Tilter apparatus for electronic device having bias assembly

• US 7,458,549 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2006
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Human Active Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: Innovative Office Products, Inc. (IOP Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Oddsen, Odd N. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): STERLING, AMY JO
• Application Number:
  US11/360,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20060197003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 248917-924, 248/276.1, 248/284.1, 248/282.1, 361/681
• US Class Current: 248/280.11
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2014 around a vertical axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2092 comprising means allowing depth adjustment, i.e. forward-backward translation of the head relatively to the undercarriage
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/24 changeable in height or length of legs, also for transport only, e.g. by means of tubes screwed into each otherF16M11/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/041 for balancing rotational movement of the head
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/917 Video display screen support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/923 Tilting

Abstract

A tilter assembly is provided for positioning an electronic device such as a flat panel display. The tilter assembly includes a tilter shaft holder having an opening aligned along an axis and a shaft received within the opening. The shaft is rotatable about the axis, and may be coupled to a support. The tilter shaft holder is coupled to the electronic device. The tilter assembly also includes a torsion spring device in operative association with the shaft to provide a bias or counterbalance to the electronic device, thereby preventing undesired rotation about the axis. The torsion spring device may be adjustably tensioned by a tension mechanism.

Claims

1. A tilting device for supporting a user device, comprising:

an adapter plate attachable to the user device;

a tilter assembly including;

a tilter shaft holder coupled to the adapter plate and having a first opening aligned along an axis;

a shaft received within the first opening so as to be rotatable about the axis, the shaft having a generally cylindrical one piece body including a receptacle therein; and

a torsion spring received within the receptacle of the generally cylindrical one piece body of the shaft along a first location, wherein the torsion spring resists rotation of the shaft about the axis and provides counterbalance to the user device; and

an arm mount fixedly attached to the tilter shaft along a second location spaced apart from the first location.

3. The tilting device of claim 1, further comprising a bushing received within the first opening in the tilter shaft holder, the bushing receiving the shaft therein.

4. The tilting device of claim 3, wherein the tilter shaft holder includes a pair of tilter shaft holders disposed on either side of the arm mount, the bushing includes a pair of bushings received within the pair of tilter shaft holders, and the torsion spring comprises a pair of torsion springs received within the shaft and the pair of tilter shaft holders.

5. The tilting device of claim 4, wherein a first one of the pair of tilter shaft holders is disposed at a first end of the shaft and a second one of the pair of tilter shaft holders is disposed at a second end of the shaft.

6. The tilting device of claim 3, further comprising a set screw adapted to threadedly engage the tilter shaft holder for restricting rotation of the tilting device about the axis, wherein the tilter shaft holder and the bushing each have a slot disposed along the axis, and when the set screw fully engages the tilter shaft holder both the tilter shaft holder slot and the bushing slot are compressible to restrict rotation about the axis.

13. The tilting device of claim 1, further comprising a plug, wherein the torsion spring further includes a second tang at a second end of the torsion spring, and the plug is adapted to engage the second tang and the tilter shaft holder.

14. The tilting device of claim 13, wherein the plug includes at least one boss and the tilter shaft holder includes at least one recess for receiving the boss.

2. A tilting device for supporting a user device, comprising:

an adapter plate attachable to the user device;

a tilter assembly including;

a tilter shaft holder coupled to the adapter plate and having a first opening aligned along an axis;

a shaft received within the first opening so as to be rotatable about the axis; and

a torsion spring received within the shaft along a first location, wherein the torsion spring resists rotation of the shaft about the axis and provides counterbalance to the user device; and

an arm mount fixedly attached to the tilter shaft along a second location spaced apart from the first location;

further comprising a locking mechanism for engaging the tilter shaft holder, wherein the locking mechanism is a set screw adapted to threadedly engage the tilter shaft holder and wherein the locking mechanism is adapted to prevent rotation about the axis.

7. A tilting device, comprising:

an adapter plate for attaching to a device;

a tilter assembly including;

a tilter shaft holder coupled to the adapter plate and having a first opening aligned along an axis;

a shaft received within the first opening so as to be rotatable about the axis;

an arm mount coupled to the shaft and adapted to engage a support;

a torsion spring received within the shaft, wherein the torsion spring resists rotation of the shaft about the axis and provides counterbalance to the device; and

a tension mechanism for adjustably tensioning the torsion spring.

11. The tilting device of claim 7, wherein the torsion spring includes a first tang at a first end thereof, the first tang being operable to engage the shaft.

12. The tilting device of claim 11, wherein the first tang protrudes from the torsion spring to engage an opening on the shaft.

8. A tilting device comprising:

an adapter plate for attaching to a device;

a tilter assembly including;

a tilter shaft holder coupled to the adapter plate and having a first opening aligned along an axis;

a shaft received within the first opening so as to be rotatable about the axis;

an arm mount coupled to the shaft and adapted to engage a support;

a torsion spring received within the shaft, wherein the torsion spring resists rotation of the shaft about the axis and provides counterbalance to the device; and

a tension mechanism for adjustably tensioning the torsion spring, wherein the tension mechanism includes a body portion that is insertable into the torsion spring.

9. A tilting device, comprising

an adapter plate for attaching to a device;

a tilter assembly including;

a tilter shaft holder coupled to the adapter plate and having a first opening aligned along an axis;

a shaft received within the first opening so as to be rotatable about the axis;

an arm mount coupled to the shaft and adapted to engage a support;

a torsion spring received within the shaft, wherein the torsion spring resists rotation of the shaft about the axis and provides counterbalance to the device; and

a tension mechanism for adjustably tensioning the torsion spring, wherein the tension mechanism includes at least one boss and the tilter shaft holder includes at least one recess, and after pretensioning the boss is inserted into the recess such that the torsion spring is securely received within the shaft.

10. The tilting device of claim 9, wherein the boss and the recess are square-shaped.

15. A tilting device for adjustably mounting an electronic device, comprising:

a tilter shaft holder having an opening aligned along an axis;

a shaft received within the opening and rotatable about the axis;

an arm mount coupled generally perpendicular to the shaft at a first position and adapted to engage a support;

means for coupling the tilting device to the electronic device;

a torsion spring received within the shaft at a second position spaced apart from the first position along the length of the shaft, wherein the torsion spring resists rotation of the shaft about the axis and provides counterbalance to the electronic device; and

further comprising a means for restricting rotation of the tilting device about the axis, wherein the means for restricting rotation is a set screw adapted to threadedly engage the tilter shaft holder.

16. A tilting device for adjustably mounting an electronic device, comprising:

a tilter shaft holder having an opening aligned along an axis;

a shaft received within the opening and rotatable about the axis;

an arm mount coupled generally perpendicular to the shaft at a first position and adapted to engage a support;

means for coupling the tilting device to the electronic device;

a torsion spring received within the shaft at a second position spaced apart from the first position along the length of the shaft, wherein the torsion spring resists rotation of the shaft about the axis and provides counterbalance to the electronic device;

a bushing received within the opening of the tilter shaft holder, the bushing receiving the shaft therein; and

a set screw adapted to threadedly engage the tilter shaft holder for restricting rotation of the tilting device about the axis;

wherein the tilter shaft holder and the bushing each have a slot disposed along the axis, and when the set screw fully engages the tilter shaft holder both the tilter shaft holder slot and the bushing slot compress such that rotation about the axis is restricted.

17. A tilting device comprising:

an adapter plate for attaching to a device;

a tilter shaft holder coupled to the adapter plate and having an opening aligned along an axis;

a shaft received within the opening so as to be rotatable about the axis, the shaft having a generally cylindrical one piece body including a receptacle therein;

a mounting device positioned at a first location along the shaft, the mounting device being operable to connect the tilting device to an extension arm; and

a wound spring device received within the receptacle of the shaft at a second location adjacent to the first location, wherein the spring device is adapted to provide counterbalance to the device.

18. A tilting device, comprising:

an adapter plate for attaching to a device;

a tilter shaft holder coupled to the adapter plate and having an opening aligned along an axis;

a shaft received within the opening so as to be rotatable about the axis;

a spring device received within the shaft, wherein the spring device is adapted to provide counterbalance to the device; and

a tension mechanism operable to adjustably tension the spring device, wherein the tension mechanism includes a body portion that is insertable into the spring device.

19. An adjustable extension apparatus for mounting a user device, comprising:

a first channel member having a first end and a second end opposite the first end thereof;

a second channel member having a first end and a second end opposite the first end thereof;

a first endcap having first and second ends, the first end of the first endcap being coupled to the first channel member about the first end thereof and to the second channel member about the first end thereof, the second end of the first endcap being attachable to a support structure;

a second endcap having first and second ends, the first end of the second endcap being coupled to the first channel member about the second end thereof and to the second channel member about the second end thereof;

a tilter shaft holder having a first opening aligned along an axis and being connectable to the user device;

a shaft coupled to the second end of the second endcap, the shaft being at least partly received within the first opening for rotation about the axis; and

means for creating torsional resistance between the tilter shaft holder and the shaft;

wherein the first and second channel members and the first and second endcaps are configured to form an adjustable parallelogram.

20. A mounting apparatus for a user device, comprising:

a first channel member having a first end and a second end opposite the first end thereof;

a second channel member having a first end and a second end opposite the first end thereof;

a first endcap having first and second ends, the first end of the first endcap being coupled to the first channel member about the first end thereof and to the second channel member about the first end thereof, the second end of the first endcap being attachable to a support structure;

a second endcap having first and second ends, the first end of the second endcap being coupled to the first channel member about the second end thereof and to the second channel member about the second end thereof;

a tilter shaft holder having a first opening aligned along an axis and being connectable to the user device;

a shaft coupled to the second end of the second endcap and being rotatable about the axis of the tilter shaft holder;

a spring device received within the shaft for counterbalancing the user device; and

a tension mechanism for adjustably tensioning the spring device.

21. A mounting apparatus for a user device, comprising:

a first channel member having a first end and a second end opposite the first end thereof;

a second channel member having a first end and a second end opposite the first end thereof;

a first endcap having first and second ends, the first end of the first endcap being coupled to the first channel member about the first end thereof and to the second channel member about the first end thereof, the second end of the first endcap being attachable to a support structure;

a second endcap having first and second ends, the first end of the second endcap being coupled to the first channel member about the second end thereof and to the second channel member about the second end thereof;

a tilter shaft holder having a first opening aligned along an axis and being connectable to the user device;

a shaft coupled to the second endcap and being rotatable about the axis of the tilter shaft holder;

a spring device received within the shaft for counterbalancing the user device; and

a tension mechanism for adjustably tensioning the spring device, wherein the tension mechanism includes a boss and the tilter shaft holder includes a recess, and after an initial tensioning of the spring device the boss is inserted into the recess such that the spring device is securely received within the shaft.

22. A tilting device comprising:

a tilter shaft holder adapted to be coupled to a first member, the holder having an opening aligned along an axis;

a shaft received within the opening so as to be rotatable about the axis, the shaft adapted to be coupled to a second member by an arm mount attached substantially perpendicular to the shaft at a first position therealong;

a torsion spring operatively connected to the shaft at a second position along the length of the shaft different from the first position, wherein the torsion spring is adapted to provide torsional resistance between the first and second members; and

a bushing received between the opening of the tilter shaft holder and the shaft, the bushing including a slot disposed along the axis;

wherein the bushing slot is compressible such that rotation of the shaft about the axis is restricted.

23. A tilting device, comprising:

a tilter shaft holder adapted to be coupled to a first member, the holder having an opening aligned along an axis;

a shaft received within the opening so as to be rotatable about the axis, the shaft adapted to be coupled to a second member;

a torsion spring operatively connected to the shaft, wherein the torsion spring is adapted to provide torsional resistance between the first and second members; and

an assembly for adjusting the torsion of the torsion spring, wherein the assembly includes a boss, the tilter shaft holder includes a recess, and the boss is insertable into the recess such that the torsion spring is securely received within the shaft.

24. The tilting device of claim 23, wherein the tilter shaft holder comprises a pair of tilter shaft holders each having an opening aligned along the axis, and the shaft is received within both of the openings so as to be rotatable about the axis.

25. A tilting device comprising:

a tilter shaft holder adapted to be coupled to a first member, the holder having an opening aligned along an axis;

a shaft received within the opening so as to be rotatable about the axis, the shaft adapted to be coupled to a second member;

a means for creating torsional resistance between the first and second members; and

means for adjustably tensioning the torsional resistance.