Abstract:
A standing desk designed monitor holder device having a frame and a monitor receptacle arrangement in the upper region of the frame is provided. The monitor receptacle arrangement has a sensor monitor bearing surface having a heat release opening for receiving the rear side of a sensor monitor designed as a flat screen.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is the US National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2010/050945, filed Jan. 27, 2010 and claims the benefit thereof. The International Application claims the benefits of European Patent office applications No. 09002057.9 EP filed Feb. 13, 2009 and 09009443.4 EP filed Jul. 21, 2009. All of the applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a monitor holder device in the form of a high desk, having a frame and a monitor receptacle arrangement which is held in the upper region of the frame. 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0003]    Monitor holder devices of this kind are known in the prior art. DE 202 03 197 U1 discloses, for example, an item of furniture which, in addition to a computer and the operator control elements of said computer, also accommodates a monitor and therefore serves, amongst other things, as a monitor holder device. The item of furniture comprises a base surface which is formed by a plurality of casters and a frame which is arranged on the base surface and, in its center, accommodates the computer. A vertically adjustable worktop which serves to accommodate the operator control elements is provided in the upper region of the frame. The item of furniture also has a monitor receptacle arrangement in the form of an articulated worktop which accommodates a monitor and, when the height of the worktop is adjusted, the inclination of said articulated worktop changes automatically in such a way that a user can comfortably view the monitor both when sitting and standing in accordance with the set height of the worktop. 
         [0004]    A significant disadvantage of the monitor holder device described in DE 202 03 197 U1 is that it is very bulky and takes up an accordingly large amount of space on account of the worktop which is provided for holding the mouse and keyboard. This is undesirable particularly in industrial applications, for example in factory workshops in the immediate vicinity of machine tools and working machines. In addition, the components which are held by the monitor holder device, that is to say the computer, the operator control elements and the monitor, are not protected against soiling or external mechanical influences. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0005]    One object of the present invention is therefore to provide a monitor holder device which is in the form of a high desk of the type mentioned in the introductory part which takes up little installation space and which protects electronic components which are arranged on said monitor holder device against soiling and external mechanical influences. 
         [0006]    According to the present invention, this object is achieved in the case of a monitor holder device which is in the form of a high desk of the type mentioned in the introductory part in such a way that the monitor receptacle arrangement has a sensor monitor support surface, which is provided with a heat discharge opening, for receiving the rear face of a sensor monitor, which is in the form of a flatscreen monitor, or touchscreen. On account of the fact that the monitor receptacle arrangement of the monitor holder device according to the invention is not designed to accommodate a conventional monitor, but rather to accommodate a sensor monitor which is in the form of a flatscreen monitor, a support surface for additional operator control elements, in particular for a mouse and keyboard, can be completely dispensed with since a sensor monitor constitutes both an input means and an output means. The dimensions of the monitor holder device according to the invention turn out to be correspondingly low, and therefore said monitor holder device takes up only relatively little installation space. In addition, sensor monitors of corresponding design are usually not highly susceptible to soiling and therefore are highly suitable for use in industrial environments, in particular for use in factory workshops in the immediate vicinity of machine tools and working machines. 
         [0007]    According to one embodiment of the present invention, the heat discharge opening is provided with a grating which protects both against mechanical influences and against soiling. 
         [0008]    According to a further embodiment, a large number of heat discharge openings may be provided, said heat discharge openings preferably being in the form of punched portions. Depending on the size of the individual heat discharge openings, the provision of a grating may also be dispensed with, so that an integral design of the sensor monitor support surface can be realized. 
         [0009]    The sensor monitor support surface can have projections for receiving the sensor monitor. In this case, the contact areas of these projections, which come into contact with the flatscreen monitor, can be accordingly matched in terms of shape to the contour of the rear face of the flatscreen monitor. 
         [0010]    The monitor receptacle arrangement preferably has side walls for surrounding a sensor monitor which is arranged on the sensor monitor support surface. Accordingly, the sensor monitor is protected from external influences not only from below but also at the sides. The intermediate spaces present between the side walls and the sensor monitor can be sealed off using sealing means in order to prevent the ingress of dirt and/or moisture into the monitor receptacle arrangement. 
         [0011]    In order to allow the sensor monitor to be comfortably operated, the sensor monitor support surface is advantageously inclined at an angle of from 30° to 60° with respect to the vertical, in particular at an angle of approximately 45°. A user can accordingly both easily view and comfortably manipulate the sensor monitor. 
         [0012]    In a development of the present invention, the monitor receptacle arrangement comprises a cable passage opening which is provided, in particular, on the sensor monitor support surface. In this way, the cables of the sensor monitor can be conveniently routed out of the monitor receptacle arrangement. 
         [0013]    A protective housing, which is provided with a heat discharge opening, for accommodating a computer is expediently provided. The protective housing defines firstly a predetermined position for the computer and secondly protects said computer against external influences, in particular against mechanical damage and soiling. 
         [0014]    The protective housing can be held on the monitor holder device, for example on the frame or the like, in order to produce an overall integral design in this way. 
         [0015]    The protective housing can advantageously be provided with a fan in order to be able to discharge the waste heat from the computer which is accommodated in the protective housing in a quick and targeted manner. 
         [0016]    According to one embodiment, the frame has a cable guide tube which is suitable for receiving cables and, in particular, connects the cable passage opening of the monitor receptacle arrangement to the interior of the protective housing. The cables which lead from the sensor monitor to the computer are accordingly not visible from the outside and are protected against external damage. 
         [0017]    According to one embodiment, a base surface is provided, the frame being mounted on said base surface. A base surface of this kind holds the monitor holder device stable if said monitor holder device is intended to be arranged in a freestanding manner. The protective housing, if present, can also be arranged and mounted on the base surface. 
         [0018]    The frame can have a standing leg which is firmly connected to the cable guide tube at one of its ends and to the base surface at its other end. The standing leg preferably extends at an angle in the range of from 60° to 80° with respect to the base surface and at an angle in the range of from 40° to 60° with respect to the cable guide tube, this providing a particularly stable and space-saving arrangement. The standing leg can be provided with at least one footrest on which a user can place his foot while manipulating the sensor monitor. This particularly improves the ergonomics of the monitor holder device. 
         [0019]    According to one embodiment of the present invention, the monitor holder device substantially comprises a welded structure comprising steel and/or sheet metal parts. This provides a very robust design which is highly suitable particularly for harsh industrial environments. 
         [0020]    In order to improve the visual appearance of the monitor holder device according to the invention, the surface of the steel and/or sheet metal parts can be at least partially sand-blasted and/or surface-treated using a lacquer or a powder coating. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]    In respect of further refinements of the invention, reference is made to the dependent claims and to the following description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which 
           [0022]      FIG. 1  shows a side view of a monitor holder device according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  shows a front view of the monitor holder device; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  shows a further side view of the monitor holder device; 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the monitor holder device; 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  shows a plan view of the monitor holder device; 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  shows a side view of a monitor holder device according to a further embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  shows a front view of the monitor holder device which is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
       [0029]      FIGS. 1 to 5  illustrate a monitor holder device  10  according to the present invention. Said monitor holder device is formed in the manner of a high desk and comprises a base surface  12 , a frame  14  which is firmly connected to the base surface  12 , a monitor receptacle arrangement  16  which is held in the upper region of the frame  14 , and a protective housing  18  which is fixed to the base surface  12  and serves to accommodate a computer. 
         [0030]    The base surface  12  is in the form of a round, solid metal plate in order to provide the monitor holder device  10  with a corresponding degree of stability and strength. 
         [0031]    The frame  14  comprises a standing leg  20  which extends in a substantially vertical plane, with said standing leg fainting an angle α of 69° with the base surface  12  and being firmly connected to said base surface by means of welding. 
         [0032]    Two footrests  22  are mounted opposite one another and in alignment with one another in the lower region of the standing leg  20 , it being possible for a user of the monitor holder device  10  to selectively support his feet on said footrests. The frame  14  further comprises a cable guide tube  24  which is welded approximately halfway up the standing leg  20 . The cable guide tube  24  extends in the same vertical plane as the standing leg  20  and forms an angle β of 50° with said standing leg. The lower free end of the cable guide tube  24  is supported on the upper face of the protective housing  18  and is welded to said protective housing. The monitor receptacle arrangement  16  is welded to the upper free end of the cable guide tube  24 . 
         [0033]    The monitor receptacle arrangement  16  comprises a rectangular sensor monitor support surface  26  which has a heat discharge opening  30 , which is covered by a grating  28 , in the upper region and a cable passage opening  32 , which forms the access to the interior of the cable guide tube  24 , in the center of the lower region. Accordingly, cables can be passed through the cable passage opening  32  and the cable guide tube  24  into the interior of the protective housing  18 . The monitor receptacle arrangement  16  further comprises four side walls  34 ,  36 ,  38  and  40  which surround the sensor monitor support surface  26  and project upward from said sensor monitor support surface, this producing a box-like receptacle into which a sensor monitor, which is in the form of a flatscreen monitor, can be inserted from above in such a way that its rear face comes to rest on the sensor monitor support surface  26 . The sensor monitor can be fixed to the monitor receptacle arrangement  16  by means of screws or other fastening means, for example. The sensor monitor support surface  26  is inclined in relation to the vertical at an angle of 45°, and therefore the sensor monitor is oriented in relation to the user to an optimum degree. 
         [0034]    The protective housing  18  is substantially in the form of a box and is provided with a ventilation opening  44 , which has a grating  42 , on one side wall. A fan  46  is arranged on the side walls of the protective housing  18  which are opposite the ventilation opening  44  in order to discharge waste heat from the computer which is positioned in the protective housing  18 . The protective housing  18  can be opened and closed on one side for the purpose of arranging and removing a computer, but this is not illustrated in any detail. 
         [0035]    The monitor holder device  10  is a welded structure comprising steel and/or sheet metal parts, the visible surfaces of said steel and/or sheet metal parts being sand-blasted and surface-treated using a lacquer or a powder coating. 
         [0036]    Overall, the monitor holder device  10  takes up only little installation space and protects the electrical components which are accommodated by said monitor holder device and are in the form of the computer and of the sensor monitor both against external mechanical influences and against soiling. Accordingly, the monitor holder device  10  is particularly suitable for use in harsh industrial environments, for example for use in a factory workshop in the immediate vicinity of machine tools and working machines. 
         [0037]      FIGS. 6 and 7  illustrate a monitor holder device  50  according to a further embodiment of the present invention. Said monitor holder device is likewise formed in the manner of a high desk and comprises a frame  52  and a monitor receptacle arrangement  54  which is held in the upper region of the frame  52 . 
         [0038]    The frame  52  comprises a straight cable guide tube  54  which can be arranged, for example, on a corresponding holder device of a machine or in an accommodation space which is formed in the floor. 
         [0039]    The monitor receptacle arrangement  54  comprises a rectangular sensor monitor support surface  58  which is provided with a large number of heat discharge openings  60  which are each in the form of punched portions. A cable passage opening  62  is further formed in the lower region of the monitor support surface  58 , said cable passage opening communicating with the cable guide tube  56 , so that it is possible for corresponding cables to be passed through the cable passage opening  62  and the cable guide tube  56 . In addition, the monitor support surface  58  comprises a plurality of projections  64  which come into contact with the rear face of a sensor monitor when the sensor monitor is inserted into the monitor receptacle arrangement  54 , with the contact areas of the projections  64  being accordingly matched in terms of shape to the contour of the rear wall of the sensor monitor. The projections  64  ensure that a small intermediate space remains between the rear face of the sensor monitor and the monitor support surface  58  in the region of the heat discharge opening  65 , said intermediate space allowing improved circulation of the air. The monitor receptacle arrangement  54  further comprises four side walls  66 ,  68 ,  70  and  72  which surround the sensor monitor support surface  58  and project upward from said sensor monitor support surface, this producing a box-like receptacle into which a sensor monitor, which is in the form of a flatscreen monitor, can be inserted in such a way that its rear face comes to rest on the projections  64  of the monitor support surface  58 . The sensor monitor can be fixed to the monitor receptacle arrangement  54 , for example, by means of screws or other fastening means. A sealing lip  74  which runs around the inside of the side walls  66 ,  68 ,  70 ,  72  bears against the sensor monitor when the sensor monitor is in the inserted state and prevents dirt or liquid from being able to enter the monitor receptacle arrangement  54  from above. 
         [0040]    The monitor holder device  50  which is illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7  can further have, analogously to the monitor holder device  10 , a separate protective housing for accommodating a computer. 
         [0041]    Overall, the monitor holder device  50  takes up only little installation space and protects the monitor which is accommodated in the monitor receptacle arrangement  54  against external mechanical influences and also against dirt and moisture. Accordingly, the monitor holder device  50  is particularly suitable for use in harsh industrial environments, for example for use in a factory workshop in the immediate vicinity of machine tools and working machines.