Multi-display system, video display device, and pull-out mechanism

• US 10,635,381 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2017
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Nakano, Yuzo
• Primary Examiner(s): Haughton, Anthony M
• Application Number:
  US16/492,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20200057594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 36167904, 345 11, 345 13, 345 33, 345 55, 248917, 248919, 248920, 248921, 248922, 248923
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/00 Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements in which the variable information is permanently attached to a movable support G09F11/00; abacus G06C1/00; slide-rules G06G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/3026 Video wall, i.e. stackable semiconductor matrix display modules video wall control systems G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/40 in which the desired character is selected from a number of characters arranged one beside the other, e.g. on a common carrier plate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/64 Constructional details of receivers, e.g. cabinets or dust covers furniture aspects of television cabinets A47B81/06

Abstract

An object is to provide a technique that enables making an adjustment from a direction where a video display surface is located, in order to provide inconspicuous seams between one of video display devices and other adjacent video display devices even when there are no workable spaces behind the video display devices. A multi-display system includes a plurality of LED display tiles, a position adjusting mechanism, and a pull-out mechanism. The position adjusting mechanism includes a lock mechanism that switches between a locking state and an unlocking state. When the lock mechanism is in the locking state, each of the LED display tiles is fastened in a retraction position. When the lock mechanism is in the unlocking state, each of the LED display tiles is movable between the retraction position and a pull-out position by the pull-out mechanism while being floated and supported via an elastic support portion.

Claims

1. A multi-display system comprising:

a plurality of video display devices;

a support structure that supports the plurality of video display devices;

a position adjusting mechanism disposed in the support structure and capable of adjusting a position of each of the plurality of video display devices; and

a pull-out mechanism disposed between the plurality of video display devices and the support structure, and capable of moving each of the plurality of video display devices between a retraction position and a pull-out position, the retraction position being a position for fastening each of the plurality of video display devices and the support structure to each other, the pull-out position being a position anterior to the retraction position,

wherein the position adjusting mechanism comprises a lock mechanism that switches between a locking state and an unlocking state, the locking state being a state for fastening each of the plurality of video display devices and the support structure to each other, the unlocking state being a state for releasing the fastening between each of the plurality of video display devices and the support structure,

when the lock mechanism is in the locking state, each of the plurality of video display devices is fastened in the retraction position, and when the lock mechanism is in the unlocking state, each of the plurality of video display devices is movable between the retraction position and the pull-out position by the pull-out mechanism while being floated and supported via an elastic support portion,

the position adjusting mechanism further comprises

a seam adjusting mechanism configured to adjust the position of each of the plurality of video display devices in side-to-side and up-and-down directions, and

a step adjusting mechanism configured to adjust the position of each of the video display devices in a back-and-forth direction,

the step adjusting mechanism comprises

a step adjuster on a back surface of each of the plurality of video display devices,

a magnet on the back surface of each of the plurality of video display devices, the magnet being disposed inside the step adjuster, and

a positioning pin on the back surface of each of the plurality of video display devices, the positioning pin being disposed on a center axis of the step adjuster and protruding backward from a back surface of the step adjuster,

the seam adjusting mechanism comprises

a housing fastened to the support structure, and

a cylindrical portion disposed at a front portion of the housing, the cylindrical portion supporting the positioning pin inserted in a hole portion, in a manner movable in the back-and-forth direction,

a portion of the seam adjusting mechanism that abuts on the step adjuster is made of a magnetic material or magnet, and

when each of the plurality of video display devices is in the retraction position, the positioning pin is inserted in the cylindrical portion, so that a magnetic force causes the step adjuster to adhere to the seam adjusting mechanism, which is disposed in the support structure.

2. The multi-display system according to claim 1, wherein

the pull-out mechanism comprises

a guide portion fastened to the support structure,

a movable portion movable along the guide portion, and

the elastic support portion,

the support structure comprises at least one reception portion,

the lock mechanism comprises at least one retaining portion retainable to the at least one reception portion,

the movable portion floats and supports, via the elastic support portion, each of the plurality of video display devices located in the pull-out position,

with each of the plurality of video display devices located in the retraction position, the positioning pin is inserted into the cylindrical portion, so that the cylindrical portion supports each of the plurality of video display devices while controlling a floated state of each of the plurality of video display devices in the side-to-side and up-and-down directions, and

with each of the plurality of video display devices located in the retraction position, the at least one retaining portion is retained in the at least one reception portion, so that the lock mechanism controls a movement of each of the plurality of video display devices in the back-and-forth direction.

3. The multi-display system according to claim 2, wherein

the multi-display system further comprises a magnet jig,

the at least one retaining portion comprises a pair of upper and lower metal retaining plates turnable about a turn shaft,

the at least one reception portion comprises a pair of upper and lower reception portions,

the lock mechanism further comprises

a pair of couplers each having one end coupled to corresponding one of the pair of metal retaining plates, and

a metal rotation plate coupled to other ends of the pair of couplers and rotatable about a rotation shaft,

the pair of metal retaining plates is configured to be urged in a direction in which the pair of metal retaining plates is retained in the pair of respective reception portions, and to turn, by a magnetic force of the magnet jig, in a direction opposite from the direction in which the pair of metal retaining plates is retained in the pair of respective reception portions,

with the magnet jig located in a position remote from a video display surface of each of the plurality of video display devices, and with each of the plurality of video display devices located in the retraction position, the pair of metal retaining plates is retained in the pair of respective reception portions, so that each of the plurality of video display devices and the support structure are fastened to each other, and

the magnet jig is located in a position adjacent to the video display surface of each of the plurality of video display devices, and the metal rotation plate is caused to rotate in one direction by the magnetic force of the magnet jig, so that the pair of metal retaining plates turns via the pair of couplers, in a direction opposite from a direction in which the pair of metal retaining plates is retained in the pair of respective reception portions, to release the fastening between each of the plurality of video display devices and the support structure.

4. The multi-display system according to claim 3, wherein

the lock mechanism further comprises an attractive spring and a pushing spring,

the pair of metal retaining plates is fastened to the back surface of each of the plurality of video display devices together with the attractive spring and the pushing spring,

the attractive spring has a spring force for attracting the pair of metal retaining plates in the direction in which the pair of metal retaining plates is retained in the pair of respective retaining portions, and

the pushing spring has a spring force for pushing each of the plurality of video display devices forward with the pair of metal retaining plates retained in the pair of respective retaining portions.

5. The multi-display system according to claim 2, wherein

the multi-display system further comprises a magnet jig,

the at least one retaining portion comprises a pair of upper and lower metal retaining plates slidable in the up-and-down direction,

the at least one reception portion comprises a pair of upper and lower reception portions,

the lock mechanism further comprises

a pair of couplers each having one end coupled to corresponding one of the pair of metal retaining plates, and

a metal rotation plate coupled to other ends of the pair of couplers and rotatable about a rotation shaft,

with the magnet jig located in a position remote from a video display surface of each of the plurality of video display devices, and with each of the plurality of video display devices located in the retraction position, the pair of metal retaining plates is retained in the pair of respective reception portions, so that each of the plurality of video display devices and the support structure are fastened to each other, and

the magnet jig is located in a position adjacent to the video display surface of each of the plurality of video display devices, and the metal rotation plate is caused to rotate in one direction by a magnetic force of the magnet jig, so that the pair of metal retaining plates slides via the pair of couplers, in a direction opposite from a direction in which the pair of metal retaining plates is retained in the pair of respective reception portions, to release the fastening between each of the plurality of video display devices and the support structure.

6. The multi-display system according to claim 5, wherein

the lock mechanism further comprises a wrapping spring wrapped around the rotation shaft,

the wrapping spring has a spring force for rotating the metal rotation plate in the direction in which the pair of metal retaining plates is retained in the pair of respective reception portions, and

with the pull-out mechanism located in the retraction position, the wrapping spring causes the pair of metal retaining plates to slide in the direction in which the pair of metal retaining plates is retained in the pair of respective reception portions.

7. A video display device included in the multi-display system according to claim 1.

8. A pull-out mechanism included in the multi-display system according to claim 1.