Supports – Video display screen support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-03
2001-04-03
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Supports
Video display screen support
C361S689000, C361S689000, C361S689000, C361S689000, C248S915000, C248S916000, C248S918000, C312S223100, C312S223200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209846
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Computer monitors have become extremely common items in offices, workspaces, retail stores, automobile service facilities, airports, and anywhere a computer is used. The monitors generally sit on desks, tables, stands, counters and the like. But regardless of where such monitors are located, they have a very familiar shape and appearance, and are immediately recognized as a computer monitor, largely because of their shape or appearance. Although the computer industry has exploded with technology in the latter part of the twentieth century, the shape and appearance of computer monitors has changed little. Monitors have even grown, from the thirteen inch monitors so common in the 1980's, to the 17, 19 and 21 inch monitors presently.
Prior art monitors generally are rather heavy and have a large, bulky and familiar shape, with a generally rectangular appearance from the front, tapering in all directions toward the rear, and supported on a pedestal. The screen of course is located on the rectangular front, often includes knobs or controls for the monitor.
More recently, some attention has been directed at monitors to create a more aesthetic appearance with corresponding appeal. For example, U.S. Design Pat. No. 413,105 discloses a horizontal teardrop shape, with rounded corners and concealed front controls. This housing has been marketed in colors to again increase the aesthetic appeal.
Another approach has been taken in Design U.S. Pat. No. 390,218 wherein speakers are mounted in wings hingedly attached to the sides of the monitor and are pivotal to the front to conceal the monitor and speakers when closed.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,766,422 and 4,735,467 discloses other ways to conceal the computer monitor by mounting it on a support which is retractable into the desk when not in use. This patent uses a flat screen display, much like the displays used in laptop computers, in order to facilitate the support and concealment of the display.
Most of the prior attempts to change the appearance of the monitor have still produced shapes which are largely dictated by the shape of the cathode ray tube which forms the bulk of the actual monitor. Although changes in such tubes have reduced the length of the tube, they still have the familiar elongated shape, which is not particularly aesthetic, and which is bulky and dominant on a desktop, and has little appeal apart from its function.
Accordingly the primary object of present invention is to provide a monitor housing which is capable of significant and distinctive aesthetic appeal.
Another object of the invention is to provide a monitor housing which conceals the function of the monitor when not in use.
A further object of the invention is to provide a monitor housing which is convertible from an aesthetic object to a functional computer monitor.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a monitor housing which may be ornamented to simulate a variety of objects with different appeal.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a monitor housing which interacts with the computer power saving features so as to conceal the monitor when the computer is in a power saving mode.
Still a further object of the invention is to provide a monitor housing which may be of different shapes to simulate different objects.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention takes advantage of flat screen technology for a so-called “desktop” monitor in order to benefit from the size advantages of flat screen displays. Although the invention could be used with cathode ray tube type video displays, the size of such displays is one of their biggest drawbacks, and the flat screen displays are preferred. The monitor housing of this invention comprises at least two shells which are pivotally connected together along a midline. The shells are relatively pivotable from a position in which they are nested one inside the other, to a position in which they overlap at their edges to form a shape which simulates a unique object. For example, the object may be a sports ball such as a golf ball, a basket ball, a soccer ball, a football, or the like.
When the shells are pivoted to a first or open position in which they are nested, the video display terminal is visible for use as a computer display. But, when the shells are relatively pivoted to a second or closed position, the video display screen is hidden from view. By suitably ornamenting the exterior of shells, the housing can be made to resemble a golf ball, a soccer ball, a globe or the like. A mirror finish may also be provided. Likewise, the housing may be elongated in an egg-shape and ornamented to resemble a football, while still concealing the video display screen.
The half shells may simply be pivotally connected so that one of the shells is mounted on a base or pedestal and the other is pivotally attached to the first. A handle may be provided if desired to facilitate manually moving the pivotal shell between the open and closed positions.
In another embodiment, a servo-motor is connected to the movable shell to move that shell between the open and closed positions. Preferable, the motor is provided with a connection to the computer, so that when the display screen is energized, the motor is activated to pivot the shell to the first position and thereby open the housing for use. Similarly, when the video display is powered down, the servo-motor is reversed to close the housing. A variety of different drive connections can be provided between the servo-motor and the movable shell.
By virtue of this invention, a variety of monitors can be provided differing by ornamental rather than functional considerations.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4714351 (1987-12-01), Domen
patent: 5332221 (1994-07-01), Reed
patent: 5337540 (1994-08-01), Carroll
patent: 5825537 (1998-10-01), Ushiyama
patent: 5893789 (1999-04-01), Wu
patent: 5978211 (1999-11-01), Hong
Bui Tung Minh
Picard Leo P.
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