Device with a rotatable display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10345851-B2
Application number	US-201615098947-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2016
Priority date	Apr 14, 2016
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

The description relates to devices, such as computing devices having displays that can be rotated through a range of travel. In some cases, a display can be readily adjusted to a desired physical location. The device can counter-balance the display to create a near weightless feel for the user when repositioning the display.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device, comprising:
a base assembly including a processor and a base sub-assembly configured to define a lower axis of rotation, the base sub-assembly including a crankshaft, a first biasing element, and a second biasing element;
a display assembly including a display that is driven by the processor and the display assembly is configured to define an upper axis of rotation for the display, the first biasing element configured to operate on the crankshaft to counter-balance a center of mass of the display assembly in a first range of rotation and the second biasing element configured to operate on the crankshaft to counter-balance the center of mass in a second range of rotation; and,
an arm assembly rotatably connected between the base assembly and the display assembly and configured to translate an orientation of the display on the upper axis of rotation to an arm angle defined between the arm assembly and the base assembly relative to the lower axis of rotation.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the arm angle defined between the arm assembly and the base assembly can be adjusted by a user from a range of angles between zero degrees and 60 degrees.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the orientation of the display is generally vertical when the arm angle is 60 degrees.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the orientation of the display is in a range from about zero degrees to about 30 degrees when the arm angle is zero degrees.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the orientation of the display is generally vertical when the arm angle is 60 degrees, and wherein the arm assembly translates rotation of the display around the upper axis of rotation to rotation of the arm assembly around the lower axis of rotation.

6. The device of claim 2 , wherein when the arm angle is in the first range of rotation from 60 degrees to 55 degrees, the center of mass of the display assembly is on a first side of the upper axis of rotation and when the arm angle is in the second range of rotation from 55 degrees to zero degrees the center of mass is on a second opposite side of the upper axis of rotation.

7. The device of claim 2 , wherein the center of mass of the display assembly stays on a first side of the upper axis of rotation through all arm angles of the range of arm angles.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first biasing element comprises a spring.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the second biasing element comprises a second spring.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the display assembly includes a display shaft and a third biasing element operates on the display shaft.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the first biasing element comprises a spring that operates on the crankshaft and the third biasing element comprises a second spring that operates on the display shaft.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the third biasing element comprises the second spring that operates on the display shaft and a third opposing spring that operates on the display shaft.

13. A device, comprising:
a base assembly including a processor and a base sub-assembly configured to define a lower axis of rotation, the base sub-assembly including a crankshaft and a biasing element;
a display assembly including a display that is driven by the processor and that is configured to define an upper axis of rotation for the display;
and,
an arm assembly rotatably connected between the base assembly and the display assembly, where the base assembly, the arm assembly, and the display assembly are configured to collectively define a fixed non-linear motion path of the display, and where the biasing element is configured to operate on the crankshaft to counter-balance a center of mass of the display assembly through the fixed non-linear motion path.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the fixed non-linear motion path ties an orientation of the display to an angle of the arm assembly.

15. The device of claim 13 , wherein the arm assembly is configured to translate an orientation of the display on the upper axis of rotation to an angle of the arm assembly.

16. The device of claim 13 , wherein the lower axis defines a position of the display and the upper axis defines an orientation of the display.

17. A device, comprising:
a base assembly including a crankshaft and a biasing element;
a display assembly that is configured to define an upper axis of rotation for a display; and,
an arm assembly extending between the base assembly and the display assembly, the device configured to translate an arm angle between the base assembly and the arm assembly to a display angle, where the arm assembly is configured such that a mass of the arm assembly imparts torque on the crankshaft and the biasing element is configured to at least partially offset the torque on the crankshaft.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the device translates a highest angle between the base assembly and the arm assembly to a generally vertical display angle and a lowest angle between the base assembly and the arm assembly to a generally horizontal display angle.

19. The device of claim 18 , wherein a footprint of the base assembly and the arm assembly is contained within a footprint of the display at the generally horizontal display angle.

20. The device of claim 18 , wherein the biasing element is configured to at least partially offset the torque through a range of travel from the generally horizontal display angle to the generally vertical display angle.

21. The device of claim 20 , wherein the torque is non-linear through the range of travel.

22. The device of claim 17 , wherein the device translates a highest angle between the base assembly and the arm assembly to a generally vertical display angle and a lowest angle between the base assembly and the arm assembly to a display angle in a range of about zero degrees to about 30 degrees.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Park Daniel C
• Wahl Jim
• Mclaughlin Robyn Rebecca Reed
• GAULT Joseph
• Klein Steve
• Hewett Anthony J
• Whitman Brian T
• Castillo Marlo E
• Deily Mike F
• SRINIVASAN Nishant
• Korn Scott J
• Bitz Brian
• Fiedler Matt

Classifications

• F16M2200/063

  Parallelogram arms · CPC title

• G06F1/1601 Primary

  Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays (constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64) · CPC title

• F16M11/2021

  around a horizontal axis (F16M11/2035 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/1681

  Details related solely to hinges (hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683) · CPC title

• F16M11/10

  around a horizontal axis {(F16M11/12 takes precedence)} · CPC title