Patent ID: 7914055
Filing Date: 2011-03-29
Classification: B60R,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A locking mechanism for locking a position of a display panel of a display apparatus, the locking mechanism comprising: a position detector for detecting a position of the display panel, which is hinged to a main body of the display apparatus at a pivot axis of the display panel; a rotatable member that is rotatable in a predetermined angular range around the pivot axis of the display panel, the rotatable member being driven together with the display panel, wherein an annular projection is formed on an outer surface of the rotatable member, wherein the annular projection is coaxial with a rotation axis of the rotatable member and is truly circular; and a holding device that includes at least one holding member, wherein a groove, which engages with the projection, is formed on the at least one holding member; and an actuator that electrically and selectively actuates the holding device to displace the at least one holding member into (i) a holding state where the groove of the at least one holding member engages with the annular projection of the rotatable member and the rotatable member is unrotatable and locked about the pivot axis, and (ii) a releasing state where the groove of the at least one holding member disengages from the annular projection of the rotatable member and the rotatable member is rotatable and unlocked to permit pivotal movement of the display panel, wherein the display panel has a rest position when the rotatable member is locked by the at least one holding member at one end of the predetermined angular range around the pivot axis, wherein the display has a display position when the rotatable member is locked by the at least one holding member in the predetermined angular range except the one end of the predetermined angular range about the pivot axis; wherein in the holding state, the at least one holding member is in contact with the rotatable member and the rotatable member is locked about the pivot axis by a friction force between the at least one holding member and the rotatable member; and wherein in the releasing state, the at least one holding member is spaced apart from the rotatable member and the rotatable member is unlocked to permit pivotal movement of the display panel.