Abstract:
The display apparatus comprises a monitor for displaying image thereon; and a hinge arrangement for rotatably connecting the monitor to a body and thereby allowing a torque to be adjusted depending upon a rotation angle of the monitor. There is a fixed bracket ( 10 ), a rotating bracket ( 20 ), and rotatably mounted adjusting brackets ( 30, 40 ). Rotational contact between the rotating bracket ( 20 ) and the adjusting brackets ( 30, 40 ) adjusts the torque applied to the rotating bracket.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C §119 from an application entitled Display earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Feb. 19, 2001, and there duly assigned Serial No. 2001-8224 by that Office. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a hinge arrangement, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a hinge arrangement for connecting a display apparatus with a body is improved. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Conventionally, a display apparatus serves as an image display unit including a cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor or a liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor. The display apparatus generally embraces a monitor which is used with a computer, and its peripherals. Herein, as an example of a conventional display apparatus, a display apparatus which is used in a notebook computer, will be described. 
     A computer is composed of a body, a monitor and an input unit. In the body, there are arranged a main board having mounted thereto a central processing unit (CPU), a random access memory (RAM), a disk driver, and a variety of cards such as a graphic card, sound card, etc. The monitor is electrically connected to the body to display an image thereon. The input unit includes a keyboard which is used for inputting information into the body, a mouse, etc. 
     A hinge arrangement is disposed between the body and the monitor so as to rotatably support the monitor relative to the body. The hinge arrangement enables the monitor to be tilted relative to the body in upward and downward directions. 
     However, the conventional display apparatus suffers from defects in that, since a torque which is owned by the hinge arrangement within the range of a rotation angle of the monitor, is constant, it is difficult to optionally increase a rotation angle of the monitor relative to the body. 
     For example, in the case that a torque of the hinge arrangement is adjusted in such a way as to allow the range of a rotation angle of the monitor relative to the body to be set to 45°, the monitor can be rotated up to 45° without experiencing trouble. Nevertheless, when it is necessary to rotate the monitor beyond the range of 45°, a great deal of effort is needed for rotating the monitor. 
     On the contrary, in the case that a torque of the hinge arrangement is adjusted to a slight value, while the monitor can be easily rotated, it is difficult to continuously hold the monitor at a desired rotation angle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the problems occurring in the related art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a hinge arrangement for a display apparatus which enables a torque to be adjusted in a diversity of ways depending upon a rotation angle of a monitor. 
     In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a monitor for displaying an image thereon and a hinge arrangement for rotatably connecting the monitor to a body and thereby allowing a torque to be adjusted depending upon a rotation angle of the monitor. 
     Here, the hinge arrangement includes a fixed bracket which is fastened to the body, a rotating bracket which is fastened to the monitor and is capable of being rotated relative to the fixed bracket, at least one adjusting bracket which is located adjacent to the rotating bracket to limit a rotation angle of the rotating bracket, and a hinge shaft which is fitted through the fixed bracket, the rotating bracket and the adjusting bracket. 
     The hinge arrangement possesses a first adjusting bracket which is located adjacent to one surface of the rotating bracket which one surface faces the fixed bracket and a second adjusting bracket which is located adjacent to the other surface of the rotating bracket; and each of the first and second adjusting brackets is formed with at least one stopper which is to be brought into contact with an edge surface of the rotating bracket to limit the rotation angle of the rotating bracket. 
     A pair of stoppers are formed at both ends, respectively, of each of the first and second adjusting brackets. Each stopper projects toward the rotating bracket from a surface of each adjusting bracket. Lengths of the first and second adjusting brackets are smaller than a length of the rotating bracket. It is advantageous that the first and second adjusting brackets are bent at center portions thereof by predetermined angles, relative to the rotating bracket. 
     Friction members are intervened between the rotating bracket and the first and second adjusting brackets in a manner such that the pair of friction members are fitted around the hinge shaft. The friction members are made of soft rubber. 
     A nut is threaded on the hinge shaft so as to prevent the brackets from being separated from the hinge shaft. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A more complete appreciation of the present invention, and many of the attendant advantages thereof, will become readily apparent as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference symbols indicate the same or similar components, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a notebook (laptop) computer having a hinge apparatus connected between a body and a display apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the hinge arrangement at ‘A’ of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a hinge arrangement which is used with the display apparatus according to the present invention; and 
     FIGS. 4 through 7 are side views illustrating operations of the hinge arrangement in the display apparatus according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     Herein below, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in connection with a notebook computer. In this specification, a word “body” designates an element which is connected with a display apparatus in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, such as a computer. However, a person skilled in the art will readily recognize that the concept of the present invention can be applied to a TV or the like in which a body and a display apparatus are integrally formed with each other. 
     A computer to which the display apparatus is hingedly connected in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, has, as shown in FIG. 1, a body  1  and a monitor  4  which is connected to the body  1  to display image thereon. In the body  1 , there are arranged components for a desired computer system. An input unit (keyboard)  2  is also connected to the body  1  to allow desired information to be input into the body  1 . The monitor  4  cooperates with a hinge arrangement  100  (see FIG. 2) at ‘A’ which will be described in detail below, according to the present invention. 
     As can be readily seen from FIG. 2, the hinge arrangement  100  is disposed between the body  1  and the monitor  4 . The hinge arrangement  100  enables the monitor  4  to be tilted relative to the body  1  and allows a torque to be adjusted in a diversity of ways depending upon a rotation angle of the monitor  4 . 
     The hinge arrangement  100  includes a fixed bracket  10  which is fastened to the body  1 , a rotating bracket  20  which is affixed to the monitor  4  to be rotated or tilted relative to the fixed bracket  10 , first and second adjusting brackets  30  and  40  which are located adjacent to one surface and the other surface, respectively, of the rotating bracket  20  to limit a rotation angle of the rotating bracket  20 , and a hinge shaft  50  which is fitted through the fixed bracket  10 , the rotating bracket  20  and the first and second adjusting brackets  30  and  40 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the fixed bracket  10  has a fastening portion  11  and a bent portion  14 . The fastening portion  11  is defined with a plurality of first screw passing holes  12  in a manner such that the fixed bracket  10  can be fastened to the body  1  at the fastening portion  11  by means of screws which pass through the plurality of first screw passing holes  12 , respectively. The bent portion  14  is bent substantially perpendicular to the fastening portion  11  and is defined with a first shaft hole  15  in a manner such that the hinge shaft  50  can extend through the first shaft hole  15 , and the hinge shaft is prevented from rotating in first shaft hole  15 . 
     The rotating bracket  20  has an affixing portion  22  and an elongated portion  24 . The affixing portion  22  is defined with a plurality of second screw passing holes  23  in a manner such that the rotating bracket  20  can be affixed to the monitor  4  at the affixing portion  22  by means of screws which pass through the plurality of second screw passing holes  23 , respectively. The elongated portion  24  is bent substantially perpendicular to the affixing portion  22  and is defined with a second shaft hole  25  in a manner such that the hinge shaft  50  can extend through the second shaft hole  25 . 
     As described above, the first and second adjusting brackets  30  and  40  are located adjacent to the one planer surface  24   a  and the other planer surface  24   b , respectively, of the elongated portion  24  of rotating bracket  20  to limit the rotation angle of the rotating bracket  20 . At this time, the first and second adjusting brackets  30  and  40  are formed to have lengths which are smaller than a length of the elongated portion  24  of rotating bracket  20 . As best shown in FIG. 4, the first and second adjusting brackets  30  and  40  are bent (have a V bend) at center portions thereof by predetermined angles of A 1  and A 2 , respectively, relative to the straight elongated portion  24  of rotating bracket  20 . 
     The first and second adjusting brackets  30  and  40  are defined with third and fourth shaft holes  33  and  44 , respectively, in a manner such that the hinge shaft  50  can extend through the third and fourth shaft holes  33  and  44 . A pair of first stoppers  31   a  and  31   b  are formed at respective opposite ends of the first adjusting bracket  30  and a pair of second stoppers  41   a  and  41   b  are formed at respective opposite ends of the second adjusting bracket  40 , in a manner such that the first stoppers  31   a  and  31   b  and the second stoppers  41   a  and  41   b  are brought into contact with an edge surface of the elongated portion  24  of rotating bracket  20  to limit the rotation angle of the rotating bracket  20 . The pair of first stoppers  31   a  and  31   b  and the pair of second stoppers  41   a  and  41   b  project from both ends of the first and second adjusting brackets  30  and  40  toward the rotating bracket  20 , That is, the pair of first stoppers  31   a  and  31   b  and the pair of second stoppers  41   a  and  41   b  extend horizontally from both ends of the vertically extending first and second adjusting brackets  30  and  40  toward each other and toward the rotating bracket  20 . 
     A pair of friction members  70  are intervened between the rotating bracket  20  and the first and second adjusting brackets  30  and  40 , respectively, in a manner such that the pair of friction members  70  are fitted around the hinge shaft  50 . The friction members  70  are made of soft rubber so as to present elasticity and absorb friction upon rotation of the rotating bracket  20  relative to the first and second adjusting brackets  30  and  40  disposed between the first and second adjusting brackets  30  and  40 . 
     The hinge shaft  50  has a first shaft portion  52  which is inserted through the first shaft hole  15  of the fixed bracket  10 , and a second shaft portion  53  which is inserted through the second, third and fourth shaft holes  25 ,  33  and  44 . An externally threaded portion  53   a  is formed on a circumferential outer surface of, and adjacent to, a free end of the second shaft portion  53 , and a flange portion  55  is formed on a circumferential outer surface of the hinge shaft  50  between the first shaft portion  52  and the second shaft portion  53 . A nut  60  is threaded to the threaded portion  53   a  so as to prevent the brackets  20 ,  30  and  40  from being separated from the hinge shaft  50 . 
     A first pair of spring washers (or disk springs)  80  are interposed between the flange portion  55  of the hinge shaft  50  and the first adjusting bracket  30 , and a second pair of spring washers  80  and a flat washer  90  are interposed between the second adjusting bracket  40  and the nut  60 . A pair of friction members  70  are positioned adjacent to opposite sides of second shaft hole  25  and space the first and second adjusting brackets  30  and  40  from the elongated portion  24  of rotating bracket  20 . Here, positions, kinds and the numbers of the friction members  70 , spring washers  80  and the plain washer  90  can be varied as occasion and design demands. 
     Hereinafter, a procedure for assembling the display apparatus according to the present invention, constructed as mentioned above, to the body  1 , will be described in detail. 
     First, by inserting the screws through the plurality of first screw passing holes  12  which are defined in the fastening portion  11  of the fixed bracket  10 , the fixed bracket  10  is fastened to the body  1 . Then, the first shaft portion  52  of the hinge shaft  50  is inserted through the first shaft hole  15  which is defined in the bent portion  14  of the fixed bracket  10 . Thereupon, after the pair of first spring washers  80  are fitted around the second shaft portion  53  of the hinge shaft  50 , the first adjusting bracket  30  is fitted around the hinge shaft  50  in manner such that the second shaft portion  53  of the hinge shaft  50  is inserted through the third shaft hole  33  of the first adjusting bracket  30 . 
     Next, after the rotating bracket  20  and the second adjusting bracket  40  are sequentially fitted around the second shaft portion  53  of the hinge shaft  50  in a state wherein the pair of friction members  70  are intervened between the rotating bracket  20  and the first and second adjusting brackets  30  and  40 , respectively, in a manner such that the second shaft portion  53  of the hinge shaft  50  is inserted through the second shaft hole  25  of the rotating bracket  20  and the fourth shaft hole  44  of the second adjusting bracket  40 , the pair of second spring washers  80  and the flat washer  90  are fitted around the second shaft portion  53  of the hinge shaft  50 . Thereafter, the nut  60  is threadedly coupled to the threaded portion  53   a  of the hinge shaft  50 . By finally affixing the rotating bracket  20  to the monitor  4  at the affixing portion  22 , the procedure for assembling the display apparatus according to the present invention to the body  1  is completed. It is preferred that a pair of hinge arrangements  100  are disposed between the body  1  and the monitor  4 . 
     If assemblage of the display apparatus to the body  1  is completed in this way, the rotating bracket  20  and the first and second adjusting brackets  30  and  40  are configured as shown in FIG.  4 . From this state, torque changes which occur when tilting the rotating bracket  20  in a stepwise manner by predetermined angles of A 1 , A 2  and A 3 , will be explained below. 
     First, when the monitor is rotated backward, i.e., away from the user, the rotating bracket  20  is first tilted to the angle of A 1 , as shown in FIG.  5 . The torque applied to the elongated portion  24  of rotating bracket  20  by friction members  70  is unchanged until and the edge surface of the rotating bracket  20  is brought into contact with the upper first stopper  31   a  of the first adjusting bracket  30 . At this time, unless force is additionally applied to the rotating bracket  20 , the rotating bracket  20  which is initially tilted by the angle of A 1 , is not tilted any more due to engagement between the edge surface of the rotating bracket  20  and the upper first stopper  31   a  of the first adjusting bracket  30 . 
     If the rotating bracket  20  is further tilted to the angle of A 2  so as to increase a tilting angle of the monitor  4 , since the edge surface of the rotating bracket  20  is engaged with the upper first stopper  31   a  of the first adjusting bracket  30 , the rotating bracket  20  is tilted integrally with the first adjusting bracket  30 . At this time, a greater amount of force is required when compared to the case of tilting only the rotating bracket  20  to the angle of A 1  due to the force applied to the first adjusting bracket  30  by the first pair of spring washers  80 . 
     When the rotating bracket  20  is further titled to the angle of A 2  as just described above, as can be readily seen from FIG. 6, the edge surface of the rotating bracket  20  is brought into contact with the upper second stopper  41   a  of the second adjusting bracket  40 . In this state, upper portions of the rotating bracket  20  and the first and second adjusting brackets  30  and  40  are overlapped with one another as shown in FIG.  6 . 
     If the rotating bracket  20  is further tilted to the angle of A 3 , as can be readily seen from FIG. 7 so as to still further increase a tilting angle of the monitor  4 , a greater amount of force is required when compared to the case of tilting the rotating bracket  20  to the angle of A 2  due to the force applied to the second adjusting bracket  40  by the second pair of spring washers  80 . 
     Likewise, in the case that the monitor is rotated in a forward direction toward the user, which is opposite to the backward direction as described above, the edge surface of the rotating bracket  20  is first brought into contact with the lower first stopper  31   b  of the first adjusting bracket  30 , thereafter the rotating bracket  20  is integrally tilted with the first adjusting bracket  30 . Then, due to further forward rotation of the monitor, the edge surface of the rotating bracket  20  is brought into contact with the lower second stopper  41   b  of the second adjusting bracket  40 , and the rotating bracket  20  is integrally tilted with the first and second adjusting brackets  30  and  40 . 
     As a consequence, by adjusting a torque in a diversity of ways in conformity with a tilt angle of the monitor  4 , it is possible to hold a tilt angle of the monitor  4  at a variety of values, whereby an optimum viewing angle for the monitor  4  can be reliably secured. 
     Additionally, an increased in torque occurs when tilting the monitor towards a closed position, thereby preventing the monitor from falling to the closed position absent user manipulation. 
     As a result, according to the present invention, a display apparatus which enables a torque to be adjusted in a diversity of ways depending upon a rotation angle of a monitor, is provided. 
     In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed typical preferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.