U.S. patent application number 10/197377 was filed with the patent office on 2003-01-23 for multiple flat panel display system.
Invention is credited to Dunn, Daniel, Mikes, Nike.
Application Number | 20030015632 10/197377 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 23185625 |
Filed Date | 2003-01-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030015632 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dunn, Daniel ; et
al. |
January 23, 2003 |
Multiple flat panel display system
Abstract
A multiple display apparatus includes a hub capable of
supporting a variable number of display support members and at
least two support members coupled to the support hub. The apparatus
is expandable to provide a plurality of displays and support
members on the hub. Mounting brackets are respectively associated
with the members to secure flat panel displays to the
apparatus.
Inventors: |
Dunn, Daniel; (Sunnyvale,
CA) ; Mikes, Nike; (Sunnyvale, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
VIERRA MAGEN MARCUS HARMON & DENIRO LLP
685 MARKET STREET, SUITE 540
SAN FRANCISCO
CA
94105
US
|
Family ID: |
23185625 |
Appl. No.: |
10/197377 |
Filed: |
July 17, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60306510 |
Jul 18, 2001 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/122.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16M 2200/022 20130101;
F16M 13/02 20130101; F16M 11/2085 20130101; F16M 11/24 20130101;
F16M 2200/068 20130101; F16M 11/2092 20130101; F16M 11/10 20130101;
A47B 81/065 20130101; F16M 11/2014 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/122.1 |
International
Class: |
A47F 005/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A multiple display apparatus, comprising: a hub capable of
supporting a variable number display support members; at least two
support members coupled to the support hub; and at least two
mounting brackets respectively associated with said at least two
support members.
2. The display apparatus of claim 1 further including at least two
flat-panel displays respectively mounted on said support members by
said at least two mounting brackets.
3. The multiple display apparatus of claim 1 wherein said hub
comprises a hub including a plurality of bores.
4. The display apparatus of claim 3 wherein said plurality of bores
equals two bores.
5. The display apparatus of claim 3 wherein said plurality of bores
equals three bores.
6. The display apparatus of claim 3 wherein said plurality of bores
equals six bores.
7. The display apparatus of claim 3 wherein said plurality of bores
equals nine bores.
8. The display apparatus of claim 3 wherein said plurality of bores
equals ten bores.
9. The display apparatus of claim 3 wherein said plurality of bores
are drilled into a solid hub.
10. The display apparatus of claim 3 wherein said plurality of
bores are cast.
11. The display apparatus of claim 3 wherein said plurality of
bores is provided in a fixed structure.
12. The display apparatus of claim 4 wherein said structure is a
desk.
13. The display apparatus of claim 4 wherein said structure is a
wall.
14. The display apparatus of claim 1 wherein said hub includes
modular pods, each pod having a plurality of bores therein and
being capable of coupling to others of said pods.
15. The display apparatus of claim 1 wherein said hub is fixed to a
wall.
16. The display apparatus of claim 1 wherein said hub includes an
integrated component device.
17. The display apparatus of claim 1 wherein each said support
member comprises an articulating arm having a first end supporting
said mounting bracket and a second end coupled to said hub.
18. The display apparatus of claim 17 wherein each arm includes an
upper arm, a lower arm, an elbow joint and an end joint.
19. The display apparatus of claim 18 wherein the upper arm and
lower arm are coupled by the elbow joint, and the upper arm and
lower arm are rotatable with respect to each other by 360.degree.
with respect to said elbow joint.
20. The display apparatus of claim 18 wherein the articulating arm
is rotatable about the end joint by 360.degree..
21. The display apparatus of claim 18 wherein the articulating arm
is hollow to allow cabling to pass there through.
22. The display apparatus of claim 18 wherein the articulating arm
is solid.
23. The display apparatus of claim 17 wherein said mounting bracket
is slidably attached to said support member.
24. The display apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mounting bracket
has at least two axes of rotational motion relative to said support
member.
25. The display apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support member
includes integrated video cabling.
26. The display apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mounting bracket
includes a plate compatible with VESA mounting standards.
27. An expandable display mounting apparatus, comprising: a hub
including a plurality of bores formed therein; a plurality of arm
assemblies having an end joint provided in said one of said
plurality of bores and a second end capable of coupling to a
display panel.
28. The apparatus of claim 27 further including a mounting bracket
provided on said second end of said arm.
29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said arm assembly rotates
about said end joint with 360.degree. of motion about a first
axis.
30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said mounting bracket rotates
about three axes.
31. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said mounting bracket slides
along said arm assembly.
32. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said hub includes a body and
support legs.
33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said hub body is cast to
include said bores.
34. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said arm assemblies include a
cabling region allowing display connection cabling to be positioned
therein.
35. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said arm assemblies included
integrated display connections.
36. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said hub includes an
integrated speaker.
37. A multiple display apparatus, comprising: a hub having a
plurality of bores provided therein; at least two articulating arms
comprising a first member and a second member, the first member
including a bore mount and the second member including a display
mount; and at least two displays, one of said at least two displays
coupled to one of said at least two articulating arms at said
display mount.
38. The apparatus of claim 37 further including a vertical support
tube supporting a third display.
39. The apparatus of claim 37 further including at least six
articulating arms and six displays.
40. The apparatus of claim 37 further including at least nine
articulating arms and nine displays.
41. An apparatus, comprising: support means for movably coupling a
flat-panel display and positioning said display in three axes of
motion; and a hub unit including means for supporting a variable
number of support means.
42. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the hub unit includes means
for supporting at least two support means.
43. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the hub unit includes means
for supporting at least three support means.
44. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the hub unit includes means
for supporting at least six support means.
45. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the hub unit includes means
for supporting at least nine support means.
Description
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
[0001] The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Serial No. 60/306,510 filed on Jul. 18,
2001.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention is directed to a scalable flat panel
display system. In particular, the system integrates a plurality of
display panels, efficiently and without limitation to quantity, as
well as providing integration for additional devices within the
system.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] As computing applications have become more sophisticated,
the ability to utilize multiple displays provides users with
increased productivity and capabilities in manipulating such
applications. Such multiple display systems are becoming more
popular as the cost of such systems decreases, while the imaging
and processing capability of today's image-based computers continue
to rise. Faster computing power, multi-tasking between
applications, multi-media applications and the integration of
Internet-based communications and resources all drive the desire to
utilize multi-display systems. Typically, the benefits of multiple
monitor computing are seen in specialized financial and graphics
computer applications. However, multiple display computing is also
increasing among the general computing public.
[0006] To date, there have been basically three approaches to
implementing multiple displays at the desktop level: 1) multiple
stand-alone displays; 2) multiple flat panel displays attached to
arms that attach to stands and wall brackets; and 3) multiple flat
panel displays encased in a single housing.
[0007] None of these solutions provide for an efficiently scalable
and customizable solution that addresses the wide variety of system
variations and requirements which constantly arise as the adoption
of multiple monitor computing increases.
[0008] One of the aforementioned approaches--that of providing
multiple display stands based on fixed position arms, stands and
brackets--has been developed extensively in the prior art. However,
none of the prior art solutions provide an integrated and scalable
multiple display system. Examples of fixed position arms, stands
and bracket approaches are shown in FIGS. 8A-8D.
[0009] FIG. 8A shows a commercial example of a system which is
shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,120 to Sweere et al. The
device has a single base unit supporting a vertical arm, with
multiple cross-arms mounting the displays to the vertical arm.
These arms may be attached to several types of devices so that
monitors may be arranged in a vertical and horizontal array as
shown in the various views of FIG. 8A. This implementation is
limited in the number of displays which may be attached to the
stand as well as the number of positions that the devices achieve.
Hence, it is dependent on a fixed amount of available
configurations. An alternative commercial embodiment of this system
is shown in FIG. 8B. This version of the system is not easily
portable or easily implemented because it is dependent on location
of other non-portable structures, including office walls, mounting
racks and desktops, for support.
[0010] Another example of this type of solution is U.S. Pat. No.
6,343,006 to Moscovitch. A commercial embodiment of the display
described with respect to this patent is shown in FIG. 8C. This is
primarily described as a dual display system. It provides for a
fixed amount of displays per stand supported by predetermined arm
structures that include one, two, three or four display panels per
system. In each scenario, a different set of arm supports must be
implemented to result in an increase or decrease of the number of
flat panel displays, size of flat panel displays and flat panel
display position. One large disadvantage of this system is that the
user is strictly limited in the number of displays that can be
attached to the stand. This solution is not efficiently scalable
and is not compatible with off-the-shelf flat panel displays from
major manufacturers. It is only compatible with flat panel displays
that have been encased in proprietary housing with proprietary
connections, also described in the patent application. Hence both
the number of flat panel displays as well as the flat panel display
types and sizes are dramatically limited.
[0011] Furthermore, both the Sweere and the Moscovitch approach
suffer from the other disadvantages, including wide gaps between
images resulting from large and clumsy bezels used in most
compatible flat panel displays. In addition, both systems focus on
limited needs of a fixed and predetermined number of flat panel
displays and niche applications. Neither system provides for a
scalable and efficient desktop solution for specific needs as well
as general needs and mass consumption.
[0012] Yet another prior art embodiment is shown in FIG. 8D, a
product commercially available from Panoram Technologies, Sun
Valley, Calif. This prior art embodiment attempts to solve the need
for expanded visual real-estate by positioning the display panels
closer together in a single housing. When multiple flat panels are
enclosed in a single housing, it constitutes a cumbersome and fixed
configuration that does not provide for integration of offthe-shelf
flat panel displays and is inflexible and rigid. This solution is
neither customizable nor scalable. (See FIG. 8D).
[0013] These examples of prior art fail to consider the full
spectrum of multiple display requirements. Each example also fails
to adequately address the needs of multiple display computing for a
wide audience, as well as an affordable solution to small niche
markets. In sum, the prior art fails to provide a robust, adaptable
and scalable solution to multiple display computing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] The present invention, roughly described, pertains to a
multiple display support system. In one aspect, the system includes
a hub capable of supporting a variable number of display support
members. At least two support members are coupled to the support
hub. At least two mounting brackets are respectively associated
with said at least two support members.
[0015] In an alternative embodiment, the invention comprises an
expandable display mounting apparatus which includes a hub
including a plurality of bores formed therein. A plurality of arm
assemblies having an end joint are provided in said one of said
plurality of bores and include a second end capable of coupling to
a display panel.
[0016] In a further embodiment, the display apparatus further
includes at least two flat-panel displays respectively mounted on
said support members by said at least two mounting brackets.
[0017] In another implementation, the hub includes a plurality of
bores. Two, three, six, nine, ten, or any number of bores may be
provided. The bores may be drilled or cast into the hub.
[0018] In a further embodiment, the bores may be integrated into
other structures such as furniture, including a desk, walls, and
the like.
[0019] In another embodiment, the hub may be comprised of modular
pods, each pod having a plurality of bores therein and being
capable of coupling to others of said pods.
[0020] In still another embodiment, the display apparatus includes
an integrated component device. Any number of relevant devices can
easily be incorporated in the apparatus to enhance its usefulness
and the scope of applications it can efficiently fulfill.
[0021] Still further, each said support member may comprise an
articulating arm having a first end supporting said mounting
bracket and a second end coupled to said hub. The arm may include
an upper arm, a lower arm, an elbow joint and an end joint. The arm
may be hollow to allow cabling to pass therethrough, or solid to
reduce manufacturing costs.
[0022] In another aspect, the invention may comprise a multiple
display apparatus. The apparatus may include a hub having a
plurality of bores provided therein, at least two articulating arms
and at least two displays. One of said at least two displays may be
coupled to one of said at least two articulating arms at said
display mount. The arms may comprise a first member and a second
member, the first member including a bore mount and the second
member including a display mount.
[0023] The advantages of the present invention will appear more
clearly from the following description in which the present
invention has been set forth in conjunction with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] The invention will be described with respect to the
particular embodiments thereof. Other objects, features, and
advantages of the invention will become apparent with reference to
the specification and drawings in which:
[0025] FIG. 1A shows a front view of a three panel, six port or
bore hub configuration of the system of the present invention.
[0026] FIG. 1B shows a rear view of the six bore--three flat panel
display embodiment of the system of the present invention
[0027] FIG. 1C shows a top down view of the six bore--three flat
panel display embodiment of the system of the present
invention.
[0028] FIG. 1D shows a rear perspective view of the six bore--three
flat panel display embodiment of the system of the present
invention.
[0029] FIG. 1E shows an exploded view of the six bore--three flat
panel display embodiment of the system of the present
invention.
[0030] FIG. 2 shows a three-flat panel display embodiment depicting
the flat panel displays of the embodiment of the invention shown in
FIGS. 1A-1E positioned in a parabolic wrap-around mode for
ergonomically correct single-user applications.
[0031] FIG. 3A is a rear view of a two-panel alternative embodiment
of the system of the present invention.
[0032] FIG. 3B shows a top view of the embodiment of the system of
the present invention shown in FIG. 3A.
[0033] FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B show views of an alternative embodiment
of the desktop hub shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B.
[0034] FIG. 5A shows a first embodiment of the arm assembly of the
present invention.
[0035] FIG. 5B shows an exploded view of the upper arm assembly
that serves to connect the mounting head to the primary arm
assembly shown in FIG. 5C.
[0036] FIG. 5C shows an exploded view of the lower arm assembly
that serves to connect the secondary arm assembly to the hub
body.
[0037] FIGS. 6 shows an exploded view of the flat panel display
mounting head used in one embodiment of the system of the present
invention.
[0038] FIG. 7A shows the front view of a six flat panel display
embodiment of the present invention using a six bore hub.
[0039] FIG. 7B shows the rear view of the alternative embodiment
shown in FIG. 7A.
[0040] FIGS. 8A-8D show prior art versions of multi-display
systems.
[0041] FIG. 9A shows a perspective view of an alternative
embodiment of the arm structure of the present invention.
[0042] FIG. 9B shows an exploded perspective view of the embodiment
of the arm structure shown in FIG. 9A.
[0043] FIG. 10A shows a front view of an alternative embodiment of
the hub suitable for use with a fixed wall and/or floor in
accordance with the system of the present invention.
[0044] FIG. 10B shows an exploded view of the alternative
embodiment of the hub shown in FIG. 10A.
[0045] FIGS. 11A shows a front view of another alternative hub
embodiment that integrates a subwoofer, speaker or other device
within the hub in accordance with the present invention.
[0046] FIG. 11B shows a top down view of the alternative hub
embodiment of FIG. 11A. FIG. 11C shows a perspective view of the
alternative hub embodiment of FIG. 11A.
[0047] FIG. 12A shows a view of yet another alternative embodiment
of the hub that scales in increments of two bore receptacles in
accordance with the present invention.
[0048] FIG. 12B shows a view of an exploded hub module based hub
shown in FIG. 12A.
[0049] FIG. 13A shows an exploded view of another alternative
embodiment of the invention that provides for power and data
connectors between the hub, arms and screens in accordance with the
present invention.
[0050] FIG. 13B shows a top down view of the embodiment shown in
FIG. 13A.
[0051] FIG. 13C shows a perspective view of the embodiment shown in
FIG. 13A.
[0052] FIGS. 14A and 14B show views of a furniture-integrated
embodiment of the present invention.
[0053] FIG. 15 shows a top view of an alternative embodiment of the
desktop hub with a total of 10 bores/ports.
WRITTEN DESCRIPTION
[0054] An efficiently scalable multiple display system 10 is
disclosed herein. The system includes a hub or hubs (or compatible
foundation element), with a plurality of ports or bores that
support a plurality of flexible jointed arms onto which devices
such as flat panel displays are integrated. It should be understood
that the term "flat panel display" is not limited to only displays
or any particular technology, but could incorporate any lightweight
input/output device having a generally flat surface which may be
supported by the support structure described herein, and
specifically includes tablet personal computers, personal digital
assistants (PDAs), plasma displays, LCD's, Polysilicon panels,
Digital panels, DVI, Plasma displays, ALiS, PALCD, Field Emission
Displays, ThinCRTs, LEDs, OLEDs, Light-Emitting Polymers, Digital
Light Processors, HAD technology and the like. The invention can
use a variety of devices within the hub and arms, and easily
supports a multitude of flat panel display sizes and types. It also
provides for extremely flexible positioning of each and every flat
panel display including: height adjustment, forward backward tilt,
landscape to portrait rotation, flat across presentation-mode
through parabolic, and wraparound single user mode.
[0055] The applications for this multiple display system include
individual users who increase their productivity and enhance their
computing capabilities as a result of the increased visual space
that simultaneously accommodates multiple applications and tasks.
Additional applications include collaborative workgroups working on
single or multiple applications. The invention is capable of
additionally incorporating and/or supporting other devices within,
or in conjunction with, the hub or foundation, and arms are
attached to the mounting structures. An additional embodiment
incorporating a subwoofer and stereo system can be adapted for use
as a multi-media development and presentation system and
demonstrates one way in which additional devices can be
incorporated within the invention.
[0056] In an alternative embodiment, the invention provides the
means to implement a scalable integrated plurality of flat panels
14 that can be mounted to a wall to implement a multiple flat panel
display video wall or to other structures. Still further objects
and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the
ensuing description and drawings.
[0057] A first embodiment of the scalable multiple flat panel
display system 10 is illustrated through various views in FIGS.
1A-1E. In this embodiment, the system is illustrated as comprising
a three-screen single-row configuration that is expandable to a
total of six flat panel displays. It should be readily recognized
that in accordance with any embodiment shown in this description,
the invention is applicable to a minimum number of two
displays.
[0058] A display system 10 in accordance with the present invention
may include a hub 20 with a plurality of port receptacles, or
bores, 26 into which tubes 18, or arms 51, 402 are inserted and
upon which a plurality of flat panel displays 14 are mounted. (In
the description set forth herein, multiple embodiments of arm
assemblies (51 and 402) are presented. When referring to an arm
assembly as inserted into a hub, it will be understood that either
of the various embodiments of the assemblies 51, 402, and/or the
vertical extension tube 18, may be utilized without departing from
the scope of the present invention.)
[0059] The efficient scalability and flexibility of this system is
derived from the various embodiments of the hub and the fact that
all ports do not need to be used immediately but rather can act as
spare capacity for future upgrades and expansion. Additionally, the
flexibility of the arm and mounting structures are unique and
extremely efficient in that they support a variety of flat panel
display types, sizes and configurations, including multiple rows,
without the need to replace parts. The invention also provides the
means of incorporating additional devices within the invention as
well as attached to the invention.
[0060] In the embodiment of FIGS. 1A-1E, two supporting arms 51 of
the type illustrated in, for example, FIG. 5A, slide into two (26d
and 26f) of the six vertical bores 26a-26f within the hub body 20.
In addition, a display elevation tube 18 supports display 14b. Arms
51 and tube 18 form the infrastructure for the displays and, in
this embodiment, house all power and data cables. The arms 51
support and position display mounting heads 15 that in turn support
and position the flat panel displays 14a-c. It should be recognized
that the arms 51 illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1E could equally be of the
type illustrated in FIGS. 9A and 9B or of a suitable alternative
design. It should also be recognized that an arm assembly 51 could
replace tube 18 in the embodiment of FIGS. 1A-1E. To increase the
number of displays to six, one would insert three more mechanical
articulating arms 51 into the open or unused bores 26a-c as shown
in FIGS. 7A and 7B. Each receptacle 26 is designed to receive one
mechanical arm 51 or tube 18. While the present invention is
capable of integrating six flat panel displays, the size of the
hub, its capacity and the number of bores may be increased beyond
six (6). By attaching additional mechanical arm assemblies 51 or
elevation tube 18 with taller hub end joints additional rows of
flat panel displays can be achieved as shown in FIGS. 7A and
7B.
[0061] FIG. 1A shows a front view of the invention in a
three-screen configuration. This is an embodiment that represents a
typical desktop application and includes a hub 20, arms 51, flat
panel display mounting heads 15 and flat panel displays 14 in a
flat-across position.
[0062] Two forward extending legs 22 support the hub body 20. Each
leg 22 provides support as well as balance for the display. Each
leg has a foot 24 on its underside that is made of rubber or other
soft material designed to reduce sliding and prevent the system
from scratching the surface it rests on. Forward extending legs 22
can either be contiguous to the hub body 20, as shown in an
alternative embodiment of the hub in FIG. 4A, or attached as
components, as shown in FIG. 1E. In addition, as described below, a
modular form of the hub is provided, as shown in FIGS. 12A and
12B.
[0063] FIG. 1B is a rear view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A.
Each flat panel display 14 is attached to a display mounting head
15 which in turn is supported and positioned by a
multi-articulating mechanical arm 51. Each mechanical display
mounting head 15 is designed to enable variable physical
positioning of the display it supports, providing for adjustments
in height, tilt and rotation. The purpose for providing vertical
height positioning is to ensure that each flat panel display 14 can
be positioned at the exact height as the one to its left and right.
In addition, the vertical adjustment also provides the ability to
position an entire row of flat panel displays at a desired height
for optimum viewing. The mounting heads 15 of each of the two outer
arms 51a and 51c mount to a sliding head receptacle 21. The sliding
head receptacle 21 is designed to have the means to slide or travel
across the length of the secondary arm tube 46. The ability of the
sliding head receptacle 21 to slide laterally across the length of
the secondary arm tube 46 enables displays of varying sizes and
shapes to be mounted to the display mounting heads 15 and to
provide the means to eliminate the gaps between flat panel displays
14 of varying size.
[0064] Elimination of the gaps between flat panel displays 14 is
achieved in one of two ways. A flat panel display is either moved
closer to the flat panel display 14 next to it by using the
articulating point 60, 50 and 62 to manipulate the mechanical arm
into the desired position, or by sliding the flat panel display
mounting head 21 across the upper arm tube 46. In the case wherein
a central screen 14b is included, its mounting head 15 is attached
directly to a flat panel display elevation tube 18.
[0065] FIG. 1C is a top down view of the three panel embodiment
shown in FIG. 1A. For a clean look, and to reduce the chance of
interference within the hub, spare capacity bores 26 may be covered
with removable plugs, or hole covers (not shown), prior to their
use. Each mechanical arm 51 is attached to the hub body 20 by means
of being inserted into the vertically drilled holes 26 in the hub
body 20. FIG. 1C shows legs 22 positioned at a forward angle of
45degrees relative to the face of the hub 20 to provide both
forward and side-toside balance for the system. The 45-degree
forward angle of the arms 51 also maximizes the ability of the
invention to be positioned into the corner of the workspace in
which the invention is used. From this perspective it is possible
to see that the legs 22 are such a length as to provide both
front-to-back as well as left-to-right balance support. Due to the
45-degree angle of the hub legs 22, the flat panel displays 14 can
be moved laterally away from the hub body as well as forward toward
the user while maintaining stability.
[0066] Near the bottom of each hole 26 is a decrease in the hole
diameter 27 to support the arm assembly 51 and to prevent it from
falling through the hole 26.
[0067] Further, in FIG. 1C the flat panel displays 14a-14c are
positioned in a side-by-side straight across or flat-wall
formation. This is achieved by grasping each flat panel display and
physically pushing the flat panel displays 14 forward and back
causing joints 60, 50 and 62 to rotate. It is the rotation of these
three joints that allows the flat panel displays to be moved
forward and back, inward and outward, while maintaining a desired
angle. To reconfigure the flat panel displays into a parabolic or
wrap-around configuration the flat panel displays 14 would be moved
forward or toward the user. This is made possible by rotation of
joints, where hub end joint 60 inserts into the hub arm receptacle
26, where lower elbow joint 50 and upper elbow joint 62 meet, and
where sliding mounting head 21 and flat panel display mounting head
15 meet.
[0068] FIG. 1D is a perspective view and FIG. 1E is an exploded
rear view of the invention in the embodiment of FIG. 1A.
[0069] To assemble this system, the hub legs 22 are attached to the
hub body 20. In one construction, bores 26 are drilled vertically
into a solid metal hub body 20. Each arm receptacle bore 26 is
designed to support one mounting arm assembly 51, tube 18 or
assembly 402, as well as incorporating power and data cables in
certain embodiments.
[0070] In this embodiment, the size of each arm receptacle bore 26
in FIG. 1E is designed to be slightly larger than the leg which is
to be inserted therein. In an exemplary construction, for example,
the bore is designed to be about 0.0600 inch larger than the hole.
Hence, in an embodiment where the leg is about 2.000 inches in
diameter, the bore may in particular be 2.060 inches in diameter.
The size of the hole 26 at 2.060 inches is such that it will
receive a hub end joint 60 of 2.000 inches diameter with enough
space to allow the hub end joint 60 to rotate up to 360 degrees
allowing the entire flat panel display arm assembly 51 to be moved
forward and back to achieve optimum flat panel display
positioning.
[0071] The dimensions set forth above, and in this written
description as a whole, are exemplary and present only one size
embodiment of the present invention. It should be understood that
the dimensions may be expanded or reduced (so long as the
clearances between the boar and arm are such as to maintain
stability of the arm) without departing from the scope and content
of the present invention. All such modification of dimensions are
well within the knowledge of one of average skill in the art to
implement.
[0072] To prevent damage to parts, and to ensure smooth rotation of
arm assembly 51, a circular washer 165 is inserted into the arm
receptacle hole 26. The circular washer 165 is slightly smaller
than the dimension of the hole it fits into. There is a hole cut
into the washer to allow cables to be routed through. In the above
embodiment of a 2.000 inch leg, the hole has a diameter of about
1.600 inches. When the hub end joint of the arm is inserted into
the arm receptacle hole 26 the bulk of its weight rests on the
washer 165.
[0073] FIG. 2 is a top down view of the invention in the embodiment
shown in FIGS. 1A-1E configured as a three-across flat panel
display 14 system with arms in a parabolic formation for
ergonomically correct single-user applications. This demonstrates
the ability of the flat panel displays 14 to be manipulated forward
and back so as to create either a flat straight line formation as
in FIGS. 1A-1E or to be formed in a wrap-around formation as seen
in FIG. 2. This is achieved by rotation where the hub end joint 60
inserts into the hub arm receptacle hole 26, at the arm assembly
elbow joint where the lower arm elbow joint 50 inserts into the
upper elbow joint 62, and where the flat panel display mounting
head 15 inserts into the sliding flat panel display mount
receptacle 21. The articulating arm assemblies 51 are designed in
such a way that any flat panel display 14 can be positioned next to
the inner flat panel display next to it at any desired angle.
[0074] FIGS. 3A and 3B show a two-screen embodiment of the system
of the present invention. FIG. 3A is a rear view of the invention
in an embodiment with two flat panel displays 14 in a side-by-side
arrangement. Again, a six port hub is utilized to support the two
panel configuration depicting how the same arm structures can be
utilized to efficiently accommodate various numbers of screens
without the need to replace parts.
[0075] FIGS. 3A and 3B demonstrate the ability of the arm assembly
51 to also fold inward and over itself to support side-by-side flat
panel displays 14 in a two flat panel display configuration. This
is achieved by rotating the upper arm assembly 51 until it is
directly over the lower arm assembly 17. This diagram also
demonstrates the ability to slide the flat panel displays 14 inward
to the desired distance by pushing the sliding mount receptacles 21
inward along the secondary arm tube 46. An additional advantage is
the ability to fold the arms 51 over themselves so that the arms 51
are able to extend outward sideways, as opposed to backward from
the front, thus minimizing the total depth required by the
system.
[0076] FIG. 3B is a top down view of the two flat panel embodiment
showing the arms 51 folded inward and over themselves, reducing the
required depth of space required by the system. To expand this
system from two flat panel displays to four flat panel displays
across or to two rows of two displays, the user would insert more
arm assemblies 51 into the unoccupied arm receptacles or bores 26.
To expand the system depicted in this diagram the user would insert
one arm into each of the open outer corner bores 26a-b and would
extend the arm 51 to its full extension length.
[0077] FIGS. 4A and 4B show an alternative embodiment of the hub
foundation. In this embodiment, the hub is formed as a cast, single
piece unit. Again, the hub consists of two forward extending legs
22. In this case, legs 22 can either be a part of the main body 20
or separate cast components. Each leg 22 has on its underside a
foot 24 made of a non-abrasive substance to prevent the legs 22 and
hub 20 from sliding on the desired surface and not damaging it. In
the main body 20 there are six arm receptacle holes 26 of such a
means that each can support one arm assembly 51. Other hubs and hub
assemblies as shown in FIGS. 10A, 10B, 11A, 12A and 12B all
demonstrate the ability to support much higher numbers of arms and
or flat panel displays and the ability to incorporate additional
devices into the system including but not limited to incorporation
within the hub itself as shown in FIG. 11A.
[0078] FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C show detailed views of one embodiment of
an arm assembly 51 of the present invention.
[0079] FIG. 5A is a side view of the fully assembled arm 51. As
noted above, in this embodiment of the arm assembly, power and data
cables are routed through the interior of the arm. The integrated
cabling provides for the positioning and adjustment of a variety of
screen sizes, counts and configurations between the hub body and
the flat panel mounting head.
[0080] The hub end joint 60 is connected to the primary arm tube 70
by four screws inserted into the clearance holes 42 that pass
through holes in the hub end joint and screw into tapped holes in
the primary arm tube. At the opposite end of the primary arm tube
70 the lower elbow joint 50 connects to the primary arm tube using
four screws inserted into the clearance holes 42 which come up
through the bottom of the lower end joint 60. Sliding over the
reduced diameter of the lower end joint 60 is the upper end joint
62. A washer 165 visible in FIG. 5C fits between the location where
the upper elbow joint and the lower elbow joint meet to reduce
noise and wear and tear on the two metal parts. Four screws
inserted into the clearance holes 42 pass through the upper elbow
and down into the upper arm tube 46 to secure the two parts
together. The sliding flat panel display mount 21 slides over the
upper arm tube 46.
[0081] FIG. 5B is an exploded view of the upper arm assembly 16. At
each end of the arm assembly is an open hole 72. The end hole 72 is
designed to allow cables to exit so that they can be plugged into
the flat panel display 14. Cutouts 73 are of the design as to
provide the means for allowing cables to be routed through the
joint where secondary arm tube 46 and upper elbow joint 62 meet.
Threaded holes 44 receive screws that pass through the clearance
holes 42 to secure the upper elbow joint to the secondary arm tube
46.
[0082] FIG. 5C is an exploded view of the lower arm assembly 17.
The hub end joint 60 is designed in such a way that is has the
means to be inserted into a bore 26 within the hub body 20 and
rotate a full 360 degrees. The hub end joint 60 is of the diameter
that it can have a, for example, 1.600 inch through hole drilled
through it and have enough outer material so as to have the
strength to support the arm assembly and a flat panel display 14
while fully extended. The primary arm tube 70 inserts into the hole
38 drilled into the hub end joint 60 and is secured by four screws
which are inserted through the clearance holes 42. On the bottom
side of the primary arm tube 70 is a cutout designed to provide the
means for routing power and video cables (not shown) through the
joint. At the opposite end of the primary arm tube 70 is the lower
elbow joint 50. As shown in FIG. 5A, the primary arm tube 70
inserts into the lower elbow joint 50 and the two parts are joined
by four mounting screws as in the joints described in FIG. 5B.
[0083] As seen in FIGS. 5A and 1E, a feature to this invention is
that each component in line from the flat panel display mounting
receptacle 26 through the arm assembly 51 is hollow, and that the
diameter of the hollow portion of each component of the arm
assembly 51 is large enough so that video and power cables (not
shown) can be routed through its entirety with the ends of the
cables attached. As the hub end joint 60 is rotated in the arm
receptacle hole 26, the remaining arm assembly 51 rotates with
it.
[0084] To enable each arm 51 to achieve the amount of articulation
necessary to handle a wide selection of flat panel display 14 sizes
and position each flat panel display 14 at a plurality of angles,
an additional articulation point occurs where the lower elbow joint
50 meets the upper elbow joint 62. To achieve 360 degrees of
circular rotation at this additional articulation joint the upper
elbow joint is designed to fit snugly over the lower elbow joint.
In the design shown in FIG. 5A the hole bored into the upper elbow
joint 62 may be about 1.660 inches, which is about 0.0600 inch
larger in diameter than the portion of the lower elbow joint 50,
which inserts into the 1.600 inch bore in the upper elbow joint.
Rotation at the joint where the lower elbow joint 50 and the upper
elbow joint 62 meet allows the upper arm assembly upper elbow joint
62, upper arm tube 46, and sliding arm receptacle 21 to be rotated
back over the lower arm assembly consisting of hub end joint 60,
and primary arm tube 70 as shown is FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C. This also
allows the same arm assembly to efficiently support and integrate a
variety of flat panel display sizes by moving the sliding arm
receptacle 21 horizontally to the left or right to eliminate gaps
between the flat panel displays 14. Mounting holes 177 located on
each flat panel display 14 are utilized in connecting the mounting
head 15 with appropriate screws.
[0085] Further in FIG. 5A, to increase the positioning flexibility
of flat panel display 14 the sliding arm receptacle 21 has a square
cutout approximately 0.0600 inches greater than the dimensions of
the upper arm tube 46. The ability of the sliding flat panel
display receptacle 21 to travel the length of the upper arm tube 46
provides the ability to position any size flat panel display 14 in
any position and at any angle lateral angle. To further increase
the possible angle at which the flat panel displays can be
positioned laterally, the flat panel display mounting head 15 when
inserted into the sliding flat panel display mount is able to
rotate up to 360 degrees. The purpose of this is to position the
flat panel display at the desired angle regardless of the angle of
the remaining arm assembly, as seen in the case of a two-screen
system depicted in FIGS. 3A and 3B. The ability of this joint to
rotate enables the flat panel display 14 to be properly positioned
at the desired viewing angle when forming a two across flat panel
display formation as shown in FIG. 3A as well as providing support
and positioning for the two outermost flat panel displays 14 when
positioned in a parabolic configuration of three integrated screens
as seen in FIG. 2.
[0086] FIG. 6A shows one embodiment of the flat panel mounting head
15 of the present invention. Flat panel display mounting head 15
provides physical connection between the arms 51, tube 18 and the
flat panel displays 14 in addition to providing additional
adjustments of the displays including: height, tilt and rotation;
further this mounting head is VESA standard compliant so as to be
compatible with most flat panel displays from major manufacturers
as well as our multiple-monitor-friendl- y flat panel displays.
[0087] The flat panel display mounting head 15 connects the flat
panel display 14 to the mechanical arm assembly 51 and provides the
means for rotating the flat panel display 14, a full 360 degrees,
including from vertical `portrait` orientation through horizontal
`landscape` viewing, in addition to adjusting the height and
adjusting the upward and downward tilt of the flat panel display
14. A bolt 100 (which may be, for example, a {fraction (1/4)} inch
bolt) passes through the star-shaped clearance hole 144, through
washers 105 and through the clearance hole 115 of the nose-piece
110. Passing out the other side of the nose piece 110, the bolt 100
passes through the clearance hole of the washer 105 and into the
threaded hole 116 of the adjustment knob 120.
[0088] To assemble the flat panel display mounting head, the four
bolts 150 are inserted through the clearance holes 137 of the
center plate 135 and into the tapped holes 191 of the left and
right ears 130 and 125. The vertical adjustment plate is slid down
onto the center plate 135 so that the outward grooves 147 of the
vertical adjustment plate slide down into the inward grooves 146 of
the center plate 135. The vertical adjustment plate 136 aligns with
the center plate 135 so that the clearance hole 164 of the vertical
mounting plate 136 aligns with the blind hole 138 of the center
plate 135. The vertical adjustment nut 153 is inserted into the
clearance hole 164 in the vertical adjustment plate 136 with the
threaded hole 154 of the vertical adjustment nut in a vertical
orientation. The upper most tightening knob 152 is attached to the
threaded rod 151 by screwing the tightening knob onto the threaded
rod 151. The threaded rod is inserted into the clearance hole 166
until it hits the vertical adjustment nut 153. The threaded rod is
turned clockwise to make the threaded rod go into the tapped or
threaded nut. This is continued until the threaded rod protrudes
out the bottom of the vertical adjustment plate 136. The second
tightening knob 152 is attached to the threaded rod 151 by screwing
it on. The friction washer 165 is inserted into the recess 171. The
flat panel display mounting plate 170 is pushed onto the vertical
adjustment plate 136. The assembly is completed by inserting the
bolt 190 through washer 180, and thrust bearing 185 and second
washer 180, then through the counter bore recessed hole 172 flat
panel display mounting plate 170 and into the threaded hole 163 in
the center of the vertical adjustment plate 136. Flat panel
displays 14 are attached to the flat panel display mounting plate
170 by inserting screws through holes 175 or 176.
[0089] The mounting head 15 attaches to any VESA compatible flat
panel display 14 through the means of four through holes 175 or 176
provided in the mounting head 15 that match either the 75 mm square
pattern 176 or the 100 mm square pattern 175 established by VESA as
standard flat panel mounting patterns. Once fully assembled, the
reduced diameter 103 of nose piece 110 can be inserted into the
sliding head receptacle 21 of the arm assembly 51, 402.
[0090] FIGS. 7A and 7B show another embodiment of the invention
wherein six panels are mounted to a single display hub 20. This six
port, six flat panel display demonstrates how the three flat panel
embodiment shown in FIGS. 1A to 1E efficiently scales from three
flat panel displays to six and how the spare capacity in any given
hub can be utilized.
[0091] FIG. 7A shows a six flat panel display 14 system with the
flat panel displays 14a-f in two rows of three flat panel displays
14 per row. The flat panel displays 14 are supported by the
mechanical arm assemblies 51 (shown in FIG. 7B). The hub body 20,
legs 22 and feet 24 support each arm 51.
[0092] FIG. 7B is a rear perspective view of the alternative
embodiment of the invention. The upper row of flat panel displays
14a-c are supported by arm assemblies 51 that are suspended above
the first row of three flat panel displays 14 by vertical extension
tubes 18. The vertical extension tubes 18 are hollow so as to
provide the means for routing the power and data cables through
them and up to and through the arms 51. To allow for forward and
backward movement necessary to maintain forward position when the
center flat panel display 14 is tilted down the center arm 19 can
be slid through the hole in the upper extension tube 18.
[0093] FIG. 9A is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment
of a multi-articulating mechanical arm 402. This alternative arm
402 is constructed from solid parts and cabling is not routed
through the arms. This embodiment has a significantly reduced cost
of manufacture as compared with assembly 51. While this embodiment
does not allow internal routing of the power and video cables, it
offers the same flexibility and articulation as the arms 51. The
hub end joint 405 is two inches in diameter so as to be
interchangeable between all hubs FIG. 1A-1E described above, as
well as additional embodiments of the hub described with respect to
FIGS. 11A-C and FIG. 12A-B.
[0094] FIG. 9B is an exploded view multi-articulating mechanical
arm 402 shown in FIG. 9A. Solid arm segment 420 inserts into hub
end joint 405 at hole 416 and into lower elbow joint 425. The upper
elbow joint 440 inserts into the hole 427 drilled into the lower
arm joint 425. Upper solid arm segment 445 inserts into both the
upper elbow joint 440 and into the upper flat panel display joint
450 at hole 451. A shoulder bolt 418, 426, and 456 secures each
joint. To assemble, shoulder bolt 418 is inserted up through washer
417 into the hub joint 405 where it enters a clearance hole drilled
into both the hub joint 405 and the solid arm segment 420 through
clearance hole 421 and into a tapped hole at the upper portion of
the hub end joint 405. This process is repeated for the lower arm
elbow joint 425, the upper elbow joint 440 and the flat panel
display joint 450. Washers 441 and 445 are inserted as the contact
point between joints to reduce metal on metal friction.
[0095] FIG. 10A is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment
of the hub portion of the invention. This embodiment allows
displays 14 to be mounted to a ceiling, floor or other structure
and enables the invention to be employed in configurations beyond
the desktop. FIG. 10A shows how a system would be configured into a
floor mount system-based hub that typically supports a greater
plurality of flat panel displays and can efficiently be modified to
fulfill unique demands.
[0096] FIG. 10B is an exploded, perspective view of the hub of FIG.
10A and demonstrates a floor mount system. Forward extending leg
200 lays parallel with the floor surface and supports the
invention. Affixed by means of bolts, welding or other means of
attachment to the floor leg 200 is a vertically orientated leg
mount 213 designed to receive the vertically orientated hollow tube
204. The vertical tube 204 attaches to the leg mount 213 by means
of screws inserted into and through clearance holes 202 and into
the tapped holes 201. Horizontal mounting bar 270 is attached to
the vertical bar 204 by means of being inserted into the sliding
clamp 260 where it is attached by means of screws that are inserted
into and through the clearance holes 215 and into the tapped holes
214 of the sliding clamp 260. This step is repeated at each end of
the horizontal bar 270. The sliding clamp 260 is held into place by
means of two screws that insert into and through clearance holes
252 of the clamp end-plate 250 and into the tapped holes 214 of the
sliding clamp 260. Securing the screws into the sliding clamp
causes the clamp end plate 250 and the sliding clamp 260 to
compress and tighten down onto the vertical bar 204 and holds the
assembly in place.
[0097] Flat panel display pods 220 with bores 216 having means to
receive arm assemblies 51, 402 are attached to the horizontal bar
270 by means of screws that are inserted through the clearance
holes 231 on the pod clamp plate 230 and into the tapped holes in
the flat panel display pod 220. The pods 220 are moved laterally
along the horizontal bar 270 until they are in the preferred
position, allowing for placement of a variety of screen sizes
within a desired proximity of each other. Once in the preferred
position the pod 220 is secured into position by tightening the
four screws, which fit into the tapped holes 222. Arm assemblies
51, 402 are then inserted into the bores 216 of the pods 220 and
flat panel displays 14 attached to the flat panel display mounting
plates 15 are attached as described in FIG. 6A.
[0098] Multiple rows of flat panel displays can be achieved by
mounting multiple horizontal bars 270 and flat panel display pods
220 as described above and along the horizontal bar 204. When
implementing multiple rows of flat panel displays 14, the flat
panel displays of one row can be positioned so that the bottom of
the top flat panel display can be positioned directly along the top
edge of the flat panel display 14 below it by moving the horizontal
bars. This ability to position the horizontal bars enables rows of
varying sizes to be implemented with minimal gaps between the rows.
Flat panel displays 14 can be positioned either in flat across
formations or can be formed in semi-circular or parabolic
formations by swinging the flat panel displays forward and back
using the articulating arm joints of the arm assemblies 51,
402.
[0099] FIG. 11A is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the
hub component of the invention. In this embodiment a component
device such as a speaker or subwoofer is integrated into the hub
speaker cavity 510 to provide a high quality sound system while
also providing the ability to support a plurality of the previously
described arm assemblies 51, 402 and flat panel displays 14. The
hub body 500 is supported by two forward extending legs 520 that
are attached to the main body 500 by means of screws, which insert
into the clearance holes 550 and into the tapped holes in the body
of the hub. Two rear feet 560 are attached near the back portion of
the invention to provide rear support. The rear feet 560 as well as
the front feet 531 are made of a non-abrasive material that rests
on the surface where the hub is located, such as the desktop. The
speaker is enclosed by the speaker housing 510 that inserts into
the large diameter hole 540 drilled or cast into the lower and
upper plates of the hub body 500. The speaker inserts into the hub
body 500 from upside down and from the bottom up so that the sound
is projected downward into the desktop surface.
[0100] It should be recognized that the component device may
comprise any number of elements, including but not limited to: a
subwoofer, speakers, computer input/output devices such as USB,
firewire and headphone jack; a remote control sensor; speaker
volume controls; video source controls such as DVI, analog,
s-video, and RCA jacks; multi-media players such as cd-rom, mpeg3,
mpeg4, and DVD players; gaming interfaces such as inputs for
joysticks and integrated sound cards; audio amplifiers; lap-top
video splitters or connections; a PDA docking station; a power
supply; connections for other peripherals; and multifunction
printer/scanner devices.
[0101] FIG. 11C is a top down view of the hub of FIG. 11A and shows
that this particular embodiment is designed to support a total of
nine arms 51, 402. A plurality of holes 540 are drilled into the
hub body 500 of such a size that the arms 51, 402 can be inserted
into the holes 540. Near the bottom of each hole 540 is a decrease
in the hole diameter 541 to support the arm assembly 51, 402 and to
prevent it from falling through the hole 540. To prevent the hub
and attached arms 51, 402 and flat panel displays 14 from falling
forward are two legs 520 with pods 530 attached to the legs having
feet 531 of a non-abrasive material, to prevent the legs from
scratching the support surface.
[0102] The ability to incorporate additional components within or
upon the underlying structure here and in other embodiments is not
limited to a speaker or subwoofer, but is shown to demonstrate the
flexibility of the hub and the potential to integrate a plurality
of components within the invention easily while maintaining the
scalability and the compatibility with the arm assemblies 51, 402
and the flat panel mounting heads 15 as shown in FIG. 1E.
[0103] FIG. 12A is a top down, front view of another alterative
embodiment of a hub to the invention. This embodiment provides for
unlimited expandability of the system through the means of modular
pods 300 which connect together and make up an alternative
embodiment to the hub body 20 as depicted in the present invention
easily visible in FIG. 1E. This modular embodiment can start with
one dual bore pod 300 that supports a total of arm assemblies 51,
402 or elevation tubes 18. Additional dual bore pods 300 can be
incorporated into the infrastructure to increase capacity as needed
by the user. This embodiment demonstrates how three dual bore pods
300 connect. The outer most pods 300 connect with legs 320 to a
foot 375 with a non-abrasive material at its base 330. Arm
assemblies 51, 402 insert into the pods 300 at bore 301.
[0104] FIG. 12B is an exploded view of the alternative embodiment
of the modular hub. The pods 300 are attached to each other by
means of a connecting rod 350 which inserts into the horizontal
hole 340 drilled into the side of the pod 300 once the connecting
rod 350 is fully inserted into the pod 300 a shoulder bolt (not
shown) is inserted down into the pod 300 clearance hole 310 where
it passes through the hole 355 drilled into the connecting rod 350
and into the tapped hole (not shown) near the bottom of the pod
300. To attach the legs to the outer side of the outer pod or pods
300 the leg 320 is inserted in the forty-five degree hole 345
drilled into the pod 300. To secure the leg 320 to the pod 300 a
shoulder bolt is inserted into the clearance hole 345, through the
hole 376 in the leg 320 and into a tapped hole (not shown) in the
pod 300. Vertical slot 315 provides clearance for power and data
cables so that arm assemblies 51, 402 can be inserted and removed
without the need to feed said cables through bottom clearance hole
310.
[0105] FIG. 13A shows an alternative embodiment of the invention in
which the power and data connections are made by means of
incorporated electrical connectors. The hub 625 receives both power
and video signals via cables 630 for each video port and terminates
the two cable types at a single electrical connector 600 inside of
the bore 26. Each bore 26 in the hub will then have one set of
power cables and one set of video signal wires terminate at one
connector positioned at the bottom of each bore receptacle 26.
[0106] When, a mechanical arm is inserted into a bore 26 of the hub
625, the connector at the base of the arm 610 is mated with the
connector 600 located within the bore. The power and video signals
are then passed on through the arm 635 where they terminate at the
connector 615 at the opposite end of the arm. Both power and video
signal are now readily accessible at the top end of the arm
615.
[0107] The final component to the embodiment is a flat panel
display 640 housed in a customized housing fitted with connector
620 designed to fit onto the mechanical arm 645. The display
connector 620 is mated with the upper arm display connector 615 to
establish power and data connections to the screen and hold the
screen in place. In effect all electrical and video signal wiring
necessary to operate the video screen has been automatically
provided.
[0108] FIG. 13B is a top down view of the 9-bore hub 625 showing
the rotating electrical connectors 600 located within each hub bore
26. This connector 600 mates with the connector at the bottom of
the swing in order to pass on the power and signal connection. Each
hub bore 26 also contains a positioning pin 655 that has the
function of ensuring proper alignment during insertion and
operation. The required number of power and data sources 650 lead
into the hub body 625. Within the hub body 625 they are
individually routed to each of the individual connectors 600.
[0109] FIG. 13C is a side view of the mechanical arm 645 that
cleanly houses the power and data cabling 660. The connector 610 at
the bottom portion of the arm is the connector that mates with the
rotating connector 600 in the hub body 625 to make the first power
and data connection. The upper connector 615 in the mechanical arm
645 mates with the flat panel display connector 620 to bring power
and data to the display panel 640.
[0110] The manner of using the invention is similar to using a
typical display interface while computing. Typically upon first
use, the flat panel displays 14 are positioned into the preferred
configuration and alignment via the flexible arms 51, 402 and the
adjustable mounting heads 15. The multiple flat panel displays 14
act as one virtual desktop allowing users to move, size and spread
information and images across all flat panel displays or allocate
certain images to certain flat panel displays. This ability is a
function of the video card incorporated into the computing system.
The user can now effectively multi-task between applications and
view more information simultaneously which results in increased
productivity and capabilities. Additionally the user may rotate the
flat panel displays 14 between landscape and portrait orientation
to better visualize documents that are in vertical formats due to
the flexibility of the flat panel display mounting head 15. In
operation an individual may immerse themselves in the visual
content by forming an ergonomically-correct parabolic flat panel
display configuration (FIG. 2A) or the user may position flat panel
displays flat across for collaborative workgroups (FIG. 1C) or to
serve as an audio video enable presentation system when used
implementing the multi-media hub (FIGS. 11A, 11B, 11C) to
accommodate situations where more than one person needs to view and
or access the system. In operation the invention easily supports
and incorporates a variety of such additional devices within and
onto the system in addition to supporting a plurality of flat panel
displays. Further, in operation the number of flat panel displays
is not limited by the scope of the invention as the system provides
both potential spare capacity in addition to a scalable
infrastructure that is not limited in the number of flat panel
displays supported per hub as is evidenced but not limited to the
cases of the structurally based hub (FIGS. 10A and 10B) and the
modular hub (FIGS. 12A and 12B).
[0111] FIG. 14A shows a top down view of an alternative embodiment
of the invention wherein the supporting arms 610 are directly
inserted into a table 656 or piece of furniture. A circular table
mount 657 having similar functionality to the bores 26 located
within the hub body 20 in FIG. 2 facilitates the insertion, support
and rotation of arms 610. Further the arms 610 mate with the flat
panel mounting heads 15 that attach to the flat panel screens 14 as
previously disclosed in detail in the description and drawings for
FIGS. 1A to 1E. FIG. 14B shows how this alternative embodiment
looks from the front with three flat panel displays 14 in a single
row configuration.
[0112] FIG. 15 shows a top down view of an alternative embodiment
of the hub body 20 with a total of ten bores 26 and two legs 24
providing support for a total of ten arm assemblies to be
integrated into the hub.
[0113] Accordingly, an efficiently scalable multiple monitor
display and device integration system is provided. The system is an
extremely flexible platform for the integration, expansion and
upgrades of flat panel display technologies as well as additional
devices.
[0114] For example in selecting and utilizing a 6-port hub system,
a user can start with a two flat panel display configuration and
add arms and flat panel displays as budgets allow and as usage
dictates. In the case of the 6-port hub, a user can expand the
system to integrate a total of 6 flat panels in a variety of
configurations including multiple rows. An important advantage of
the invention is that the system grows based on the unique needs of
the user and does so without the need to sacrifice or replace
existing parts in the process.
[0115] This expandable multiple flat panel display system enables
efficient expansion from one flat panel display to a plurality of
flat panel displays using interchangeable parts that allow for
efficient expansion without the need to discard current components.
In addition to the expansion potential this invention is designed
in such a way so as to support a wide variety of sizes of flat
panel displays from most manufacturers and integrate them in
multiple configurations, again without compromising or replacing
existing parts as the system scales. The extremely flexible
infrastructure of the system also allows for a variety of
adjustments that further enhance the customization of the system
and the benefits to the user. The invention cleanly implements
multiple monitors, devices and their inputs and outputs within its
structure. Further objects and advantages are to provide a system
that is an efficiently scalable multiple display solution over the
long-term, allowing users to modify and expand as they need and as
display technologies evolve. Finally, the multiple positioning of
the flat panel displays and the alternative embodiments of the hubs
fulfill a wide scope of applications, from the most basic computing
tasks on to the most demanding multi-media development and
presentation and including applications and process not having been
invented yet. Finally the invention can also integrate additional
devices within and upon the system.
[0116] The foregoing detailed description of the invention has been
presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not
intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise
form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in
light of the above teaching. The described embodiments were chosen
in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its
practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art
to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with
various modifications as are suited to the particular use
contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be
defined by the claims appended hereto.
* * * * *