Apparatus for supporting a display device in a plurality of positions

An electronic apparatus includes a main body and a front panel. A hinge rotatably connects the front panel to the main body. A socket is connected to the front panel. A hemispherical member is connected to a display. The hemispherical member is rotatably received by the socket. The hemispherical member is pressed against the socket. A holder has a recess in which at least a portion of the display is disposed. A first shaft projects upward from a center of an upper portion of the display. A second shaft projects downward from a center of a lower portion of the display. The holder has a first groove into which the first shaft extends. The holder has a second groove into which the second shaft extends. The first and second shafts are movable in the first and second grooves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention generally relates to an electronic apparatus having a 
display. This invention particularly relates to, for example, a computer 
or a terminal device placed on a counter in a bank or a post office. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
In some of banks and post offices, terminal devices or computers are placed 
on a counter, and members of the staff behind the counter use them in 
business with customers. Generally, a free space on the counter is narrow. 
Accordingly, it is desirable that a display and a printer of the terminal 
device can be controlled by the operator at a common front face of the 
terminal device. 
Typical prior-art displays of terminal devices or computers can not be 
easily changed in direction. In addition, a wider free space is necessary 
to allow a change in direction of the display. 
Regarding use of such a terminal device or a computer in a narrow space, a 
desirable convenient configuration is that a printer is close to an input 
device and a display of the terminal device or the computer. 
Japanese published unexamined utility model application 1-108973 discloses 
a modified ball-and-socket joint for rotatably mounting a display on a 
support. The modified ball-and-socket joint includes a hemisphere 
rotatably received by a socket. Rotation of the hemisphere relative to the 
socket enables a change in direction of the display. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of this invention to provide a convenient electronic 
apparatus. 
It is another object of this invention to provide a compact electronic 
apparatus. 
A first aspect of this invention provides an electronic apparatus 
comprising a main body; a front panel; a hinge for rotatably connecting 
the front panel to the main body; a display; a socket connected to the 
front panel; a hemispherical member being connected to the display and 
being rotatably received by the socket; and means for pressing the 
hemispherical member against the socket. 
The electronic apparatus may further comprise a holder having a recess in 
which at least a portion of the display is disposed, a first shaft 
projecting upward from a center of an upper portion of the display, and a 
second shaft projecting downward from a center of a lower portion of the 
display, the holder having a first groove into which the first shah 
extends, the holder having a second groove into which the second shaft 
extends, wherein the first and second shahs are movable in the first and 
second grooves. 
The electronic apparatus may further comprise a printer; means for movably 
connecting the printer to the main body; and a flexible cable for 
electrically connecting the main body and the printer; wherein the front 
panel is rotatable between a closed position and an open position; the 
front panel blocks and unblocks a path of movement of the printer when the 
front panel assumes the closed position and the open position 
respectively; and the printer is movable into and from a retracted 
position within the main body in cases where the front panel is in the 
open position. 
A second aspect of this invention provides an electronic apparatus 
comprising a main body; a front panel; a hinge for rotatably connecting 
the front panel to the main body; a display; means for connecting the 
display to the front panel; means for enabling rotation of the display in 
all directions relative to the front panel; a printer; and means for 
movably connecting the printer to the main body; wherein the front panel 
is rotatable between a closed position and an open position; the front 
panel blocks and unblocks a path of movement of the printer when the front 
panel assumes the closed position and the open position respectively; and 
the printer is movable into and from a retracted position within the main 
body in cases where the front panel is in the open position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
First Embodiment 
With reference to FIG. 1, an electronic apparatus includes a main body 1 
having a front panel 2. A display 3 is movably or rotatably mounted on the 
front panel 2 by a modified ball-and-socket joint (a hemisphere-and-socket 
joint) as will be described later. 
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the front panel 2 has a rectangular opening 12. 
A holder or casing 9 in the form of a box is attached to the front panel 
2. The holder 9 defines a recess which aligns with and opens at the 
rectangular opening 12 in the front panel 2. The display 3 is located in 
the holder 9. 
The modified ball-and-socket joint includes a member 6 having a 
hemispherical outer surface. The hemispherical member 6 is attached to the 
display 3 by screws 7. A central portion of the bottom walls of the holder 
9 forms a hemispherical socket 10 receiving the hemispherical member 6. 
The hemispherical socket 10 is another component of the modified 
ball-and-socket joint. The hemispherical member 6 and the hemispherical 
socket 10 are designed so that the member 6 can slide on the socket 10. 
The socket 10 has a spherical surface defining a recess into which a part 
of the hemispherical member 6 fits. The spherical surface of the socket 10 
substantially conforms to the corresponding spherical surface of the 
spherical member 6. 
A spring 4 has a dish, and a shaft 4a integrally extending from a central 
portion of the dish. The spring 4 has an axial hole which aligns with a 
hole in a center of the socket 10. A screw 5 extends through the holes in 
the spring 4 and the socket 10. The screw 5 has a head abutting against a 
front surface of a central portion of the dish of the spring 4. A nut 11 
in engagement with an end of the screw 5 abuts against a back surface of 
the socket 10. The spring 4 is attached to the socket 10 by the 
combination of the screw 5 and the nut 11. 
The hemispherical member 6 has a hemispherical interior in which the dish 
of the spring 4 is located. A top of the hemispherical member 6 has a 
circular opening 8 through which the shaft 4a of the spring 4 extends. A 
back of an edge of the dish of the spring 4 has projections 4b abutting 
against the hemispherical member 6. The spring 4 presses the hemispherical 
member 6 against the socket 10. The hemispherical member 6 and the 
projections 4b of the dish of the spring 4 are designed so that the 
hemispherical member 6 can slide on the projections 4b. The opening 8 in 
the hemispherical member 6 has a size which is greater than an outside 
diameter of the shaft 4a of the spring 4 to allow rotation of the 
hemispherical member 6 relative to the socket 10 and the spring 4. The 
hemispherical member 6 is allowed to rotate in all directions within a 
given limited angular range. Thus, the display 3 is allowed to rotate in 
all directions within a given limited angular range. 
With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, when a lower central point "A" of the 
display 3 is pressed inward by a force "F", the display :3 is rotated 
relative to the holder 9 and the front panel 2 and is thus moved from an 
erect position to a tilt position at which the display 3 inclines to the 
downward direction. 
With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, when a left-hand central point "B" of the 
display 3 is pressed inward by a force "F", the display 3 is rotated 
relative to the holder 9 and the front panel 2 about the vertical axis and 
is thus moved from a frontwardly-facing position to a leftwardly inclined 
position at which the direction of the display 3 differs from the 
frontward direction with respect to the front panel 2. 
With reference to FIGS. 8, 9, and 10, when a left-hand lower corner "C" of 
the display 3 is pressed inward by a force "F", the display 3 is rotated 
relative to the holder 9 and the front panel 2 and is thus moved from a 
frontwardly-facing erect position to a tilt position at which the display 
3 inclines to the downward direction and the leftward direction with 
respect to the front panel 2. 
The electronic apparatus is advantageous in that the direction of the 
display 3 can be easily changed relative to the apparatus body 1. As shown 
in FIGS. 3, 5, 7, 9 and 10, a major portion of the display 3 extends in 
the recess defined by the holder 9. Thus, only a very small free space 
near the front panel 2 is sufficient to allow change of the direction of 
the display 3. 
Second Embodiment 
FIGS. 11 and 12 show a second embodiment of this invention which is similar 
to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-10 except for additional arrangements 
indicated hereinafter. 
In the embodiment of FIGS. 11 and 12, a display 3 is provided with shafts 
13 and 14. The shaft 13 projects upward from a center of an upper portion 
of the display 3. The shaft 14 projects downward from a center of a lower 
portion of the display 3. A center of an upper portion of a holder 9 has a 
groove or an aperture 15 into which the shaft 13 extends. A center of a 
lower portion of the holder 9 has a groove or an aperture 16 into which 
the shaft 14 extends. Sizes of the shafts 13 and 14 and sizes of the 
grooves 15 and 16 are chosen so that the shafts 13 and 14 are spaced from 
the walls of the holder 9 by a predetermined gap "d" when the display 3 
assumes a normal position relative to the holder 9. 
Inward projections or guides 17, 18, 19, and 20 are provided on the holder 
9. The guides 17, 18, 19, and 20 are located at the left-hand upper 
corner, the left-hand lower comer, the right-hand lower comer, and the 
right-hand upper comer of a rectangular recess defined by the holder 9 
respectively. The guides 17, 18, 19, and 20 extend at a mouth of the 
recess defined by the holder 9. As shown in FIG. 12, the guides 17, 18, 
19, and 20 taper so that the thickness thereof decreases along a direction 
of a depth of the recess defined by the holder 9. It is preferable that a 
front panel 2 conceals the guides 17, 18, 19, and 20. 
With reference to FIGS. 13 and 14, when a right-hand lower corner "D" of 
the display 3 is pressed inward by a force "F", the display 3 is rotated 
relative to the holder 9 and the left-hand upper corner of the display 3 
encounters the guide 17. The shafts 13 and 14 move in the grooves 15 and 
16 and then encounter the walls of the holder 9 as the display 3 is 
rotated clockwise while being guided by the guide 17. Finally, the display 
3 is rotated to a tilt position at which the display 3 inclines to the 
downward direction and the rightward direction with respect to the holder 
9. 
The embodiment of FIGS. 11 and 12 is advantageous in that the guides 17, 
18, 19, and 20 and the shafts 13 and 14 enable smooth rotation of the 
display 3. 
Third Embodiment 
With reference to FIGS. 15 and 16, an electronic apparatus includes a main 
body 31 on which a front panel 32 is rotatably mounted by a hinge 33. The 
front panel 32 can rotate between a closed position (a normal position) 
and a fully open position. FIG. 15 shows conditions in which the front 
panel 32 assumes the closed position (the normal position). FIG. 16 shows 
conditions in which the front panel 32 assumes the fully open position. 
A display 34 is rotatably mounted on the front panel 32 by a modified 
ball-and-socket joint (a hemisphere-and-socket joint) as in the embodiment 
of FIGS. 1-10 or the embodiment of FIGS. 11-14. 
As shown in FIG. 17, horizontally extending rails 37 are fixed within the 
apparatus body 31. A printer 35 is movably supported on the rails 37. The 
printer 35 can move while being guided by the rails 37. Specifically, the 
printer 35 can move in backward and forward directions "E" with respect to 
the apparatus body 31. A handle 35a is attached to a front of the printer 
35. The printer 35 can be moved by operating the handle 35a. 
An electronic circuit within the printer 35 and an electronic circuit 
within the apparatus body 31 are electrically connected via a flexible 
cable 30. 
In the case where the front panel 32 assumes the fully open position as 
shown in FIG. 17, the printer 35 can be drawn from the apparatus body 31. 
Generally, the printer 35 is returned to a fully retracted position within 
the apparatus body 31 before the front panel 32 is closed. 
In more detail, the front panel 32 selectively blocks and unblocks a path 
of movement of the printer 35. When the front panel 32 assumes the closed 
position, it blocks the path of movement of the printer 35. Accordingly, 
in this case, the printer 35 is usually held in the fully retracted 
position within the apparatus body 31. When the front panel 32 assumes the 
fully open position, it unblocks the path of movement of the printer 35. 
Accordingly, in this case, the printer 35 can move into and from the fully 
retracted position. 
The electronic apparatus is advantageous as follows. The electronic 
apparatus is compact. Only when access to the printer 35 is required, the 
front panel 32 is opened and the printer 35 is drawn from the apparatus 
body 31. In other cases, the front panel 32 is closed while the printer 35 
remains within the apparatus body. 31.