Mounting systems for media players

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10117344-B2
Application number	US-201715481406-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2017
Priority date	Feb 4, 2017
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

Shelf systems can be configured to couple an electronic device to a wall. In some embodiments, shelf systems include a base having a backside configured to face inward towards the wall and a frontside configured to face outward away from the wall. Shelf systems can also include a first sidewall and a second sidewall that are coupled to the base, protrude away from the wall, and help secure the electronic device to the base. In several embodiments, a level is configured to indicate a horizontal condition of the shelf.

First claim

The following is claimed:

1. A shelf system configured to couple an electronic device to a wall, the shelf system comprising:
a base having a backside configured to face inward towards the wall and a frontside configured to face outward away from the wall;
a shelf coupled to the base, wherein the shelf protrudes outward from the base such that the shelf is configured to be oriented within 15 degrees of perpendicular to the wall;
a first sidewall coupled to a left half of the base and a second sidewall coupled to a right half of the base; and
a level coupled to the base, wherein the level is configured to indicate a horizontal condition of the shelf, wherein the level comprises a left end portion and a right end portion that are secured within a housing, the housing comprises a hole located between the left end portion and the right end portion of the level such that a middle portion of the level is visible through the hole, the housing comprises a channel that faces inward and wraps around the level, and the shelf system further comprises a ring located at least partially inside the channel such that the level is secured between the housing and the ring.

2. The shelf system of claim 1 , wherein the level comprises a first horizontal orientation and the shelf comprises a second horizontal orientation that is within five degrees of the first horizontal orientation, the shelf system further comprising the electronic device located at least partially between the first sidewall, the second sidewall, and the shelf such that the shelf is configured to vertically support the electronic device in a third horizontal orientation that is within five degrees of the first horizontal orientation.

3. The shelf system of claim 1 , further comprising a first retention lip coupled to the first sidewall and a second retention lip coupled to the second sidewall, wherein a central axis of the level is oriented between the first and second sidewalls such that the shelf system is configured to prevent the electronic device from moving left by the first sidewall, right by the second sidewall, outward by the first and second retention lips, and downward by the shelf.

4. The shelf system of claim 1 , wherein the shelf couples the first sidewall to the second sidewall.

5. The shelf system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sidewalls are oriented within five degrees of perpendicular to a central axis of the level.

6. The shelf system of claim 1 , wherein the shelf comprises a first vertical protrusion coupled to a left half of an outward half of the shelf, and the shelf comprises a second vertical protrusion coupled a right half of the outward half, wherein the first and second vertical protrusions are oriented within ten degrees of perpendicular to a central axis of the level such that the shelf system is configured to hold the electronic device inward relative to the first and second vertical protrusions and the shelf system is configured to hold the electronic device outward relative to the level.

7. The shelf system of claim 1 , wherein the base comprises an outward-facing wall that couples the first and second sidewalls to the backside, and the level comprises a central axis that is located inward relative to the outward-facing wall,
wherein the first sidewall, the second sidewall, and the shelf are located outward relative to the central axis of the level, and the shelf system is configured to secure at least a portion of the electronic device between the outward-facing wall, the first sidewall, the second sidewall, and the shelf.

8. The shelf system of claim 1 , further comprising the electronic device, wherein the first sidewall couples a first retention lip to the base, the second sidewall couples a second retention lip to the base, and the electronic device is located at least partially between the level, the first sidewall, the second sidewall, the first retention lip, the second retention lip, and the shelf.

9. The shelf system of claim 1 , wherein the level comprises a hollow tube at least partially filled with a liquid and a gas bubble, wherein the tube comprises a central axis located farther inward than a first intersection between the first sidewall and the base, and the central axis is located farther inward than a second intersection between the second sidewall and the base.

10. The shelf system of claim 9 , wherein the level is at least partially recessed within the hole to prevent the level from interfering with inserting the electronic device onto the shelf.

11. The shelf system of claim 1 , wherein the hole comprises a perimeter, the level is located at least partially in the hole, and the level is at least partially supported by the perimeter of the hole, wherein the base comprises ventilation channels formed by intersecting protrusions, and the intersecting protrusions couple the hole to the left half and the right half of the base.

12. The shelf system of claim 1 , wherein the base comprises ventilation channels formed by protrusions that couple the housing to the base.

13. The shelf system of claim 1 , wherein the level comprises a hollow tube at least partially filled with a liquid and a gas bubble, wherein the gas bubble is configured to move inside the hollow tube to indicate the horizontal condition of the shelf.

14. The shelf system of claim 1 , wherein the level comprises a hollow tube and a ball located inside the tube, wherein the ball is configured to move inside the hollow tube to indicate the horizontal condition of the shelf.

15. The shelf system of claim 1 , wherein the level comprises a weight rotatably coupled to the base by an attachment point, wherein the weight is configured to hang below the attachment point and rotate relative to the attachment point to indicate the horizontal condition of the shelf.

16. A shelf system configured to couple an electronic device to a wall, the shelf system comprising:
a base having a backside configured to face inward towards the wall and a frontside configured to face outward away from the wall;
a shelf coupled to the base, wherein the shelf protrudes outward from the base such that the shelf is configured to be oriented within 15 degrees of perpendicular to the wall;
a first sidewall coupled to the base and a second sidewall coupled to the base; and
a first protrusion, a second protrusion, and an intersecting brace that couples the first protrusion to the second protrusion, wherein the base comprises a ventilation channel from a bottom end portion of the base to a top end portion of the base, the base further comprises at least two holes formed, at least in part, by the first protrusion, the second protrusion, and the intersecting brace, wherein the holes are fluidly coupled with the ventilation channel such that the holes are configured to permit airflow from an area between the first and second sidewalls into the ventilation channel.

17. The shelf system of claim 16 , wherein the first protrusion comprises a screw entrance hole configured to enable a first screw to pass through the first protrusion to screw the base to the wall.

18. The shelf system of claim 16 , further comprising a level coupled to the base, wherein the level is configured to indicate a horizontal condition of the shelf, wherein the level comprises a first horizontal orientation and the shelf comprises a second horizontal orientation that is within five degrees of the first horizontal orientation, the shelf system further comprising the electronic device located at least partially between the first sidewall, the second sidewall, and the

Assignees

• Innovelis Inc

Inventors

• Wengreen Eric John

Classifications

• A47B81/06

  Furniture aspects of radio, television, gramophone, or record cabinets {(for similar equipment supports attached to the wall or ceiling or floor stands F16M)} · CPC title

• H05K5/0204 Primary

  Mounting supporting structures on the outside of casings · CPC title

• A47B97/001

  Wall mounting or suspension arrangements for blackboards or the like (easels or stands A47B97/04) · CPC title

• H05K7/20127

  Natural convection · CPC title

• F16M13/02

  for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle · CPC title