The present invention relates to display screen support technology and more particularly, to an elevation-adjustable display screen support arm, which comprises an arm shaft with a box-like shaft body, a balance adjustment mechanism accommodated in the box-like shaft body and comprising a gear train, a first sliding tooth rack and a second sliding tooth rack meshed with the gear train at two opposite sides and a tension spring connected to the second sliding tooth rack, and a display screen mounting head comprising a body block, a first guideway and a second guideway respectively mounted on two side panels of the box-like shaft body and a connection panel mounted at a back side of the body block and fixedly connected to the first sliding tooth rack, the first guideway and the second guideway. When adjusting the elevation of the supported display screen, the body block is driven to move the first sliding tooth rack in rotating the gear train, causing the gear train to move the second sliding tooth rack in driving the actuating plate to stretch or compress the tension spring, and thus, rotation of the gear train causes the tension spring to provide a corresponding torque that is acted upon the first sliding tooth rack to control upward or downward movement of the display screen mounting head and the supported display screen in a stepless manner.
Monitors and TV display screens are popularly used in today's home life, offices, schools and workstations. Due to the drawbacks of being bulky with poor quality and capable of receiving analog signal only, the early cathode ray tube type display screens have been eliminated by the market. Nowadays, LCD or plasma-type display screens have been widely used to replace conventional cathode ray tube type designs for the advantages of having light, thin, clear picture characteristics and being capable of receiving analog and digital signals. However, commercial display screens stands simply allow view angle adjustment within a small range. During display screen view angle adjustment, the user must pay attention to the location of the center of gravity of the display screen to avoid dumping. A display screen can be mounted in a wall or at a high place. However, commercial wall mount type display screen support designs do not allow easy adjustment of the installation position and view angle of the supported display screen, limiting the application.
In order to meet the user's need to adjust display screen angular position and to minimize desktop or workstation installation space, angle-adjustable display screen support devices are created. These commercial angle-adjustable display screen support devices can be installed on a desktop, pylons or wall with a hanger bracket or wall bracket. Through swivel arms or lifting torque arms of angle-adjustable display screen support devices, the user can adjust the view angle and position of the supported display screen conveniently. In actual application, a user will often need to operate a keyboard and a mouse. A display screen can be mounted with a keyboard and mouse on aswivel arm or lifting torque arm of an angle-adjustable display screen support device so that the user can watch the display screen and operate the keyboard and the mouse in a standing or sitting position. However, conventional angle-adjustable display screen support devices do not allow adjustment of the elevation of the supported display screen, keyboard and mouse according to the user's body height. Thus, the user may feel uncomfortable when watching the supported display screen or operating the keyboard and the mouse. There is a commercial angle-adjustable display screen support device that allows adjustment of the lifting column between the supported display screen and the keyboard and mouse tray. However, the adjustment of the lifting column requires a special hand tool or needs to fasten a lock screw. This display screen elevational adjustment procedure is complicated. This design still cannot fit all different users having different body heights, resulting improper operating posture of the user. Thus, this design is less ergonomic. When the display screen is mounted on the lifting column of the angle-adjustable display screen support device, if the support force of the lifting column is not properly adjusted and positively locked, the support device will be unable to move or be sagged by gravity, causing structural damage of the support device. In actual application, conventional display screen support designs still have drawbacks that must be improved.
The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide an elevation-adjustable display screen support arm, which comprises an arm shaft, a balance adjustment mechanism, and a display screen mounting head. The arm shaft comprises a box-like shaft body defining therein an accommodation chamber and a front opening in communication with the accommodation chamber, and an outer cover fastened to the box-like shaft body and covered over the front opening. The outer cover defines therein an upper opening in communication with the front opening and the accommodation chamber. The balance adjustment mechanism is mounted in the accommodation chamber of the box-like shaft body, comprising a first sliding tooth rack, a second sliding tooth rack, a gear train meshed between the first sliding tooth rack and the second sliding tooth rack, a tension spring connected between the box-like shaft body and the second sliding tooth rack, and an actuating plate mounted at the second sliding tooth rack and connected to a bottom end of the tension spring. The display screen mounting head comprises a body block for supporting a display screen at a front side thereof, a first guideway and a second guideway respectively mounted on the two side panels of the box-like shaft body, and a connection panel mounted at an opposing back side of the body block and inserted through the upper opening of the outer cover into the inside of the box-like shaft body and fixedly connected to the first sliding tooth rack, the first guideway and the second guideway. When the user adjusts the elevation of the supported display screen, the body block of the display screen mounting head is driven to move the first sliding tooth rack in rotating the gear train, causing the gear train to move the second sliding tooth rack in driving the actuating plate to stretch or compress the tension spring, and thus, rotation of the gear train causes the tension spring to provide a corresponding torque that is acted upon the first sliding tooth rack to control upward or downward movement of the display screen mounting head and the supported display screen in a stepless manner. Thus, the user can adjust the elevation of the display screen easily with less effort.
Further, when the user moves the display screen upward or downward to adjust its elevation, the body block of the display screen mounting head drives the first sliding tooth rack of the balance adjustment mechanism and a slide of the first guideway to move upward or downward along a track. At this time, a slide of the second guideway is forced to move downward or upward along the track, the first sliding tooth rack drives drive gear and driven gear of the gear train to rotate, causing the driven gear to move the second sliding tooth rack, and therefore the actuating plate is forced to move in the same direction of the first sliding tooth rack. At the same time, the tension spring is forced by the actuating plate to stretch or compress. Thus, rotation of the gear train causes the tension spring to provide a corresponding torque that is acted upon the first sliding tooth rack to control upward or downward movement of the display screen mounting head and the display screen. The first guideway and the second guideway assist the body block to reciprocate stably and smoothly in the longitudinal direction, allowing adjustment of the elevation of the display screen in a stepless manner without the use of any tool or fixation screws and keeping the display screen for automatic positioning. Further, by means of stopping a stop block of the second sliding tooth rack at the top or bottom end of a position-limiting slot of the box-like shaft body, the elevation adjustment of the display screen is limited to a predetermined range, avoiding overstretch of the tension spring and automatic positioning failure of the display screen. Thus, the user can adjust the elevation of the display screen easily with less effort.
Preferably, the balance adjustment mechanism further comprises a torque adjustment unit. The torque adjustment unit comprises a stop member set between the box-like shaft body and the tension spring, and an adjustment screw mounted in the stop member. The tension spring has the opposing top and bottom ends thereof respectively connected to the stop member and the actuating plate of the second sliding tooth rack so that rotating the adjustment screw drives the stop member to adjust the tension of the tension spring. When the user wishes to adjust the load, use a tool to rotate the adjustment screw clockwise or counter-clockwise, causing the stop member to stretch or compress the tension spring. Thus, the user can fasten tight or loosen the adjustment screw of the torque adjustment unit according to the weight of the display screen to be supported, controlling lifting smoothness of the display screen.
Other advantages and features of the present invention will be fully understood by reference to the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference signs denote like components of structure.
Referring to
The arm shaft 1 comprises a box-like shaft body 11, an outer cover 12 and a front panel 13. The box-like shaft body 11 comprises a back panel 111, two opposing side panels 112 respectively located at opposing left and right sides of the back panel 111 at right angles, a top panel 113 forwardly perpendicularly extended from a top side of the back panel 111, a bottom panel 114 obliquely extended from an opposing bottom side of the back panel 111, an accommodation chamber 110 surrounded by the back panel 111, the side panels 112, the top panel 113 and the bottom panel 114 and defining a front opening 1101, a guide rod 1111 located at a middle part of an upper half of the back panel 111 and suspending in the front opening 1101, a position-limiting slot 1121 longitudinally cut through a lower part of one side panel 112 and disposed adjacent to the back panel 111, and a through hole 1131 cut through opposing top and bottom surfaces of the top panel 113 and disposed near the front opening 1101.
The outer cover 12 is attached to the box-like shaft body 11 and covered over the front opening 1101 of the accommodation chamber 110, comprising an upper opening 120 defined in an upper part of a front side thereof and disposed in communication with the accommodation chamber 110, two retaining flanges 121 with multiple retaining holes 1211 respectively disposed at opposing top and bottom sides of the upper opening 120, a top hole 122 located on a top side thereof corresponding to the through hole 1131, and an indicator mark located on the top side around the top hole 122. The front panel 13 comprises two engagement flanges 131 with multiple engagement lugs 1311 respectively located at opposing top and bottom sides thereof. By means of forcing the engagement lugs 1311 of the engagement flanges 131 into engagement with the respective retaining holes 1211 of the respective retaining flanges 121, the front panel 13 is fastened to the upper opening 120 of the outer cover 12.
The balance adjustment mechanism 2 is mounted in the accommodation chamber 110 of the box-like shaft body 11, comprising a gear train 21, a first sliding tooth rack 22, a second sliding tooth rack 23 and a tension spring 24 connected to and stretchable by the second sliding tooth rack 23. The gear train 21 comprises a drive gear 211 rotatably mounted on the back panel 111, and a driven gear 212 meshed with the drive gear 211. The drive gear 211 comprises a main gear 2111, and an auxiliary gear 2112 coaxially connected to the main gear 2111 and meshed with the driven gear 212. The gear radius of the auxiliary gear 2112 is shorter than the gear radius of the main gear 2111. The gear train 21 is meshed between the first sliding tooth rack 22 and the second sliding tooth rack 23 for driving the first sliding tooth rack 22 and the second sliding tooth rack 23 to move longitudinally in reversed directions. The first sliding tooth rack 22 and the second sliding tooth rack 23 each have a series of teeth 221 or 231 respectively meshed with the main gear 2111 or the driven gear 212. The length of the first sliding tooth rack 22 is about twice the length of the second sliding tooth rack 23. By means of changing the gear ratio between the main gear 2111 and auxiliary gear 2112 of the gear train 21, the sliding speed ratio between the first sliding tooth rack 22 and the second sliding tooth rack 23 is relatively changed.
The first sliding tooth rack 22 further comprises a linking plate 222 perpendicularly disposed at one end of the series of teeth 221 and suspending in the accommodation chamber 110 of the box-like shaft body 11 in a parallel manner relative to the side panels 112. The second sliding tooth rack 23 further comprises a stop block 2311 located at one side thereof opposite to the series of teeth 231 and inserted into the position-limiting slot 1121, and an actuating plate 232 extended from a lower front side thereof in direction toward the first sliding tooth rack 22. The actuating plate 232 comprises a mounting portion 2323 affixed to the lower front side of the second sliding tooth rack 23, a hook portion 2321 connected with one end of the tension spring 24, and a curved segment 2322 connected between the mounting portion 2323 and the hook portion 2321. The tension spring 24 is connected between the actuating plate 232 of the second sliding tooth rack 23 and the box-like shaft body 11. The tension spring 24 has two opposite end pieces 241 thereof respectively terminating in a hook tip 2411 or ring tip 2412. The hook tip 2411 of the end piece 241 at the bottom end of the tension spring 24 is hooked up with the hook portion 2321 of the actuating plate 232. The ring tip 2412 of the end piece 241 at the opposing top end of the tension spring 24 is fastened to an inside wall of the box-like shaft body 11.
In the present preferred embodiment, the balance adjustment mechanism 2 further comprises a torque adjustment unit 25 for adjusting the tension of the tension spring 24. The torque adjustment unit 25 comprises a stop member 251 set between the box-like shaft body 11 and the tension spring 24, and an adjustment screw 252 mounted in the stop member 251. The stop member 251 is an angle plate comprising a short transverse top plate portion 251a, a long longitudinal bottom plate portion 251b extended from one end of the short transverse top plate portion 251a at right angles, a screw hole 2511 extended through opposing top and bottom surfaces of the short transverse top plate portion 251a, two side notches 2512 respectively located on two opposite lateral sides of the short transverse top plate portion 251a for the hanging of the ring tip 2412 of the end piece 241 at the top end of the tension spring 24, and a longitudinal sliding slot 2513 located on the long longitudinal bottom plate portion 251b and coupled to the guide rod 1111 at the back panel 111 of the box-like shaft body 11 for guiding the stop member 251 to slide longitudinally back and forth. The adjustment screw 252 comprises a screw head 2521, and a screw shank 2522 extended from one side of the screw head 2521. The screw head 2521 is disposed outside the top hole 122 of the outer cover 12 and stopped at a top surface of the top panel 113 around the through hole 1131. The screw shank 2522 is downwardly inserted through the through hole 1131 and threaded into the screw hole 2511 in the short transverse top plate portion 251a and then inserted into the inside of the tension spring 24.
The display screen mounting head 3 comprises a body block 31, a first guideway 32 and a second guideway 33. The first guideway 32 and the second guideway 33 are respectively mounted on the two side panels 112 of the box-like shaft body 11. The body block 31 comprises a substantially ␣-shaped connection panel 311 located at a back side thereof that is attached onto the outer cover 12 with two opposite angled lateral sides thereof respectively extended over two opposite lateral sides of the front panel 13 into the inside of the upper opening 120 of the outer cover 12 and the accommodation chamber 110 in the box-like shaft body 11, and a locating plate 312 located at an opposing front side thereof. Preferably, the locating plate 312 is connected to the front side of the body block 31 through a ball and socket joint. The first guideway 32 and the second guideway 33 each comprise a track 321,331, and a slide 322,332 coupled to and movable along the track 321,331. The tracks 321,331 are respectively affixed to the side panels 112. The connection panel 311 of the body block 31 has one angled lateral side thereof fixedly connected to the linking plate 222 of the first sliding tooth rack 22 and the slide 322 of the first guideway 32, and the other angled lateral side thereof fixedly connected to the slide 322 of the second guideway 33.
Referring to
The elevation-adjustable display screen support arm can be used for supporting any type of display screens, including desktop or industrial display screens, interactive or medical-type cantilever screens and workstation screens. In installation, affix a display screen 4 to the locating plate 312 at the back side of the body block 31 of the display screen mounting head 3 (see
When the user wishes to adjust the elevation of the display screen 4, move the display screen 4 upward or downward with the two hands directly. At this time, the body block 31 of the display screen mounting head 3 drives the first sliding tooth rack 22 of the balance adjustment mechanism 2 and the slide 322 of the first guideway 32 to move upward or downward along the track 321. At this time, the slide 332 of the second guideway 33 is forced to move downward or upward along the track 331; the series of teeth 221 of the first sliding tooth rack 22 drives the drive gear 211 and driven gear 212 of the gear train 21 to rotate, causing the driven gear 212 to move the series of teeth 231 of the second sliding tooth rack 23, and therefore the actuating plate 232 is forced to move in the same direction of the first sliding tooth rack 22. At the same time, the end piece 241 of the tension spring 24 is forced by the actuating plate 232 to stretch or compress the tension spring 24. Thus, rotation of the gear train 21 causes the tension spring 24 to provide a corresponding torque that is acted upon the first sliding tooth rack 22 to control upward or downward movement of the display screen mounting head 3 and the display screen 4. The first guideway 32 and the second guideway 33 assist the body block 31 to reciprocate stably and smoothly in the longitudinal direction, allowing adjustment of the elevation of the display screen 4 in a stepless manner without the use of any tool or fixation screws and keeping the display screen 4 for automatic positioning. Further, by means of stopping the stop block 2311 of the second sliding tooth rack 23 at the top or bottom end of the position-limiting slot 1121 of the box-like shaft body 11, the elevation adjustment of the display screen 4 is limited to a predetermined range, avoiding overstretch of the tension spring 24 and automatic positioning failure of the display screen 4. Thus, the user can adjust the elevation of the display screen 4 easily with less effort.
Referring to
As described above, the outer cover 12 is covered on the front side of the box-like shaft body 11 of the arm shaft 1; the balance adjustment mechanism 2 is mounted in the box-like shaft body 11, comprising the gear train 21, the first sliding tooth rack 22, the second sliding tooth rack 23 and the tension spring 24 that is connected to and stretchable by the second sliding tooth rack 23; the display screen mounting head 3 comprises the body block 31, the first guideway 32 and the second guideway 33; the first guideway 32 and the second guideway 33 are respectively mounted on the two side panels 112 of the box-like shaft body 11. When adjusting the elevation of the display screen 4 that is mounted on the display screen mounting head 3, the first sliding tooth rack 22 is forced to rotate the gear train 21, causing the gear train 21 to carry the second sliding tooth rack 23 and the actuating plate 232 in stretching or compression the tension spring 24, and thus, the gear train 21 converts the tension of the tension spring 24 into torque for free elevation adjustment and automatic positioning of the display screen mounting head 3 and the supported display screen 4.
Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20190101240 A1 | Apr 2019 | US |