Monitor and a monitor supporting apparatus

A monitor having a monitor body to display a picture, and a base member to support the monitor body. The monitor includes a link member provided between the monitor body and the base member; a base hinge to rotatably connect the link member and the base member to enable the link member to rotate relative to a surface of the base member; a monitor hinge spaced from the base hinge to rotatably combine the link member and the monitor body; and a rotating limiter provided between the link member and the base member to prevent a lower part of the monitor body from making contact with the base member or an installing surface of the base member when the link member rotates against the base member. Accordingly, the monitor according to an aspect of the present invention prevents the lower part of the monitor body from making contact with the base member when the height of the monitor body is adjusted, and is convenient to use as the monitor body can be tilted relative to the base member. Further, package size of the monitor is reduced to decrease transportation expense upon delivery because the monitor body can be folded to be parallel to the base member.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2003-54263, filed Aug. 6, 2003, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a monitor, more particularly, to a monitor having an improved pivot structure of a monitor body relative to a base member.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, a monitor comprises a monitor body to display a picture, and a base member placed on a surface such as a table to support the monitor body.

Recently, a display apparatus having reduced thickness relative to a display area such as a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) has been manufactured and is now being widely used.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, a conventional monitor comprises: a base member201placed on a surface such as a table, a monitor body202installed with an LCD to display a picture, and a connecting member210to link the base member201and the monitor body202.

A bottom portion of the connecting member210is rotatably supported by a pair of supporting brackets204and206combined to the base member201, while a top portion of the connecting member210is combined to the monitor body202.

Accordingly, the monitor body202of the conventional monitor has adjustable height due to rotation of the connecting member210, which allows the monitor body202to move up and down relative to the base member201as indicated by arrow “A” inFIG. 1.

However, although the monitor body202of the conventional monitor has adjustable height, a bottom portion of the monitor body202may make contact with the base member201or the surface on which the base member201is placed on when the monitor body202is pushed downward.

In addition, the conventional monitor is inconvenient to use because the conventional monitor is not provided with a tilting function to enable the monitor body202to rotate about a transverse axis of the monitor body202relative to the connecting member210, and is not provided with a pivoting function to enable the monitor body202to pivot about an axis along a front-to-rear direction of the monitor body202relative to the connecting member210. Further, the conventional monitor presents a problem when packaging for delivery, thus, increasing transportation expenses because the monitor body202can not be folded parallel to a surface of the base member201.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a monitor to prevent a bottom portion of a monitor body from making contact with a base member or a surface on which the base member is placed when the height of the monitor body is adjusted, and a monitor capable of tilting the monitor body relative to the base member, thus, decreasing delivery expenses by reducing packaged size of the monitor.

Also, it is another aspect of the present invention to provide a monitor having a monitor body that pivots relative to a base member.

The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention are achieved by providing a monitor comprising: a monitor body to display a picture; a base member to support the monitor body; a link member provided between the monitor body and the base member; a base hinge to rotatably connect the link member and the base member to enable the link member to rotate relative to a surface of the base member; a monitor hinge spaced from the base hinge to rotatably combine the link member and the monitor body; and a rotating limiter provided between the link member and the base member to prevent a lower part of the monitor body from making contact with the base member or a surface on which the base member is placed when the link member rotates against the base member.

According to an aspect of the invention, the monitor further comprises: a base bracket combined to the base member and the base hinge to support the base hinge.

According to another aspect of the invention, the rotating limiter comprises: a stopping protrusion provided on the link member; and a stopper provided on the base bracket to make contact with the stopping protrusion to stop rotation of the link member.

According to an aspect of the invention, the base bracket is formed with a stopper accommodation part to support the stopper when the stopper exits and enters the stopper accommodation part; and an elastic member to elastically push the stopper, provided between the stopper and the stopper accommodation part.

According to an aspect of the invention, the stopping protrusion surmounts an elastic force of the elastic member to enable the link member to rotate to a position parallel to the surface of the base member when the link member is pushed, and the stopping protrusion makes contact with the stopper.

According to an aspect of the invention, the monitor body further comprises a pivoting hinge to pivotably combine the monitor body and the monitor hinge to enable the monitor body to pivot relative to the monitor hinge.

According to an aspect of the invention, the monitor further comprises a main body bracket provided between the pivoting hinge and the monitor hinge.

According to an aspect of the invention, a first side of the main body bracket is combined to the monitor hinge to enable the monitor body to rotate relative to the link member, and a second side of the main body bracket is combined to the pivoting hinge to enable the monitor body to pivot relative to the main body bracket.

According to an aspect of the invention, the pivoting hinge comprises: a monitor bracket having a first side combined to the monitor body and a second side formed with a pivoting shaft protruding backward; and a pivoting bracket having a first part formed with a shaft accommodation part pivotably combined with the pivoting shaft, and a second part combined with the main body bracket.

According to an aspect of the invention, the pivoting shaft is of a cylindrical hollow shape in a middle area of the monitor bracket with an edge of the cylindrical hollow protruding backward.

According to an aspect of the invention, a bending part is formed on an end of the pivoting shaft to provide a pivoting friction force between the monitor bracket and the pivoting bracket by pressing against a rear edge of the shaft accommodation part.

According to an aspect of the invention, a washer is provided between the monitor bracket and the pivoting bracket or between the pivoting bracket and the bending part, or at both places.

According to an aspect of the invention, the pivoting hinge further comprises a pivoting angle limiter to limit a pivoting angle range of the monitor bracket relative to the pivoting bracket.

According to an aspect of the invention, the pivoting angle limiter comprises: a protrusion protruding backward from the monitor bracket; and a protrusion guiding part provided on the pivoting bracket and pivotably guide the protrusion within a predetermined angle range.

According to an aspect of the invention, the pivoting angle range of the monitor bracket relative to the pivoting bracket ranges from 0 to 180 degrees.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will be described in reference to a monitor having a monitor body with a flat display panel, for example, such as an LCD or a Plasma Display Panel (PDP).

As illustrated inFIGS. 2 through 7, a monitor1according to an aspect of the present invention comprises: a monitor body3to display a picture, a base member5to support the monitor body3, a link member10provided between the monitor body3and the base member5, a base hinge40to rotatably link the link member10to the base member5and enable the link member10to rotate relative to a surface of the base member5, a monitor hinge50spaced from the base hinge40to rotatably link the link member10to the monitor body3, and a rotating limiter60(shown inFIG. 6) provided between the link member10and the base member5to prevent contact between a bottom portion of the monitor body3and the base member5or an installing surface of the base member5when the link member10rotates relative to the base member5. In addition, the monitor1according to an aspect of the present invention further comprises: a pivoting hinge70to pivotably link the monitor body3and the monitor hinge50to enable the monitor body3to pivot relative to the monitor hinge50, and a main body bracket30(shown inFIG. 3) provided between the pivoting hinge70and the monitor hinge50.

The monitor body3is provided with a flat display panel such as the LCD, the PDP, or similar display panels to display the picture.

The base member5is placed on a surface such as a table to support the monitor body3. As shown inFIG. 3, on top of the base member5is provided a base bracket20combined with the base member5and the base hinge40to support the base hinge40.

The link member10, which is shaped similar to a rectangular plate comprises: a lower part11combined with the base hinge40, and an upper part13combined with the monitor hinge50. Further, the link member10is provided with a cable guiding part (not shown) to accommodate and guide a cable (not shown) that connects the base member5to the monitor body3and transfers an image signal.

According to an aspect of the invention, a pair of base brackets20are provided to be combined with opposite sides of the lower part11of the link member10and with the base hinge40. Further, a bottom portion of the base bracket20is provided with a base combining part21screw-combined with the base member5by a screw, while a top of the base bracket20is formed with a first link support23to rotatably support an auxiliary link member90. In addition, at least one of the pair of base brackets20is formed with a stopper accommodation part25to accommodate a stopper63.

A top portion of the main body bracket30is provided with a pivoting combining part33screw-combined to a pivoting bracket75of the pivoting hinge70, while a bottom portion of the main body bracket30is combined to the monitor hinge50to allow rotation relative to the link member10. Further, the main body bracket30is formed with a cable accommodation part35to accommodate the cable to connect the monitor body3and the base member5.

As shown inFIG. 6, the rotating limiter60comprises: a stopping protrusion61formed on the link member10, and a stopper63provided to the base bracket20to make contact with the stopping protrusion61to stop rotation of the link member10by pressing against the stopping protrusion61.

The stopping protrusion61is formed to protrude at least on the lower part11of the link member10.

The stopper63is provided to enter and exit the stopper accommodation part25provided on the base bracket20. Further, an elastic member67to push the stopper63with an elastic force is provided between the stopper63and the stopper accommodation part25.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the elastic member67is a coil spring having a predetermined elastic force to push the stopper63upward. Further, the elastic force of the elastic member67is set to a degree so that the stopping protrusion61on the link member10which rotates when the link member10is pushed downward can be stopped by the stopper63, and such that the stopping protrusion61can pass by the stopper63pushing the stopper63downward as the link member10is further pushed downward.

Accordingly, when the link member10is pushed and the stopping protrusion61makes contact with the stopper63, the stopping protrusion61surmounts the elastic force of the elastic member67and passes by the stopper63, causing the link member10to be parallel to the surface of the base member5.

The pivoting hinge70is provided between the monitor body3and the main body bracket30to enable the monitor body3to be rotated about an axis along a front-to-rear direction of the monitor body3relative to the main body bracket30. Further, the pivoting hinge70comprises: a monitor bracket71combined to the monitor body3, and a pivoting bracket75provided between the monitor bracket71and the main body bracket30, rotatably combined with the monitor bracket71.

A first side of the monitor bracket71is screw-combined to a combining part4provided to a rear of the monitor body3, while a second side of the monitor bracket71is formed with a pivoting shaft72protruding backward.

A first part of the pivoting bracket75is formed with a shaft accommodation part76rotatably combined to the pivoting shaft72, while a second part of the pivoting bracket75is formed with a main body bracket combining part77screw-combined with the pivoting combining part33of the main body bracket30.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the pivoting shaft72is formed like a cylindrical hollow in a middle part of the monitor bracket71having an edge of the hollow protruding backward. Herein, the cylindrical hollow is preferably wide enough for the cable that connects the monitor body3and the base member5to pass through. An end of the pivoting shaft72is formed with a bending part73bent to press a rear edge of the shaft accommodation part76so that the monitor bracket71is closely in contact with the pivoting bracket75to generate rotational friction force. Further, at least one washer79is combined with the pivoting shaft72.

The bending part73is formed when a rear end of the pivoting shaft72is pushed, and thereby, presses against the rear edge of the shaft accommodation part76of the pivoting bracket75. Further, the rotational friction force generated when the bending part73is pressed is surmountable by a user as the user rotates the monitor body3with a predetermined force.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the washer79is provided between the monitor bracket71and the pivoting bracket75or between the pivoting bracket75and the bending part73. The washer79may also be provided at both places. However, according to another aspect of the present invention, the washer79is provided between the pivoting bracket75and the bending part73. Further, the washer79provides an elastic force to keep a proper rotation friction between the monitor bracket71and the pivoting bracket75.

A pivoting angle limiter80comprises: a protrusion81protruding backward from the monitor bracket71, and a protrusion guiding part83provided to the pivoting bracket75to rotatably guide the protrusion81within a predetermined angle range.

The protrusion81formed to protrude from the rear of the monitor bracket71is inserted into the protrusion guiding part83so that rotation can be limited when the protrusion81is blocked by the opposite ends of the protrusion guiding part83.

The protrusion guiding part83is formed to be depressed in a shape of an arc of a circle on the front of the pivoting bracket75to accommodate the protrusion81. Further, a pivoting angle range is determined according to an angle range of the opposite ends of the protrusion guiding part83. According to an aspect of the present invention, the angle range of the opposite ends of the protrusion guiding part83ranges from 0 to 180 degrees. In other words, the pivoting angle range of the monitor bracket71relative to the pivoting bracket75ranges from 0 to 180 degrees. However, the protrusion may be formed on the front of the pivoting bracket75with the protrusion guiding part83formed on the rear of the monitor bracket71. Further, the angle range of opposite ends of the protrusion guiding part may range from 0 to 90 degrees or may be set to a different range as necessary.

The base hinge40is provided between the lower part11of the link member10and the base bracket20. According to an aspect of the present invention, the base hinge40comprises: a pair of first hinge axes41rotatably combined to the lower part11of the link member10and the pair of base brackets20, and a twisting coil spring43having a first end combined to the link member10and a second end combined to the pair of base brackets20.

The first hinge axis41is inserted into a side of the lower part11of the link member10and into a side of the base bracket20to enable the link member10to rotate up and down relative to the base member5due to the rotational friction force. Accordingly, the user can adjust the height of the monitor3relative to the base member5by pressing the link member10to rotate about the first hinge axis41relative to the base member5. According to an aspect of the invention, the rotating friction force of the first hinge axis41is surmountable by the user when the user pushes the link member10with the predetermined force.

The twisting coil spring43has an elastic force applied in a direction opposite to a downward rotation of the monitor body3that is combined to the link member10. Moreover, the elastic force of the twisting coil spring43is equal to the force of the weight of the monitor body3that rotates the link member10downward. Accordingly, the user can rotate the link member10easily relative to the base member5because the weight of the monitor body3is negated by the elastic force of the twisting coil spring43. Further, the user can rotate the link member10up and down by pressing the link member10with the same force because the user only needs to surmount the rotational friction force of the first hinge axis41to rotate the link member10up and down relative to the base member5.

The monitor hinge50is provided between the upper part13of the link member10and the main body bracket30. According to an aspect of the present invention, the monitor hinge50comprises: a link support55having a second link support56combined to the auxiliary link member90and rotatably combined to a first side of the upper part13of the link member10, a second hinge axis51rotatably combined to a first side of the link support55and a first side of the main body bracket30, and a rotating shaft58provided to a second side of the main body bracket30and rotatably combined to a rotating shaft support59provided to a second side of the upper part13of the link member10. According to another aspect of the invention, the monitor hinge50may further comprise: a spring member (not shown) combined to the link member10on a first side thereof and combined to the main body bracket30on a second side thereof to provide the elastic force applied in the direction opposite to a downward rotation of the monitor body3due to the weight of the monitor body3.

The link support55is provided rotatably supported via a support accommodation part53provided to the first side of the upper part13of the link member10.

The second hinge axeses51are rotatably inserted into a second shaft accommodation part57respectively provided on the first side of the link support55and the first side of the main body bracket30to provide the rotation friction force. Accordingly, the main body bracket30combined to the monitor body3rotates about the second hinge axis51relative to the link member10when the user pushes the monitor body3. Herein, the rotation friction force of the second hinge axis51is surmountable by the user when the user presses the monitor body3with the predetermined force.

According to another aspect of the invention, a pair of auxiliary link members90, shaped like a rod, are provided to a first side of the link member10. Further, the auxiliary link member90is rotatably combined to the first link support23and the second link support56. The auxiliary link member90is installed on the first link support23and the second link support56to be deviated from an axis of the first hinge axis41and the second hinge axis51.

Accordingly, when the link member10is pushed to rotate up and down relative to the base member5, the main body bracket30is rotated along the link support55via the auxiliary link members90. In other words, when the link member10rotates downward, the link support55and the main body bracket30rotate backward, eventually rotating the monitor body3backward. And when the user tries to push and tilt only the main body bracket30relative to the link member10without rotating the link member10, only the main body bracket30rotates as the force applied to rotate the main body bracket30surmounts the rotation friction force formed between the second hinge axis51and the second shaft accommodation part57, while the link support55does not rotate with the auxiliary link member90.

Hereinbelow, an operation of the monitor according to an aspect of the present invention will be described in reference toFIGS. 8 through 12.

When a user wants to fold the monitor body3to be parallel to the base member5and the monitor body3shown inFIG. 2is pushed downward, the stopping protrusion61provided to link member10stops rotating as the stopping protrusion61is blocked by the stopper63provided on the base bracket20before the lower part of the monitor body3makes contact with the base member5as shown inFIG. 8. The monitor body3can be pushed to tilt backward and to be parallel to the surface of the link member10. (Refer toFIG. 9) Accordingly, if the monitor body3is pushed downward further, the stopping protrusion61surmounts the elastic force of the elastic member67and passes by the stopper63to allow the monitor body3to be folded parallel to the base member5. (Refer toFIG. 10)

According to an aspect of the invention, the monitor body3pivots relative to the main body bracket30.FIG. 11illustrates the monitor body3that rotates about the pivoting shaft72. Accordingly, the protrusion81rotates along the protrusion guiding part83. Herein, a pivoting range of the monitor body3relative to the main body bracket30ranges from 0 to 180 degrees because the angle range of the opposite ends of the protrusion guiding part83ranges from 0 to 180 degrees. (Refer toFIG. 12) Thus, picture displayed on the monitor body3can be easily viewed by the user from the rear of the monitor1when the monitor body3is pivoted to 180 degrees relative to the main body bracket30, and when the monitor body3is folded to be parallel to the base member5.

Accordingly, the monitor according to an aspect of the present invention can prevent the lower part of the monitor body from making contact with the base member when the height of the monitor body is adjusted, and is convenient to use because the monitor body can be tilted relative to the base member. Further, package size of the monitor is reduced to decrease transportation expense upon delivery as the monitor body can be folded to be parallel to the base member.