Protective screen for a visual display device

• US 5,030,882 A
• Filed: 03/03/1989
• Issued: 07/09/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olivetti SpA
• Original Assignee: Baltea SPA
• Inventors: Solero, Giorgio
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Application Number:
  US07/318,257
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 313/478, 313/474, 313/479, 313/112, 313/466, 358/250, 358/253, 358/245, 358/247, 350/315, 350/318
• US Class Current: 313/478
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1609 to support filters or lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/65 Holding-devices for protective discs or for picture masks

Abstract

A protective screen for a visual display unit (VDU) comprises a filter layer which is operative to protect the operator from electrostatic and electromagnetic fields and from residual radiation of a cathode ray tube (CRT) of the VDU. The VDU comprises a body structure for the CRT and the screen comprises a support frame for the filter layer, an intermediate support between the frame and the body structure of the VDU and a pair of fixing plates which are adjustable both front to back and angularly, for fixing the intermediate support to the upper portion of the body structure independently of the specific form of the body structure. The frame of the screen is also pivoted to the intermediate support to permit the filter layer to be disposed in front of the display surface of the CRT or be swung up to expose the CRT screen.

Claims

1. A protective screen for a visual display unit with a cathode ray tube having a display surface and a body structure for the cathode ray tube, said screen comprising a filter layer which is operative for protection purposes;

a support frame for said filter layer;

fixing means for being fixed to said body structure;

an intermediate member;

pivot means on said support frame and said intermediate member to pivot said filter layer with respect to said intermediate member; and

adjustable means for adjustably positioning the intermediate member with respect to the fixing means, wherein said adjustable means comprise

first and second guide members on said intermediate member and first and second coupling joints on said fixing means, wherein the second guide member is parallel to and spaced apart relative to the first guide member and wherein the first guide member and the second guide member can slide with respect to said first coupling joint and said second coupling joint, respectively, for a back and forth adjustment of the intermediate member with respect to the display surface; and

first resilient toothed positioning means close to said first guide member and said first coupling joint and second resilient toothed positioning means close to said second guide member and said second coupling joint, respectively, for movement in incremental steps as between said intermediate member and said fixing means; and

wherein said pivot means comprise two lugs projecting from an upper portion of said support frame spaced apart from each other, two side portions of said intermediate member and first and second pivotal couplings between said lugs and said side portions.

2. A protective screen according to claim 1, wherein said frame comprises two half shell portions of plastics material nd complementary coupling elements for interengagingly locking said filter layer between said tow half shell portions.

3. A protective screen according to claim 1, wherein said intermediate member is substantially centered in use with respect to the screen of the cathode ray tube and said body structure of the display unit and extends over a fraction of the width of the screen.

4. A protective screen according to claim 1, wherein said intermediate member comprises an axis of symmetry and said first guide member and said second guide member are disposed parallel to and by opposite sides with respect to said axis of symmetry.

5. A protective screen according to claim 1, wherein said fixing means comprise two plate members for fixing to said body structure, and wherein said first guide member and said second guide member and said first coupling joint and said second coupling joint comprise two corresponding cylindrical coupling joints between said plate members and said intermediate member with rotational freedom of the two plate members with respect to said intermediate member for adaption of the angular positions of the plate members to said body structure of the VDU.

6. A protective screen according to claim 1, wherein said first guide member and said second guide member each comprise a pair of flanges extending front to back on said intermediate member, wherein said fixing means comprises a pair of plate members for individual fixing to said body structure, and wherein said first coupling joint and said second coupling joint each comprise a projection having a cylindrical terminal body, and in which each said cylindrical body slides and rotates with a pair of said flanges with freedom of translatory and rotational movement with respect to said intermediate member.

7. A protective screen according to claim 6, wherein said flanges are resiliently yielding to permit snap insertion and removal of said cylindrical bodies.

8. A protective screen according to claim 6, wherein said flanges are resiliently yielding to permit snap insertion and removal of said cylindrical bodies and further comprising a rib parallel to said flanges, said resilient toothed positioning means comprising teeth and a tooth one on said cylindrical body and the other on said rib and in which said tooth maintains engagement with said teeth in all possible angular positions of said plate members.

9. A protective screen according to claim 1, further comprising a friction ring of resiliently yielding material which is forced between and edge of said intermediate member and a projecting lug.

10. A protective screen according to claim 1, wherein said filter layer has at least one conductive surface and said frame is of insulating material and comprises an outwardly open housing in which there is provided a socket of conductive material, which socket is in electrical contact with said conductive surface of the filter layer and is housed in said housing to permit a ground connection for said filter layer.

11. A protective screen according to claim 1, wherein said support frame is of rectangular shape with four sides of which one upper side of greater length comprises said two lugs and in which the second pivotal couplings are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to about a half of said one upper side of great length.

12. A protective screen for a visual display unit with a cathode ray tube having a display surface and a body structure for the cathode ray tube, said screen comprising a filter layer which is operative for protection purposes;

a support frame for said filter layer;

fixing means for being fixed to said body structure;

an intermediate member;

pivot means on said support frame and said intermediate member to pivot said filter layer with respect to said intermediate member; and

adjustable means for adjustably positioning the intermediate member with respect to the fixing means, wherein said adjustable means comprise

first and second guide members on said intermediate member and first and second coupling joints on said fixing means, wherein the second guide member is parallel to and spaced apart relative to the first guide member and wherein the first guide member and the second guide member can slide with respect to said first coupling joint and said second coupling joint, respectively, for a back and forth adjustment of the intermediate member with respect to the display surface; and

first resilient toothed positioning means close to said first guide member and said first coupling joint and second resilient toothed positioning means close to said second guide member and said second coupling joint, respectively, for movement in incremental steps as between said intermediate member and said fixing means;

wherein said first guide member and said second guide member each comprise a pair of flanges extending front to back on said intermediate member;

wherein said fixing means comprise a pair of plate members for individual fixing to said body structure; and

wherein said first coupling joint and said second coupling joint each comprise a projection having a cylindrical terminal body, and in which each said cylindrical body slides and rotates within a pair of said flanges with freedom of translatory and rotational movement with respect to said intermediate member for adaption of the angular position of the plate members to said body structure.

13. A protective screen according to claim 12, wherein said intermediate member comprises an axis of symmetry and said first guide member and said second guide member are disposed parallel to and by opposite sides with respect to said axis of symmetry.

14. A protective screen according to claim 12, wherein said flanges are resiliently yielding to permit snap insertion and removal of said cylindrical bodies.

15. A protective screen according to claim 14, wherein said first resilient toothed positioning means comprise for each said first guide member and said second guide member a rib intermediate and parallel to the pair of flanges and teeth and a tooth one on said cylindrical body and the other on said rib and in which said tooth maintains engagement with said teeth in different angular positions of said plate members.