Tilter for positioning an electronic device

• US 8,523,131 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2010
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Human Active Technology LLC
• Original Assignee: Innovative Office Products, Inc. (IOP Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Derry, Bradley A., Oddsen, Odd N. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): McKinnon, Terrell
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCNICHOLS, ERET C
• Application Number:
  US12/901,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20110084188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 248/280.11, 248/371, 248/372.1, 248/292.13, 248/565, 248/568, 248/596, 248/597, 248/919, 248/923, 248/286.1, 163/38, 361/679.07
• US Class Current: 248/292.13
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/04 Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/105 the horizontal axis being the roll axis, e.g. for creating a landscape-portrait rotation
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/12 in more than one direction
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2064 for tilting and panning F16M11/2078 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/041 for balancing rotational movement of the head

Abstract

A tilter assembly is disclosed which comprises a pair of springs, each of which is coupled to the tilter body and the center tilt mount, that provide a counterbalance force to support the weight of a user device which is attached to the tilter. A bushing, which is capable of providing force to a friction cylinder which permits rotation of the tilter about an axis, is adjustable vis-à-vis the friction cylinder via a set screw to provide additional counterbalance force to the tilter to support the weight of the user device.

Claims

1. A tilter for supporting an electronic device, the tilter comprising:

a tilter body that is attachable to a mounting apparatus and has a hole located therethrough;

a center tilt mount, the center tilt mount being attachable to the electronic device and rotatably attached to the filter body about an axis of rotation;

a friction cylinder that is fixedly attached to the center tilt mount and passes through the hole along the axis of rotation, the friction cylinder being rotatable relative to the tilter body about the axis of rotation;

at least one spring, the at least one spring being coupled at a first end to the tilter body and directly coupled at a second end to the center tilt mount, the at least one spring having an equilibrium position and a restorative force when it is displaced from the equilibrium position in both of a compressive and an extensive state, wherein the restorative force acts between the tilter body and the center tilt mount to resist rotation of the center tilt mount about the axis of rotation, and

a bushing located within the hole in the tilter body, an interior surface of the bushing being in contact with an outer surface of the friction cylinder, wherein an inner diameter of the bushing is adjustable to supply a frictional force to the friction cylinder via the adjustment of the position of a set screw against an exterior surface of the bushing,

wherein the at least one spring comprises a torsional spring having a coiled portion, the coiled portion having an inner diameter,

wherein the friction cylinder extends through the inner diameter of the coiled portion.

2. The tilter of claim 1, wherein the at least one spring is at least partially nested within the tilter body.

3. The tilter of claim 2, wherein a width of the at least one spring does not extend, beyond a width of the tilter body.

4. The tilter of claim 1, wherein the torsional spring has a lower arm at a first end thereof and an upper arm at a second end thereof, wherein one of the lower arm and the upper arm engages an arm hole located in the filter body.

5. The tilter of claim 4, wherein the lower arm and the upper arm are approximately orthogonal to each other.

6. The tilter of claim 4, wherein the lower arm and the upper arm are approximately parallel to each other.

7. The tilter of claim 4, wherein the other of the lower arm and the upper arm engages a hole located in the center tilt mount.

8. The filter of claim 7, wherein a position of the other of the lower arm and the upper arm moves within the arm hole as the at least one spring is displaced from the equilibrium position.

9. The tilter of claim 1, wherein the at least one spring comprises two torsional springs.

10. The tilter of claim 1, wherein the hole in the tilter body is a bushing hole, the at least one spring is directly coupled at a first end to an arm hole located in the tilter body, and the arm hole is located exterior to the bushing hole.

11. The tilter of claim 1, wherein the inner diameter increases when the center tilt mount is rotated in an upward or positive direction about the axis of rotation, and wherein the inner diameter decreases when the center tilt mount is rotated in a downward or negative direction about the axis of rotation.