Tilter apparatus having bias assembly

• US 20060060735A1
• Filed: 09/23/2004
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovative Office Products, LLC (IOP Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Innovative Office Products, Inc. (IOP Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Derry, Bradley A., Oddsen,, Odd N. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,604,210 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/278.100
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/105 the horizontal axis being the roll axis, e.g. for creating a landscape-portrait rotation
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2064 for tilting and panning F16M11/2078 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/024 by positive interaction, e.g. male-female connections
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/044 for balancing rotational movement of the undercarriage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/917 Video display screen support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/923 Tilting

Abstract

A tilter assembly is provided for positioning an electronic device such as a flat panel display. The tilter assembly includes a tilter head having an opening aligned along an axis and a tilter bar received within the opening. The tilter head is rotatable about the axis, and may be coupled to a support. The tilter assembly also includes a spring, such as a torsion spring, coupled to the tilter bar to provide a bias or counterbalance to the electronic device, thereby preventing undesired movement of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A tilting apparatus for supporting a device, comprising:

a tilter head having an opening aligned along an axis;

a tilter bar received within the opening and rotatable about the axis, the tilter bar having a connection and

a torsion spring component coupled between the connection of the tilter bar and the tilter head.

2. The tilting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for coupling the tilting apparatus to the electronic device.

3. The tilting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism for preventing rotation of the tilter bar about the axis.

4. The tilting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a bushing received within the opening and at least partly enclosing the tilter bar.

5. The tilting apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a set screw threadedly coupled with the tilter head, wherein the bushing includes a slot, and when the set screw engages the bushing, the set screw compresses the bushing against the tilter bar to limit rotation of the tilter bar about the axis.

6. The tilter apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the torsion spring component comprises a first torsion spring and a second torsion spring;

the connection of the tilter bar comprises a first connection and a second connection; and

the first torsion spring is coupled between the first connection and the tilter head, and the second torsion spring is coupled between the second connection and the tilter head.

7. The tilting apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first and second torsion springs comprise wound springs wound in opposite directions.

8. The tilting apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first and second torsion springs each have a first tang and a second tang, and the first tang of the first torsion spring is coupled to the first connection of the tilter bar, and the first tang of the second torsion spring is coupled to the second connection of the tilter bar.

9. The tilting apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first and second torsion springs each includes less than five turns.

10. The tilting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a tilter cap, the tilter cap being connectable to the torsion spring component.

11. The tilting apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a tilter mount for connecting to the device, wherein the tilter cap is connectable to the tilter mount.

12. The tilting apparatus of claim 10, wherein the tilter cap is operable to pre-tension the torsion spring component.

13. The tilting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the torsion spring component includes a tang at a first end thereof, and the connection is a female receptacle for receiving the tang.

14. A method of tensioning a tilting apparatus, comprising:

coupling a first end of torsion spring to a connection of a tilter bar;

inserting at least a portion of the torsion spring and the tilter bar into an opening of a tilter head, the opening being aligned along an axis;

connecting a tilter cap to a second end of the torsion spring;

partially inserting the tilter cap into the tilter head opening; and

rotating the tilter cap to pre-tension the torsion spring.

15. A tilting apparatus comprising:

a tilter head having an opening aligned along an axis, the tilter head adapted to be coupled to a first member;

a tilter bar received within the opening and rotatable about the axis, the tilter bar adapted to be coupled to a second member; and

a pair of torsion springs, a first one of the torsion springs coupled between a first end of the tilter bar and the tilter head and a second one of the torsion springs coupled between a second end of the tilter bar and the tilter head, wherein the pair of torsion springs are adapted to provide torsional resistance between the first and second members.

16. The tilting apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second member comprises a tilter mount.

17. The tilting device of claim 15, further including an assembly for adjusting the torsion of the pair of torsion springs.

18. The tilting device of claim 17, wherein the assembly includes a pair of tilter caps, each of the tilter caps having a receiver portion for engaging one of the torsion springs.

19. The tilting apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a tilter mount for connecting to a device, wherein the pair of tilter caps are connectable to the tilter mount.

20. The tilting device of claim 15, further comprising a locking means for preventing rotation of the tilter bar about the axis.

21. The tilting device of claim 15, further comprising:

a bushing at least partly enclosing a portion of the tilter bar; and

a set screw threadedly coupled with the tilter head;

wherein the set screw is adapted to impact the bushing and thereby limit rotation of the tilter bar.

22. The tilting device of claim 15, the tilter head further including a receptacle and the pair of torsion springs each including first and second tangs, wherein the first tang of the first torsion spring is coupled to the first end of the tilter bar, the first tang of second torsion spring is coupled to the second end of the tilter bar, and the second tangs are each coupled to the receptacle.

23. The tilting device of claim 22, wherein the receptacle comprises a recess.

24. The tilting device of claim 22, wherein the receptacle comprises a slot.

25. An adjustable extension arm for mounting a device, comprising:

a first channel member having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a pair of sidewalls extending from the first end to the second end;

a second channel member having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a pair of sidewalls extending from the first end to the second end;

a first endcap having first and second ends, the first end of the first endcap being coupled to the first channel member about the first end thereof and to the second channel member about the first end thereof, and the second end of the first endcap being attachable to a support;

a second endcap having first and second ends, the first end of the second endcap being coupled to the first channel member about the second end thereof and to the second channel member about the second end thereof; and

a tilting apparatus comprising;

a tilter head coupled to the second end of the second endcap, the tilter head having an opening aligned along an axis;

a tilter bar received within the opening and rotatable about the axis, the tilter bar adapted to be coupled to the device; and

a pair of torsion springs, a first one of the torsion springs coupled between a first end of the tilter bar and the tilter head, and a second one of the torsion springs coupled between a second end of the tilter bar and the tilter head.

26. The adjustable extension arm of claim 25, further comprising a forearm extension coupling the second endcap to the tilter head.

27. The adjustable extension arm of claim 25, wherein the pair of torsion springs each has an adjustable tension.

28. The adjustable extension arm of claim 27, wherein the tilting apparatus further comprises a pair of tension mechanisms, a first one of the tension mechanisms for pre-tensioning the first torsion spring, and a second one of the tension mechanisms for pre-tensioning the second torsion spring.

29. The adjustable extension arm of claim 28, further comprising a tilter mount for connecting to the device, wherein the first and second tension mechanisms are connectable to the tilter mount.

30. A tilting apparatus for supporting a device, comprising:

a tilter head;

a tilter body rotationally coupled to the tilter head; and

means for creating a torsional resistance between the tilter head and the tilter body.