U.S. patent application number 09/145286 was filed with the patent office on 2001-09-13 for display device having tilt mechanism for adjustment with respect to operator device.
This patent application is currently assigned to FUJITSU LIMITED. Invention is credited to ISHII, NOBORU, MIYAZAWA, KENICHI.
Application Number | 20010020641 09/145286 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18025980 |
Filed Date | 2001-09-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010020641 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MIYAZAWA, KENICHI ; et
al. |
September 13, 2001 |
DISPLAY DEVICE HAVING TILT MECHANISM FOR ADJUSTMENT WITH RESPECT TO
OPERATOR DEVICE
Abstract
A display device includes a display portion and a tilt
mechanism. The tilt mechanism can be rotated around a rotation
center and the display device can be installed on and removed from
an external device such as a keyboard, bar code reader and a POS
terminal. The display device may include a fixing member, used for
fixing the display device to the external device, provided with the
tilt mechanism.
Inventors: |
MIYAZAWA, KENICHI;
(KAWASAKI-SHI, JP) ; ISHII, NOBORU; (KAWASAKI-SHI,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ARMSTRONG,WESTERMAN, HATTORI,
MCLELAND & NAUGHTON, LLP
1725 K STREET, NW, SUITE 1000
WASHINGTON
DC
20006
US
|
Assignee: |
FUJITSU LIMITED
KANAGAWA
JP
|
Family ID: |
18025980 |
Appl. No.: |
09/145286 |
Filed: |
September 2, 1998 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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09145286 |
Sep 2, 1998 |
|
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|
08753494 |
Nov 26, 1996 |
|
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5838536 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
235/383 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07G 1/01 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
235/383 |
International
Class: |
G06K 015/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 30, 1995 |
JP |
7-312161 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A display device comprising: a display portion and a tilt
mechanism, wherein said tilt mechanism is rotatable around a
rotation center and said display device can be installed on and
removed from an external device.
2. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fixing
member used for fixing said display device to said external device
is provided with said tilt mechanism.
3. The display device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said fixing
member is one of screws, adhering layers, adhesive sheets, suction
discs and magnets.
4. The display device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a
connector for electrically connecting said display device to said
external device.
5. The display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said external
device is one of a keyboard, a bar code reader and a POS
terminal.
6. An input/output device comprised of: a keyboard portion having a
plurality of keys, a display portion and a tilt mechanism, wherein
said display portion is provided on a back side of said keyboard
portion having a plurality of keys, said display portion being
connected to said keyboard portion through said tilt mechanism, and
said tilt mechanism being rotatable around a rotation center so
that an angle of said display portion with respect to said keyboard
portion may be adjusted freely.
7. The input/output device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said
display portion together with said tilt mechanism can be installed
on and removed from said keyboard portion.
8. The input/output device as claimed in claim 6, wherein a fixing
member used for fixing said display portion to said keyboard
portion is provided with said tilt mechanism.
9. The input/output device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said
fixing member is one of screws, adhering layers, adhesive sheets,
suction discs and magnets.
10. The input/output device as claimed in claim 6, further
comprising a connector for electrically connecting said
input/output device to an external device.
11. A counter provided at least with a POS terminal, an input
device and an display device for a customer, wherein said display
device for customer includes a display portion and a tilt
mechanism, said tilt mechanism being rotatable around a rotation
center and said display device can be installed on and removed from
at least one of said POS terminal and said input device.
12. The counter as claimed in claim 11, wherein a fixing member
used for fixing said display device on said external device is
provided with said tilt mechanism.
13. The counter as claimed in claim 12, wherein said fixing member
is one of screws, adhering layers, adhesive sheets, suction discs
and magnets.
14. The counter as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a
connector for electrically connecting said display device to an
external device.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention generally relates to a display device
having a tilt mechanism, and particularly, to a display device
which may be provided with a terminal such as a point-of-sale (POS)
terminal of a POS system and displays such elements as names,
prices and a total price of commodities purchased to a customer (a
customer display).
[0002] Recently, control of commodities using optically readable
marks such as a bar code have been widespread among retail stores
of many kinds. Accordingly, a demand for a system such as a
point-of-sale (POS) system which is necessary for such control of
commodities has increased.
[0003] In the POS system, an apparatus for reading optical marks
such as a bar code reader for reading bar codes has been widely
used to input the information of commodities. The information of a
particular commodity is sought through a commodity file, input in
the terminal beforehand, based on a read bar code information.
[0004] A display device a so called "customer display" has been
commonly used and is provided with a POS terminal for showing
information such as the names, prices and a total price of
commodities to a customer who bought the commodities so that he/she
can confirm such information.
[0005] However, in some cases, no bar code is attached to a certain
commodity. For instance, it is difficult to attach a bar code to
fresh foods such as vegetables. In order to put information about
these commodities into the POS terminal, an input device called a
price look-up (PLU) keyboard is usually provided with the
terminal.
[0006] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a typical counter of the POS
system. As shown in FIG. 1, the counter is provided with a POS
terminal together with a bar code reader and a PLU keyboard as
explained above.
[0007] In this kind of counter shown in FIG. 1, each bar code
attached to a commodity is read by passing a particular commodity
in front of the bar code reader with the side to which a bar code
is attached facing the bar code reader. This handling of
commodities is carried out by an operator.
[0008] Since the bar code reader is used to input the information
of commodities most of the times, it is preferable that the
operator is always in a particular position in front of the bar
code reader and is not required to be moved around. For this
reason, the PLU keyboard is provided in the vicinity of the bar
code reader, as shown in FIG. 1, and the keyboard is facing the
operator side (inside of the counter).
[0009] The angle of the PLU keyboard is adjustable so that an
operator can type the keyboard in a most suitable condition for the
operator. In the case of the PLU keyboard shown in FIG. 1, the
angle of the PLU keyboard is adjustable in a direction indicated by
the arrow.
[0010] Here, by providing the above-mentioned customer display on
the other side of the PLU keyboard (facing the customer side), it
is possible to show a customer information such as prices of
commodities so that he/she can confirm such information.
[0011] However, such a customer display provided with a PLU
keyboard, as mentioned above, has been conventionally fixed to the
PLU keyboard. Thus, if an operator adjusts the angle of the PLU
keyboard in a way to suit him/her, the angle of the customer
display is also changed in accordance with the angle change of the
PLU keyboard. Also, the position at which the customer display is
fixed is dependent on a fixing position of the PLU keyboard.
[0012] For these reasons, there are problems for the conventional
customer display such as the adjustment of the angle of the PLU
keyboard for an operator quite often leads to an inconvenient
position and angle of the customer display for a customer, and
therefore the quality of the service for the customer is
lowered.
[0013] On the other hand, if the position and angle of the customer
display is set so as to be suitable for a customer, an operation of
the PLU keyboard for an operator will not be so easy and will cause
problems such as tiredness of eyes and/or arms for the
operator.
[0014] Also, since the customer display is formed together with the
PLU keyboard, there is a problem in that flexibility of a fixing
position of the customer display is limited. For instance, if it is
required to separate the fixing position of the customer display
from the position of the PLU keyboard in accordance with, say, the
space of a counter in a shop, it is not possible to respond to such
a request using a conventional customer display.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] It is a general object of this invention to provide a
display device in which the above mentioned problems are
eliminated.
[0016] A more specific object of the present invention is to
provide a display device which does not deteriorate the operability
of a keyboard for an operator.
[0017] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
display device which provides a convenient position and angle of
the display for a customer so that the customer can easily confirm
commodity information.
[0018] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a
display device which can be most suitably set in accordance with,
for instance, the space available for a counter of a shop.
[0019] The objects described above are achieved by a display device
comprising: a display portion and a tilt mechanism, wherein the
tilt mechanism can be rotated around a rotation center and the
display device can be installed on and removed from an external
device.
[0020] The objects described above are also achieved by the display
device, wherein a fixing member used for fixing the display device
on the external device is provided with the tilt mechanism.
[0021] The objects described above are also achieved by the display
device, wherein the fixing member is one of screws, adhering
layers, adhesive sheets, suction discs and magnets.
[0022] The objects described above are also achieved by the display
device, further comprising a connector for electrically connecting
the display device to an external device.
[0023] The objects described above are also achieved by the display
device, wherein the external device is one of a keyboard, a bar
code reader and a POS terminal.
[0024] According to the above display device, since the tilt
mechanism, rotatable around a rotation center, is provided with the
display device, it is possible to adjust the angle of the display
device regardless of the angle and fitting position of an external
device to which the display device of the present invention is
attached. Also, since the display device can be removed from the
external device and then installed again, it is possible to change
the fitting position of the display device if necessary.
[0025] The objects described above are also achieved by an
input/output device comprised of: a keyboard portion having a
plurality of keys, a display portion and a tilt mechanism, wherein
the display portion is provided at a back of the keyboard portion
having a plurality of keys, the display portion being connected to
the key board portion through the tilt mechanism, and the tilt
mechanism can be rotated around a rotation center so that an angle
of the display portion with respect to the keyboard portion may be
adjusted freely.
[0026] The objects described above are also achieved by the
input/output device, wherein the display portion together with the
tilt mechanism can be installed on and removed from the keyboard
portion.
[0027] The objects described above are also achieved by the
input/output device, wherein a fixing member used for fixing the
display portion to the keyboard portion is provided with the tilt
mechanism.
[0028] The objects described above are also achieved by the
input/output device, wherein the fixing member is one of screws,
adhering layers, adhesive sheets, suction discs and magnets.
[0029] The objects described above are also achieved by the
input/output device, further comprising a connector for
electrically connecting the input/output device to an external
device.
[0030] According to the above input/output device, since the tilt
mechanism, rotatable around a rotation center, is provided with the
display portion, it is possible to adjust the angle of the display
portion regardless of the angle of the keyboard portion to which
the display portion is attached through the tilt mechanism. Also,
since the display portion can be removed from the keyboard portion
and then installed again, it is possible to change the fitting
position of the display portion if necessary.
[0031] The objects described above are also achieved by a counter
provided at least with a POS terminal, an input device and an
display device for a customer, wherein the display device for the
customer includes a display portion and a tilt mechanism, the tilt
mechanism being rotatable around a rotation center and the display
device being able to installed on and removed from at least one of
the POS terminal and the input device.
[0032] The objects described above are also achieved by the
counter, wherein a fixing member used for fixing the display device
on the external device is provided with the tilt mechanism.
[0033] The objects described above are also achieved by the
counter, wherein the fixing member is one of screws, adhering
layers, adhesive sheets, suction discs and magnets.
[0034] The objects described above are also achieved by the
counter, further comprising a connector for electrically connecting
the display device to an external device.
[0035] According to the above counter, by providing a connector to
various devices located on the counter, it is possible to fix the
display device for customer at a desired position. Also, the angle
of the display device may be adjusted so that a customer can easily
see the display without degrading the operability of various
devices operated by an operator.
[0036] Other objects and further features of the present invention
will be apparent from the following detailed description when read
in conjunction with the accompanied drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0037] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a typical conventional counter
of the POS system;
[0038] FIG. 2A is a top view of a customer display according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0039] FIG. 2B is a front view of the customer display according to
an embodiment of the present invention;
[0040] FIG. 2C is a side view of the customer display according to
an embodiment of the present invention;
[0041] FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the customer display
according to the embodiment of the present invention, in which the
tilt portion is most opened;
[0042] FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the customer display
according to the embodiment of the present invention, in which the
tilt portion is most closed;
[0043] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a back of a PLU keyboard and a
side of a customer display according to the present invention;
[0044] FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining how the angle of a
customer display according to the present invention may be adjusted
when the display is attached to the back of a PLU keyboard;
[0045] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a counter
provided with a customer display attached to the back of a PLU
keyboard according to the present invention;
[0046] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a counter
provided with a customer display attached to the back of a bar code
reader according to the present invention;
[0047] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a back of a bar coder reader to
which the customer display according to the present invention may
be attached; and
[0048] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a counter
provided with a customer display attached to the side of a display
for an operator of a POS terminal.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0049] In the following, a principle and embodiments of the present
invention will be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings. Note that in the following embodiments although only a
customer display in the POS system will be explained, the display
device of the present invention is applicable not only to the
customer display but also to any other suitable kind of display
devices.
[0050] FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C show a customer display according to an
embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A is a top view, FIG. 2B
is a front view and FIG. 2C is a side view of the customer display.
In these figures, the customer display includes a display portion
1, a connector 2, and a tilt portion 3. The display portion 1 is a
portion on which information such as a name, price and total price
of commodities are displayed for a customer. The connector 2 may be
connected to a PLU keyboard and so on. The tilt portion 3 includes
screw holes 5 (in this case two screw holes) and is rotatably
supported so that it may rotate around a rotation center 4. In this
embodiment the tilt portion 3 may be rotated in a direction
indicated by an arrow shown in FIG. 2C. This customer display may
be attached to various devices used at a customer service counter,
such as a PLU keyboard, by fixing the customer display on the back
of the PLU keyboard using the screws.
[0051] FIG. 3A and 3B, respectively, show a cross-sectional view of
the customer display according to the above embodiment of the
present invention. FIG. 3A shows a state of the customer display in
which the tilt portion is most opened and FIG. 3B shows a state of
the customer display in which the tilt portion is most closed. As
shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the display portion 1 is located on the
left hand side of the customer display.
[0052] As explained above, a connector 2 which is connected to an
external device for supplying power to the display is provided with
the customer display. There is a space 3' inside of the tilt
portion 3 as shown in FIG. 3B and the connector 2 may be
accommodated in the space 3' of the tilt portion 3 when
necessary.
[0053] As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the tilt portion 3 is rotatably
supported so that it can rotate around the rotation center 4. In
this particular embodiment, the rotation angle of the tilt portion
3 is set to about 60.degree., however, the rotation angle is not
limited to 60.degree. and may be varied in accordance with a
different situation.
[0054] The connector 3 and the display portion 1 are connected to
each other by a cable 6. The cable 6 is used to supply power so as
to display information and so forth.
[0055] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a back of a PLU keyboard and a
side of a customer display. Here, the PLU keyboard is used as an
example of an external device to which the customer display of the
present invention is attached. As mentioned above, the PLU keyboard
is used to input information of a commodity to which no bar code is
attached or in a case a bar code cannot be read properly for some
reasons.
[0056] In FIG. 4, the PLU keyboard includes a connector 11, screw
holes 12, a keyboard 13 and an operator display 14.
[0057] The connector 11 is provided at a back of the PLU keyboard
as shown in FIG. 4. This connector 11 is to connect with the
connector 3 of the customer display. Also, two screw holes 12 are
formed on right and left hand sides of the connector 11,
respectively. These screw holes 12 are provided in positions
corresponding to the positions of the screw holes 5 of the customer
display so that the PLU keyboard may be connected to the tilt
portion 3 of the customer display.
[0058] FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the way the angle of the
customer display according to the present invention may be adjusted
when the display is attached to the back of the PLU keyboard. As
shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of input keys 13 are aligned on the
left hand side (operator side) of the PLU keyboard. Also, an
operator display 14 by which an operator can confirm the
information input through the keyboard is provided on the top of
the keyboard 13 as shown in FIG. 5.
[0059] The PLU keyboard and the tilt portion 3 of the customer
display are fixed to each other by a screw 21 as shown in FIG. 5.
Since the tilt portion 3 is fixed to the PLU keyboard, a portion of
the customer display including the display portion 1 is able to
rotate around the rotation center 4 and in this way the angle of
the display portion 1 may be adjusted. As shown in FIG. 5, the
angle of the customer display is adjustable in the range indicated
by dotted lines (about 60.degree.) in this embodiment. In addition,
the keyboard surface of the PLU keyboard is provided with an
inclined angle as shown in FIG. 5 so that an operator can easily
perform input operations.
[0060] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a counter
provided with a customer display attached to a PLU keyboard
according to the present invention. In FIG. 6, a PLU keyboard 32
and a bar code reader 33 are provided at about a middle of a
counter 31. When a bar code attached to a commodity is read, an
operator stands in front of the bar code reader 33 and carries out
operations to read the bar code using the bar code reader. The PLU
keyboard 32 is used when no bar code is attached to a commodity or
a bar code cannot be read for some reasons.
[0061] As shown in FIG. 6, a customer display 34 is attached to the
back of the PLU keyboard 32 with its display portion facing a
customer side of the counter (not shown in the figure). The angle
of the customer display 34 can be adjusted, as explained above, so
that a customer can easily confirm such information as prices and a
total price of commodities, which he/she purchased, from the
display portion of the customer display 34.
[0062] The PLU keyboard 32 is fixed to the counter 31 in a way so
that its mounting angle is adjustable. Also, the customer display
34 is fixed to the PLU keyboard in a way so that its mounting angle
is adjustable. The angle adjustment of the customer display 34 can
be carried out independently of the angle adjustment of the PLU key
board 32. For this reason, the angle of the customer display 34 may
be adjusted regardless of the mounting angle of the PLU keyboard 32
so that a customer can easily see the display portion of the
customer display 34. Thus, it is possible to improve visibility of
the customer display 34 without degrading the operability of the
PLU keyboard 32 for an operator.
[0063] In FIG. 6, the numeral 35 indicates a POS terminal and a
drawer 36 is provided underneath the POS terminal. In general,
handling of money between a customer and an operator is carried out
at a position in front of the POS terminal 35.
[0064] As mentioned above, the customer display 34 according to
this embodiment of the present invention is fixed to the PLU
keyboard 32 using screws and an electrical connection is made
through a connector. Thus, the customer display 34 can easily be
taken out from the PLU keyboard and fixed to another portion of the
counter 31 or anywhere in a shop.
[0065] Although screws are used in this embodiment to fix the
customer display 34 to the PLU keyboard 32, a fixing member to fix
the customer display 34 to a portion of the counter 31 including
the PLU keyboard 32 is not limited to the screws and any suitable
means including adhesives, adhering layers, adhesive sheets,
suction discs, magnets and so on may be used to fix the customer
display 34 of the present invention. Thus, if it is required to
separate the customer display from the PLU keyboard and fix it to
another place in accordance with, say, the space of a counter or a
shop, it is easy to respond to such a request using the customer
display of the present invention.
[0066] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a counter on which the customer
display according to the present invention is attached to the back
of a bar code reader. As shown in FIG. 7, the fixing position of
the customer display 34 is not restricted to the back of the PLU
keyboard 32 and may be fixed to various positions of various
devices or things with a desired angle.
[0067] As mentioned above, the handling of money between a customer
and an operator is carried out in the vicinity of the POS terminal
35. On the other hand, an operation to input commodity information
is carried out in the vicinity of the place where the bar code
reader 33 and the PLU keyboard 32 are located. Therefore, it is
advantageous for a smooth operation to lead a customer whose
purchased commodities have finished a bar code checking to the
place of the POS terminal 35 so that the next customer can proceed
to the position of the bar code reader 33.
[0068] The counter 31 shown in FIG. 7 has a structure suitable for
the above mentioned purpose. As shown in FIG. 7, the counter 31 is
provided with the customer display 34 attached to the back of the
bar code reader 33 which is located closer to the POS terminal 35.
Thus, it is possible to lead a customer closer to the POS terminal
35 for a distance corresponding to the distance between the PLU
keyboard 32 and the bar code reader 33.
[0069] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the back of the bar coder
reader, together with the back of the PLU keyboard, to which the
customer display according to the present invention may be
attached. Since the customer display 34 according to this
embodiment of the present invention is to attach to the PLU
keyboard 32, signals necessary for operating the customer display
34 are supplied to the customer display 34 through the PLU
keyboard. Thus, when the customer display 34 is fixed to the back
of the bar code reader 33, an extension cord 41 is used to connect
a connector 11 of the PLU keyboard 32 and a connector of the
customer display 34. Two screw holes 44 are formed at both sides of
an opening 43 of the back of the bar code reader. The position of
the screw holes 44 is corresponds to the position of the screw
holes 12 provided at the back of the PLU keyboard shown in FIG.
4.
[0070] In FIG. 8, the PLU keyboard 32 has a fixing member 45 for
fixing the PLU keyboard 32 to a counter. When fixed, the angle of
the PLU keyboard may be adjusted freely.
[0071] When the customer display 34 is fixed to the back of the bar
code reader 33, the connector 2 of the customer display 34 and the
connector 42 extending from the connector 11 of the PLU keyboard 32
are connected and the customer display 34 is fixed to the back of
the bar code reader 33 using screws.
[0072] When the area of a shop is small and there is not enough
space for a large counter, the customer display 34 may necessarily
be fixed to a position closer to the POS terminal 35. In that case,
it is possible to attach the customer display 34, for example, on a
side surface of a display for an operator 36 as shown in FIG. 9. By
this configuration of the counter 31, a customer can proceed to the
position in front of the POS terminal 35 while his/her purchased
commodities are handled by an operator. Thus, a customer is not
required to move from a position in front of the bar code reader 33
and the PLU keyboard 32 to a position in front of the POS terminal
35 after checking the information such as a total price of his/her
purchase since he/she can confirm the information in front of the
POS terminal where the customer display 34 of the present invention
is provided. In this way, handling of money between a customer and
an operator can be smoother and space of a shop can be utilized
effectively.
[0073] As mentioned above, the customer display 34 according to the
embodiment of the present invention can be attached to any desired
place where appropriate. Fixing members as described above,
extension cords, etc., may be used together with the customer
display 34 for that purpose.
[0074] Although the above embodiments are explained for a customer
display, it is possible, of course, to apply the present invention
to any other suitable kind of display devices having a tilt
mechanism.
[0075] In addition, the present invention is not limited to the
above embodiments, and variations and modifications may be made
without departing from the scope of the present invention.
* * * * *