Computer display screen system and adjustable screen mount, and swinging screens therefor

• US RE42,091 E1
• Filed: 01/29/2004
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jerry Moscovitch, Mark Elchuk
• Original Assignee: Jerry Moscovitch, Mark Elchuk
• Inventors: Moscovitch, Jerry, Elchuk, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Vortman; Anatoly
• Application Number:
  US10/766,751
• Time in Patent Office: 2,560 Days
• Field of Search: 361681-683, 361/679.04, 361/679.21, 361/679.22, 345/1.1, 345/1.3, 345/205, 248917-924, 40530-537, 348/790, 348/794
• US Class Current: 361/679.04
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0015 Back-rests
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/08 around a vertical axis , e.g. panoramic heads F16M11/12 takes precedence
• 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 11/242 by spreading of the legs F16M11/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/022 by friction
• 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 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1649 the additional display being independently orientable, e.g. for presenting information to a second user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1654 the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1612 Flat panel monitor

Abstract

A dual screen display system having, a base, a pair of electronic display screens, an arm assembly supporting the display screens and connected to the base, swingable mountings for swingably mounting the display screens, the mountings being adjustable as to the angular orientation of each of the display screens relative to the arm assembly between a first arrangement with the screens in a common plane, and a second arrangement in which the screens are inwardly swung positions thereby to permit each of the screens to be swung into desired operative angular orientation, and adjustable movement limiting devices, engaging the swinging mountings and limiting movement of the screens. Also disclosed are interchangeable mounting brackets for mounting screens of varying sizes, or for mounting screens in various configurations, and hingeable and rotatable support members for supporting the screens so the screens are swingable to face in opposite directions. A modular display system is also disclosed which allows a one, two three or four display panel system to be formed.

Claims

1. A modular display system comprising:

a base assembly;

a first support arm, operably coupled to said base assembly;

a second support arm secured to said first support arm and having at least a pair of coupling assemblies for securing to portions of first and second liquid crystal display (LCD) panels;

a third support arm secured to said first support arm and having at least one coupling assembly for supporting a third LCD panel on said third support arm; and

wherein said third support arm may be readily detached from said first support arm to enable said display system to be modularly configured as either a two panel LCD display system or as a three panel or greater LCD display system.

2. The display system of claim 1, wherein said second support arm includes three said coupling assemblies enabling said first and second LCD panels to be supported adjacent one another in either a portrait positions or landscape positions, while minimizing a spacing between said first and second LCD panels.

3. The display system of claim 1, wherein said third support arm includes a air of said coupling assemblies enabling said third LCD panel, and a fourth LCD panel, to be supported thereon.

4. The display system of claim 3, wherein said third support arm includes three of said coupling assemblies enabling said third and fourth LCD panels to be supported in either a portrait or a landscape orientation while minimizing a spacing between said third and fourth LCD panels in either one of said orientations.

5. A modular display system comprising:

a base structure;

a first support arm, operably coupled to said base structure;

a second support arm secured to said first support arm and having at least a pair of coupling assemblies for securing first and second display panels, the second support arm being readily detachable from the first support arm; and

a third support arm secured to said first support arm and having at least a pair of coupling assemblies for securing third and fourth display panels, the third support arm being readily detachable from said first support arm, wherein the display system is modularly configurable to support two side-by-side display panels, modularly configurable to support two vertically stacked display panels, modularly configurable to support three display panels in a pyramid shape, modularly configurable to support three display panels in an inverted pyramid shape, and modularly configurable to support two horizontal display panels above two horizontal display panels.

6. The display system of claim 5, wherein at least one display panel can assume a landscape orientation and a portrait orientation.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising the first, the second and the third display panels.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first, the second and the third display panels are liquid crystal display panels.

9. A modular display system comprising:

a base structure;

a first support arm, operably coupled to said base structure;

a second support arm secured to said first support arm and having at least a pair of coupling assemblies for securing first and second display panels, the second support arm being readily detachable from the first support arm;

a third support arm secured to said first support arm and having at least a pair of coupling assemblies for supporting third and fourth display panels, the third support arm being readily detachable from the first support arm, wherein the display system is modularly configurable to support three display panels in a pyramid shape and modularly configurable to support three display panels in an inverted pyramid shape.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one display panel can assume a landscape orientation and a portrait orientation.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the base structure is designed to rest on a work surface.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one pair of coupling assemblies secure the rears of the first and second display panels to the second support arm.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the second support arm is integral and the third support arm is integral.

14. A modular support system for display panels, the system comprising:

a base structure;

a first support arm removably attachable to the base structure;

a second support arm removably attachable to the first support arm for supporting display panels;

a third support arm removably attachable to the first support arm for supporting display panels;

two coupling assemblies for the first support arm to couple two display panels thereto;

two coupling assemblies for the second support arm to couple two display panels thereto; and

two coupling assemblies for the third support arm to couple two display panels thereto;

wherein,

a) the modular support system is configurable as a one-support arm system having the first support arm, as a two-support arm system having the first and second support arms, and as a three-support arm system having the first, second and third support arms,

b) in the one-support arm system, the first support arm can support at least two display panels, at least one in either landscape orientation or portrait orientation, using the two coupling assemblies for the first support arm,

c) in the two-support arm system, the second support arm can support two display panels, in either landscape orientation or portrait orientation, using the two coupling assemblies for the second support arm, and

d) in the three-support arm system,

i) the second support arm can support two display panels, and

ii) the third support arm can support two display panels, in either landscape orientation or portrait orientation, using the two coupling assemblies for the third support arm.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the base structure is designed to rest on a work surface.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the two coupling assemblies for the second support arm to couple two display panels thereto couple the rears of the two display panels to the second support arm.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the second support arm is integral and the third support arm is integral.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising at least three display panels.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least three display panels are liquid crystal display panels.

20. A modular display system comprising:

a first display panel;

a second display panel;

a third display panel;

a base structure;

a first support arm, operably coupled to said base structure;

a second support arm secured to said first support arm and having at least one pair of coupling assemblies for securing to portions of the first and second display panels;

a third support arm secured to said first support arm and having at least one coupling assembly for supporting the third display panel on said third support arm, wherein said third support arm may be readily detached from said first support arm to enable said display system to be modularly configured to support two display panels and modularly configured to support three or more display panels, and wherein the display system is modularly configurable to support the three display panels in a pyramid shape and modularly configurable to support the three display panels in an inverted pyramid shape.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein at least one display panel can assume a landscape orientation and a portrait orientation.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the base structure is designed to rest on a work surface.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the at least one pair of coupling assemblies secure the rears of the first and second display panels to the second support arm.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the second support arm is integral and the third support arm is integral.

25. A modular display system comprising:

a base structure;

a first support arm coupled to the base structure;

a coupling assembly for supporting one display panel from the first support arm;

a second support arm coupled to the first support arm, the second support arm being readily decoupleable from the first support arm;

at least two coupling assemblies for supporting at least two display panels from the second support arm, wherein the display system is modularly configurable to support at least three display panels in a pyramid shape, where the at least two display panels are disposed substantially horizontally below the one display panel, and wherein the display system is modularly configurable to support at least three display panels in an inverted pyramid shape, where the at least two display panels are disposed substantially horizontally above the one display panel.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising at least three display panels.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least two coupling assemblies for supporting at least two display panels support the at least two display panels from the backs thereof.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the coupling assembly for supporting one display panel can support the one display panel in both portrait and landscape orientations.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the at least two coupling assemblies for supporting at least two display panels support the at least two display panels from the backs thereof.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the base structure is adapted to rest on a work surface.