Monitor opening and closing mechanism

A monitor opening and closing mechanism according to the present invention includes a first guide means guiding a monitor to rotate from home position to a first opened position, and a second guide means guiding the monitor to rotate from the first opened position to a second opened position where the monitor is further opened, wherein the center of rotation about which the second guide means guides the monitor to rotate is disposed more nearly to the side of the home position than the center of rotation about which the first guide means guides the monitor to rotate is disposed.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a monitor opening and closing mechanism allowing a monitor mounted on a ceiling of a vehicle, for example, to open and close in such a manner as to open in service and close upon accommodation.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventional monitor hinge mechanisms allowing a monitor mounted on a ceiling of a motor vehicle, e.g., to open and close are arranged to have a support structure where a fulcrum shaft for opening and closing the monitor is fixed in position and the monitor having the shape of a rectangular plate rotates about that fixed support. Such a support structure can condition the monitor to be closed along a mounting surface such as a ceiling in the accommodated state, and further, can condition the monitor to be opened up to a nearly vertical position with respect to the mounting surface such that the monitor can be easily seen by a viewer when used. However, the support structure using such a fixed support occupies a space equivalent to the approximately maximum external shape of the monitor on the side remote from the fixed support in the monitor-opened position. Consequently, the amount of projection of the monitor projecting from the ceiling is large in the case of an in-vehicle monitor suspended from a ceiling, which results in the possibility of obstructing a driver's rearward visibility through a room mirror. Upsizing of a monitor in recent years strengthens that tendency.

Meanwhile, there is a hinge apparatus including two hinges as a means for turning a cover panel of a hand-held computer pocketbook (see Patent Document 1, for instance). In that hinge apparatus, a first hinge acts from the state where the cover panel is closed to the state of a certain panel-opened angle, and a second hinge begins working when the opening angle of the panel exceeded that panel-opened angle. The hinge apparatus has a hinge mechanism where the first hinge operates by a first torque over a certain range, and after exceeding the range, the hinge becomes unable to operate because of being blocked by a restriction force; however, when a second torque larger than the first torque but insufficient to overcome that restriction force is applied, the second hinge operates to cause the cover panel to turn over the range of a second movement.

However, that hinge mechanism controls the switch from the first hinge to the second hinge by the rotating torque, which may cause the second hinge to rotate before the first hinge rotates when force is applied in the direction of shaft axis of a first shaft where the first hinge does not easily rotate, and results in the possibility of breakage of a lock pawl for the cover panel. Further, the cover panel exhibits a rotation mechanism where the panel reverses in such a manner as to surround a bottom panel on the first hinge and the second hinge when rotated, which requires a sufficient thickness for the space where the mechanism moves. This makes the hinge mechanism unsuitable for downsizing the space needed for rotation.

In a conventional monitor opening and closing mechanism, when a monitor mounted on a ceiling of a motor vehicle is opened to a predetermined position and is seen and listened to by an occupant, a driver's view is obstructed because the monitor projects in a direction where the driver's rearward visibility through a room mirror is obstructed, in an amount remaining as determined by the radius of rotation from the fixed support. Moreover, it is also impossible to say that the hinge mechanism disclosed in Patent Document 1 is suitable for supporting an in-vehicle monitor, as described above. Those mechanisms each have a problem to be solved.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an improved monitor opening and closing mechanism that does not restrict a driver's rearward visibility through a room mirror.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The monitor opening and closing mechanism according to the present invention includes: a first guide means guiding a monitor to rotate from home position to a first opened position; and a second guide means guiding the monitor to rotate from the first opened position to a second opened position where the monitor is further opened, wherein the center of rotation about which the second guide means guides the monitor to rotate is disposed nearer to the side of the home position than the center of rotation about which the first guide means guides the monitor to rotate is disposed.

According to the present invention, the position of the center of rotation of the monitor is displaced as the monitor is opened, and the rearward visibility can be enlarged by an amount equivalent to the amount of that displacement.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in order to explain the present invention in more detail.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1andFIG. 2illustrate an in-vehicle manual suspended-from-ceiling monitor apparatus100including a monitor opening and closing mechanism according to the present invention. The monitor apparatus100is composed of a monitor2and an apparatus body3capable of openably and closably holding and accommodating the monitor2, and the monitor opening and closing mechanism1according to the present invention is arranged in the connection section between the monitor2and the apparatus body3.

FIG. 1illustrates the monitor apparatus100in a state secured to a ceiling of a vehicle. The monitor2is usually housed within the apparatus body3as shown in the figure. The position where the monitor is accommodated therewithin is referred to as home position. A button4provided on the apparatus body3is pushed to thus cause a lock (not shown) holding the monitor2to disengage, and thereby, the monitor2is rotated to an angle with its one-end side as the fulcrum by its self-weight to enter an opened state. The monitor can be rotated to a predetermined angle suitable for a user to see and listen, or view to the monitor when it is manually pushed and moved further from the opened state by a user. As shown inFIG. 2, the user enjoys images on the monitor2at an angle suitable for seeing and listening.

Since a reproducing unit, an interface substrate, and so on (not shown) are provided in the apparatus body3, the monitor2is preferably disposed so as to be located as near as possible to the surface side of the apparatus body3in the accommodated state. Usually, the monitor2is placed in the accommodated state housed in the monitor apparatus100as shown inFIG. 1; upon viewing of the image, the monitor is rotated to be opened and is placed in the opened state as shown inFIG. 2; and after seeing and listening, the monitor is returned to the home position (accommodated state) as shown inFIG. 1,FIG. 6, or the like.

FIG. 3is an perspective view showing the principal part of the monitor opening and closing mechanism1in the assembled state, andFIG. 4illustrates the monitor opening and closing mechanism1in a disassembled state. Further,FIG. 5shows a plate-shaped base5to which each of parts constituting the monitor opening and closing mechanism1is assembled. The structure of the monitor opening and closing mechanism1will be described by referring toFIGS. 1,3,4, and5hereinbelow.

The monitor opening and closing mechanism1is secured to the apparatus body3as shown inFIG. 1, and as shown inFIG. 4, the monitor2is secured to a monitor base7formed integral with a shaft6provided with a D cut19. The shaft6is passed through an arcuate groove A11formed through the base5, and is fixed to a plate shaft18secured to a plate8on the penetrated side. Note that the base5is provided with an arcuate groove B12and an arcuate groove C13in addition to the arcuate groove A11.

The plate shaft18is provided with a D-shaped hole20of the same shape as that of the D cut19of the shaft6, and the D cut19is fitted in the D-shaped hole20to cause the monitor base7and the plate8to unitarily rotate. The plate8is provided with a convexly shaped plate projection A14and plate projection B15that slidably engage the arcuate groove B12and the arcuate groove C13, respectively, and the movement of the plate8is regulated by those arcuate grooves formed through the base5by virtue of those engagements.

As shown inFIG. 5, the arcuate groove A11has the shape of an arc having a length in a vertical direction. The arcuate groove C13is composed of an arcuate groove Aa21formed with an arc datum point D23(corresponding to the axis of the shaft6when the shaft is positioned at the lower end of the arcuate groove A11) located in the lower part of the arcuate groove A11as the center and an arcuate groove Ab22formed with the arc terminating point E24(corresponding to the center of the plate projection A14when the plate projection is located at the arc terminal of the arcuate groove B12) of the arcuate groove B12as the center, and those arcuate groove Aa21and arcuate groove Ab22communicate with each other for allowing the plate projection B15to move. The arcuate groove B12is formed with the arc datum point D23as the center, as well as the arcuate groove Aa21. Furthermore, the base arcuate groove A11is formed with the arc terminating point E24located in the lower part of the arcuate groove B12as the center, as well as the arcuate groove Ab22.

The operation thereof will be described by referring toFIGS. 6-8.

FIG. 6(a) illustrates the monitor2in the home position where the monitor is accommodated within the apparatus body3;FIG. 7(a) illustrates the state where the center of rotation of the monitor2is being switched; andFIG. 8(a) illustrates the state where the monitor2finished the rotation up to the predetermined position established as the maximum opening angle where a user can see and listen to the monitor, respectively. The monitor opening and closing mechanisms1shown in those figures are in enlarged dimension shown inFIG. 6(b),FIG. 7(b), andFIG. 8(b), respectively.

1. Operation from the home position to the first opened position.

When the monitor2is placed in the home position where the monitor is housed within the apparatus body3, as shown inFIG. 6(a) andFIG. 6(b), the plate projection A14is located at the end portion of the anti-clockwise side of the arcuate groove B12, the plate projection B15is located at the end portion of the anti-clockwise side of the arcuate groove C13, and the shaft6is located in the lower position of the arcuate groove A11, respectively.

Upon opening the monitor from that position by applying an external force thereon, the monitor2begins rotation and opening with the arc datum point D23as the center of rotation, while the plate projection A14begins slide and rotation with the arcuate groove B12as the guide and the plate projection B15begins slide and rotation with the arcuate groove C13(the arcuate groove Aa21in particular) as the guide.

As shown inFIG. 7(a) andFIG. 7(b), when the monitor rotated up to a certain angle (this position is referred to as a first opened position), the plate projection A14abuts against the terminal of the arcuate groove B12, and the monitor becomes unable to further rotate with the arc datum point D23as the center of rotation. At that time, the plate projection B15exists in the boundary position between the arcuate groove Aa21and the arcuate groove Ab22in the arcuate groove C13. It should be understood that the plate projection A14, the plate projection B15, the arcuate groove B12, and the arcuate groove C13are given only as one example of the first guide means for guiding the monitor2to rotate from the home position to the first opened position.

2. Operation from the first opened position to the second opened position.

Upon further applying an external force on the monitor2existing in the first opening state, the monitor now begins rotation and opening with the arc terminal E24of the base5as the center of rotation, while the shaft6begins slide and rotation with the arcuate groove A11as the guide and the plate projection B15begins slide and rotation with the arcuate groove Ab22positioned in the arcuate groove C13as the guide.

When the monitor rotated to a further opened angle (this position is referred to as a second opened position) as shown inFIG. 8(a) andFIG. 8(b), the shaft6abuts against the upper terminal of the arcuate groove A11and the plate projection B15abuts against the terminal of the arcuate groove Ab22positioned in the arcuate groove C13, and the monitor becomes unable to further rotate with the arc terminal E24as the center of rotation. It should be noted that the plate projection B15, the shaft6, the arcuate groove A11, the arcuate groove Ab22located in the arcuate groove C13, and so on are given only as one example of the second guide means for guiding the monitor2to rotate from the first opened position to the second opened position.

In this example, the center of rotation (the arc terminal E24) on the rotation by the guide of the second guide means is disposed nearer to the side of the rotation starting position (the side of the home position) of the monitor2, that is, in a lateral position, rather than the center of rotation (the arc datum point D23) upon the rotation by the guide of the first guide means. In such a way, the monitor2rotates so as to shift in the direction of the apparatus body3(in the direction of A). As shown inFIG. 8(b), the shaft6is displaced by a distance H from the lower end of the arcuate groove A11to the upper end thereof, and correspondingly, as shown inFIG. 8(a), the lower end of the monitor2is also shifted by a distance equivalent to the distance H.

The position in the apparatus body3where the monitor2is accommodated is on the surface side of the apparatus body3; however, when the monitor2is rotated up to the second opened position, the position of the center of rotation thereof is displaced as the monitor is opened, and the monitor2partially enters the apparatus body3. Consequently, the monitor2reduces in the amount of its projection, and the rearward visibility can be increased by an amount equivalent to the amount of that displacement, which enables the employment of a large-scale monitor while ensuring safety.

As shown inFIG. 15, as compared to a monitor200with a conventional hinge mechanism where a monitor rotates about the center of rotation that is fixed, in the monitor2in accordance with this embodiment, the level L-L of the lower end of the monitor in the opened state where the angle thereof is suitable for viewing is retracted from the view through a room mirror201M, which enables a vehicle to be securely operated. Moreover, this allows the employment of a large monitor. Besides, a space in a vehicle can be saved, which increases the design flexibility thereof.

It should be understood that the rotation resistance of the shaft6is properly established in consideration of the self-weight moment of the monitor, which enables the degree in which the monitor2is opened to be freely select and thereby enables the opening position thereof to be manually adjusted and the monitor to be held at the position.

The first embodiment thus arranged as mentioned above permits the entire monitor apparatus to be made compact and allows the monitor to be accommodated within the apparatus body3by arranging the first guide means and the second guide means by using circularly arcuate guide sections each having the shape of combined concentric circles without using a complicated hinge mechanism.

Second Embodiment

The second embodiment has the same constituent parts as those of the first embodiment, and the second embodiment differs from the first one in that the second embodiment allows the monitor to open further with the second opened position as the datum point and includes a return mechanism for returning the monitor to the datum point by using the action of an external force.

The monitor opening and closing mechanism1′ according to the second embodiment will be explained by usingFIGS. 9-14. Remark parenthetically, the identical members and members having the identical functions are designated by the same reference numerals as those of the first embodiment.

The structure of the monitor opening and closing mechanism1′ will be described with reference toFIG. 9viewed from the outside of the monitor2,FIG. 10viewed from the side of the monitor2, andFIG. 11showing the mechanism in a disassembled state.

The shaft6is passed through each of the arcuate groove A11of the base5, the plate shaft18and the coil portion of a torsion spring10, and the shaft is fit into and secured to a D cut hole31of an arm9. To be more specific, the D cut hole31of the arm9is formed so as to have a D-shaped hole31of the same shape as that of the D cut19of the shaft6, and the monitor base7to which the monitor2is secured and the arm9unitarily rotate. The plate8is provided with the plate projection A14and the plate projection B15that engage in the arcuate groove B12and the arcuate groove C13of the base5, respectively, as similarly shown in the first embodiment, and the plate8is regulated in operation by the arcuate grooves A11, B12, C13formed through the base5, and soon. Furthermore, the arcuate groove C13includes arcuate grooves Aa and Ab, as similarly shown in the first embodiment.

The plate8is provided with a plate arcuate groove17engaging with an arm projection16provided on the arm9, and the arm9is arranged to be able to rotate within the range of the plate arcuate groove17of the plate8. Moreover, the arms of the torsion spring10are hooked over a spring hook32of the plate8and the arm projection16of the arm9, respectively, and since the arm9is energized in one direction by the spring force, the arm9and the plate8unitarily move as long as an external force exceeding the spring force is not exerted against the direction of action of the spring. The spring force at that time is arranged to be larger than the torque for rotating the monitor2.

The operation thereof will be described by referring toFIGS. 12-14.

FIG. 12(a) illustrates the state where the monitor2exists in the home position where the monitor is housed within the apparatus body3;FIG. 13(a) illustrates the state where the monitor2finished off rotation up to a predetermined position established as the maximum opening angle where a user can see and listen to the monitor; andFIG. 14(a) illustrates the state where the monitor2further rotates exceeding the predetermined position established as the maximum opening angle where a user can see and listen to the monitor, respectively. The monitor opening and closing mechanisms1shown in those figures are in enlarged dimension shown inFIG. 12(b),FIG. 13(b), andFIG. 14(b), respectively.

1. Operation from the home position via the first opened position to the second opened position.

Upon beginning opening the monitor2by exerting an external force on the monitor existing in the home position where the monitor is accommodated in the apparatus body3(seeFIG. 12(a) andFIG. 12(b)), the plate projection A14and plate projection B15provided on the plate8begin rotation with the arcuate groove B12and arcuate groove C13provided through the base5as the sliding grooves, thus causing the monitor2to begin rotation with the arc datum point D23of the base5as the center of rotation.

Referring toFIG. 13(a) andFIG. 13(b), when the monitor2received an external force exerted thereon and was rotated up to the first opened position, the plate projection B15exists at the boundary position between the arcuate groove Aa21and the arcuate groove Ab22in the arcuate groove C13. And at that time, the plate projection A14abuts the terminal of the arcuate groove B12, and on this account, the monitor cannot further rotate with the arc datum point D23as the center of rotation. Therefore, the monitor now begins rotation with the arc terminal E24of the base5as the center of rotation. That rotation carried out with the arc terminal E24as the center of rotation is continued until the plate projection B15abuts against the terminal of the arcuate groove Ab22(at the same time, the shaft6abuts against the upper end of the arcuate groove A11). The rotation position at that time is referred to as the second opened position.

Since in the rotation carried out from the first opened position to the second opened position, as with the first embodiment, the center of rotation (the arc terminal E24) used when the monitor rotates by the guide of the second guide means (the plate projection B15, the shaft6, the arcuate groove A11, and the arcuate groove Ab22located in the arcuate groove C13) is disposed more nearly to the side of the rotation starting position (the side of the home position) of the monitor2, to say more exactly, in a more lateral position, than the center of rotation (the arc datum point D23) used when the monitor rotates by the guide of the first guide means (the plate projection A14, the plate projection B15, the arcuate groove B12, the arcuate groove C13, and so on) is disposed, the monitor2rotates so as to shift in the direction of the apparatus body3(in the direction of A).

In such a way, also in the second embodiment, as with the first embodiment explained by referring toFIG. 15, the advantages of the monitor's being displaced in the direction where the monitor2reduces in the amount of projection thereof and thereby, not obstructing the rearward visibility through a room mirror can be obtained.

2. Further opening operation with the second opened position as the datum point.

This embodiment allows the monitor2to rotate exceeding the second opened position. Thus, upon causing the monitor to rotate over the second opened position, the plate8cannot move because of having rotated up to the terminal of the arcuate groove A11provided through the base5; however, the arm9energized in one direction by the spring force of the torsion spring10rotates this time with the shaft6as the center while receiving the spring force of the torsion spring10together with the monitor2(seeFIG. 13andFIG. 14).

Since on the monitor2, is exerted a torque in the direction opposite to the rotatable direction by the spring force of the torsion spring10, a user can sensuously find that the rotation of the monitor2has exceeded the predetermined position (the second opened position) from a tactile feedback of manual operation, for instance. Moreover, since in that rotation, the monitor2rotates with the shaft6fixed on the top end of the arcuate groove A11as the fixed center of rotation, the monitor2does not shift to the side of the apparatus body3, and since the monitor rotates in the B direction that is the anti-clockwise direction centered about the shaft6, the monitor2does not abut against the bottom surface of the apparatus body3. Furthermore, if the external force exerted on the monitor2is released in such a manner as to separate the hand from the monitor, after the monitor2is rotated exceeding the predetermined position (second opened position), the monitor2returns to the predetermined position (second opened position) by the spring force of the torsion spring10. Thus, a user, when opening the monitor2, releases the external force in the proper position where the user feels by a tactile feedback that the monitor has exceeded the second opened position, which enables the user to automatically locate the monitor2in the second position suitable for seeing and listening.

The arm9, the torsion spring10, and the plate arcuate groove17, which serve such a function, constitute the main members of a returning mechanism for performing the function of returning the monitor2exceeding the second opened position to the second opening position. Besides, even if an object or a person mistouches the monitor2existing in the second opened position, the returning mechanism causes the monitor to further rotate to thereby absorb the shock, and then causes the monitor2to automatically return to the original position.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As mentioned above, the monitor opening and closing mechanism according to the present invention, which holds a monitor at an angle suitable for a user to see and listen when the monitor is used, and further, causes the monitor not to obstruct a driver's rearward visibility through a room mirror, is suitable for use in mechanisms for in-vehicle monitors mounted on a ceiling of a motor vehicle or the like.