Patent Publication Number: US-2011072699-A1

Title: Display device

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a display device having a hinge mechanism that openably and closably supports a display. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Recent automotive vehicles include one having provided therein a display device for a television, DVD, game, or the like, intended for a rear seat occupant. In a vehicle including three-row seats or opposed seats, a display device is mounted on a ceiling thereof. Such a display device is composed of a display device main body and a display (monitor) rotatable to the main body. The display is used with held at a predetermined angle with respect to the display device main body. 
     The display is rotatably supported by a hinge mechanism supporting a shaft provided on the display with a bracket that is fixed on the side of the display device main body. Patent Document 1 discloses a display device including such a hinge mechanism. A shaft projecting laterally from both the ends at the bottom portion of a display is rotatably passed through a bracket. The bracket is fixed to a bracket base of the device. A click plate having a convexity is attached integrally to the shaft. Two or more concavities to be fit in the convexity are provided on the bracket. The shaft rotates together with the display, and the convexity of the click plate fits in one of the concavities of the bracket, thus positioning the display. Grease is applied to the rotating portion between the shaft and the bracket in order to maintain the rotation performance thereof. 
     PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS 
     Patent Documents 
     Patent Document 1: JP-A-2006-168402 
     In the display device disclosed in Patent Document 1, dust can adhere to the grease applied of the hinge mechanism to affect the operation load of the display. In the words, smooth rotations of the display can be hindered. In order to avoid such an inconvenience, it is conceived to provide a cover over the hinge mechanism. However, to provide separately the cover increases the number of components, resulting in a cost increase. 
     The present invention has been made to solve the above-described technical problems, and an object of the present invention is to prevent dust from adhering to a rotating portion by covering a hinge mechanism of a display device without causing a cost increase. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The display device according to the present invention includes a hinge mechanism in which a shaft projecting laterally from a display is rotatably supported by a bracket, and is arranged such that the bracket of the hinge mechanism is fixed to a display device main body, wherein in the interior of the bracket, a click plate having a convexity is provided integral with the shaft on the bracket side thereof, and also a concavity engageable with the convexity is provided on the bracket side, and wherein a hinge cover for covering the hinge mechanism is formed integral with an inner cover provided on the display device main body. 
     According to the display device of the present invention, since a cover for covering the hinge mechanism is configured to be formed integral with the inner cover of the display device, the hinge mechanism or the like can be covered without causing a cost increase to thus prevent adhesion of dust to grease. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic sectional view taken along the side of a display device in accordance with the first embodiment with a display thereof opened. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic sectional view taken along the side of the display device in accordance with the first embodiment with the display thereof closed. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a hinge mechanism of the display device in accordance with the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the hinge mechanism of the display device in accordance with the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the hinge mechanism of a display device in accordance with the second embodiment. 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in order to explain the present invention in more detail. 
     First Embodiment 
     In the first embodiment, the present invention is applied to a display device mounted on the ceiling of a vehicle.  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  are schematic sectional views taken along the side of a display device in accordance with the first embodiment, with the display thereof opened and closed, respectively.  FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a hinge mechanism thereof, and  FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the mechanism. 
     A display device  1  is composed of a display device main body  2  and a display  3  assembled openably and closably to the display device main body  2 . The display device  1  is attached to a roof lining  5  provided in the interior of a roof  4  of a vehicle. The display device is attached to a mounting hole  6  provided through the roof lining  5  by fitting and screwing the display device main body  2  in the hole, or using an equivalent method. 
     The display device main body  2  has a structure such that equipments (a controller and so on) required for the display device  1   a  are assembled to a metallic base  11  to be covered with an inner cover  12 . The inner cover  12  is composed of an equipment housing section  12   a  for covering the equipment on the base  11  and a concave display housing space  12   b  for housing the display  3 . The inner cover  12  is molded of, e.g., a plastic or the like. 
     A shaft  13  is protruded laterally from both the sides of the base portion of the display  3 , and the shaft  13  is rotatably supported by a bracket  14 . The shaft  13  is fastened by a fastener  15  from the exterior of the bracket  14  so as not to get detached therefrom. The bracket  14  is secured to the base  11  of the display device main body  2  with screws  16 . In such a way, a hinge mechanism  17  for enabling the display  3  to rotate is constituted by the shaft  13 , the bracket  14  and so on. 
     In the interior of the bracket  14 , a click plate  18  is provided integral with the shaft  13 . For a method of providing the click plate  18  integral with the shaft  13 , it is conceived by, e.g., creating a plane section on the shaft  13 , forming a hole of the same shape as the cross-sectional shape of the section in the click plate  18 , and further engaging the hole with the portion having the plane section of the shaft  13 . The click plate  18  is assembled to the shaft  13  so as not to be displaced also in an axial direction thereof. A convexity  19  is provided on the surface of the click plate  18  on the bracket  14  side. On the other hand, concavities  20 ,  21 , and  22  are provided on the inner surface of the bracket  14  in positions corresponding to the convexity  19  of the click plate  18 : in a closed state of the display  3 ; and in states opened, e.g., 90 and 120 degrees from the closed state, respectively. The click plate  18  is made of a metal or the like, and is assembled to the bracket  14  such that the convexity  19  thereof is elastically pressed against the bracket. 
     Therefore, when the display  3  is opened and set to the position of 90 degrees, the convexity  19  of the click plate  18  is fit in the concavity  21  located in the position of 90 degrees to position and hold the display; when the display  3  is further rotated, so that the convexity  19  of the click plate  18  is fit in the concavity  22  of the bracket  14 , the display  3  is positioned and held in the position that is opened 120 degrees. When the display  3  is closed to be housed in the display housing section  12   b  of the inner cover  12 , the convexity  19  of the click plate  18  is fit in the concavity  20  of the bracket  14 , thus holding the display in an accommodation state. 
     A latch  23  is provided from the equipment housing section  12   a  of the inner cover  12  toward the display housing section  12   b.  The latch  23  is configured to be elastically retractable by a spring. An operation button  24  is provided on the surface of the equipment housing section  12   a,  and the latch  23  is configured to be retracted into the equipment housing section  12   a  by pushing the operation button  24 . On the other hand, a latch engaging hole  25  is provided at the end of the rotation side of the display  3 . When the display  3  is closed, the latch  23  is fit into the latch engaging hole  25  to hold the display  3 . The operation button  24  is pushed to draw the latch  23  from the latch engaging hole  25 , thus enabling the display  3  to rotate. 
     In the hinge mechanism  17  including the shaft  13 , the bracket  14 , and so on, it is required to prevent dust from adhering to the fit between the shaft  13  and the bracket  14 . It is noted that the fit between the shaft  13  and the bracket  14  is filled with grease if necessary. In the embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 3 , a hinge cover  26  for covering the hinge mechanism  17  is formed over the inner cover  12 . The hinge cover  26  is formed so as to close a clearance with the sidewall  14   a  of the bracket  14 , and further cover the side of the hinge mechanism  17 . The shape of the bracket  14  is not limited to such a shape, and the bracket can be formed so as to cover the upside of the hinge mechanism  17  if space permits. The hinge cover  26  is plastic-molded integrally with the inner cover  12 . 
     According to the display device  1  of the first embodiment, since the hinge mechanism  17  is covered with the hinge cover  26 , intrusion of dust into the hinge mechanism  17  is blocked; thus, it is prevented to have an effect on the operation load due to the adherence of dust. Further, the hinge cover  26  is molded integral with the inner cover  12 ; thus, the number of components and the number of assembling steps are not increased to cut down on costs. 
     Second Embodiment 
       FIG. 5  shows a structure of a hinge mechanism  31  of a display device in accordance with the second embodiment. The hinge mechanism  31  has a structure such that a shaft housing concavity  33  is provided in a bracket  32 , and the end of a shaft  13  is fitted thereinto to rotatably support the shaft  13 . The structure where a click plate  18  is provided on the shaft  13 , and the structure where positioning concavities are provided in the bracket  32  are the same as those of the first embodiment. The fit between the shaft housing concavity  33  of the bracket  32  and the end of the shaft  13  is filled with grease as needed. Also in this structure, a hinge cover  34  for covering the hinge mechanism  31  is molded integral with an inner cover  12 . 
     According to the display device of the second embodiment, since the hinge mechanism  31  is covered with the hinge cover  34 , intrusion of dust into the hinge mechanism  31  is blocked; thus, it is prevented to have an effect on the operation load due to the adherence of dust. The hinge cover  34  is molded integral with the inner cover  12 ; thus, the number of components and the number of assembling steps are not increased to cut down on costs. Furthermore, in accordance with the second embodiment, since the end of the shaft  13  is not extended externally from the bracket  32 , the intrusion of dust into the hinge mechanism  31  is blocked more positively. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     As discussed above, the display device according to the present invention, in order to cover the hinge mechanism and the periphery thereof without causing a cost increase to prevent dust from adhering to the rotating portion thereof, the display device includes a hinge mechanism in which a shaft projecting laterally from a display is rotatably supported by a bracket, and the device is arranged such that the bracket of the hinge mechanism is fixed to a display device main body, wherein in the interior of the bracket, a click plate having a convexity is provided integral with the shaft on the bracket side thereof, and also a concavity engageable with the convexity is provided on the bracket side, and wherein a hinge cover for covering the hinge mechanism is formed integral with an inner cover provided on the display device main body. Thus, the display device is suitable for use in a display device or the equivalent which is installed for a rear seat occupant in recent automotive vehicles.