DE20020628U1 - Stands for flat screens - Google Patents

Description

Berlin, 28 November 2000

Our reference: DB1 01 8 JVO/SO

Applicant/Owner: mikado computer gmbh

Official reference number: New registration

Berlin · " · ·

PStfentanwfte ··
European Patent Attorneys
Dipl.-Ing. Henning Christiansen
Dipl.-Ing. Joachim von Oppen
Dipl.-Ing. Jutta Kaden
Dipl.-Ing. Mathias Karlhuber

Pacelliallee 43/45

D-14195 Berlin

Phone +49-10)30-8418870

Fax+49-10)30-8418 8777

Fax+49-10)30-832 7064

mail@eisenfuhr.com

mikado computer gmbh, Bülowstraße 66, 10783 Berlin

Stands for flat screens

Bremen

Patent Attorneys European Patent Attorneys Dipl.-Ing. Günther Eisenführ Dipl.-Ing. Dieter K. Speiser Dr.-Ing. Werner W. Rabus Dipl.-Ing. Jürgen Brügge Dipl.-Ing. Jürgen Klinghardt Dipl.-Ing. Klaus G. Göken Jochen Ehlers Dipl.-Ing. Mark Andres

Attorneys Ulrich H. Sander Sabine Richter

Hamburg

Patent Attorney

European Patent Attorney

Dipl.-Phys. Frank Meier

Lawyers Christian Spintig Rainer Böhm Silja J. Greischel

Munich Patent Attorneys European Patent Attorneys Dipl.-Wirtsch.-Ing. Rainer Fritsche Lbm.-Chem. Gabriele Leißler-Gerstl Patent Attorney Dipl.-Chem. Dr. Peter Schuler

Alicante

European Trademark Attorney Dipl.-Ing. Jürgen Klinghardt

The invention relates to stands for flat screens.

The previously known stands for flat screens do not allow for ergonomic and space-saving use of flat screens because they are attached to a stand or as a notebook LCD display with hinges. The familiar stands for flat screens are defined by a classic monitor stand and require a correspondingly large base to achieve stability. However, such stands or hinge attachments do not allow the monitor to be adjusted to the ergonomically optimal position directly on the work surface. To date, the rotation of the flat screen on the known stands has been provided either via an integrated turntable or via a ball joint. A ball joint of this type also makes it possible to vary the inclination of the flat screen. The use of turntables or ball joints in turn led to increased production costs.

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It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an ergonomic flat screen stand which ensures individual ergonomic and space-saving use of flat screens.

This object is achieved by a stand having the features set out in claim 1.

The invention is based on the idea of providing a stand for flat screens which is essentially made up of three elements, namely a guide element, a stand element and a support element. A fastening element for fastening the flat screen is provided on the guide element and can be moved along the guide element. The guide element, the stand element and the support element are connected to one another in such a way that their respective connection points form the corner points of a triangle. To adjust the inclination of the guide element, at least one of the leg lengths of the triangle is varied in order to deform the triangle.

The advantages resulting from this arrangement are in particular that the stand can hold a flat screen stably and position it individually ergonomically - while requiring little space.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the guide element has a spring element which is connected at one end to one end of the guide element and at the other end to the fastening element. The spring element is provided to compensate for the weight of the screen so that the flat screen can be adjusted in height without great effort.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the fastening element has a locking means for releasably fastening the flat screen to the

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This means that the flat screen can be easily removed from the fastening element if necessary, for example for repair or maintenance. On the other hand, the locking device ensures that the flat screen does not come loose from the fastening element on its own.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, a first contact surface with a small area and a high coefficient of friction is attached to the base of the stand at its center of gravity. Furthermore, at least two further contact surfaces with a significantly lower coefficient of friction are arranged on the edge of the stand base. When the stand rotates, the stand thus rotates around the first contact surface with a high coefficient of friction.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, a rubber-like cushion is attached exactly at the center of gravity of the stand. Furthermore, at least two further felt-like cushions are attached to the edge of the stand base, by means of which the stand can be rotated around the rubber-like cushion.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the support element has means for fastening a housing of an electronic device, for example a computer housing. The computer housing is thus attached to the support element on the side of the stand facing away from the flat screen. This allows a computer belonging to the flat screen to be housed in a space-saving manner.

Further embodiments of the invention are the subject of the subclaims.

The invention is explained in more detail below using embodiments with the aid of the figures. These show:

Fig. 1 a cross section through a schematically shown stand

according to a first embodiment,

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Fig. 2 is a front view of the stand according to a second preferred

embodiment,

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the stand of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 a cross section through the stand of Fig. 2 with modified

Inclination relative to the stand of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 a cross section of a locking device on the fastening element

of the stand of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 6A-6F schematic representations of alternative embodiments

of the stand.

Fig. 1 shows a cross-section of a schematically illustrated stand for flat screens. The stand is essentially made up of three elements - a guide element 1, a support element 2 and a stand element 3, which are arranged in a triangle. The guide element 1 is connected to the support element 2 via a pivot axis at the connection point B and to the stand element 3 via a further pivot axis at the connection point C. The stand element 3 forms the base of the stand and is arranged parallel to the base of the stand. The support element 2 extends essentially perpendicular to the stand element 3 and is connected to the stand element 3 at the connection point C. This connection is designed in such a way that the stand element 3 or part of the stand element 3 can be pulled out like a drawer, but the support element 2 is not affected by this.

A fastening element 4 is attached to the guide element 1, which is designed to accommodate a flat screen 100. The guide element 1 also has slide rails on which the fastening element 4

can move up and down. In other words, the fastening element 4 can be adjusted in height.

By pulling out the stand element 3 or a part of the stand element 3, the inclination of the guide element 1 is adjusted, since the stand element 3 and the guide element 1 are connected at the connection point A via a pivot bearing. To compensate for the change in length between the connection points A and B caused by pulling out the stand element 3, the guide element is designed to be telescopic.

Fig. 2 shows a preferred embodiment of a specific design of the stand for flat screens. Here too, the guide element 1, the support element 2 and the stand element 3 form a triangle with the connection points A, B, C of the respective elements as the three corner points of the triangle. The guide element 1 has two slide rails 30 which are designed to be telescopic. The stand element 3 has a pull-out drawer-like base plate 5. The two slide rails 30 are each connected to the drawer-like base plate 5 at the connection point A via a swivel joint. When the drawer-like base plate 5 is pulled out, the slide rails 30 are telescoped, while the slide rails 30 are compressed when the drawer-like base plate 5 is pushed in. By pulling out and pushing in the drawer-like base plate 5, the inclination of the slide rails 30 forming the guide element 1 can be adjusted. The fastening element 4 is attached to the slide rails 30 in such a way that it can be moved up and down along the slide rails 30.

The fastening element 4 has a locking means 11, by means of which the flat screen 100 can be fastened in a lockable manner to the fastening element 4. This is done by inserting a nose on the back of the flat screen into an opening 46 in the fastening element 4. After inserting the nose, a locking pin 45 snaps shut so that this pin 45 prevents it from moving.

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that the flat screen 100 is inadvertently removed from the fastening element 4. To remove the flat screen 100, the locking pin 45 must first be pulled out again to unlock it.

The guide element 1 also has springs 10, which are each connected on the one hand to the fastening element 4 and on the other hand to the upper end of the respective slide rail 30. In the stand shown in Fig. 2, the fastening element 4 is in the highest possible position on the slide rails 30, so the springs 10 are only indicated. These springs 10 serve to compensate for the weight of the flat screen 100, so that the flat screen 100 can be adjusted in height without great effort.

Fig. 5 shows a cross section through the fastening element 4 of the stand according to Fig. 2 to illustrate a locking means 49. The release lever 40 is pivotally mounted on a pivot bearing 48. A spring 47 is preloaded between the fastening element 4 and the release lever 40 such that a first end 40a of the release lever 40 presses against the slide rail 30. The spring force of the spring 47 is selected such that the fastening element 4 is secured to the slide rails 30 by the leverage of the first end 40a of the release lever 40 and the spring 47. To release the fastening element 4, the release lever 40 must be actuated accordingly.

Fig. 3 and 4 each show a cross-section of the stand of Fig. 2. A direct comparison of Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 serves to illustrate how the inclination of the guide element 1 can be varied by pulling out the base plate 5. In Fig. 3, the drawer-shaped base plate 5 is in a pushed-in state and the springs 10 are half-deflected. In contrast, Fig. 4 shows the drawer-shaped base plate 5 in an extended state. By pulling out the drawer-shaped base plate 5, the inclination of the slide rails 30 and consequently also of the fastening element 4 is varied. Since the distance between the connection points A and

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B is increased, the telescopic slide rails 30 are also deflected. When the base plate 5 is pushed back again, the slide rails 30 are compressed again.

At the base of the stand - as shown in particular in Fig. 1 - a rubber-like pad 20 is attached at the center of gravity of the entire stand, i.e. including the flat screen. At the edge of the base of the stand, 4 felt-like pads 21 are attached. The arrangement of the pads 20 and 21 makes it possible to turn the stand back and forth without difficulty. The pads 20, 21 can of course also be used with the other embodiments of the stand.

Fastening means 25 are provided on the back, i.e. the side facing away from the flat screen 100, of the support element 2. With the help of these fastening means 25, for example, a computer housing, a network client, a printer or the like can be attached. By arranging electrical devices on the back of the stand, these devices can be accommodated in a space-saving manner.

The attachment of a computer case or the like to the back of the stand must be taken into account when attaching the rubber-like pad 20, since the center of gravity of the entire stand changes in such a case.

Six different alternative embodiments of the invention are schematically shown in Figs. 6A to 6F.

Fig. 6A shows how the guide element 1 is pivotally connected at one end at connection point B to one end of the support element 2 and at its other end at connection point A to one end of the stand element 3. The free end of the support element 2 can be pivotally connected at various points

be attached to the stand element 3.

Fig. 6B shows how the guide element 1 is pivotally connected at one end at connection point B to one end of the support element 2 and at its other end at connection point A to one end of the stand element 3. The free end of the stand element 3 can be attached to the support element 2 at various points.

Fig. 6C shows how the stand element 3 is pivotally connected at one end at connection point C to one end of the support element 2 and at its other end at connection point A to one end of the guide element 1. The free end of the guide element 1 can be attached to the support element 2 at various points.

Fig. 6D shows how the stand element 3 is pivotally connected at one end to one end of the support element 2 at connection point C and at its other end to one end of the guide element 1 at connection point A. The free end of the support element 2 can be attached to the guide element 1 at various points.

Fig. 6E shows how the support element 2 is pivotally connected at one end at connection point C to one end of the stand element 3 and at its other end at connection point B to one end of the guide element 1. The free end of the guide element 1 can be attached to the stand element 3 at various points.

Fig. 6F shows how the support element 2 is pivotally connected at one end at connection point C to one end of the stand element 3 and at its other end at connection point B to one end of the guide element 1. The free end of the stand element 3 can be attached to the guide element 3 at various points.

In the alternative embodiments of the stand according to Fig. 6A to 6F, the respective free end of the element to be fastened can be fastened in various ways. For example, the element to which the free end of the element to be fastened is to be fastened can have grooves or notches on its side facing the free end. The grooves or notches are arranged parallel to the pivot axis of the connection point A. The free end of the element to be fastened can be inserted or snapped into the grooves or notches. The inclination of the guide element 1 can be determined by selecting the groove or notch into which the free end is to be inserted.

Other detachable fastening options for the respective free end of the element to be fastened, such as clamping, screwing or the like, are also possible.

The fastening of the flat screen 100 to the fastening element 4 and the fastening of the fastening element 4 to the guide element 1 can be carried out as in the case of the stand according to Fig. 2 to 4.

The designs of the guide element 1, the support element 2 and the stand element 3 can be the same as for the stand according to Fig. 2 to 4.

A stand according to the alternative embodiments shown in Figs. 6A to 6F can also be folded for transport or storage.

Claims (17)

1. Stand for flat screens ( 100 ), with - a guide element ( 1 ), - a stand element ( 3 ) as the base of the stand, - a support element ( 2 ), and - a fastening element ( 4 ) for fastening the flat screen ( 100 ), wherein the fastening element ( 4 ) is designed to be displaceable along the guide element ( 1 ), wherein the guide element ( 1 ), the stand element ( 3 ) and the support element ( 2 ) are connected to one another in such a way that the two connection points (A, B) of the guide element ( 1 ) with the stand element ( 3 ) and the support element and the connection point (C) of the stand element ( 3 ) with the support element ( 2 ) form the corner points of a triangle, and the triangle can be deformed for inclination adjustment by varying at least one of its leg lengths. 2. Stand according to claim 1, wherein pivot axes are provided at two of the three connection points, the two pivot axes running parallel to the base of the stand. 3. Stand according to one of the preceding claims, in which the guide element ( 1 ) is designed as telescopic slide rails ( 30 ). 4. Stand according to one of the preceding claims, in which the stand element ( 3 ) has a length-adjustable guide means ( 5 ) with which the length of the leg of the triangle assigned to the stand element ( 3 ) can be varied. 5. Stand according to one of claims 1, wherein the guide element ( 1 ) is pivotally connected at its one end at the connection point (B) to one end of the support element ( 2 ) and at its other end at the connection point (A) to one end of the stand element ( 3 ), and the free end of the support element ( 2 ) can be fastened at different points on the stand element ( 3 ). 6. Stand according to one of claims 1, wherein the guide element ( 1 ) is pivotally connected at its one end at the connection point (B) to one end of the support element ( 2 ) and at its other end at the connection point (A) to one end of the stand element ( 3 ), and the free end of the stand element ( 3 ) can be fastened at different points on the support element ( 2 ). 7. Stand according to one of claims 1, wherein the stand element ( 3 ) is pivotally connected at its one end at the connection point (C) to one end of the support element ( 2 ) and at its other end at the connection point (A) to one end of the guide element ( 1 ), and the free end of the guide element ( 1 ) can be fastened at different points on the support element ( 2 ). 8. Stand according to one of claims 1, wherein the stand element ( 3 ) is pivotally connected at its one end at the connection point (C) to one end of the support element ( 2 ) and at its other end at the connection point (A) to one end of the guide element ( 1 ), and the free end of the support element ( 2 ) can be fastened at different points on the guide element ( 1 ). 9. Stand according to one of claims 1, wherein the support element ( 2 ) is pivotally connected at its one end at the connection point (C) to one end of the stand element ( 3 ) and at its other end at the connection point (B) to one end of the guide element ( 1 ), and the free end of the stand element ( 3 ) can be fastened at different points on the guide element ( 1 ). 10. Stand according to one of claims 1, wherein the support element ( 2 ) is pivotally connected at its one end at the connection point (C) to one end of the stand element ( 3 ) and at its other end at the connection point (B) to one end of the guide element ( 1 ), and the free end of the guide element ( 1 ) can be fastened at different points on the stand element ( 3 ). 11. Stand according to one of the preceding claims, in which the guide element ( 1 ) has a spring element ( 10 ) for compensating the weight of the screen, which is connected at one end to one end of the guide element ( 1 ) and at its other end to the fastening element ( 4 ). 12. Stand according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the fastening element ( 4 ) has a locking means ( 11 ) by means of which the flat screen ( 100 ) can be fastened to the fastening element ( 4 ) in a lockable manner. 13. Stand according to one of claims 3 to 12, wherein the fastening element ( 4 ) has a locking means ( 49 ) for locking the fastening element ( 4 ) to the slide rails ( 30 ). 14. Stand according to claim 13, wherein the locking means ( 49 ) comprises a spring ( 47 ), a release lever ( 40 ) and a pivot bearing ( 48 ) and these elements interact in such a way that the fastening element ( 4 ) is locked on the slide rails ( 30 ), wherein the fastening element ( 30 ) is released again by actuating the release lever ( 40 ). 15. Stand according to one of the preceding claims, in which the support element ( 2 ) has fastening means ( 25 ) for fastening an electronic device ( 22 ) on its side facing away from the flat screen ( 100 ). 16. Stand according to one of the preceding claims, in which a first support surface ( 20 ) with a small area and a high coefficient of friction is arranged on the base of the stand at the center of gravity of the stand and at least two further support surfaces ( 21 ) with a significantly lower coefficient of friction are arranged on the edge of the base of the stand, whereby the stand can be rotated about the first support surface ( 20 ). 17. A stand according to any preceding claim, wherein a rubber-like pad ( 20 ) is arranged on the base of the stand at the centre of gravity and at least two further felt-like pads ( 21 ) are arranged on the edge of the base of the stand, whereby the stand is rotatable about the rubber-like pad ( 20 ).