GB2493365A

GB2493365A - Adjustable support system with slidable spring pusher

Info

Publication number: GB2493365A
Application number: GB201113272A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Williams; Alex Lau
Original assignee: Colebrook Bosson Saunders Products Ltd
Current assignee: Colebrook Bosson Saunders Products Ltd
Priority date: 2011-08-01
Filing date: 2011-08-01
Publication date: 2013-02-06
Also published as: WO2013017874A1; GB201113272D0

Abstract

An adjustable support system, for supporting a load such as a display device, includes a fixing point 4, a mount 8 for the load, and a support arm (2, fig 2). A resilient element 12 provides a force on the support arm (2) to at least partially oppose a moment on the support arm (2) about the fixing point 4 resulting from a weight of the load attached at the mount 8. An adjustment system, for adjusting the resilient element 12, is operable to adjust a position of a first end 13 of the resilient element 12 from a first predetermined and defined position to a second predetermined and defined position so as to adjust a length of the resilient element and thereby adjust a preload on the resilient element 12. The adjustment system comprises a slidable spring pusher 15 slidable relative to an outer tube 9 and a fixed stop 16.

Description

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT SYSTEM

Field of the invention

The present invention is concerned with an adjustable support system for supporting a load such as a display device, for example, a flat panel monitor, a panel PC, a tablet PC or a short-throw projector.

Background to the present invention

Modern screen-based display devices are typically flat-screen monitors such as liquid crystal display (LCD) or plasma screen displays. Such devices can be mounted on a supporting mechanism such as a support arm, which can be secured to a horizontal or vertical surface so that the monitor can be positioned and supported above, below, or out in front of the surface.

Known support systems for monitors include a support for a load and a spring for providing a moment about a pivotable mount for the support in a first direction about the pivot to at least partially offset the moment about the arm mount in a second direction about the pivot, opposite to the first direction, resulting from the weight of the monitor or display device. An example of this type of known support system is disclosed in US patent publication no. US2004/01 89890.

Other known support systems include a means for adjusting the length of a spring to enable the support system to support display screens or other apparatuses of different weights. An example of this type of known support system is the applicant's own FLO" TM product which includes an arm having an internal coiled spring, the length of which is adjustable by a continuous adjustment screw positioned on the longitudinal centreline of the arm in order to vary the preload on the spring and thereby vary the load supportable by the arm.

A further example is PCT publication no. W094/1 8490 provides a moveable supporting arm for supporting a microscope, comprising a helical spring and an adjustment screw extending parallel to the spring between support posts to provide a parallelogram type arrangement. The adjustment screw is adjustable to change the position of a sliding spring block and thereby vary the length of the spring and so the load supportable by the arm.

A further example is PCT publication no. W02001/070992 provides a portable supporting kit for supporting items over a hospital bed having a pulley supporting a cantilever arm and a spring attached to the pulley by a retaining screw. The pulley and arm are urged into a rest position by the spring and the length of the spring is adjustable by an adjustment link and locking nut to vary the angle of the cantilever arm in the rest position.

A further example is US Patent no. US6964,399 describes a mounting device for a flat panel screen including a wall mounted based plate and support brackets for supporting a screen. The support brackets are hinged at their lower end to the base plate and coupled to the base plate at their upper end by springs attached to sliding carriers which slide along channels inside the base plate.

The position of the sliding spring carriers is adjustable by an adjustment screw to vary the length of the springs.

The latter types of known support systems typically provide a screw adjustment mechanism for adjusting the preload in the spring. This enables a wide range of adjustment during set up of the systems to support a given weight. However these adjustment systems require a degree of trial and error and fine tuning in order to support a given weight effectively and further trial and error and fine tuning is required when that are reconfigured to support a different weight. These systems are not optimised for fast and effective adjustment to reconfigure them to support different loads, particularly those of fixed, known weights. They are also not optimised for effectively supporting a load which may vary along a load range between certain upper and lower limits. The continuous adjustment mechanism of the known support systems also provides a level of complexity that is not required for certain applications, particularly those where the load to be supported will rio change or will only change infrequently after the initial configuration of the support system.

The known support systems also do not provide optimum provision for the positioning and protection of the wiring which feeds the supported display device with a signal. In many known support systems, little or no provision is made for the wiring. In some cases the wiring is positioned externally of and attached to the supporting arm. As such, there is the potential for the wiring to become damaged over time during repeated repositioning of the arm and attachment means are likely to be required to attach the wiring to the arm. External wiring can also be accessed or tampered with by unauthorised persons.

Summary of the invention

The present invention provides: an adjustable support system for supporting a load such as a display device, comprising: a fixing point, a mount for the load, and a support arm therebetween; a resilient element for providing a force on the support arm to at least partially oppose a moment on the support arm about the fixing point resulting from the weight of the load attached at the mount; and an adjustment system for adjusting the resilient element to configure the support system to support different loads, the adjustment system being operable to adjust the position of a first end of the resilient element from a first predetermined and defined position to a second predetermined and defined position so as to adjust the length of the resilient element and thereby adjust a preload on the resilient element.

The invention therefore provides an improved support system for effectively positioning and supporting a load, such as a monitor, above, below or out in front of the fixing point and which enables adjustment of the support system to support different loads, The adjustment system is easily operated to reconfigure the support system to support different loads such as different monitors of known weights or within defined weight ranges. The invention removes a level of complexity of known support system that have a continuous adjustment mechanism and allows one of a number of predetermined and defined preload values of the resilient element to be selected.

The invention also provides a support system as defined in claim 23. Some preferred features of the invention are set out in the dependent claims.

Preferably the support system includes a slider that is slidable relative to the support arm in the longitudinal direction of the support arm against the resilient farce exerted by the resilient element, wherein the adjustment system is operable to adjust the position of the first end of the resilient element relative to the slider from the first predetermined and defined position to the second predetermined and defined position so as to adjust the length of the resilient element.

Preferably the resilient element is arranged in compression and the adjustment system is operable to adjust the position of the first end of the resilient element from the first predetermined and defined position relative to the slider to the second predetermined and defined position relative to the slider to reduce the axial length of the resilient element and thereby increase a pre-compression of the resilient element. It will be appreciated that the resilient element could also be arranged in tension and the adjustment system used to adjust the pretension in the resilient element.

Preferably the support arm is hollow, more preferably a hollow outer tube of circular section, though other shapes are envisaged. Preferably the slider is disposed within the support arm.

Preferably the slider is also hollow more preferably a hollow tube of circular section, though other shapes are envisaged. Preferably, the resilient element is also disposed within the support arm.

Preferably the shape of the slider is the substantially the same as the shape of the support arm.

These features of the system provide a more compact design in which the slider and resilient element are covered and therefore protected from contamination and prevented from causing injury.

Preferably the resilient element is located at a first end by a slidable pushing element and at a second end by a fixed stop, the slidable pushing element being slidable relative to the support arm and the fixed stop and the fixed stop being fixed to the support arm, and the adjustment system is operable to adjust the position of the slidable pushing element relative to the slider from a first position to a second position so as to adjust the position of the first end of the resilient element from the first predetermined and defined position to the second predetermined and defined position. The slidable spring pusher and fixed stop securely locate the first end of the resilient element, particularly as it is compressed during use of the support system.

Preferably the adjustment system includes: a hole in the slidable pushing element; axially spaced first and second holes in the slider, the first hole being nearer to the fixing point of the support arm, the first and second holes defining the first and second positions of the slidable pushing element which correspond to the first and second predetermined fixed positions of the first end of the resilient element; and a fastener for engaging the hole in the slidable pushing element and the first or second hole in the slider; wherein in the first predetermined and defined position of the first end of the resilient element, the hole in the slidable pushing element is engageable by the fastener with the first hole in the slider and in the second predetermined and defined position of the first end of the resilient element, the hole in the slidable pushing element is engageable by the fastener with the second hole in the slider. Preferably the fastener is a locking screw, grub screw or pin. Other suitable fasteners will be readily apparent to the skilled person.

Preferably the adjustment system is operable in use by: withdrawing the fastener through the hole in the slidable pushing element to disengage the fastener from the first hole in the slider: repositioning the slidable pushing element relative to the slider such that the hole in the slidable pushing element is moved out of alignment with the first hole in the slider and into alignment with the second hole in the slider; and reinsertion of the fastener through the hole in the slidable pushing element into engagement with the second hole in the slider so as to connect the hole in the slidable pushing element with the second hole in the slider.

Preferably a plurality of holes is provided in the slider for engagement by the fastener with the hole in the slidable spring pusher. This provides a plurality of predetermined and defined positions of the first end of the resilient element relative to the slider corresponding to a number of load supporting settings. The holes of the plurality of holes in the slider may be evenly spaced from one another in the longitudinal direction of the slider. Alternatively, at least one adjacent pair of holes of the plurality of holes in the slider has a different spacing to at least one other adjacent pair of holes of the plurality of holes in the slider in the longitudinal direction of the slider. This latter configuration provides a degree of overlap between the loads supportable at each of the load supporting settings.

Preferably a corresponding number of holes having the same relative spacing as the holes in the slider is provided through the wall of the support arm, the holes in the slider being alignable with the holes through the wall of the support arm to enable insertion of a tool into the holes through the wall of the support arm for disengagement and reengagement of the fastener through the hole in the slidable pushing element with the holes in the slider for adjustment of the position of the slidable pushing element relative to the slider. This provides improved access to the heads of the fasteners when reconfiguring the support system to support a different load.

Preferably the support arm is pivotable around the fixing point. Preferably, pivoting of the support arm around the fixing point in a first direction corresponding to the direction of the moment resulting from the weight of the load causes the slider to slide within the support arm and further compress the resiflent element.

Preferably the support system is adjustable by: rotation of the support arm in the first direction so as to align the fastener engaging the first hole in the slider and the hole in the slidable pushing element with the second hole through the support arm; withdrawal of the fastener through the hole in the slidable pushing element to disengage the fastener from the first hole in the slider and engage the fastener with the second hole through the wall of the support arm thereby fixing the position of the slidable pushing element relative to the support arm and permitting the slider to slide relative to the slidable pushing element: rotation of the support arm in a second direction about the fixing point, opposite to the first direction, so as to slide the slider relative to the slidable pushing element until the hole in the slidable pushing element is moved out of alignment with the first hole in the slider and into alignment with the second hole in the slider; and reinsertion of the fastener through the hole in the slidable pushing element out of engagement with the second hole though the wall of the support arm and into engagement with the second hole in the slider so as to reconnect the slidable pushing element with the second hole in the slider. The adjustment system is therefore adjustable during initial setup or when in use to change the preload of the resilient element and the arm itself is used to provide leverage to assist with the further compression of the resilient element to select the next defined preload value. The adjustment system is designed so that there is mechanical advantage built into the system to allow the arm itself to be used to compress the resilient element. This eliminates the need for outside tooling such as a press that is typically required to compress the resilient element.

Preferably the adjustment system is disposed substantially within the hollow support arm.

More preferably the adjustment system is disposed entirely within the hollow support arm. More preferably adjustment system is disposed substantially within a radial cavity defined between the slider and the hollow support arm. More preferably, the adjustment system is disposed entirely within the radial cavity defined between the slider and the hollow support arm. This also provides a compact design in which the adjustment system is protected.

Preferably the resilient element is disposed within the radial cavity. Preferably the resilient element is a resiliently deformable element, more preferably a coiled spring. Preferably the spring is coiled around the slider. The skilled person will envisage other suitable force generating elements such as, but not limited to a Bellville washer or a stack of Beilville washers, a gas strut, a continuous tube or length of rubber disposed around the slider, a number of shorter spring elements or lengths of rubber axially adjacent or spaced from one another along the length of the slider.

Preferably the adjustment system is arranged so as to permit one or more wires or cables to be disposed within and pass internally at least along a portion of the length of the hollow slider. The system may be arranged so that the wires can pass entirely along the length of the arm from the first end to the second end. The wires may also enter the first end of the arm through the fixing point and leave the second end of the arm through the mount for the load so that the wires are completely contained within the arm between the fixing point and a display device support at the mount, This has a number of advantages: it protects the wires by minimising the elongation or compression stress applied to the wires as they are positioned closer to the path of least movement; it protects the wires from accidental damage or tampering; it makes the arm easier to clean and reduces contamination; it means that the wires do not have to be otherwise connected to the outside of the support arm; it reduce the need for slack in the wires to allow for positioning of the arm; and it provides a cleaner, more aesthetically appealing design.

Brief descriøtion of the drawings Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the attached figures. The figures are only for the purposes of explaining and illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the claims. The skilled man will readily and easily envisage alternative embodiments of the invention in its various aspects.

In the figures: Figure 1 is a side view of a support system for supporting a load such as a flat panel monitor; Figure 2 is a cross-section through an adjustable support system of the present invention; Figure 3 is a further cross-section through an adjustable support system of the present invention; Figure 4 is a close up of a first end of the cross section of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a close up of a second end of the cross section of Figure 3; Figure 6 is an exploded view of the support system of Figure 1; Figure 7 is a cross section of the adjustable support system of Figure 3 in an elevated and in a lowered position showing directions of movement of the arm; Figure 8 is the cross section of the adjustable support system of Figure 7 in the lowered position; Figure 9 is a close up cross section through first and second ends of the adjustable support system when in the lowered position of Figure 8; Figure 10 is cross section through a portion of the adjustable support system of Figure 3 as the support arm is moved from the elevated position towards the lowered position of Figure 8, with the slidable pushing element is in a first predetermined and defined position relative to the slider; Figure 11 is the cross section of Figure 10 when the support arm is in the lowered position of Figure 8 and the slidable pushing element is in a first fixed position relative to the slider; Figure 12 is the cross section of Figure 11 showing the slidable pushing element in a first fixed position relative to the slider and the fastener disengaged from the slidable pushing element and engaged with the support arm; Figure 13 is the cross section of Figure 12 when the arm has been returned to the elevated position of Figure 3 and the fastener connects the slidable pushing element with the slider in a second predetermined and defined position of the slidable pushing element relative to the slider.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

Figure 1 shows a support assembly for supporting a load such as a display device relative to a wall. The support system may also support the load relative to a horizontal surface such as a ceiling. The support arm assembly includes a support system 1 embodying the present invention which includes an adjustment system according to the present invention.

Referring to Figure 2, the support system I includes a positionable support arm 2 pivotally supported at a first end 3 to a fixing element 4 by a first pivot 5 and pivotally connected at a second end 6 by a second pivot 7 a mountS for supporting a display device (Fig 1) to the support arm. As shown in Figure 1, the fixing element 4 may be connected to a further arm of a support system. The display device may be connected to the mount 8 by any suitable connection means.

Referring to Figures 3 to 6, the support arm includes a hollow outer tube 9 of circular section.

A slider 10 in the form of a hollow inner tube also of circular section is disposed within and radially spaced from the internal surface of the wall of the hollow outer tube. The slider forms a conduit for one or more wires (not shown) to pass internally along the support arm between the first end 3 and second end 6. A cylindrical annular cavity 11 is defined between the radially spaced slider and outer tube. A coiled spring 12 is disposed within and extends along the annular cavity between the slider and outer tube 9. The spring is coiled around the slider.

The spring 12 is located at respective first 13 and second 14 ends between a slidable spring pusher 15 slidable relative to the outer tube 9 and a fixed spring stop 16 fixed to the outer tube 9. The spring pusher is a hollow, generally cylindrical body attached to the slider 10 by one or more releasable fastening means 17 (Figure 10), for example locking screws or pins. The fixed spring stop 16 is a further hollow, generally cylindrical body attached to the outer tube by one or more suitable fastening means 18, for example, grub screws, rivets or pins. The spring is located between and supported by the spring pusher 15 and the fixed stop 18. In the position of the arm shown in Figure 2, the spring may be held at its normal, uncompressed length or maintained in partial compression between the spring pusher and the spring stop.

The slider 10 is slidable relative to the cuter tube 9 along, and coaxially with the longitudinal centreline of, the outer tube 9 and the spring 12. The slider is also slidable through the spring 12.

The slider is also slidable through a hole in the centre of the fixed stop 16. The spring pusher 15 is attached to the slider by the screws 17 so that it is slidable with the slider relative to the outer tube 9 and fixed stop 16.

The support arm is configured so that when a load such as a display monitor (Fig 1) is attached to the mount 8, the weight of the monitor produces a moment on the arm about the fixing element 4 which urges the arm to rotate around the first pivot 5 in a first direction marked A' in Figure 7 from an elevated position (Fig 3) towards a lowered position (Fig 8).

A means is provided for engaging with the slider 10 or the spring pusher to urge the spring pusher into contact with the spring and Ihereby further compress the spring against the spring stop 16. As such when the arm is rotated as shown in Figure 7 towards the lowered position, the slider and spring pusher are forced to slide along the arm towards the second end 6 of the arm, compressing the spring against the fixed stop 16. The spring 12 produces a moment on the arm about the fixing element 4 which urges the arm to rotate around the first pivot 5 in a second direction marked B', opposite the first direction, towards the elevated position of Figure 3. The spring therefore acts to counteract the moment resulting from the weight of the load supported at the mount 8 to oppose further lowering of the arm. The arm is configured so that the force generated by the spring on the slider and spring pusher as the arm is rotated in direction A depends on how much the spring is compressed.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, one suitable means for engaging with the slider to urge the slider along the arm and compress the spring against the fixed stop may, for example, be a link 19 arranged between, and pivotally connected to, a first end portion of the slider 10 and the fixing element 4. The link 19 is pivotally connected by a first pivot 20 to the fixing element 4 and by a second pivot 21 to the first end portion of the slider 10. The link is arranged so that as the arm is rotated in direction A around the fixing element 4, the link 19 pivots around pivots 20 and 21 and forces the slider to slide along the arm towards the second end 6.

It will be appreciated that the position of the pivots 20 and 21 can be varied as required to provide a suitable cam mechanism! or another cam may be provided, so that the rate of movement of the slider along the arm, and therefore the spring force exerted on the slider, varies with angular displacement of the arm as it is rotated in direction A. As the arm is rotated relative to the fixing element in direction A, pivot 7 allows the mount 8 and the display device to pivot around pivot 7 under the action of gravity so that the monitor is maintained in a vertical plane, provided the moment of the load about the pivot is greater than the friction in the pivot. Alternatively, the pivot 7 may be eliminated, or a suitable adjustment mechanism provided to allow the monitor to be held at a fixed angle relative to the support arm as the arm is rotated in direction A. In a further alternative as shown in Figures 3 and 5, a second link 22 may be arranged between, and pivotally connected, to a second end portion of the slider 10 and the mount 8. The second link 22 is pivotally connected by a first pivot 23 to the second end portion of the slider and by a second pivot 24 to the mount 8. In this configuration, rotation of the arm in direction A causes the first link 19 to force the slider 10 to slide longitudinally through the outer tube 9 towards the second end 6 of the arm which causes the second link 22 to rotate the mount 8 around the pivot 7 in the direction marked C in Figure 5. This varies the angle of the monitor relative to the arm and keeps the monitor in a fixed plan as the arm is rotated in direction A or B so that the user maintains clear sight of the image being displayed on the monitor. The monitor may for example remain parallel to a wall as the arm is raised and lowered.

It is also possible to configure the support arm, particularly by varying the length of the first and second links 19 and 22 and the position of the pivots 20, 21, 23 and 24, to change the plane of the display screen as the support arm is rotated in direction A so that the screen is appropriately angled for the image displayed on the screen to be clearly visible by the user as the arm is rotated between an elevated and a lowered position. For example, the arm may be configured so that as the arm is rotated towards an elevated or overhead position, the screen is progressively angled downwards towards the user and as the arm is rotated towards the lowered position, the screen is progressively angled upwards towards the user.

The dimensions and material of the spring can be selected to provide a spring force capable of partially or entirely opposing the rotation of the arm resulting from the moment of a particular monitor of a certain weight or weight range so that the monitor is effectively supported by the arm in an arm position set by the user.

With reference to Figures 3 and 10 to 13, the support arm also includes an adjustment system disposed within the outer tube for adjusting the prelcad on the spring 12 to enable the support arm to be reconfigured to support display monitors, or other loads, of different weights. The adjustment system is disposed substantially within the annular cavity 11 between the slider 10 and the outer tube 9. This enables the slider to remain hollow and so provide a conduit for one or more wires (not shown) to pass internally either partially or entirely along the support arm.

The adjustment system comprises a first set 25 of at least two fixed position holes in the slider and a second set 26 of at least two holes in the slider diametrically opposite and mirroring the position of the first set of holes. The holes in each set are spaced from one another along the length of the slider and the holes of the first and second set of holes have the same relative spacing. Third 27 and fourth 28 sets of holes are provided through the wall of the outer tube 9 which correspond to the position and relative spacing of the first 25 and second 26 sets of holes in the slider 10. The holes in the slider are alignable with the holes through the outer tube. Holes 29 are also provided in diametrically opposite sides of the spring pusher 15. The holes 29 in the spring pusher are alignable with the holes in the slider and the holes in the outer tube. Additional sets of holes 30 may be provided around the circumference of the slider between the first and second sets of holes and around the circumference of the outer tube between the third and fourth sets of holes.

In a first load-supporting setting of the arm as shown in Figure 10, the spring pusher 15 is connected in a first fixed position to the slider 10 by screws 17 which extend through the holes in the spring pusher and into the first holes of each of the sets of holes (the holes nearest the left hand side of the Figures) in the slider. In this configuration, the slider and spring pusher are coupled for sliding movement relative to the outer tube and spring stop 16 to compress the spring as the arm rotates in direction A. This first, predetermined and defined position of the spring pusher relative to the slider defines a first spring preload or pre-compression value, making the support system suitable for supporting a monitor of a given weight, for example 4kg.

As will now be described, if the support arm is to be configured during initial setup or to be reconfigured when in use to support a heavier load, for example a 6kg monitor, the adjustment means is operable to adjust the preload or pre-compression in the spring so that the heavier monitor is effectively supported by the support arm in an arm position selected by the user.

The support arm is manually rotated in direction B (Figure 7) to the lowered position shown in Figures 8 and 9 which causes the slider 10 to move from the position shown in Figure 10 to the position shown in Figure 11. In the Figure 11 position, the slider 9 has been advanced through the outer tube such that the heads of the screws 17 which connect the spring pusher to the first holes in the slider have been aligned with the second hole in the outer tube -the next hole along the support arm towards the second end of the arm (the next hole to the right as shown in Figures 10 and 11) A suitable tool (not shown), for example a screwdriver or Allen key, is inserted through each the first holes in the outer tube and used to withdraw each of the screws through the holes in the spring pusher, out of engagement with the first holes in the slider and into simultaneous engagement with the second holes in the wall of the outer tube to the position shown in Figure 12. The tool is then removed. The spring pusher is therefore temporarily detached from the slider and temporarily attached to the outer tube by the screw& In this configuration, both the spring pusher 15 and fixed stop 16 are attached to the outer tube thereby constraining movement of both ends of the spring 12 relative to the outer tube and the slider is temporarily slidable through the outer tube, spring, spring pusher and the fixed stop.

The support arm is then rotated in the direction B to the elevated position shown in Figure 3 which causes the slider to move from the position shown in Figure 12 to the position shown in Figure 13. As the spring remains constrained at both ends relative to the outer tube and the slider slides relative to the spring, during this rotation of the arm there is no spring force acting on the slider to counteract the moment created by the weight of the arm and monitor.

As shown in Figure 13, in the elevated position of the support arm, the slider has been withdrawn along the outer lube so that the screws 17 are aligned with the second holes in the slider (the next holes along the slider towards the second end of the slider). The tool is reinserted into the each of the second holes in the outer tube and used to advance the fasteners through the holes in the spring pusher, out of engagement with the second holes through the outer tube and into simultaneous engagement with the second holes in the slider. This releases the spring pusher from its temporary attachment to the outer tube and reconnects the spring pusher with the slider for conjoined sliding movement of the slider and spring pusher relative to the outer tube.

In this configuration, with the spring pusher connected to the second hole in the slider, the spring pusher is in a second predetermined, defined position relative to the slider. The axial length of the spring has been reduced as the distance between the spring pusher and fixed stop has been shortened and hence the preload or pre-corfipression of the spring has been increased. The spring therefore exerts a greater force on the slider to oppose sliding movement of the slider as the arm is rotated in direction A by the weight of the display monitor. The support system has therefore been configured to support a monitor of greater weight at the mountS, for example a 6kg monitor.

If it is desired to increase the preload on the spring further so as to configure the support system to support a yet heavier monitor, for example an 8kg monitor, the steps discussed above in relation to Figures 10 to 13 are repeated so as to sequentially connect the spring pusher with the third holes in the outer tube and then with the third holes in the slider, further compressing the spring between the spring pusher and fixed stop.

Carrying out the steps described above in relation to figures 10 to 13 in the reverse order has the effect of incrementally lengthening the spring so as to reduce the preload in the spring and reconfigure the support arm for supporting a lighter monitor at the mount.

Additional holes may be provided along the length of the slider and the outer tube so as to enable additional incremental movements of the spring pusher relative to the slider between additional predetermined, defined positions and hence additional adjustment of the preload on the spring. The holes in the slider and outer tube may be equally spaced so that each incremental movement of the spring pusher relative to the slider is the same distance. Alternatively, at least one pair of adjacent holes in each set of holes in the outer tube and slider may have a different separation to at least one other adjacent pair of holes in the outer tube and slider so that the incremental movements of the spring pusher between predetermined defined positions on the slider correspond to different distances along the length of the slider. The latter configuration provides some overlap between the various load settings of the support arm so that monitors falling within a particular load range can be effectively supported at each position of the spring pusher and so that reconfiguration of the support arm is not necessarily required to support a different monitor until an upper limit of the load range is approached. The number, position and relative spacing of the holes in the slider, the outer tube and the spring pusher is variable and the holes can be arranged according to the load requirements of a particular application. The number of holes in the spring pusher may also be varied so that the spring pusher engages with more than one of the holes in the slider and outer tube at each load supporting setting.

It will be appreciated that in an alternative embodiment, the spring 12 can be maintained in tension rather than compression and the adjustment system is used to adjust the pre-tension in the spring so as to change the load setting of the support arm.

It will also be appreciated that the adjustment system can alternatively comprise a ratchet mechanism so that rotation of the arm in direction A adjusts the position of the spring pusher relative to the slider to the next position so as to further compress the spring and change the preload on the spring. As for the previously described embodiments, the ratchet mechanism would provide a number of predetermined, defined positions of the spring pusher relative to the slider which correspond to load supporting settings of the arm. A suitable release mechanism would also be provided to allow the support arm to be configured to support lighter display screens. 1].

Claims

<claim-text>Claims 1. An adjustable support system for supporting a load such as a display device, comprising: a fixing point, a mount for the load, and a support arm therebetween; a resilient element for providing a force on the support arm to at least partially oppose a moment on the support arm about the fixing point resulting from the weight of the load attached at the mount; and an adjustment system for adjusting the resilient element, the adjustment system being operable to adjust the position of a first end of the resilient element from a first predetermined and defined position to a second predetermined and defined position so as to adjust the length of the resilient element and thereby adjust a preload on the resilient element.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. An adjustable support system according to claim I including a slider that is slidable relative to the support arm in the longitudinal direction of the support arm against the resilient force exerted by the resilient element, wherein the adjustment system is operable to adjust the posiUon of the first end of the resilient element relative to the slider from the first predetermined and defined position to the second predetermined and defined position so as to adjust the length of the resilient element.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. An adjustable support system according to claim 2 wherein the resilient element is arranged in compression and the adjustment system is operable to adjust the position of the first end of the resilient element from the first predetermined and defined position relative to the slider to the second predetermined and defined position relative to the slider so as to reduce the axial length of the resilient element and thereby increase a pre-compression of the resilient element.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. An adjustable support system according to claim 2 or 3 wherein the support arm is hollow and the slider is disposed within the support arm.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. An adjustable support system according to claim 4 wherein the resilient element is disposed within the support arm.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. An adjustable support system according to any of claims 2 to 5 wherein the resilient element is located at a first end by a slidable pushing element and at a second end by a fixed stop, the slidable pushing element being slidable relative to the support arm and the fixed stop, and the fixed stop being fixed to the support arm, the adjustment system being operable to adjust the position of the slidable pushing element relative to the slider from a first position to a second position so as to adjust the position of the first end of the resilient element from the first predetermined and defined position to the second predetermined and defined position.</claim-text> <claim-text>7. An adjustable support system according to claim 6 wherein the adjustment system includes: a hole in the slidable pushing element; axially spaced first and second holes in the slider, the first hole being nearer to the fixing point of the support arm, the first and second holes defining the first and second positions of the slidable pushing element which correspond to the first and second predetermined fixed positions of the first end of the resilient element; and a fastener for engaging the hole in the slidable pushing element with the first or second hole in the slider; wherein in the first predetermined and defined position of the first end of the resilient element, the hole in the slidable pushing element is engageable by the fastener with the first hole in the slider and in the second predetermined and defined position of the first end of the resilient element, the hole in the slidable pushing element is engageable by the fastener with the second hole in the slider.</claim-text> <claim-text>8. An adjustable support system according to claim 7 wherein the adjustment system is operable in use by: withdrawing the fastener through the hole in the slidable pushing element to disengage the fastener from the first hole in the slider; repositioning the slidable pushing element relative to the slider such that the hole in the slidable pushing element is moved out of alignment with the first hole in the slider and into alignment with the second hole in the slider; and reinsertion of the fastener through the hole in the slidable pushing element into engagement with the second hole in the slider so as to connect the hole in the skdable pushing element with the second hole in the slider.</claim-text> <claim-text>9. An adjustable support system according to claim 7 or 8 having a plurality of holes in the slider for engagement by the fastener with the hole in the slidable spring pusher so as to provide a plurality of predetermined and defined positions of the first end of the resilient element relative to the slider.</claim-text> <claim-text>10. An adjustable support system according to claim 9 wherein the holes of the plurality of holes in the slider are evenly spaced from one another in the longitudinal direction of the slider.</claim-text> <claim-text>11. An adjustable support system according to claim 9 wherein at least one adjacent pair of holes of the plurality of holes in the slider has a different spacing to at least one other adjacent pair of holes of the plurality of holes in the slider in the longitudinal direction of the slider.</claim-text> <claim-text>12. An adjustable support system according to any of claims 7 to 11 wherein a corresponding number of holes having the same relative spacing as the holes in the slider is provided through the wall of the support arm, the holes in the slider being alignable with the holes through the wall of the support arm to enable insertion of a tool into the holes through the wall of the support arm for disengagement and reengagenient of the fastener through the hole in the slidable pushing element with the holes in the slider for adjustment of the position of the slidable pushing element relative to the slider.</claim-text> <claim-text>13. An adjustable support system according to any preceding claim wherein the support arm is pivotable around the fixing point.</claim-text> <claim-text>14. An adjustable support system according to claim 13 when appended to any of claims 5 to 12 arranged so that pivoting of the support arm around the fixing point in a first direction corresponding to the direction of the moment resulting from the weight of the load causes the slider to slide within the support arm and further compress the resilient element.</claim-text> <claim-text>15. An adjustable support system according to any of claims 4 to 14 wherein the adjustment system is disposed substantially within the hollow support arm.</claim-text> <claim-text>16. An adjustable support system according to claim 15 wherein the adjustment system is disposed substantially within a radial cavity defined between the slider and the hollow support arm.</claim-text> <claim-text>17. An adjustable support system according to claim 16 wherein the support system is adjustable by: rotation of the support arm in the first direction to compress the resilient element and align the fastener engaging the first hole in the slider and the hole in the slidable pushing element with the second hole through the support arm; withdrawal of the fastener through the hole in the slidable pushing element to disengage the fastener from the first hole in the slider and engage the fastener with the second hole through the wall of the support arm thereby fixing the position of the slidable pushing element relative to the support arm and permitting the slider to slide relative to the slidable pushing element; rotation of the support arm in a second direction about the fixing point, opposite to the first direction, so as to slide the slider relative to the slidable pushing element until the hole in the slidable pushing element is moved out of alignment with the first hole in the slider and into alignment with the second hole in the slider; and reinsertion of the fastener through the hole in the slidable pushing element out of engagement with the second hole though the wall of the support arm and into engagement with the second hole in the slider so as to reconnect the slidable pushing element with the second hole in the slider, 18. An adjustable support system according to claim 16 or 17 wherein the resilient element is disposed within the radial cavity.19. An adjustable support system according to any preceding claim wherein the resilient element is a resiliently deformable element.20. An adjustable support system according to claim 19 wherein the resiliently deforrnable element is a coiled spring.21. An adjustable support system according to any of cfaims 2 to 20 wherein the slider is borrow and the adjustment system is arranged so as to permit one or more wires or cables to be disposed within and pass internally at least along a portion of the length of the hollow slider.22. An adjustable support system according to any preceding claim wherein the fastener is a locking screw, grub screw or pin.23. An adjustable support system support system for supporting a road such as a display device! substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying figures.</claim-text>