1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a support capable of holding multiple displays and a display device.
2. Description of Related Art
A display device typically includes a display panel and a support steadily supporting the display panel on a table or other objects.
Many display panels and supports have an one-to-one matching. Thus, if more than one display panel is needed, the same number of corresponding supports is needed as well, which will undesiredly occupy a lot of space.
What is needed therefore is a support and a display device addressing the limitations described.
The components of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments of the support and display device having the support. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views.
Referring to
The base 10 is substantially a flat cylinder. The base 10 includes a number of video signal connector units 11, an electrical power connector unit 12, a master control unit (MCU) 13 and an electrical power distribution unit 14. The number of the video signal connector unit 11 is the same as that of the brackets 30. A connecting end of each video signal connector unit 11 is exposed out of a surface of the base 10, for connecting to a video signal output end of a host (not shown). In this embodiment, the connecting end of each video signal connector unit 11 is exposed out of a side surface of the base 10. The video signal connector units 11 can be video graphic array (VGA) connector, digital visual interface (DVI) connector or high definition multimedia (HDMI) connector. A connecting end of the electrical power connector unit 12 is exposed out of a surface of the base 10, for connecting to an external electrical power source (not shown). The MCU 13 is disposed in the base 10 and connected to the video signal connector units 11. The MCU 13 controls the input/output of video signals. In detail, the MCU 13 controls the input of the video signal connector units 11 and the output of the display panels 200. For example, (1) the MCU 13 controls each of the video signal connector units 11 to input video signals to a corresponding display panel 200, and controls the display panels 200 to output video signals from a corresponding video signal connector unit 11; (2) the MCU 13 controls one of the video signal connector units 11 to input video to more than one display panels 200, and controls the more than one display panels 200 to simultaneously output video signals from the video signal connector unit 11; (3) the MCU 13 controls the video signal connector units 11 to input video signals to one of the display panels 100, and controls the display panel 200 to selectively output the video signals of the video signal connector units 11, in this case, the display panel 200 selectively outputs the video signals of the video signal connector unit 11 through a switching key (not shown), the switching key can be disposed on a side edge of the display panel 200. The electrical power connector unit 12 is electrically connected to the electrical power distribution unit 14, for supplying electrical power to the display panels 200 and the MCU 13.
The base 10 further includes an universal serial bus (USB) connector unit 15. The USB connector unit 15 includes a number of first USB connectors 151 and two second USB connectors 152. Each first USB connectors 151 is connected to a corresponding host. One of the second USB connectors 152 is connected to a keyboard (not shown), and the other of the second USB connector 152 is connected to a mouse (not shown). A keyboard, video and mouse (KVM) switch (not shown) is disposed between the first USB connectors 151 and the second USB connectors 152, the first USB connectors 151 and the second USB connectors 152 are respectively connected to the KVM switch. Thus, a user can control multiple hosts via a keyboard and a mouse.
The column 20 can be cylinder-shaped or prism-shaped. In this embodiment, the column 20 is cylinder-shaped. The column 20 supports the brackets 30. The column 20 defines a cable duct 21 therein.
The brackets 30 are extendible and retractable relative to the column 20. Each bracket 30 includes an extending portion 31 and two connecting blocks 32 respectively connected to opposite ends of the extending portion 31. Each extending portion 31 includes a number of hinged bars 311. Each hinged bar 311 defines two first through holes 311a in opposite ends and a second through hole 311b between the first through holes 311a. Two hinged bars 311 are hinged to each other by inserting a shaft (not show) in the second through holes 311b, thus the two hinged bars 311 form a hinged unit. The extending portion 31 includes at least one hinged unit. In this embodiment, each extending portion 31 includes two hinged units. The first through holes 311a of the hinged bars 311 at a side of a hinged unit are respectively aligned with the first through holes 311a of the hinged bars 311 of another hinged unit. Two shafts (not shown) are respectively inserted into the aligned first through holes 311a, thus the two hinged unit are hinged to each other by the shafts. In this embodiment, each hinged bar 311 is hollow for allowing cables to pass therethrough.
Each connecting block 32 defines a mounting slot 321 therein. Distal ends of the hinged bars 311 at opposite ends of the extending portion 31 are respectively mounted into the mounting slots 321 of the connecting blocks 32. Furthermore, the distal ends of the hinged bars 311 are movable along the mounting slots 321. A length of the extending portion 31 can be adjusted by compressing or dragging the connecting blocks 32 relative to each other. One of the connecting blocks 32 is fixedly connected to the column 20, and the other of the connecting blocks 32 is fixedly connected to a corresponding display panel 200.
The number of the connecting units 40 are corresponding to that of the display panels 200. Each connecting unit 40 connects a corresponding display panel 200 to the MCU 13 and the electrical power distribution unit 14. Each connecting unit 40 includes a cable 41 and a connector 42. The cable 41 passes through the cable duct 21 of the column 20 and the two hinged bars 311 of a corresponding extending portion 31. One end of the cable 41 is divided into two bunches, a bunch of cable 41 is electrically connected to the MCU 13, and the other bunch of the cable 41 is electrically connected to the electrical power distribution unit 14. Another end of the cable 41 is electrically connected to the connector 42. The connector 42 is disposed on a mounting block 32 of a corresponding bracket 30 away from the column 20. Referring to
Each display panel 200 is connected to a mounting block 32 of a corresponding bracket 30 away from the column 20. In detail, the display panel 200 can be connected to the mounting block 32 via a number of bolts (not shown). Each display panel 200 includes a display connector (not shown) capable of coupling with the connector 42 of a corresponding connecting unit 40. In this embodiment, the connectors 42 are male connectors, the display connectors are female connectors.
In use, each video signal connector unit 11 is connected to a corresponding host (not shown), the electrical power connector unit 12 is connected to an external electrical power source (not shown). The electrical power of the external power source transmits to the electrical power distribution unit 14 through the electrical power connector unit 12, then distributed to the connecting units 40 by the electrical power distribution unit 14, and finally, transmits to the display panels 200 through the corresponding connecting units 40. Video signals from hosts transmit to the MCU 13 through the corresponding video signal connector units 11, then the video signals are transmitted to a predetermined display panel(s) 200 under the control of the MCU 13. For example, (1) the MCU 13 controls each of the video signal connector units 11 to input video signals to a corresponding display panel 200, and controls the display panels 200 to output video signals from a corresponding video signal connector unit 11; (2) the MCU 13 controls one of the video signal connector units 11 to input video to more than one display panels 200, and controls the more than one display panels 200 to simultaneously output video signals from the video signal connector unit 11; (3) the MCU 13 controls the video signal connector units 11 to input video signals to one of the display panels 100, and controls the display panel 200 to selectively output the video signals through the video signal connector units 11. In this embodiment, the number of the display panels 200 is two, and the same as the brackets 30, the video signal connector units 11 and the first USB connectors 151. The display panels 200, the brackets 30, the video signal connector units 11 and the first USB connectors 151 are respectively corresponding to two hosts. In other embodiments, the number of the display panels 200, the brackets 30, the video signal connector units 11 and the first USB connectors 151 can be changed according to different number of hosts.
As such structured, a number of the display panels 200 can be supported on a support 100, therefore, a space occupied by the display device 1 is reduced.
It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the disclosure.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201110210535.8 | Jul 2011 | CN | national |