 ss coupied to display 12 and wall mount 116 ss coupled to wall 1 18, display mount 114 is coupled to wall mount 116 Channels 130, 132 of display mount 1 14 are positioned over flanges 134, 136 of wall mount 1 16 so that enough room is provided to insert flanges 134, 136 between channels 130, 132 Then, wail mount 1 16 is lowered until flanges 134, 136 engages channels 130, 132 When engaged, apertures 140, 142 of display mount 1 14 and wai! mount 1 16 align 10 and are centered on display 12 When display mount 114 ss coupled to wall mount 1 16, the heads of fasteners 24 that couple display mount 114 to display 12 are positioned in the void defined by recessed portions 166, 168 of wall mount 1 16

[39] Display mount 114 and wall mount 1 16 are each integral plastic pieces

Each component is formed through a plastic molding technique, such as injection molding PA86 (nylon) with 30% glass fill, ABS, other nylons, and any other suitable plastic materials known to those of ordinary skill in the art may be used to form display mount 1 14 and/or waSi mount 1 16 Other materials such as stamped metal, sintered metal, or other suitable materials known to those of ordinary skill in the art may also be used

[40] Unless otherwise stated herein, the figures are proportional Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the present invention