Abstract:
An exemplary display device includes a display panel and a rotating apparatus. The rotating apparatus includes a first spindle assembly, a conveyor connecting to the first spindle assembly, and a second spindle assembly. The first spindle assembly includes a first spindle configured to synchronously rotate with rotation of the display panel. The second spindle assembly includes a second spindle meshed with the first spindle, and is configured to be able to rotate and simultaneously rise or fall along the connecting assembly.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application is related to, and claims the benefit of, a foreign priority application filed in Taiwan as Serial No. 096123679 on Jun. 29, 2007. The related application is incorporated herein by reference. 
   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a display device that includes a display panel and a neck having a rotating apparatus, such that the display panel is rotatable in a predetermined plane. 
   GENERAL BACKGROUND 
   Referring to  FIG. 12 , a typical display device  4  includes a display panel  42 , a neck  44 , and a base  46 . The neck  44  is integrally formed with the base  46 , and is connected with the display panel  42  by a pivot axis  48 . The display panel  42  and the neck  44  are supported by the base  46 , and can be rotated around the pivot axis  48 . 
   It is widely held that a healthy position for a user to view a screen of the display panel  42  is such that a horizontal centerline of the display panel  42  is slightly below a horizontal line of sight of the user. However, the display device  4  is not configured to be readily adjustable to achieve this desired position. It can be troublesome and time-consuming for the user to try to adjust a working height of the display panel  42  of the display device  4 . Further, the display panel  42  cannot be rotated in a plane substantially perpendicular to the base  46 . 
   What is needed, therefore, is a display device that can overcome the above-described deficiencies. 
   SUMMARY 
   In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary display device includes a display panel and a rotating apparatus. The rotating apparatus includes a first spindle assembly, a conveyor connecting to the first spindle assembly, and a second spindle assembly. The first spindle assembly includes a first spindle configured to synchronously rotate with rotation of the display panel. The second spindle assembly includes a second spindle meshed with the first spindle, and is configured to be able to rotate and simultaneously rise or fall along the connecting assembly. 
   Other novel features, advantages and aspects will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of at least one embodiment of the present invention. In the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout various views, and all the views are schematic. 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the display device including a display panel, a neck, and a supporting base. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the display device of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a side plan view of the display device of  FIG. 1 , showing that the display panel can be moved up or down, and back or forth relative to the supporting base. 
       FIG. 4  is a front plan view of the display device of  FIG. 1 , showing that the display panel can be rotated in a plane substantially perpendicular to the supporting base. 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of the neck of  FIG. 2 , the neck including a lifter. 
       FIG. 6  is an isometric, exploded view of the neck of  FIG. 5 , the neck further including a first sliding stand, a hinge, a second tilting stand, and a rotating apparatus. 
       FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of the first sliding stand, the hinge, and the second tilting stand of  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 8  is an assembled, cutaway view of  FIG. 7 , showing the hinge attached to the second tilting stand. 
       FIG. 9  is an enlarged view of a circled portion IX of  FIG. 8 . 
       FIG. 10  is an exploded view of the rotating apparatus and the second tilting stand of  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 11  is similar to  FIG. 5 , but not showing the lifter. 
       FIG. 12  is a side plan view of a conventional display device. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe preferred and exemplary embodiments in detail. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , a display device  2  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. The display device  2  includes a supporting base  21 , a neck  23 , and a display panel  25 . The supporting base  21  supports the neck  23  and the display panel  25 . The neck  23  interconnects the display panel  25  and the supporting base  21 . Referring also to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the neck  23  is configured for allowing the display panel  25  to be moved up or down, pivoted back or forth relative to the supporting base  21  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ), and rotated in a plane substantially perpendicular to the supporting base  21  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ), as desired. 
   Referring also to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , the neck  23  includes a supporting stand  231 , a first sliding stand  233 , a second tilting stand  234 , a hinge  235 , a rotating apparatus  237 , a locking stand  238 , and a lifter  239 . 
   The supporting stand  231  includes a first side plate  2311 , a second side plate  2313 , a third side plate  2315 , and two bottom plates  2316 . The first side plate  2311  and the third side plate  2315  are located at two opposite sides of the supporting stand  231 , and are interconnected by the second side plate  2313 . The bottom plates  2316  are connected with the first side plate  2311  and the third side plate  2315 , respectively. A first blocking strip  2312  inwardly extends from the second side plate  2313 . The supporting stand  231  further includes a first sliding guide  2317  fixed at an inner surface (not labeled) of the first side plate  2311 , and a second sliding guide  2319  fixed at an inner surface (not labeled) of the third side plate  2315 . 
   Referring also to  FIG. 7 , the first sliding stand  233  is configured to be received in the supporting stand  231 , and includes a top board  2331 , a first side board  2333 , a second side board  2335 , a first sliding arm  2337 , and a second sliding arm  2339 . The first side board  2333  and the second side board  2335  are located at two opposite sides of the first sliding stand  233 , and are interconnected by the top board  2331 . The first sliding arm  2337  is fixed at an outer surface (not labeled) of the first side board  2333 , and is configured to slide along the first sliding guide  2317 . The second sliding arm  2339  is fixed at an outer surface (not labeled) of the second side board  2335 , and is configured to slide along the second sliding guide  2319 . Each of the first side board  2333  and the second side board  2335  includes a first flat through hole  2332  and a first flat fixing hole  2334  defined therein, respectively. 
   The lifter  239  includes a roller  2391  and a belt  2393 . The roller  2391  is positioned at a top end of the lifter  239  far from the bottom plates  2316 . The belt  2393  includes one end fixed to the roller  2391 , and the other end fixed to the top board  2331  of the first sliding stand  233 . Typically, the roller  2391  is spring-loaded. Thereby, when the roller  2391  is rotated in a first direction such that the belt  2393  extends further out from the roller  2391 , the roller  2391  elastically resists such rotation. The amount of resistance increases with increasing extension of the belt  2393  out from the roller  2391 . In one alternative embodiment, the belt  2393  can be an elastically deformable (stretchable and recoverable) belt. 
   The second tilting stand  234  is configured to be received between the first side board  2333  and the second side board  2335  of the first sliding stand  233 . The second tilting stand  233  includes a first side wall  2343  corresponding to the first side board  2333 , a second side wall  2345  corresponding to the second side board  2335 , and a front wall  2341  interconnecting the first side wall  2343  and the second side wall  2345 . Each of the first side wall  2343  and the second side wall  2345  defines a second rounded through hole  2342  corresponding to the first flat through hole  2332 , and a second flat fixing hole  2344  corresponding to the first flat fixing hole  2334 , respectively. The front wall  2341  includes a second blocking strip  2349  outwardly extending from a main body thereof, and a third rounded through hole  2347  and a fourth rounded through hole  2348  defined in the main body, respectively. 
   The hinge  235  includes a first spindle  2350 , and two screw cap assemblies  2351  configured to be threadedly engaged to two opposite ends (not labeled) of the first spindle  2350 . The first spindle  2350  includes a flat main portion (not labeled) and the two threaded ends. The screw cap assembly  2351  includes a first washer  2353 , a second washer  2355 , and a screw cap  2357 . The first washer  2353  includes an annular first body (not labeled), and a third blocking strip  2354  perpendicularly extending from an edge of the first body. The third blocking strip  2354  extends in a direction away from the middle of the first spindle  2350 , and corresponds to the first flat fixing hole  2334 . The second washer  2355  includes an annular second body (not labeled), and a fourth blocking strip  2356  perpendicularly extending from an edge of the second body. The fourth blocking strip  2356  extends in a direction toward the middle of the first spindle  2350 , and corresponds to the second flat fixing hole  2344 . That is, the third blocking strip  2354  and the fourth blocking strip  2356  point in opposite directions. 
   Referring also to  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 , when the hinge  235  is assembled to the second tilting stand  234 , the first spindle  2350  extends through the first flat through holes  2332  and the second rounded through holes  2342 . One pair of the first and second washers  2353 ,  2355  are located between the first side board  2333  and the first side wall  2343 , the other pair of first and second washers  2353 ,  2355  are located between the second side board  2335  and the second side wall  2345 . The third blocking strips  2354  are received in the first flat fixing holes  2334 , and the fourth blocking strips  2356  are received in the second flat fixing holes  2344 , respectively. The screw caps  2357  are threadedly engaged to the opposite ends of the first spindle  2350 , and are located outside the first side board  2333  and the second side board  2335 , respectively. With the above-described configuration, the first spindle  2350  is non-rotatable relative to the first sliding stand  233 , and is rotatable relative to the second tilting stand  234 . Therefore the second tilting stand  234  can correspondingly move up or down when the first sliding stand  233  moves up or down along the supporting stand  231 , and the first sliding stand  233  can remain static relative to the supporting stand  231  when the second tilting stand  234  and the first spindle  2350  are pivoted back or forth relative to the supporting stand  231 . 
   The locking stand  238  is substantially rectangular, and includes a fifth through hole  2381  corresponding to the fourth through hole  2348 , a curved sliding groove  2382  corresponding to the second blocking strip  2349 , and two sixth through holes  2383  defined in a central portion thereof, respectively. The sliding groove  2382  and the sixth through holes  2383  are located on two opposite sides of the fifth through hole  2381 . The locking stand  238  further includes a plurality of seventh through holes (not labeled) defined in four corners thereof such that the display panel  25  can be fixed to the locking stand  238  via the seventh through holes and a plurality of fasteners such as fixing bolts (not shown). 
   Referring to  FIG. 10 , the rotating apparatus  237  includes a second spindle  2370 , a third washer  2371 , a fourth washer  2372 , a driving gear  2373 , a third spindle  2374 , a fifth washer  2375 , a driven gear  2376 , a rotatable block  2377 , a static block  2378 , and a connecting line  2379 . The driven gear  2376  includes a plurality of first teeth (not labeled) meshed with a plurality of second teeth (not labeled) of the driving gear  2373 . 
   The third washer  2371  includes two fifth blocking strips (not labeled) corresponding to the sixth through holes  2383 , respectively. The second spindle  2370  includes an enlarged flat head (not labeled), and a main body (not labeled) connected with the flat head. The main body of the second spindle  2370  includes a flattened and threaded end corresponding to an eighth through hole (not labeled) of the driving gear  2373 . When the display device  2  is assembled, the main body of the second spindle  2370  extends through the fifth through hole  2381 , the fourth through hole  2348 , the third washer  2371 , the fourth washer  2372 , a plurality of gaskets (not labeled) located between the fourth washer  2372  and the driving gear  2373 , and the eighth through hole of the driving gear  2373 . A screw cap (not labeled) is threadedly engaged to the threaded end of the second spindle  2370 . The fifth blocking strips of the third washer  2371  are non-rotatably received in the sixth through holes  2383 , respectively. With the above-described configurations, the second spindle  2370  is non-rotatable relative to the driving gear  2373 , and is rotatable relative to locking stand  238 . Therefore when the second spindle  2370  is rotated, the driving gear  2373  is correspondingly rotated. 
   The third spindle  2374  extends through the driven gear  2376  and the rotatable block  2377 , and is parallel to the second spindle  2370 . The third spindle  2374  is non-rotatable relative to the driven gear  2376  and the rotatable block  2377 . A threaded end (not labeled) of the third spindle  2374  extends through the third through hole  2347  and the fifth washer  2375 , and is threadedly engaged to a screw cap (not labeled). The fifth washer  2375  includes a sixth blocking strip (not labeled) received in a ninth through hole (not labeled) above the third through hole  2347 . 
   Referring also to  FIG. 11 , the static block  2378  is fixed at a top portion of the supporting stand  231 . The connecting line  2379  includes one end (not labeled) fixed to the supporting stand  231 , and the other end (not labeled) connecting to the rotatable block  2377 . A section (not labeled) of the connecting line  2379  is movably received over a top of a pulley wheel (not labeled) of the static block  2378 . In the illustrated embodiment, the connecting line  2379  is a kind of flexible cord. 
   In one use, an external force is applied to the display panel  25  and the locking stand  238  to move the display panel  25  up or down relative to the supporting base  21 . As described above, the locking stand  238  moves up or down relative to the supporting base  21 , and the first sliding stand  233  correspondingly moves up or down along the supporting stand  231 . When the display panel  25  reaches a desired position, the external force is released, and the display panel  25  and the locking stand  238  can remain at the desired position due to a balance of a pulling force from the roller  2391 , a static friction force between the first and second sliding guides  2317 ,  2319  and the first and second sliding arms  2337 ,  2339 , respectively, and related gravitational forces. In addition, the first blocking strip  2312  can limit a maximum height of the display panel  25 . 
   In another use, an external force is applied to the display panel  25  and the locking stand  238  to pivot the display panel  25  back or forth relative to the supporting base  21 . As described above, the first sliding stand  233  remains static relative to the supporting stand  231 , and the second tilting stand  234  is moved back or forth about the first spindle  2350  correspondingly. When the display panel  25  is pivoted to a desired position, the display panel  25  can remain at the desired position due to a balance of static friction forces between the pairs of first and second washers  2353 ,  2355 . 
   In a further use, an external force is applied to the display panel  25  and the locking stand  238  to rotate the display panel  25  in the plane substantially perpendicular to the supporting base  21 . As described above, the rotation of the locking stand  238  drives the second spindle  2370  to rotate, and the third spindle  2374  and the rotatable block  2377  rotate correspondingly. Therefore, the display panel  25  can be rotated in the plane, and a maximum angle of the rotation of the display panel  25  depends on a length of the sliding groove  2382 . When the display panel  25  reaches a desired position, the display panel  25  can remain at the desired position due to a balance of friction forces associated with, inter alia, the meshing connection between the driven gear  2376  and the driving gear  2373 . In addition, when the display panel  25  is rotated, the display panel  25  can be driven to move up relative to the supporting base  21  at the same time in the case that one corner of the display panel  25  interferes with the supporting base  21 . 
   In summary, the neck  23  allows the display panel  25  to be moved up or down, pivoted back or forth relative to the supporting base  21 , and rotated in the plane substantially perpendicular to the supporting base  21 , as desired. Therefore, desired view angles, view heights, and view rotations of the display panel  25  can be conveniently achieved. This enables the display device  2  to readily provide optimum viewing positions for the display panel  25 . 
   It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.