GB2328061A

GB2328061A - Adjustable LCD mount

Info

Publication number: GB2328061A
Application number: GB9716592A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tsung-Kan Cheng
Original assignee: Mustek Corp
Current assignee: Mustek Corp
Priority date: 1997-08-01
Filing date: 1997-08-05
Publication date: 1999-02-10
Also published as: GB9716592D0; DE29713720U1

Abstract

A mounting assembly for a liquid crystal display unit 1 characterised in that the assembly may be rotated about both a horizontal and vertical pivot. The mount consists of a segment shaped raised retainer 22 under which clips a semi-circular means 13 that holds a display and which permits the display to rotate about a vertical pivot 24. The display is connected to the semi-circular rotating means by a horizontal pivot 11 that permits rotation of the display. The mounted display unit is then fixed to the flat top 21 of a main unit 2 that drives the display. Examples of typical main units may be a cash register or electronic calculating machine.

Description

MEANS ALLOWING A LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY TO TURN LEFTWARD OR RIGHTWARD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a means allowing a liquid crystal display to turn leftward or rightward, so that the liquid crystal display can be adjusted in its angular positions not only in a verical direction but also in a horizontal direction.

Most electronic calculator equipments, such as a cash register, are equipped with a liquid crystal display to show information in the form of letters, characters, patterns, digits, etc., so that an operator may conveniently view the information at any time.

Conventionally, such liquid crystal display includes a screen and a base plate pivotally connected to the screen by means of a pivot shaft horizontally extending between the two parts. The base plate is then mounted to a fixture, such as a housing of a main frame of the equipment, such that the screen of the liquid crystal display can be turned about the horizontal pivot shaft to move upward or downward relative to the base plate.

That is, the conventional liquid crystal display can only be adjusted in its angular positions vertically but not horizontally. However, it is also important to adjust the angular positions of the screen of the liquid crystal display horizontally, so that an operator may conveniently and clearly view the screen from many different positions and angles. Thus, a conventional liquid crystal display that can only be adjusted in its vertical angular position is apparently limited in its application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a means which allows a vertically adjustable liquid crystal display to be leftward or rightward turnable, too, so as to improve the conventional liquid crystal display which can only be adjusted in vertical angular positions.

The means allowing a liquid crystal display to turn leftward or rightward according to the present invention includes a semicircular base plate for the liquid crystal display to pivotally connected thereto via a horizontal pivotal shaft disposed between them, a sector-shaped cover fixed to a flat top of an equipment with which the liquid crystal display is associated for defining a space below the cover to receive the base plate therein, and a vertical pivotal pin having two ends engaged with bearings or holes provided at centers of circle of the base plate and the cover, allowing the base plate to turn leftward or rightward about the vertical pivotal pin. The cover has two sides containing an angle smaller than 180 degrees to define an angular span within which the base plate and accordingly the liquid crystal display can be rotated; whereby the liquid crystal display may be turned about the horizontal pivotal shaft to adjust its vertical angular positions relative to the equipment and be turned about the vertical pivotal pin to adjust its horizontal angular positions relative to the equipment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The structure, the features, and the performance of the present invention can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective showing the present invention being mounted on the housing of a main frame of a cash register; Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line E-E of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a top view showing the manner in which the present invention is turned leftward or rightward.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Please refer to Figs. 1 to 4. The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display 1 which mainly includes a screen 12 and a substantially semicircular base plate 13 pivotally connected to the screen by means of a horizontal pivotal shaft 11. The liquid crystal display 1 is mounted on a flat top 21. As more clearly shown in Fig. 2, a cover 22 is fixed to the flat top 21 to define a space 23 between the cover 22 and the flat top 21. The cover 22 is a sector with two sides thereof containing an angle smaller than 180 degrees within which the liquid crystal display 1 can be turned leftward or rightward. The semicircular base plate 13 of the liquid crystal display 1 can be inserted into the space 23 between the cover 22 and the flat top 21 and be pivotally connected to the cover 22 by a vertical pivotal pin having two ends engaged with centers of the semicircular base plate 13 and the sector-shaped cover 22.

The vertical pivotal pin can be integrally formed on the cover 22 with a free end thereof engaging into a bearing or hole provided at the center of circle of the semicircular base plate 13. Alternatively, the vertical pivotal pin can be integrally formed at the center of circle of the base plate 13 with a free end thereof engaging into a bearing or hole correspondingly provided on the cover 22. Or, the vertical pivotal pin can be a separate member with two ends thereof engaging into bearings or holes provided at centers of circle of the cover 22 and of the base plate 13. In an embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, a vertical pivotal pin 24 is integrally formed at an inner wall of the cover 22 to pivotally engage with a hole 14 provided at the center of circle of the base plate 13.

The base plate 13 may be located at a lower front or a lower back of the screen 12 of the liquid crystal display 1. In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. l to 4, the base plate 13 is located at the lower back of the screen 12.

The flat top 21 may be a separate body or a part of an equipment. In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, the flat top 21 is a top surface of a housing of a main frame of a cash register 2.

With the above arrangements, the screen 12 of the liquid crystal display 1 can be pivotally turned about the horizontal pivotal shaft 11 to adjust its vertical angular positions relative to the base plate 13 and accordingly to the equipment, that is, the cash register 2, as shown by the arrows a and b in Fig. 1. Moreover, the semicircular base plate 13 in the space 23 can be pivotally turned about the vertical pivotal pin 24, so that the screen 12 connected to the base plate 13 can be turned leftward or rightward relative to the cash register 2 within an angle defined by two sides of the cover 22, as shown by the arrows c and b in Figs. I and 4. That is, the liquid crystal display 1 can be adjusted in its horizontal angular positions, too, to be used in a more convenient and practical manner.

In brief, the present invention provides a means allowing a liquid crystal display to be turned leftward or rightward relative the equipment on which the display is mounted, so as to properly adjust visual angles of the liquid crystal display available to the user. Although the available angular position adjustment of the liquid crystal display is limited by the angle contained by two sides of the sector 22, such angular adjustment is large enough to provide more convenient and practical use of the liquid crystal display.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A means allowing a liquid crystal display to turn leftward or rightward, comprising a semicircular base plate for a screen of said liquid crystal display to pivotally connected thereto via a horizontal pivotal shaft disposed between said screen and said base plate, a sector-shaped cover fixed to a flat top of an equipment with which said liquid crystal display is associated for defining a space between said cover and said flat top to receive said semicircular base plate therein, and a vertical pivotal pin extending between and having two ends engaged with bearings or holes provided at centers of circle of said semicircular base plate and said sector-shaped cover, such that said base plate may be turned about said vertical pivotal pin to move leftward or rightward; said sector-shaped cover having two sides containing an angle smaller than 180 degrees to define an angular span within which said base plate and accordingly said screen of said liquid crystal display can be rotated; whereby said screen of said liquid crystal display may be pivotally turned about said horizontal pivotal shaft to adjust vertical angular positions of said screen relative to said base plate and accordingly said equipment and be turned about said vertical pivotal pin to adjust horizontal angular positions of said screen relative to said sector-shaped cover and accordingly said equipment.

2. A means allowing a liquid crystal display to turn leftward or rightward as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flat top is a separate body.

3. A means allowing a liquid crystal display to turn leftward or rightward as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flat top is a part of a feature assembled to said equipment,

4. A means allowing a liquid crystal display to turn leftward or rightward as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vertical pivotal pin is integrally formed on said cover with a free end thereof engaging with said bearing or hole provided at said center of circle of said base plate.

5. A means allowing a liquid crystal display to turn leftward or rightward as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vertical pivotal pin is integrally formed on said center of circle of said base plate with a free end thereof engaging with said bearing or hole provided on said cover.

6. A means allowing a liquid crystal display to turn leftward or rightward as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vertical pivotal pin is a separate member having two ends engaged with bearings or holes provided at said center of circle of said cover and said base plate.

7. A means allowing a liquid crystal display to turn leftward or rightward as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base plate is located at a lower front of said screen of said liquid crystal display.

8. A means allowing a liquid crystal display to turn leftward or rightward as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base plate is located at a lower back of said screen of said liquid crystal display.

9. A means allowing a liquid crystal display to turn leftward or rightward substantially as herein described with reference to and/or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.