Hinge assembly for supporting LCD display panel

• US 20040055114A1
• Filed: 09/19/2002
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lu, Sheng-Nan
• Application Number:
  US10/246,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20040055114A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 16/340
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/087 with substantially axial friction, e.g. friction disks
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/606 for electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/041 for balancing rotational movement of the head

Abstract

A hinge assembly for enabling an LCD display panel to be adjusted to a suitable viewing angle and the supporting stand to be folded up against the back of the display panel is disclosed. The stand bracket is installed on the supporting stand for locking against the middle section of a hinge shaft by locating ears. Two panel brackets are mounted on two ends at the back of the display panel locking against the hinge shaft by locating ears. The hinge shaft is fitted with hinge components from both ends, including torsion springs, guide plates, torsion springs and terminal nuts. Through the mechanical action of the torsion springs and guide plates, an LCD monitor can be adjusted to a suitable viewing angle, and the supporting stand can be fully folded against the back of the panel for storage with limited space and for economical transportation.

Claims

1. A hinge assembly for supporting an LCD display panel, to be installed on the back of the display panel joining the supporting stands for easy adjustment of a viewing angle, comprises:

a stand bracket formed by a fixing portion, having multiple holes defined through the fixing portion for fitting screws and rivets, and a locating ear on a lateral side having a fixing hole through the center of the locating ear;

a hinge shaft divided into a left portion and a right portion, both of left and right portions having a threaded end;

two guide plates installed on the left portion and right portion of the hinge shaft respectively, wherein each guide plate has a through hole in the center for the hinge shaft to pass through, and an outer rim of the guide plate is shaped by a first limiting slot, a second limiting slot, a first locating notch, and a second locating notch;

two panel brackets installed respectively on two ends at the back of the display panel, wherein each panel bracket is formed by a vertical portion and a horizontal ear portion portion, such that the horizontal ear portions are locked respectively in by the left portion and the right portion of the hinge shaft and positioned on an outside of the two guide plates;

the horizontal ear portion arises from a middle section of the vertical portion, which has holes on the upper and lower parts for fitting screws or rivets;

the horizontal ear portions of the two panel brackets each having fixing holes for the hinge shaft to run through;

each horizontal ear portion has a notch on an upper part thereof and a nose extending from the bottom of the horizontal ear portion perpendicularly for fitting against the second limiting slot of the adjacent guide plate;

two inner torsion springs respectively installed on two ends of the stand bracket adjacent to the guide plate on each side, allowing the hinge shaft to pass through the center of the inner torsion springs, wherein a first end of each inner torsion spring is secured to the fixing portion of the stand bracket and a second end is secured to the second locating notch of the guide plate;

two outer torsion springs respectively attached onto the left portion and right portion of the hinge shaft, outside of the horizontal ear portions of the panel brackets, wherein a first end of each outer torsion spring is secured to the fixing hole of the horizontal ear portion and a second end is secured to the notch of the horizontal ear portion and the first locating notch of the guide plate;

two terminal nuts respectively fitted onto the threaded ends of the left portion and right portion together with a friction washer;

such that the hinge is assembled by sliding the shaft portion through the locating ear of the stand bracket and the horizontal ear portions of the panel brackets, thus joining the display panel and the supporting stand together to form the hinge assembly for an LCD monitor.

2. The hinge assembly for supporting the LCD display panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two panel brackets each have a sleeve mounted on the fixing hole of the horizontal ear portion for fitting the hinge shaft.

3. The hinge assembly for supporting the LCD display panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two panel brackets each have a sleeve mounted on the fixing hole of the horizontal ear portion for fitting the hinge shaft.

4. The hinge assembly for supporting the LCD display panel as claimed in claim 2, wherein the hinge shaft has friction washers fitted in between the horizontal ear portion and the guide plate.