ELECTRIC DEVICE WITH A TILT MECHANISM

• US 20140029180A1
• Filed: 07/26/2013
• Published: 01/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Brother Industries Limited)
• Inventors: NISHIMURA, Yoichiro, WADA, Tomohiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,261,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/022 repositionable
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/024 by positive interaction, e.g. male-female connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1615 with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/00 General purpose image data processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00496 Constructional details of the interface or console not otherwise provided for, e.g. rotating or tilting means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/00 Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus casings, cabinets, drawers H05K5/00

Abstract

An electric device with a tilt mechanism is provided. The electric device includes a main body and a panel body rotatable with respect to the main body about a rotation axis. The electric device includes an engagement piece mounted on one of the panel body and the main body and an engaging piece mounted on the other one of the panel body and the main body. The engagement piece is formed to have a plurality of teeth on a plane spreading orthogonally with respect to the rotation axis. The plurality of teeth are disposed along a circumference centered on the rotation axis at a predetermined interval from one another. The engaging piece includes an engaging claw configured to be movable to be closer to and farther from the engagement piece, and an urging member configured to urge the engaging claw in a direction to be closer to the engagement piece.

Claims

1. An electric device comprising a main body a panel body, the panel body comprising at least one of a display unit and an input unit and being rotatable with respect to the main body about a rotation axis, the electric device comprising:

an engagement piece mounted on one of the panel body and the main body and formed to have a plurality of teeth on a plane which spreads orthogonally with respect to the rotation axis, the plurality of teeth being disposed along a circumference centered on the rotation axis at a predetermined interval from one another; and

an engaging piece mounted on the other one of the panel body and the main body,

wherein the engaging piece comprises;

an engaging claw configured to be movable to be closer to and farther from the engagement piece; and

an urging member configured to urge the engaging claw in a direction to be closer to the engagement piece.

2. The electric device according to claim 1,

wherein the engaging claw is rotatably supported on the other one of the panel body and the main body to rotate about an axis which extends orthogonally with respect to the rotation axis.

3. The electric device according to claim 2,

wherein the axis, about which the engaging claw is rotatable, extends orthogonally with respect to the rotation axis in a position apart from the rotation axis for a predetermined distance.

4. The electric device according to claim 1,

wherein the engaging claw is movably supported on the other one of the panel body and the main body to move along a direction in parallel with the rotation axis.

5. The electric device according to claim 1,

wherein the engagement piece is formed in a shape such that juts of the plurality of teeth are formed in a sectorial arrangement centered on the rotation axis to orient from outside toward inside along radial directions, and lateral planes of adjoining juts facing each other along the circumference extend in parallel with each other.

6. The electric device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an engagement piece supporting member mounted on the other one of the panel body and the main body, on which the engaging claw is supported, the engagement piece supporting member being disposed in a position spaced apart from the engaging piece along a direction in parallel with the rotation axis and along a direction of the urging member to urge the engaging claw.

7. The electric device according to claim 6, further comprising:

a resilient member disposed in a position between the engagement piece supporting member and the engagement piece, the resilient member being fixed to one of the engagement piece supporting member and the engagement piece.

8. The electric device according to claim 1,

wherein the engaging claw is made of a material, of which anti-wear quality is higher than anti-wear quality of the teeth.

9. The electric device according to claim 1,

wherein the teeth are made of a material, of which anti-wear quality is higher than anti-wear quality of the engaging claw.

10. The electric device according to claim 1,

wherein an engagement piece supporting member is mounted on the other one of the panel body and the main body, on which the engaging claw is supported;

and

wherein the engagement piece is disposed in an intermediate position between the engaging claw and the engagement piece supporting member to be urged by the urging member toward the engagement piece supporting member.