Abstract:
An apparatus is disclosed for supporting a computer monitor of the type which has a thickness substantially less than the height and width thereof, said apparatus comprising: a base structure for resting on a support surface, said structure contacting said surface over a width and depth sufficient to provide a stable base for the computer monitor, the front of said structure extending under at least a portion of the monitor; a support member attached to the monitor for supporting the same; an elongated linkage having a rear pivot attachment to said base structure and a front pivot attachment to said support member; said rear pivot attachment permitting said linkage to pivot from a generally horizontal position to a generally vertical position; said front pivot attachment permitting the support member and monitor to pivot to assume a tilt angle within a predetermined limited vertical range during normal use and to pivot rearwardly so that said support member and monitor are generally parallel to said linkage for shipping and/or storage.

Description:
The present invention generally relates to support apparatus for computer monitors, and particularly for relatively thin computer monitor configurations. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     With the advent and proliferation of relatively thin computer monitors, such as the liquid crystal displays that are becoming more popular, there is more design freedom to develop support mechanisms for such relatively thin monitors that exhibit creative design features as well as improved functionality. This is due to the fact that such thin monitors do not weigh nearly as much as the old CRT monitors, nor do they have the significant depth that produces a large footprint. Of course, such LCD displays are not entirely new and support apparatus for such monitors have been developed and commercialized. Many of the early designs were static, in that they did not permit any significant movement of the LCD screen other than the adjustment of the screen tilt angle. More recent designs have permitted some degree of height adjustment including one that has been commercialized and is the subject of a patent application entitled “Computer Monitor Base With Height Adjustment”, Ser. No. 10/692 982 and filed Oct. 24, 2003. 
     In that application which is assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, the monitor support incorporated a four bar parallelogram linkage to provide height adjustment, and it also permitted adjustment of the screen tilt angle. Moreover, the support permitted the parallelogram linkage to the moved down past horizontal and also permitted the monitor to be pivoted rearwardly through a limited amount of rotation to reduce the size of the entire unit to a size that facilitated storage and shipping costs. 
     While this support had many desirable attributes, significant improvements have since been made which are the subject of the present invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention are directed to an apparatus for supporting a computer monitor of the type which has a thickness substantially less than the height and width thereof, said apparatus comprising: a base structure for resting on a support surface, said structure contacting said surface over a width and depth sufficient to provide a stable base for the computer monitor, the front of said structure extending under at least a portion of the monitor; a support member attached to the monitor for supporting the same; an elongated linkage having a rear pivot attachment to said base structure and a front pivot attachment to said support member; said rear pivot attachment permitting said linkage to pivot from a generally horizontal position to a generally vertical position; said front pivot attachment permitting the support member and monitor to pivot to assume a tilt angle within a predetermined limited vertical range during normal use and to pivot rearwardly so that said support member and monitor are generally parallel to said linkage for shipping and/or storage. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown together with an LCD monitor; 
         FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4  and  5  show the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  with portions removed, showing the apparatus with the monitor initially in a normal operating position and progressively folded into a generally flat position that would be desired for storage and/or shipping; 
         FIG. 6  is a rear perspective similar to that shown in  FIG. 1 , but with portions removed; 
         FIG. 7  is a partially exploded perspective of a portion of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6  and excluding the computer monitor; 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6  with portions removed; and 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , particularly illustrating the covers that surround the apparatus. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A preferred embodiment is shown in the drawings and will be described in detail. In the course of the description there will also be alternatives that will be described, and those alternatives are intended to be a part of the spirit and scope of the present invention. The preferred embodiment of the present invention is directed to an apparatus for supporting a computer monitor or other type of monitor that has a relatively thin configuration, such as liquid crystal displays that are enjoying increased popularity. 
     As will be shown in the drawings, these relatively thin monitors do not have a large footprint and the weight is therefore concentrated around a center of gravity that is aligned relatively close to the front face of the monitor than CRT monitors. One of the desirable attributes of the embodiment shown in the drawings is the fact that it can be easily manipulated to adjust the height of the monitor as well as its screen tilt angle and can also be folded into a relatively short configuration that is advantageous from a shipping standpoint in that a smaller container is required, and because of the smaller size, the shipping costs are also reduced compared to a larger container. The apparatus also has a fewer number of parts compared to prior designs that achieve some of the functional capabilities of the embodiments of the apparatus of the present invention. 
     Turning to the drawings, and particularly  FIGS. 1-5 , apparatus embodying the present invention is indicated generally at  10  and is shown with a monitor  12  attached to it. The monitor is not considered to be part of the present invention. The apparatus includes a generally ring-shaped base, indicated generally at  14 , which has a rear attachment support, indicated generally at  16 , to which a rear pivot attachment, indicated generally at  20 , is connected. A four bar parallelogram linkage assembly, indicated generally at  18 , is attached to the rear pivot attachment  20  and also to a front pivot attachment, indicated generally at  22 , which is in turn connected to the monitor  12  by structure that will be hereinafter described. 
     A particular advantage of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1  is the fact that it can be folded into a compact unit for storage and/or shipment. This is particularly illustrated in  FIGS. 2-5  wherein the monitor  12  is shown to be in a normal viewing position in  FIG. 2 . In this view, the monitor is tilted forwardly, i.e., the top of the monitor is more forward than the bottom. In this position, the linkage assembly  18  is shown at a relatively high position in that angle of the linkage assembly relative to the horizontal plane of the base  14  is approximately 60-75°. Because of the nature of the four bar parallelogram linkage assembly  18  is such that the screen tilt angle of the monitor does not appreciably change as the angle of the linkage assembly changes, it should be appreciated that a user can easily adjust the elevation of the monitor by simply raising or lowering it to suit the user. In this preferred embodiment, the monitor preferably tilts rearwardly approximately 5° when the monitor is moved from its highest to its lowest position. This keeps the center of gravity of the monitor more rearwardly so that it will not tip over. Of course, the criticality of this happening is a function of the design of the monitor which can vary considerably. The position of the center of gravity at various heights should be considered together with the size and shape of the footprint of the base. Also as will be discussed in detail, the tilt angle can be changed within a limited range, preferably approximately 5° forward to approximately 25° in the rearward direction. The forward position is approximately as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     The monitor shown in  FIG. 3  is lowered so that the bottom is approximately in contact with the base  14  and it is noted that the screen tilt angle of the monitor is approximately 5° rearward (to about true vertical) as just described. In this position, the linkage assembly approaches, but is not quite horizontal. In  FIG. 4 , the monitor has been manipulated to change the screen tilt angle to a backward position, and it is approximately at its backward limit of its normal range of motion. A detent mechanism limits the screen tilt angle in both directions. When it is in the position shown in  FIG. 4 , the linkage assembly  18  is substantially horizontal. The monitor can be tilted back rearwardly to the flat or horizontal position shown in  FIG. 5  by pushing the monitor down with sufficient force to release or overcome the detent mechanism and permit it to be placed in this position. As is evident, the size of the monitor when it is completely folded down as shown in  FIG. 5  is substantially less than in the other positions. This enables the unit to be placed in a relatively smaller container for storage or shipment. 
     With regard to the specific detailed structure of the apparatus and referring to  FIGS. 6-8 , the base  14  is shown to have three main components, i.e., an upper ring  24 , a lower ring  26  and the rear attachment support  16 , all three components of which are secured together preferably by screws. The upper ring  24  has a number of holes  28  through which screws  30  may be inserted to engage a threaded protrusion  32  to attach the upper ring  24  to the lower ring  26 . Additionally, the rear attachment support  16  is generally a truncated cube shape with an angled or slanted top  34  that has three threaded openings  36  (a pierce and tap configuration known to those of ordinary skill in the art) provided for attachment by a portion of the rear pivot attachment. The bottom of the rear attachment support has a pair of transverse side flanges (not shown) that are drilled and tapped and are aligned with holes  36  and holes  38  in the bottom ring  26  and through which screws are inserted to secure the attachment support  16  to the upper and lower rings  24  and  26 . Rubber feet  42  are preferably attached to the underside of the lower ring  26  to protect surfaces on which the apparatus may be placed. While the base  14  is shown to be comprised of three major components, it should be understood that a single casting may be made which would provide at least as much if not more weight as the sheet metal that is preferably used for these base components that are illustrated and would reduce the number of parts that would be necessary for the base. 
     The linkage assembly  18  is attached to the rear pivot attachment  20  which is comprised of an axle  44  that has a central portion containing flats  46  on opposite sides thereof and which also contains three holes  48  through which screws  50  can pass and be threaded into tapped holes  36  in the top  34  of the support  16 . These screws  50  hold the axle  44  firmly in place and significantly it does not rotate. The outer ends, only the left of which can be seen in any detail in  FIG. 7  have a reduced diameter flat portion  52  and a smaller threaded portion  54 . 
     A pair of elongated keyed washers fit onto the flat portion  52  and the keyed washers sandwich smaller washers  58  as well as the rearward end of a lower left bar  60  and the rearward end of an upper left bar  62 . A lower right bar  64  and an upper right bar  66  are attached similarly to the keyed washers on the opposite end of the axle  44 . More specifically, a pin  68  passes through an opening  70  as well as through an openings  72  in the keyed washers  56 , and the pin  68  is secured by a C-clip  74  or the like. Similarly, the upper pin  76  passes through opening  78  in the upper left bar  62  as well as through openings  80  in the keyed washers  56  and pin  76  is secured by another C-clip  82 . A side support member  84  has an opening  86  that is only slightly larger than the threaded portion  54  of the axle  44  and it fits on this reduced diameter portion and a pair of washers  88  form a friction washer stack that fits onto the threaded portion  54  before a lock nut  90  is threaded onto the threaded portion  54 . One of the washers  88  is a standard flat washer while the other is preferably a conical spring washer and this is provided for the purpose of producing friction that will control the amount of force that is required to manipulate the linkage and side support to elevate or lower the monitor. The lock nut  90  can be rotated to tune the amount of friction that is desired. 
     With regard to the parallelogram linkage assembly  18 , two upper bars  62 ,  66 , as well as the two lower bars  60 ,  64  are preferably integrally formed with a bridging plate portion. More particularly, the upper bars  62  and  66  have a bridging plate portion  92  and lower bars  60  and  64  are formed with a bottom plate portion  94 . The bottom plate portion  94  has a number of tabs  96  extending upwardly from its front end, with the preferred embodiment preferably having four of such tabs. Similarly, the upper plate portion  92  has preferably four similar extensions  98  that are extending downwardly from its rear end. The tabs are spaced apart from one another across the width of the plates portions and the tabs  96  are generally in line with tabs  98 . 
     A pair of extension springs  100  are provided with one end of each being connected to one of the tabs  96  of the lower plate portion  94  and the opposite end connected to the tabs  98  of the upper plate portion  92 . The purpose of the springs  100  is to provide an upward bias on the linkage  18  for the purpose of countering the weight of the monitor as well as the structure of the apparatus that is forwardly of the rear axle  44 . The strength of the springs as well as the number of them can be determined so that the monitor will stay in the position that it is placed, the springs providing compensation for the weight of the apparatus and monitor. It should be understood that while two springs are shown, if a large size monitor is used with the support apparatus  10 , additional springs may be necessary and the preferred embodiment has sufficient space between the bars to have four springs located therein. A side view of the configuration is shown in  FIG. 8 . It should also be understood that the force of the springs  100  also should be considered together with the tuning of the friction washers  88  so that the linkage  18  can be adjusted without requiring excessive force, and yet will maintain its position when the height of the monitor is set. 
     Turning now to the front pivot attachment  22 , it includes a front axle, indicated generally at  102 , that has a larger diameter threaded portion with flats  104  as well as a smaller diameter portion  106  also with flats and a still smaller threaded portion  108 . The opposite end of the axle  102  is similarly configured. A torsion spring  110  which has a middle arm  112  and an end leg  114  fits on the axle. 
     The attachment  22  also has a pair of brackets  116  each of which have an opening  118  that is sized so that the bracket can fit on the portion  104 . As is evident, it is not keyed and is therefore free to rotate around the axle. It also has a pair of arcuate slots  120  which have an arc of approximately 30° and are a part of a detent mechanism that permits limited movement of approximately 30° of adjustment of the tilt angle of the monitor. In this regard, a keyed washer  122  is adjacent to the side wall of the bracket  116  and it has a pair of raised bumps  124 , only one of which is shown, but which fit in each of the arcuate slots  120 . Thus, as the bracket  116  rotates about the axle, the keyed washer  124  is stationary and the amount of rotation is limited by the interaction of the bumps  124  in the slot  112 . 
     A keyed backup washer  126  with outer arcuate perimeter openings also contacts the keyed washer  122  to stiffen it in the areas other than where the bumps  124  are located, those areas with bumps  124  desirably flexing during operation. Another keyed washer  128  has a transverse flange  130  that is in contact with the end leg  114  of the torsion spring  110  and prevents the end leg  114  of the torsion spring  110  to rotate in the counterclockwise direction as viewed from the left end of the axle shown in  FIG. 7 . The bracket  116  also has a rear wall  136  and a return extension  138  in which a slot  140  is located. The bracket  116  as well as the symmetrical bracket on the opposite end of the axle are both attached to a monitor attachment plate  142  that is also known in the art as a visa grabber. 
     The visa grabber structure has four openings  144  in which screws  146  attach to the monitor  12 . There is a known manufacturing standard whereby the size and configuration of the visa grabber is standardized insofar as the portion of the visa grabber that is attached to the monitor  12 . The bottom of the visa grabber  142  has a pair of side walls  148  configured so that when the brackets  116  are fit within the sidewalls  148 , they can be secured to the visa grabber  142  on the sides as well as the back by screws, rivets or the like. When the bracket  116  is secured to the visa grabber  142  as is best shown in  FIG. 6 , the two brackets  116  are effectively attached to one another. While the middle arm  112  of the spring  110  is shown in its normal unstressed or zero position (which in the illustrated embodiment occurs when the monitor is tilted back approximately 25°), the middle arm  112  is normally located within the slot  140  of the two brackets  116 . This means that the middle arm  112  is rotated counterclockwise relative to the position shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7  and will therefore create a force that tends to act upwardly on the visa grabber. This aids the user in lifting the monitor during use. 
     When it is desired to pivot the monitor rearwardly toward the position shown in  FIG. 5 , the visa grabber  142  as well as the attached bracket  116  will rotate around the axle  102 , thereby stressing the spring  110  in the clockwise direction as viewed from the left as shown in  FIG. 7 . Since the amount of rotation is approximately 95°, the spring  110  will become loaded. When the monitor is to be returned to its vertical position, the action of the spring aids the user in lifting the monitor upwardly. Thus, the spring  110  stores energy for lifting the elevation of the monitor during adjustment by a user and also assists in returning the monitor from a horizontal to a generally vertical position. 
     The front pivot attachment also has a friction washer stack comprised of washers  150  which include a conical spring washer for controlling the amount of friction against rotation that is desired so that the tilt angle of the monitor will be capable of being relatively easily adjusted, but which will maintain its position after adjustment. This is achieved by lock nut  152  which screws onto the larger threaded portion  104 . When the nut  152  is threaded onto the portion  104 , the smaller keyed portion  106  is exposed and a pair of keyed washers  154  are placed on the flat portion  106  along with washers  156  and the front end of bars  60  and  62 . These are interconnected with pins  158  and C-clips  160  in the same manner as was described with regard to the rear pivot attachment  20 . The left end of the side support  84  also fits on the portion  108  and a friction washer stack comprised of washers  162 , one of which is a conical washer may be provided to control the amount of friction at the upper end relating to the angular position of the parallelogram linkage assembly  18 . A lock nut  164  is tightened on portion  108  of the axle  102  to set the amount of friction at the desired level. A washer  166  fills the space between the adjacent keyed washer  154  and the inside surface of the side support  84  that is taken by the head of the pins  158 . While the friction washer stack  162  is shown in the drawings, it may not be required. The washer stack  88  located on the rear pivot attachment  20  may provide sufficient friction for the linkage  18  operation. 
     It should be understood from  FIG. 1  that the apparatus has outer covers that hide the mechanical components that have been described and also provide a more attractive appearance. This is achieved by using cover components that are designed to either be snap fit together or attached by screws. More particularly, and referring to  FIG. 9 , a base cover  168  fits over the upper ring  24  as well as the rear attachment support  16 . A bottom cover component  170  is placed on the rear attachment support  16  before the parallelogram linkage assembly  18  and rear pivot attachment  20  are installed on the attachment support  16 . When both of these steps are completed, a top linkage assembly cover  172  fits over the linkage assembly and snap fits together with the lower cover component  170 . A base cap  174  then fits onto the rear attachment support  16 . Similarly, upper and lower covers  176  and  178  snap over the lower portion of the visa grabber  142  and front pivot attachment  22  which completes the installation of the covers. A cable manager component  180  may be provided and attached to the cover  168 . This is a split flexible claw-like component made of rubber or some other flexible material that enables the cables from the monitor  12  to be fit into it and be held in place. It is preferred that the covers be made of ABS or ABS/PC plastic or some other suitable plastic or plastic-like material. 
     While various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it should be understood that other modifications, substitutions and alternatives are apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. Such modifications, substitutions and alternatives can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, which should be determined from the appended claims. 
     Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.