Shade assembly for a display panel

A shade assembly for a display panel is provided. The shade assembly includes a frame having a plurality of elongate support members. Each support member has a flange on a first end thereof for being receivably engaged in a recess defined in the panel. A cover is slideably received by the plurality of elongate support members for shielding indirect light from the display panel.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The presently disclosed subject matter is directed towards a shade assembly, and more particularly, towards a shade assembly for use with an electronic display screen.

BACKGROUND

Many electronic devices with display screens are portable so that the operator or user can enjoy the electronic device in a variety of settings. Unfortunately, these display screens can be difficult to view when in a sunny or bright location. Excessive light causes a “washout” effect on the display screen such that the operator or user cannot easily view the screen. The operator must then increase the screen's brightness, thereby decreasing the battery life of the device, or shade the display screen to reduce the “washout” effect. One manner of shading the display screen may include placing one's hand in view of the sunlight or excessive brightness, however, this is uncomfortable for the user or operator. Another manner of shading the display assembly may include providing a shade apparatus that is affixed to the display assembly. However, these apparatus may suffer from many drawbacks as they may be bulky, aesthetically displeasing, expensive to manufacture, or suffer from various other drawbacks.

Accordingly, there remains a need to a shade assembly that addresses the various drawbacks associated with shade assemblies known in the prior art.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect of the disclosed subject matter, a shade assembly for a display panel is provided. The shade assembly includes a frame including a plurality of elongate support members and each support member has a flange on a first end thereof for being receivably engaged in a recess defined in the panel. A cover is slideably received by the plurality of elongate support members for shielding indirect light from the display panel.

According to another aspect of the disclosed subject matter, the cover includes a plurality of sleeves defined on a surface thereof, each sleeve slideably receiving each elongate support member.

According to another aspect of the disclosed subject matter, the cover includes a loop of material and each sleeve is formed by a plurality of stitching extending through spaced-apart portions of the cover.

According to another aspect of the disclosed subject matter, each recess is defined on an outermost periphery of the panel such that the cover projects from about the outermost periphery of the panel to thereby define a hood for viewing the panel.

According to another aspect of the disclosed subject matter, each support member further defines a shoulder that carries the flange for resting against the panel.

According to another aspect of the disclosed subject matter, a panel engaging portion of the shoulder has a shape that approximates a shape of a shoulder engaging portion of the panel.

According to another aspect of the disclosed subject matter, the panel is a generally rectangular prism having a first generally rectangular major surface, a spaced-apart, generally parallel, a generally rectangular second major surface, and a sidewall connecting the first and second major surfaces.

According to another aspect of the disclosed subject matter, the sidewall forms an edge portion defined between opposing corners of each of the first and second major surfaces, and further wherein, each edge portion defines the recess, such that each support member generally extends from opposing corners of each of the first and second major surfaces.

According to another aspect of the disclosed subject matter, a display assembly is provided. The display assembly includes a display panel having a display surface, a frame including a plurality of elongate support members, each support member having a flange on a first end thereof for being receivably engaged in a recess defined in the panel, and a cover slideably received by the plurality of elongate support members for shielding indirect light from the display panel.

According to another aspect of the disclosed subject matter, the display panel further includes a power source for providing power to the display panel.

According to another aspect of the disclosed subject matter, the sidewall forms an edge portion defined between opposing corners of each of the first and second major surfaces, and further wherein, each edge portion defines the recess, such that each support member generally extends from opposing corners of each of the first and second major surfaces.

According to another aspect of the disclosed subject matter, a display assembly is provided. The display assembly includes a frame having a plurality of generally parallel, spaced-apart, elongate support members, each support member having a flange on a first end thereof and a rectangular prism shaped display panel having a display surface, a spaced-apart mounting surface, and a sidewall interconnecting the display surface and the mounting surface. The sidewall defines recesses that extend from about each of the corners of the display surface to the mounting surface for receivably engaging a respective support member of the plurality of elongate support members. The plurality of elongate support members are positioned so as to extend towards a viewing area of the display surface. A cover for shielding indirect light from the display panel is provided and has a plurality of sleeves, each sleeve slideably receiving each support member of the plurality of elongate support members and being formed by stitching that extends though spaced-apart portions of the cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1illustrates a display assembly that is generally designated as10throughout the drawings. The display assembly10includes a shade assembly12that is configured for attaching to a display panel14. A frame16is provided that extends from the display panel14and is configured for carrying a cover30that provides shade to the display panel14. The support members20are configured for extending towards an operator or user viewing the display panel14. The frame16includes a plurality of elongate support members20that extend from the display panel14. Each elongate support member20includes a flange22on a first end24thereof. The flange22is provided for being selectively and engageably received within a cooperatively sized recess26which is defined in the panel.

The cover30is made from a portion of material, and in some embodiments, may be elastic, light untransmissive material. The cover30is configured such that a plurality of stitching34extends between spaced-apart positions of the portion of material so as to form sleeves32. These sleeves32are sized in such a manner that the elongate support members20can slide within the sleeves32and sufficient tension exists on the sleeves32so that the induced friction on the contact between sleeves32and support members20will maintain the support members20in place unless removed by the operator.

As illustrated more clearly inFIG. 3, the support member20may also include a shoulder36that carries the flange22. The shoulder36defines a panel engaging portion40and the panel14defines a shoulder engaging portion42. In one embodiment, the panel engaging portion40and the shoulder engaging portion42may have generally equal shapes such that a flush mating relationship is established when the support member20is installed upon the panel14. As illustrated inFIG. 3, the panel14may be a generally rectangular prism having a generally rectangular first major surface44and a spaced-apart, generally parallel, generally rectangular second major surface46. A sidewall50interconnects the first major surface44to the second major surface46. A video display screen or similar device may be received within the area defined between the generally rectangular first major surface44and the generally rectangular second major surface46and is contained by the sidewall50. Each corner portion of the first major surface44and second major surface46may include a rounded edged portion52that has a generally flat area that defines the recess26.

Installation of the shade assembly12onto the display panel14may be accomplished in at least two ways. One method is to engage the flange22of each of the support members20in each of the corresponding recesses26defined in the panel14in a manner such that the support members20extend towards an operator viewing the panel14. The cover30may then be installed by sliding cover30into a position such that each sleeve32is in generally alignment with the elongated portions of each support member20. The cover30is then slid towards the display panel14until the lowermost portion of the cover30is proximal to the display panel14. Another manner of installing the shade assembly12onto the display panel is to slide each sleeve32of the cover30onto each support member20before support members20are installed on the panel14. Then each support member20can be positioned proximal the panel14and installed by placing the flange22into recess26. In the panel14illustrated inFIG. 3, the operator may find that each of the first three support members20are easily installed, while the fourth support member20must be installed by stretching the cover30to create sufficient slack for the fourth support member20to reach to its corresponding recess26. Disassembly is carried out in a reverse order from assembly of the display assembly10.

The panel14may include various input and output adaptors for receiving and transmitting various signals from a display screen or similar device housed by the panel14such as a video output or input and a power source for providing power to the display screen. Panel14may be fabricated from any suitable material, and in some embodiments may be CNC fabricated from aluminum stock. In other embodiments, the aluminum stock may be anodized to provide a surface finish.