Device for installation and removal of a ceiling speaker system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10735840-B2
Application number	US-201716078357-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2017
Priority date	Oct 24, 2016
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 2020

Abstract

A device for securing an object to a ceiling includes a threaded rod, a bracket and a spring-loaded tab. The spring-loaded tab has a tab portion with an outer surface. The tab portion is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the threaded rod. When the device is attached to the object and the object moves into an opening in the ceiling for installation to the ceiling, the tab portion is urged from an extended position to enable the object to pass through the opening. Subsequently, the tab portion returns to its extended position such that the object can be temporarily supported by the tab within the ceiling opening. The bracket is configured so that during a removal process, a portion of the bracket urges the tab portion inward from the extended position to enable the object to be removed from the ceiling opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for securing an object to a ceiling, comprising:
a threaded rod having a rod axis, a first end to receive a driver tool and a second end;
a bracket engaging the second end of the threaded rod; and
a spring-loaded tab having a clamp surface and a threaded passage in engagement with the threaded rod, and a spring mechanism, the clamp surface being rotatable relative to the threaded rod,

wherein, when the device is attached to the object and the object moves forward through an opening in the ceiling such that the spring-loaded tab is in contact with a side of the opening, the clamp surface is urged toward the threaded rod and wherein, when the object is further moved forward through the opening such that the spring-loaded tab is no longer in contact with the side of the opening, the clamp surface is displaced away from the threaded rod via the spring mechanism.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a cap nut attached to the second end of the threaded rod, wherein the cap nut prevents the threaded rod from retracting from the bracket.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein when the threaded rod is rotated such that the object moves in reverse down through the opening in the ceiling, the bracket engages the spring-loaded tab to urge the clamp surface toward the threaded rod.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the spring-loaded tab includes a first tab portion that includes the threaded passage, a second tab portion that includes the clamp surface, and a spring wire attached to the first and second tab portions.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the spring wire is configured to urge the second tab portion against the stop surface of the first tab portion.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the threaded rod is a screw and wherein the first end of the threaded rod includes a screw head configured to receive a screwdriver.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the clamp surface is rotatable about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the rod axis.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein, when the clamp surface abuts the top surface of the ceiling, a rotation of the threaded rod about the rod axis further moves the object through the opening in the ceiling until a portion of the ceiling is secured between the clamp surface and a portion of the object.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the object is a speaker system.

10. A ceiling speaker system, comprising:
a speaker system having at least one electro-acoustic driver and an enclosure;
a plurality of threaded rods each having a rod axis, a first end to receive a driver tool and a second end;
a plurality of brackets each engaging the second end of a respective one of the threaded rods; and
a plurality of spring-loaded tabs each having a clamp surface and a threaded passage in engagement with a respective one of the threaded rods and a spring mechanism, the clamp surface being rotatable relative the respective one of the threaded rods,

wherein, when the speaker system moves forward through an opening in the ceiling such that the spring-loaded tabs are in contact with a side of the opening, the clamp surfaces are urged toward the threaded rods, and wherein, when the speaker system is further moved forward through the opening such that the spring-loaded tabs are no longer in contact with the side of the opening, the clamp surfaces are displaced away from the threaded rods via their respective spring mechanisms.

11. The ceiling speaker system of claim 10 wherein, when the threaded rods are rotated such that the speaker system moves in reverse down through the opening in the ceiling, the brackets engage respective ones of the spring-loaded tabs to urge the clamp surfaces toward respective ones of the threaded rods.

12. The ceiling speaker system of claim 10 wherein, when the clamp surface abuts the top side of the ceiling, a rotation of the threaded rod about the rod axis further moves the object through the opening in the ceiling until a portion of the ceiling is secured between the clamp surface and a portion of the object.

13. A device for securing an object to a ceiling, comprising:
a threaded rod having a rod axis, a head to receive a driver tool and an end that is opposite to the head;
a cap nut secured to the end of the threaded rod;
a bracket engaging the cap nut at the end of the threaded rod; and
a spring-loaded tab having a clamp surface, a threaded passage in engagement with the threaded rod, and a spring mechanism, the clamp surface being rotatable relative to the threaded rod,

wherein, when the device is attached to the object and the object moves forward through an opening in the ceiling such that the spring-loaded tab is in contact with a side of the opening, the clamp surface is urged toward the threaded rod, wherein, when the object is further moved forward through the opening such that the spring-loaded tab is no longer in contact with the side of the opening, the clamp surface is displaced away from the threaded rod via the spring mechanism, and wherein, when the threaded rod is rotated such that the object moves in reverse down through the opening in the ceiling, the bracket engages the spring-loaded tab to urge the clamp surface toward the threaded rod.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the spring mechanism comprises a spring wire.

15. The device of claim 13 wherein, when the clamp surface abuts the top surface of the ceiling, a rotation of the threaded rod about the rod axis further moves the object through the opening in the ceiling until a portion of the ceiling is secured between the clamp surface and a portion of the object.

Assignees

• Bose Corp

Inventors

• Santoro Peter C
• Meyer Jr Dennis E
• Warden Robert A
• Mittersinker Gregor
• Noh Seung Hyuk
• O'Connell Christopher J

Classifications

• H04R1/026 Primary

  Supports for loudspeaker casings · CPC title

• H02G3/281

  in ceilings · CPC title

• H04R2201/021

  Transducers or their casings adapted for mounting in or to a wall or ceiling · CPC title

• H04R1/025 Primary

  Arrangements for fixing loudspeaker transducers, e.g. in a box, furniture · CPC title

• E04B9/006

  with means for hanging lighting fixtures or other appliances to the framework of the ceiling · CPC title