Flat panel display apparatus and tilt/swivel mechanism therein

• US 6,587,333 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2001
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Acer, Inc., Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Inventors: Lu, Sheng-Nan, Tseng, Peter, Chian, Chu-Hsian, Chung, Hsu Shih, Yeh, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Schuberg, Darren
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lea-Edmonds, Lisa
• Application Number:
  US09/858,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20020109962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 361/681, 361/682, 361/683, 312/7.2, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 248/917-924, 163/66, 163/68, 403/53, 403/57
• US Class Current: 361/679.05
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/126 for tilting and panning F16M11/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/162 changing, e.g. reversing, the face orientation of the screen with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, e.g. for folding into tablet PC like position or orienting towards the direction opposite to the user to show to a second user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/919 Adjustably orientable video screen support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/921 Plural angular
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32008 Plural distinct articulation axes

Abstract

A flat panel display apparatus having a tilt/swivel mechanism therein allows a user to adjustably move the display panel in an up-and-down tilt direction and a right-and-left swivel direction along the connecting area. The flat panel display apparatus includes: a flat panel display, a computer, a swivel base, a yoke, a mounting base and a pair of elastic members. The yoke is pivotally secured to the connecting area of the flat panel display. The swivel base is pivotally secured to the flat panel display with the yoke. The swivel base has a first cylinder with two grooves parallel and opposite each other on the outer surface of the first cylinder. The mounting base is located in the computer. The mounting base has a second cylinder, the second cylinder having a cable hole formed at the center of the second cylinder to hold the swivel base and two mounting slots located in the cable hole opposite each other. Each elastic member has a projection to be held in the mounting slot. Each groove holds the projection and stops the swivel action while the swivel base swivels to a particular orientation in the mounting base.

Claims

1. A tilt/swivel mechanism located at a connecting area between a computer and a flat panel display for permitting a user to adjustably move the flat display panel in an up-and-down tilt direction and a right-and-left swivel direction along the connecting area, said tilt/swivel mechanism comprising:

a swivel base having a first cylinder with two grooves parallel and opposite each other on the outer surface of the first cylinder;

a yoke pivotally secured to connecting area of the flat panel display connecting area and the swivel base;

a mounting base located in the computer, the mounting base having a second cylinder, the second cylinder having a cable hole formed at the center of the second cylinder to hold the swivel base and two mounting slots located in the cable hole opposite each other; and

two elastic members, each having a projection to be held in the mounting slot;

wherein each groove holds the projection and stops the swivel action while the swivel base swivels to a particular orientation in the mounting base.

2. A tilt/swivel mechanism located at a connecting area between a computer and a flat panel display for permitting a user to adjustably move the flat display panel in an up-and-down tilt direction and a right-and-left swivel direction along the connecting area, said tilt/swivel mechanism comprising:

a mounting member located in the computer, the mounting member having a first cylinder with two grooves parallel and opposite each other on the outer surface of the first cylinder;

a swivel base having a second cylinder, the second cylinder having a cable hole formed at the center of the second cylinder to hold the mounting member and two mounting slots located in the cable hole opposite each other;

a yoke pivotally secured to connecting area of the flat panel display connecting area and the swivel base; and

two elastic members, each having a projection to be held in the mounting slot;

wherein each groove holds the projection and stops the swivel action while the swivel base swivels to a particular orientation mounting base.

3. A tilt/swivel mechanism located at a computer and pivotally secured to a flat panel display with a yoke for permitting a user to adjustably move the display panel in an up-and-down tilt direction and a right-and-left swivel direction along the connecting area, said tilt/swivel mechanism comprising:

a swivel base having a first cylinder and connected to the yoke; and

a mounting base located in a computer, the mounting base having a second cylinder, the second cylinder having a cable hole formed at the center of the second cylinder to hold the swivel base while permitting the swivel base to swivel in the mounting base in the clockwise or counter clock wise direction.

4. The tilt/swivel mechanism of claim 3, wherein the second cylinder further comprises two mounting slots located in the cable hole opposite each other.

5. The tilt/swivel mechanism of claim 4, wherein the mounting slots hold elastic members with a projection.

6. The tilt/swivel mechanism of claim 5, wherein a first cylinder has two grooves parallel and opposite each other on the outer surface of the first cylinder and each wherein each groove holds the projection and stops the swivel action while the swivel base swivels to a particular orientation in the mounting base.

7. A tilt/swivel mechanism located at a computer and pivotally secured to a flat panel display with a yoke for permitting a user to adjustably move the display panel in an up-and-down tilt direction and a right-and-left swivel direction along the connecting area, said tilt/swivel mechanism comprising:

a mounting member having a first cylinder and connected to the computer;

a swivel base connected to the yoke, the swivel base having a second cylinder, the second cylinder having a cable hole formed at the center of the second cylinder to hold the mounting member while permitting the swivel base to swivel in the mounting member in the clockwise or counter clock wise direction.

8. The tilt/swivel mechanism of claim 7, wherein the second cylinder further comprises two mounting slots located in the cable hole opposite each other.

9. The tilt/swivel mechanism of claim 8, wherein the mounting slots hold elastic members with a projection.

10. The flat panel display apparatus with tilt/swivel mechanism of claim 9, wherein a first cylinder has two grooves parallel and opposite each other on the outer surface of the first cylinder and each wherein each groove holds the projection and stops the swivel action while the swivel base swivels to a particular orientation in the mounting base.

11. A flat panel display apparatus, comprising

a flat panel display;

a computer;

a yoke connected to a edge of the flat panel display;

a swivel base pivotally secured to the edge of the flat panel display with the yoke, the swivel base having a first cylinder with two grooves parallel and opposite each other on the outer surface of the first cylinder;

a mounting base located on the computer, the mounting base having a second cylinder, the second cylinder having a cable hole formed at the center of the second cylinder to hold the mounting base and two mounting slots located in the cable hole opposite each other; and

two elastic members, each having a projection to be held in the mounting slot;

wherein each groove holds the projection and stops the swivel action while the swivel base swivels to a particular orientation in the mounting base.

12. A flat panel display apparatus, comprising

a flat panel display;

a computer;

a mounting member located on the computer, the mounting member having a first cylinder with two grooves parallel and opposite each other on the outer surface of the first cylinder;

a yoke connected to a edge of the flat panel display;

a swivel base pivotally secured to the edge of the flat panel display with the yoke, the swivel base having a second cylinder, the second cylinder having a cable hole formed at the center of the second cylinder to hold the mounting member and two mounting slots located in the cable hole opposite each other; and

two elastic members, each having a projection to be held in the mounting slot;

wherein each groove holds the projection and stops the swivel action while the swivel base swivels to a particular orientation in the mounting base.

13. A flat panel display apparatus, comprising

a flat panel display;

a computer;

a yoke connected to a edge of the flat panel display;

a swivel base having a first cylinder and pivotally secured to the edge of the flat panel display with the yoke; and

a mounting base located in a computer, the mounting base having a second cylinder, the second cylinder having a cable hole formed at the center of the second cylinder to hold the swivel base while permitting the swivel base to swivel in the mounting base in the clockwise or counter clock wise direction.

14. The flat panel display apparatus of claim 13, wherein the second cylinder further comprises two mounting slots located in the cable hole opposite each other.

15. The flat panel display apparatus of claim 14, wherein the mounting slots hold elastic members with a projection.

16. The flat panel display apparatus of claim 15, wherein a first cylinder has two grooves parallel and opposite each other on the outer surface of the first cylinder and each groove holds the projection and stops the swivel action while the swivel base swivels to a particular orientation mounting base.

17. A flat panel display apparatus, comprising

a flat panel display;

a computer;

a yoke connected to a edge of the flat panel display;

a mounting member having a first cylinder and located on the computer;

a swivel base pivotally secured to the edge of the flat panel display with the yoke, the swivel base having a second cylinder, the second cylinder having a cable hole formed at the center of the second cylinder to hold the mounting member while permitting the mounting member to swivel in the swivel base in the clockwise or counter clock wise direction.

18. The flat panel display apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second cylinder further comprises two mounting slots located in the cable hole opposite each other.

19. The flat panel display apparatus of claim 18, wherein the mounting slots hold elastic members with a projection.

20. The flat panel display apparatus of claim 19, wherein a first cylinder has two grooves parallel and opposite each other on the outer surface of the first cylinder and each wherein each groove holds the projection and stops the swivel action while the swivel base swivels to a particular orientation in the mounting base.