GB2467919A

GB2467919A - Concealable support assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2467919A
Application number: GB0902783A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tonch Cvitan; Peter Hellyar
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-02-19
Filing date: 2009-02-19
Publication date: 2010-08-25
Also published as: GB0902783D0

Abstract

An electrical item assembly 10 adapted in use to support an electrical item 11 with respect to a surface 17. The assembly 10 comprises a main body 12 which is mountable with respect to the surface 17 and a support 20 on which the electrical item 11 may be carried. The support 20 is coupled to the main body 12 and is movable between a use position whereat the electrical item 11 can be normally operated and a stowed position where at the electrical item is concealed. The support 20 is coupled to the main body 12 by a single drive mechanism which permits co-ordinated translational and pivotal movement of the support 20 relative to the main body 12. In one arrangement, the main body 12 comprises a housing which conceals the electrical item 11 when the support 20 is in its stowed position.

Description

SUPPORT ASSEMBLY

The present invention relates to an assembly adapted to support an electrical item with respect to a surface and in particular an assembly which conceals the electrical item when not in use.

Though the invention will be described with reference to the surface being a ceiling, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to such a surface and it could in fact be adapted for use with any surface.

The electrical items to which this invention relates are generally audio visual items including speakers and projectors which are commonly used in homes and offices as well as public places such as bars, restaurants, waiting rooms and so forth. To optimise the effect of these items, particularly projectors, they must be orientated correctly so that the sound or light is directed towards an audience or a screen, respectively. Thus, such items are usually mounted on walls or ceilings so that the sound or light emanating therefrom is not obscured by furniture or people. By mounting the items on walls and ceilings they are less obstructive and more discreet.

Furthermore, items of this nature are not only very expensive but they can also be relatively small and light which makes them prime targets for thieves. Some burglars may be deterred or even prevented from stealing items that are securely mounted to walls or ceilings, but more determined burglars armed with appropriate tools may be more successful. As such, it is necessary to conceal or disguise the items, which concealment also improves the appearance of the room.

International. Patent Application Publication No. 99/65271 attempts to address these problems by providing an assembly for mounting a speaker in a ceiling void. The assembly includes a housing located in the void and a movable panel which is coupled to the housing and which carries the speaker.

In its closed position the panel locates in an opening formed in the ceiling and the speaker is concealed in the ceiling void therebehind. An actuator is provided to effect translational movement of the panel and a cable driven by a motor is provided to effect rotational movement of the panel. In use the panel moves down from the ceiling to reveal the speaker and tilts to orientate the speaker in the required direction. Though this assembly adequately conceals the speaker behind the ceiling, the provision of two different systems to effect translational and rotational movement would be too expensive and too cumbersome. There is a requirement for such assemblies to be inexpensive and to be sufficiently small to fit in small ceiling voids.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the problems associated with prior art assemblies, by providing a small and simple assembly which is capable of the required movement.

According to the invention, there is provided an electrical item assembly adapted in use to support an electrical item with respect to a surface, the assembly comprising: -a main body defining a space to store the electrical item and which is mountable with respect to the surface; -a support on which the electrical item is mounted, the support being coupled to the main body such that it is movable between a use position whereat the etectricat item can be normatty operated and a stowed position where at the electrical item is concealed; and -a single drive mechanism by which the support is coupled to the main body and which permits co-ordinated translational and pivotal movement of the support relative to the main body.

The single drive mechanism is advantageous over known systems since it can be made with fewer components, thus saving on space, assembly time and cost. It is also more resilient and less prone to breakdown.

Preferably the support includes a pivot axis delineating a forward portion and a rearward portion. The support may be biased to pivot in a first direction during translational movement towards its use position such that the forward portion lowers and the rearward portion rises. In one arrangement the biasing means may include spring means to urge the support to pivot in the first direction, though in an alternative arrangement the weight distribution of the support and or the electrical item may cause the support to pivot in that direction.

Furthermore, the rearward portion may include an abutment portion adapted to engage a cooperating abutment provided on the housing. The inter-engagement of the abutment portion and abutment during translational movement of the support towards its closed position causes the support to pivot in a second direction such that the forward end rises. In this way, relative pivoting movement of the support and the main body is effected consequent upon relative translational movement between those parts.

Preferably the single drive mechanism includes at least one arm upstanding from the support and coupled to the main body, but most preferably the drive mechanism includes two arms spaced on opposed sides of the supports for improved stability and spatial properties.

Furthermore, one of those arms may include guide means adapted to co-operate with guide means provided on the main body to permit relative translational movement between the arms and the main body. The guide means may take various forms depending on their particular function, such as whether they are to permit translational movement only or translational and pivotal movement.

In one embodiment, the arm is pivotally attached to the support and the guide means permit translational movement between the arm and the main body. For example, an upstanding flange may be provided on the support and a pin may extend through apertures provided in the flange and the arm. Alternatively, the arm may have a hinged lower portion which can be fastened to the support. One of the guide means may include a channel portion and the other may include a flange arranged to locate inside and slide along the channel portion.

In a second embodiment, the arm is rigidly attached to the support and the guide means are adapted to permit translational and pivotal movement of the arm relative to the main body. For instance, the main body guide means may include a channel and the arm guide means may comprise a slider which moves along the channel and is adapted to rotate relative to said channel. In one arrangement the slider comprises a wheel. and the axis of the wheel.

defines the pivoting axis of the support.

Advantageously a ramp may be provided on the rear portion of the support and a roller may be provided on a rear portion of the housing. As the support moves towards its closed position the roller engages the ramp and continued movement of the support towards it closed position causes the support to move forward as the roller rides down the ramp. This is particularly advantageous with the second embodiment since the support is more likely to become misaligned.

In a preferred arrangement limiting means are provided to limit the pivoting movement of the support when in its use position. In the first embodiment discussed above the limiting means may include an abutment on one of the arm and the support which abutment engages the other of the arm and support when in the use position to prevent further pivoting. However, in the second embodiment discussed above the limiting means may include an abutment provided on the main body and a portion of the arm moves over that abutment as the support moves towards its use position. Most preferably, the limiting means are adjustable so as to vary the angle of the support in its use position. For instance, the abutment may be mounted to a threaded shaft that may be turned to move the abutment towards or away from the surface against which it bears so as to adjust the pivoting angle of the support.

Preferably, the single drive mechanism includes an actuator to effect translational movement of the support, which for example may comprise an electric motor, a solenoid, a hydraulic ram or a pneumatic ram. In one arrangement a toothed rack is formed on the or each arm and a pinion is meshed with the rack and driven by an electric motor. In an alternative arrangement the or each arm is attached to a cord wound around a reel and rotation of that reel in a particular direction causes the support to rise or lower. In a further arrangement a pull cord operable by a person in a room below the ceiling may be attached to the arms for raising and lowering in the support.

The primary purpose of the main body is to carry the support and the single drive mechanism and for those purposes it may take various shapes.

Preferably the main body comprises a housing which, in use, conceals the electrical item when the support is in its closed position. This would serve to protect the electrical item from dust and also any pests that might reside above the ceiling. Some buildings, such as apartments, may not have a sufficiently large ceiling void to accommodate an assembly of this nature and in which case it would be necessary to suspend the assembly at least partially below the ceiling. In this instance the main body would preferably include a housing so as to conceal the electrical item and also to improve its appearance.

By way of example only, two embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail, with reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partially cut-away perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention having a support panel located in its stowed position; Figure 2 is a side view of the arrangement shown in Figure 1, but with the support panel shown in its use position; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention having a support panel shown in its stowed position; and Figure 4 is a side view of the arrangement shown in Figure 3 with the support panel shown in its use position.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 there is shown a support assembly 10 for an electrical item such as a projector 11. The assembLy 10 comprises a rectangular housing 12 having opposed front and rear walls 13,14, two opposed side walls 15 and a top wall 16 and which assembly 10 is mounted behind a ceiling 17. The assembly 11 also includes a base panel 20 coupled to the housing 12 and which is movable between a stowed position (Figure 1) whereat it locates in an opening 21 formed in the ceiling 17 and a use position (Figure 2) whereat it is spaced below the ceiling 17. The base panel 20 has an upper surface 22 for carrying the projector 11 and a lower surface 23 lying flush with the lower surface of the ceiling 17 when the panel 20 is in its stowed position. The base panel 20 abuts the free edges of the front, rear and sidewalls 13,14,15 when in its stowed position.

The inner face of each side wall 15 of the housing 12 is provided with a vertically extending channel member 25. Each channel member 25 has a generally rectangular cross section with an elongate opening 26 provided along its rear face 27 and a square projection 28 furnished on its front face to facilitate attachment to the housing 12.

Two triangular flanges 30 are provided opposite one another on the upper face 22 of the base panel 20 and each is located just on the rear half of the panel adjacent a respective side thereof. Two struts 31 are pivotally attached to the inside faces of the two flanges 30 such that they pivot about a common axis. Each strut 31 has an elongate projection (not shown) extending along its front face which locates inside channel member 25 through opening 26. The L-Shaped cross-section of each projection constrains the strut 31 and channel member 25 to relative translational movement in the longitudinal direction.

A rear face of each strut is provided with a toothed rack 35 and a pinion 36 is mounted for rotation on an adjacent side wall 15 of the housing 12 and arranged to mesh with the rack 35. Those pinions 36 are interconnected by an axle 37 extending across the width of the housing 12 so that they rotate in unison and one of those pinions is driven by an electric motor 38 via a gear train generally indicated 39. Thus, operation of the motor 38 in a particular direction causes the struts 31 to rise or fall.

Provided on the base panel is a pair of upstanding tabs 40 spaced behind the struts 31 and a threaded hole (not shown) is formed through each tab for receiving a bolt 41 which serves to set an adjustable limit of pivoting movement of the panel 20 in its use position.

The assembly 10 is easily installed by forming a rectangular opening 21 in the ceiling sized to receive the base panel 20. The housing is then secured behind the ceiling 17 in registration with the opening 21 and secured to battens 45 or other suitable support structures. The motor 38 is remotely controlled, though it can instead be hardwired to a control box.

In its closed position the panel 20 forms a close fit with the ceiling 17 such that its existence is barely noticeable to occupants in the room below and the housing 12 conceals the projector 11. When the motor 38 is driven in a particular direction, the pinions 36 rotate about their axis which causes the struts 31 to slide downwardly along the channel members 25 so that the panel lowers. As the panel 20 lowers it pivots about the lower end of the struts 31 due to its unbalanced weight distribution, which causes the front end to lower and the rear end to remain in engagement with the rear wall 14 of the housing 12. As the panel 20 continues to lower it pivots until the end faces of the screws 41 engage their respective struts 31, though the panel 20 may continue to lower until it reaches its use position as shown in Figure 2. The angle of the panel relative to the vertically disposed struts can be adjusted by withdrawing or extending the screws.

A second embodiment of the support assembly 50 is shown in Figures 3 and 4 and comprises a housing 12 and a panel 20 as described in the first embodiment. The main difference between the first and second embodiments is the mechanism by which the panel and the housing are interconnected, so features common to both embodiments will be given like reference numerals.

Two struts 51 extend upwardly from the upper surface 23 of the base panel 20 and a cross bar 52 extending across the width of the panel 20 is attached to the upper ends of said struts 51. Each end of the cross bar 52 is furnished with a diametrically Larger disk 53 having an axis coincidental with that of the cross bar 52 and about which axis the struts 51 and the panel 20 can pivot, as discussed below.

Attached to the internal faces of each sidewall 15 of the housing is a channel member 60 of generally U-shaped cross-section defining a channel 61, with each end of limbs 62 being furnished with an in-turned lip 63 partially to enclose the channel 61. The circular disks 53 of the cross bar 52 locate in the respective channels 61 and both form a close running fit therewith. The distance between the in-turned lips 63 of each channel member 60 is selected to allow the cross bar 52 to run therebetween but to prevent removal of the disks 53.

A pulley 70 is suspended from the top wall 16 of the housing 12 and a cord 71 connected to the cross bar 52 passes around the pulley and connects to a motor driven reel 72. Thus, raising and lowering of the panel 20 is effected by operating the motor 73 in a particular direction such that the cord 71 winds onto or from the reel 72.

Both channel members 60 are provided with a rearwardly extending tab by which they are fastened to the sidewalls 15 of the housing 12. One of those tabs extends further rearward than the other and is provided with an inwardly projecting flange 76 which carries a limiting device 77. The limiting device includes a threaded shaft 78 extending through an aperture (not shown) formed in the flange 76 and a wheel 79 rotatably mounted to the front end of the shaft. A pair of nuts 80 are located on the shaft 78, one either side of the flange 76 to enable the position of the wheel to be adjusted and secured in pLace. The wheeL 79 has a circumferentiaL face arranged to bear against the rear face of the strut 51 when the panel 20 is moved from its stowed position.

A ramp 85 is provided on the rear end of the panel 20 and inclines forward so as to engage a pair of rollers 86 coupled to the rear wall 14 of the housing 12. The inter-engagement of the ramp 85 and the rollers 86 assists in locating the panel 20 in its stowed position.

The panel 20 can be moved from its closed position as shown in Figure 3 to its use position as shown in Figure 4 by driving the motor 73 in a particular direction so as to unwind the cord 71 from the reel 72. As the panel 20 lowers, its unbalanced weight distribution causes it to pivot about the axis of the circular disks 53 such that the front end lowers, the ramp 85 remains in contact with the rollers 86 and the rear face of one strut 51 engages the wheel 79. Continued lowering of the panel 20 towards its use position causes the rear face of the strut 51 to ride over the wheel 79 and the ramp 85 to break contact with the roLlers 86, as shown in Figure 4.

The panel 20 can be moved towards it stowed position simply by driving the motor 73 in the opposite direction which causes the cord 71 to wind on to the reel 72 and the struts 51 to ride back along the wheel 79 of the limiting device 77. As the panel 20 nears its stowed position the ramp 85 engages the rollers 86 and the gradient of the ramp 85 causes the panel 20 to shift forward so as to align with the housing 12 and the opening 21 in the ceiling 17.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An electrical item assembly adapted in use to support an electrical item with respect to a surface, the assembly comprising: -a main body defining a space to store the electrical item and being mountable with respect to the surface; -a support on which the electrical item is mounted, the support being coupled to the main body such that it is movable between a use position whereat the electrical item can be normally operated and a stowed position where at the electrical item is concealed; and -a single drive mechanism by which the support is coupled to the main body and which permits co-ordinated translational and pivotal movement of the support relative to the main body.
2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support includes a pivot axis delineating a forward portion and a rearward portion, said support being biased to pivot in a first direction during translational movement towards its use position such that the forward portion lowers and the rearward portion rises.
3. An assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rear portion includes an abutment adapted to engage an abutment provided on the housing, inter-engagement of said abutments during translational movement of the support towards its closed position causing the support to pivot in a second direction such that the forward end rises.
4. An assembly as ctaimed in any of ctaims 1 to 3, wherein the singLe drive mechanism includes at least one arm upstanding from the support and coupled to the main body.
5. An assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one arm includes guide means which co-operate with guide means provided on the housing.
6. An assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the arm is pivotally attached to the support and the guide means permit translational movement between the arm and the main body.
7. An assembly as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the arm is rigidly attached to the support and the guide means permit translational and pivotal movement of the arm relative to the main body.
8. An assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the arm guide means comprise a slider and the main body guide means include a linear track along which the slider moves, the slider having an axis of rotation defining the pivoting axis of the support.
9. An assembly as claimed in any of claims 7 and 8, wherein a ramp is provided on the rear portion of the support and a roller is provided on a rear portion of the housing, such that as the support moves towards its closed position the roller engages the ramp and continued movement of the support towards it closed position causes the support to move forward as the roller rides down the ramp.
10. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein limiting means are provided to limit the pivoting movement of the support when in its use position.
11. An assembly as claimed in claim 10 when dependent on claim 6, wherein the limiting means include an abutment on one of the arm and the support which engages the other of the arm and support when in the use position to prevent further pivoting.
12. An assembly as claimed in claim 10 when dependent on any of claims 7 to 9, wherein the limiting means includes an abutment provided on the housing and a portion of the arm moves over that abutment as the support moves towards its use position.
13. An assembly as claimed in any of claims 10 to 12, wherein the limiting means are adjustable so as to vary the angle of the support in its use position.
14. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the single drive mechanism includes an actuator to effect translational movement of the support.
15. An assembly as claimed in claim 14 when dependent on claim 4, wherein the actuator is coupled to the or each arm.
16. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the main body comprises a housing which, in use, conceals the electrical item when the support is in its closed position.
17. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.