Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-21
2001-05-15
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S725000, C312S223200, C248S918000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06233139
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to display devices for use with computers, particularly but not exclusively, to flat panel displays of the type which are rotatable about an axis generally perpendicular to a display surface.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many types and configurations of display devices are known for use with computers. For various reasons, some of these have been pivotably mounted on a support structure. For instance, CRT monitors are often provided with tilt/swivel stands so that the position of the display can be adjusted for ergonomic reasons. In this case, the degree of permitted rotation is often very limited.
However, CRT monitors and flat panel displays have been proposed, and are becoming increasing popular, which are rotatable about an axis that is generally perpendicular to the display screen so that the screen can be viewed in either a landscape or portrait mode, see for instance U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,377 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,289.
This latter feature is used in wordprocessing and other office applications, enabling a full screen display of A4 page format on 14-15″ screen diagonal.
Whilst existing systems of this type are no doubt satisfactory, they are not optimized from an ergonomic standpoint since generally they only provide a fixed central pivot point. In consequence, unless the monitor stand is provided with manual cabinet height adjustment, the height of the cabinet at landscape position would be too high if the cabinet is not to be stopped by the desktop or the base of the stand when rotating to portrait position.
Furthermore, the landscape and portrait positions in known systems are not simultaneously compatible with the well-established ergonomic rule that display height is well adjusted when the upper edge of the display screen is at eye level so that it is viewed perpendicularly by the user.
Even it the monitor stand is provided with a height adjustment mechanism, the user has twice to adjust the cabinet height when rotating the display—once to prevent it to be stopped by the desktop and a second time to comply with the ergonomic rule mentioned above.
As in normal use such displays are rotated quite often, this combination of movement and adjustment has been found to be somewhat inconvenient.
This invention aims to mitigate the above drawbacks of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In brief, this is achieved by display apparatus comprising a support member and a display member having a display surface, the display member being responsive to an electrical signal to display an image on the display surface. A pivot mechanism is arranged between the support member and the display member which allows the display member to be movable from a first rest position, for instance a landscape orientation, to at least a second rest position, for instance a portrait orientation, the pivot mechanism being arranged to provide in the movement between the first and second rest positions a rotation about an axis extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the display surface and a translation in a direction generally parallel to the display surface.
In this way, an automatic height compensation can be provided on movement of the display device from one position to the other.
In preferred embodiments, the pivot mechanism comprises a cam surface for guiding movement of the display member between the first and second rest positions. The cam surface can be shaped to provide a raised position for the display member between the first and second rest positions. The rectangular display member as a whole is thereby raised during rotational movement to provide greater clearance between the lower corners of the display member and the desktop or other horizontal surface upon which it may be standing.
In particularly preferred embodiments, the pivot mechanism is arranged so that in normal use the upper edge of the screen is at the same height in the first and second rest positions—thereby enabling the display screen to remain ergonomically well-adjusted in both positions without intervention or manual adjustment by the user.
Advantageously, the apparatus can be provided with resilient biasing means for at least partially supporting the weight of the display member during movement of the display member from the first rest position to the second rest position.
It will be appreciated that the above described arrangements also have manufacturing cost advantages, since in many embodiments it may be possible to dispense with the manual height adjustment mechanisms conventionally provided in support stands for such displays.
Whilst the above described arrangement is particularly suitable for flat panel displays, its use with CRT displays or any other type of display apparatus is not excluded.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4669694 (1987-06-01), Malick
patent: 5668570 (1997-09-01), Ditzik
patent: 5708561 (1998-01-01), Huilgol et al.
patent: 6081420 (2000-06-01), Kim et al.
Duong Hung Van
Hewlett--Packard Company
Picard Leo P.
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