Mounting system

Abstract

The present invention provides a mounting system including a connectable component and a mounting hub, wherein the connectable component is releasably attachable to the mounting hub via magnetic means. Preferably, the hub is fixable to a surface to allow the connectable component to be mounted thereon. Preferably, the connectable component is incorporated into a mountable item, such as a mountable frame that includes a front plate and a back plate which are adapted to house a display item.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mounting system for a mountable item including a connectable component and a hub, wherein the connectable component is releasably attachable to the hub via magnetic means, and wherein the hub is selected from the group consisting of a mounting hub and a freestand leg. 
     
     
         2 . The mounting system of  claim 1 , wherein connectable component comprises a magnetically attracting member and a mount-engaging zone. 
     
     
         3 . The mounting system of  claim 2 , wherein the magnetically attracting member and the hub independently comprise magnets and, optionally, magnetically attractable materials. 
     
     
         4 . The mounting system of  claim 2 , wherein the mount-engaging zone is adapted to be at least partially received by the hub. 
     
     
         5 . The mounting system of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting hub, connectable component and/or mountable item includes one or more rotational dampeners that substantially resist rotational movement of the connectable component when connected to the mounting hub. 
     
     
         6 . The mounting system of  claim 1 , wherein mounting hub is fixable to a wall. 
     
     
         7 . The mounting system of  claim 1 , wherein mountable item is a mountable frame. 
     
     
         8 . The mountable frame of  claim 7  that includes a front plate and a back plate which are adapted to house a display item, wherein the front plate and the back plate are releasably held together and wherein the back plate includes a substantially centrally-located, connectable component. 
     
     
         9 . The mountable frame of  claim 8 , wherein the front plate and the back plate are releasably held together by magnetically attracting members. 
     
     
         10 . The mountable frame of  claim 8 , wherein the front plate of the frame is substantially planar and includes:
 i) a substantially centrally located viewing zone through which the display item can be observed, optionally including a transparent sheet; and   ii) an edge zone surrounding the viewing zone and incorporating at least one magnetically attracting member positioned to cooperate with a correspondingly positioned magnetically attracting member in the back plate.   
     
     
         11 . The mountable frame of  claim 8 , wherein the back plate is substantially planar and includes at least one magnetically attracting member correspondingly positioned to cooperate with the at least one magnetically attracting member in the front plate. 
     
     
         12 . The mountable frame of  claim 8 , wherein the magnetically attracting members comprise magnets and, optionally, magnetically attractable materials. 
     
     
         13 . The mountable frame of  claim 3 , wherein the mount-engaging zone is adapted to be at least partially received by the hub.