Rotatable computer display apparatus and method

• US 6,522,529 B1
• Filed: 05/22/2000
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vivek R. Huilgol
• Original Assignee: Vivek R. Huilgol
• Inventors: Braun, Jeffrey R., Huilgol, Vivek R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schuberg, Darren
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US09/577,412
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 361/681-683, 361/724-727, 361/807, 361/809, 439/53, 439/152, 439/157, 248/73, 248/535, 248/536, 248/919-923
• US Class Current: 361/679.06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/919 Adjustably orientable video screen support

Abstract

In the display screen apparatus and method of the present invention, a hub or other extension coupled to a display screen is received within an aperture in a body portion (preferably of a screen housing) for sliding, rotation, or both sliding and rotation. A gasket is employed to permit a user to place and hold the display screen in a range of sliding and/or rotational positions with respect to the body portion. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the display screen has a screen backing from which the extension extends. Also preferably, the extension is in the form of a hub connected to the screen backing and having an aperture through which screen wiring passes from the display screen into a screen housing. In one preferred embodiment, the gasket is held between a surface of the screen housing and a compression member. Most preferably, the gasket is compressed to an extent sufficient to cause frictional engagement of the gasket and to thereby hold the display screen in desired positions and orientations. The aperture in the body portion preferably permits translation and rotation of the display screen with respect to the screen housing. To limit rotation of the display screen, such as to prevent over-rotation of the display screen in the same rotational direction, the body portion of the screen housing preferably has a stop member which obstructs certain movement of a limit member coupled to the hub.

Claims

1. A pivotable display apparatus for a computer, comprising:

a display screen;

a body portion having an elongated aperture therethrough;

a screen backing coupled to the display screen, the screen backing having a hub extending into the elongated aperture of the body portion, the hub and display screen pivotable within the elongated aperture; and

a gasket coupled to hub of the screen backing and to the body portion, one of the body portion and the hub movable with respect to the gasket to permit the hub of the screen backing to slide along the aperture of the body portion under frictional force of the gasket, the frictional force sufficient to retain the display screen in different positions with respect to the body portion.

2. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hub has an aperture therethrough.

3. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising at least one electrical wire extending through the elongated aperture of the body portion via the aperture in the hub of the screen backing.

4. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a compression member coupled to the screen backing, at least a portion of the gasket compressed between the compression member and a surface of the body portion to frictionally engage the screen backing to the body portion.

5. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the compression member is part of the hub.

6. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the compression member is coupled to a distal end of the hub.

7. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gasket is compressed between respective portions of the screen backing and the body portion.

8. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gasket is located along at least a portion of the elongated aperture and is not movable with respect thereto.

9. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a stop member coupled to the body portion and extending partially around the elongated aperture for limiting motion of the hub in the elongated aperture.

10. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the stop member is a lip having an opening along at least one side of the elongated aperture.

11. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising an limit member coupled to the hub for rotation therewith, the limit member contacting the stop member in at least one position of the hub in the elongated aperture to limit rotation of the hub.

12. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein a portion of the hub interferes with the stop member in at least one position of the hub in the elongated aperture to limit rotation of the hub.

13. A computer monitor display apparatus, comprising:

a display screen;

a screen backing coupled to the display screen, the screen backing having;

a front surface;

a rear surface; and

a hub extending from the rear surface of the screen backing;

a body portion coupled to the screen backing, the body portion having an elongated aperture therein within which is slidably received the hub; and

a gasket coupled to the screen backing and frictionally engaged with the body portion to retain the display screen via frictional force in different positions with respect to the body portion, the gasket permitting sliding and rotation of the hub in the elongated aperture against the frictional force between the gasket and the body portion.

14. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the hub has an aperture therethrough extending from the front surface of the screen backing to the rear surface of the screen backing.

15. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 14, further comprising at least one electrical wire extending from the display screen and through the elongated aperture in the body portion via the aperture in the hub.

16. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a compression member coupled to the hub, wherein the gasket is coupled to the screen backing by the compression member.

17. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the gasket is compressed between the compression member and the body portion to frictionally engage the screen backing to the body portion.

18. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the gasket lines at least a portion of the elongated aperture.

19. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the gasket is located beside at least a portion of the elongated aperture for frictional engagement with the hub.

20. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the gasket is compressed between adjacent portions of the screen backing and the body portion.

21. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

a limit member coupled to the hub; and

a stop member coupled to the body portion, the limit member extending radially from the hub and movable into contact with the stop member in at least one position of the hub in the elongated aperture to limit rotation of the hub.

22. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the limit member is coupled to an end of the hub.

23. The display apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the limit member is an extension of the hub.

24. A method of coupling a display screen to a display screen housing, comprising the steps of:

providing a screen backing coupled to the display screen, the screen backing having a rearwardly-extending extension;

inserting the extension of the screen backing into an aperture in the display screen housing;

coupling the extension of the screen backing to the display screen housing for pivotal and sliding movement in the aperture;

coupling a gasket to the screen backing and to the display screen housing; and

compressing the gasket to frictionally engage the screen backing with the display screen housing, the gasket retaining the display screen in different relative positions with respect to the display screen housing via frictional engagement.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the extension is a hub.

26. The method as claimed in claim 24, further comprising passing at least one electrical wire through the aperture in the screen housing via an aperture in the extension.

27. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein coupling the gasket to the screen backing and to the display screen housing includes coupling a compression member to the extension to retain the gasket between the compression member and the display screen housing.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27, wherein the gasket is compressed against the display screen housing via the compression member.

29. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the extension of the screen backing is inserted from one side of the display screen housing and wherein the extension is coupled to the display screen housing from an opposite side of the display screen housing.

30. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the gasket is ring-shaped and wherein coupling the gasket to the screen backing and to the display screen housing includes placing the gasket around the extension of the screen backing.

31. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein coupling the gasket to the screen backing also includes coupling a compression member over the gasket upon the extension.

32. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein coupling the gasket to the screen backing and to the display screen housing includes attaching the gasket to the display screen housing for sliding movement of the extension thereupon.

33. The method as claimed in claim 24, further including limiting rotation of the screen backing by a limit member coupled to the display screen housing.

34. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the limit member contacts a stop adjacent to the aperture to limit screen backing rotation in at least one position of the extension in the aperture.