Harsh Environment Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Enclosure

• US 20110141672A1
• Filed: 12/08/2010
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CCS Corporation
• Original Assignee: CCS Corporation
• Inventors: Farley, James E. JR., Peeples, William A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,482,906 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2220/0069 Hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 11/06 Devices for limiting the opening movement of hinges
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/56 with successive different movements raising wings before being turned E05F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/022 allowing an additional lateral movement, e.g. for sealing
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 5/065 specially adapted for cabinets or furniture
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/1091 with a gas spring E05F1/1292 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/20 for furniture, e.g. cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/208 for metal cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/024 by positive interaction, e.g. male-female connections
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/041 for balancing rotational movement of the head

Abstract

The present invention is directed to the field of environmentally sealed casings for protection of electronic or other devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to enclosures for protecting LCD panels from the harsh environments in which they are sometimes used. In an embodiment, the present invention provides a harsh environment LCD enclosure comprising: a casing with an interior for protecting an LCD panel; a door for accessing the interior of the casing; a compression gasket assembly for sealing together the door and casing; an actuator for opening and closing the door; and a hinge assembly disposed entirely within the interior of the casing and operably configured to provide for rotational and linear movement of the door relative to the casing.

Claims

1. A compound hinge assembly comprising:

a base member and an arm member, which are operably configured for releasable engagement with one another and provide for lateral and rotational movement of the arm member relative to the base member when engaged;

wherein the arm member comprises first and second bearings for providing rolling engagement of the bearings with the base member;

wherein the base member comprises a linear track for guiding the bearings of the arm member along the linear track during engagement; and

wherein the first bearing of the arm member is capable of providing rotational movement of the arm member relative to the base member when the first bearing is engaged with the track and the second bearing is disengaged from the track.

2. The hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein the base member is operably configured for being fixedly connected to a first interior surface of a cabinet and the arm member is operably configured for being fixedly connected to an interior surface of a door of the cabinet.

3. The hinge assembly of claim 1, wherein the arm member further comprises a stop pin and the base member further comprises a stop radius for engaging the stop pin, which together define an allowed limit for the range of rotational movement of the arm member.

4. The hinge assembly of claim 3, wherein the rotational movement of the arm member relative to the base member ranges from about 0 degrees to about 90 degrees.

5. The hinge assembly of claim 3, wherein the stop pin is operably configured for tool-free, releasable engagement with the arm member.

6. A harsh environment LCD enclosure comprising:

a casing with an interior for protecting an LCD panel;

a door for accessing the interior of the casing;

a compression gasket assembly for sealing together the door and casing;

an actuator for opening and closing the door; and

a hinge assembly disposed within the interior of the casing and operably configured to provide rotational and linear movement of the door relative to the casing.

7. The LCD enclosure of claim 6, wherein the actuator is a gas spring actuator.

8. The LCD enclosure of claim 6, wherein the hinge assembly is fixedly connected with a first interior surface of the casing and with an interior surface of the door, and the actuator is fixedly connected to the hinge assembly and a second interior surface of the casing.

9. The LCD enclosure of claim 8, wherein the hinge assembly comprises:

a base member and an arm member, which are operably configured for releasable engagement with one another and provide for lateral and rotational movement of the arm member and the door of the casing relative to the base member and the casing when engaged;

wherein the arm member comprises first and second bearings for providing rolling engagement of the bearings with the base member;

wherein the base member comprises a linear track for guiding the bearings of the arm member along the linear track during engagement; and

wherein the first bearing of the arm member is capable of providing rotational movement of the arm member and the door of the casing relative to the base member and the casing when the first bearing is engaged with the track and the second bearing is disengaged from the track.

10. The LCD enclosure of claim 9, wherein the base member of the hinge assembly is fixedly connected to a first interior surface of the casing, the arm member of the hinge assembly is fixedly connected to an interior surface of the door, and the actuator is fixedly connected to the arm member and to a second interior surface of the casing.

11. The LCD enclosure of claim 9, wherein the arm member further comprises a stop pin and the base member further comprises a stop radius for engaging the stop pin, which together define an allowed limit for the range of rotational movement of the arm member.

12. The LCD enclosure of claim 11, wherein the rotational movement of the arm member relative to the base member ranges from about 0 degrees to about 90 degrees.

13. The LCD enclosure of claim 11, wherein the stop pin is operably configured for tool-free, releasable engagement with the arm member.

14. The LCD enclosure of claim 6 further comprising an interior LCD mounting system comprising:

one or more mounting bars capable of being fixedly connected to a support surface and operatively configured to provide multiple mounting locations for bearing supports;

one or more bearing supports capable of being fixedly connected to the mounting bars and operatively configured to provide a support for a hanger for an object; and

a hanger for an object capable of being fixedly connected to an object and operatively configured for releasable engagement with the bearing supports in a manner to provide hanging support of the object, to provide tool-free disengagement from hanging of the object, to provide rotational movement of the object relative to the mounting bar, and to provide for positioning of the object into one or more temporarily fixed positions a selected distance from a mounting bar.

15. A mounting system comprising:

one or more mounting bars capable of being fixedly connected to a support surface and operatively configured to provide multiple mounting locations for bearing supports;

one or more bearing supports capable of being fixedly connected to the mounting bars and operatively configured to provide a support for a hanger for an object; and

a hanger for an object capable of being fixedly connected to an object and operatively configured for releasable engagement with the bearing supports in a manner to provide hanging support of the object, to provide tool-free disengagement from hanging of the object, to provide rotational movement of the object relative to the mounting bar, and to provide for positioning of the object into one or more temporarily fixed positions a selected distance from a mounting bar.

16. The mounting system of claim 15, wherein the system comprises:

a first and second mounting bar;

two upper bearing supports for mounting to the first mounting bar;

two lower bearing supports for mounting to the second mounting bar;

two object hangers each comprising a support surface for being fixedly connected to an object for hanging, a hook for engaging with an upper bearing support for hanging the object on the first mounting bar, a prop arm capable of maintaining the object in a hanging position at a selected distance from the second mounting bar by engaging with a lower bearing support, and a latch capable of engaging with a lower bearing support for locking the object hanger against the second mounting bar, when the prop arm is in an inactive position.