Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to an angle adjusting device and a display module testing apparatus using the angle adjusting device. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    In mass manufacturing of display products, such as LCD monitors, each display module should be tested to determine if it is defective or not. Once the display module has passed the test, it is ready to be assembled together with other parts of the LCD monitor. 
         [0003]      FIG. 5  shows a conventional testing apparatus for display modules. The apparatus  10  includes a horizontal working table  11  and a carrier  12 , which is obliquely mounted on the working table  11 . The carrier  12  is generally rectangular in shape and is used for supporting a display module placed thereon. The carrier  12  may be set to maintain an angle anywhere in the range of 25 to 65 degrees, relative to the working table  11 . Thus, an operator can select a suitable angle for the display module to be tested. 
         [0004]    However, when the apparatus  10  is installed at a production line, the angle between the carrier  12  and the working table  11  is set or fixed. A fixed angle means that the operator cannot readily adjust the carrier  12  during the process of testing a display module, and he/she may have to adjust viewing angles himself/herself in some other way manually. That is, the carrier  12  is liable to cause inconvenience to the operator. If the angle between the carrier  12  and the working table  11  needs to be adjusted, the entire apparatus  10  may need to be rearranged. Rearranging the entire apparatus  10  requires time, requires manpower, and increases production costs. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, what is needed is an angle adjusting device that can overcome the above-described deficiencies. What is also needed is a testing apparatus using the angle adjusting device, the testing apparatus being typically adapted for testing display modules. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    An exemplary device for adjusting a tilt angle of a base plate from a stable starting position, includes: two side walls being parallel to and spaced apart from each other, each of the side walls including a pivot hole; a base plate disposed between the two side walls and pivotally attached to the side walls via the pivot axles; and a plurality of magnetism members disposed on the base plate and the side wall. The magnetism members configures for holding the base plate stably in a starting position and further configures to allow the base plate to be displaced from the starting position by manual pressure applied to the base plate, such that a tilt angle of the base plate relative to the two side walls is adjustable up or down as desired. 
         [0007]    An exemplary apparatus for testing display modules includes a base plate configured for holding at least one display module; a signal generating device, configured to be electrically connectable to the at least one display module; and a device for adjusting a tilt angle of the base plate from a stable starting position. The device includes: two side walls being parallel to and spaced apart from each other, each of the side walls including a pivot hole; a base plate disposed between the two side walls and pivotally attached to the side walls via the pivot axles; and a plurality of magnetism members disposed on the base plate and the side wall. The magnetism members are configured for holding the base plate stably in a starting position and further configured to allow the base plate to be displaced from the starting position by manual pressure applied to the base plate, such that a tilt angle of the base plate relative to the two side walls is adjustable up or down as desired. 
         [0008]    Other novel features and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an apparatus for testing display modules, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is an exploded, isometric view of the testing apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of an angle adjusting device and a supporting plate of the testing apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is an assembled view of certain parts of the testing apparatus shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of a conventional apparatus for testing display modules. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0014]    References will now be made to the drawings to give detailed descriptions of various embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  shows an apparatus for testing display modules in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus  2  includes two L-shaped side walls  21 , a top plate  22 , a rear wall  23 , a bottom plate  24 , a signal generating device  25 , an angle adjusting device  27  and a supporting plate  29 . The two L-shaped side walls  21  are parallel to and spaced apart from each other. The top plate  22 , the rear wall  23  and the bottom plate  24  are connected to edges of the side walls  21 , respectively, to form a space for containing the signal generating device  25  and the angle adjusting device  27 . The signal generating device  25  is adjacent to the rear wall  23  and the bottom plate  24 , and is electrically connected with the angle adjusting device  27 . The supporting plate  29  is pressingly held on the angle adjusting device  27 . 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , an exploded isometric view of the testing apparatus  2  is shown. The two L-shaped side walls  21  are generally symmetrical in structure. Each of the two L-shaped side walls  21  includes a first and a second magnetism members  211  and  212 , a first and a second blocks  213  and  215  generally adjacent to the first and second magnetism members  211  and  212 , respectively, and a pivot hole  217  generally between the first and second magnetism members  211  and  212 . The first and second magnetism members  211  and  212  are spaced apart from each other and generally adjacent to an intermediate slanted edge of the side wall  21 . The first and second blocks  213  and  215  are also spaced apart from each other, and are nearer to a bottom edge of the side wall  21  than the first and second magnetism members  211  and  212 . The first and second magnetism members  211  and  212  can for example be fixed magnets. 
         [0017]    The signal generating device  25  includes a signal input socket  250 , a power supply  251 , a mainboard  252  having a plurality of meters  253  (such as a voltage meter and a current meter), a PCB (printed circuit board)  257 , and two signal output sockets  258 . 
         [0018]    The signal input socket  250  can protrude out from the rear wall  23 . The signal input socket  250  is for receiving voltage signals and transmitting the voltage signals to the power supply  251 . The power supply  251  is electrically connected to the signal input socket  250 . The power supply  251  can convert and transmit pre-determined voltage signals to the PCB  257  and the mainboard  252 , respectively. The PCB  257  is disposed over the bottom plate  24 , and the signal output sockets  258  are electrically connected to a controller (not labeled) of the PCB  257 . The mainboard  252  is used as a front cover of the testing apparatus  2  and is rectangular in shape. The mainboard  252  includes the meters  253  for displaying parameters of all kinds of testing signals. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , an exploded view of the angle adjusting device  27  and the supporting plate  29  is shown. 
         [0020]    The angle adjusting device  27  includes a supporting member  271  and a cylinder mechanism  275 . The supporting member  271  includes a main plate  2710 , two separate pivot axles  2711  at opposite lateral sides of the main plate  2710  respectively, four protrusions  2712 , two through slots  2713 , and four magnetism members  2715 . The protrusions  2712  downwardly extend from opposite lateral side edges of the main plate  2710 , and the pivot axles  2711  are laterally fixed under middle portions of the lateral sides of the main plate  2710  respectively. Each magnetism member  2715  is disposed at an outer face of a respective protrusion  2712 , and corresponds to one of the first and second magnetism members  211  and  212  of the respective side wall  21 . The magnetism members  2715  can for example be fixed magnets. The through slots  2713  are exposed at a top portion of the main plate  2710  and are used for containing the corresponding signal output sockets  258  of the signal generating device  25 . 
         [0021]    The cylinder mechanism  275  is typically a compressed air kind of cylinder mechanism, and includes a main body  2750 , a compressed air switch  2751  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ), two positioning posts  2753 , two connecting posts  2754  and two pressing pieces  2755 . The switch  2751  is attached to an outside of one of the two side walls  21  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ). The connecting posts  2754  are disposed parallel to and spaced apart from each other, and the positioning posts  2753  are disposed parallel to and spaced apart from each other. The connecting posts  2754  and the positioning posts  2753 , cooperatively, form a hollow frame (not labeled). The main body  2750  is fixed to a bottom one of the connecting posts  2754 , and upper portions of the positioning posts  2753  are slidably engaged in the main plate  2710  of the supporting member  271 . The pressing pieces  2755  are fixed to a top one of the connecting posts  2754 . The cylinder mechanism  275  functions to slide the positioning posts  2753  relative to the main plate  2710 . Thereby, the pressing pieces  2755  can be moved down toward the main plate  2710  in order to fix the supporting plate  29  on the main plate  2710 . 
         [0022]    The supporting plate  29  has a generally rectangular shape and defines two recesses  291 . The supporting plate  29  can be fixed to the main plate  2710 , with the supporting plate  29  being pressed by the pressing pieces  2755 . The recesses  291  are used to contain display modules to be tested. The recesses  291  can be sized according to the display modules to be tested. 
         [0023]    Referring also to  FIG. 4 , once the apparatus  2  has been assembled, the pivot axles  2711  are pivotably engaged in the two pivot holes  217  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ) respectively, such that the angle adjusting device  27  is pivotably attached to the side walls  21 . The main plate  2710  is tiltable by means of the pivot axles  2711  pivoting in the pivot holes  217 . The main plate  2710  is held in a main position in which the first and second magnetism members  211  and  212  are positioned directly opposite the magnetism members  2712 ,  2715  respectively. The switch  2751  can be activated by an operator to drive the cylinder mechanism  275  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ). The cylinder mechanism  275  causes the positioning posts  2753  to slide down relative to the main plate  2710 . Thus the pressing pieces  2755  press down on the supporting plate  29 , such that the supporting plate  29  is fixed on the main plate  2710 . The signal output sockets  258  are contained in corresponding through slots  2713 . The signal output sockets  258  can be electrically connected to the display modules to be tested by wires (not shown), so that display signals can be transmitted to the display modules to be tested. 
         [0024]    In operation, the supporting plate  29  is placed on the main plate  2710  and is pressed by the pressing pieces  2755 . Thereby, the supporting plate  29  is fixed on the main plate  2710 . Display modules to be tested are disposed in the recesses  291  of the supporting plate  29 , and are electrically connected to the signal output sockets  258  by the wires (not shown). Thereby, the display modules are able to display test images. At any time during testing of the display modules, the main plate  2710  can be displaced from the main position by manual pushing by an operator, so that the main plate  2710  either tilts back or tilts up as desired. The degree of tilting up or tilting back is limited by the respective protrusions  2715  reaching the respective blocks  213 ,  215 . This tilting of the main plate  2710  is temporary, and can only be maintained by the operator continuing to push the main plate  2710 . When the operator releases the main plate  2710 , the main plate  2710  returns to the main position automatically, either under its own weight or by attraction between the first and the second magnetism members  211 ,  212  and the magnetism members  2715 . 
         [0025]    In summary, the apparatus  2  includes the angle adjusting device  27 . The angle adjusting device  27  enables the operator to easily and conveniently adjust the angle and/or position of the supporting plate  29  during the testing process. 
         [0026]    In addition, the operator may switch the switch  2751  to release the supporting plate  29  or lock the supporting plate  29  in position. That is, the operator may conveniently change any one supporting plate  29  with another different supporting plate  29  having different recesses  291 . Thereby, the operator can test display modules having different sizes. 
         [0027]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set out in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Technology Category: 3