U.S. patent application number 10/549234 was filed with the patent office on 2006-10-26 for flat panel display unit provided with attachment means and attachment unit for the removable attachment of an object.
Invention is credited to Kok Siang Tan.
Application Number | 20060237604 10/549234 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33029194 |
Filed Date | 2006-10-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060237604 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tan; Kok Siang |
October 26, 2006 |
Flat panel display unit provided with attachment means and
attachment unit for the removable attachment of an object
Abstract
A flat panel display unit (1) has a display screen (3) on a
front side (5) and a rear panel (7) having an outer surface (9) on
an opposite rear side (11), the display unit being provided with
attachment means for the removable attachment of the rear panel (7)
of the display unit (1) to a surface (13) of a supporting structure
such as a room wall, a car dashboard, a refrigerator cabinet, a
piece of furniture, etc., the attachment the elements: adhesive
means (39), suction cup means (19), hook-and-loop fastening means
(45), hook means, permanent magnet means (33). The display unit (1)
is provided with at least one integrated attachment unit (15; 17)
comprising a plurality of attachment means constituting a subset of
said attachment means set and being permanently secured to the rear
panel (7) outer surface (9).
Inventors: |
Tan; Kok Siang; (Singapore,
SG) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PHILIPS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & STANDARDS
P.O. BOX 3001
BRIARCLIFF MANOR
NY
10510
US
|
Family ID: |
33029194 |
Appl. No.: |
10/549234 |
Filed: |
March 15, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
March 15, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB04/50249 |
371 Date: |
September 12, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/205.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R 2011/0057 20130101;
F16M 13/022 20130101; G06F 1/1601 20130101; G06F 2200/1612
20130101; B60R 11/0235 20130101; B60R 2011/0056 20130101; B60R
2011/0005 20130101; B60R 2011/0063 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/205.3 |
International
Class: |
A47G 1/17 20060101
A47G001/17 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 17, 2003 |
SG |
SG03/00082 |
Claims
1. A flat panel display unit (1) having a display screen (3) on a
front side (5) and a rear panel (7) having an outer surface (9) on
an opposite rear side (11), the display unit being provided with
attachment means for the removable attachment of the rear panel (7)
of the display unit (1) to a surface (13) of a supporting
structure, the attachment means comprising a variety of means from
an attachment means set, characterized in that the display unit (1)
is provided with at least one integrated attachment unit (15; 17)
comprising a plurality of attachment means constituting a subset of
said attachment means set and being permanently secured to the rear
panel (7) outer surface (9).
2. A flat panel display unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized
in that the display unit (1) is provided with a plurality of
identical integrated attachment units (15) attached to the rear
panel outer surface (9).
3. A flat panel display unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized
in that the display unit (1) is provided with a plurality of
integrated attachment units (15; 17) attached to the rear panel (7)
outer surface (9), at least one of the attachment units (17)
comprising a plurality of attachment means constituting a subset
different from the subset of at least one other integrated
attachment unit (15).
4. An attachment unit (15; 17) for the removable attachment of an
object such as a flat panel display unit (1) to a surface (13) of a
supporting structure, characterized in that the attachment unit is
an integrated attachment unit (15; 17) and comprises a variety of
attachment means from an attachment means set comprising at least
the elements: adhesive means (39), suction cup means (19),
hook-and-loop fastening means (45), hook means, permanent magnet
means (33).
5. An attachment unit (15) as claimed in claim 4, characterized in
that the attachment unit comprises: a suction cup means (19) made
of resilient flexible material having a bottom portion (21) having
an outer surface (23) and an opposite axially spaced rear surface
(25) to be directed to rear panel outer surface (9) of a flat panel
display unit (1), a peripheral flange portion (27) axially spaced
from the bottom portion (21) and having an annular rim surface (29)
suitable for airtight cooperation with an opposite surface (13) of
a supporting structure, and an intermediate resiliently flexible
wall portion (31) which is deformable between a relaxed shape in a
relaxed state of the suction cup means (15) and an axially deformed
shape nearer to the bottom portion (21) in a deformed state of the
suction cup means (15), permanent magnet means (33) permanently
secured to the bottom portion outer surface (23) of the suction cup
means (19) and having an exposed magnetic outer surface (35)
disposed substantially flush with the annular rim surface (29) of
the suction cup means (19) when the suction cup means (19) is in
the deformed state.
6. An integrated attachment unit as claimed in claim 5,
characterized in that the attachment unit (15) comprises a layer
(39) of pressure-sensitive adhesive means of the type suitable for
removable attachment to an object, arranged on the rim surface (29)
of the suction cup means (19) and/or on the permanent magnetic
means (35).
7. An integrated attachment unit as claimed in claim 5,
characterized in that the attachment unit (17) comprises a
hook-and-loop fastening means portion (45) arranged such that an
exposed outer surface (47) of the hook-and-loop fastening means
portion (45) is disposed substantially flush with the annular rim
surface (29) of the suction cup means (19) when the suction cup
means (19) is in the deformed state.
8. An integrated attachment unit as claimed in claim 5,
characterized in that the suction cup means (19) is provided with
manually operable valve means for selectively putting a sealed air
space present between the suction cup means and an opposite surface
in air communication with the ambient air to facilitate removal of
the suction cup means from the opposite surface.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a flat panel display unit
having a display screen on a front side and a rear panel having an
outer surface on an opposite rear side, the display unit being
provided with attachment means for the removable attachment of the
rear panel of the display unit to a surface of a supporting
structure, the attachment means comprising a variety of means from
an attachment means set comprising at least the elements: adhesive
means, suction cup means, hook-and-loop fastening means, hook
means, permanent magnet means.
[0002] The invention also and relates to an attachment unit for the
removable attachment of an object such as a flat panel display unit
to a surface of a supporting structure.
[0003] With the increasing emphasis on portable multimedia
products, more particularly portable TV products such as LCD TV
(LCD: Liquid Crystal Display) or OLED TV (OLED: Organic Light
Emitting Diode) currently under development, new ways are pursued
for attaching such products at various locations where the user of
the product intends to use it, for example in a car, in a kitchen,
outdoors, etc., for example, for watching TV broadcasts.
[0004] JP 63001264-A discloses a flat panel display unit having a
display screen on a front side and a rear panel having an outer
surface on an opposite rear side. The display unit is provided with
attachments means for the removable attachment of the rear panel of
the display unit to a surface of a supporting structure, which
could be a room wall, a car dashboard, a refrigerator cabinet, a
peace of furniture, etc. The attachment means comprises a variety
of means comprising adhesive means, suction cup means,
hook-and-loop fastening means, hook means and permanent magnet
means. To accommodate these various attachment means, the display
unit is provided on its rear side with a channel bracket for
selectively inserting one of the attachment means provided with the
display unit. If, for example, the suction cup means have been used
for attaching the display unit on a flat surface such as a mirror
or a tiled wall, the user may remove the suction cup means from the
channel bracket, insert the permanent magnet means instead and then
attach the display unit to a metallic supporting structure such as
a refrigerator cabinet, a car body, etc.
[0005] A person using the flat panel display unit according to the
prior art had to keep a number of interchangeable separate
attachment means wish the panel display unit in order to be able to
attach the display unit on different kinds of supporting structures
requiring the use of different kinds of attachment means. This is a
definite disadvantage of the prior art solution. The separate
attachment means, which are relatively small items, may easily be
lost or mislaid, destroying the purpose of the attachment means to
be able to attach the display units to different kinds of
supporting structures. Also, on the manufacturing side, the
logistical problems are increased as each and any display unit
which is sold to the consumer has to be supplied with a number of
separate small attachment means for use with the display unit.
[0006] The invention seeks to alleviate the disadvantages of the
prior-art solution by providing a flat panel display unit and an
attachment unit for the removable attachment of an object such as a
flat panel display unit of the kind referred to above, but being
characterized by the features defined in the characterizing part of
the independent claims 1 and 4, respectively.
[0007] With the flat panel display unit according to the invention,
it is no longer necessary to have a number of separate attachment
means at one's disposal for attaching the display unit against
various kinds of supporting structures. The integrated attachment
unit is permanently secured to the rear panel outer surface and is
suitable for attaching a flat panel display unit to various kinds
of supporting structures. Thus, no separate attachment means items
need to be carried around or may be lost. The manufacturer may
supply the product with the attachment means permanently secured to
the rear panel outer surface in the factory. The integrated
attachment unit according to the invention may be sold as a
commercial item to manufacturers of flat panel display units or
other products that may benefit from the use of an attachment unit
of the invention, or directly to consumers who may have a use for
it.
[0008] Claim 2 defines a preferred embodiment of the flat panel
display unit according to the invention. The ability to attach the
flat panel display unit to different supporting structures is
greatly enhanced by providing more than one attachment unit while
also the attachment of the display unit may be more secure.
[0009] A further preferred embodiment of the invention is defined
in claim 3. By supplying integrated attachment units on the rear
panel outer surface of the display unit comprising different
subsets of attachment means, it is guaranteed that the flat panel
display unit may be attached to most any supporting structure
having a polished flat surface, a metallic surface, a rough
surface, a textile fabric surface, etc.
[0010] A preferred embodiment of the attachment units according to
the invention is defined in claim 5. In this embodiment, the space
available on the inside of the suction cup means is used to
advantage to accommodate permanent magnet means for attachment to
metallic surfaces.
[0011] Claim 6 relates to an advantageous embodiment which is
additionally provided with pressure-sensitive adhesive means on the
rim portion of the suction cup means and/or on the permanent
magnetic means.
[0012] A further interesting embodiment of the invention is defined
in claim 7, in which additionally hook-and-loop fastening means are
provided for attachment to, for example, textile fabric surfaces or
to a corresponding hook-and-loop fastening means portion present on
the supporting structure to which the flat panel display unit may
be attached.
[0013] To facilitate removal of the suction cup means from an
opposite surface, an embodiment as defined in claim 8 may be used
to advantage. The valve means may be operated manually when the
user wishes to remove the object such as a flat panel display unit
from the surface of the supporting structure.
[0014] The invention will now be described with reference to the
enclosed drawing which relates to non-limiting examples of
embodiments of the invention and in which:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flat panel display unit
attached to a surface of a supporting structure,
[0016] FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the flat panel display
unit according to FIG. 1,
[0017] FIG. 3 is a side view in a cross-section through the center
of an attachment unit used with the display unit of FIG. 2 on an
enlarged scale, and
[0018] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of an alternative
embodiment of an attachment unit.
[0019] The Figures in the drawing are shown on an arbitrary scale
and like parts are indicated by like reference numerals in the
various Figures.
[0020] FIG. 1 shows a flat panel display unit 1 having a display
screen 3 on a front side 5 and a rear panel 7 having an outer
surface 9 on an opposite rear side 11, the display unit being
provided with attachment means for the removable attachment of the
rear panel 7 of the display unit 1 to a surface 13 of a supporting
structure (not shown) such as a room wall, a car dashboard, a
refrigerator cabinet, a piece of furniture, etc. The attachment
means comprise integrated attachment units 15 comprising a variety
of means from an attachment means set comprising at least the
elements: adhesive means, suction cup means, hook-and-loop
fastening means, hook means, permanent magnet means. Each
integrated attachment unit 15 comprises a plurality of attachment
means constituting a subset of the above indicated attachment means
and is permanently secured to the outer surface 9 of the rear panel
7 by suitable means such as gluing, screws, rivets, etc.
[0021] In the context of the present application, a subset of
attachment means is intended to mean a set comprising either all of
the elements from another set or an arbitrary selection of elements
from another set.
[0022] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the display unit 1 is
provided with four identical integrated attachment units 15
attached to the rear panel outer surface 9. Alternatively, one or
more of the integrated attachment units attached to the outer
surface 9 of the rear panel 7 may comprise a subset of attachment
means different from the subset of at least one other integrated
attachment unit. An example which will be discussed below of such
an alternative attachment unit is the attachment unit 17 which is
shown in FIG. 4.
[0023] The attachment units 15 and 17 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 may be
used for the removable attachment of an object such as, for
example, a flat panel display unit 1 according to FIG. 1 to a
surface 13 of a supporting structure (not shown) such as a room
wall, a car dashboard, a refrigerator cabinet, a piece of
furniture, etc. The attachment units 15 and 17 are integrated
attachment units, each comprising a variety of attachment means
from an attachment means set comprising at least the following
elements: adhesive means, suction cup means, hook-and-loop
fastening means, hook means, permanent magnet means, as will be
discussed below.
[0024] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the attachment unit 15 comprises
a suction cup means 19 made of resilient flexible material such as
a suitable plastic or rubber material, and has a bottom portion 21
having an outer surface 23 to be directed to the rear panel outer
surface 9 of the flat panel display unit 1 and an opposite axially
spaced rear surface 25. A peripheral flange portion 27 is provided
which is axially spaced from the portion 21 and has an annular rim
surface 29 for airtight cooperation with an opposite surface 13 of
a supporting structure (not shown). An intermediate resiliently
flexible wall portion 31 extends between the bottom portion 21 and
the peripheral flange portion 27. In the embodiment shown, the
flange portion 27 has a circular shape, refer more particularly to
FIG. 2. However, alternative shapes may be provided such as an
ellipsoidal shape, rectangular, square with rounded corners,
etc.
[0025] The intermediate resiliently flexible wall portion 31 is
deformable between a relaxed shape shown in FIG. 3 in a relaxed
state of the suction cup means 15 and an axially deformed shape
(not shown) nearer to the bottom portion 21 in a deformed state
(not shown) of the suction cup means 15. Considering the fact that
suction cup means for the removable attachment of objects to flat
surfaces are widely known in the prior art, a more detailed
explanation of the operation of the suction cup means 19 will not
be given.
[0026] Circular permanent magnet means 33 are permanently secured
to the outer surface 23 of the bottom portion 21 of the suction cup
means 19, for example, by adhesive means. The permanent magnet
means 33 have an exposed magnetic outer surface 35 disposed
substantially flush with the annular rim surface 29 on the suction
cup means 19 when in the deformed state. In the embodiment of the
integrated attachment unit 15 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 the permanent
magnet means 33 may be provided with a number of annular
depressions or grooves 37 to enhance magnetic adhesion to
non-smooth metallic surfaces such as rough or discontinuous
metallic structures, etc.
[0027] The integrated attachment unit 15 comprises a layer 39 of
pressure sensitive adhesive means of the type suitable for
removable attachment to an object, which layer 39 of pressure
sensitive adhesive means is arranged on the rim surface 29 of the
suction cup means 19 and/or on the permanent magnet means 35. Thus,
an attachment unit is provided which may be attached to an opposite
surface by suction, adhesion, a magnetic attraction force or by any
combination of suction, adhesion and magnetic force.
[0028] The alternative integrated attachment unit 17 according to
FIG. 4 is provided with suction cup means identical to those of
FIG. 3 and has therefore been denoted by the same reference
numerals. Magnetic means 41 of generally the same nature, shape and
dimension as the magnetic means 33 of FIG. 3 are provided on the
outer surface 23 of the bottom portion 21 of the suction cup means
19. In the middle portion of the magnetic means 41, however, a
circular depression 43 has been created in which a hook-and-loop
fastening means portion 45 is arranged, such that an exposed outer
surface 47 of the hook-and-loop fastening means portion 45 is
disposed substantially flush with the annular rim surface 29 of the
suction cup means 19 in the deformed state. The hook-and-loop
fastening means portion 45 may be secured to the permanent magnetic
means 41, for example, by suitable adhesive means. It will probably
be advantageous when the exposed outer surface 47 of the
hook-and-loop fastening means portion 45 is not exclusively
comprised of loops only but also comprises hooks or possibly
comprises hooks only. The ability of the hook-and-loop fastening
means portion 45 to attach by interengagement with surface parts of
a textile fabric surface or similar surface may probably be
enhanced if the exposed outer surface 47 comprises hooks or hooks
only.
[0029] Once the suction cup means 19 cooperates with an opposite
surface by suction forces created by a partial vacuum on the inside
of the suction cup means, removing the suction cup means from the
opposite surface may be facilitated by manually operating valve
means for selectively putting the sealed air space present between
the suction cup means and the opposite surface in air communication
with the ambient air. Such manually operable valve means are not
shown in the drawing but may be of any suitable kind known from the
prior art and may be disposed directly on the outer surface of, for
example, the flexible wall portion 31 of the suction cup means or
may be connected to the suction cup mean, for example, by a short
section of tubing, etc. Suitably, the valve means may be of the
kind known from the prior art comprising a frusto-conical valve
body which may be inserted in a circular opening in air
communication with the suction cup interior, for example, the
opening at the free end of a short piece of tubing or a through
bore in the wall of the suction cup extending between the bottom
portion and the flange portion.
[0030] Although the invention has been discussed with reference to
a few specific examples, the invention is by no means restricted to
these examples and is limited only by the scope of the independent
claims 1 and 4. The set of attachment means, for example, is not
limited to the elements described and may comprise further
different elements such as apertured means for the insertion of a
protrusion present on a supporting surface such as a nail or a
screw head or still other attachment means elements.
* * * * *