Patent ID: 7114688

Claim:
Support device for a liquid crystal flat screen, in particular for computer workstations, of the type comprising an arm and an articulating mechanism interposed between the arm and the screen, wherein the articulating mechanism comprises a ball portion having a general hemispherical shape and a center, and adapted to being fixed to the screen, a cage defining a housing for receiving the ball portion and having an annular edge which makes frictional contact with the ball portion, a tie rod interposed between the cage and the ball portion, while resting substantially at the center of the ball portion, to exert an elastic restoring force of a selected value which passes through said center and causes the ball portion to rest against the annular edge of the cage, and a tie rod passage formed of a widened recess produced in the ball portion and opening on the hemispherical surface of the ball portion to allow clearance of the tie rod in the ball portion, whatever the position of the ball portion with respect to the cage, wherein the tie rod passes through the ball portion and the cage and comprises a first end stop resting substantially in the center of the ball portion and a second end stop resting on the outside of the cage, and wherein the ball portion comprises a stop housing serving to receive the first stop which opens onto a rear face of the ball portion and which communicates with the tie rod passage, and wherein the tie rod passage has a generally conical shape and has a narrow aperture communicating with the stop housing and a wide aperture opening on the hemispherical surface of the ball portion.