Support assembly and computer device having the same

• US 8,767,388 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ahn, Jin-hyuk, Park, Young-sun
• Primary Examiner(s): HAUGHTON, ANTHONY MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US13/242,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20120099267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.27, 361/679.41, 361/679.39, 361/679.42, 361/679.43, 361/679.44
• US Class Current: 361/679.41
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/00 Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles heads thereof F16M11/02 ; undercarriages thereof F16M11/20 ; adapted to be stuck in the ground A45F3/44 ; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles supports for measuring instruments G01D11/30; supports for casings of remote control switching devices H01H9/025
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/041 for balancing rotational movement of the head
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/08 Foot or support base
• 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: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/166 related to integrated arrangements for adjusting the position of the main body with respect to the supporting surface, e.g. legs for adjusting the tilt angle

Abstract

A support assembly that supports a device main body to be able to rotate includes a base member supported on an installation surface, a support unit having a predetermined curvature, coupled with the device main body on one side thereof, and reciprocating according to tilting of the device main body between an upright position and a tablet position, a guide rail coupled with the base member on a first side thereof and supported by the support unit on a second side thereof, to guide the reciprocation of the support unit, and an elastic unit connected to the support unit and providing an elastic force to maintain a tilting position of the device main body. A computer device may include the support assembly. The support assembly may support a computer device main body having a display when the computer device main body tilts between the upright position and the tablet position.

Claims

1. A support assembly to support a computer device main body having a display section, comprising:

a base member disposed on an installation surface;

a support unit, having a predetermined curvature, that is coupled with the computer device main body on one side thereof, and that reciprocates according to a tilting movement of the computer device main body between an upright position that positions the computer device main body upright with respect to the installation surface and a tablet position that positions the computer device main body in parallel with the installation surface;

a guide rail that is coupled with the base member on a first side thereof and that is supported by a portion of the support unit on a second side thereof, to guide the reciprocation of the support unit; and

an elastic unit that is coupled to the support unit to provide an elastic force that maintains a tilting position of the computer device main body when the computer device main body tilts between the upright position and the tablet position,

wherein the computer device main body moves along the predetermined curvature during the tilting movement.

2. The support assembly according to claim 1, wherein the elastic unit comprises:

an elastic member to provide the elastic force to maintain the tilting position of the computer device main body; and

a connection member, coupled to the support unit and the elastic member, to transfer a pressing force to the elastic member in response to the reciprocation of the support unit.

3. The support assembly according to claim 2, wherein the elastic member provides the elastic force to the computer device main body toward the upright position to balance a load of the computer device main body supported by the support unit.

4. The support assembly according to claim 2, wherein the connection member includes first and second connection members each being coupled to opposite side end parts of the support unit, and the first and second connection members transferring the pressing force in different directions in response to the reciprocation of the support unit.

5. The support assembly according to claim 4, wherein the elastic unit further comprises roller parts that are respectively disposed adjacent to the opposite side end parts of the support unit and guide a reciprocal movement of the first and second connection members.

6. The support assembly according to claim 1, wherein the guide rail comprises:

a pair of first guide rails which is coupled with the base member on a first side thereof and is supported by opposite side end parts of the support unit on a second side thereof; and

a pair of second guide rails which is respectively coupled with the pair of first guide rails with the support unit being disposed therebetween and guides the reciprocation of the support unit.

7. The support assembly according to claim 6, wherein sections of the first and second guide rails which contact the support unit respectively have curvatures corresponding to the predetermined curvature of the support unit.

8. The support assembly according to claim 6, wherein the guide rail further comprises a first guide roller disposed between the two first guide rails and a second guide roller disposed between the two second guide rails, and guides the reciprocation of the support unit.

9. The support assembly according to claim 8, wherein rolling support parts are respectively formed on the opposite side end parts of the support unit to rolling-contact the guide rollers.

10. The support assembly according to claim 1, wherein a rotational center of the computer device main body coincides with a curvature center of the support unit.

11. The support assembly according to claim 1, wherein the base member comprises:

a first base member; and

a second base member disposed at a height lower than the first base member, the second base member coupled to the guide rail and the elastic unit.

12. The support assembly according to claim 11, wherein the computer device main body has a rectangular plate shape in which the display section is installed on a front side thereof, and

wherein the height difference between the first base member and the second base member is set so that upper surfaces of the first base member and the display section have substantially the same heights when the computer device main body is in the tablet position.

13. A computer device comprising:

a computer device main body in which a display section is installed on a front side thereof; and

a support assembly which supports the computer device main body to be able to tilt with respect to an installation surface of the computer device main body between the upright position and the tablet position, comprising;

a support unit, having a predetermined curvature, that is coupled with the computer device main body at one side thereof, and that reciprocates according to a tilting movement of the computer device main body between an upright position in which the computer device main body stands upright with respect to the installation surface and a tablet position in which the computer device main body is disposed in parallel with the installation surface,

wherein the computer device main body moves along the predetermined curvature during the tilting movement.

14. The computer device according to claim 13,

wherein the support assembly comprises:

a base member which is supported on the installation surface;

a guide rail which is coupled with the base member on a first side thereof and is supported by a part of the support unit on a second side thereof, to guide the reciprocation of the support unit; and

an elastic unit which is connected to the support unit and provides an elastic force to maintain a tilting position of the computer device main body when the computer device main body tilts between the upright position and the tablet position.

15. The computer device according to claim 14, wherein the elastic unit comprises:

an elastic member which provides the elastic force to maintain the tilting position of the computer device main body; and

first and second connection members coupled to the support unit and the elastic member to provide a pressing force to the elastic member in response to the reciprocation of the support unit.

16. The computer device according to claim 15, wherein the elastic member provides the elastic force to the computer device main body toward the upright position to balance a load of the computer device main body supported by the support unit.

17. The computer device according to claim 15, wherein the elastic unit further comprises roller parts which are respectively disposed adjacent to opposite side end parts of the support unit and guide a reciprocal movement of the first and second connection members.

18. The computer device according to claim 14, wherein the guide rail comprises:

a pair of first guide rails coupled to the base member on a first side thereof and supported by opposite side end parts of the support unit on a second side thereof; and

a pair of second guide rails each coupled to the respective first guide rail,

wherein the each second guide rail supports the respective opposite end parts of the support unit to guide the reciprocation of the support unit.

19. The computer device according to claim 18, wherein the guide rail further comprises a first guide roller disposed between the pair of first guide rails and a second guide roller disposed between the pair of second guide rails to guide the reciprocation of the support unit.

20. The computer device according to claim 19, wherein rolling support parts are respectively formed on the opposite side end parts of the support unit to rolling-contact the guide rollers.