WO2001031620A1

WO2001031620A1 - Telescoping support for multi-media display

Info

Publication number: WO2001031620A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/029560
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mike J. Martin-Vegue; James N. Winsor
Original assignee: Arral Ind Inc; ARRAL INDUSTRIES Inc
Current assignee: Arral Ind Inc; ARRAL INDUSTRIES Inc
Priority date: 1999-10-27
Filing date: 2000-10-27
Publication date: 2001-05-03
Anticipated expiration: 2002-04-27
Also published as: AU1439601A

Abstract

A mast for supporting audio and visual display elements includes at least two telescoping segments capable of nesting one within the other. An air spring including a housing and a piston to which an operating rod is connected includes a compressible fluid which, when expanded, deploys the rod. The rod is connected to the outer segment and the housing is connected to the inner segment so that when the spring is expanded, the inner segment is fully deployed and extends from the inner segment. Latch elements align the segments and maintain the spring in the compressed state. Releasing the latch permits the spring to expand, extending the inner segment carrying the audio and visual display elements to a preferred configuration.

Description

i TELESCOPING SUPPORT FOR MULTI-MEDIA DISPLAY

This application is a continuation-in-part of our provisional application Serial No. 60/161,629, filed October 27, 1999.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 5 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to display structures and, more particularly, a telescoping support for a multi media display. 2. Description of the Related Art

Display εignage and other information presenting devices can be mounted 0 to a support structure whose height can be varied or adjusted. In prior art systems, signs or other displays were fastened to a support element that could be extended to a greater height. It is well known to have telescoping segments that are frictionally coupled and that can either be self supporting due to the friction between the telescoping members or fixed together. In alternative structures, an internal cable system connected to a winch enabled the inner member to be extended. Yet other structures utilized a motor driven flexible rod which exerts a force on the interior member, forcing it upward. However, if the display element is heavy, its mass may overcome any frictional forces resisting collapse or place an overwhelming burden upon any motor driven rod assembly.

Other, more primitive systems permit the manual extension of the telescoping assembly with a plurality of hole pairs through the elements which holes can be used in conjunction with a pin. When the desired height or length has been achieved, a pin can be inserted in aligned holes. These systems are usually manually operated and limit the weight that can be supported to that which can easily be raised by an operator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION What would be useful would be a support member that would automatically deploy and which is easily returned to a "ready" configuration. According to the present invention, in a preferred embodiment, a pair of tubular members are telescoped, one within the other. A gas spring is mounted in the inner tubular member and connected to the outer tubular member. A manually operated latch which is mounted on the lower member, releases the gas spring which deploys a rod which is attached to the outer member. The gas spring chamber cooperates with the inner member to move together, thereby deploying the inner member relative to the outer member. When the rod is fully deployed, the inner member is extended to its maximum height. Various audio or visual displays, such as signs and speaker systems, can be mounted on the free end of the inner member.

The rod assembly can easily be manually telescoped into the gas spring by grasping the upper end of the inner member and bringing it down to a rest position where an alignment slot in the inner member is engaged by the latch mounted on the outer member.

The alignment slot also orients the display and speaker components to face in a desired direction, relative to the apparatus to which the telescoping display is mounted. An electrical cable is helically wound about the rod and the air spring body so that appropriate power and information signals can supply the audio visual displays. The cable can then extend with the inner member without damage to the cable or its connection to the source of energy and signals. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved telescoping mount for an audio and visual display unit. It is another object of invention to provide a height adjustable speaker and visual display unit which can be mounted on a movable cart which is in the normally lowered configuration for transport and in the extended configuration when being utilized for better visibility and sound projection.

It is a still further object of invention to provide an automatic telescoping pole assembly which can go from a telescoped con iguration at a first height to a different height at the touch of a button.

The novel features which are characteristic of the invention, both as to structure and method of operation thereof, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will be understood from the following description, considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only, and they are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable service cart system in which the present invention is useful, taken from the operator's side; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the service cart system of FIG. 1, from the opposite side;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a telescoping assembly without the audio visual elements; FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the telescoping assembly of FIG. 3, showing the elements of the assembly; FIG. 5 is a broken plan view of the assembly from the operator's side; FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 5 taken along the line A-A in the direction of the appended arrows;

FIG. 7 is sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 5 taken along the line B-B in the direction of the appended arrows; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the assembly with the elements telescoped together.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Turning first to FIG.l, there is shown, in perspective view from the operator's side, a portion of a service cart 10 which has been designed to function as a movable passenger service counter, useful in the travel industry and, more particularly, in the airline industry. As shown, the cart 10 includes an LCD screen 12 for displaying information to the operator, a magnetic card reader 14 for scanning credit cards, a keyboard 16 for providing data input to a computer, a microphone 18 for broadcasting information in the vicinity of the cart 10, an antenna 20 for communicating with a base station and a message board 22 which partially conceals from passengers the various operating elements of the cart 10.

The cart 10 has attached a telescoping mount 30 to support a speaker 32 and a visual display 34. As shown, the telescoping mount 30 is in the fully extended configuration which provides for greater visibility of the display 34 and a better placement of the speaker 32 to avoid discomfort of passengers in the vicinity of the cart 10.

In the preferred embodiment of the telescoping mount 30, inner and outer tubular members 36, 38 are provided. Alternative embodiments could employ one or more intermediate tubular members between the inner and outer members 36, 38 to either enable a higher rise to the mount 30 or to provide for a lower telescoped position for the speaker 34 and display 32.

The inner tubular member 36 includes a slot 40 that serves the dual purposes of orienting the inner member 36 and engaging a latching mechanism to maintain the member in the retracted position.

FIG. 2 provides a view of the public side of the cart 10, showing the opposite sides of the elements identified in FIG. 1.

Turning next to FIG. 3, there is shown the extended telescoping rod assembly 30. FIG. 4 is a cutaway view of the assembly of FIG. 3, showing the constituent parts thereof. Within the interior tubular member 36, a gas spring body 42 is mounted. The gas spring body 42 includes an actuating arm 44 which is normally deployed, but which can be retracted into the gas spring body 42. The actuating arm 44 is anchored near the base of the outer telescoping member 38. A release latch 46 is located on the outer telescoping member 38 and engages the slot 40 of the inner telescoping member 36. A power and communication cable 48 is helically wound about the actuating rod 44 and connects the speaker 34 and the visual display 32 to a source of power and information signals in the cart 10. In alternative embodiments, other spring means can be employed such as a compressible spring member or a pneumatic or hydraulic piston assembly which, when energized serves the same function as the air spring. However, these alternatives may require a source of power and therefore create an extra drain on any supplied source of energy.

FIG. 5 is a frontal view of the telescoping mount 30. In this view, a microphone mounting clip 50 is fastened to the lower tubular member 38 to hold the microphone 18 when it is not in use. The release latch 46 is also shown positioned adjacent the microphone mounting clip 50. In FIG. 6, the interior of the telescoping mount 30 is shown in somewhat greater detail. As can be seen, the release latch 46 is positioned to engage the linear slot 40 of the inner tubular member 36 from the inside. A leaf spring 52 biases the latch 46 toward the outer tubular member 38. As the inner tubular member 36 is telescoped into the outer tubular member 38, the edge of the inner tubular member engages a ramp on the latch 46 and forces the latch inward. When the slot 40 is encountered by the latch 46, the latch 46 springs outward, therefore engaging the lower edge of the slot 30, holding the inner tubular member 36 in place against the force of the air spring 42.

Depressing the release latch 46 frees the inner tubular member 36, and under the force of the air spring 42, the actuating arm 44 is deployed, elevating the inner tubular member 36 and the audio and visual elements that it carries. The air spring 42 can be collapsed and compressed by manually returning the inner member 36 to its fully telescoped orientation. When the spring 42 is fully compressed, the latch 46 will hold the inner and outer members 36, 38 in the retracted state.

Claims

What is claimed as new is:

1. A support for a media display comprising: a. an outer member having a base end adapted to be mounted to a base member; b. at least one inner member having a base end and a free end and adapted to telescopically nest within said outer member; c. spring means coupled to said outer member and located within said inner member and adapted to engage said free end of said inner member for moving said inner member relative to said outer member; d. latch means fastened to said outer member for engaging said inner member in a predetermined configuration relative to said outer member; and e. audio speaker means attached to said free end of said inner member, whereby said spring means in a first, compressed state, is confined within said inner and outer members in a fully telescoped configuration and when fully extended deploys said free end of said inner member outward from said outer member carrying said audio speaker means to a position remote from the base member for more effective audio output.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, above, further including helical cable means for applying electrical signals from a source near said base end of said outer member to display elements mounted on said inner member free end.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, above, further including microphone means adapted to be mounted on said outer member and coupled through amplifier means to said helical cable for providing audio signals to said audio speaker means.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, above, further including visual display means mounted on said free end of said inner member.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, above, wherein said inner member includes an indexing aperture adapted to be engaged by said latching means for securing said inner member in a predetermined orientation relative to said outer member.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, above, further including helical cable means for applying electrical signals from a source near said base end of said outer member to said visual display means. PAGE MISSING AT THE TIME OF PUBLICATION

/ a. a first, outer member adapted to be connected to a base member; b. at least one inner member situated within said outer member and adapted for relative movement with respect to said outer member; c. spring means coupled at one end to said outer member and situated within said inner member in fixed relationship therewith; d. latch means attached to said outer member and arranged to engage said inner member in a predetermined location thereof for holding said inner member telescoped within said outer member with said spring means in a compressed orientation; and e. display means attached near a free end of said inner member including at least an audio component, whereby said inner and outer members in a first con iguration are telescoped together with said spring means fully compressed and said members are restrained by said latch means and, in a second configuration, said latch means releases said inner member and said spring means expand, carrying said inner member outward under the force of said spring means until said second member is fully deployed and said display means positioned at the free end of said inner member are in an enhanced position to convey audio information.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, above, further including visible display means mounted to the free end of said inner member whereby said visible display means are in an enhanced position to convey visible information.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, above, further including means on said inner member for cooperating with said latch means to hold said inner member in at least one predetermined configuration relative to said outer member.

15. A telescoping mount for audio and display elements comprising in combination: a. a first, outer member adapted to be connected to a base member; b. at least one inner member situated within said outer member and adapted for relative movement with respect to said outer member; c. spring means coupled at one end to said outer member and situated within said inner member in fixed relationship therewith; d. latch means attached to said outer member and arranged to engage said inner member in a predetermined location thereof for holding said inner member telescoped within said outer member with said spring means in a compressed orientation; and e. display means attached near a free end of said inner member including at least a visible display component, whereby said inner and outer members in a first configuration are telescoped together with said spring means fully compressed and said members are restrained by said latch means and, in a second configuration, said latch means releases said inner member and said spring means expand, carrying said inner member outward under the force of said spring means until said second member is fully deployed and said display means positioned at the free end of said inner member are in an enhanced position to convey visible information.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 above, further including means on said inner member for cooperating with said latch means to hold said inner member in at least one predetermined configuration relative to said outer member.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, above, wherein said spring means include a gas spring with fluid under pressure for collapsing said spring means under a compressive force and capable of expanding to deploy said inner member.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, above, further including information transmission means including a cable helically wound within said inner member for providing a conduit for electrical signals between said display means and a source of information to be displayed, within said inner member in all configu- rations relative to said outer member.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, above, further including microphone means and means for attaching said microphone means to said outer member, said microphone means adapted to be connected to an amplifier system which is connected, through said cable, to said audio means at the free end of said inner member.