Flat panel display system
A modular display system for display devices, especially flat screen monitors which is a hub and spoke design whereby multiple monitors are mounted at the same hub height. The display system has means for locking the height of each display device using a cam and brake concept adjusted using a jackscrew. For quick change-out of display devices, a bayonet mount is used to attach the display device to the spokes.
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to systems for supporting one or more display panels. More particularly, the support system provides a means for supporting multiple displays such as flat screen liquid crystal display devices and enables their adjustment so as to maintain the screens in a common visual plane. The invention particularly relates to a modular hub and spoke system which provides easy alignment, greater range of adjustment, and which has, therefore, multiple uses.
2. Background and Prior Art
Computerized workstations can provide very large amounts of information provided that there is adequate display surface area. Banks of cathode ray tube monitors characterize a variety of work stations, including industrial control rooms, television broadcast studios and securities brokerages. The evolution of flat screen liquid crystal displays (LCD) has greatly reduced the size of monitors as well as decreased their weight and heat loading. The improved flexibility available for work station design requires methods for mounting multiple flat screens so that they are equally readable from the same viewing location (i.e. in the same focal plane) and adjustable for different users. U.S. Patent publication 2002/0011544A1 discloses a quick-release system for replacing failed display monitors. U.S. Patent publication 2001/0045497A1 discloses an adjustable computer work station using multiple arms to raise and lower and adjust the angle of a display screen and a keyboard. U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,672 discloses a multi-jointed and pivoted support system for a flat panel video display. U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,287 discloses an articulated conduit joint involving two arms and a clutched joint to maintain adjusted location.
Systems for mounting multiple LCD panels heretofore have mounted panels on a separate support, have ganged panels on a common support bar or brace or have articulated each panel from a different point on a horizontal or vertical support. The result is that there is either limited range of movement for adjusting each panel or that each panel has a different range of motion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of this invention to provide a system for supporting displaying devices, especially flat screen LCD monitors which provides equivalent ranges of motion for each set of screens. It is a further objective of this invention to provide a system for supporting flat screen LCD monitors, which can be aligned to provide substantially equivalent focal points or focal planes. It is a further object of this invention to provide a modular mounting system which is adaptable to multiple screens using a single mounting system and a single mounting point on a desk or other support structure.
The invention is a hub and spoke design for a mounting system to display one or more display devices, especially flat screen LCD monitors. More particularly, the invention enables the display of multiple monitors in a collage format for rapid viewing of multiple sets of information. The invention is characterized by being quickly adjustable but subsequently easily locked into position. In additional, repairs may be made quickly by rapid change-out of screens. The invention will describe in terms of the illustrated embodiments shown in the drawings.
Although the invention has been illustrated in terms of a tubular hub, square tubing or channel sections are equally usable. Likewise, a horizontal brace could be used for the hub and the sockets turned 90° compared to that illustrated in
Critical to the operation of the system is the ability to locate each screen in a desired position and to hold the screen in that position. It is conventional to counterbalance flat screen monitors and other devices which are adjustable vertically using parallel arms hinged at their ends and to suspend them using coiled or gas springs. The force exerted by the spring induces a lifting force on the parallelogram arm which is changed by altering the angle of the spring. It therefore follows, detachment of the screen from the arm would cause a change in height setting. When multiple screens are placed in close proximity, as in trading and monitoring stations, and a quick change of screen is required, it is desirable the height setting of the screen mount remain constant. For this reason we have devised a method to lock each screen at the desired height setting.
The jackscrew is shown in
The brake shoe 59 is shown in top perspective in
In operation, when the screen height has been set, the jackscrew is turned to urge the cam into the brake which presses against the housing 60 around hinge pin 21 to release the lock mechanism. To release, it is required only to back the jackscrew off less than half of a turn.
Rapid screen changes are available due to the quick change mounting system. The concept is shown in
As shown in
The swivel plate 95 is illustrated in
Reverting to
The structures of this invention are useful in the petrochemical industry for monitoring the condition of process equipment, in the distribution of products to determine, for example, availability status, in the transportation industry for viewing shipping information, departure schedules and service schedules, in the brokerage industry for displaying information relating to commodities and securities. The apparatus may also be used in the entertainment industry when a large picture is formed as a mosaic on a number of adjacent display screens.
Changes and departures in this invention may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Therefore the invention is not intended to be limited by the description and figures but are those as set forth in the following claims.
Claims
1. A mounting system for at least one display device comprising:
- a support hub;
- a first socket projecting from said support hub;
- a turret mounted on said first socket having hinging means to connect to a first end of a radius arm and a first end of a control arm;
- a second socket with hinging means to connect to a second end of said radius arm and to a second end of a control arm;
- a second turret mounted in said second socket;
- a fixed length arm extending away from said second turret;
- a third socket attached to an end of said fixed length arm away from said second turret;
- a swivel arm rotatably mounted in said third socket; and
- a mounting bracket for a display device hingedly attached to said swivel arm.
2. A mounting system according to claim 1 supporting more than one mounting bracket using more than one first socket.
3. A mounting system according to claim 1 for at least one display device comprising:
- a support hub;
- a first socket projecting from said support hub;
- a turret mounted on said first socket having hinging means to connect to a first end of a radius arm and a first end of a control arm;
- a second socket with hinging means to connect to a second end of said radius arm and to a second end of a control arm;
- a second turret mounted in said second socket;
- a fixed length arm extending away from said second turret;
- a third socket attached to an end of said fixed length arm away from said second turret;
- a swivel arm rotatably mounted in said third socket; and
- a mounting bracket for a display device hingedly attached to said swivel arm further comprising a means to lock the height of the mounting bracket.
4. A mounting system according to claim 1 for at least one display device comprising:
- a support hub;
- a first socket projecting from said support hub;
- a turret mounted on said first socket having hinging means to connect to a first end of a radius arm and a first end of a control arm;
- a second socket with hinging means to connect to a second end of said radius arm and to a second end of a control arm;
- a second turret mounted in said second socket;
- a fixed length arm extending away from said second turret;
- a third socket attached to an end of said fixed length arm away from said second turret;
- a swivel arm rotatably mounted in said third socket; and
- a mounting bracket for a display device hingedly attached to said swivel arm further comprising a bayonet system enabling a quick change method for changing display devices.
5. A mounting system for at least one display device comprising:
- a support hub;
- a first socket projecting from said support hub;
- a first turret mounted on said first socket having hinging means to connect to a first end of a first radius arm and a first end of a first control arm;
- a second socket with hinging means to connect to a second end of said first radius arm and to a second end of said first control arm;
- a second turret mounted in said second socket;
- a first fixed length arm extending away from said second turret;
- a third socket attached to an end of said first fixed length arm away from said second turret;
- a first swivel arm rotatably mounted in said third socket; and
- a first mounting bracket for a first display device hingedly attached to said first swivel arm;
- a fourth socket projecting from said support hub;
- a third turret mounted on said fourth socket having hinging means to connect to a first end of a second radius arm and a first end of a second control arm;
- a fifth socket with hinging means to connect to a second end of said second radius arm and to a second end of said second control arm;
- a fourth turret mounted in said fifth socket;
- a second fixed length arm extending away from said fourth turret;
- a sixth socket attached to an end of said second fixed length arm away from said fifth turret;
- a second swivel arm rotatably mounted in said sixth socket; and
- a second mounting bracket for a second display device hingedly attached to said second swivel arm;
- a seventh socket projecting from said support hub;
- a fifth turret mounted on said seventh socket having hinging means to connect to a first end of a third radius arm and a first end of a third control arm;
- an eighth socket with hinging means to connect to a second end of said third radius arm and to a second end of said third control arm;
- a sixth turret mounted in said eighth socket;
- a third fixed length arm extending away from said sixth turret;
- a ninth socket attached to an end of said third fixed length arm away from said sixth turret;
- a third swivel arm rotatably mounted in said ninth socket; and
- a third mounting bracket for a third display device hingedly attached to said third swivel arm;
- a tenth socket projecting from said support hub;
- a seventh turret mounted on said tenth socket having hinging means to connect to a first end of a fourth radius arm and a first end of a fourth control arm;
- an eleventh socket with hinging means to connect to a second end of said fourth radius arm and to a second end of said fourth control arm;
- an eighth turret mounted in said eleventh socket;
- a fourth fixed length arm extending away from said eighth turret;
- a twelfth socket attached to an end of said fourth fixed length arm away from eighth turret;
- a fourth swivel arm rotatably mounted in said twelfth socket; and
- a fourth mounting bracket for a fourth display device hingedly attached to said fourth swivel arm.
6. The mounting system of claim 5 further comprising a connector.
7. The mounting system of claim 6 further comprising a second hub attached to said connector.
8. A mounting system for at least one display device comprising:
- a first support hub;
- a first socket projecting from said first support hub;
- a first turret mounted on said first socket having hinging means to connect to a first end of a first radius arm and a first end of a first control arm;
- a second socket with hinging means to connect to a second end of said first radius arm and to a second end of said first control arm;
- a second turret mounted in said second socket;
- a first fixed length arm extending away from said second turret;
- a third socket attached to an end of said first fixed length arm away from said second turret;
- a first swivel arm rotatably mounted in said third socket;
- a first mounting bracket for a first display device hingedly attached to said first swivel arm;
- a fourth socket projecting from a second support hub;
- a third turret mounted on said fourth socket having hinging means to connect to a first end of a second radius arm and a first end of a second control arm;
- a fifth socket with hinging means to connect to a second end of said second radius arm and to a second end of said second control arm;
- a fourth turret mounted in said fifth socket;
- a second fixed length arm extending away from said fourth turret;
- a sixth socket attached to an end of said second fixed length arm away from said fifth turret;
- a second swivel arm rotatably mounted in said sixth socket;
- a second mounting bracket for a second display device hingedly attached to said second swivel arm; and
- a connector between said first support hub and said second support hub.
9. A mounting system for at least one display device of claim 8 further comprising:
- a seventh socket projecting from said first support hub;
- a fifth turret mounted on said seventh socket having hinging means to connect to a first end of a third radius arm and a first end of a third control arm;
- an eighth socket with hinging means to connect to a second end of said third radius arm and to a second end of said third control arm;
- a sixth turret mounted in said eighth socket;
- a third fixed length arm extending away from said sixth turret;
- a ninth socket attached to an end of said third fixed length arm away from said sixth turret;
- a third swivel arm rotatably mounted in said ninth socket; and
- a third mounting bracket for a third display device hingedly attached to said third swivel arm.
10. A mounting system for at least one display device of claim 9 further comprising:
- a tenth socket projecting from said second support hub;
- a seventh turret mounted on said tenth socket having hinging means to connect to a first end of a fourth radius arm and a first end of a fourth control arm;
- an eleventh socket with hinging means to connect to a second end of said fourth radius arm and to a second end of said fourth control arm;
- an eighth turret mounted in said eleventh socket;
- a fourth fixed length arm extending away from said eighth turret;
- a twelfth socket attached to an end of said fourth fixed length arm away from eighth turret;
- a fourth swivel arm rotatably mounted in said twelfth socket; and
- a fourth mounting bracket for a fourth display device hingedly attached to said fourth swivel arm.
Type: Grant
Filed: Aug 7, 2008
Date of Patent: Jan 15, 2013
Assignee: Trade Management Group Limited (Denver, CO)
Inventor: Ole F. Smed (Calgary)
Primary Examiner: Tan Le
Application Number: 12/187,411
International Classification: E04G 3/00 (20060101);