JPH10214034A - Desk-top display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To vary and fix the tilt angle with a small force and to make the device inexpensive, small-sized, and lightweight by providing a brake mechanism which fixes a rotary phase at an arbitrary phase position within a rotatable range, and placing a display part almost in rotary motion on a virtual center in front of a display screen. SOLUTION: Through the operation of a lever 52A which connects rotary arms 51A and 51B to a roller base 40A, the rotary arms 51A and 51B rotate on axes 62A and 62B in synchronism with the movement of a slider 30. Rollers 65A and 65B are restricted by cams 25A and 25B provided on a chassis 21, and the phases of the rotary arms 51A and 51B to a display part 1 and the phases of the rotary arms 41A and 51B to the chassis 21 are controlled into specific relation. The rotary phase of the display part 1, rotary arms 51A and 51B, and a pedestal parts is fixed at an arbitrary phase position within the rotatable range by controlling the length of an expanding/contracting rod 37 which controls the position of the slider 30 by a lock mechanism of an air spring.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a display device used for displaying images and characters on a desk or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a device of this type, a stand having a mechanism capable of changing a tilt angle of a display screen in accordance with a user's physique and posture and an environment (such as reflection of external light) of a place of use is known. The ones supported by are used. Further, there is also a configuration in which a swivel operation (head swing) can be performed.

In particular, in recent years, as the screen size of the liquid crystal display device has been increased and the device has been made thinner, a tilt operation has been performed on the basis of a state in which the screen is substantially perpendicular to the desktop, similarly to a CRT. However, in order to reduce the installation area, a stand supporting the stand has a reduced depth dimension. On the other hand, in the case of inputting by direct operation on the screen such as a touch panel or pen input device, it is parallel to the desktop so that the operation is easy even with the desktop type.
A screen angle of about 30 degrees has become feasible and has begun to be put to practical use. This needs to be embedded in the desk in the CRT, but has become feasible by making the device thinner. In this way, the screen angled view is desirable from the viewpoint of preventing visual impairment such as dry eye since the user's line of sight can be directed downward.

One of such display devices using a rotating arm is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-43627. By using the rotating arm, the angle of the screen can be changed from horizontal to almost upright, and the height can be changed.

[0005]

However, the above-mentioned conventional apparatus has some disadvantages. That is,
As the display screen becomes larger, the weight also increases,
There is a disadvantage in that a large force is required to adjust the screen angle, which makes it difficult to use. Further, even when the screen is upright, the installation space on the desk is almost required for the vertical length of the display unit. In order to place it vertically in a folded state, it is necessary to lift it once, and it is inconvenient to use a large one. Also, when the angle of the screen is changed, the center of gravity moves back and forth, and the stability is not sufficient. Furthermore, if the weight is large and the moving force is particularly large, a finger or the like may be caught in the gap between the rotating arm and the pedestal portion or the display portion, which may cause serious injury, which is a problem in safety. Further, in the case of directly inputting the image with a pen or a finger on the screen, a pressing pressure is applied to the screen, so it is necessary to fix the tilt angle in a variable state so as not to move during the operation. There was no.

A first object of the present application is to provide a screen which is easy to see and is suitable for input operation on the screen. It is an object of the present invention to realize a low-cost, small-sized, and lightweight desktop display device in which the tilt angle can be variably fixed with a small force to a screen angle substantially perpendicular to the table surface.

[0007] A second object of the present application is to further reduce the size of the apparatus.

[0008] A third object of the present invention is to enable a tilt operation to be performed more smoothly and to realize a smooth swivel operation.

[0009]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, a desk-top display device according to the present invention has the following configuration. That is, a flat display portion provided with a display screen on one side, a rotating arm rotatably supported at one end on the back of the display portion, and the other end of the rotating arm rotatably fixed at the other end, A pedestal portion having a bottom surface for installing on a table,
A phase control mechanism that controls the rotation phase of the rotary arm with respect to the display unit and the rotation phase with respect to the pedestal unit in a fixed relationship, and a rotation phase controlled by the phase control mechanism with an arbitrary phase in a rotatable range. And a brake mechanism fixed at the position, and the display section substantially rotates around a virtual center in front of the display screen.

[0010] Alternatively, a flat display portion having a display screen provided on one side thereof, a rotary arm rotatably supported at one end by a slider supported on the back surface of the display portion so as to be capable of linear movement, The other end of the arm is rotatably fixed to the shaft,
A pedestal portion having a bottom surface for installation on a table, and the rotating arm rotates in accordance with the linear movement of the slider, and further, in synchronization with this rotation, a rotation phase of the rotating arm with respect to the pedestal portion changes. A phase control mechanism for controlling, and a brake mechanism for fixing a rotation phase controlled by the phase control mechanism at an arbitrary phase position in a rotatable range, wherein the display unit is arranged around a virtual center in front of the display screen. Make almost rotational movement.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a view best showing the features of a display device according to the present invention, and is a perspective view showing a state in which a cover is removed so that an internal mechanism can be seen and a screen is upright. . It should be noted that electrical functional components such as wiring and connectors have been removed so that the mechanism can be seen clearly.

In FIG. 1, a display unit 1 has a built-in display screen, and pins 43A, 43 provided on a back surface 13 thereof.
B, 44A, 44B, and rollers 41A, 42A and 41B, 42, which are planted on roller bases 40A, 40B, respectively.
Controlled by B, the slider 30 moves smoothly in a predetermined range only in the vertical direction. The telescopic rod 37 on the opposite side of the gas spring 36 having one end fixed to the protrusion 35 provided on the slider 30 is fixed to the unlocking unit 7 provided on the back surface 13 of the display unit. The position is regulated by the length of this telescopic rod.

Here, the gas spring 36 has a built-in lock mechanism often used for a chair having a height adjusting function. As is well known, this type of spring device
By pushing the projection at the tip of the rod, the flow path of the internal fluid is switched to release the lock and exert the spring force. In this example, the lever 71 of the lock release unit 7 is pressed. By doing so, the lock can be released. The spring force of the gas spring 37 is set to be approximately equal to or slightly stronger than the weight of the display unit 1. Therefore, the screen does not lower even when the lock is released, and the posture can be changed in both the upper and lower directions with a relatively small operation force. Compared to lifting,
It is easier to push down, so slightly stronger is desirable.

Rotating arms 51A and 51B are rotatably mounted on the slider 30 by shafts 62A and 62B symmetrically. The other ends of the rotating arms 51A and 51B are attached to the chassis 21 of the base 2 by shafts 61A and 61B. It is rotatably attached to the fixed projection 23. Rotating arms 51A, 51B and roller bases 40A, 50B
Of the rotary arms 51A, 51B in synchronization with the movement of the slider 30 by the action of the levers 52A, 52B connecting
Rotates about axes 62A and 62B. Shafts 62A, 6
Since the slider 2B is provided on the slider, the rotation of the rotary arm with respect to the display unit 1 is substantially the same as using a longer arm centered on a position that bites into the display unit 1 side. This has the effect of reducing the movement in the front-rear direction of the locus of the center of gravity of the display unit described later.

Further, this rotation is performed by levers 53A and 54A.
And the rollers 65 set on the levers 53A and 53B by the action of the four-bar link composed of
The positional relationship between A and 65B and the axes 61A and 61B is changed. The rollers 65A and 65B are regulated by cams 25A and 25B provided on the chassis 21. Therefore, depending on the position of the slider 30, the phases of the rotating arms 51A and 51B with respect to the display unit 1 and the rotating arms 51A and 51B with respect to the chassis 21 are determined. The phase of 51B is regulated by a predetermined relationship. That is, the above-described link mechanism and cam mechanism constitute a phase control mechanism for controlling the rotation phases of the rotating arms 51A and B with respect to the display unit 1 and the pedestal unit 2 in a fixed relationship. Also, the display unit 1-rotating arm 51A, which is controlled by this phase control mechanism,
The rotation phase of the B-pedestal portion 2 is fixed at an arbitrary phase position in the rotatable range by fixing the length of the telescopic rod 37 that regulates the position of the slider 30 by the lock mechanism of the air spring 6. That is, the lock mechanism of the air spring 6 is a brake mechanism for fixing the display unit 1 at a desired rotation position.

The power supply unit 22 is mounted on the chassis 21.
Are attached, but wiring and the like have been removed as described above. The wiring from the power supply unit 22 to the display unit 1 is connected to the shafts 61A, 61A along the rotating arms 53A, 53B.
The 1B portion and the shafts 62A and 62B should be twisted, and the movement of the slider 30 should be routed so that it can be absorbed by deflection. The signal line for display and the output signal line when there is a function of inputting coordinates to the screen are also used. Needless to say, the same route should be used. In addition, the mounting positions and shapes of these wirings and electrical components such as connectors, including the power supply unit 22, may use a space that does not hinder the operation of the mechanism, and are not directly related to the essence of the present invention. Therefore, detailed description is omitted. Of course, in consideration of a large tilt operation angle and a swivel operation, it is needless to say that it is preferable that the wiring be drawn out from the pedestal portion to the outside. In particular, since the power supply unit is relatively heavy, it is better to be on the pedestal rather than the display for the stability of the entire device. It is more desirable to point out.

Next, the tilt operation will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. The figure is a right side view, and FIG.
3 shows an almost upright state as in FIG. 1, and FIGS.
Indicates that the display units are at about 45 degrees and about 20 degrees, respectively. When the rod 37 contracts from the state shown in FIG. 2, the slider 30 moves and the rotating arm 51A is rotated by the connecting lever 52A, whereby a four-node link including the slider 30, the rotating arm 51A, and the levers 53A and 54A is formed. In operation, the roller 65A at the tip of the lever 53A moves in the cam 25A. In FIG. 3, it has moved to the other end of the cam 25A. Further, in FIG. 4, it has moved slightly in the returning direction. In this example, the shape of the cam 25A is a shape connecting a circular arc and its tangent, but this shape is a design matter and is not limited to this. Along with the dimensions and positional relationship of each part,
It can be seen that the posture of the display unit can be controlled by setting the cam shape appropriately.

At the lower end of the display unit 1, two ball-shaped casters 15A and 15B are provided. The casters 15A and 15B are located on the near side of the screen 11 so as to be easy to use when set at about 20 degrees as shown in FIG. The thickness of the lower end side is thin.

FIG. 5 shows several states in the middle of the operation of the present embodiment. Curve 101 is a ball-shaped caster 1
5A, 15B locus, desk surface 1 on which pedestal 2 is placed
It can be seen that the body moves slightly above 00 and the posture can be changed smoothly. The curves 102 are indicated by the display units 1A to 1A in FIG.
The trajectory of the centers of gravity 13A to 13F of the display unit 1 when the display unit 1 moves like 1F is shown. It can be seen that the movement in the front-rear direction is small and stable. Also, screens 11A to 11A
Although the movement of F is not perfect, it is close to an arc movement, and it can be seen that the change in the viewing distance from the observer's eyes in front of the screen is small. Furthermore, compared to when the depth of the device is about 20 degrees,
At about 90 degrees, it is about half, and it can be seen that the space saving effect of the flat display can be utilized.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective views of the present embodiment with the cover substantially upright, FIG. 8 is a perspective view at about 20 degrees, and FIGS. It is a side view of the state of 20 degrees.

7 and 8, a cover 12 is provided below the screen 11 of the display unit 1 so as to cover buttons for adjusting the screen brightness and the like. Even if you do not accidentally operate. In particular, there is a display screen in which a transparent touch panel or a digitizer is integrated, and an input is directly made on the screen by a finger or a pen. The present invention is particularly suitable for such an input integrated display device. However, the screen is laid down as shown in FIGS. 8 and 11 not only when the display unit is of an integrated input type, but also as a simple display device as in this example. It can be greatly improved.

Since the above-described internal mechanism performs a sliding operation and a rotating operation, a cover for covering the internal mechanism is provided so as not to restrict the operation. The slide cover 130 is the display unit 1
And the arm cover 151 is attached to the rotating arms 51A and 51B. The lock release unit 7 is covered with a lock cover 170 and is mounted so that the lock release button 171 can push the lever 71. On the other hand, the pedestal 2 is
Is covered with a front cover 121A and a rear cover 121B. A power supply unit 22 is attached to the pedestal 2, and a power button 122 can be operated. A large number of slits on the surface of the front cover 121A and the rear cover 121B are for dissipating heat from the power supply unit 22.

As can be seen in FIGS.
1A, 51B, levers 53A, 54A and 53B, 54
Since the opening of the four-bar link portion composed of B is deformed, there is a danger that the operator may be erroneously pinched by a finger or the like and may be injured. In order to prevent this, flat cover blades 153A, B, 154 composed of three left and right blinds are used.
A, B, 155A, and B are attached. The cover blades 153A and 153B are fulcrum 191 coaxial with the shafts 63A and 63B.
The cover blades 154A, B, 155 are attached to the levers 53A, B so as to rotate about A and B, respectively.
A and B are fulcrums 19 provided on the slide cover 130.
2A, B, 193A, B and the fulcrums 194A, B, 195A, B, not shown, provided on the levers 54A, B. Accordingly, the cover blades 154A, 155A, 155A, B also perform the link operation as shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, so that no gap is generated. Thereby, the above-mentioned danger can be completely prevented.

Next, the swivel operation will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, 12 and 13. FIG. FIG. 12 is a bottom view, and FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a plane passing through a central rotation shaft 24 with a cover for the pedestal portion 2 and a tilt mechanism member such as a rotation lever taken away. Shaft 2 passing through the center hole of chassis 21
4, the turntable 26 is attached by a spring 126, a spring seat 125, and a retaining ring 124. The turntable 26 is pressed against the chassis 21 with a predetermined force by the force of the spring 126, and its sliding surface has a wear-resistant member 28.
Is attached, and a rubber grounding member 27 is attached to the opposite floor surface side. Rubber grounding member 2
Numeral 7 prevents the floor from being scratched and also makes the turntable 26 less slippery on the floor. Therefore, the display unit 1 or the pedestal unit 2
Even if is pressed by hand, the turntable 26 does not slide, so that the position of the device is stable. When the torque around the rotation shaft 24 increases to a certain extent, the member 28 and the chassis 21 slide, so that the display unit 1 and the pedestal unit 2 perform a swivel operation integrally. Since this operating force is determined by the pressing force of the spring 126, an appropriate operating force can be given from the stability of the apparatus and the ease of operation. In particular, when the screen is laid down, the lower end of the display unit may come into contact with the floor surface during the swivel operation, depending on the unevenness on the floor surface and the rigidity of the device. At this time, as described above, the ball caster 15
Since the A and 15B are attached, even in such a case, smooth movement can be performed, and the possibility of damaging the floor can be reduced.

In this embodiment, the swivel mechanism does not have a lock mechanism and operates at a constant torque.
Needless to say, a lock mechanism using a gear or the like can be provided.

As described above, in the display device according to the present embodiment, when the display unit 1 is moved with respect to the slider unit 30, the relative position between the slider unit 30 and the display unit 1 changes. This causes the rotation of the display unit about the axis 62. Therefore, when the display unit 1 is tilted from a substantially vertical state to a state where the display unit 1 is laid on the desk surface, the display unit 1 substantially rotates around a virtual center axis near the screen near the center in the vertical direction. While the center axis moves downward. Due to this operation, the position of the center of gravity hardly changes even if the display unit is fixed at any angle. Therefore, the installation area of the pedestal portion can be set to a size commensurate with the change in the position of the center of gravity, particularly in the depth direction, and the display device can be miniaturized.

Further, by using the slider, a large movement can be realized with a smaller device.

Further, by providing the casters at the corners which move near the desk surface with the rotation of the display unit 1, the tilt operation can be performed more smoothly.

Further, by providing the swivel mechanism on the bottom surface of the pedestal, a smooth swivel operation can be performed.

Further, since the link mechanism is used as the phase control mechanism, most of the components can be formed as pressed parts, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. (Other Embodiments) As an example of replacing each functional unit of the display device according to the first embodiment with another one, a metal spring may be used instead of the gas spring 36. In that case, a separate brake mechanism or lock mechanism is required, but any type of apparatus including a belt brake can be applied. Simply make a few holes,
By locking the pin, it may be locked in several positions. It is also easy to use a linear drive mechanism such as a ball screw to make the motor driven.

The guide member of the slider may be a rail guide or the like instead of a roller, and it is sufficient that the slider has sufficient rigidity.

The rotating arm may be attached to the display unit instead of being attached to the slider. When mounted on a slider, the substantial center of rotation of the arm is oriented in the direction of the display, which is advantageous in terms of miniaturization of the device and shifting of the center of gravity during tilt, and when directly mounted on the display, Although there are some restrictions such as narrowing the tilt angle range, there are also cost advantages such as reduction in the number of parts.

Although the method of synchronizing the rotation of the arm with the link mechanism has been described, it is easily understood by those skilled in the art that the same operation can be performed by combining mechanical elements such as cams, gears, and belts. is there.

The essence of the present invention resides in that the angular relationship between the rotating arm, the display unit, and the pedestal unit is related by a mechanical element, thereby causing the display unit to move close to a rotational movement around a virtual center in front of the screen. Various mechanical elements can be used.

In the above-described example, the cover member for covering the phase control mechanism is a cord-like member. However, a flexible cover such as rubber or cloth, or a bellows may be used. . Alternatively, instead of being completely covered, a rope-like or blind-like thing finer than a finger may be attached with a plurality of wires or the like.

The point is that it is only necessary to make it difficult to touch the scissor-like portion of the lever.
Any suitable one may be used depending on the ease of assembly.

The caster is not limited to a ball shape, but may be a roller or a biaxial type used for a chair or the like. In particular, when sufficient rigidity is obtained or when the swivel mechanism is not provided, the casters can be omitted.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The screen angle is parallel to the table surface, which is easy to read, and suitable for input operation on the screen. From a screen angle of about 30 degrees, the installation angle is small, and the screen angle is almost perpendicular to the table surface suitable for storage or display-only use. A desktop display device in which the tilt angle can be varied and fixed with a small force can be realized at low cost, small size and light weight.

Further, by providing the display unit with the casters, the tilt operation can be performed more smoothly.

Further, by providing the swivel mechanism on the bottom surface of the pedestal portion, a smooth swivel operation can be performed.

[0041]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an internal mechanism of a desktop display device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of an internal mechanism of the desktop display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which a tilt angle is changed.

FIG. 3 is a side view of an internal mechanism of the desktop display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which a tilt angle is changed.

FIG. 4 is a side view of an internal mechanism of the desktop display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which a tilt angle is changed.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a locus of a tilt operation of the desktop display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the appearance of the tabletop display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the appearance of the desktop display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the appearance of the desktop display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the appearance of the desktop display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which the tilt angle is changed.

FIG. 10 is a side view of the appearance of the tabletop display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which the tilt angle is changed.

FIG. 11 is a side view of the appearance of the desktop display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which the tilt angle is changed.

FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the tabletop display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a swivel mechanism of the desktop display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Display part 2 Base part 7 Lock mechanism unit 11 Display panel 15A, B caster 21 Chassis 25A, B cam 26 Rotating plate 30 Slider 36 Gas spring 51A, B Rotating arm 52A, B, 53A, B, 54A, B Lever

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A flat display unit having a display screen provided on one side, a rotary arm rotatably supported at one end on the back of the display unit, and a rotatable shaft rotatably at the other end of the rotary arm. A pedestal portion having a bottom surface for stopping and installing on a table; a phase control mechanism for controlling the rotation phase of the rotary arm with respect to the display portion and the rotation phase with respect to the pedestal portion in a fixed relationship; and the phase control. And a brake mechanism for fixing a rotation phase controlled by the mechanism at an arbitrary phase position in a rotatable range, wherein the display unit substantially rotates around a virtual center in front of the display screen. Display device. 2. The desktop display device according to claim 1, further comprising an urging mechanism for applying a rotational urging force to the rotating arm so as to substantially balance the weight of the display unit. 3. The tabletop display device according to claim 1, wherein the phase control mechanism comprises a link mechanism. 4. The desktop display device according to claim 2, wherein said urging mechanism is a gas spring mechanism. 5. A flat display unit having a display screen provided on one side, a rotary arm rotatably supported at one end by a slider supported on the back of the display unit so as to be capable of linear movement, A pedestal portion having a bottom surface for mounting the other end of the arm so as to be rotatable and installed on a table; and the rotary arm is rotated in accordance with the linear motion of the slider, and the pedestal portion is further synchronized with this rotation. A phase control mechanism that controls the rotation phase of the rotary arm to change with respect to a; and a brake mechanism that fixes the rotation phase controlled by the phase control mechanism at an arbitrary phase position in a rotatable range, A table-top display device, wherein a display section makes a rotary motion about a virtual center in front of the display screen. 6. The tabletop display device according to claim 5, further comprising an urging mechanism for applying a rotational urging force to the rotating arm so as to substantially balance the weight of the display unit. 7. The tabletop display device according to claim 5, wherein the phase control mechanism comprises a link mechanism. 8. The tabletop display device according to claim 6, wherein the biasing mechanism is a gas spring mechanism. 9. The table-top display device according to claim 1, wherein at least one caster is provided at a lower end of the display unit. 10. The table-top display device according to claim 1, wherein a swivel mechanism is provided on a bottom surface of the pedestal portion. 11. The table-top display device according to claim 9, wherein a swivel mechanism is provided on a bottom surface of the pedestal portion, and the casters are ball-shaped. 12. The tabletop type according to claim 1, wherein the pedestal includes at least one of a power supply circuit, a display signal input / output circuit, and a screen input signal input / output circuit. Display device. 13. The tabletop display device according to claim 1, wherein the display unit has a function of inputting coordinates on a display surface. 14. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a deformable cover member for covering at least the phase control mechanism, wherein the rear part of the phase control air is hardly touched from outside. A desk-top display device according to any one of the above.