Apparatus for automatically adjusting angle of image device for information processing equipment

• US 7,061,536 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2001
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Cha, Soon Chul
• Primary Examiner(s): MOE, AUNG SOE
• Application Number:
  US09/974,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20020044216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 348373-376, 348/207.1, 348/14.1
• US Class Current: 348/376
• 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 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera

Abstract

An apparatus is provided that adjusts an angle of image device used with information processing equipment such as a portable computer, a computer for a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) monitor, and a Personal Digital Assistance (PDA). As a display device is rotated from a main body, a supporting member adjusts a position of the image device according to rotation of the display device to maintain a desired angle of the image device. The information processing equipment can include a main body with a plurality of key buttons and a display body including a display unit which is rotationally coupled to one side of the main body. An image device unit is installed on one side of the display body for holding the image device. A connecting link rotates the image device unit in accordance with the rotation angle of the display body against the main body. Therefore, the angle of image device such as a camera can be automatically controlled according to the movement of the display body.

Claims

1. An apparatus for adjusting an angle of an image device for an information processing equipment comprising:

a main body including a plurality of key buttons and a built-in unit;

a display body having a display unit, wherein the display body is rotatably coupled to one side of the main body;

an image device unit coupled to the display body and configured to receive an image device mounted thereon; and

a rotation device configured to rotate the image device unit in accordance with a rotation angle between the display body and the main body, comprising a first connecting link configured to be rotatably coupled at a first end thereof to the main body and rotatably coupled at a second end thereof to a second connecting link, wherein the second connecting link is configured to be rotatably coupled at a first end thereof to the first connecting link and rigidly coupled a second end thereof to the image device unit, wherein the image device unit comprises;

a supporting plate capable of having the image device mounted thereon; and

a rotation shaft that rotatably supports the supporting plate inside the display body, wherein the second connecting link extends from the supporting plate such that its second end is rotatable about the rotation shaft.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first connecting link is configured to rigidly couple the main body to the image device unit in a rotational relationship so as to adjust a viewing angle of the image device to compensate for a change in rotation angle.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first end of the first connecting link is connected to one side of the main body having a first prescribed offset distance from a center of rotation of the display body, and the second end of the first connecting link is connected to the image device unit having a second prescribed offset distance from a center of rotation of the image device unit.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a body protruding portion protrudes upwardly from the main body, and a body connecting portion is installed on a side surface of the body protruding portion so that the first connecting link can be coupled thereto, wherein the body connecting portion is installed on a position that is the first prescribed offset distance from the rotation center of the display body.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotation shaft, the supporting plate, and the second connecting link are formed as a single body.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an image device connector that electrically couples the image device and the built-in unit in the main body is installed on the upper surface of the supporting plate.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second connecting link extends from the supporting plate at a prescribed angle relative to the supporting plate.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a sliding door is included in the display body so as to open/close the image device unit in the display body.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image device unit is located at one of an upper central part of the display body, on a left edge on an upper end of the display body, on a right edge on the upper end of the display body and side portions of the display body.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the main body comprises a body protruding portion upwardly protruded from a top surface into the display body and a body connecting portion is formed on a side surface of the body protrusion portion parallel to the center of rotation of the display body so that the rotation device can be connected thereto.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image device unit is located on one of a left edge and a right edge on an upper end of the display body.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a hinge engaging portion is upwardly protruded on the main body so that the display body can be rotationally coupled to the main body and a body connecting portion is protruded on a side surface of the hinge engaging portion offset and parallel to the center of the rotation of the display body, wherein the rotation device is connected to the body connecting portion.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image device unit is positioned in one of the side portions of the display body, and wherein a hinge engaging portion is upwardly protruded on the main body so that the display body can be rotationally coupled to the main body and a body connecting portion is protruded on a side surface of the hinge engaging portion offset and parallel to the center of the rotation of the display body, wherein the rotation device is connected to the body connecting portion.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image device comprises a camera, a projector, or a monitor.

15. An apparatus for adjusting an angle of an image device for an information processing equipment, comprising:

a main body including a plurality of key buttons and a built-in unit;

a display body having a display unit, wherein the display body is rotatably coupled to one side of the main body;

an image device unit coupled to the display body and configured to receive an image device mounted thereon; and

a rotation device configured to rotate the image device unit in accordance with a rotation angle between the display body and the main body, comprising a first connecting link configured to be rotatably coupled at a first end thereof to the main body and rotatably coupled at a second end thereof to a second connecting link, wherein the second connecting link is configured to be rotatably coupled at a first end thereof to the first connecting link and rigidly coupled a second end thereof to the image device unit, wherein the image device unit comprises;

a rotation shaft rotatably supported by the display body;

a supporting plate extended to both sides of the rotation shaft and having the image device installed on an upper side thereof, wherein the second connecting link extends from a first side of the supporting plate in a direction parallel to the rotation shaft, and wherein a third connecting link extends from a second side of the supporting plate in a direction parallel to the rotation shaft.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein an image device supporting portion is on the upper side of the supporting plate and protrudes upwardly so that the image device can be mounted thereon.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second connecting link extends from a front right side of the supporting plate, and the third connecting link extends from a rear left side of the supporting plate centered on the rotation shaft of the supporting plate.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a fourth connecting link configured to rotatably couple the main body and the third connecting link, wherein the first and fourth connecting links are disposed substantially parallel to each other.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first connecting link comprises a rigid wire.

20. An apparatus for adjusting an angle of an image device for an information processing equipment comprising:

a main body including a plurality of key buttons and a built-in unit;

a display body having a display unit, wherein the display body is rotatably coupled to one side of the main body;

an image device unit coupled to the display body and configured to receive an image device mounted thereon, wherein the image device unit comprises;

a supporting plate capable of having the image device mounted thereon, wherein an image device connector that electrically couples the image device and the built-in unit in the main body is installed on the upper surface of the supporting plate;

a rotation shaft that rotatably supports the supporting plate inside the display body; and

a link connecting portion protruded from the supporting plate that is coupled to the connecting link; and

rotation means for rotating the image device unit in accordance with a rotation angle between the display body and the main body.