Patent Publication Number: US-8534615-B2

Title: Screen supporting apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Divisional of application Ser. No. 12/985,505, filed on Jan. 6, 2011 now U.S. Pat. No. 8,282,052, for which priority is claimed under 35 U.S.C. §120; and this application claims priority of Application No. 099217142 filed in Taiwan, R.O.C. on Sep. 3, 2010 under 35 U.S.C. §119; the entire contents of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention related to a screen supporting apparatus, and more particularly to a screen supporting apparatus operable for adjusting the inclination angle of a screen to be supported. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Taiwanese Utility Model Patent Number M336654 discloses a conventional screen supporting apparatus, which includes an upright supporting rod, a movable member sleeved movably on the supporting rod, and first and second supporting arms connected respectively and pivotally to two opposite sides of the movable member for supporting two screens, respectively. 
     The aforesaid conventional screen supporting apparatus has a disadvantage. That is, the inclination angle of each of the screens cannot be adjusted, thereby resulting in inconvenience during use of the conventional screen supporting apparatus. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of this invention is to provide a screen supporting apparatus that can be operated to adjust the inclination angle of a screen to be supported. 
     Accordingly, a screen supporting apparatus of this invention includes a supporting member and a movable assembly. The supporting member includes a base and an upright supporting rod disposed fixedly on and above the base. The movable assembly includes a mounting member disposed on the supporting rod and including a slideway unit. The sliding member has two spaced-apart engaging portions slidable within the slideway unit of the mounting member to adjust the inclination angle of the sliding member relative to the mounting member. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features and advantages of this invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of this invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of a screen supporting apparatus according to this invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the first preferred embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a partly exploded rear perspective view of the first preferred embodiment, illustrating a connection between a mounting member and a sliding member; 
         FIG. 4  is a partly exploded front perspective view of the first preferred embodiment, illustrating a connection between the sliding member and two side arms; 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  are schematic side views of the first preferred embodiment, illustrating how two sliding rods are moved respectively within two slide slots for adjusting the inclination angle of a movable connector; 
         FIG. 7  is a front view of the first preferred embodiment, illustrating vertical movement of a movable assembly; 
         FIGS. 8 and 9  are top views of the first preferred embodiment, illustrating pivoting movement of two side arms relative to the sliding member; 
         FIG. 10  is another front view of the first preferred embodiment, illustrating movement of the two movable connectors relative to the side arms; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of a screen supporting apparatus according to this invention; 
         FIG. 12  is a front perspective view of the third preferred embodiment of a screen supporting apparatus according to this invention; and 
         FIG. 13  is a rear perspective view of the third preferred embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Before the present invention is described in greater detail in connection with the preferred embodiments, it should be noted that similar elements and structures are designated by like reference numerals throughout the entire disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 , and  4 , the first preferred embodiment of a screen supporting apparatus according to this invention includes a supporting member  1 , a movable assembly  2 , two side arms  3 , two movable connectors  4 , and a wire collector  5 . 
     The supporting member  1  includes a base  11  and an upright supporting rod  12  disposed fixedly on and above the base  11 . The movable assembly  2  includes a mounting member  21  disposed on the supporting rod  11 , and a sliding member  22  disposed on the mounting member  21  in such a manner that the inclination angle of the sliding member  22  relative to the mounting member  21  is adjustable. The mounting member  21  includes a slideway unit. In this embodiment, the supporting rod  12  is vertical, and the slideway unit includes a pair of curved upper and lower slideways  211  each having an upper end  2111  and a lower end  2112  disposed below the upper end  2111 . Alternatively, the lower end  2112  of the upper slideway  211  may be in spatial communication with the upper end  2111  of the lower slideway  211 . If this occurs, the slideway unit includes only one C-shaped slideway. The movable assembly  2  further includes a C-shaped sleeve portion  212  sleeved movably on the supporting rod  12 , a first locking element  215  for locking the sleeve portion  212  releaseably on the supporting rod  12 , and a slot-defining portion  213  connected fixedly to the sleeve portion  212  and formed with the upper and lower slideways  211 . The first locking element  215  is configured as a lock bolt, and can be loosened to allow for vertical movement of the sleeve portion  212  on the supporting rod  12 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . The upper and lower slideways  211  are configured respectively as two slide slots. The slot-defining portion  213  includes a curved upper hollow body  214  extending forwardly and upwardly from the sleeve portion  212 , and a curved lower hollow body  214 ′ disposed under the upper hollow body  214  and extending forwardly and downwardly from the sleeve portion  212 . Each of the slide slots  211  is formed through a corresponding one of the upper and lower hollow bodies  214 ,  214 ′, and extends along the length of the corresponding one of the upper and lower hollow bodies  214 ,  214 ′. The sliding member  22  has a main body  221 . The main body  22  has upper and lower sides  2211 , and two lateral sides  2212  opposite to each other in a left-to-right direction. The sliding member  22  further has two spaced-apart engaging portions  222  slidable within the slideway unit of the mounting member  21  to adjust the inclination angle of the sliding member  22  relative to the mounting member  21 . Each of the engaging portions  222  is configured as a sliding rod that is connected between two mounting portions  225  and that includes a bolt  223  extending along a corresponding one of the upper and lower sides  2211  and through a corresponding one of the upper and lower slideways  214 ,  214 ′ to engage threadably one of the mounting portions  225 , and two stepped washers  224  sleeved on the bolt  223  and extending respectively and partially into the corresponding one of the upper and lower slideways  214 ,  214 ′. As such, the sliding rods  222  can be locked respectively and releaseably on the upper and lower hollow bodies  214 ,  214 ′. 
     The two side arms  3  are connected respectively and pivotally to the lateral sides  2212  of the sliding member  22 , and extend from the sliding member  22  away from each other. Each of the side arms  3  includes an arm body  30 , a horizontal guide slot  31  formed through the arm body  30  and extending along a longitudinal direction of the arm body  30 , a vertical pivot shaft  32  connected fixedly to an end of the arm body  30  and connected pivotally to the sliding member  22  so as to allow for horizontal rotation of the corresponding side arm  3  (see  FIGS. 8 and 9 ) and co-movement of the corresponding side arm  3  with the sliding member  22 , and a position-limiting rib  33  extending from the pivot shaft  32  toward the sliding member  22 . The main body  221  of the sliding member  22  further has two position-limiting grooves  226 . The position-limiting ribs  33  of the side arms  3  are rotatable respectively within the position-limiting grooves  226  for limiting the rotational angle range of the side arms  3  relative to the sliding member  22 . 
     The two movable connectors  4  are disposed respectively and movably on the side arms  3 . Each of the movable connectors  4  is movable within the guide slot  31  in the corresponding side arm  3  along a longitudinal direction of the corresponding side arm  3 . In this embodiment, each of the movable connectors  4  includes a supporting plate  41  adapted for mounting a screen (not shown) thereon and in front thereof, a second locking element  42  configured as a lock bolt for locking the corresponding movable connector  4  releaseably on the corresponding side arm  3 , and an insert element  43  connected fixedly to a rear side of the supporting plate  41  and formed with a sliding block  431  movable within the corresponding guide slot  31 . Each of the sliding blocks  431  of the movable connectors  4  is rectangular, and has a vertical width that is slightly smaller than that of the corresponding guide slot  31 , so as to allow for smooth movement of the corresponding sliding block  431  within the corresponding guide slot  31 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . The wire collector  5  is disposed on the supporting rod  12  for permitting extension of wires connected to the screens. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , the movable connectors  4  can be operated to adjust the distance between the screens or the horizontal positions of the screens. Furthermore, as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the side arms  3  can be pivoted relative to the sliding member  22  to adjust the distance between the user and each of the screens. Further, the sliding member  22  can be operated to move the sliding rods  222  within the slide slots  211 , respectively, to adjust the inclination angle of the screens. With particular reference to  FIG. 5 , when the sliding rods  222  are disposed respectively at the lower ends  2112  of the slide slots  211 , upper ends of the movable connectors  4  are disposed behind lower ends of the movable connectors  4 . In this state, the movable connectors  4  are inclined forwardly and downwardly. With particular reference to  FIG. 6 , when the sliding rods  222  are disposed respectively at the upper ends  2111  of the slide slots  211 , the upper ends of the movable connectors  4  are disposed in front of the lower ends of the movable connectors  4 . In this state, the movable connectors  4  are inclined forwardly and upwardly. With particular reference to  FIG. 7 , the mounting member  21  can be moved on the supporting rod  12  to adjust the height of the two screens simultaneously. 
       FIG. 11  shows the second preferred embodiment of a screen supporting apparatus according to this invention, which is similar in construction to the first preferred embodiment. Unlike the first preferred embodiment, the length of the main body  221  of the sliding member  22  is increased, and a fixed connector  6  is disposed on the sliding member  22  so as to allow for co-movement with the sliding member  22 , while preventing horizontal movement relative to the sliding member  22 . The fixed connector  6  is adapted for mounting another screen. As such, three screens can be supported by the second preferred embodiment. 
       FIGS. 12 and 13  show the third preferred embodiment of a screen supporting apparatus according to this invention, which is also similar in construction to the first preferred embodiment. In this embodiment, the two side arms  3  (see  FIG. 1 ) and the movable connectors  5  (see  FIG. 1 ) are omitted, and a connector plate  7  is added. The connector plate  7  is disposed on the sliding member  22  for mounting a screen (not shown). 
     In view of the above, each of the movable connectors  4 , the fixed connector  6 , and the connector plate  7  can be used to support a screen, such that the inclination angle of the screen can be adjusted. Thus, the object of this invention is achieved. 
     With this invention thus explained, it is apparent that numerous modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention. It is therefore intended that this invention be limited only as indicated by the appended claims.