U.S. patent application number 11/555539 was filed with the patent office on 2008-05-01 for rotatable stand with adjustable tightness.
This patent application is currently assigned to INVENTEC MULTIMEDIA & TELECOM CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Gwo-Hwa SHIUE.
Application Number | 20080099420 11/555539 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39364008 |
Filed Date | 2008-05-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080099420 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SHIUE; Gwo-Hwa |
May 1, 2008 |
Rotatable Stand with Adjustable Tightness
Abstract
A rotatable stand with adjustable tightness includes a
turntable, a base, at least one adjustable connecting element, and
a resilient element. The turntable has a spindle, which passes
through and rotates in an opening of the base. The adjustable
connecting element is connected to the turntable, such that the
resilient element squeezes the base between the turntable and the
resilient element so as to provide a proper squeezing strength and
to make it convenient for a user to alter the orientation between
the rotatable stand and the base,
Inventors: |
SHIUE; Gwo-Hwa; (Taipei,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Assignee: |
INVENTEC MULTIMEDIA & TELECOM
CORPORATION
|
Family ID: |
39364008 |
Appl. No.: |
11/555539 |
Filed: |
November 1, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/163 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16M 11/22 20130101;
F16M 11/08 20130101; F16M 2200/08 20130101; G06F 1/1632 20130101;
G06F 1/1601 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/163 |
International
Class: |
A47F 5/02 20060101
A47F005/02 |
Claims
1. A rotatable stand with adjustable tightness, comprising: a
turntable having a spindle; a base having an opening for the
spindle to pass through and rotate therein; at least one adjustable
connecting element connecting to said turntable; and a resilient
element, in combination with said at least one adjustable
connecting element, for providing a squeezing strength to secure
said base between said turntable and said resilient element.
2. The rotatable stand as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spindle
is a hollow cylinder.
3. The rotatable stand as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base
comprises an upper base and a lower base.
4. The rotatable stand as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
resilient element is a resilient pad.
5. The rotatable stand as claimed in claim 4, wherein said
resilient pad comprises: a plate portion; and a plurality of
supporting legs, extended from said plate portion and forming an
angle with said plate portion.
6. The rotatable stand as claimed in claim 4, wherein said plate
portion comprises at least one through hole.
7. The rotatable stand as claimed in claim 6, wherein said spindle
comprises at least one screw hole.
8. The rotatable stand as claimed in claim 7, wherein said
adjustable connecting element is a screw passing through said
through hole to screw into said screw hole.
9. The rotatable stand as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a
spacing pad located between said base and said resilient element to
make the squeezing strength provided by said resilient element
uniformly distributed over said base.
10. The rotatable stand as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one
arc-shaped notch is formed inside said base to limit a maximum
rotation angle reachable by said turntable.
11. An electronic device with a tightness adjustable rotatable
stand, comprising: a turntable having a spindle; a display panel
mounted on and connected pivotally to said turntable; a base
comprising an opening for the spindle to pass through and rotate
therein such that said display panel and said turntable are
collectively allowed to be rotated clockwise or counter-clockwise
with respect to said base; at least one adjustable connecting
element connecting to said turntable; and a resilient element for
providing a squeezing strength in combination with said at least
one adjustable connecting element to secure said base between said
turntable and said resilient element.
12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, further
comprising a telephone handset connecting to said base.
13. The electronic device as claimed in claim 12, further
comprising a plurality of telephone buttons located on said
turntable.
14. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said base
comprises an upper base and a lower base.
15. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said
resilient element is a resilient pad.
16. The electronic device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said
resilient pad comprises: a plate portion; and a plurality of
supporting legs, extended from said plate portion and forming an
angle with said plate portion.
17. The electronic device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said
plate portion comprises at least one through hole.
18. The electronic device as claimed in claim 17, wherein said
spindle comprises at least one screw hole.
19. The electronic device as claimed in claim 18, wherein said
adjustable connecting element is a screw passing through said
through hole to screw into said screw hole.
20. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, further
comprising a spacing pad located between said base and said
resilient element to make the squeezing strength provided by said
resilient element uniformly distributed over said base.
21. The electronic device as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least
one arc-shaped notch is formed inside said base to limit a maximum
rotation angle reachable by said turntable.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a rotatable stand with
adjustable tightness, and more particularly to an electronic device
having a rotatable stand with adjustable tightness
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] In order to allow a user to set for a preferred orientation,
a lot of communication or home electronic devices, such as
computers, televisions, image phones, are designed to have a
rotatable base. One of the examples is provided in the Taiwan
patent application No.450499, entitled "Rotary stand that can
stably loads the home electronic equipment" An exploded perspective
view thereof is shown in FIG. 1. The assembled structure of the
display panel 10 and the panel base 12 can be lodged into the
rotatable stand 20 through the mergence of front male members 1210,
the rear male members 1212, and the hollows 2010 and 2012, so as to
be rotatable through the rotatable stand 20.
[0005] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional magnified view of a portion
of the rotatable stand 20, composed of an upper base 210 and a
lower base 220. A lock pin 212 and an opening 222 are respectively
formed on the upper base 210 and the lower base 220. When the upper
base 210 is merged with the lower base 220, the lock pin 212 goes
through the opening 222 with the lock arms extended such that the
upper base 210 and the lower base 220 can be joined tightly and the
assembled structure of the display panel 10 and the panel base 12
can rotate stably on the rotatable stand 20.
[0006] The degree of tightness (related to the degree of difficulty
to rotate) of the conventional rotatable stand 20 is not allowed to
be adjusted. Tightness over or under a feasible range usually
causes a bad user experience In other words, the tightness of the
rotatable stand of a conventional electronic device is not allowed
to be changed after manufacturing phase After long-time use, it
tends to spin too easily due to the departure from the factory
setting tightness range, so as to impact the rotation friendiness.
In view of foregoing drawback, the present invention set forth a
rotatable stand with adjustable tightness.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a rotatable
stand, and more particularly to a rotatable stand with suitable
adjustability on tightness and flexibility for a manufacturer to
alter the orientation thereof.
[0008] According to the object, the present invention provides a
rotatable stand with adjustable tightness, including a turntable, a
base, at least one adjustable connecting element, and a resilient
element. The turntable has a spindle which passes through and
rotates in an opening of the base. The adjustable connecting
element is connected to the turntable, such that the resilient
element squeezes the base between the turntable and the resilient
element so as to provide a proper squeezing strength and to make it
convenient for a user to alter the orientation between the
rotatable stand and the base.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a display panel with a
rotatable stand according to the prior art.
[0010] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional magnified view of a portion
of the rotatable stand of FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an IP phone (Internet
Protocol phone) in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0012] FIG. 4 shows an exploded perspective view of the major
rotatable structure of the IP phone shown in FIG. 3.
[0013] FIG. 5 shows a bottom view of the embodiment of FIG. 3.
[0014] FIG. 6 shows a bottom view of another embodiment in
accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an IP phone (Internet
Protocol phone) in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention, including a turntable 40, a base (41,45), a display
panel 30, and a telephone handset 32. The turntable 40 is
configured on and rotatable with respect to the base (41,45). The
display panel 30 is mounted on and pivotally connected to the
turntable 40 such that the angle of elevation or depression of the
display panel 30 with respect to the turntable 40 is adjustable and
that the display panel 30 and the turntable 40 are collectively
allowed to be rotated clockwise or counter-clockwise with respect
to the base (41, 45) (as indicated by the arrow sign in FIG. 3). A
user can find out an appropriate view angle to the display panel 30
by rotating the turntable 40. The telephone handset 32 is connected
to another end of the base (41, 45).
[0016] In this embodiment, the base (41, 45) is composed of the
upper base 41 and the lower base 45. The lower base 45, however,
may be omitted such that only the upper base 41 constitutes the
whole base. The telephone buttons 31 are located on the turntable
40. Although it is illustrated by an IP phone in the embodiment,
the present invention is applicable to communication or home
electronic devices such as computers, televisions, image phones,
and any other rotatable appliances.
[0017] FIG. 4 shows an exploded perspective view of the major
rotatable structure of the IP phone shown in FIG-3, comprising a
turntable 40, an upper base 41, a resilient element 43, at least
one adjustable connecting element 44, and a spacing pad 42.
[0018] A spindle 4010 is formed on the rear side of the turntable
40 in the form of a hollow cylinder in this embodiment. At least
one screw hole 4020 is formed in the spindle 4010 so as to be
screwed with the adjustable connecting element 44. The position of
the screw hole 4020 is not limit to the inner side of the spindle
4010.
[0019] An opening 4112 is formed through the base 41 and the
internal diameter thereof is slightly greater than the outer
diameter of the spindle 4010 such that the spindle 4010 can pass
through the opening 4112 and rotate without moving transversely. In
this embodiment, a pair of symmetric arc-shaped notches 4114 are
formed inside the upper base 41 to limit the rotating angle of the
turntable 40.
[0020] The resilient element 43 is located under the opening 4112
so as to provide a squeezing strength (or a normal force) to secure
the base 41 between the turntable 40 and the resilient element 43.
In this embodiment, the resilient element 43 is a resilient pad
which includes a plate portion 4320 and a plurality of supporting
legs 4310 extended from the plate portion 4320. Each of the
supporting legs 4310 forms an angle with the plate portion
4320.
[0021] Responsible for both connectivity and adjustability in this
embodiment, the adjustable connecting element 44 is, but not limit
to, a screw. The number of the at least one adjustable connecting
element 44 is corresponding to the number of through holes 4330
through the plate portion 4320.
[0022] The spacing pad 42 is located between the upper base 41 and
the resilient element 43.In this embodiment, the spacing pad 42,
such as w washer, has an opening with inner diameter less than the
outer diameter of the circle defined by the supporting legs 4310.
The area of the opening of the spacing pad 42, however, can
accommodate the through holes 4330.
[0023] To assemble or implement this embodiment, one or more
adjustable connecting elements 44 (e.g., screws) are connected into
the screw holes 4020 in the spindle 4010 through the through holes
4330 on the surface of the plate portion 4320 of the resilient
element 43. In this regard, the adjustable connecting element 44
makes the supporting legs 4310 deformed to produce the squeezing
strength. The extent of screwing the adjustable connecting element
44 into the screw hole 4020 and the screw thread length determine
the extent of the deformation of the supporting legs 4310 as well
as the squeezing strength.
[0024] The squeezing strength provides the friction between the
turntable 40 and the upper base 41 so as to control the degree of
tightness or the degree of difficulty to rotate the turntable 40 in
accordance with the state of the resilient element 43 and to
provide users a friendly experience on using the turntable 40. The
spacing pad 42 between the upper base 41 and the resilient element
43 makes the squeezing strength produced by the supporting legs
4310 uniformly distributed over the upper base 41. The arc-shaped
notches 4114 located inside the upper base 41 can limit the maximum
rotation angle reachable by the turntable 40. With such a rotation
angle limitation, the interconnecting lines therein are protecting
from damage due to improper usage.
[0025] FIG. 5 shows a bottom view of the present embodiment. Only
major structure is depicted for illustration purpose. The upper
base 41 has a cone-like shape. The turntable 40 may rotate with
respect to the upper base 41 clockwise or counter-clockwise (as
illustrated by the arrow sign in FIG. 5). FIG,5 shows the
interrelationship after assembling among the resilient element 43,
the spacing pad 42 and the spindle 4010. FIG. 6 shows a bottom view
of another embodiment in accordance with the present invention. The
upper base 41 has a circle-like shape. Likewise, the figure shows
the interrelationship after assembling among the resilient element
43, the spacing pad 42 and the spindle 4010.
[0026] It should be understood, however, that there is no intention
to limit the invention to the preferred embodiments disclosed, but
on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications,
alternate constructions and equivalents falling within the spirit
and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.
* * * * *