Supporting apparatus for display devices and display device having the same

• US 7,694,922 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Young Tai
• Primary Examiner(s): STERLING, AMY JO
• Application Number:
  US11/826,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20080035802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 248917-923, 248/176.1, 248/291.1, 248/292.13, 361/680
• US Class Current: 248/176.1
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• 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 2200/08 Foot or support base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/917 Video display screen support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/919 Adjustably orientable video screen support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/922 Angular
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/923 Tilting

Abstract

Provided are a supporting apparatus for display devices and a display device having the same, which make it possible to simplify construction, compared to the conventional ones, to provide easier production and to reduce production costs, as well as to maintain uniform motion of a main body of the display device when adjusting a viewing angle of a display screen of the main body. The supporting apparatus for display devices includes a supporting bracket provided to a main body of the display device, a base supporting the main body, a stand coupled to the base at a lower portion thereof and to the supporting bracket at an upper portion thereof, and a joint rotatably connecting the upper portion of the stand and the supporting bracket. Here, the joint includes a curved plug that is provided at the upper portion of the stand and has a curved outer surface, a curved socket that is formed at the supporting bracket so as to be coupled with the curved plug, and an elastic member that is interposed and connected between the curved plug and the curved socket.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a main body having a display screen; and

a supporting apparatus to support the main body,

wherein the supporting apparatus includes a supporting bracket provided to the main body, a base supporting the main body, a stand coupled to the base at a lower portion thereof and to the supporting bracket at an upper portion thereof, and a joint to rotatably connect the upper portion of the stand and the supporting bracket,

wherein the joint includes a curved plug that is provided at the upper portion of the stand and has a curved outer surface, a curved socket that is formed at the supporting bracket so as to be coupled with the curved plug, and an elastic member that is interposed and connected between the curved plug and the curved socket; and

wherein the elastic member has the shape of a cap, and includes an inner contact surface corresponding to the outer surface of the curved plug, and an outer contact surface corresponding to an inner surface of the curved socket.

2. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the curved plug is oval and has a vertical diameter greater than a horizontal diameter.

3. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the curved plug is cylindrical and is integrally formed with the stand.

4. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the curved plug is oval and has a vertical diameter greater than a horizontal diameter.

5. The display device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the inner contact surface of the elastic member has a horizontal width, of its opening, less than the horizontal diameter of the curved plug, and has a vertical depth greater than a vertical radius of the curved plug.

6. The display device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the outer surface of the elastic member and the inner surface of the curved socket are each provided with a corrugation having a convexity and a concavity.

7. The display device as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a rotation stopper provided to the curved plug and the supporting bracket so as to restrict a rotational range within which the main body rotates backwards and forwards.

8. The display device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the rotation stopper includes at least one protrusion that protrudes from the upper portion of the curved plug, and at least one slot that is formed at the supporting bracket in a rotating direction of the supporting bracket so as to allow the protrusion to be inserted thereinto.

9. The display device as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

the protrusion is provided with first and second catch steps at opposite ends thereof; and

the slot is provided with first and second catch recesses so as to catch the first and second catch steps at opposite ends thereof.

10. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower portion of the stand is fixed to the base.

11. A display device, comprising:

a main body having a display screen;

a supporting apparatus to support the main body,

wherein the supporting apparatus includes a supporting bracket provided to the main body, a base supporting the main body, a stand coupled to the base at a lower portion thereof and to the supporting bracket at an upper portion thereof, and a joint to rotatably connect the upper portion of the stand and the supporting bracket, and

wherein the joint includes a curved plug that is provided at the upper portion of the stand and has a curved outer surface, a curved socket that is formed at the supporting bracket so as to be coupled with the curved plug, and an elastic member that is interposed and connected between the curved plug and the curved socket; and

a reinforcement spring that is covered on an outer surface of the elastic member so as to reinforce elasticity of the elastic member.

12. The display device as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the reinforcement spring has a “

C”

shaped spring pressing the outer surface of the elastic member in close contact with the outer surface of the elastic member; and

the elastic member is provided with a spring fitting recess for fitting the reinforcement spring on the outer contact surface thereof.