Abstract:
A stand device capable of providing different folding angles includes a base member, a sliding member disposed to the base member so that a linear reciprocal motion is possible, a stand member having a specific length and fastened to one end of the sliding member in a rotatable manner, and a link member, of which one end is hinge-connected to a proper place in the stand member and the other end is hinge-connected to the base member, for holding the stand member, wherein an opening angle of the stand member varies depending on a linear reciprocation level of the sliding member.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the earlier filling date, under 35 U.S.C. §119 of that patent application, entitled “STAND DEVICE”, filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Jan. 7, 2009 and assigned Serial No. 2009-0001291, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in its entirety, herein. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a stand device, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a stand device for propping up a machine at various angles. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    A stand device is used for a general docking purpose or for the purpose of propping up a mechanical, an electronic device, or the like designed to deliver visual information and/or voice information. One example of an electronic device is a portable computer, which is not equipped with a hinge member, for controlling an inclination angle of a display surface and having a display element employing a pen input mechanism or a touch-key input mechanism. Without the stand device, the portable computer generally lies on a flat surface in a horizontal orientation when the user performs an input operation. 
         [0006]    A fold-type stand mechanism is widely used in the stand device. In this mechanism, a stand in a folded position is unfolded and then the electronic device is propped up by the stand. However, the use of the stand device employing the fold-type stand mechanism causes user inconvenience since a machine can be propped only at a one predetermined angle. In addition, a simple connection structure of the stand device employing the conventional fold-type stand mechanism results in frequent failures. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    An exemplary of aspect of the present invention is to provide a stand device for propping up a machine at various angles depending on a situation, thereby providing a user with many options of operation modes. 
         [0008]    Another exemplary aspect of the present invention is to provide a stand device that enhances the external appearance of a machine. 
         [0009]    Still another aspect of the present invention is to provide a stand device having a robust connection structure and thus having an excellent durability against frequent operations. 
         [0010]    In accordance with an exemplary aspect of the present invention, a stand device of a machine includes a base member, a sliding member disposed in the base member so that a linear reciprocal motion is possible, a stand member having a specific length and fastened to one end of the sliding member in a rotatable manner, and a link member, of which one end is hinge-connected to a proper place in the stand member and the other end is hinge-connected to the base member, for holding the stand member, wherein an opening angle of the stand member varies depending on a linear reciprocation level of the sliding member. 
         [0011]    Other exemplary aspects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses exemplary embodiments of the invention in more detail. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The above features and advantages of certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a machine employing a stand device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view illustrating a stand device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating stand device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional perspective view illustrating a stand device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  illustrates a brief operation of a stand device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  illustrates the stand device  100  in brief according to view point of Design of Machinery. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    The following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, is provided to assist a person of ordinary skill in the art with a comprehensive understanding of exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description includes various specific details to assist in that understanding but these details are to be regarded as merely exemplary. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For the purposes of simplicity and avoid redundancy, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions may be omitted for clarity and conciseness so as not to obscure appreciation of the present invention by a person of ordinary skill with such well-known functions and constructions. 
         [0020]    The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to the bibliographical meanings, but, are merely used by the inventor to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the invention. Accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention are provided for illustration purpose only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
         [0021]    It is to be understood that the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a component surface” typically includes reference to one or more of such surfaces. 
         [0022]    By the term “substantially” typically means that the recited characteristic, parameter, or value need not be achieved exactly, but that deviations or variations, including for example, tolerances, measurement error, measurement accuracy limitations and other factors known to those skilled in the art, and may occur in amounts that do not preclude the effect the characteristic was intended to provide. 
         [0023]    Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0024]    A machine employing the stand device according to the teachings of the present invention may be a mechanical machine designed for a general docking purpose. In addition, the machine employing the stand device according to the present invention includes a device that provides a user with visual information and/or voice information at different levels according to a stand angle. 
         [0025]    Further, the machine employing the stand device according to the present invention may include a wireless terminal that transmits and receives a signal of a corresponding frequency band at a different level according to the stand angle. For example, the stand device of the wireless terminal according to the present invention may function as an external antenna. Herein, the stand device may not only stand the wireless terminal, but also transmit and receive a wireless signal as antenna. In detail, the stand device as the external antenna is rotatable so as to transmit and receive a signal of a corresponding frequency band. The wireless terminal may be a mobile phone or a radio equipment etc. 
         [0026]    Herein, the stand device may function as a main antenna to transmit and receive a signal of a corresponding frequency band. 
         [0027]    In addition, the wireless terminal may have main (another) antenna to transmit and receive a signal of a corresponding frequency band. The stand device may transmit and receive a signal of an equal frequency band with that of the main antenna processes. That is, the stand device may assist the main antenna as an auxiliary antenna. Furthermore, the stand device may transmit and receive a signal of a frequency band different from that of a main antenna of the wireless terminal. 
         [0028]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a machine employing a stand device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and visually illustrates a brief operation of the stand device. As shown, the inventive stand device can rotate a stand at various angles to prop up the machine. A structure and operation of the stand device will be described later. 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view illustrating a stand device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a stand device  100  includes a stand  110  as a supporter for propping up the machine, a link arm  120  for allowing a seesaw motion when the stand  110  rotates, and a stand support  130  hinge-connected to one end of the stand  110  and linearly moving by the seesaw motion. Further, the stand device  100  includes a base panel  140  by which the link arm  120  is hinge-connected and guides a linear movement of the stand support  130 . 
         [0031]    The stand  110  includes a plate portion  111  which has a specific width and of which one end is formed with a hole  114  for the hinge-connection to the stand support  130  via a pin  164  or the like. 
         [0032]    The link arm  120  includes a link portion  121  which has a specific width and of which both ends include holes  122  (illustrated in  FIG. 3) and 123  for the hinge-connection to the base panel  140 . 
         [0033]    The stand support  130  includes a sliding portion  131  which moves linearly guided by the base panel  140 . The sliding portion  131  forms a hinge arm  134  for the hinge-connection to the stand  110 . In particular, the stand support  130  includes a locking portion  132  (illustrated in  FIG. 3 ) to provide stepwise movements when moving linearly by interacting with the base panel  140 . 
         [0034]    The base panel  140  includes a hinge arm  143  for the hinge-connection to the link arm  120  using the pin  161  or the like, and a body  141  formed with a guard portion  144  to guide a linear movement of the sliding portion  131  of the stand support  130 . 
         [0035]    In particular, the body  141  includes a push protrusion  142  to provide stepwise movements of the stand support  130  by elastically pushing the locking portion  132  of the stand support  130 . In the embodiment, the push protrusion  142  may protrude inside an opening portion formed in the sliding portion  131 . The stand device  100  may further includes a guide bar  163  to avoid deterioration of the stepwise movements by supporting the push protrusion  142  and the locking portion  132 . That is, the guide bar  163  can bring the locking portion  132  to be closely in contact with the push protrusion  142  in a reliable manner when the locking portion  132  is guided by the sliding portion  131  to move linearly due to a rotation movement of the stand. In this case, the body  141  forms a groove  145  to fasten the guide bar  163 . Further, the base panel  140  may be a case frame that forms an external appearance of the machine or a constitutional element additionally fastened to the machine. 
         [0036]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating a stand device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. To avoid redundancy, those elements described in connection with  FIG. 2  will be partially omitted in the following description with reference to  FIG. 3 . 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the sliding portion  131  of the stand support  130  includes the locking portion  132  having an uneven surface in contact with the push protrusion  142  formed on the guard portion  144  of the base panel  140 . Therefore, when the sliding portion  131  linearly moves along the guard portion  144 , stepwise movements are provided by a mutual operation of the push protrusion  142  and the locking portion  132 . 
         [0038]    Further, the plate portion  111  of the stand  110  includes a hinge arm  112  for the hinge-connection to the link arm  120 . In particular, the stand device  100  includes a torsion spring  150  applied to the hinge arm  112  so that the stand  110  has a tendency to close in a direction of the base panel  140 . One end of the torsion spring  150  is fastened to the link portion  121  of the link arm  120 , and the other end thereof is fastened to the plate portion  111  of the stand  110 . The torsion spring  150  is also applicable to the hinge arm  134  of the stand support  130 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional perspective view illustrating a stand device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0040]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the stand  110  performs a seesaw motion by the link arm  120  of which one end is hinge-connected to the plate portion  111  and the other end is hinge-connected to the base panel  140 . Further, the stand  110  which performs the seesaw motion allows the stand support  130  to move linearly guided by the guard portion  144  of the base panel  140  by pushing or pulling the stand support  130  hinge-connected to one end portion of the plate portion  111 . Further, the locking portion  132  of the stand support  130  and the push protrusion  142  of the base panel  140  that is elastically curved along the uneven surface of the locking portion  132  when the locking portion  132  moves linearly provide a user with the feeling that the stand  110  rotates stepwise. In addition thereto, any one of the stand support  130  and the base panel  140  may be formed with a locking portion having an uneven surface, and the other one may be formed with a push protrusion that is elastically curved by a relative linear movement. 
         [0041]    Further, the torsion spring  150  disposed to a portion where the stand  110  is hinge-connected to the link arm  120  provides the user with the feeling that he or she is manipulating the stand  110  which is open and closed in the base panel  140 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 5  illustrates a brief visual operation of a stand device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0043]    Referring to operations of  FIG. 5 , when the stand  110  rotates from an angle A to an angle B in the base panel  140 , the stand support  130  hinge-connected to the stand  110  is lowered from H 1  to H 2 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 6  illustrates the stand device  100  according to view point of Design of Machinery to enhance the understanding of the present invention. A Degree of Freedom of the stand device  100  is 1, and the stand device  100  can be represented each element (i.e., the stand  110 , the link arm  120 , and the stand support  130 ) by using only one coordinate (e.g., a Y-axis, θ, etc.). Herein, division of a stepwise rotation angle of the stand  110  can be further classified according to steps divided by a mutual operation of the locking portion  132  and the push protrusion  142 . 
         [0045]    As is apparent from the foregoing, the present invention has an advantage in that the stand device provides easy propping up of at various angles. While the present invention has been shown and described with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Therefore, the scope of the invention is defined not by the detailed description of the invention but by the appended claims and their equivalents, and all differences within the scope will be construed as being included in the present invention.