Abstract:
A portable device capable of standing and hanging by a handle assembly thereof. The portable device includes a main body and a handle assembly. The handle assembly is connected to the main body, allowing the main body to stand on a surface when the handle assembly is spread to a limit position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates to a device provided with a handle assembly which allows the device to be carried, hung on a wall or stand on a surface. 
   2. Brief Discussion of the Related Art 
   Many kinds of devices (e.g. liquid crystal devices) are provided with bases to stand on a surface (e.g. table surface). For transportation, the users generally hold the devices in their arms. Furthermore, some of the devices can be hung on walls by additional structures. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A portable device capable of standing and hanging by a handle assembly thereof is provided. An exemplary embodiment of a portable device includes a main body and a handle assembly. The handle assembly is connected to the main body, allowing the main body to stand on a surface when the handle assembly is spread to a limit position, and be carried or hung on a wall when collapsed. 
   Furthermore, the handle assembly comprises a support connected to the main body, an extending portion contacting the surface, and a shaft structure connecting the support and the extending portion so that the extending portion can be rotated around the support. 
   Furthermore, the shaft structure comprises a supporting stand fixed to the support, and a rotary shaft supported by the supporting stand and fixed to the extending portion, whereby the rotary shaft stops the handle assembly in the limit position by abutting the supporting stand. 
   Furthermore, the extending portion comprises a positioning protrusion abutting the support when the handle assembly is spread to the limit position. 
   Note that the portable device may be a liquid crystal display. 
   Further scope of the applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will become more fully understood from the subsequent detailed description and the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
       FIG. 1A  depicts a device provided with a handle assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, wherein the handle assembly is spread; 
       FIG. 1B  depicts the device of  FIG. 1A , wherein the handle assembly is collapsed; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the handle assembly of  FIG. 1A ; 
       FIG. 3  is a local view of the handle assembly of  FIG. 2 , wherein the shaft structure is separated from the handle assembly; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective exploded view of the shaft structure of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5A  depicts the shaft structure of  FIG. 3  when the handle assembly is spread to a limit position; and 
       FIG. 5B  depicts the shaft structure of  FIG. 3  when the handle assembly is collapsed. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , a device (e.g. liquid crystal device)  10  comprises a main body  12  and a handle assembly  11 . The handle assembly  11  can be spread or collapsed by rotation in directions E, E′. As shown in  FIG. 1A , the spread handle assembly  11  allows the main body  12  to stand on a surface (e.g. a table surface) for user&#39;s view or use. As shown in  FIG. 1B , the collapsed handle assembly  11  allows the main body  12  to be carried or hung on a wall or an apparatus. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the handle assembly  11  comprises a support  13 , a pair of extending portions  14  and a pair of shaft structures  15 , which are described in the following: 
   Each extending portion  14  extends away from one of the shaft structures  15 , turns and then approaches the other, providing a large bottom area for stabilizing the main body  12  on the surface. In the embodiment, the pair of extending portions  14  curve and are symmetrical. Furthermore, each extending portion  14  has connecting sleeves  144  at both ends. Each connecting sleeve  144  has a closed end and an open end on which a positioning protrusion  146  is fixed. 
   The support  13  is connected to the main body  12  and oriented lengthwise with the shaft structures  15  disposed at both ends thereof. On the support  13  are provided a plurality of holes  133 . 
   The shaft structures  15  allow the extending portions  14  to rotate around the support  13  whereby the handle assembly  11  is spread or collapsed. Structurally, an end of the shaft structure  15  is fixed to the support  13  via screws  16  (see  FIG. 2 ) while the other end of the shaft structure  15  is fixed to the extending portions  14  via screws  148  ( FIG. 3 ). Detailed descriptions of the connection therebetween will be given after the introduction of the shaft structure  15  beginning at the next paragraph. 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , the shaft structure  15  comprises a pair of parallel rotary shafts  151 , a supporting stand  153 , a connecting element  154 , a pair of nuts  155  and a plurality of washers  157 ,  157 ′, which are described in the following: 
   Each rotary shaft  151  comprises a positioning portion  1511 , an expanding portion  1512 , a supporting portion  1513 , a threaded portion  1514  and a shank  1515  connected in sequence, wherein the positioning portion  1511  is substantially semi-cylindrical, and the shank  1515  has a plurality of holes  1516  therein. 
   The supporting stand  153  comprises a planar stand body  1531  and a platform  1532 . Openings  1533  are provided on the stand body  1531 . Holes  1535  are provided on the platform  1532 . 
   The connecting element  154  comprises a planar element body  1541  substantially parallel to the stand body  1531 , and a planar connecting portion  1542  substantially parallel to the platform  1532 . The connecting portion  1542  and the platform  1532  are positioned substantially the same height. Openings  1543  and holes  1544  are provided on the element body  1541  and the connecting portion  1542 , respectively. 
   To assemble the shaft structure  15 , the connecting element  154  and the supporting stand  153  are collected, with the element body  1541  contacting the stand body  1531  and the opening  1543  aligning with the opening  1533 . Then, the rotary shaft  151  is led through the washer  157 , the openings  1533 ,  1543 , the washer  157 ′ and the nut  155 . The result is shown in  FIG. 5A , wherein the nut  155  is screwed on the threaded portion  1514 , and the washer  157 ′, the element body  1541 , the stand body  1531  and the washer  157  are supported by the supporting portion  1513  and held between the nut  155  and the expanding portion  1512 . 
   If forces are exerted on the shanks  1515  in directions E, E′, the rotary shafts  151  will then change their positions as shown in  FIG. 5B . It is noted that the supporting stand  153  and the connecting element  154  remain stationary during the rotation of the rotary shafts  151 . 
   The connection of the shaft structure  15  to other elements is now described in detail. The shaft structure  15 , as mentioned above, has an end fixed to the support  13  ( FIG. 2 ) and the other end fixed to the extending portions  14  ( FIG. 3 ). Specifically, the shaft structure  15  and the support  13  are fastened together by threading the screws  16  through the holes  133  into the holes  1535 ,  1544 . Furthermore, the shaft structure  15  and the extending portions  14  are fastened together by threading screws  148 , through the holes (not shown) on the bottoms of the connecting sleeves  144 , into the holes  1516  of the shanks  1515 , after the shanks  1515  of the shaft structure  15  are inserted into the connecting sleeves  144  of the extending portions  14 . 
   When the handle assembly  11  is spread to support the main body  12  on a table, the weight of the main body  12  is transmitted through the support  13  and the shaft structures  15  to the extending portions  14 . The reaction forces of the extending portions  14  to the weight, indicated by reference symbols T, T′ in  FIG. 5A , act on the shanks  1515  of the shaft structures  15  and force the rotary shafts  151  to rotate until the positioning portions  1511  abut the supporting stand  153 . That is, the supporting stand  153  stops the rotary shafts  151  from further rotating in directions of forces T, T′, where the handle assembly  11  is exactly in the limit position as shown in  FIG. 1A . Also, the bottom of the support  13  is abutted by the positioning protrusions  146  (shown in  FIG. 3 ). It is noted that the reaction forces T, T′ are resisted primarily by the supporting stand  153  and secondarily by the bottom of the support  13 . 
   To collapse the handle assembly  11 , the user lifts the device  10  from the table and rotates the extending portions  14  in directions E, E′. The rotary shafts  151  follow the rotation of the extending portions  14  to release the supporting stand  153  from the positioning portions  1511  as shown in  FIG. 5B  wherein the positioning portions  1511  are turned to the positions below the supporting stand  153 . 
   In the above descriptions the handle assembly  11  has two extending portions  14  for stabilizing the device  10  on a table. It is understood, however, that reduction of the number of the extending portions to one is feasible if the center of gravity of the device  10  is properly designed. Furthermore, the length of the extending portion  14  can be shortened, with one end fixed to the shaft structure  15  and the other end free. Then, the shaft structure  15  of the handle assembly  11  has only one rotary shaft  151 . 
   While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.