Patent Publication Number: US-2011050541-A1

Title: Dual display device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Utility Model Application No. 20-2009-0011143 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Aug. 26, 2009, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (a) Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a dual display device in which angle between the two display panels can be freely varied. 
     (b) Description of the Related Art 
     Display device is an apparatus for displaying images of a computer, broad casting, or the like, and recently flat display panels such as a plasma display panel, a liquid crystal display are widely used. 
     Information which needs to be shown to user becomes greater, and work by using one display panel is limited, so number of users who use two display panels gradually increases. 
     However, in the prior art, two display panels are simply disposed near, so there is limitation in space and in order to vary angle between two display panels, it needs to move the display panel. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a dual display device in which angle between two display panels can be easily regulated. 
     An exemplary dual display device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a first display panel having a first display screen; a second display panel having a second display screen; and a connecting frame which connecting the first display panel and the second display panel such that the first display panel and the second display panel can be rotatable to one another so that angle between the first display screen and the second display screen can be varied. 
     The connecting frame may include: a fixing member to which the first display panel and the second display panel are rotatably connected respectively in a state of being adjacent to one another; a first gear and a second gear which are engaged to one another and are respectively connected to the first display panel and the second display panel so as to rotate together with the first display panel and the second display panel; and an angle regulating member which has a pinion gear engaged with one of the first gear and the second gear and is rotatably connected to the fixing member. 
     The dual display device may further include a support including: a supporting member to which the fixing member is connected to be rotatable in a vertical direction; and a base member supporting the supporting member. 
     The base member may include: a base plate having a vertical pin; and a rotating plate which is mounted on the base plate to be rotatable around the vertical pin. 
     The supporting member may be connected to the rotating plate to be rotatable in a vertical direction. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a dual display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a dual display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of a dual display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of portion “A” in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a drawing showing a first gear, a second gear and a pinion gear of a dual display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a drawing showing angle changing operation of a dual display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Exemplary embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the drawing. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a dual display device according to an embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a dual display device according to an embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of a dual display device according to an embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of portion “A” in  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 5  is a drawing showing a first gear, a second gear and a pinion gear of a dual display device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 6  is a drawing showing angle changing operation of a dual display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     First, as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , a dual display device  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first display panel  110  and a second display panel  120 . 
     The first and the second display panels  110  and  120  may be any conventional display panel which can display images such as computer image, television image, or the like. 
     The first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120  may includes a first bezel  113  and a second bezel  123  and a first display screen  111  and a second display screen  121 , respectively. 
     The bezels  113  and  123  may be formed to enclose the display screens  111  and  121 . 
     Meanwhile, in case that the first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120  are liquid crystal display panels, since continuity in image display can be deteriorated by width of the bezels  113  and  123  at a region where the first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120  contact one another, portions of the bezels  113  and  123  which contact one another can be removed to enhance continuity of image display. At this time, the liquid display panel can be cut by any conventional cutting technology known in the art. 
     The first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120  may display divided one image together as well as may display different images. 
     The dual display device  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a connecting frame  130 . 
     The connecting frame  130  connects the first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120  such that the first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120  can be rotatable to one another so that angle between the first display screen  111  and the second display screen  121  can be varied. 
     The connecting frame  130  includes a fixing member  140  which is configured such that the first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120  are rotatably connected respectively thereto in a state of being adjacent to one another. 
     In more detail, the fixing member  140  may include a connecting part  143  which is extended in a vertical direction, and an upper coupling part  141  and a lower coupling part  145  which are formed at an upper end and a lower end of the connecting part  143  respectively. 
     As shown in the drawing, the upper coupling part  141  and the lower coupling part  145  may have a shape of a rectangular plate respectively. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , upper hinges  115 ′ and  125 ′ are provided at upper surfaces of the first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120 , and lower hinges  115  and  125  are provided at corresponding lower surfaces thereof. Furthermore, upper hinge holes  141   a  and  141   b  and lower hinge holes  145   a  and  145   b  are respectively formed at a lower surface of the upper coupling part  141  and an upper surface of the lower coupling part  145  of the fixing member. 
     The upper hinges  115 ′ and  125 ′ of the first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120  are rotatably inserted into the upper hinge holes  141   a  and  141   b  of the upper coupling part  141 , and the lower hinges  115  and  125  of the first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120  are rotatably inserted into the lower hinge holes  145   a  and  145   b  of the lower coupling part  145 , so the first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120  are rotatably connected to the fixing member  140 . 
     Further, the connecting frame  130  includes a first gear  117 , a second gear  127 , and an angle regulating member  170  for rotating the first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120 . 
     As shown in the drawings, the first gear  117 , the second gear  127 , and the angle regulating member  170  may be provided to the lower coupling part  145  of the fixing member  140 . That is, as shown in the drawings, the lower coupling part  145  is formed to have an empty space therein, and the first gear  117 , the second gear  127 , and the angle regulating member  170  may be disposed in this empty space. 
     The first gear  117  is fixed to the lower hinge  115 , which is fixed to the first display panel  110 , so as to rotate the first display panel  110 , and the second gear  127  is fixed to the lower hinge  125 , which is fixed to the second panel  120 , so as to rotate the second display panel  120 . For this, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the lower hinges  115  and  125  which are fixed to the first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120  penetrate an upper case of the lower coupling part  145  of the fixing member  140  so as to be exposed to the empty space therein, and the first gear  117  and the second gear  127  are respectively coupled lower ends thereof. 
     At this time, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the first gear  117  and the second gear  127  are disposed in a state of being engaged with one another. Accordingly, if one of the first gear  117  and the second gear  127  rotates, the other rotates together and rotation directions of the first gear  117  and the second gear  127  are opposite. 
     Meanwhile, the angle regulating member  170  is configured to be able to rotate the first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120  by its rotation so as to regulate angle between the first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120 . For this, the angle regulating member  170  is provided with a pinion gear  171  which is engaged with one of the first gear  117  and the second gear  127 , and is rotatably connected to the fixing member  140 . At this time, as shown in the drawing, the angle regulating member  170  may be rotatably mounted to the lower coupling part  145  in a state of being disposed in the inner space of the lower coupling part  145  of the fixing member  140 . 
     Although the pinion gear  171  of the angle regulating member  170  is engaged with the first gear  117  in the drawing, in another embodiment the pinion gear  171  may be engaged with the second gear  127 . 
     At this time, the angle regulating member  170  may have a body of a circular plate shape, and the pinion gear  171  may be disposed at a center of an upper surface of the body. In addition, as shown in the drawing, a portion of the body of a circular plate of the angle regulating member  170  may extrude to the outside of the inner space of the lower coupling part  145  of the fixing member  140 , a user can regulate angle between the first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120  by rotating the extruded portion of the angle regulating member  170 . At this time, an opening  146  may be formed at the front of the lower coupling part  145 , and a portion of the angle regulating member  170  can extrude to the outside through the opening  146 . 
     That is, if the angle regulating member  170  rotates, the pinion gear  171  rotates together with the angle regulating member  170 , and the pinion gear  171  rotates the first gear  117  and the second gear  127 , so the first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120  rotate. At this time, the first gear  117  and the second gear  127  rotate in opposite directions, so the first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120  also rotate in opposite directions so that angle between first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120  can be decreased or increased. 
     Meanwhile, the dual display device according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a support including a supporting member  150  and a base member  160 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the fixing member  140  is connected to the supporting member  150  to be rotatable in a vertical direction. For example, the fixing member  140  is connected to an upper end of the supporting member  150  via a first hinge  151  so as to be rotatable in a vertical direction. 
     The base member  160  supports the supporting member  150 . At this time, the supporting member  150  is connected to the base member  160  via a second hinge  153  so as to be rotatable in a vertical direction. 
     Meanwhile, as shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the base member  160  may include a base plate  161  and a rotating plate  165 . The base plate  161  contacts the bottom ground, and the rotating plate  165  is disposed on the base plate  161 . A vertical pin  163  which vertically extends from the base plate  161  is formed on the base plate  161 , and the rotating plate  165  is rotatably connected to the vertical pin  163  so that the rotating plate  165  can be rotatable about the vertical pin  163 . At this time, the other end of the supporting member  150  is coupled to the rotating plate  165 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , the first and the second display panels  110  and  120  rotate in opposite directions, so the first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120  can rotate to become more distant from one another or come near to one another. 
     Furthermore, the fixing member  140  which supports the first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120  is connected to the supporting member  150  to be rotatable in a vertical direction and the supporting member  150  is connected to the base member  160  to be rotatable in a vertical direction, so angle in a vertical direction of the first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120  can be freely varied. Still furthermore, the rotating plate  165  of the base member  160  is rotatably connected to the base plate  161 , so angle in a horizontal direction of the first display panel  110  and the second display panel  120  can be freely varied. 
     While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 
     According to the present invention, by rotating one of two display panels, the other display panel also rotates, so angle between two display panels can be easily regulated, and rotating angle of the display panel can be precisely regulated using an angle regulating member.