Computer controlled display device

• US 7,136,280 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2004
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: McDonald, Anwyl M., Stringer, Christopher J., Andre, Bartley K., Jensen, Joel F., Kim, Sung, Jobs, Steven P., Brownell, Robert B. Jr., Hillman, Michael D., Mead, Russell C. Jr., McBroom, Daniel L., Tsai, Frank, McBroom, Michael D., Meuniot, Arturo, Sudderth, Brian T., Beltran, Jesus, Ive, Jonathan, Brigham, Arthur S., Riccio, Daniel J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Lynn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards, Anthony Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/973,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20050088814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 285/146.1, 285/146.2, 285/146.3
• US Class Current: 361/679.06
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/14 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 ; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2078 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/40 by means of coilable or bendable legs or spiral shaped legs
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/022 by friction
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/044 for balancing rotational movement of the undercarriage
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/065 with a special structure, e.g. reinforced or adapted for space reduction
• 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: Y10S 248/919 Adjustably orientable video screen support

Abstract

The present invention is a computer controlled display device. In one embodiment, the display device includes a flat panel display having an input for receiving display data. Additionally, a moveable assembly may be coupled to the display. The moveable assembly may provide at least three degrees of freedom of movement for the flat panel display device. Additionally, the moveable assembly may have a cross-sectional area, which is substantially less than a cross-sectional area of a display structure of the flat panel display. Additionally, the moveable assembly may include a plurality of stacked ball-and-socket assemblies.

Claims

1. A computer controlled display device, comprising:

a flat panel display having an input for receiving display data;

a moveable assembly coupled with said display, said moveable assembly providing at least three degrees of freedom of movement for said flat panel display device and having a cross-sectional area which is substantially less than a cross-sectional area of a display structure of said flat panel display, wherein said moveable assembly comprises a plurality of stacked ball-and-socket assemblies comprising;

a substantially spherical ball;

a first annular plunger, said first annular plunger having walls defining a bore therethrough, and having a first concave insert fitted therein; and

a second annular plunger, said second annular plunger having walls defining a bore therethrough, and having a second concave insert fitted therein, said second concave insert coupled to said first concave insert;

a cable to provide display data, said cable located within said moveable assembly, a first end of said cable operatively coupled with said input of said flat panel display, a second end of said cable operatively coupled with a computer system;

a tension device located within said moveable assembly and operatively coupled with an end of said moveable assembly, said tension device suspending movement of said moveable assembly when a force is applied to said tension device and permitting said movement when said force is lessened;

an anti-torsion device located within said moveable assembly to prevent said cable from being rendered inoperable; and

an actuator assembly coupled with said flat panel display, said actuator moveable between a first position and a second position, said actuator operatively coupled with said tension device to apply a force to said tension device when said actuator occupies said first position, and to lessen said force when said actuator occupies said second position.

2. The computer controlled display device of claim 1 wherein said moveable assembly is snakelike and changes positions in a smooth manner.

3. The computer controlled display device of claim 1 wherein said flat panel display comprises a liquid crystal display screen.

4. The computer controlled display device of claim 1 wherein said input is a wireless port.

5. The computer controlled display device of claim 1 wherein said flat panel display is moveable by a user when said moveable assembly is in a stable position.

6. The computer controlled display device of claim 1 wherein said moveable assembly is a moveable tubular structure.

7. The computer controlled display device of claim 1 wherein one of said data cable, said tension device, and said anti-torsion device is located within said moveable assembly.

8. The computer controlled display device of claim 1 wherein said moveable assembly comprises a region of substantial friction and a region of lesser friction.

9. The computer controlled display device of claim 8 wherein said region of substantial friction comprises at least one ball-and-socket assembly located near a support structure coupled to said moveable assembly.

10. The computer controlled display device of claim 8 wherein said region of lesser friction comprises at least one ball-and-socket assembly located near said flat panel display.

11. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 1 wherein said ball-and-socket assembly is comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of a metal, a metal alloy, a ceramic, a plastic, and combinations thereof.

12. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 1 wherein said ball is comprised of aluminum.

13. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 1 wherein said ball is comprised of stainless steel.

14. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 1 wherein said ball has a flattened first end and a flattened second end, a bore extending through the center of the ball from said first end to said second end, and an interior cable guide portion located within said bore.

15. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 14 wherein said interior cable guide defines a central bore and a plurality of off-centered openings, said central bore to house a tension device, said plurality of off-centered openings to house a data cable and an anti-torsion device.

16. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 15 wherein said data cable runs through a said off-center portion of said interior cable guide.

17. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 16 wherein said cable to display data has a length approximately 20% longer than a fixed path length of said moveable assembly, said fixed path length measured from an exterior portion of said flat panel display to an exterior portion of a support structure coupled to said moveable assembly.

18. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 15 wherein said anti-torsion device is a looped cable running through a said off-center portion of said interior cable guide.

19. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 18 wherein said looped cable has a length approximately 20%–

30% longer than a fixed path length of said moveable assembly, said fixed path length measured from an exterior portion of a display termination socket located on a first end of said moveable assembly to an exterior portion of a base termination ball located on a second end of said moveable assembly.

20. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 1 wherein said ball has a convex cosmetic surface and a convex contact surface, said convex cosmetic surface supported by one of said first or second annular plunger, said convex contact surface being positioned with an edge substantially adjacent to a flattened end of said ball.

21. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 1, further comprising:

a resilient mechanism operatively coupled with said first and second plungers to space said plungers apart until compressed.

22. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 21 wherein said ball has a convex cosmetic surface and a convex contact surface, said convex cosmetic surface supported by one of said first or second annular plunger when said resilient mechanism is in an expanded state such that said convex contact surface breaks contact with one of said first or second concave insert, said convex contact surface being positioned with an edge substantially adjacent to a flattened end of said ball.

23. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 21 wherein said resilient mechanism is a wave spring.

24. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 22 wherein said convex contact surface contacts said concave insert when said resilient mechanism is compressed.

25. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 22 wherein said convex contact surface has a thickness measured from an outer surface of said convex contact surface to an outer surface of said convex cosmetic surface, said thickness to limit an angle at which said ball can be rotated from a longitudinal axis centrally extending through said bore by contacting an interior annular lip on said annular plunger.

26. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 22 wherein said convex contact surface is comprised of the same material as said ball.

27. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 22 wherein said convex contact surface is comprised of a material different than a material comprising said ball.

28. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 22 wherein said convex contact surface comprises a ceramic filled plastic.

29. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 22 wherein said convex contact surface is manufactured to have an increased fiction.

30. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 29 wherein said convex contact surface has a coating comprising a granular material.

31. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 30 wherein said granular material is selected from the group consisting of silica, tungsten carbide, and aluminum oxide.

32. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 1 wherein said ball is a termination ball, said termination ball having a flattened base portion on one end, a convex contact surface on an opposite end, a bore extending through said termination ball from said one end to said opposite end, and a cable guide positioned within said bore, said base portion having a fastening mechanism therein to fasten said termination ball to a structure.

33. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 32 wherein said structure is said flat panel display.

34. The ball-and-socket assembly as in claim 1 wherein a ball stop located on one of said first or second annular plunger limits ball tilt to approximately 15 degrees off of center.

35. The computer controlled display device of claim 1 wherein said tension device is a cable having a proximal end coupled with said actuator and a distal end coupled with a termination ball.

36. The computer controlled display device of claim 1 wherein said force is approximately 200.0 to approximately 400.0 pounds.

37. The computer controlled display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a moveable base coupled with said moveable assembly to support positioning of said moveable assembly and said flat panel display.

38. The computer controlled display device of claim 37 wherein said moveable base houses computer components comprising a microprocessor, a memory, a bus, an I/O (input/output) controller, and an I/O port, wherein said microprocessor is coupled to said input of said fiat panel display.

39. The computer controlled display device of claim 38 wherein said moveable base acts as a counterweight relative to said moveable assembly and to said flat panel display.

40. The computer controlled display device of claim 1 wherein said actuator is attached to flat panel display.

41. The computer controlled display device of claim 40, wherein said actuator is electronically actuated.

42. The computer controlled display device of claim 40, wherein said actuator is electromagnetically actuated.

43. The computer controlled display device of claim 1 wherein said tension device is a cable having a fixed path length.

44. The computer controlled display device of claim 1 wherein said actuator assembly comprises:

a tongue;

a crank coupled with said tongue, said crank having a detachable handle;

a strut coupled with said crank; and

a spring shaft coupled with said strut and with a resilient mechanism.

45. The computer controlled display device of claim 44 wherein said resilient mechanism is selected from the group consisting of a piston and a spring.

46. The computer controlled display device of claim 44 further comprising:

an actuator housing to house and to support said tongue, crank, strut, and spring shaft.

47. The computer controlled display device of claim 44 wherein said resilient mechanism provides a restoring force of approximately 200 pounds.

48. The computer controlled display device of claim 44 wherein at least one component of said actuator assembly comprises a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, stainless steel, plastic, and ceramic filled plastic.