Apparatus for mounting a plurality of monitors having adjustable distance to a viewer

• US 20060238967A1
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xybix Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Xybix Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Carson, Kenneth R., Carson, Barry, Carson, David R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,878,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.40
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/14 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 ; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2085 comprising means allowing sideward adjustment, i.e. left-right translation of the head relatively to the undercarriage
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/917 Video display screen support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/919 Adjustably orientable video screen support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/92 Angular and linear video display screen support adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/921 Plural angular

Abstract

An apparatus and method for mounting a plurality of display monitors is disclosed, wherein the apparatus is provided at a user'"'"'s desk or workstation. The apparatus can be easily moved toward and away from the user such that all the monitors mounted on the apparatus move in unison in the direction indicated by the user. Accordingly, the apparatus accommodates the visual preferences of virtually all users of the desk or workstation so that eye and skeletal muscle fatigue are reduced.

Claims

25. A computer monitor mounting apparatus for mounting a plurality of monitors, comprising:

a platform having at least one guide attached thereto, wherein the guide also contacts a substantially horizontal upwardly facing surface so that the guide maintains the platform on a predetermined path on the upwardly facing surface when the platform moves across the upwardly facing surface, wherein the guide telescopes in a direction of the path; and

a frame extending above the platform, the frame including at least one rail for suspending a plurality of the computer monitors above the platform.

1. A computer monitor mounting apparatus for mounting a plurality of monitors, comprising:

a platform having at least one guide attached thereto, wherein the guide also contacts an upwardly facing surface so that the guide maintains the platform on a predetermined path on the upwardly facing surface when the platform moves on the upwardly facing surface; and

a frame extending above the platform, the frame providing mountings for suspending a plurality of the computer monitors above the platform;

wherein the guide includes parts that move relative to one another within a space between the upwardly facing surface and the platform.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the guide includes a portion that is fixedly attached to the upwardly facing portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the guide is attached to the surface

wherein at least one guide telescopes during movement of the monitor mounting apparatus over the upwardly facing surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one guide retracts and extends during movement of the monitor mounting apparatus over the upwardly facing surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the platform has a range of movement along the predetermined path of at least 13 inches.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the platform has a range of movement along the predetermined path of less than 20 inches.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the platform includes wheels at least partially recessed within the platform.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the platform is supported on the surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the surface includes a substantially horizontal desktop.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further including rollers for rolling the platform on the surface.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the rollers move over the surface without traveling within track or channel for at least a portion of a travel extent for the rollers.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least two of the monitors have different size displays, and each of the at least two monitors is vertically positioned on the monitor mounting apparatus so that their corresponding display center points are substantially horizontally aligned with one another.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a plurality of vertical posts extending from the platform, wherein the posts convey the weight of the monitors to the platform.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the frame includes one horizontal rail attached to the posts, wherein at least one of the monitors is supported on the rail.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the rail is vertically adjustable on the posts.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein for each of the monitor displays on the rail, a variation in distances between:

(a) a center point of the monitor display, and (b) a user'"'"'s eyes, when the user is in a position relative to the monitor mounting system, is at most 1½

inches.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the variation is at most ¾

inches.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein there are at least two rails attached to the posts, wherein each of the rails provides support for a different one of the monitors.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein a maximum variation between:

(a) a user'"'"'s eyes in a particular position relative to the monitor mounting system, and a first monitor display on a first of the rails, and (b) the user'"'"'s eyes in the particular position, and a second monitor display on a second of the rails is less than 2 inches.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the rail extends through an arc in a range of 60 degrees to 110 degrees relative to a user'"'"'s eyes in a particular position relative to the monitor mounting system.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, further including one or more hand grips for use in moving the platform on the surface.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a distance between a user'"'"'s eyes, when the user is in a particular position relative to the monitor mounting system, and a center of each display of at least two thirds of the monitors varies by no more than about 5%.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the monitors are adjustable on the monitor mounting apparatus so that a view angle from a user'"'"'s horizontal eye level to the center of each monitor screen is between 15°

and 20°

below the horizontal eye level when the user is in a predetermined position relative to the monitor mounting system.

24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the monitors are adjustable on the monitor mounting apparatus so that each monitor display has no greater a deviation between a normal to the display and a user'"'"'s line of sight than 5 degrees when the user is in a particular position relative to the monitor mounting system.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein for each of at least some of the monitors, a corresponding mounting attaches the monitor to the rail wherein the mounting provides a horizontal range of rotation of at least 120 degrees for the monitor.

27. The computer monitor mounting apparatus of claim 25, wherein the monitors move in unison with a movement of the platform along the predetermined path.

26-1. The computer monitor mounting apparatus of claim 25, wherein the frame includes two rails vertically spaced apart above the platform.

28. A method for mounting a plurality of monitors, comprising:

providing a platform having at least one guide attached thereto, wherein the guide also contacts a substantially horizontal upwardly facing surface so that the guide maintains the platform on a predetermined path on the upwardly facing surface, wherein the guide telescopes in a direction of the path;

providing a frame extending above the platform, the frame including one or more rails for suspending a plurality of the monitors above the platform; and

providing adjustable mounts for attaching the monitors to the one or more rails, wherein at least some of the mounts includes a ball and corresponding socket for adjusting an orientation of a corresponding monitor mounted on one of the rails by the ball and corresponding socket;

adjusting at least one of;

(i) a distance of the platform from a user in a predetermined position relative to the upwardly facing surface, (ii) a vertical height of the at least one rail, and (iii) an orientation of a display of at least one of the monitors by moving the ball within the corresponding socket so that a display of the at least monitor is in a preferred user viewing orientation.

29. A computer monitor mounting apparatus for mounting a plurality of monitors, comprising:

a platform having at least one guide attached thereto, wherein the guide also contacts an upwardly facing surface so that the guide maintains the platform on a predetermined path on the upwardly facing surface when the platform moves on the upwardly facing surface; and

a frame extending above the platform, the frame providing mountings for suspending a plurality of the computer monitors above the platform upon a substantially horizontal rail;

wherein at least one of the mountings includes a member for vertically adjusting a height of a monitor supported on the rail via at least one of the mountings, wherein the member includes a plurality of vertical adjustment positions.