Reversible display apparatus and method for appliances

• US 20040114316A1
• Filed: 05/21/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thermo Electron Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: GSLE Development Corporation (SPX Corporation)
• Inventors: Tipton, Walter J., Carter, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,031,144 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/681
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 1/02 Air-pressure chambers; Air-locks therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 1/025 Environmental chambers incubators for culturing cells C12M41/14; test chambers to test weather resistance G01N17/002
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/14 Incubators; Climatic chambers per se B01L1/00

Abstract

An apparatus and method for displaying interaction or an appliance, such as an incubator, provides a display module having a display face angled relative to the vertical plane. The display face can be angled upwardly or downwardly to face the line of sight of a user.

Claims

1. An apparatus for displaying information related to an appliance, comprising:

a display module having a display face that is selectively angled at least one of upwardly or downwardly relative to the vertical plane.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display module comprises:

a support structure mounted to the appliance;

a display unit having a display face and adapted to be mounted to the support structure so that the display face is selectively angled at least one of upwardly or downwardly relative to vertical plane.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display support structure is a reversible bezel reversibly mountable to the appliance.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when mounted the display face has an angle of approximately 25 degrees relative to the vertical plane.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises a bezel having an angled mounting socket for receiving the display unit, and wherein the bezel is adjustable be attached to the appliance in two opposite orientations, comprising a first orientation in which display unit has its face angled upwardly relative to the vertical plane, and a second orientation in which the display unit

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the display unit is removably mountable in the bezel.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the bezel in each of the first and second orientations supports the display unit in the same upright position, with the display face having one of an upward angle or downward angle depending on the bezel orientation.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display module displays information related to at least one of an operating condition and an operating mode of the appliance.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the appliance is an incubator.

10. A display apparatus for an appliance, comprising:

means for displaying information related to the appliance, having a display face; and

means for supporting the displaying means to have the display face selectively angled at least one of upwardly or downwardly relative to vertical plane.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the supporting means is a reversible bezel reversibly mountable to the appliance.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein when mounted the display face has an angle of approximately 25 degrees relative to the vertical plane.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the supporting means comprises a bezel having an angled mounting socket for receiving the display unit, and wherein the bezel is adjustable be attached to the appliance in two opposite orientations, comprising a first orientation in which displaying means has its face angled upwardly relative to the vertical plane, and a second orientation in which the displaying means has its face angled downwardly relative to the vertical plane.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the displaying means is removably mountable in the bezel.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the bezel in each of the first and second orientations supports the displaying means in the same upright position, with one of upward angle or downward angle depending on the bezel orientation.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the displaying means displays information related to at least one of the an operating condition and an operating mode of the appliance.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the appliance is an incubator.

18. A method for displaying information related to an appliance, comprising:

providing a support structure mountable to the appliance; and

orienting a display unit having a display face and adapted to be mounted to the support structure so that the display face is selectively angled at least one of upwardly or downwardly relative to the vertical plane.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein when oriented the display face has an angle of approximately 25 degrees relative to the vertical plane.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the support structure comprises a bezel having an angled mounting socket for receiving the display unit, and wherein the bezel is adjustable be attached to the appliance in two opposite orientations, comprising a first orientation in which display unit has its face angled upwardly relative to the vertical plane, and a second orientation in which the display unit has its face angled downwardly relative to the vertical plane.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the appliance is an incubator.