Articulating computer monitor

• US 5,904,328 A
• Filed: 06/23/1997
• Issued: 05/18/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: STB Systems, Inc. (NVIDIA Corporation)
• Inventors: Garrett, Robert, Bader, Carrie, Barbera, Larry, Leveridge, Philip, West, Blake
• Primary Examiner(s): BERGER, DEREK JOEL
• Application Number:
  US08/880,272
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 248/121, 248/122.1, 248/124.1, 248/124.2, 248/125.1, 248/278.1, 248/279.1, 248/295.11, 248/297.21, 248/225.11, 248/917, 248/919, 248/920 , 248/921, 248/922, 248/923
• US Class Current: 248/124.1
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2014 around a vertical axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/08 Foot or support base
• 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 2200/1612 Flat panel monitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/919 Adjustably orientable video screen support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/922 Angular

Abstract

An articulating computer monitor apparatus has a base with a vertical stand and a support block which is infinitely adjustable over a range of vertical positions. A pair of cantilevered arms are pivotally attached to a support block attached to the upright stand. The cantilevered arms have an attachment end which are located close together which avoids creating a large gap between dual monitors mounted on the arms. The arms have an offset support section with pivotable clutch-hinges which are attached to flat panel monitors. The apparatus provides dual monitors which may be raised and lowered, pivoted toward each other or away and tilted backward and forward so that the user has the ability to move the monitors in three directions to create glare-free efficient viewing. Two of the assemblies can be used on a desktop to create a "stadium" effect.

Claims

1. An articulating computer monitor apparatus comprising:

a base designed to rest on a horizontal surface, the base supporting an upright stand;

a support block securable along the stand over a range of vertical movement;

at least one arm pivotally coupled to the support block along a vertical pivot axis by a pivotable coupling;

a hinged connector mounted on the arm for attachment to a computer monitor wherein the connector is pivotable along a horizontal pivot axis;

a computer monitor attached to said hinged connector; and

whereby said computer monitor is supported for movement in three directions.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one arm is an elongate cantilevered arm having an attachment end pivotally coupled to the support block and an outer end portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the outer end portion of the cantilevered arm has an offset support structure extending away from said arm to which the hinged connector is mounted so that said computer monitor can be generally aligned over the cantilevered arm and tilted backward and forward.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said cantilevered arm comprises a wall having an external surface and an internal surface with at least one opening at the attachment end which receives a portion of the support block with said pivotable coupling mounted along the internal surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one arm is an elongate cantilevered arm comprising a wall having an external surface and an internal surface and an attachment end having said pivotable coupling which is coupled to said support block.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said upright stand contains an elongate window in which at least a portion of said support block fits.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said support block has at least one forwardly extending post and the attachment end has at least one opening which receives said at least one post, said pivotable coupling being attached to the attachment end of the cantilevered arm and to said at least one post.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said at least one forwardly extending post is a pair of vertically separated posts and said at least one opening is a pair of openings which correspond to the location of said pair of posts.

9. An articulating computer monitor apparatus comprising:

a base designed to rest on a horizontal surface, the base supporting an upright stand;

a support block securable over a range of vertical movement at selected positions along the stand, and laterally spaced posts on the support block extending away from the stand;

a pair of elongate cantilevered arms each comprising a wall having an external surface and an internal surface with an attachment end and an outer end portion, the attachment end of each arm being pivotally coupled by a pivotable coupling to one of the posts extending from the support block for pivoting movement in a generally horizontal direction;

a pivotable connection mounted from the outer end portion of each cantilevered arm for attachment to a computer monitor which can be tilted backward and forward; and

whereby a computer monitor can be attached to the pivotable connection of each cantilevered arm and supported for movement in each of three directions.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further including a pair of computer monitors each attached to one of said pivotable connections extending from the outer portion of the cantilevered arms.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said base has a portion extending behind said upright stand and spaced apart legs extending forwardly from said stand.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said legs are spaced apart a distance such that a computer keyboard can be fit into the space between the legs.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said upright stand contains a vertically elongated window in which at least a portion of said support block fits.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the upright stand is a hollow section having opposed front and back surfaces connected by spaced apart transverse webs which define shoulders on opposite sides which receive and support the support block on one side and a cap for the support block on the other side.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the outer end portion of the two cantilevered arms has an offset support structure extending away from said arms to which the pivotable connection is mounted so that said monitors can be generally aligned over the two cantilevered arms and tilted backward and forward.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the attachment end has openings in the wall that correspond to the location of said posts which pass through said openings, said pivotable couplings at the attachment ends of each cantilevered arm having one pivoting part attached to said wall and another pivotable part attached to said posts.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said laterally separated posts include a pair of vertically separated posts on each laterally separated post and openings in the wall for each vertically separated post wherein each vertically separated post is connected to some part of a pivotable coupling for an arm.