Flat Panel Mounting System

Abstract

Kits and/or methods for mounting a flat panel display are disclosed. A kit includes a wall plate, a pair of mounting rails, and a pair of tilt-adjustable mounting brackets for connecting the mounting rails with the wall plate. The wall plate includes an upper horizontal mounting edge. Each of the mounting rails includes a bottom surface having apertures to attach the mounting rail with the flat panel display, and two side surfaces perpendicular to the bottom surface. The two side surfaces include holes configured to receive and support each of a pair of tilt adjustment mechanisms. Each of the mounting brackets includes an upper-end hook, a lower-end safety fastener, and two non-parallel tilt adjustment slots, each slot dimensioned to receive a tilt adjustment mechanism. The tilt adjustment slots accommodate the tilt adjustment mechanisms through a range of tilt angles between the flat panel display and the wall plate.

1 . A flat panel display mounting kit, comprising:
 a wall plate configured to be attached with a mounting surface, said wall plate comprising a substantially horizontal mounting edge disposed on the upper side of the wall plate;   a pair of mounting rails configured to be attached with a fiat panel display, each mounting rail having a bottom surface and two side surfaces substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface, the bottom surface of each mounting rail comprising a plurality of apertures to attach the mounting rail with the fiat panel display, the two side surfaces of each mounting rail comprising tilt adjustment holes configured to receive and support each of a pair of tilt adjustment mechanisms in a specific position relative to the corresponding mounting rail; and   a pair of tilt-adjustable mounting brackets configured to connect said mounting rails with said wall plate, each tilt-adjustable mounting bracket having an upper end and a lower end opposite the upper end, each tilt-adjustable mounting bracket comprising
 a hook disposed on the upper side end configured to releasably attach to the mounting edge on the wall plate; 
 a safety fastener disposed on the lower end configured to releasably press against the wall plate; and 
 two non-parallel tilt adjustment slots dimensioned to receive the pair of tilt adjustment mechanisms for the corresponding mounting rail, said tilt adjustment slots configured to slidably mate with the pair of tilt adjustment mechanisms through a range of tilt angles between the mounting rail and the wall plate. 
   
   
   
       2 . The flat panel display mounting kit of  claim 1 , further comprising a mounting template guide configured to be releasably attached to a mounting surface, said mounting template guide having one or more adhesive strips on one side and a plurality of alignment apertures used to mark alignment indicia on the mounting surface, said alignment indicia used for the placement of the wall plate placement. 
   
   
       3 . The flat panel display mounting kit of  claim 2 , wherein said alignment indicia comprises a center mark, a stud locater, and a mounting hole indicator. 
   
   
       4 . The flat panel display mounting kit of  claim 1 , further comprising a cable cover back plate and a cable cover front plate having a configurable length, said cable cover plates disposable beneath the wall plate and attachable to the mounting surface. 
   
   
       5 . The flat panel display mounting kit of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the tilt adjustment mechanisms comprises:
 a tilt adjustment fastener configured to be inserted through opposing tilt adjustment holes on the side surfaces of one of the mounting rails and a corresponding mating slot of one of the tilt-adjustable mounting brackets; and   a tilt adjustment knob configured to couple with the tilt adjustment fastener so as to clamp the mounting bracket between the side surfaces of the mounting rail.   
   
   
       6 . The flat panel display mounting kit of  claim 5 , wherein the tilt adjustment knob is adjustable by hand. 
   
   
       7 . The flat panel display mounting kit of  claim 1 , wherein said tilt adjustment holes comprise a substantially circular hole and a non-circular hole that prevents a fastener from spinning, said substantially circular and non-circular holes disposed opposite from each other on two opposing side surfaces. 
   
   
       8 . The flat panel display mounting kit of  claim 1 , wherein said wall plate comprises a plurality of mounting holes shaped substantially as horizontal slots for the ease of alignment over the mounting surface. 
   
   
       9 . The flat panel display mounting kit of  claim 8 , wherein said mounting holes are arranged in two rows, one row is disposed substantially close to said mounting edge, the other row is disposed substantially opposite from said mounting edge. 
   
   
       10 . The flat panel display mounting kit of  claim 8 , wherein said wall plate is attached with said mounting surface using one or more of attachment fasteners. 
   
   
       11 . The flat panel display mounting kit of  claim 8 , wherein said wall plate further comprises a substantially X-shaped connecting panel that connects upper and lower regions of said wall plate. 
   
   
       12 . The flat panel display mounting kit of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of holes on the bottom surface of the mounting rails have a shape chosen from the group consisting a circular hole, a slotted hole, and a combination thereof. 
   
   
       13 . The flat panel display mounting kit of  claim 1 , wherein said tilt-adjustable mounting bracket is substantially arcuatelly shaped. 
   
   
       14 . The flat panel display mounting kit of  claim 1 , wherein said mounting rails have a tilt angle range chosen from a group consisting of a 15° downward angle and a 5° upward angle, a 15° downward angle and a 3° upward angle, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       15 . The flat panel display mounting kit of  claim 1 , wherein said flat panel display is chosen from the group consisting a TV, computer display, and a combination thereof. 
   
   
       16 . The flat panel display mounting kit of  claim 1 , wherein said wall plate is made of powder coated steel. 
   
   
       17 . The flat panel display mounting kit of  claim 1 , wherein said mounting brackets are made of anodized aluminum. 
   
   
       18 . A method for flat panel display mounting, comprising:
 attaching a wall plate with a mounting surface;   attaching a pair of mounting rails with a flat panel display;   attaching a tilt-adjustable mounting bracket with each of the mounting rails by
 positioning the tilt-adjustable mounting bracket between side surfaces of each mounting rail, 
 aligning tilt adjustment slots on the tilt-adjustable mounting bracket with tilt adjustment holes on the side surfaces of each mounting rail, 
 inserting a tilt adjustment fastener through each of the tilt adjustment slots and corresponding tilt adjustment holes, and 
 tightening at least one combination of a tilt adjustment knob and one of the tilt adjustment fasteners to secure together each of the tilt-adjustable mounting brackets and the mounting rails that are attached to the flat panel display, 
   attaching a hook on each tilt-adjustable mounting bracket to a mounting edge on the wall plate, thus coupling the flat panel display with the wall plate; and   securing a safety fastener on each tilt-adjustable mounting bracket against the wall plate.   
   
   
       19 . The method for flat panel display mounting of  claim 18 , further comprising aligning the wall plate against mounting indicia on the mounting surface, said mounting indicia comprising a center mark, a stud locater, and a mounting hole indicator, said mounting indicia generated using a mounting template guide. 
   
   
       20 . The method for flat panel display mounting of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 configuring a cable cover by configuring a cable cover back plate and a cable cover front plate to a desired length,   positioning flat panel display cables in the opening formed by mating the cable cover back plate and the cable cover front plate,   disposing said cable cover beneath the wall plate, and   attaching said cable cover to the mounting surface.   
   
   
       21 . The method for flat panel display mounting of  claim 18 , further comprising adjusting the tilt angle of the flat panel display while the tilt-adjustment mounting bracket is attached with the wall plate.