Devices and methods for flangeless installations
View Patent ↗A flangeless mounting system, suitable for in-wall speakers and other objects, includes a panel that replaces a substantial section of wallboard instead of being installed behind the wallboard. In preferred embodiments a rim extends outwardly from a first surface of the panel by a distance of less than ½ inch, and preferably by only ⅛ inch or even 1/16 inch. The face of the object can be quite large, up to 40 in 2 or more, and still be relatively small with respect to the panel. Panels are contemplated that have a width at least two, three or more times that of the face of the object, and along with optional wings are wider than the stud separation in the wall.
1. An item of manufacture to facilitate a flangeless installation of a device in a wallboard, comprising: a panel defining a major surface having a plurality of edges;
an opening through the surface, the opening having top, bottom and side edges;
a sloped rim disposed about the opening without covering any of the top, bottom, or side edges of the opening, and extending outwardly from the surface, wherein the rim is distanced from each of the edges of the panel by at least one inch, and wherein the sloped rim receives a spackle paste for a flush look with the wallboard; and
a mounting for the device that is accessible through the surface.
2. The item of claim 1 , wherein the opening has a width that is no more than half a width of the panel.
3. The item of claim 1 , wherein the opening defines an area of at least 20 in 2 .
4. The item of claim 1 , wherein the panel has at least two openings.
5. The item of claim 1 , further comprising an attachment wing that extends from a side of the panel.
6. The item of claim 1 , wherein the panel has a thickness of at least ¼ inch.
7. The item of claim 1 , wherein the rim extends outwardly from the first surface of the panel by a distance of less than ¼ inch (about 0.635 cm).
8. The item of claim 1 , further comprising a holding mechanism capable of removably retaining a grille in the opening.
9. The item of claim 8 , wherein the holding mechanism comprises a magnet.
10. The item of claim 8 , wherein the holding mechanism comprises a press fit dimension of the grille.
11. The item of claim 1 , wherein mounting is sized and dimensioned to receive the electrical device where the electrical device is a speaker housing.
12. The item of claim 1 , wherein the rim extends outwardly from the surface by at least some distance that is less than ½ inch (about 1.27 cm).
13. An item of manufacture, comprising:
a panel defining a major surface having a plurality of edges;
an opening through the front surface, the opening having a length in a plane of the surface that is no more than ½ a corresponding length of the panel in the plane, and the opening having a width in the plane that is no more than ½ a corresponding width of the panel in the plane
a sloped rim disposed around the opening, and extending outwardly from the surface by a distance of less than ½ inch (about 1.27 cm), wherein the rim is distanced from each of the edges by at least one inch, and wherein the sloped rim receives a spackle paste for a flush look with a wallboard; and
a mounting for an electrical device that is accessible from the front surface.
14. The item of claim 13 , wherein the panel has a plurality of edges, and the opening is positioned such that each of the edges is distanced from a closest portion of the opening by at least one inch.
15. The item of claim 13 , wherein the length of the opening is no more than ⅓ the length of the panel.
16. The item of claim 15 , wherein the width of the opening is no more than ⅓ the width of the panel.
17. The item of claim 13 , wherein the width of the opening is no more than ⅓ the width of the panel.
18. The item of claim 13 , wherein the opening defines an area of at least 20 in 2 , the panel has a thickness of at least ¼ inch (about 0.635 cm), and the rim extends outwardly from the first surface of the panel by a distance of less than ¼ inch (about 0.635 cm).