Abstract:
The present invention is aimed at systems and methods by which a flat panel display may be supported by a stand, which can also be used as a hook, or other connecting mechanism, to hang the monitor from. In one embodiment, the “kickstand” can be rotated upward without disconnecting it from the body of the flat panel display. In another embodiment, the “kickstand” is attached to a VESA mounting bracket.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This disclosure relates to support and mounting solutions for audio and video devices, and more specifically for a unified mounting support for medical equipment. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Flat panel displays have grown tremendously in popularity over the past decade. The price of such units have reached a point where they are used in a variety of applications in several industries. Flat panel displays use technologies such as Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) or ionized gas (plasma) to generate a picture on a screen. Because these technologies require very little space to generate a picture, the resultant sets are considered flat panels, at least in comparison to Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitors, which were the dominant visual display technology until earlier this decade. As the price of flat panel displays continue to decrease, they will be used in even more industries and applications. 
     Flat panel displays have significant advantages over CRT monitors. The most important of these are size and weight. CRT monitors are bulky, cumbersome and heavy. This makes using CRTs difficult in various situations. An example of such a situation would be a sonographic or other medical monitor for a patient brought into an emergency room on a gurney. Since the patient is being moved, a monitor (or other medical condition display) would have to move with the patient. To use a CRT monitor as a medical monitor, a specialized mount would be required to hold the heavy monitor in place. Such a mount would have to be sturdy and well built to hold the weight of the monitor. This in turn means that the doctors or nurses pushing the gurney would have to transport the weight of the monitor as well as the weight of the support. Additionally, when the patient needs to be switched to another bed, the CRT monitor would have to be relocated and/or repositioned. The use of flat panel displays greatly reduces the difficulties described in the above situation. Since the flat panel display is smaller, lighter and less cumbersome, it is easier to move than a CRT monitor. Also, the relatively small size of a flat panel monitor is less likely to get in the way of a doctor or nurse trying to administer aid to the patient. 
     Mounting solutions are critical to maximizing the benefit of flat panel medical displays. While a flat panel display is lighter and smaller than a comparable CRT of similar screen size, the benefits of a flat panel display are enhanced by an appropriate mounting system. Flat panel displays may simply use a stand on top of a table or similar support, however, often times it is more desirable to have the display mounted on a wall, ceiling, or hanging from another piece of furniture. By doing so, a greater amount of area is conserved. Additionally, the walls or ceiling may provide a better viewing angle or sight line than a tabletop, depending on the location and use of the display. Recognizing the importance of mounting solutions, several companies engineered different mounting solutions for various types of flat panel displays. These solutions allow flat panels to be mounted in various positions and at various angles. Some mounting solutions allow a viewer to change the angle of the display or to rotate the display to suit their viewing desires. The most common solutions allow a user to fit a mounting bracket of some kind onto the wall or ceiling. The flat panel display is then attached to the mounting bracket using screws, bolts or similar hardware. 
     Current mounting solutions utilize the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) Mounting Interface Standard (MIS) otherwise known as a VESA mount. The original VESA mount consisted of four screws arranged in a square, with the horizontal and vertical distance between the screw centers being 100 millimeter (mm). This configuration is still used for a variety of flat panel monitors. Additionally, a smaller VESA configuration, measuring 75 mm between each screw hole in a square pattern, is used for smaller displays. 
     Present mounting solutions, however, are inadequate in situations which require versatility in the face of constant change. Stands used to support flat panel displays only support the display in an upright position and do not allow the display to be angled for enhanced viewing by a doctor or a nurse. 
     Situations such as the one described above, require a mounting solution which can be easily and quickly changed to fit the needs of the moment. For example, if the nurse or doctor needs to be viewing a display constantly, it should be in a location easily viewable. However, if the doctor or nurse is working actively on the patient, and thus requires the monitor to be out of the way, but still connected to the patient, the device must be easily moved out of the way. Current mounting solutions require removing or changing the type of mounting hardware attached to the monitor to meet these needs. 
     Mounting solutions which require hardware changes are undesirable in situations requiring quick changes. For example, in the medical instance described above, one possible solution would be to use a stand for the flat panel display while the flat panel display is being moved, and to use a wall mount to keep the flat panel out of the way but still viewable by the doctors or nurses when the patient is stationary. However, such a solution requires physically changing the hardware attached to the flat panel display. Physically changing the hardware on a flat panel display while the display is being used is undesirable because the doctors or nurses may not be able to make the physical changes, or may not have the time to do so, or may not have the parts handy. Additionally, it may require tools not available at the moment. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a unitary mounting device which allows a flat panel medical display to be supported by a stand, or alternatively by a hook. In one embodiment, a “kickstand” can be adjusted to provide several viewing angles and it can be rotated upward without being disconnected from the body of the flat panel display. In another embodiment, the kickstand is attached to the back of the medical device by a standard VESA mounting bracket. 
     The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows the back of a flat panel medical display with a detached kickstand in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows one embodiment of the kickstand attached to the back of a flat panel medical display; 
         FIG. 3  shows the kickstand of  FIG. 2  rotated upward to be positioned as a hook support; 
         FIG. 4  shows one embodiment of the flat panel medical display device locked into a particular viewing angle. 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  show alternate embodiments of the kickstand. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows back  101  of flat panel medical display  10  with detached kickstand  11 . Note that hinge  109 ,  110  is positioned with reference to the back surface of display  10  so that the distal end of section  107 A can rotate downward to approximately level with the bottommost structure of display  10 . The distal end of the kickstand can then rotate upward to be above the uppermost structure of display  10 . Back panel  101  has screw holes  102 - 105 , positioned in conformity with the VESA MIS. In this embodiment, the centers are 75 mm apart from each other, arranged in a square pattern. Display  10  is shown with optional carrying handle  106  for carrying the display. Attached to kickstand  11  by way of hinge  109 , 110  is mounting plate  108 . Mounting plate  108  is designed with screw holes  114 - 117  (or other mounting hardware) to allow the mounting plate to be attached to rear panel  101  of display  10  using mounting screws (not shown). Screw holes  102 - 105  are positioned such that when mounting plate  108  is attached to display  10 , section  107 A of kickstand  11  maybe rotated upward such that hook  111  at the distal end of  107 A can rise above handle  106  (or about the top structure of display  10 ). 
     In other embodiments, kickstand  11  may be directly hinged to the back of the display without the use of a mounting plate or mounting screws. This can be accomplished, for example, by creating hinge part  110  on the back surface of the display. In other embodiments, the mounting plate and mounting screws need not conform to the VESA MIS, but may be any mounting configuration desired. 
       FIG. 2  shows one embodiment of kickstand  11  attached to the back of display  10  using mounting plate  108 , screw holes  102 - 105  and mounting screws (not shown). Kickstand  11  is positioned such that it forms an angle with display  10  which allows display  10  to stand at a slope with respect to a common surface (not shown). Kickstand  11  may be positioned at different angles to allow display  10  to be viewed at a variety of angles. If desired, indents (ratchets) can be provided in hinge  109 - 110  to assist in maintaining a particular angle. 
       FIG. 3  shows kickstand  11  rotated upward so that hook  111  can engage horizontal bar  303 . Kickstand  11  rotates upward around pin  113  and can swivel from side to side around pin  112 . Note that hook  111  rotates upward so that it is higher than handle  106  of display  10 . Pivot point  113  functions as a swing assembly, and allows the kickstand to be swung into position to be used as a stand, or into position to be used as a hook. Rotation point  112  allows display  10  to be rotated around to be viewed at various angles. 
     In embodiments in which kickstand  11  does not contain rotation point  112 , it may just act as a simple hook. In embodiments in which kickstand  11  does not contain pivot point  113 , it may be detachable from display  10 . In such an arrangement, in order to position kickstand  11  in the hook position, kickstand  11  would be detached from display  10  and repositioned in such a way that the hook assembly is above the top of display  10 . Pivot points  113  and  112  may be resistant friction hinges, locking pins, free adjustment hinges with no locking mechanism, or ratchet assemblies. In some embodiments, a locking mechanism may be used to lock the device into various positions. 
       FIG. 4  shows display  10  locked into position to provide an alternate viewing angle. Kickstand  11  is rotated upward and hung from horizontal support  403 . Pin  113  has teeth which lock into various positions as kickstand  11  is rotated upwards. Hinge portions  109  and  110  are grooved such that when pin  112  is inserted, the hinge is locked in place. In other embodiments, alternate mechanisms may be used to lock display  10  into a certain angle. Such mechanisms may include a ratcheting assembly or support bar attached to the rear panel of the display. Similarly, other embodiments may use locking assemblies to lock pin  112  into a desired position. 
       FIG. 5  shows an alternate embodiment of a kickstand where distal end  107 A ( FIG. 1 ) has been replaced by a clamp mechanism  501 A,  501 B held together by spring  502 . The clamp would function similar to the hook assembly in that when the kickstand is rotated down, the kickstand would function as a stand, and when the stand was rotated up, it would function as a clamp. The clamp assembly may be desirable in instances where it is important to prevent movement by display  10 . Even in position as a stand, the clamp could be used to lock the display into place.  FIG. 5  also shows extender mechanism  503 . Extender mechanism  503  is a piece of material, such as plastic or metal, designed such that it is encased within proximal end  107 B of kickstand  11 , while in the contracted position. When extended, extender mechanism  503  extends outward from proximal end  107 B, extending the length of kickstand  11 . Extender mechanism  503  has a “T” shape, to prevent the extender from sliding completely out of proximal end  107 B. Extender mechanism  503  may be desirable in instances where it is necessary to extend the length of the kickstand, for example, to allow the monitor to be closer to a doctor while the doctor is operating on a patient. Although shown with clamp mechanism  501 A,  501 B, extender mechanism  503  may be implemented in any embodiment of the invention. Other embodiments may use different mechanisms to extend the length of the kickstand, such as a extension rod, or telescoping piece. Additionally, other devices, such as locking pins or teeth and ridges, may be used to lock the extender mechanism into place, or prevent the extender mechanism from sliding completely out of proximal end  107 B. 
       FIG. 6  shows another embodiment of kickstand  11  ( FIG. 1 ) using a carabiner type hook with latch  601 , which pivots around point  602 , serving to lock the hook onto a horizontal support or other support. If desired, clamp mechanism  501 A,  501 B or distal end  601 A, could be snapped into proximal end  107 B of kickstand  11 , if kickstand  11  were to be designed so that distal end  107 A were removable from end  107 B. 
     Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.