Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a tiltable monitor for vehicles. The monitor includes a base, a rotating shaft having external threads and connected to a reversible motor, and a moving bar having a screw hole through which the rotating shaft is inserted. The moving bar is reciprocated along the rotating shaft as the rotating shaft rotates. The monitor further includes a display panel and a support arm which connects the display panel to the base. A front end portion of the display panel is pivotably coupled to the base by the medium of the moving bar acting as hinge shaft, and reciprocated together with the moving bar. A first end of the support arm is pivotably connected to a side portion of the display panel and a second end of the support arm is pivotably connected to the base. The tilting structure of the monitor is simple.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to Korean Application No. 10-2007-0068218, filed on Jul. 6, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates generally to monitors for vehicles and, more particularly, to a tiltable monitor for vehicles which can be automatically folded or unfolded for the convenience of a user. 
     2. Background Art 
     Monitors for navigators, TVs or PCs are being widely used in vehicles by the benefit of the development of digital technology. The monitors are usually a tiltable to improve the utilization of space. 
     In the conventional art, a monitor is automatically tilted using a motor. However, the structure for tilting the monitor is complex, so that the entire size of the monitor is increased. Furthermore, due to the large number of elements, the cost of manufacturing the monitor is increased, and there are problems of frequent malfunctions. As representative example, a tiltable monitor for a vehicle is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 20050254202. The conventional monitor have complex structures in which many elements, including a pneumatic spring, a support arm, a sprocket, a guide and various gears, are assembled with each other. 
     The information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art that is already known to a person skilled in the art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a tiltable monitor for vehicles which has a simple structure compared to the conventional art. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a tiltable monitor for vehicles which can stably maintain a tilted state. 
     In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a monitor for vehicles, including: a base; a rotating shaft provided on the base in a horizontal direction and connected to a reversible motor, the rotating shaft having external threads on the outer surface thereof; a moving bar oriented in a direction perpendicular to the rotating shaft and having a screw hole through which the rotating shaft is inserted, wherein the moving bar is reciprocated along a longitudinal direction of the rotating shaft by forward/reverse rotation of the rotating shaft; a display panel pivotably coupled at a front end portion of the display panel to the base by the medium of the moving bar, wherein the moving bar act as a hinge shaft of the display panel; and a support arm pivotably connected at a first end thereof to the base and pivotably connected at a second end thereof to a side portion of the display panel. 
     The monitor for vehicles may further include a guide to guide the reciprocation motion of the moving bar. 
     Preferably, a length of the support arm may be extendable. Longitudinal extension or contraction of the support arm may be determined depending on an angle at which the first end of the support arm, which is rotatably coupled to the base using a first hinge pin, is pivoted with respect to the first hinge pin. 
     Also preferably, the length of the support arm may be extended when the display panel is completely closed, and a means for allowing the longitudinal extension of the support arm may be provided in the display panel and/or in the base. 
     It is understood that the term “vehicle” or “vehicular” or other similar term as used herein is inclusive of motor vehicles in general such as passenger automobiles including sports utility vehicles (SUV), buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles, watercraft including a variety of boats and ships, aircraft and the like. 
     Other aspects of the invention are discussed infra. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other features of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of a monitor according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view illustrating the principle of the operation of tilting the monitor of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a view showing the state in which the monitor of  FIG. 1  is partially tilted; 
         FIG. 4  is a view showing a moving bar separated from the monitor of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a view showing a support arm separated from the monitor of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 6A and 6B  are views showing in detail a first end of the support arm of  FIG. 5 , wherein  FIG. 6A  illustrates a contracted state of the support arm and  FIG. 6B  illustrates an extended state of the support arm; 
         FIG. 7  is another view showing the extended state of the support arm  FIG. 6B ; and 
         FIGS. 8A and 8B  are views illustrating the second end of the extended support arm, which is seated into a base of the monitor according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various preferred features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment. 
     In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several figures of the drawing. 
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, a monitor for vehicles according to preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. 
     The construction of the monitor of the present invention will be described herein below with reference to  FIG. 1 . 
     The monitor includes a base  10 , a display panel  20 , which is provided in the base  10 , a front end, which is rotatably coupled to the base  10 , and a support arm  100 , which couples the display panel  20  to the base  10 . A moving bar  40  serves as the pivoting axis of the display panel  20 . Depending on the forward or backward movement of the moving bar  40 , the display panel  20  is closed or opened. The movement of the moving bar  40  is realized using a rotating shaft  30 , which is operated by a motor  31 . 
     The principle by which the moving bar  40  moves using the rotation of the rotating shaft  30  will be described with reference to  FIG. 2 . 
     The principle for this is easily appreciated in consideration of the engagement between a bolt and a nut. In detail, in the case where the nut is a stationary state, such that it cannot rotate, when the bolt, which is coupled to the nut, is rotated in a forward/reverse direction, the nut is moved forwards or backwards along the bolt in the longitudinal direction of the bolt. With regard to this, in the present invention, an external thread  33  is formed on the outer surface of the rotating shaft  30 , which is operated by the motor  31 , and an internal thread is formed in the moving bar  40 , which is fitted over the rotating shaft  30 . Therefore, when the rotating shaft  30  is rotated by the motor  31  in a forward/reverse direction, the moving bar  40  is moved forwards or backwards. 
     Meanwhile, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , when the moving bar  40  is moved forwards or backwards, the front end of the display panel  20  is moved forwards or backwards along with the moving bar  40 , which serves as the pivoting axis of the display panel  20 . Here, support arms  100  are coupled to respective opposite side portions of the display panel  20 , and the rear end of the display panel  20  is freely movable in an upward and downward direction. Therefore, the display panel  20  is naturally closed or opened by forward or backward movement of the moving bar  40 . Each support arm  100  is rotatably coupled at respective opposite ends thereof to the base  10  and the display panel  20 . 
     The construction of the monitor will be described in detail herein below with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 3 . 
     The base  10  has a rectangular frame shape. Furthermore, a panel seating depression  11  for receiving the display panel  20  is formed in the base  10 . The rotating shaft  30 , a guide  50  and a hinge pin  60 , which will be explained herein, are provided in the panel seating depression  11  and are coupled to the stepped edge of the base  10 . 
     The display panel  20  also has a rectangular frame and is disposed in the panel seating depression  11 . The present invention is characterized in that the display panel  20  is pivotably coupled to the base  10  by the medium of the moving bar  40 , which serves as the pivoting axis of the display panel  20 . 
     The rotating shaft  30  is installed at a laterally central position in the panel seating depression  11 . In detail, the rotating shaft  30  is oriented in the forward and backward direction. A bearing  32  is provided on the front end of the rotating shaft  30 , and a reversible motor  31  is coupled to the rear end of the rotating shaft  30 . The external thread  33  is formed on the outer surface of the rotating shaft  30 . Of course, the rotating shaft  30  is disposed at a position spaced apart from the bottom of the panel seating depression  11  by a predetermined distance. 
     The moving bar  40  is oriented in a direction perpendicular to the rotating shaft  30 . Of course, the moving bar  40  is oriented parallel to the base  10 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , a screw hole  41 , through which the rotating shaft  30  is inserted, is formed at a medial position through the moving bar  40 . The internal thread  42 , which engages with the external thread  33  of the rotating shaft  30 , is formed in the screw hole  41 . In addition, guide holes  43 , through which respective guides  50  are inserted, are formed through the respective opposite ends of the moving bar  40 . 
     The guides  50  are provided in the base  10  on opposite sides of the rotating shaft  30  in directions parallel to the rotating shaft  30 . The guides  50  serve to guide the moving bar  40 , which moves along the rotating shaft  30 , so that the moving bar  40  can be smoothly and stably moved under the guidance of the guides  50 . Furthermore, the guides  50  serve to prevent the moving bar  40  from being rotated when the rotating shaft  30  is rotated. 
     The support arms  100  serve to couple the display panel  20  to the base  10  such that the display panel  20  can be stably opened or closed by the movement of the moving bar  40 . In detail, a first end  101  of each support arm  100  is coupled to the base  10  using the first hinge pin  60 , and a second end  102  of the support arm  100  is coupled to the corresponding side portion of the display panel  20  using a second hinge pin  70 . The support arm  100  has a structure such that it can extend or contract to have a length appropriate for the angle at which the display panel  20  is opened. 
     The construction of each support arm  100  will be described in detail with reference to  FIGS. 5 through 6B . 
     The support arm  100  includes joints  110  and  120 , which are provided on the respective opposite ends of the support arm  100 , and a housing  113  and a rod  122 , which respectively extend from the joints  110  and  120 . The support arm  100  further includes a sealing member  130 . 
     Each joint  110 ,  120  has therein a pin hole  111 ,  121 , which is formed in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the support arm  100 . The first and second hinge pins  60  and  70  are respectively inserted through the pin holes  111  and  121 . 
     The housing  113 , which extends from the joint  110  of the first end  101  of the support arm  100 , is a hollow member, which has air holes  114  at positions adjacent to the joint  110 . Furthermore, the end of the housing  113  adjacent to the joint  110  is closed, and the end thereof opposite the joint  110  is open. 
     The rod  122 , which extends from the joint  120  of the second end  102  of the support arm  100 , is inserted into the housing  113 . As well, sealing rings  123  are provided on the rod  122  at the front end thereof and at several positions spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction at predetermined intervals. 
     The sealing member  130 , which is supported by a spring  140 , is provided in a space between the front end of the rod  122  and the first end  101  of the support arm  100 . The sealing member  130  includes a closing part  131 , which closes the air holes  114  formed in the housing  113 , and an extension part  132  extending towards the first end  101  of the support arm  100 . The front end of the extension part  132  is round shaped. The sealing member  130  is elastically supported towards the joint  110  by the spring  140 , which is provided between the front end of the rod  122  and the sealing member  130 . 
     The closing part  131  closes the air holes  114  and, additionally, seals the housing  113  in the same manner as the sealing ring  123  of the rod  122 . The extension part  132  is inserted into the joint  110  provided on the first end  101  of the support arm  100 . 
       FIG. 6A  is a view illustrating the state in which the sealing member  130  closes the air holes  114 . As shown in  FIG. 6A , the extension part  132 , which is inserted through a through hole  112  of the joint  110 , is prevented from entering the pin hole  111  by interference of the first hinge pin  60 . 
       FIG. 6B  is a view illustrating the opened state of the air holes  114 . As shown in  FIG. 6B , the sealing member  130  is moved towards the joint  110 , which opens the air holes  114 . To realize this state, the interference of the first hinge pin  60  with the extension part  132  must be eliminated. The means for eliminating the interference of the first hinge pin  60  will be clearly understood from the following description of  FIG. 7 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , a dent  61  is formed on the first hinge pin  60  which passes through the joint  110  of the first end  101  of the support arm  100 . The first hinge pin  60  serves as a pivoting axis of the first end  101  of the support arm  100 . When the display panel  20  is in its closed state, the end of the extension part  132  is received in the dent  61 . 
     Meanwhile, when the end of the extension part  132  is inserted into the dent  61 , the sealing member  130  is moved towards the joint  110 . Thus, the closing part  131 , which has closed the air holes  114 , is removed from the air holes  114 . Therefore, the support arm  100  enters a state in which air can be freely drawn into the housing. As a result, the rod  122 , which has been supplied with elastic force from the spring  140 , enters a state in which it is movable towards the second end  102  of the support arm  100 . In other words, the support arm  100  enters an extendable state. 
     The means for enabling the support arm  100  to extend and making it possible for the support arm  100  in the extended state to reliably maintain the closed state of the display panel  20  will be described herein below with reference to  FIG. 8  and to the previous drawings. 
       FIG. 8A  is a view showing the state of the monitor at the moment that the display panel  20  is closed. The end of the second hinge pin  70  that passes through the joint  120  of the second end  102  of the support arm  100  protrudes outside the joint  120 . To prevent the protruding end of the second hinge pin  70  from interfering with the base  10 , a seating groove  12  is formed in the base  10 . Furthermore, an extension groove  13   a , which extends from the seating groove  12  to define space for extension of the support arm  100 , is formed in the base  10 . 
       FIG. 8B  is a view showing the state of the monitor just after the display panel  20  is closed, that is, just after the state of  FIG. 8A . When the support arm  100  is extended, the protruding end of the second hinge pin  70  is moved along the extension groove  13   a  of the base  10 . Furthermore, an extension groove  13   b  for ensuring the extension of the support arm  100  is also formed in the corresponding side portion of the display panel  20 , to which the hinge pin  70  is rotatably coupled. Here, the extension part  13   b  is a means for enabling the extension of the support arm  100  and for restricting the second end  102  of the extended support arm  100 . 
     Meanwhile, when the display panel  20  is opened again, the moving bar  40  is moved backwards. At this time, force for moving the display panel  20  backwards is applied to the display panel  20 . This force is transmitted to the support arm  100 , thus reducing the length of the spring  140  and the length of the support arm  100 . Thereby, the second end  102  of the support arm  100  enters the state of being removable from the seating groove  12 . During this process, the first end  101  of the support arm  100  is pivoted around the first hinge shaft  60 , so that the air holes  114  are again sealed. Thereby, the support arm  100  can maintain the contracted state. 
     As described above, in a monitor for vehicles according to the present invention, there is an advantage in that the tilting structure is simple. 
     Furthermore, in the tilted state of the monitor, support arms are extended in length and are held by a base, thus reliably maintaining the tilted state thereof. 
     Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.