Patent Publication Number: US-2012024804-A1

Title: Monitor Stand Allowing Various Types of Motion

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application No. 61/368,355, filed on Jul. 28, 2010. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to support structures for computer monitors, and more specifically to stands that allow various types of motion of the monitors supported therefrom. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The use of multi-monitor computer systems, where more than one monitor is coupled to a computer and supported by a support structure has increased in recent years. A multi-monitor computer system can be used to create the illusion of a larger screen, thereby allowing a user to view a large single file over several displays. Alternatively, the user may view individual applications on individual screens (for example, one screen may display a Web Browser and a second a spreadsheet of financial data). 
     For efficiency and comfort, it is desirable to be able to position the monitors in various positions while in use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Described herein is a stand for supporting at least one computer monitor. The stand includes an upper support and a base structure connected to the upper support and adapted to rest on a horizontal surface. 
     The base structure includes a first base member having a curved surface, a bottom portion of the upper support adapted for sliding along the curved surface resulting in tilting of the upper support. The base structure also includes a second base member coupled to the first base member to allow the first base member and the upper support to rotate about an axis substantially perpendicular to the horizontal surface. The base structure further includes a third base member coupled to the second base member to allow the second base member to translate forward and backward with respect to the third base member. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The various advantages of the invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art by reading the following specification and by referencing the following drawings. 
         FIG. 1A  shows a stand for supporting at least one monitor, according to the principles of the present invention; 
         FIG. 1B  shows the stand of  FIG. 1A  with the monitors removed; 
         FIG. 2A  shows the stand of  FIG. 1A  with the upper support in a first tilted position; 
         FIG. 2B  shows the stand of  FIG. 1A  with the upper support in a second tilted position; 
         FIG. 2C  shows a section A-A of  FIG. 2A ; 
         FIG. 2D  shows an exploded view of part of  FIG. 2A ; 
         FIG. 3A  shows the stand of  FIG. 1A  with the upper support in a first rotated position; 
         FIG. 3B  shows the stand of  FIG. 1A  with the upper support in a second rotated position; 
         FIG. 3C  shows a section C-C of  FIG. 3A ; 
         FIG. 4A  shows the stand of  FIG. 1A  with the upper support in a first translated position; 
         FIG. 4B  shows the stand of  FIG. 1A  with the upper support in a second translated position; 
         FIG. 4C  shows a section D-D of  FIG. 4B ; 
         FIG. 5  shows a different embodiment of a stand that permits tilting and rotation of monitors, according to the principles of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  shows a different embodiment of a stand that permits rotation and translation of monitors, according to the principles of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  shows a different embodiment of a stand that permits tilting and translation of monitors, according to the principles of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1A-B  show a stand  10  for supporting at least one monitor  11 ,  13 .  FIG. 1A  shows the stand with the monitors  11 ,  13  attached, and  FIG. 1B  shows the stand  10  with the monitors  11 ,  13  removed. The stand  10  includes an upper support  12 . The upper support  12  shown in  FIGS. 1A-B  has a column  14  and a horizontal arm  16  that extends on either side of the column  14 . 
     The stand  10  includes a base structure  18  connected to the column  14  of the upper support  12 . The base structure  18  is adapted to rest on a horizontal surface, such as a desk. The base structure  18  includes a first base member  20  having a curved surface  22  (the curvature on the curved surface  22  is apparent in  FIG. 2C ), a second base member  24  coupled to the first base member  20 , and a third base member  26  coupled to the second base member  24 . 
     As described in more detail below, a lower portion of the upper support  12  slides along the curved surface  22  resulting in tilting of the upper support  12 . The second base member  24  is coupled to the first base member  20  to allow the first base member  20  and the upper support  12  to rotate about an axis substantially perpendicular to the horizontal surface. The third base member  26  is coupled to the second base member  24  to allow the second base member  24  to translate forward and backward with respect to the third base member  26 . 
     Advantageously, the monitors  11 ,  13  have three degrees of freedom associated with tilting, achieved using structure near the interface of the upper support  12  and first base member  20 ; rotation, achieved using structure near the interface of the first base member  20  and the second base member  24 ; and translation forward and backward, achieved using structure near the interface of the second base member  24  and the third base member  26 . Consequently, a user can effectively position the monitors  11 ,  13  in a variety of desirable locations. 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  show two positions of the upper support  12  relative to the first base member  20 .  FIG. 2C  shows a section A-A of  FIG. 2A  that makes apparent the curvature of the curved surface  22 . 
     The first base member  20  includes a first outer slot  30 , a second outer slot  32  and a middle slot  34  therebetween. A bolt  38  is inserted into the middle slot  34  at the bottom portion  36  of the upper support  12  after a bushing  40  is inserted into the bolt  38 . A washer  41  is placed on the bolt  38  and a nut  42  is screwed on the bolt  38 . The nut  42  is screwed on above the first base member  20  for attaching the first base member  20  to the upper support  12 . Referring to  FIG. 2D , which is an exploded view of part of  FIG. 2A , an insert part  43  of the bottom portion  36  that is in contact with the curved surface  22  fits on the curved surface  22 . 
     The upper support  12  further includes a first pin  44  and a second pin  46  at the bottom thereof. The first pin  44  is inserted into the first slot  30  and the second pin  46  is inserted into the second slot  32 . 
     The insert part  43  of the bottom portion  36  of the upper support  12  slides along the curved surface  22 . Due to the curvature of the curved surface  22 , this sliding of the upper support  12  along the curved surface  22  results in various levels of tilting of the upper support  12  and of the monitors  11 ,  13  connected thereto. The bolt  38  remains stationary with respect to the column  14  as the column  14  tilts. 
     By tightening or loosening the nut  42  and by using various materials to manufacture the bushing  40 , the curved surface  22  and the insert part  43  of the bottom portion  36  in contact with the curved surface  22 , the amount of static and kinetic friction that obtains between the curved surface  22  and the insert part  43 , and the bushing  40  and the bottom side of the curved surface  22  in contact therewith can be made to vary. As a result of varying the friction, the amount of load from the monitors  11 ,  13  that the upper support  12  can bear without flopping forward or backward, and the amount of force required to tilt the upper support  12  can be varied. 
     The first pin  44  and the second pin  46  guide the upper support  12  while tilting and prevent the upper support  12  from rotating about a vertical axis with respect to the first base member  20 . 
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  show two rotated positions of the first base member  20  relative to the second base member  24 .  FIG. 3C  shows a section C-C of  FIG. 3A . The first base member  20  includes a tongue  50  around a portion  52  of the perimeter of the first base member  20 . The shape of the portion  52  is a circular arc. The second base member  24  includes a groove  54  into which the tongue  50  is inserted. The first base member  20  is thereby able to rotate with respect to the second base member  24  about an axis  56  that is substantially perpendicular to the horizontal surface on which the third base member  26  rests. 
       FIGS. 4A and 4B  show two translated positions of the second base member  24  relative to the third base member  26 . To achieve the function of allowing the second base member  24  to move backward and forward with respect to the third base member  26 , a tongue and groove mechanism, similar to the tongue and groove mechanism that allows the first base member  20  to rotate, can be employed. However, in this case, when linear translation of the second base member is desired, the tongue and groove are linear instead of circular. 
     In particular, and with reference to  FIG. 4C , which shows section D-D of  FIG. 4B , the second base member  24  includes a first tongue  60  at one end  62  of the second base member  24 . Similarly, the second base member  24  includes a second tongue  64  at another end  66  of the second base member  24 . The third base member  26  includes a first groove  68  on one side and a second groove  70  on the opposite side. 
     The first tongue  60  of the second base member  24  fits into the first groove  68  of the third base member  26 , and the second tongue  64  fits into the second groove  70  to allow the first tongue  60  and the second tongue  64  to slide forward and backward in the respective first groove  68  and second groove  70  to thereby permit the upper support  12  and the monitors  11 ,  13  to move forward and backward. 
     Other mechanisms could also permit the second base member to move forward and backward. For instance, various rolling bodies could assist in this motion. In one example, a carriage on the second base member could run on a rail on the third base member facilitated by ball bearings, as sometimes employed to allow drawers to be pulled out from cabinets. 
     It will be apparent that several modifications to the embodiments described above can be implemented without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, at the interface of the upper support and the first base member, the first and second base members, and the second and third base members various coupling mechanisms have been described that have involved a male component and a female component. To be specific, the male component was described as being disposed on one member, while the female component was described as being disposed on the other member. However, it is contemplated by the inventor that the location of the male and female components can be swapped where appropriate. For instance, instead of disposing the bolt  38  in the upper support  12 , such that the bolt  38  remains stationary with respect to the column  14  as the column  14  tilts, and disposing the slots  30 ,  32 ,  34  in the first base member  20 , it is possible to have the bolt in the first base member and the slots at the bottom of the upper support. In such case, the bolt would remain stationary with respect to the first base member and it would be the slots that moved to effect tilting. Likewise, instead of placing the tongue on the first member and the complimentary groove on the second base member to achieve rotation, the groove could reside on the first base member and the tongue on the second base member. Similarly, while an embodiment has been described above in which a tongue is disposed on the second base member and a mating groove is disposed in the third base member to achieve translation, the groove could instead be disposed on the third base member and the groove in the second base member. 
     An embodiment of a monitor stand has been described above that has the capability to tilt, rotate and translate monitors. It should be understood, however, that in some embodiments, the monitor stand may only allow one or two of these types of motion, not all three. For instance, with reference to  FIG. 5 , a stand  100  for supporting at least one monitor is shown. The stand  100  permits tilting and rotation of monitors, but not translation forward and backwards.  FIG. 6  shows a stand  118  that permits rotation and translation, but not tilting. In such case, a first base member  120  need have neither slots nor a curved top surface. Moreover, the first base member  120  and an upper support  122  are connected to each other and may be moulded as one piece.  FIG. 7  shows a stand  126  that permits tilting and translation, but not rotation. It should be noted that reference to tilting, rotation and translation apply to these motions due to structural components near the base of the stand. Other types of motion of the monitors may be achieved via the connector of the monitors to the arm. For example, if a hinge connector is used to connect the monitors to the arm, the monitors may be able to rotate even if the base structure does not allow for rotation. 
     Also, although  FIG. 1A  shows two monitors, the principles of the present invention apply to a stand for one, two, or more than two monitors.