GB2512566A

GB2512566A - Adjustable stand for visual display screens

Info

Publication number: GB2512566A
Application number: GB201301174A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David John Gray; Mark Kristian Salter
Original assignee: DISPLAY FLEX Ltd
Current assignee: DISPLAY FLEX Ltd
Priority date: 2013-01-23
Filing date: 2013-01-23
Publication date: 2014-10-08
Also published as: GB201301174D0; WO2014114902A1

Abstract

An adjustable stand comprises mounting means (24, fig 2) for mounting at least two visual display screens 12, 14 back to back in a stowed configuration, see fig 7, and side by side in a forward facing deployed and operative configuration, see fig 8. The mounting means (24) comprises a cantilever part 30a incorporating a slide rail 32 on which the screen 12 is slidably mounted for left-right horizontal movement on the slide rail 32. The second screen 14 is connected to the cantilever part 30a by articulated connecting members 30b and 30c. One end of the connecting member 30b is pivotally connected to the cantilever member 30a by a hinged joint 34 and another end is pivotally connected to the connecting member 30c by means of a hinged joint 36. For vertical adjustment, the mounting means (24) comprises a slide member (26) which is slidably connected to a rail (28) on a rectangular section column 18 which is mounted on a wheeled base 16. A centre of gravity of the stand is within a plan elevation of the base 16.

Description

ADJUSTABLE STAND FOR VISUAL DISPLAY SCREENS

This invention relotes to on odjustoble stond for mounting o plurality of visual display screens in close proximity, particularly but not exclusively for use in applications such as video conferencing, exhibitions, point of sale presentations and the like The advent of modern video conferencing apparatus with compression techniques that allow for true real HD video audio and data sharing has led to multiple screen displays being increasingly desireable, for example there can be a requirement for four screens or more for large multi-way VO calls. There is also a more common requirement for so called mobile "videowalls", that is to say, an array of video screens for use in/at exhibitions, point of sale promotions, conference rooms, etc. These systems by their nature are not inexpensive and are often installed permanently in a room dedicated to such a purpose, or built an an ad hoc basis, the later requiring significant labour resources, technical expertise and sufficient time to achieve an installation of acceptable quality. In addition, the equipment typically has a large number of electrical and/or optical interconnections and is not easily moved from one room to another or different floor without significant labour and technical input. Movement can be problematic, for example, as a quad screen configuration (2x2 format) of 47" diagonal in landscape mode will not fit into a standard passenger lift, is difficult to manoeuvre through a doorway and is inherently unstable.

The present inventors have recognised that there is a requirement far a system which enables display screens and associated VO/Videa equipment to be located/mounted an a mobile device for ease of installation etc. a system which is capable of being operated by one person and which may be moved readily from room to room or from floor to floor within a building through standard doorways and/or via passenger lifts.

According to an ospect of the present invention there is provided on adjustable stand for mounting a plurality of visual display screens for video conferencing or like applications, the said stand comprising mounting means for mounting at least two visual display screens back to back when in a stowed or folded configuration and side by side when in a forward facing deployed configuration. This aspect of the present invention readily enables the adjustable stand to be reconfigured for transport and storage with the screens arranged in a back to back configuration and deployed for use with the screens arranged in a forward facing side by side configuration. By careful selection of the maximum screen size this arrangement readily enables the stand and screens to be moved within a building through standard door apertures and in passenger lifts. In this way it is possible to move the apparatus to where it is needed without expending considerable time and effort on installation and un-installation.

The visual display screens may be movably mounted with respect ta each ather for movement between respective stowed and deployed positions. In this way the screens may be readily moved both in relation to each other and to the adjustable stand.

Preferably, at least one of the visual display screens is mounted for articulation relative to an adjacent display screen far movement between respective stowed and deployed positions. Thus, at least one of the screens may be pivoted between respective stowed and deployed positions minimising the effort required to set up the apparatus for use and reconfigure for movement, transport and storage.

The mounting means may comprise an articulated connection for mounting a first visual display screen and a slidable connection for mounting a second visual display screen. This arrangement is particularly suitable for screens that are movable to a side by side arrangement as one screen may be slid to one side to allow the articulated screen to be pivoted into position.

Preferably, the articulated connection provides for 180 degree rotation of the first visual display screen with respect to the stand, from its stowed to its deployed forward facing position. Thus, the articulated screen may be stowed, or folded, behind the other of the screens, thereby to reduce the length dimension of the apparatus in use.

The articulated connection preferably includes a first articulated joint for pivotal movement through 90 degrees and a second articulated joint far pivotal movement through an additional 90 degrees. This readily provides for controlled deployment of the articulated screen from its deployed position and vice versa an movement to its stowed position, with a clearance gap between the screens broadly when stowed in the back to back configuration corresponding to the distance between the respective pivot axes of the first and second articulated joints. The articulated joints preferably comprise respective hinged joints.

Preferably, the slidable connection provides far sideways horizontal movement of the second visual display screen between its' stowed and deployed positions. The slidable connection preferably permits sufficient sideways movement of the second display screen to accommodate the first visual display screen in side by side relation in its' deployed forward facing position.

The aforementioned mounting means preferably comprises a first mounting means and the adjustable stand further comprises at least one additional mounting means for mounting additional visual display screens above and below the screens of the first mounting means, thereby to provide an adjustable stand for a twa-dimensional array of visual display screens when deployed far use. The present invention therefore contemplates nat only 1 dimensional arrays of visual display screens but also 2 dimensional arrays, far example, 1x2, 1x3, 2x2, 2x3, 2x1 etc. Preferably, the adjustable stand further comprises locking means for locking the visual display screens in their respective stowed and deployed positions. Thus once positioned far use or movement the screens can be locked in their respective positions.

The adjustable stand may further comprise a floor standing base and wherein the visual display screens are spatially positioned within the plan elevation of the base when in their respective stowed positions. In this way the stand and associated YC/Videa and AV equipment is accommodated within the footprint of the base when the stand is in its stowed/retracted configuration. The apparatus mounted on the stand is therefore guarded to some extent from collision with door apertures, furniture etc as the base would impact such items or structures while in the process at being moved instead of the mounted equipment. This also provides for improved stability of the retracted stand as the centre of gravity of the stand and mounted apparatus is maintained within the footprint ot the base.

The aforementioned mounting means may be height adjustable. In this way the height of the display screens may be adjusted to accommodate particular requirements.

The adjustable stand may further comprise a vertical column and the mounting means is/are height adjustable on the vertical column.

In preferred embodiments the vertical column may be positioned substantially centrally on a floor standing base of the said stand. With the vertical column positioned centrally with respect to the base the centre of gravity of the retracted stand and associated apparatus mounted on the stand is more or less also positioned at the centre of the base, thereby maximising stability in all configurations of the stand.

Preferably the adjustable stand further comprises an integroted wiring loom for electrical, optical and or wireless connection of said visual display screens and/or other AV devices associated with and/or mounted on the said stand. In this way installation and un-installation is simplified and readily enables relatively unskilled personnel to move and set up the stand and its associated apparatus as desired.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an adjustable stand for multiple visual display screens according to an embodiment of the present invention: Figure 2 is a close up perspective view of the upper part of the adjustable stand of Figure 1 showing the screen mounting arrangement in greater detail: Figure 3 is a perspective view of the adjustable stand of Figure 1 with an articulated one of the screens moved to an intermediate position; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the adjustable stand of Figure 1 with the articulated one of the screens in its deployed forward facing position, positioned adjacent a non-articulated screen Figure 5 is a perspective close up view of the adjustable stand of Figure 1 with the screens in a folded or stowed configuration.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the adjustable stand of Figure 1 with the screens in a folded or stowed configuration.

Figure 7 is a schematic plan view of the adjustable stand according to an embodiment of the invention with the screens positioned in their stowed position: Figure 8 is a schematic plan view of the adjustable stand similar to Figure 8 with a first of the screens moved sideways to accommodate the unfolding of a second articulated screen towards its forward facing deployed position; Figure 9 is a schematic plan view of the adjustable stand similar to Figures 7 and 8 with the screens deployed side by side in their forward facing depoyed position.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown, an adjustable stand 10 and a pair of visual display screens 12,14 mounted thereon. The screens 12,14 are of the flat panel type, i.e. Plasma, TFT, LCD, LED. In the illustrated embodiment the screens are of the same type and size (37 inch diagonal) but the present invention is suitable for different screen sizes although 47 inch diagonal is considered to be an upper size limit for transportation purposes, particularly in buildings where movement through standard aperture doorways and passenger lifts is envisaged.

The stand 10 comprises a floor standing base 16 in the form of a rectangular box structure mounted on wheels or castors (not shown) on the underside thereof as is well known in the art for wheeled movement. The base is dimensioned so that its width and length dimensions define the plan elevation footprint of the stand 10 when the screens are in their stowed or retracted position as shown in Figures 5 and 6. In the illustrated embodiment the base has a length of 1220mm and a width of 750mm.

The base 16 supports a central column 18 approximately 2 meters in height and typically is of metal extrusion construction. The column includes a hollow central section through which a wiring loom (not shown) is fed for connection to the screens 12,14 and associated VC/Video/AV equipment carried by the stand in use. Cable management for interconnecting cables and power cables is implemented in the column, and possibly the base, so that the screens and associated equipment are connected in an efficient and reliable manner, again implementing methods well known in the art. The stand and associated equipment may therefore be considered as a standalone integrated apparatus that requires very little in the way of disconnecting and reconnecting when the stand and its equipment are moved from room to room etc. Height adjustable shelves 20, 22 are mounted on the column for supporting associated apparatus as determined by the particular application, for example, VC or videowall.

The screens 12,14 are mounted on the column by height adjustable mounting means 24 as can best be seen in Figure 2. The maunting means 24 comprises a slide member 26 which is slidably connected ta a rail 28 an the forward facing side af the rectangular section column 18. The side member 26 and slide rail 28 provide for height adjustment of the screens 12,14 on the stand 10. The mounting means further comprises an articulated horizontal three part mounting member 30 comprising contiguous parts 30a, 30b, 30c. A first part 30a of the mounting member 30 is fixed to the slide member 26 and extends as a cantilever towards the left hand side of the column 18 when looking at the forward facing elevation of the stand as in Figure 2, that is to say to the left hand side of Figure 2. The cantilever part 30a incorporates a slide rail 32 on which the screen 12 is slidably mounted for left-right horizonta movement on the rail 32. The screen 12 is supported at the far end, or unsupported end, of the cantilever part 300 when moved fully to the left to its deployed position as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The second screen 14 is connected to the cantilever pad 30a by articulated connecting members 30b and 30c. One end of the connecting member 30b is pivotally connected to the adjacent end of the cantilever member 300 by means of a hinged joint 34 and the other end of the connecting member 30b is pivotolly connected to the adjacent end of the neighbouring connecting member 30c by means of a similar hinged joint 36. The distance between the hinged joints 34 and 36, or more precisely their respective pivot axes is greater than the thickness dimension of the column 18 between its forward and reverse faces so that the second screen 14 that is fixed to the mounting member 30c on its reverse side can be accommodated behind the column in a plane offset from the column when in its stowed or retraced position as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

In Figures 1 and 2 the first screen 12 may be considered to be forward facing and the second screen 14 rearward facing. This may be a desired configuration for particular applications, for example in on exhibition hall where it may be desireoble to attract the attention of people on either side of the stand. In Video Conference applications it is more likely that both screens will be required to be forward facing. This is achieved in the present invention by unfolding the second screen from its rear facing position shown in Figures 1 and 2 by turning the screen through 180 degrees by rotation of the respective mounting members 30b and 30c about their respective pivot axes 34 and 36 so that the front face of the second screen 14 is aligned side by side with that of the first screen as shown in Figure 4, via the intermediate position shown in Figure 3 where the screens are positioned orthogonal to each other.

It will be understood that in Figures ito 4 only the second screen has been moved, the first screen 12 occupies its deployed position on the left hand side of the column 18 where it has been moved to on horizontal side rail 32 to accommodate space for the second screen 14 on the right hand side of the column. In order to retract the screens ta their respective stowed positions an apposite sides at the column 18 the second screen is moved in the reverse sense to that previously described, that is from its forward facing position in Figure 4 through the intermediate position of Figure 3 to its retracted position of Figures 1 and 2. Once the second screen has been retracted the first screen can be slid horizontally along the slide rail from left to right so that it occupies a mid-position on the stand centered on the central column iSso that it is aligned in back to back relation with the second screen 14. In this retracted position the two screens are centered on the column and enclosed within the footprint of the base 16. The retracted position of the screens 12,14 is best seen with reference to Figures 5 and 6.

Referring to Figures 7 to 9 which show schematically in plan view the deployment of the screens 12,14 from the stowed back to back configuration of Figure 7 to the deployed forward facing configuration of Figure 9. It will be appreciated that Figure 8 shows both the stowed and deployed positions of the articulated links 3b and 30c and the hinge pivot points 34 and 36. The stowed configuration of Figure 7 corresponds to that shown in Figures 5 and 6 and the configuration of Figure 8 corresponds to that of Figures 1 and 2, when considering the stowed or folded position of the screen 14 in Figure 8. The deployed forward facing configuration of Figure 9 corresponds to that of Figure 4.

In particular the present invention provides the following: Features: Base has low profile, reducing trip hazard Base has a small footprint 1200mm x 650mm Base has concealed wheels Unit can not be run over feet Unit has professional in-built cable management Will accommodate upto two 47" screens side by side Screens are articulated for transport whilst all cables remain connected.

Right hand screens swivel around and behind the central support column The left screens slide across the central support pillar to a central position.

Screens maybe operated in "closed mode" giving front and rear viewing audience Optional integral single or twin 6u 19" rack for video/power and data equipment Clear pass racks -no pillars or intrusion to equipment space Racks include vented panels and cooling fan/s Centre of gravity inside wheelbase in all positions Security locks included Optional wiring loom Power distribution board (MDU) One man operation Screen and Video/VC equipment left cabled for movement.

Handles to enable easy movement -no need to touch screen Option for wind down feet -for static operation Stabiliser legs in-built Base cover maybe finished in plastic/ali/ painted/ polished! backlit Central column is from aluminium prafile and insert may be apaque, translucent, carparate calaur and laga branded and! or backlit Screen in transport made remains inside base footprint -external impact possibility reduced Base is ballast adjustable Wheels suitable for load and surface hard! carpeted! tiled In built VESA standard mount uptoooo x 400 centres In-built adjustable shelf for camera Codec! videowall processor may be secured to screen frame rears Will accept VC codecs and processors e.g. CYP!Extron Screens lock to open and closed positions Soft bag cover for storage in closed position Accepts upto 47" 1 6:9 ratio screens Camera may be mounted above screens Camera is mounted centrally to the iwin screens Screens do not "A" or "V' due to zero drop swivel mountings Larger video walls may be built on the fly, as adjacent units will butt screen to screen Videowall using 3 quad units would give a videowall of 6 x 2 format Benefits: Highly manoeuvrable No technical training or skills required to set up Fits through a standard doorway Fits in a standard lift May be set up in less than 10 minutes Improves usage rates Better cost!benefit ratio Improves flexibility afforded to office! meeting spaces Reduced cost of ownership over static location installs Connections of desired location ore limited to 2 (power and IP (cotS)).

Central column rear mounted power distribution board Central perspex in-fill panel in gloss black, Rental version (fits in flight case) ovailoble Applications: Hotel meetings market VC Suites and VC Service providers Exhibitions! External conference Higher Education sector-Universities! College campus' Hospitals -training or live theatre viewing virtual rooms

Claims

CLAIMS1. An adjustable stand for mounting a plurality of visual display screens for video conferencing or like applications, said stand comprising mounting means for mounting at least two visual display screens in back to back relation on the stand in a stowed configuration and side by side in a forward facing deployed configuration.
2. An adjustable stand as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the said mounting means is adapted for movably mounting a plurality of visual display screens on the stand so that respective screens are are movably mounted with respect to each other for movement between said respective stowed and deployed positions.
3. An adjustable stand as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said mounting means is adapted so that at least one visual display screen is mounted for arficuation relative to an adjacent display screen mounted on the stand for movement between respective r 0 stowed and deployed positions.
4. An adjustable stand as claimed in Claim 3 wherein said mounting means comprises an articulated connection for mounting a first visual display screen and a slidable connection for mounting a second visual display screen on the stand.
5. An adjustable stand as claimed in Claim 4 wherein said articulated connection provides for 180 degree rotation of a first visual display screen mounted on the stand between a respective stowed and a respective forward facing deployed position.
6. An adjustable stand as claimed in Claim 5 wherein said articulated connection includes a first articulated joint for pivotal movement through substantially 90 degrees and a second articulated joint for pivotal movement through substantially an additional degrees.
7. An adjustable stand as claimed in Claim 6 wherein said articulated joints comprise respective hinged joints.
8. An adjustable stand as claimed in any of Claims 4 to 7 wherein said slidable connection provides for sideways horizontal movement of a second visual display screen mounted on the stand between a respective stowed and a respective forward facing deployed position.
9. An adjustable stand as claimed in Claim 8 wherein said slidabe connection is adapted to permit sufficient sideways movement said second display screen to accommodate the said first visual display screen in side by side relation when the said first screen is in a deployed forward facing position.
10. An adjustable stand as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said mounting means comprises a first mounting means and further comprises at least one additional said mounting means for mounting additional visual display screens above and below said first mounting means, thereby to provide an adjustable stand for mounting a two-dimensional array of visual display screens when deployed for use.
11. An adjustable stand as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising locking means for locking visual display screens mounted on the stand in respective stowed and deployed positions.
12. An adjustable stand as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising a floor standing base.
13. An adjustable stand as claimed in Claim 12 wherein the centre of gravity of the stand is positioned within the plan elevation of the said base.
14. An adjustable stand as claimed in Claim 13 wherein the centre of gravity of the stand and visual display screens mounted on the stand in use is positioned within the plan elevation of the said base.
15. An adjustable stand as claimed in Claim 14 wherein the centre of gravity of the stand, visual display screens mounted on the stand and/or other apparatus carried by the stand in use is positioned within the plan elevation of the said base.
16. An adjustable stand as claimed in Claim 15 wherein the centre of gravity of the stand, visual display screens mounted on the stand and/or other apparatus carried by the stand in use is positioned within the plan elevation of the said base in both stowed and deployed configurations of the stand.
17. An adjustable stand as claimed in any of Claims 12 to 16 wherein the centre of gravity of the stand, visual display screens mounted on the stand and/or other apparatus carried by the stand in use is positioned within a wheelbase of the said base. (4
18. An adjustable stand as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said mounting means is/are height adjustable.
19. An adjustable stand as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising a vertical column and said mounting means is/are height adjustable on said vertical column.
20. An adjustable stand as claimed in Claim 18 or Claim 19 wherein said vertical column is positioned substantially centrally on a floor standing base of the said stand.
21. An adjustable stand as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising an integrated wiring loom for electrical, optical and or wireless connection of visual display screens and/or other AV devices associated with and/or mounted on the said stand. r (4