Abstract:
A display apparatus including a support configured to support a display unit, and a cover formed of a flexible sheet and configured to cover the support, thereby improving the external appearance of the rear side of the display apparatus through the cover.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 61/579,273 filed on Dec. 22, 2011 and priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-0146352, filed on Dec. 14, 2012 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field 
         [0003]    Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a display apparatus provided with a display unit on which a screen is displayed. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    In general, a display apparatus refers to an apparatus including a display unit, on which an image is displayed, and the display apparatus may include a television or a monitor. 
         [0006]    The display apparatus includes a display unit, on which a screen is displayed, and a stand to support the display unit while being mounted on a horizontal surface, such as an upper surface of a desk. 
         [0007]    The display apparatus as such may be used in an open-type office space configured to enhance a cooperative working environment with company members. In an open-type office space, a rear side of the display is easily exposed and observed by people as well as a front side thereof. 
         [0008]    Accordingly, the appearance of the rear side of the display apparatus is becoming more and more important in the design of the display apparatus. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0009]    Accordingly, an aspect of an exemplary embodiment provides a display apparatus, capable of easily improving the external appearance of the rear side of the display apparatus. 
         [0010]    Additional aspects of the exemplary embodiments will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the disclosure. 
         [0011]    In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a display apparatus includes a display unit, a support and a cover. The display unit may be configured to display an image thereon. The support may be configured to support the display unit. The cover may be formed of a flexible sheet and configured to cover the support and a rear side of the display unit. The cover may be configured to cover the support in a state of being spaced apart from the support. 
         [0012]    The cover may be formed of material capable of expansion and contraction. 
         [0013]    The cover may be formed of fabric. 
         [0014]    The cover may include a rear side cover part and a support cover part. The rear side cover part may be configured to cover the rear side of the display unit. The support cover part may integrally extend from the rear side cover part while having a cross section of a ring shape so that the support is disposed at an inside the support cover part. 
         [0015]    An inner surface of the support cover part may be spaced apart from the support. 
         [0016]    The support may extend while being inclined toward a front upper side, and the support cover part may extend from the rear side cover part toward a rear lower side of the support. 
         [0017]    The display unit may be installed or connectable to an upper end of the support so as to enable a forward/backward rotation around a horizontal axis. 
         [0018]    The display apparatus may further include a mount. 
         [0019]    The lower end of the support may be installed at the mount so as to enable a forward/backward rotation around a horizontal axis. 
         [0020]    The lower end of the support may be installed at the mount so as to enable a left/right rotation around a vertical axis. 
         [0021]    The support may include a hollow cylinder, and a plunger movably installed at the hollow cylinder. 
         [0022]    The display unit may include a rear case that forms the rear side of the display unit. The cover may include a reinforcing member disposed at a periphery of the rear side cover part to reinforce the periphery of the rear side cover part. The rear case may include a locking rib provided at a periphery of the rear case such that the reinforcing member is engaged or connectable with the locking rib. The support may include a locking hole which is lockable with the locking rib. 
         [0023]    The display apparatus may further include a mount and a rotation member. The mount may be mounted on a horizontal surface and allow a lower end of the support to be connected thereto. The rotation member may be rotatably installed on the mount. The cover may include a wire that is provided in a ring shape and disposed at a lower end of the support cover part. The rotation member may include a mounting groove on which the wire is mounted. 
         [0024]    The mounting groove may be provided in a circular ring shape. 
         [0025]    In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a display apparatus includes a display unit, a mount, a support and a cover. The display unit may be configured to display an image thereon. The mount may be configured to be mounted on a horizontal surface. The support may vertically extend to have a lower end thereof connected to the mount and an upper end thereof connected to the display unit. The cover may be formed of a flexible sheet and configured to cover the support and a rear side of the display unit. 
         [0026]    The cover may be formed of material capable of expansion and contraction. 
         [0027]    The cover may be formed of fabric. 
         [0028]    The cover may include a rear side cover part and a support cover part. The rear side cover part may be configured cover the rear side of the display unit. The support cover part may integrally extend from the rear side cover part while having a cross section of a ring shape so that the support is disposed at an inside the support cover part. 
         [0029]    The display unit may include a rear case that forms the rear side of the display unit. The cover may include a reinforcing member disposed at a periphery of the rear side cover part to reinforce the periphery of the rear side cover part. The rear case may include a locking rib provided at a periphery of the rear case such that the reinforcing member is engaged or connectable with the locking rib. The reinforcing member may include a locking hole which is lockable with the locking rib. 
         [0030]    The mount may include a rotation member rotatably installed on the mount. The cover may include a wire provided in a ring shape and disposed at a lower end of the support cover part. The rotation member may include a mounting groove on which the wire is mounted. 
         [0031]    According to an exemplary embodiment, a display apparatus is provided, the display apparatus includes: a support configured to support a display unit; and a cover formed of a flexible sheet and configured to cover the support, wherein the cover is configured to expand and contract according to a state of the support. 
         [0032]    The cover comprises a support cover part that may have a cross section of a ring shape so that the support is disposed at an inside of the support cover part. 
         [0033]    The support may extend while being inclined toward a front upper side of the support, and the support cover part may extend from the front upper side of the support toward a rear lower side of the support. 
         [0034]    As described above, the rear side of the display unit is provided to be covered by a cover, the external appearance of the rear side of the display unit is easily modified or improved through the cover. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0035]    [ 33 ] These and/or other aspects of the exemplary embodiments will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
           [0036]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a display apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0037]      FIG. 2  is a rear side perspective view illustrating the display apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0038]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view illustrating the display apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0039]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0040]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view taken along line B-B of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0041]      FIG. 6  is a side view illustrating the forward/backward rotation of a display unit of the display apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0042]      FIG. 7  is a side view illustrating the ascending/descending of a display unit of the display apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0043]      FIG. 8  is a plan view the left/right rotation of a display unit of the display apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0044]      FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective view illustrating a coupling state of a support cover part and a rotation member of the display apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0045]      FIG. 10  is an exploded perspective view illustrating a rear side cover part and a rear case of the display apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0046]    Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. 
         [0047]    Hereafter, a display apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment will be described with reference to accompanied drawings. 
         [0048]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a display apparatus  1  includes a display unit  10  configured to display an image thereon, a stand  20  configured to support the display unit  10  while being mounted on a horizontal surface, such as an upper surface of a desk, and a cover  30  configured to cover a rear side of the display unit  10  in addition to a support  22 , which is to be described later. 
         [0049]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the display unit  10  includes a main frame  11  forming a periphery of the display unit  10 , a display panel  12  disposed at an inner side of the main frame  11  to display an image thereon, a glass panel  13  formed of transparent material to cover a front surface of the display panel  12 , a glass bracket  14  to which the glass panel  13  is fixed, a rear case  15  disposed at a rear of the display panel  12  to cover the rear of the display panel  12 , and a coupling frame  16  to which the display panel  12  is fixed and the glass bracket  14  and the rear case  15  are coupled. 
         [0050]    The main frame  11  includes material having a light weight and superior strength, for example, aluminum, forming the periphery of the display unit  10 . 
         [0051]    The glass bracket  14  is provided in a rectangular ring corresponding to a periphery of the glass panel  13 , and is attached to the periphery of a rear side of the glass panel  13 . 
         [0052]    Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the glass bracket  14  is provided at a rear surface thereof with a plurality of locking hooks  14   a  protruding toward a rear side, so that the glass bracket  14  is coupled to the coupling frame  16 . 
         [0053]    The rear case  15  is provided at a periphery thereof with a plurality of coupling parts  15   a  protruding toward a front side, so that the rear case  15  is coupled to the coupling frame  15 . Each of the plurality of coupling parts  15   a  has a coupling groove  15   b  formed in a concaved manner. 
         [0054]    The coupling frame  16  is provided in a rectangular ring shape corresponding to an inner surface of the main frame  11  and an outer surface of the display panel  12 , so that the coupling frame  16  is fixed to the inner side of the main frame  11  and the display panel  12  is installed at the inner side of the coupling frame  16 . 
         [0055]    The coupling frame  16  comprises a plurality of locking steps  16   a  each provided at a position corresponding to each of the locking hooks  14   a  to be locked with the locking hook  14   a,  and a plurality of locking protrusion  16   b  each provided at a position corresponding to each of the coupling grooves  15   b  to be insertedly locked with the coupling groove  15   b.  Accordingly, the glass bracket  14  is coupled to the front side of the coupling frame  16 , and the rear case  15  is coupled to the rear side of the coupling frame  16 . 
         [0056]    Referring again to  FIG. 3 , the stand  20  includes a mount  21  supported on a horizontal surface, such as an upper surface of a desk, where the display apparatus  1  is placed, and the support  22  configured to support the display unit  10  while being vertically extended to have an upper end connected to a rear side of the display panel  12  and a lower end connected to the mount  21 . The support  22  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is configured to extend while being inclined to a front upper side. 
         [0057]    The display unit  10  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is configured to enable a forward/backward rotation along a horizontal axis, an ascending/descending movement and a left/right rotation along a vertical axis through the support  22 . 
         [0058]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , for the forward/backward rotation of the display unit  10 , the display unit  10  is installed at the upper end of the support  22  so as to enable a forward/backward rotation. Accordingly, the display unit  10  may rotate forward and backward. 
         [0059]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , the support  22  is configured to have a length thereof enabling expansion and contraction, so that the display unit  10  may be raised and lowered. To this end, the support  22  includes a cylinder  22   a  provided in the form of a cylinder, and a plunger  22   b  movably installed at the cylinder  22   a.  The cylinder  22   a  has a lower end installed at the mount  21 , and the plunger  22   b  is movably installed in the cylinder  22   a  through an open upper end of the cylinder  22   a  while having an upper end thereof connected to the rear side of the display unit  10 . As the plunger  22   b  moves, the overall length of the support  22  expands or contracts, and with the change of the length of the support  22 , the display unit  10  moves up and down. Since the support  22  in an exemplary embodiment is disposed while being inclined to a front upper side, the display unit  10  may be raised and lowered while having an inclination corresponding to the support  22 . 
         [0060]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , for the left/right rotation of the display unit  10 , the support  22  is rotatably installed at the mount  21 . To this end, as shown in  FIG. 9 , the support  21  includes a rotation member having a circular shape, and a rotation guide  24  fixed to the mount  21  so as to rotatbly support the rotation member  23 . The lower end of the support  22  is fixedly installed to the rotation member  23 . The rotation guide  23  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is provided at an inner circumferential surface thereof with a guide groove  24   a  extending in a circumferential direction thereof in a concaved manner. The rotation member  23  is provided at an outer circumferential surface thereof with a guide protrusion  23   a  extending in a circumferential direction thereof in a convex manner, so that the guide protrusion  23   a  is movably accommodated in the guide groove  24   a.  The rotation guide  24  includes two separate guides  24 F and  24 S each having a semi-circular shape, and when the separate guides  24 F and  24 S are coupled to each other, the rotation member  23  is rotatably installed between the separate guides  24 F and  24 S. 
         [0061]    The cover  30  includes a flexible sheet that may be easily deformable. The cover  30  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment may include a fabric material. Referring again to  FIG. 2 , the cover  30  includes a rear side cover part  31  to cover the rear side of the display unit  10 , and a support cover part  32  integrally extending from the rear side cover part  31  so as to cover the outer side of the support  22 . Accordingly, the support  22  and the rear side of the display unit  10  are covered by the cover  30 . 
         [0062]    The cover  30 , as described above, is formed of fabric, and the fabric is applied with various colors and complicated patterns through a dyeing or printing process. Accordingly, the cover  30  may enable the design of the rear side of the display apparatus  1  to be easily improved. 
         [0063]    The cover  30  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is provided in a rectangular shape corresponding to the display unit  10 , and includes the rear side cover part  31  installed at the rear side of the display unit  10  to cover the rear side of the display unit  10 , and the support cover part  32  integrally extending from the rear side cover part  31  toward a rear lower side while having an inclination corresponding to the support  22  so as to cover the outer side of the support  22 . 
         [0064]    Referring to  FIG. 10 , as to install the cover  30  at the display apparatus  1 , a reinforcing member  33  is installed at a periphery of the rear side cover part  31  to reinforce the periphery of the rear side cover part  31 , and a wire  34  bent in a ring shape is installed at the lower end of the support cover part  32  as shown in  FIG. 9 . The reinforcing member  33  is formed of material having a superior strength when compared to the cover  30  in order to support the periphery of the rear side cover part  31 , while having a flexibility which facilitates the installation of the reinforcing member  33  at the display unit  10 . In an exemplary embodiment, four units  33  of reinforcing member may be provided in correspondence with four edges of the display unit  10 . 
         [0065]    The reinforcing member  33  is installed at the rear case  15 . To this end, the rear case  15  includes a plurality of locking ribs  15   c  that is provided at a periphery thereof to be engaged with the reinforcing member  33 , and the reinforcing member  33  includes a locking hole  33   a  locked with the locking rib  15   c.  In addition, the reinforcing member  33  is provided with a through-hole  33   b  allowing the coupling part  15   a  to pass therethrough so that the coupling part  15   a  is coupled to the coupling protrusion  16   b.    
         [0066]    The lower end of the support cover part  32  is installed at the rotation member  23  through the wire  34 . For the installation of the wire  34 , a mounting groove  23   b  having a circular ring shape is provided at a periphery of the upper surface of the rotation member  23 , so that the wire  34  is mounted on the mounting groove  23   b  together with the lower end of the support cover part  32 . Since the mounting groove  23   b  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is provided in a circular ring corresponding to the rotation member  23 , the lower end of the support cover part  32  is deformed to correspond to the mounting groove  23   b . Accordingly, the support cover part  32  is deformed into an approximate circular ring shape. 
         [0067]    In addition, the mounting groove  23   b  has a diameter larger than that of the support  22  such that the support cover part  32  of the cover  30  covers the support  22  in a state of being spaced apart from the support  22 . The support cover part  32  is deformed into a shape corresponding to the mounting groove  23   b.    
         [0068]    In a state that the outer part of the rear side cover part  31  is installed at the rear case  15 , and the lower end of the support cover part  32  is installed at the rotation member  23 , when the display unit  10  rotates or moves up and down, the cover  30  may interrupt the rotation and the up and down movement of the display unit  10 . Accordingly, the cover is formed of expansion-contraction material so as to be deformed according to the rotation and the up and down movement of the display unit  10 . That is, the cover  30  may be formed of expansion-contraction fabric. 
         [0069]    Although the cover  30  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is configured to cover the support  22  and the rear side of the display unit  10 , the present disclosure is not limited thereto. According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, the cover  30  may cover only the rear side of the display unit  10 . 
         [0070]    Although the cover  30  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is formed of expansion-contraction fabric, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, the cover may be formed of other material capable of expansion and contraction through elastic deformation, such as rubber. 
         [0071]    Although the display unit  10  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment includes the rear case  15 , the present disclosure is not limited thereto. According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, the display unit  10  may have the rear side of the display panel  12  blocked by the cover  30  formed of flexible material, without including a configuration corresponding to the rear case  15 . In this case, the cover  30  may include a fire-prevention treated fabric for the safety. 
         [0072]    Although the description has been made in relation that the display unit  10  is able to perform the forward/backward rotation, the left/right rotation and the ascending/descending as an example, the exemplary embodiment is not limited thereto. According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, the display unit may selectively perform at least one of the forward/backward rotation, the left/right rotation and the ascending/descending. 
         [0073]    Although the support  22  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment has a lower end fixedly installed at the mount  21 , the present disclosure is not limited thereto. According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment, the lower end of the support  22  may be installed at the mount  21  so as to enable a forward/backward rotation. 
         [0074]    Although the display unit  1  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is mounted on the upper surface of the desk through the mount  21  and the support  22 , the present disclosure is not limited thereto. According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment , the display apparatus may be installed at a wall through the support without having a configuration corresponding to the mount. 
         [0075]    Although the mounting groove  23   b  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is provided in the form of a circular ring so that the support cover part  32  has a circular ring shape, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the mounting groove  23   b  may be provided in various shapes so that the support cover part  32  has various shapes. 
         [0076]    Although a few exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these exemplary embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.