Abstract:
An exemplary display device includes a display panel and a height-adjustment assembly. The height-adjustment assembly includes a rail unit defining a rail, a sliding unit, and a spring member. The sliding unit is configured to slide along the rail. The display panel is fixed to the sliding unit. The spring member is fixed to the rail unit, and is configured to provide an elastic force applied to the sliding unit to the sliding unit when the sliding unit slides along the rail.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a display device that includes a height-adjustment assembly having a spring member. 
       GENERAL BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , a typical display device  4  includes a display panel  42 , a column  44 , and a base  46 . The column  44  is integrally formed with the base  46  and connected with the display panel  42  by a pivot axis  48 . The display panel  42  and the column  44  are supported by the base  46 , and can be rotated around the pivot axis  48 . 
         [0003]    It is widely held that a healthy position for a user to view a screen of the display panel  42  is such that a horizontal centerline of the display panel  42  is slightly below a horizontal line of sight of the user. However, the display device  4  is not configured to be readily adjustable to this desired position. It can be troublesome and time-consuming to precisely achieve a favorable working height for the display panel  42  of the display device  4 . 
         [0004]    What is needed, therefore, is a display device that can overcome the described limitations. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    In an exemplary embodiment, a display device includes a display panel and a height-adjustment assembly. The height-adjustment assembly includes a rail unit including a rail, a sliding unit, and a spring member. The sliding unit is configured (i.e., structured and arranged) to slide along the rail. The display panel is fixed to the sliding unit. The spring member is fixed to the rail unit, and is configured to apply an elastic force on when the sliding unit slides along the rail. 
         [0006]    Other novel features, advantages and aspects will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of at least one embodiment of the present invention. In the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout various views, and all the views are schematic. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of a display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the display device including a height-adjustment assembly. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is an isometric, assembled view of the height-adjustment assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an isometric, assembled view of the display device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a side plan view of a conventional display device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0012]    Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe preferred and exemplary embodiments in detail. 
         [0013]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a display device  1  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. The display device  1  includes a height-adjustment assembly  10 , a locking apparatus  17 , and a display panel  19 . The display panel  19  is fixed to the height-adjustment assembly  10  by the locking apparatus  17 , and a relative height of the display panel  19  can be adjusted by the height-adjustment assembly  10  (See below). 
         [0014]    The height-adjustment assembly  10  includes a rail apparatus  11 , a spring apparatus  12 , a sliding apparatus  13 , and a supporting base  14 . 
         [0015]    The rail apparatus  11  includes a main shell  110 , a supporting plate  112 , a through hole  114 , a stopping screw  116 , and four fixing feet  118 . The main shell  110  includes two sliding slots  111  defined in two opposite vertical sides thereof, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the sliding slots  111  each have a substantially U-shaped profile, and are parallel to each other. The supporting plate  112  and the through hole  114  are located between the sliding slots  111 , and are adjacent to a top portion (not labeled) of the main shell  110 . The through hole  114  is defined above the supporting plate  112 , and corresponds to the stopping screw  116 . The fixing feet  118  are respectively located at the bottommost extremities (not labeled) of the main shell  110 , and each includes a first fixing hole  113  defined therein. 
         [0016]    The spring apparatus  12  includes a spring body  120  and two rollers  128 . The spring body  120  includes two side plates  121 , and a top plate  123  interconnecting the side plates  121 . The side plates  121  extend away from the top plate  123  at a same side of the top plate  123 , and each include a receiving groove  124  defined at an end thereof. The receiving groove  124  has a substantially semicircular profile, and is configured for partly receiving the roller  128 . 
         [0017]    The sliding apparatus  13  includes a top arm  131 , two side arms  133 , and a plurality of second fixing holes  135 . The top arm  131  interconnects top portions (not labeled) of the side arms  133 . A distance between the sliding arms  133  increases in a direction away from the top arm  131 . The second fixing holes  135  are defined in the top arm  131  and the side arms  133  in a predetermined pattern. 
         [0018]    The supporting base  14  is substantially disc-shaped, and includes a plurality of third fixing holes  142  defined therein, which third fixing holes  142  respectively correspond to the first fixing holes  113  of the fixing feet  118 . 
         [0019]    The locking apparatus  17  includes a fixing plate  170  and a fixing assembly  175 . The fixing plate  170  includes two fixing ears (not labeled), a groove  172 , and a plurality of fourth fixing holes  173 . The fixing ears perpendicularly extend from a top portion (not labeled) of the fixing plate  170 , and are at the same side of the fixing plate  170 . The groove  172  is defined in a central portion of the fixing plate  170 , and is closed on both ends thereof. The fourth fixing holes  173  respectively correspond to the second fixing holes  135  of the sliding apparatus  13 . The fixing assembly  175  is configured to fix a back side (not shown) of the display panel  19  to the fixing plate  170 . 
         [0020]    Referring also to  FIG. 2 , the fixing feet  118  of the rail apparatus  11  are fixed to the supporting base  14 , whereby a plurality of fixing bolts (not shown) being respectively engaged in the first fixing holes  113  of the fixing feet  118  and the third fixing holes  142  of the supporting base  14 . The top plate  123  of the spring apparatus  12  is supported by the supporting plate  112 , and the rollers  128  are fittingly received in the receiving grooves  124 . The side arms  133  of the sliding apparatus  13  are received in the sliding slots  111 , and elastically abut the rollers  128  and the main shell  110 , respectively. Thus, the spring body  120  produces an elastic force because of an overall gravity of the sliding apparatus  13 , the locking apparatus  17 , and the display panel  19 . 
         [0021]    Referring also to  FIG. 3 , the back side of the display panel  19  is fixed to the fixing plate  170  of the locking apparatus  17  by the fixing assembly  175 . The fixing plate  170  is further fixed to the sliding apparatus  13 , whereby a plurality of bolts (not shown) extending through the second fixing holes  135  of the sliding apparatus  13  and the fourth fixing holes  173  of the fixing plate  170 . The stopping screw  116  extends through the through hole  114 , and is received in the groove  172  of the fixing plate  170 . 
         [0022]    A height of the display panel  19  relative to the supporting base  14  representing a horizontal central line of the display panel  19  can be adjusted as described below. 
         [0023]    When the display panel  19  is located at a furthest position from the supporting base  14 , the elastic force produced by the spring body  120  is minimum. The elastic force can be divided into a vertical component of force and a horizontal component of force. The vertical component of force directs upwardly, and is less than gravity. Therefore, the display panel  19  tends to move toward the supporting base  14 . However, the horizontal component of force presses a vertical side defining the sliding slot of the main shell  110 , which results in a maximum static friction force having a direction opposite to a direction of the moving tendency of the display panel  19 . That is, the direction of the maximum static friction force is the same with the direction of the vertical component of force. In the illustrated embodiment, a combined of the vertical component of force and gravity is less than or equal to the maximum static friction force. Therefore, the display panel  19  can remain at the furthest position. 
         [0024]    To adjust the height of the display panel  19  relative to the supporting base  14 , an external force is applied to the display panel  19  to make the display panel  19  move toward the supporting base  14 , and the elastic force correspondingly increases. That is, the vertical component of force and the horizontal component of force increase with the movement of the display panel  19  toward the supporting base  14 . When the display panel  19  moves to a desired position, the external force is released. If the vertical component of force is still less than gravity, the display panel  19  tends to move toward the supporting base  14 , and the maximum static friction force exists and exceeds before because of the increase of the horizontal component of force. In such a case, the display panel  19  can remain in the desired position. If the vertical component of force is equal to gravity, the display panel  19  has no tendency of moving toward or moving away from the supporting base  14 . In such a case, the static friction force is zero, and the display panel  19  can remain at the desired position. If the vertical component of force exceeds gravity, the display panel  19  moves away from the supporting base  14 , and the direction of the maximum static friction force is reversed. In the illustrated embodiment, the combination of the vertical component of force and gravity is less than the maximum static friction force, such that display panel  19  can remain in the desired position. 
         [0025]    When the display panel  19  is located at a position nearest to the supporting base  14 , the elastic force produced by the spring body  120  is maximized. In the illustrated embodiment, the vertical component of force exceeds gravity, such that the display panel  19  tends to move away from the supporting base  14 . Thus, the maximum static friction force is exerted opposite to the vertical component of force. However, the maximum static friction force exceeds the combined vertical component of force and gravity. Accordingly, the display panel  19  can remain in the nearest position. 
         [0026]    In detail, when the display panel  19  moves to the furthest position from the supporting base  14 , the stopping screw  116  received in the groove  172  of the fixing plate  170  prevents the display panel  19  from further motion away from the supporting base  14 . Similarly, when the display panel  19  moves to the position nearest to the supporting base  14 , the stopping screw  116  blocks the display panel  19  from moving further toward the supporting base  14 , such that movement of the display panel  19  is limited within a predetermined range. 
         [0027]    In summary, the height of the display panel  19  relative to the supporting base  14  can be conveniently and reliably adjusted by the height-adjustment assembly  10 , making the display device  1  suitable for operators of different heights, who can each readily achieve an optimum viewing position for the display panel  19 . Furthermore, ability of the display panel  19  to stop at desired positions depends on the overall combination of gravity, the elastic force produced by the spring body  120 , and a friction factor between the main shell  110  and the spring body  120 . Gravity is constant, and the elastic force produced by the spring body  120  is controllable with the proper material of the spring body  120 . Further, the friction factor is also controllable by choosing proper material of the spring body  120  and the main shell  110 . That is, the above-described factors determining whether the display panel  19  can stop at the desired positions are controllable, proving the advantages of the display device  1  to be realistically achievable. 
         [0028]    It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.