Title of Invention: MOUNTING APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING TILT AND SWIVEL ANGLE OF DISPLAY DEVICE

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a mounting apparatus for adjusting a tilt and a swiveling angle of a display device, and more particularly, to a mounting apparatus for adjusting a tilt and a swivel angle of a display device, by which a display device can be mounted on a wall. Background Art

[2] Flat display devices such as a flat panel computer monitor, a liquid crystal display

(LCD), a plasma display panel (PDP), and the like have become a mainstream display devices. Unlike conventional cathode ray tubes (CRTs), which are thick, the flat display devices can be manufactured to be thin while also having a large screen. Since the flat display devices can maximize space utilization and improve decoration when mounted on a wall, they have come into wide use.

[3] However, the viewing angle and the swivel direction of flat display devices cannot be adjusted once the flat display devices are fixed onto a wall, causing inconvenience to viewers.

Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[4] The present invention provides a mounting apparatus for adjusting a tilt and a swivel angle of a display device, by which a viewing angle and/or a swivel direction of a display device can be adjusted by using a drive assembly while the display device is mounted on a wall. Solution to Problem

[5] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mounting apparatus for adjusting a tilt and a swivel angle of a display device. The mounting apparatus includes a rotary frame capable of performing normal rotation or reverse rotation in a first direction with respect to a support, a slide frame configured to slide in a longitudinal direction of the rotary frame as the rotary frame rotates, a panel mounting bracket disposed on the slide frame to allow a display device to be mounted thereon, a first drive assembly for driving the rotary frame, and a second drive assembly for driving the slide frame.

[6] The first drive assembly and the second drive assembly may be provided with a drive force from a motor mounted on the rotary frame. The rotary frame may be coupled with a base frame coupled with the support, such that the rotary frame is rotatable in the first direction.

[7] The panel mounting bracket may be pivotably coupled with a base bracket coupled with the slide frame. The panel mounting bracket may be mounted to perform normal rotation or reverse rotation in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction as the slide frame slides.

[8] The first drive assembly may include a shaft coupled with the motor to transfer rotation and a pivot shaft coupled with a base frame coupled with the support, in which the shaft pivots in engagement with and with respect to the pivot shaft in a direction perpendicular to the pivot shaft as the shaft rotates. The shaft and the pivot shaft may be coupled with each other by a worm gear.

[9] The first drive assembly may further include a first safety device configured in such a way that the pivot shaft idles with respect to the shaft if a rotary force higher than a predetermined level is transferred to the pivot shaft.

[10] The second drive assembly may include a shaft coupled with the motor to transfer rotation and a gear portion for transferring the rotation from the shaft to the slide frame such that the slide frame slides with respect to the rotary frame in the longitudinal direction of the rotary frame. The shaft and the gear portion may be coupled with each other by a worm gear.

[11] The second drive assembly may further include a second safety device configured in such a way that the shaft idles when an external force is applied by an obstacle.

[12] The mounting apparatus may further include a control system for controlling a position of the rotary frame with respect to the base frame and a position of the slide frame with respect to the rotary frame, in which the control system includes a reception unit for sensing the position of the rotary frame and the position of the slide frame, a control unit for inputting thereto the position of the rotary frame and the position of the slide frame which are sensed by the reception unit and outputting a control value, and a drive unit for receiving the control value output from the control unit and driving the motor for the first drive assembly and the second drive assembly.

[13] The reception unit may include a sensor positioned on a surface of the rotary frame to measure a number of rotations according to the position of the rotary frame with respect to the support, a first switch positioned on the surface of the rotary frame to operate according to the position of the rotary frame, and a second switch positioned on another surface of the rotary frame to operate according to the position of the slide frame with respect to the rotary frame.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

[14] According to the mounting apparatus, a swivel direction of the display device can be automatically adjusted and the viewing angle of the display device can be manually or/ and automatically adjusted, thereby improving user convenience. Moreover, by using the safety device, safety can be enhanced during driving. Brief Description of Drawings

[15] The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which: [16] FIG. 1 is a front view for describing a drive principle of a mounting apparatus for adjusting a tilt and a swivel angle of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [17] FIG. 2 is a top view showing rotation of the mounting apparatus for adjusting a tilt and a swivel angle of a display device of FIG. 1 ; [18] FIG. 3 is a perspective side view of the mounting apparatus for adjusting a tilt and a swivel angle of a display device of FIG. 1 ; [19] FIG. 4 is another perspective side view of the mounting apparatus for adjusting a tilt and a swivel angle of a display device of FIG. 1 ; [20] FIG. 5 illustrates a structure for transferring a rotary force of a motor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[21] FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of a first safety device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[22] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line I-I of FIG. 1;

[23] FIG. 8 is a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, viewing a surface thereof;

[24] FIG. 9 is a side view of a second safety device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [25] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a mounting apparatus for adjusting a tilt and a swivel angle of a display device according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[26] FIG. 11 is a conceptual view of a second drive assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[27] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line II-II of FIG. 10;

[28] FIG. 13 is a side view of a panel- mounted bracket pivotably coupled with a base bracket to pivot on the base bracket; [29] FIG. 14 is a plane view showing a state before a slide frame moves with respect to a rotary frame; [30] FIG. 15 is a plane view showing a state after a slide frame moves with respect to a rotary frame; [31] FIG. 16 is a side view showing a state before a slide frame moves with respect to a rotary frame; [32] FIG. 17 is a side view showing a state after a slide frame moves with respect to a rotary frame;

[33] FIG. 18 is a plane view showing positions of first and second switches and a sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[34] FIG. 19 is a block diagram of a control system according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[35] FIG. 20 is a flowchart for controlling positions of a rotary frame and a slide frame through a control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Mode for the Invention

[36] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[37] FIG. 1 is a front view for describing a drive principle of a mounting apparatus for adjusting a tilt and a swivel angle of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a top view showing rotation of the mounting apparatus for adjusting a tilt and a swivel angle of a display device. FIG. 3 is a perspective side view of the mounting apparatus for adjusting a tilt and a swivel angle of a display device. FIG. 4 is another perspective side view of the mounting apparatus for adjusting a tilt and a swivel angle of a display device.

[38] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, the mounting apparatus for adjusting a tilt and a swivel angle of a display device includes a base frame 110, a rotary frame 120, a slide frame 130, a base bracket 140, a panel mounting bracket 150, a first drive assembly 160, a second drive assembly 170, and a motor 180.

[39] The base frame 110 may be mounted on a support such as a wall, herein referred to as a reference plane 1. The rotary frame 120 is rotatably coupled with the base frame 110. As shown in FIG. 1, for the coupling between the rotary frame 120 and the base frame 110, a pivot shaft 191 is coupled with the base frame 110 and a pivot rod 190 is rotatably bearing-coupled with the pivot shaft 191 so that the pivot rod 190 can rotate with respect to the base frame 110 around the pivot shaft 191. The rotary frame 120 may be coupled with ends of the pivot rod 190 and thus may rotate together with the pivot rod 190.

[40] The rotary frame 120 can perform normal rotation, that is, rotation in a first direction, and reverse rotation, that is, rotation in a direction opposite to the first direction, with respect to the reference plane 1. The slide frame 130 slides with respect to the rotary frame 120 in a longitudinal direction according to rotation of the rotary frame 120. The panel mounting bracket 150 is disposed on the slide frame 130 to allow mounting of a display device 2. The first drive assembly 160 drives the rotary frame 120, and the second drive assembly 170 drives the slide frame 130. The mounting apparatus may also not include the base frame 110.

[41] Although FIGS. 2 through 4 show an example where the mounting apparatus rotates

90° from the reference plane 1 in a counter-clockwise direction, the rotation angle and rotation direction of the present invention are not limited thereto. For example, the mounting apparatus may rotate by an angle more or less than 90° from the reference plane 1 in a clockwise direction. Also, in the example shown in FIGS. 2 through 4, the mounting apparatus may be mounted on the reference plane 1 in an upside down position with respect to the ground and thus the mounting apparatus may rotate by some other rotation angle and in some other rotation direction.

[42] The slide frame 130 is slidably coupled with the rotary frame 120. The base bracket

140 is disposed on the slide frame 130 and moves along with the slide frame 130 as the slide frame 130 slides with respect to the rotary frame 120. The panel mounting bracket 150 is pivotably coupled with the base bracket 140 to pivot with respect to the base bracket 140, and the display device 2 may be mounted on the panel mounting bracket 150.

[43] The first drive assembly 160 is coupled with a motor 180 to rotate the rotary frame

120 with respect to the base frame 110. The second drive assembly 170 is coupled with the motor 180 to slide the slide frame 130 with respect to the rotary frame 120.

[44] The motor 180 is disposed on the rotary frame 120. As the motor 180 is driven, the rotary frame 120 rotates around the pivot shaft 191 of the base frame 110 from a first rotary frame position 120' to a second rotary frame position 120" in a direction S so that the rotary frame 120 and the reference plane 1 form a right angle, as shown in FIG. 2. As the rotary frame 120 rotates, the slide frame 130 may move with respect to the rotary frame 120 from a first slide frame position 130' to a second slide frame position 130" in a longitudinal direction D.

[45] The rotation principle of the rotary frame 120 with respect to the base frame 110 and the moving principle of the slide frame 130 with respect to the rotary frame 120 along with the driving of the motor 180 will be described with reference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 shows a structure for transferring a rotary force as the motor 180 is driven according to an embodiment of the present invention. The structure for transferring a rotary force as the motor 180 is driven may include the first drive assembly 160 and the second drive assembly 170.

[46] As shown in FIG. 5, the first drive assembly 160 may include a shaft 182 coupled with the motor 180 to transfer rotation and the pivot shaft 191 coupled with the base frame 110.

[47] Although the first drive assembly 160 includes a first safety device 200 in FIG. 5, the current embodiment will be described on the assumption that the first drive assembly 160 does not include the first safety device 200 and the pivot shaft 191 is fixed. An embodiment including the first safety device 200 will be described later.

[48] As the shaft 182 coupled with the motor 180 is rotated by the motor 180, the rotation of the shaft 182 causes rotation of a first intersecting gear 183 positioned at an end of the shaft 182. The first intersecting gear 183 is in contact with a first fixed gear 192 positioned at an end of the pivot shaft 191, another end of the pivot shaft 191 is fixed to the base frame 110. Since the other end of the pivot shaft 191 is fixed, the first fixed gear 192 positioned at the end of the pivot shaft 191 is also fixed. As the first intersecting gear 183 engaged with the first fixed gear 192 rotates by the rotation of the motor 180, the first intersecting gear 183 rotates with respect to an axis of the first fixed gear 192, that is, the pivot shaft 191, in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the first fixed gear 192. As the first intersecting gear 183 rotates around the axis of the first fixed gear 192, the shaft 182 coupled with the first intersecting gear 183, the motor 180 coupled with the shaft 182, and the rotary frame 120 having the motor 180 attached thereto rotate around the pivot shaft 191, and the pivot rod 190 coupled with the rotary frame 120 is bearing-coupled with the pivot shaft 191 and rotates together with the rotary frame 120.

[49] The shaft 182 and the pivot shaft 191 may be coupled by any of various gears. For example, the shaft 182 and the pivot shaft 191 may be coupled by a bevel gear as shown in FIG. 5, or by a worm gear. However, such gear-coupling is not limited to the above example, and those of ordinary skill in the art would know that various other gears are available for the coupling. There is less backlash with the worm gear than with the bevel gear and the worm gear can transfer energy more efficiently than the bevel gear.

[50] On the other hand, the other end of the pivot shaft 191 is coupled with the first safety device 200 instead of being fixed to the base frame 110, and the first safety device 200 may be fixed to the base frame 110, as shown in FIG. 5. The first safety device 200 may be configured to rotate and thus run idle with respect to the shaft 182 when a rotary force higher than a predetermined level is transferred to the pivot shaft 191.

[51] If the shaft 182 is not idle when a rotary force higher than the predetermined level is transferred to the pivot shaft 191, an injury may be caused due to a safety problem and the motor 180 may be damaged due to being overloaded. That is, when the rotary frame 120 is rotating due to the operating of the motor 180, an obstacle such as a user may obstruct rotation of the rotary frame 120, and when the rotary frame 120 continues progressing in the same direction due to the operation of the motor 180, a safety problem may occur in which the user is injured. If the obstructing force of the obstacle is greater than the rotary force of the motor 180, and thus preventing the motor 180 from rotating, the motor 180 may be overloaded.

[52] FIG. 6 is a partial cross-section view of the first safety device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. A side of the first safety device 200 may be coupled with the pivot shaft 191 and another side thereof may be fixed to the base frame 110.

[53] The first safety device 200 may be configured to not rotate until a predetermined rotary force is applied by the pivot shaft 191. If the rotary frame 120 stops rotating by being obstructed by an obstacle, the rotary force transferred to the pivot shaft 191 increases due to the continuous rotation of the motor 180. As such, when a force greater than the predetermined level is applied to the pivot shaft 191, the pivot shaft 191 idles with respect to the shaft 182, thereby protecting the safety of the user and protecting the motor 180 against an overload.

[54] For example, the pivot shaft 191 may idle with respect to the shaft 182 in the following method. The first safety device 200 is disposed to be coupled with the pivot shaft 191 as shown in FIG. 5, and the pivot shaft 191 may be axial-coupled with a first coupling 202 as shown in FIG. 6. The pivot shaft 191 and the first coupling 202 are rotatably axial-coupled with a first friction plate 203. The first coupling 202 is fixed to the first friction plate 203 by a frictional force between an end of the first coupling 202 and a first friction adjustment nut 205. On the axis of the first coupling 202 between the first friction adjustment nut 205 and the first friction plate 203 may be formed a first disc spring washer 204 rotatably coupled with the first friction plate 203 and supported by a frictional force. The first friction plate 203 is fixed to the base frame 110. Consequently, in FIG. 5, although the pivot shaft 191 is supplied with a rotary force as the shaft 182 rotates, the pivot shaft 191 does not rotate due to the frictional force between the first disc spring washer 204 and the first friction plate 203. Instead, the shaft 182 rotates around the fixed pivot shaft 191. If the shaft 182 stops rotating due to an obstacle, because the shaft 182 does not rotate around the pivot shaft 191, the rotary force of the shaft 182 is transferred to the pivot shaft 191. When the rotary force transferred to the pivot shaft 191 exceeds the frictional force between the first disc spring washer 204 and the first friction plate 203, the first disc spring washer 204 and the pivot shaft 191 idle.

[55] Meanwhile, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above example, and an example that can be obtained by easily changing the aforementioned idling method of the pivot shaft 191 would also fall within the scope of the present invention.

[56] As shown in FIG. 6, the first safety device 200 may include the first coupling 202 coupled with the pivot shaft 191, the first friction adjustment nut 205 engaged to the exterior of the first coupling 202 to adjust a frictional pressure, the first disc spring washer 204 positioned on the exterior of the first coupling 202 and the first friction adjustment nut 205 to provide a frictional pressure to the first friction plate 203, a first felt material 206, such as leather, at left and right sides of the friction plate 203, and a first plain washer 207 at left and right sides of the first felt material 206 disposed on the friction plate 203. The first friction plate 203 is fixed and coupled with a first fixing and coupling device 201 fixed to the base frame 110.

[57] The first safety device 200 is not limited to the above example, and may be configured variously. Those of ordinary skill in the art would know that the first safety device 200 may be configured variously by replacing the above-described components with other equivalent components.

[58] FIG. 5 also shows the second drive assembly 170, which moves the slide frame 130 to slide with respect to the rotary frame 120 in the longitudinal direction as a second intersecting gear 181 on the shaft 182 rotates due to driving of the motor 180.

[59] The second drive assembly 170 may be configured by various gear couplings. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line I-I of FIG. 1. An example of the second drive assembly 170 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 7. As shown in FIG. 5, as the shaft 182 coupled with the motor 180 rotates, the second intersecting gear 181 on the shaft 182 rotates. A first rotary gear 241 coupled with the second intersecting gear 181 also rotates by the rotation of the second intersecting gear 181. Coupling between the shaft 182 and the first rotary gear 241 may be achieved by worm gear coupling or bevel gear coupling. There is less backlash with a worm gear than with a bevel gear and the worm gear can transfer energy more efficiently than the bevel gear.

[60] Referring to FIG. 7, as the first rotary gear 241 rotates, a second rotary gear 245 coaxial-coupled with the first rotary gear 241 also rotates. A third rotary gear 242 in contact with the second rotary gear 245 also rotates with the rotation of the second rotary gear 245, and a fourth rotary gear 243 axial-coupled with the third rotary gear 242 also rotates together with the rotation of the third rotary gear 242. The fourth rotary gear 243 may be a spur gear. The fourth rotary gear 243 contacts a first linear gear 244 and the first linear gear 244 may convert rotation of the fourth rotary gear 243 into linear movement. The first linear gear 244 may be a rack gear.

[61] FIG. 8 is a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 viewing a surface of the rotary frame 120. Referring to FIG. 8, the slide frame 130 engaged with the first linear gear 244 may slide in the longitudinal direction D according to the rotation direction of the fourth rotary gear 243 by means of the fourth rotary gear 243 and the first linear gear 244 in the second drive assembly 170.

[62] In FIG. 5, the second drive assembly 170 may include a second safety device 250, which is shown in FIG. 9. An operation of the second safety device 250 will be described with reference to FIG. 9. In FIG. 8, if the slide frame 130 stops sliding due to an obstacle, the first linear gear 244 coupled with the slide frame 130 stops moving. Once the first linear gear 244 stops moving, gears stop moving in series and thus the first rotary gear 241 stops rotating. If the motor 130 continues operating even when the first rotary gear 241 stops rotating due to an obstacle such as a person in FIG. 9, a safety problem may occur due to movement of the slide frame 130. If the first rotary gear 241 is fixed in spite of rotation of the motor 180, the motor 180 may be damaged by an overload imposed thereto. Therefore, the second safety device 250 may be configured to fix the second rotary gear 245 while allowing the first rotary gear 241 to rotate if the second rotary gear 245 stops rotating while the first rotary gear 241 is rotating, when a difference between the rotary force of the first rotary gear 241 and the rotary force of the second rotary gear 245 is higher than a predetermined level. Those of ordinary skill in the art would configure the second safety device 250 variously. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, a second coupling 252 may be coupled with the second rotary gear 245. The second coupling 252 is coupled with a second disc spring washer 254. The second disc spring washer 254 is coupled with a second friction plate 253 in such a way that the second disc spring washer 254 is rotatable and is supported by a frictional force. The second friction plate 253 is coupled with the first rotary gear 241.

[63] As the first rotary gear 241 rotates, the second friction plate 253 rotates, which causes rotation of the second disc spring washer 254 supported by the frictional force with respect to the second friction plate 253. The rotation of the second disc spring washer 254 brings about rotation of the second rotary gear 245 through the second coupling 252. If the second rotary gear 245 is fixed due to obstruction by an obstacle and the first rotary gear 241 continues rotating, the second friction plate 253 rotates with respect to the second disc spring washer 254 and the first rotary gear 241 idles with respect to the shaft 182 shown in FIG. 5 when a difference between a rotary force affecting the first rotary gear 241 and a rotary force affecting the second rotary gear 245 is greater than a frictional force affecting the second disc spring washer 254 and a frictional force affecting the second friction plate 253.

[64] As such, the second safety device 250 may be configured in a way similar to the first safety device 200. In FIG. 9, the second friction adjustment nut 255 for adjusting a frictional pressure applied to the exterior of the second coupling 252 may be provided. That is, due to a frictional force generated between the second disc spring washer 254 and the second friction plate 253 by a pressure between an end of the second coupling 252 and the second friction adjustment nut 255, the second disc spring washer 254 rotates as the second friction plate 253 rotates.

[65] If the second rotary gear 245 coupled with the second coupling 252 stops rotating and a rotary force of the second friction plate 253 coupled with the first rotary gear 241, by which the second friction plate 253 continues rotating, becomes larger than a frictional force between the second disc spring washer 254 and the second friction plate 253 by means of the second friction adjustment nut 255, the second friction plate 253 idles with respect to the first rotary gear 241. A felt material 256 such as leather may be disposed at left and right sides of the second friction plate 253. A second plain washer 257 may be disposed at left and right sides of the second felt material 256 disposed on the second friction plate 253. The second friction plate 253 may be coupled with the first rotary gear 241.

[66] The second safety device 250 may be configured variously without being limited to the above example, and those of ordinary skill in the art would know that the second safety device 250 may be configured by replacing the above-described components with other equivalent components.

[67] In FIG. 5, 7, or 8, the second drive assembly 170 transfers a rotary force as the motor

180 is driven together with the first safety device 200 and the second drive device 250 according to an embodiment of the present invention. However, the second drive assembly 170 is not limited to the example shown in FIG. 5, 7, or 8. For example, the second drive assembly 170 may also be configured as shown in FIGS. 10 through 12.

[68] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a mounting apparatus for adjusting a tilt and a swivel angle of a display device according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a conceptual view of the second drive assembly 170 according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line IMI of FIG. 10.

[69] As shown in FIG. 10, the motor 180 is axial-coupled with the second intersecting gear 181, which is axial-coupled with a fifth rotary gear 186. As the second intersecting gear 181 rotates due to driving of the motor 180, the first rotary gear 241 coupled with the second intersecting gear 181 rotates and the fifth rotary gear 186 axial-coupled with the second intersecting gear 181 also rotates, whereby a sixth rotary gear 187 coupled with the fifth rotary gear 186 rotates, the rotation of the sixth rotary gear 187 causes rotation of the shaft 182, and the rotation of the shaft 182 is transferred to the first drive assembly 160. Referring to FIG. 12, the first rotary gear 241 is coupled with a side of the second safety device 250 and another side of the second safety device 250 may be coupled with the fourth rotary gear 243. The fourth rotary gear 243 contacts the first linear gear 244 and the first linear gear 244 converts rotation of the fourth rotary gear 243 into linear movement. The first linear gear 244 may be a rack gear.

[70] Coupling between the second intersecting gear 181 and the first rotary gear 241 may be achieved by worm gear coupling or bevel gear coupling. There is less backlash with a worm gear than with a bevel gear and the worm gear can transfer energy more efficiently than the bevel gear.

[71] Coupling between the second drive assembly 170 and the second safety device 250 according to the current embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 9. In FIG. 12, the first rotary gear 241 is coupled with the second friction plate 253 of the second safety device 250 shown in FIG. 9 and the fourth rotary gear 243 is coupled with the second coupling 252 shown in FIG. 9. Thus, if the first linear gear 244 stops moving due to being obstructed by an obstacle, the fourth rotary gear 243 coupled with the first linear gear 244 also stops rotating. If a difference between a rotary force affecting the fourth rotary gear 243 and a rotary force affecting the first rotary gear 241 exceeds a predetermined frictional force in the second safety device 250, the fourth rotary gear 243 stops rotating and the first rotary gear 241 idles with respect to the second intersecting gear 181.

[72] FIG. 13 is a side view of the panel mounting bracket 150 pivotably coupled with the base bracket 140. To allow a user to adjust a viewing angle, the panel mounting bracket 150 may pivot relative to the base bracket 140 to adjust a tilt and thus the tilt may be manually adjusted by using a fixing groove (not shown). The manual adjustment of the viewing angle of the panel mounting bracket 150 may be achieved by a structure where the panel mounting bracket 150 is pivotably coupled with the base bracket 140 or a structure where a fixing groove (not shown) may be disposed in the base bracket 140 and where the panel mounting bracket 150 is coupled with the base bracket 140 at various angles. Therefore, the tilt between the panel mounting bracket 150 and the base bracket 140 may be formed according to user convenience.

[73] As shown in FIGS. 14 through 17, the viewing angle of the panel mounting bracket

150 may be automatically adjusted as the slide frame 130 moves on the rotary frame 120. As shown in FIG. 14, a slide wheel may be rotatably disposed on the panel mounting bracket 150 and thus may slide along a slide guide 280. FIGS. 14 and 16 are respectively a plane view and a side view before the slide frame 130 moves and FIGS. 15 and 17 are respectively a plane view and a side view after the panel mounting bracket 150 positioned at an angle with respect to the reference plane 1 by movement of the slide frame 130. In FIGS. 14 and 15, when the slide frame 130 slides on the rotary frame 120, the slide wheel rotatably disposed on the panel mounting bracket 150 may move from a first slide wheel position 281a to a second slide wheel position 281b along the slide guide 280.

[74] As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, prior to movement of the slide frame 130, the slide wheel rotatably disposed on the panel mounting bracket 150 may move from the first slide wheel position 281a to the second slide wheel position 281b along the slide guide 280 by its own weight. As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, as the slide wheel moves from the first slide wheel position 281a to the second slide wheel position 281b along the slide guide 280, the panel mounting bracket 150 where the slide wheel is disposed is tilted by its own weight, thus having a tilt with respect to a line perpendicular to the ground when viewed from a side as shown in FIG. 17. That is, before movement of the slide frame 130, the display device 2 is in its initial state where it does not rotate in a second direction because the slide wheel is in the first slide wheel position 281a; whereas after movement of the slide frame 130, the display device 2 rotates in the second direction and thus adjusts a viewing angle because the slide wheel is in the second slide wheel position 281b.

[75] When the slide frame 130 returns to its initial position with respect to the rotary frame 120, the slide wheel returns to its initial position accordingly and the angle of the panel mounting bracket 150 with respect to the base bracket 140 returns to its initial state.

[76] FIG. 18 shows a control system 400 for controlling the position of the rotary frame

120 with respect to the base frame 110 and the position of the slide frame 130 with respect to the rotary frame 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 19 is a block diagram of the control system 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[77] As shown in FIG. 19, the control system 400 may include a reception unit 410, a control unit 420, and a drive unit 430. The reception unit 410 senses the position and the number of rotations of the rotary frame 120 and the position of the slide frame 130 with respect to the rotary frame 120. The control unit 420 has input thereto the position of the rotary frame 120 received by the reception unit 410 and outputs a control value. The drive unit 430 receives the control value output by the control unit 420 and drives the motor 180 according to the control value.

[78] In the control system 400, for example, the reception unit 410 may include a sensor

300, a first switch 310, and a second switch 320 as shown in FIG. 18, but may be configured variously without being limited to the above example, as obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art.

[79] The sensor 300 may measure the rotation angle of the rotary frame 120 with respect to the reference plane 1 based on the number of rotations of a rotator (not shown) provided in the sensor 300. For example, if a possible rotation angle of the rotary frame 120 with respect to the base frame 110 is 90°, the rotator provided in the sensor 300 rotates completely once as the rotary frame 120 rotates 10° so that the position of the rotary frame 120 with respect to the reference plane 1 of the base frame 110 may be recognized based on the number of rotations of the rotator. If the rotary rotates four times, the rotary frame 120 has rotated 40° with respect to the reference plane 1 of the base frame 110.

[80] The first switch 310 may be disposed on a surface of the rotary frame 120 as shown in FIG. 8. When the rotary frame 120 is as closely as possible to the reference plane 1 in an initial state, the first switch 310 is in an ON state by being pressed by a first switch corresponding point 311 positioned on the base frame 110. When the rotary frame 120 moves around the pivot rod 191 in a directionS2 away from the reference plane 1, the first switch 310 is separated from the first switch corresponding point31 l,thus entering an OFF state. As such, based on transition of the ON or OFF state of the first switch 310, a change in the position of the rotary frame 120 with respect to the reference plane 1 can be recognized.

[81] The second switch 320 may be disposed between another surface of the rotary frame

120 and the slide frame 130. In an initial state, the slide frame 130 is positioned on the rotary frame 120 toward the base frame 110 in a direction Dl, and thus the second switch 320 maintains the ON state by means of the slide frame 130. When the slide frame 130 moves in the direction D2 away from the base frame 110 as the rotary frame 120 rotates,the seconds witch 320 enters the OFF state. As such, based on transition of the ON or OFF state of the second switch 320, a change in the position of the slide frame 130 with respect to the rotary frame 120 can be recognized.

[82] FIG. 20 is a flowchart of a method of controlling the position of the rotary frame 120 and the position of the slide frame 130 through the control system 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[83] Referring to FIG. 20, before receiving a command, the control system 400 maintains a command wait mode in operation S501. Upon receipt of a command in operation S502, the control system 400 determines whether the command is a 90°- rotation command in operation S503. The 90°-rotation command is a command for rotating the rotary frame 120 in the direction D2 away from the reference plane 1 in FIG.18.

[84] If the command is the 90°-rotation command, the motor 180 starts being driven in a normal rotation direction in operation S504. The control system 400 determines whether the first switch 310 is in the ON state or in the OFF state during the driving of the motor 180 in the normal rotation direction in operation S505. If the first switch 310 is in the ON state, the control system 400 recognizes that the rotary frame 120 has not yet been moved away from the reference plane 1 and maintains the driving of the motor 180 in the normal rotation direction in operation S504.

[85] After determining the ON or OFF state of the first switch 310, the control system 400 determines whether the second switch 320 is in the ON state or in the OFF state in operation S506. If both of the first switch 310 and the second switch 320 are in the OFF state, the rotary frame 120 and the slide frame 130 are moved and thus the control system 400 determines the number of rotations (or rotation number) of the rotator of the sensor 300 in operation S507. The sensor 300 may have a maximum rotation number and a minimum rotation number as predetermined limits for possible rotation angles of the rotary frame 120. For example, although the rotary frame 120 can rotate 110°, it may substantially rotate in a range of 20° to 90° with respect to the reference plane 1 of the base frame 110. If the rotator rotates once each time the rotary frame 120 rotates 10° with respect to the reference plane 1, the minimum rotation number is 2 and the maximum rotation number is 9, whereby substantially, a rotation number of up to 11 is possible. Thus, the sensor 300 recognizes the rotation number to determine whether the rotation number is equal to or greater than the maximum rotation number in operation S507. If the rotation number is equal to or greater than the maximum rotation number, the motor 180 is stopped in operation S509 and the control system 400 goes back to operation S501 to re-enter the command wait mode.

[86] While the sensor 300 is determining the rotation number, the rotary frame 120 may not move due to being obstacle by an obstacle. In this case, the sensor 300 calculates a time of a delay period where the rotation number does not increase or a time of a delay period necessary to normally rotate to the maximum number rotations after the start of the driving of the motor 180 in the normal rotation direction, and if the calculated time is longer than a predetermined delay value, the motor 180 is driven in a reverse rotation direction in operation S551. In other words, if the rotary frame 120 meets an obstacle during movement in the direction S2 away from the reference plane 1 in FIG.18, the control system 400 may move the rotary frame 120 in the direction Sl toward the reference plane 1.

[87] In operation S503 where it is determined whether the command is the 90°- rotation command, if the command is a 0°- rotation command in operation S550, the motor 180 is driven in the reverse rotation direction in operation S551 and thus the rotary frame 120 moves in the direction Sl toward the reference plane 1.

[88] When the motor 180 is driven in the reverse rotation direction, it is determined whether the first switch 310 is in the ON state by contacting the first switch corresponding point 311 of the base frame 110 in operation S552. If so, it is determined whether the second switch 320 is in the ON state in operation S553. If so, the control system 400 determines whether the rotation number of the rotator of the sensor 300 is equal to or less than the minimum rotation number in operation S554. If so, the driving of the motor 180 is stopped in operation S556 and the control system 400 goes back to operation S501 to re-enter the command wait mode.

[89] While the sensor 300 compares the rotation number with the minimum rotation number, the rotary frame 120 may not move due to being obstructed by an obstacle. In this case, the sensor 300 calculates a time of a delay period where the rotation number does not increase or a time of a delay period necessary to rotate to the minimum number of rotations after the start of the driving of the motor 180 in the reverse rotation direction, and if the calculated time is longer than a predetermined delay value in operation S504, the motor is driven in the normal rotation direction. That is, if the rotary frame 120 meets an obstacle during movement in the direction Sl toward the reference plane 1 in FIG.18, the control system 400 may move the rotary frame 120 in the direction S2 away from the reference plane 1.

[90] In operation S503 where it is determined whether the command is the 90°- rotation command, if the command is not either the 90°-rotation command or the 0°-rotation command in operation S550, the driving of the motor 180 is stopped in operation S557 and the control system 400 goes back to operation S501 to re-enter the command wait mode.

[91] However, the control system 400 is not limited to the above example, and those of ordinary skill in the art would know that various embodiments of the control system 400 are possible. For example, if the rotary frame 120 meets an obstacle during rotation, the control system 400 may stop the rotation of the motor 180, thus stopping the rotation of the rotary frame 120. The present invention is applicable to any industry manufacturing and using a cradle of a display device.

[92] While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.

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