Liquid crystal display monitor having a monitor stand with a replaceable housing part

• US 6,229,584 B1
• Filed: 11/15/1999
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Chuo, Yu-Hsin, Ma, Chih-Peng
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOWDHURY, TARIFUR RASHID
• Application Number:
  US09/440,510
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 349/58, 349/60, 345/905, 361/681, 361/682, 348/180, 348/184, 348/325, 248/917, 16/376, 16/372
• US Class Current: 349/58
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• 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 248/917 Video display screen support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 Display device with housing structure

Abstract

A liquid crystal display monitor includes a monitor stand and a liquid crystal display module. The monitor stand has a base portion adapted to be disposed on a table surface, and a stand portion extending vertically from a top side of the base portion. The stand portion includes complementary first and second housing parts that cooperate to confine a vertical cable passage. The first housing part has an upper end and a lower end mounted immovably on the top side of the base portion. The monitor stand further includes an interlocking unit provided on the first and second housing parts for retaining removably the second housing part on the first housing part. The liquid crystal display module includes a display housing mounted on the upper end of the first housing part. The display housing is formed with a connector mounting cavity that has an open rear side and an open bottom side. The cavity has an electrical connector unit mounted therein. The connector unit is adapted to mate with an electrical cable unit. The display module further includes a cover member mounted on the display housing to cover the open rear side of the cavity.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display monitor comprising:

a monitor stand having a base portion adapted to be disposed on a table surface, and a stand portion extending vertically from a top side of said base portion, said stand portion including complementary first and second housing parts that cooperate to confine a vertical cable passage, said first housing part having an upper end and a lower end mounted immovably on said top side of said base portion, said monitor stand further including an interlocking unit provided on said first and second housing parts for retaining removably said second housing part on said first housing part; and

a liquid crystal display module including a display housing mounted on said upper end of said first housing part, said display housing being formed with a connector mounting cavity that has an open rear side and an open bottom side, said cavity having an electrical connector unit mounted therein, said connector unit being adapted to mate with an electrical cable unit, said display module further including a cover member mounted on said display housing to cover said open rear side of said cavity.

2. The liquid crystal display monitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cavity is vertically aligned with said monitor stand, and has a peripheral confining wall that defines a depth of said cavity and said open rear and bottom sides of said cavity, said connector unit being mounted on said peripheral confining wall, said cavity having a size sufficient to accommodate a connecting end portion of the cable unit therein such that a remaining portion of the cable unit extends through said open bottom side of said cavity.

3. The liquid crystal display monitor as claimed in claim 2, wherein said monitor stand has an upper portion formed with an entry port that is adapted to lead the remaining portion of the cable unit into said cable passage, and a lower portion formed with an exit port that is adapted to lead the remaining portion of the cable unit out of said cable passage.

4. The liquid crystal display monitor as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first housing part includes a front wall and a first peripheral wall that extends rearwardly from a periphery of said front wall so as to from said first housing part with a rearwardly opening space, said second housing part including a rear wall and a second peripheral wall that extends forwardly from a periphery of said rear wall so as to form said second housing part with a forwardly opening space having a bottom end.

5. The liquid crystal display monitor as claimed in claim 4, wherein said second peripheral wall has a top section formed with said entry port, and said rear wall is formed with said exit port adjacent to said bottom end of said forwardly opening space.

6. The liquid crystal display monitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second housing part has a lower end, said lower end of said second housing part and said top side of said base portion being formed with a plug-and hole unit for engagement therebetween.

7. The liquid crystal display monitor as claimed in claim 6, wherein said plug-and-hole unit includes at least one insert hole formed in one of said lower end of said second housing part and said top side of said base portion, and at least one insert stub formed on the other one of said lower end of said second housing part and said top side of said base portion to engage removably said insert hole.

8. The liquid crystal display monitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said interlocking unit includes at least one set of oppositely polarized magnet members mounted respectively on said first and second housing parts.

9. The liquid crystal display monitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said interlocking unit includes at least one clip provided on one of said first and second housing parts, and at least one pin provided on the other one of said first and second housing parts for engaging removably said clip.

10. The liquid crystal display monitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first housing part includes a front wall and a first peripheral wall that extends rearwardly from a periphery of said front wall so as to from said first housing part with a rearwardly opening space, said second housing part including a rear wall and a second peripheral wall that extends forwardly from a periphery of said rear wall so as to from said second housing part with a forwardly opening space.

11. The liquid crystal display monitor as claimed in claim 10, wherein said interlocking unit includes at least one first magnet member mounted on said front wall and extending rearwardly therefrom, and at least one second magnet member mounted on said rear wall and extending forwardly therefrom, said first and second magnets members having opposite magnetic polarities and being capable of attracting magnetically with each other for retaining removably said second housing part on said first housing part.

12. The liquid crystal display monitor as claimed in claim 10, wherein said interlocking unit includes at least one clip mounted on said front wall and extending rearwardly therefrom, and at least one pin mounted on said rear wall and extending forwardly therefrom, said clip engaging removably said pin for retaining removably said second housing part on said frist housing part.

13. The liquid crystal display monitor as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a universal serial bus module mounted on said second housing part and disposed in said forwardly opening space.

14. The liquid crystal display monitor as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a universal serial bus module mounted on said second housing part.

15. The liquid crystal display monitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrical connector unit includes a display power connector adapted to mate with a power cord cable of the electrical cable unit, and a signal connector adapted to mate with a display cord cable of the electrical cable unit.

16. The liquid crystal display monitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upper end of said first housing part is provided with a pivot member for mounting pivotally said display housing on said first housing part.