Patent Publication Number: US-2003222187-A1

Title: Adjustable inclined angle structure for computers

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001] The present invention relates to a structure for adjusting the incline angle of a computer, applied to industrial computers that can be separated from a base, and more particularly to a structure that can adjust an inclined angle of an industrial computer.  
       TECHNICAL BACKGROUND  
       [0002] Generally speaking, most industrial computers are designed to be portable so as to provide convenience for users. On the other hand, when the computer must be used on a table or platform, we must use a mechanism to stand it up so as to allow the user to see the screen. So that users can have a better viewing angle, a structure that can incline to a particular angle is designed and later attached to the above-mentioned structure. However, because different users have different desired viewing angles, such a design cannot satisfy every user&#39;s needs. In addition, a user needs not only to assume a standing posture to view the computer screen, but also to adopt other postures to change the viewing angle to view the screen of the computer. For example, an automobile repair mechanic needs to take a standing posture (downward viewing angle) to see the computer screen, and he also needs to take a upward viewing angle to see the screen when a car chassis is checked. So, the above-mentioned structure that provides only one viewing angle is not the best choice for a single user or different users. Therefore, another mechanism is necessary that is designed to provide users with various viewing angles so as to conform to theirs needs.  
       SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
       [0003] The main object of the present invention is to provide a structure for adjusting the incline angle of a computer. It not only provides users with different viewing angles, but also can limit the starting and end points of the incline angle, so as to avoid over-adjustment which can cause the computer to lose its center of gravity and fall down.  
       [0004] According to the present invention, a structure for adjusting the incline angle of a computer can be used with an industrial computer, which can be separated from the adjusting structure. The present invention is included of a receiver element, a pair of rotating disks and a base. Each one of the two ends of the outer side of the receiver element is disposed with the rotating disk respectively, and the inner side of the base contacts with the outer sides of the two rotating disks. When it is being used, one should first rotate the receiver element, and then use a handlebar with spring pin opposite the rotating disk to buckle up the dividing holes of the rotating disk, so as to let the receiver element fix at the proper inclined angle. Finally the anchor element is used to lock it. The incline angle will then be more firmly fixed. When the receiver element is rotating, long holes are utilized to limit the starting and end points of the incline angle, to prevent the computer from falling down. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0005]FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the present invention.  
     [0006]FIG. 2 is a partly exploded view of the present invention.  
     [0007]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the present invention.  
     [0008]FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the present invention, showing a structure of the present invention at another inclined angle.  
     [0009]FIG. 5 is partly exploded view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing a structure of another fixer rotating disk.  
     [0010]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention.  
     [0011]FIGS. 7A, 7B and  7 C are diagrams of the present invention, illustrating movements of the present invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
     [0012] The adjustable incline angle structure disclosed by the present invention is mainly for use with industrial computers that can be separated from the present invention. The present invention can provide different incline angles when it is located on a platform, enabling users to view pictures displayed on the screen from all different directions.  
     [0013] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and  3 , the present invention is mainly included of a receiver element  10 , a pair of rotating disks and a base  40 . The disks consist of a first rotating disk  20  and second rotating disk  30 .  
     [0014] A front plate, rear plate, and bottom plate connecting two side plates compose the receiver element, so as to form a receiving space for the industrial computer. A plug  11  is disposed at the proper position on the inner side of the bottom plate so as to let the jack (not shown in the figures) of the industrial computer connect with the plug  11  when the industrial computer is positioned in the receiving space of the receiver element  10 . Open holes  12  and a circular hole  13  (the circular hole  13  is drilled with a screw) at the outer side of one of the two plates are opened at each side plate of the receiver element  10 , and an insertion opening  60  is disposed at the outer side of the rear plate for connecting with other equipment peripherals, as shown in FIG. 4.  
     [0015] The first rotating disk  20  is installed on the outer side of the side plate upon which the circular hole  13  with screw is disposed, and open holes  21 , a dividing hole  22  and a circular hole  23  are opened therein. The open holes  21  correspond to the open holes  12  of the receiver element  10 , and are utilized to let screws  50  pass through open holes  21  and open holes  12  to lock the first rotating disk  20  onto the receiver element  10 . The dividing hole  22  is opened, taking the approximate line of the arc of the circumference of the first rotating disk, and the circular hole  23  corresponds to the circular hole  13  of the receiver element  10 .  
     [0016] The second rotating disk  30  is disposed at the outer side of the other side plate of the receiver element  10 , and open holes  31 , a long hole  32  and a circular hole  33  are opened therein. The open holes  31  correspond to the open holes  12  of the receiver element  10  to let the screws  50  pass through the open holes  31  and open holes  12  to lock the second rotating disk  30  onto the receiver element  10 . The long hole  32  is opened, taking a line similar to the arc of the circumference of the second rotating disk  30 , and the circular hole  33  corresponds to the circular hole of the receiver element  10 .  
     [0017] The base  40 , constructed by a bottom plate and two side plates connected to the two ends thereof, forms a shape similar to a “U”, with a bottom line much longer than the two side lines. The inner sides of both side plates connect with the first rotating disk  20  and second rotating disk  30  respectively. A circular hole  41 , a through hole  42 , open holes  43  and a fixing hole  46  are opened in the base  40 . A circular hole  41  is opened at each side plate. One hole, the position of which corresponds to the circular hole  23  and circular hole  13 , is opened on the inner side of the side plate that contacts with the first rotating disk. The other hole, the position of which corresponds to the circular hole  33  and circular hole  13 , is opened on the inner side of the side plate that contacts with the second rotating disk  30 . The through hole  42  is opened on the side plate that contacts with the second rotating disk  30 , and the through hole  42  can correspond to any position at a length formed by the long hole  32 . The open holes  43  are opened on each side plate. The fixing hole is opened on the side plate that contacts with the first rotating disk  20 .  
     [0018] The base  40  is further included of a pair of fixer rotating disks (a first fixer rotating disk and a second fixer rotating disk) that each have open holes, and screws pass through the open holes  446  of the fixer rotating disks and the open holes  43  of the base  43  to lock them onto the base  40 . The first fixer rotating disk  44  and second fixer rotating disk  45  are both disposed at the two opposite outer sides of the base  40  and are corresponding to the first rotating disk  20  and second rotating disk  30  at the inner sides of the side plates of the base  40  respectively, they are utilized to limit the rotations of the first rotating disk  20  and second rotating disk  30  (thereby, the rotation of the receiver element  10  can be limited). The second fixer rotating disk  45  also includes a restraint element  451  and shaft  452 , one end of the restraint element  451  is disposed in the second fixer rotating disk  45  (as shown in FIG. 6), another end thereof is disposed in the long hole  32  of the second rotating disk  30 , and the middle part thereof is positioned in the through hole  42  of the base  40 . The restraint element  451  is utilized to limit the rotation of the second rotating disk  30  and avoid an over-adjustment to lose the gravity center and to fall down. The shaft  452  passes through and pivots in the circular hole  41  of the base  40 , the circular hole  33  of the second rotating disk  30  and the circular hole  13  of the receiver element  10 . The first fixer rotating disk  44  has a handlebar  441 , fixing hole  442 , anchor element  443 , circular hole  444  and spring  445  disposed in the handlebar  441 . the handle bar  441  is passed through the fixing hole  442 , the fixing hole of the base  40  and dividing hole  22  successively to fix the inclined angle between the receiver element  10  and the platform placed by the present invention, and then, the anchor element  443  is passed through and locks the circular holes  444 ,  41 ,  23  and  13  of the first fixer rotating disk  44 , base  40 , the first rotating disk  20  and the receiver element  10  to fix the present invention.  
     [0019] Please refer to FIGS. 7A, 7B and  7 C, when an inclined angle needs to be changed, we may rotate the anchor element  443  to let it separate from the circular  13  and  23 , and pull handlebar  441  (the spring  445  is compressed to store internal energy at that time) out of the dividing hole  22  (please refer to FIG. 1 the receiver element  10  also can use the restraint element  451  to limit the travel of its moving angle even if the receiver element  10  isn&#39;t supported with the hand at that time, this can avoid the receiver element  10  to fall down suddenly to collide with the platform placed by the present invention to damage the industrial computer), and then after rotate the receiver element to a proper angle, release the handlebar  441 (use the recovering force of the spring  445 ) and buckle the handlebar  441  in another dividing hole  22 , after that, lock the anchor element  443  in the circular hole  13 . Thereby, the present invention can be locked at an inclined angle suitable for users to view, as FIGS. 3 and 4 shown.  
     [0020] As FIG. 5 shown, the second fixer rotating disk  45  can be changed to a shaft  452 , and a part of the shaft  452  has external screw (corresponding to the circular hole  41  of the base  40 , therefore, in this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the circular hole  41  of the side plate of the base  40  contacted with the second fixer rotating disk  45  also needs to be provided with an inner screw. Both inner and external screws are exchangeable for certain, it will also attain the same effect locking both together), and an external screw is also disposed at one end of the restraint element  451 . Similarly, an inner screw needs to be disposed in the through hole  42  to be in coordination with the external screw and to let the restraint element to be whirled in to fix. When the present invention is in use, the restraint element  451  is also utilized to limit the travel of the moving angle of the receiver element  10  (use the starting and end points of the length opened by the long hole  32 ), and the shaft  452  is also used to pivot the receiver element  10 .  
     [0021] The structure of adjustable inclined angle of computer according to the present invention can provide the following effects:  
     [0022] 1. for the reason that the inclined angle of the receiver element can be adjusted, users can take different viewing postures to see pictures on the screen.  
     [0023] 2. the use of the receiver element and handlebar can make the inclined angle to be more fixed. Therefore, the present invention can be used in a severe vibration occasion (such as, a factory furnished with machines easy to be aroused with vibration).  
     [0024] 3. the restrain element can limit the travel of the moving angle of the receiver element, that the industrial computer collides with the platform placed by the present invention suddenly to cause damage will not happen when the angle is adjusted.  
     [0025] It is to be understood that the drawing is designed for purpose of illustration only, and is not intended for use as a definition of the limits and scope of the invention disclosed.