CN112013235B

CN112013235B - Display lifting arm

Info

Publication number: CN112013235B
Application number: CN202010451703.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: K·P·劳伦特; B·W·德格纳; D·L·麦克布鲁姆; D·H·纳拉约维斯基; E·T·斯威特
Original assignee: Apple Inc
Current assignee: Apple Inc
Priority date: 2019-05-31
Filing date: 2020-05-25
Publication date: 2022-04-05
Anticipated expiration: 2040-05-25
Also published as: CN112013235A

Abstract

A display assembly has a link and counterbalance made to provide non-tilting movement of a display at an end of a support arm while providing a balance equal to potential energy changes of the display. The links may be four-bar parallelogram links, and the counterbalance may include a scotch yoke configured to store energy in the energy storage device of the assembly as the support arm rotates. The display assembly can improve the comfort and ease of moving the supported display while minimizing friction, hysteresis, and balance mismatch.

Description

Display lifting arm

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application 62/855,315 entitled "DISPLAY LIFT ARM," filed on 31/5/2019, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Technical Field

Embodiments described herein relate generally to a stand and support for an electronic device. More particularly, the embodiments relate to a balance arm support for a computer display.

Background

Computer device designers typically desire to control the positioning of a computer monitor or similar display at any height and orientation that is best suited to the needs of the user. The support stand is used to position the display to accommodate users of different heights, sizes and poses and table top surfaces. The support stand may also allow the user to adjust the positioning of the monitor with little effort.

While various existing display stands provide tilt, swivel, and vertical height adjustment for a monitor, these features often come at the expense of ease and natural use. Many features require the user to deal with significant friction or hysteresis, which makes adjustment difficult, cumbersome, and time consuming. Such problems hinder the stand from having a high quality and make it more difficult to provide a satisfactory user experience. Accordingly, there is a continuing need for improvements in the supports and supports for electronic devices.

Disclosure of Invention

One aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a display assembly including an electronic display, an arm link, and a counterbalance mechanism. The arm link may include: a first end support attachable to a support surface; a second end support coupled to an electronic display; a first lever attached to a first pivot point on the first end support and a second pivot point on the second end support; and a second lever attached to a third pivot point on the first end support and a fourth pivot point on the second end support. The first pivot point, the second pivot point, the third pivot point, and the fourth pivot point may form a parallelogram. The counterbalance mechanism can include an energy storage device and a mass coupled to the energy storage device, wherein movement of the electronic display can rotate the first and second levers about the first and third pivot points, respectively, and translate the mass to change the potential energy of the energy storage device. The change in potential energy of the energy storage device may be equal to a change in potential energy of the electronic display caused by movement of the electronic display.

The display assembly may further include a housing containing the arm link and the counterbalance mechanism, wherein the counterbalance mechanism includes a rotatable member having a follower end contacting the block, wherein the rotatable member is configured to pivot and cause translation of the block in response to the movement of the electronic display, and a display mount extending below the housing, wherein the support surface is positioned on the display mount. The second pivot point and the fourth pivot point may be stationary relative to each other during movement of the electronic display relative to the display stand.

In various embodiments, the support surface may be part of a display stand. The mass may engage a balance link to convert rotational motion of the arm link into translation of the mass. The balancing link may convert rotational motion of the arm link into rotation of a member of the balancing link. The rotational movement of the arm link can be converted to rotation of the member at a ratio of 2: 1. The block may be part of a rotating yoke.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a display support comprising a base, an arm extending from the base, wherein the arm comprises a first end member having a first lateral axis, a second end member having a second lateral axis, and a linkage coupling the first end member to the second end member, wherein the second end member is vertically translatable relative to the first end member without rotation of either the first end member or the second end member about its respective first lateral axis or second lateral axis, and an energy storage structure that increases energy storage proportional to downward movement of the second end member and decreases energy storage proportional to upward movement of the second end member.

In some embodiments, the energy storage structure may be positioned in the arm. The display support may include a weight coupled to the second end member, wherein the energy storage structure stores or releases energy in an amount equal to an amount by which the weight potential energy changes. The first end member may include a first gear surface and the energy storage structure may include a second gear surface engaging the first gear surface. The first and second gear surfaces may cause a portion of the energy storage structure to rotate at half the rate of rotation of the linkage. The energy storage structure may include a mass and a biasing member, wherein the biasing member stores energy in response to movement of the second end member, and wherein the biasing member applies a force to the mass.

Yet another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to an electronic display assembly comprising an electronic display having a forward viewing surface, a stand, a linkage coupled to the stand by a vertical axis, wherein the linkage is coupled to the electronic display; and a counterbalance assembly having a biasing member and a counterbalance mechanism to change the potential energy stored in the biasing member. Applying a force to the electronic display can pivot the link relative to the mount and relative to the electronic display, wherein the forward viewing surface is parallel to the vertical axis, and applying a force can rotate a counterbalance mechanism to change an amount of potential energy stored in a biasing member that is equal to the changed amount of potential energy of the electronic display.

In some embodiments, the balancing mechanism comprises a four-bar linkage or a block coupled to the biasing member, wherein rotation of the linkage relative to the bracket translates the block. The balancing mechanism may comprise meshing gears. The links may be four-bar links. The counterbalance assembly may be positioned between the electronic display and the stand.

Drawings

The present disclosure will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a display assembly with the display in a lowered position.

Fig. 2 shows a side view of the assembly of fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a front view of the assembly of fig. 1 with the display in a raised position.

Fig. 4 shows a side view of the assembly of fig. 3.

Figure 5 shows an isometric view of the support arm and bracket.

Figure 6 shows an isometric view of the support arm.

Figure 7 shows another isometric view of the support arm.

Figure 8 shows a side cross-sectional view of the support arm of figure 7 taken along section line 8-8 in figure 7.

Figure 9 shows a side cross-sectional view of the support arm of figure 7 taken along section line 9-9 in figure 7.

Fig. 10 shows a side view of the display assembly in a lowered position.

Fig. 11 shows a central side cross-sectional view of the assembly of fig. 10.

Fig. 12 shows a side view of the display assembly of fig. 10 in a horizontal position.

Fig. 13 shows a central side cross-sectional view of the assembly of fig. 12.

Fig. 14 shows a side view of the display assembly of fig. 10 in a raised position.

Fig. 15 shows a central side cross-sectional view of the assembly of fig. 14.

Fig. 16 shows a side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a display assembly with the support arm in a lowered position.

Fig. 17 shows a side cross-sectional view of the assembly of fig. 16 in a horizontal position.

Fig. 18 shows an isometric view of the assembly of fig. 17.

Fig. 19 shows a side cross-sectional view of the assembly of fig. 16 in a raised position.

Fig. 20 shows a diagrammatic side view of another embodiment of a display assembly with the display in a raised position.

Fig. 21 is a graph of energy versus arm angle for an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following description is not intended to limit the embodiments to any preferred embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as defined by the appended claims.

The following disclosure relates to a balanced support arm apparatus that uses a scotch yoke to adjust potential energy in at least one biasing member counterbalance having a constant spring rate. The energy of the system may be balanced at all times such that when the display moves downward and thus loses potential energy, additional equal energy is stored in the potential energy of the biasing member. The biasing member may be compressed or expanded when the potential energy of the display changes, and the compression or expansion may be provided by contact between the biasing member and a translatable yoke or block structure whose translation is driven by a rotating shaft in a scotch yoke.

In some embodiments, the angular rate of movement of the scotch yoke is twice the rotation of the display support arm. Thus, when the arm is in a fully vertically upwardly extending orientation, the yoke link also extends vertically upwardly, and when the arm is moved downwardly to a vertically downwardly extending orientation (e.g., rotated 180 degrees relative to the upwardly extending orientation), the scotch yoke travels 90 degrees while storing energy in the biasing member (e.g., compression spring). The rate of compression of the biasing member may be matched to simple harmonic motion of the mass of the display. See fig. 21. In some embodiments, the support arm may have a total range of motion of about 80 degrees (i.e., about 40 degrees up relative to the horizontal configuration and about 40 degrees down relative to the horizontal configuration), about 60 degrees, about 90 degrees, about 120 degrees, about 150 degrees, about 180 degrees, or a range of fit between any of these ranges of motion.

In various embodiments, the scotch yoke may be driven by a 2:1 gear ratio between the gear surfaces, or by a 2:1 angular rate of rotation between the link arm in the four bar link arrangement of the support arm and the link arm that is part of the scotch yoke. When the support arm is in the horizontal configuration, the scotch yoke may provide a maximum torque and may provide a reduced torque in both the raised and lowered configurations (i.e., there is a torque drop relative to the torque at the horizontal configuration).

The support arm may hold the display at a constant tilt angle relative to the support surface or base of the stand as the support arm rotates. For example, the four-bar linkage can be integrated into the arm in a manner that maintains parallel motion of the first vertical plane through one end of the four-bar linkage (e.g., through a pair of pivot points of the bar in the four-bar linkage in one end support structure) and the second vertical plane through the opposite end of the four-bar linkage (e.g., through a pair of pivot points of the bar in the second end support structure). Thus, the support arm may have a yoke balance referenced by a four bar linkage or similar parallel motion device. In some embodiments, the end of the support arm may also provide tilt to an attached display (i.e., rotation of the display about the end of the support arm connected to the display).

In some embodiments, the balancing mechanism is positioned in a housing in the support arm between the support surface and the electronic display. The counterbalance mechanism may also be positioned in a support structure external to the display and the support arm, such as by being positioned in a cradle structure that supports an end of the support arm positioned opposite the electronic display.

The combination of the counterbalance with a 1:1 potential energy conversion and the parallel movement of the ends of the support arms can provide an improved smooth and precise adjustment movement of the electronic display between vertical positions. The input force required to adjust the display may also be constrained to a desired level because the counterbalance does not necessarily use friction to store energy or prevent movement of the support arm. Thus, friction in the pivotable portion of the support arm (e.g., friction discs in a four-bar linkage) may be designed to provide the required amount of resistance to adjustment. In this way, the movement of the support arm may be smooth and have a minimized hysteresis. In addition, the display coupling end of the support arm may be attached to a pivot member configured to allow the display to tilt relative to the display coupling end of the support arm without causing the display coupling end to move or rotate on itself.

These and other embodiments are discussed below with reference to the figures. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for explanatory purposes only and should not be construed as limiting.

Fig. 1-15 illustrate various aspects of a display assembly 100. Fig. 1 shows a front view and fig. 2 shows a right side view of an electronic display 102 coupled to a support arm 104, which is coupled to a stand 106. Fig. 3-4 illustrate the display 102 coupled to the support arm 104 in a raised position relative to the configuration shown in fig. 1-2.

The display assembly 100 may be a stand-alone assembly in which the support arm 104 and the stand 106 are configured to support the weight of a single display 102. In some embodiments, the display assembly 100 may omit the bracket 106, and the support arm 104 may be coupled to another support or ground surface, such as, for example, a vertical wall, a horizontal rail extending laterally across the width of the display 102 and located behind the display 102, or another similar structure. See element 1601 of fig. 16.

The display 102 may include an electronic display, such as a monitor or similar visual output device, for displaying information in pictorial form. The display 102 may include a display device, such as a thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) with a Light Emitting Diode (LED) or Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL) backlight or Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display, circuitry, a housing or casing, and a power supply. The display 102 may be configured to connect to a computer using a connector and port, such as a Digital Visual Interface (DVI) connector, a displayport (r) connector, a thunderbolt (r) connector, or other related or similar electrical interface.

The display 102 may include a forward facing surface 108 configured to face a user and display information to the user for viewing. Thus, the forward facing surface 108 may be referred to as a viewing surface. The forward facing surface 108 may be substantially planar/flat or curved (e.g., cylindrical concave or convex). The display 102 may include a rear facing surface 110 configured to face away from a user. The support arm 104 may be positioned between the rearward facing surface 110 and the bracket 106. The support arm 104 can be releasably coupled to the display 102 at the rear facing surface 110 or in a rear portion of the display 102. In some implementations, the support arm 104 can be attached to the display 102 at a display attachment point 115.

The support arm 104 may also be coupled to a bracket 106. The stand 106 may include a base 112 configured to extend below the display 102, and may include a vertical support 114 configured to extend upward from the base 112 and behind the rearward facing surface 110 of the display 102. The vertical support 114 may have a top end at which the support arm 104 is attached at a bracket attachment point 116. Accordingly, the stand 106 may be referred to as having a generally L-shaped profile, wherein the display 102 is positioned over the L-shaped base portion 112, as shown in fig. 2 and 4.

The support arm 104 may hold the display 102 in place relative to the stand 106 and may hold the display 102 in a user-selected vertical position relative to the stand 106. The support arm 104 may be a displayThe monitor remains in a number of different positions, including a lowered position (as shown in fig. 1-2) and a raised position (as shown in fig. 3-4), wherein the position of the display 102 remains stationary (i.e., the support arm 104 is pulled downward by the weight of the display 102 without drifting or sagging downward). The user may provide an input force oriented in a vertical direction to raise the display 102 relative to the stand 106, such as force F in FIG. 2₁Shown, or the user may provide a vertically oriented input force F₂To lower the display 102 relative to the stand 106 as shown in fig. 4. As the display 102 moves, it may travel through an arcuate path having a radius defined by the length of the support arm 104. See fig. 10-15 and the associated description below.

Fig. 5-9 show views of a support arm 104 according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The support arm 104 may include a housing 118 having a first end 120 and a second end 122. The first end 120 may be positioned adjacent to the stand 106 (relative to the second end 122) and the second end 122 may be positioned adjacent to the display 102 (relative to the first end 120). The housing 118 may include a smooth, hard outer surface, and may include a rigid material, such as a rigid metal, ceramic, or plastic. The support arm 104 may comprise a generally elongated shape having flat side surfaces and curved end surfaces. In fig. 5-9, the support arm 104 is shown with some side surfaces of the housing 118 omitted to show the internal components of the support arm 104.

Within the housing 118, the support arm 104 may include a first end support 124 positioned in the first end 120 and a second end support 126 positioned in the second end 122. See fig. 5-7. The first end support 124 may be coupled to the bracket 106 or another support surface external to the support arm 104. The second end support 126 may be coupled to the display 102 or to a display mounting device 128 positioned at the second end 122 of the housing 118. The display mounting apparatus 128 may be attached to an intermediate display connector 130. The intermediate display connector 130 may be an element configured to attach to the display 102, such as a magnetic element magnetically attracted to the display 102 or an interlocking element configured to mechanically interlock with a portion of the display 102. The housing 118 is rotatable relative to the first and second end supports 124, 126 about a pair of pivot axes 132,134 shown in fig. 5,6 and 8.

The first and second rods 136,138 may be attached to pivot points 140,142 on the first end support 124 and may be attached to pivot points 144,146 on the second end support 126. The first and second levers 136,138 may pivot relative to their respective connected pivot points 140,142,144, 146. The first bar 136 and the second bar 138 may have equal lengths between the pivot points. For example, the length of the first lever 136 between the pivot points 140 and 144 may be equal to the length of the second lever 138 between the pivot points 142, 146. The first bar 136 and the second bar 138 may be arranged parallel to each other in a lowered position, a horizontal position, and a raised position (i.e., the positions of fig. 10,12, and 14, respectively). Thus, the distance between the pivot points 140,142 on the first end support 124 may be equal to the distance between the pivot points 144,146 on the second end support 126. Thus, the four pivot points 140,142 may define the corners of a quadrilateral parallelogram 148, as shown in fig. 10,12 and 14.

Applied to the display 102 (e.g., F)₁Or F₂) Or an input force applied to the support arm 104 may cause the first and second rods 136,138 to rotate relative to the first end support 124, the axis of rotation passing through the pivot points 140, 142. The first and second rods 136,138 are also rotatably attached to the second end support 126, so that rotation of the rods 136,138 at the first end support 124 also causes an equal amount of rotation at the second end support 126 about its associated pivot points 144, 146. To this end, the line extending through the first end support pivot points 140,142 is always parallel to the line extending through the second end support pivot points 144, 146. The parallel movement of the pairs of nearby pivot points 140/142,144/146 ensures that the display 102 does not rotate relative to the display mounting device 128 or the display connector 130 as the support arm 104 moves about the pivot axis 132 between the positions shown in figures 10,12, and 14. The first end pivot points 140,142 may be stationary relative to each other as the levers 136,138 rotate, and the second end pivot points 144,146 may also be stationary relative to each other as the levers 136,138 rotate. In some embodiments, the display mounting device 128 can allow the display 102 to tilt without tiltingThe manner of moving the support arm 104 rotates about the second pivot axis 134 independently of the housing 118 and independently of the second end support 126.

The first bar 136 and the second bar 138 may be referred to as a four-bar link or a four-link, four-joint, closed-loop link. The first bar 136 and the second bar 138 may be two links in a four-bar linkage, and the first end support 124 and the second end support 126 may be the remaining two links. The first and second rods 136,138 may rotate without translating relative to each other, and the first and second end supports 124, 126 may translate relative to each other without rotating relative to each other.

The support arm 104 may include at least one four-bar linkage. In some embodiments, the four-bar linkage is positioned at different points within the housing 118. For example, as shown in fig. 4,5, and 7, a third bar 150 and a fourth bar 152 may be disposed on a side of the housing 118 opposite the first bar 136 and the second bar 138. In some embodiments, the plurality of four-bar linkages may be configured with completely separate links or rods. In some cases, the four-bar linkage may share links or bars, such as how the third bar 150 and the fourth bar 152 are pivotally connected to the same first end support 124 and second end support 126 as the first bar 136 and second bar 138. See fig. 5 and 7.

The interior of the housing 118 may also include a balancing mechanism 154 (i.e., a balancing assembly or energy storage structure). The counterbalance mechanism 154 may include at least one energy storage device 156 and at least one yoke 158. The counterbalance mechanism 154 may be configured to store or release potential energy internally as the potential energy of the display 102 changes in response to moving up or down.

The energy storage device 156 may include one or more springs (e.g., resiliently compressible coils, gas springs, elastomeric materials, resiliently extendable coils, gravity displaceable weights, cables and pulleys, similar devices, and combinations thereof). In some embodiments, the springs are positioned in a side-by-side configuration, which may reduce the vertical thickness of the support arm 104, while still providing significant spring force and energy storage capacity. See energy storage device 160 in fig. 7.

The energy storage device 156 may be positioned in the support arm 104 or external to the support arm (see fig. 20). The energy storage device 156 may store energy by being compressed (e.g., in the case of a compression spring), may store energy by expanding (e.g., in the case of an extension spring), or may store energy by moving (e.g., in the case of a movable weight). The balancing mechanism 154 may be configured to ensure that the energy stored in the energy storage device 156 is equal to the energy lost by moving the display 102 downward, and that the energy lost from the energy storage device 156 is equal to the energy gained by moving the display 102 upward.

The compression spring is shown as the stored energy device 156 of fig. 5-15, and the spring is shown with maximum compression (i.e., minimum length along the length dimension of the support arm 104) in the lowered position shown in fig. 11. The spring has less compression in the horizontal position shown in fig. 13 and minimal compression in the raised position shown in fig. 15. Thus, the compression spring stores the most energy in the minimum height lowered position and the least energy in the maximum height raised position.

The rate of compression or expansion of the energy storage device 156 may be matched to simple harmonic motion of the mass of the display 102. The energy storage device 156 may comprise a linear spring having a constant spring rate to provide this behavior. See also fig. 21 and the related description below.

The energy storage device 156 may adjust its potential energy through operation of the yoke 158. The yoke 158 may include a translatable block 162 that engages the stored energy device 156 and a balance arm 164 for adjusting the position of the block 162. The balance arm 164 may be mounted to the housing 118 at a balance pivot point 166 and may have a follower 168 that contacts a surface 170 (see fig. 8) of the block 162. The follower 168 may be a roller or a rounded surface, such as a cam follower, and may be configured to maintain constant contact with the surface 170. The balance arm 164 may also include an arm gear surface 172 configured to engage an end support gear surface 174 of the first end support 124. The yoke 158 may be referred to as a scotch yoke or yoke mechanism configured to convert rotational movement of the balance arm 164 into translational movement of the block 162.

As the support arm 104 moves, the housing 118 rotates, thereby moving the counterbalance pivot point 166 relative to the pivot axis 132 extending through the first end support 124. See fig. 8. The engagement of the gear surfaces 172,174 causes the balance arm 164 to rotate about the pivot point 166, thereby driving the follower 168 through an arcuate path about the pivot point 166. The longitudinal position of the follower 168 (i.e., the position of the follower along the longitudinal axis L (see fig. 11) of the housing 118) thus changes with the rotation of the housing 118. At the minimum lowered position of the support arm 104, the follower 168 is at a maximum longitudinal displacement away from the pivot axis 132, as shown in fig. 11. At the maximum raised position of the support arm 104, the follower 168 is at a minimum longitudinal displacement from the pivot axis 132, as shown in fig. 15. Because the arcuate path of the follower 168 moves about the pivot point 166, the rate of change of the longitudinal distance between the follower 168 and the pivot axis 132 as a function of the degree of rotation of the support arm 104 is lower when the support arm 104 is in the lowered position than when the support arm 104 is in the raised position. This rate of change is reflected in the periodic sinusoidal curvature of the spring potential energy curve 2104 of fig. 21.

The energy storage device 156 may bias the translatable block 162 toward the pivot axis 132. Thus, movement of the follower 168 along the longitudinal axis of the housing 118 toward the pivot axis 132 allows the energy storage device 156 to expand, and movement of the follower 168 toward the pivot axis 134 can compress the energy storage device 156. Expansion of the energy storage device 156 may release its potential energy, and compression thereof may store the potential energy. The elastic characteristics of the energy storage device 156 may be designed to ensure that the change in potential energy of the energy storage device 156 caused by the rotation of the support arm 104 precisely offsets the change in potential energy caused by the vertical movement of the mass of the display 102 (and any other components attached thereto that also move vertically). See also fig. 21 and its associated description herein.

The gear ratio between the arm gear surface 172 and the support gear surface 174 may be designed to provide a 2:1 ratio of the angular displacement of the support arm 104 about the pivot axis 132 to the angular displacement of the balance arm 164 about the balance pivot point 166. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, the support arm 104 may have an angle A relative to the horizontal axis X₁A longitudinal axis L of positioning, andthe balance arm 164 may have an axis P passing through the balance pivot point 166 and at an angle B relative to an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis L₁Center of the oriented follower 168. In various embodiments, the axis P may extend through the pivot point 166 and through another single point in the balance arm 164. Angle A₁Indicating that the support arm 104 is at an angle of about 45 degrees below the horizontal axis X, and angle B₁The indicating follower 168 is at an angle of about 30 degrees relative to the horizontal axis X.

In the horizontal configuration of fig. 13, the support arm 104 has rotated its longitudinal axis L to about zero degrees offset from the horizontal axis X, and angle B₂Has increased to about 52.5 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis L. Thus, in response, angle A₁Has increased from about negative 45 degrees to about zero degrees, and angle B₁Has increased by about 22.5 degrees. To B₂About 22.5 degrees of the longitudinal axis L is about one-half of the amount of angular displacement of the longitudinal axis L.

In the raised configuration of fig. 15, the support arm 104 has rotated its longitudinal axis L to about a 45 degree angle a above the horizontal axis X₂And angle B₃Has increased to about 75 degrees. Thus, each angular displacement of the longitudinal axis L of the support arm 104 is associated with about one-half of the angular displacement of the axis P extending through the balance pivot point 166 and the other fixed point on the balance arm 164. The rate of rotation of the support arm 104 may be twice the rate of rotation of the shaft P.

The blocks 162 of the yoke 158 may translate within the housing 118 when driven by the energy storage device 156 or the counterbalance arm 164. As shown in fig. 5,7,8 and 9, the block 162 may include a laterally extending shaft 176 that fits into a longitudinally elongated slot 178. The longitudinally oriented slot 178 may be formed in a block that is part of and stationary relative to the housing 118. Thus, when the support arm 104 is rotated as shown in fig. 10-15, the shaft 176 may be guided along the slot 178 to limit rotation of the block 162 relative to the housing 118 or the energy storage device 156. The shaft 176 may constrain the block 162 to translate along a longitudinal axis L extending through the pivot axes 132, 134. In some embodiments, the shaft 176 may include wheels, rollers, or similar devices to reduce friction between the shaft 176 and the slot 178. In some embodiments, the shafts 176 extend laterally in opposite directions from the block 162 and into two slots 178 positioned on opposite sides of the block 162.

The range of angular displacement of the support arm 104 may be limited by contact between the housing 118 and a surface external to the housing 118, such as by contact between the housing 118 and the stand 106 or between the housing 118 and the display connector 130 or the display 102. In some embodiments, the range of angular displacement may be limited by contact between components moving within the support arm 104. For example, as shown in fig. 9, the support arm 104 may include an angular limit block 180 configured to rotate with the housing 118 about the first pivot axis 132 and relative to the first end support 124. The angle limiter block 180 may have first and second side surfaces 182,184 configured to contact corresponding surfaces of the first end support 124 when the angle limiter block 180 is rotated to respective predetermined maximum and minimum angles relative to the horizontal axis X.

Angle C illustrates how the second side surface 184 is oriented at an angle relative to the horizontal axis X. As the support arm 104 is rotated downward (e.g., to the position of fig. 10), the second side surface 184 rotates relative to the pivot axis 132 until it contacts the first end support 124, thereby preventing further downward rotation of the housing 118 relative to the first end support 124. The first side surface 182 performs a similar function for upward rotation. The angle C and the distance between the second side surface 184 and the first end support 124 may be designed to define a desired range of downward angular displacement, and similar angles and distances may be designed to define a range of upward angular displacement. The angle between the two side surfaces 182,184 may define the overall range of angular displacement of the support arm 104.

Limiting the angular displacement using the angular limit block 180 may prevent contact between the housing 118 and the stand 106 or the display 102, thereby reducing the likelihood that they will scratch or dent into each other. It may also provide a predetermined amount of gap space or offset between the bracket 106 and the display 102, which may advantageously improve air circulation and cable routing through the gap or offset.

Figures 16-19 illustrate another embodiment of a support arm 1604 that may be used in a similar manner as the support arm 104. In these figures, elements having similar numbering may serve similar functions as elements of the embodiment of fig. 1-15. FIG. 16 is a side cross-sectional view of the support arm 1604 with the side panels of the housing 1618 in a lowered position with the top side bar 1636 and the bottom side bar 1638 removed to expose the internal components (one opposing top side bar 1686 is shown in FIG. 18). Fig. 17 is a side view of the support arm 1604 in a horizontal position, and fig. 19 is a side view of the support arm 1604 in a raised position. Fig. 18 shows an isometric view of the support arm 1604 in a horizontal position with the side and top portions of the housing 1618 and the side bar 1636,1638 omitted.

The support arm 1604 may include at least one four-bar linkage to control parallel movement of the display 102 relative to the stand 106. Thus, the support arm 1604 may operate in a similar manner as the support arm 104, as shown in fig. 10,12 and 14. Thus, fig. 16-19 illustrate features of the balancing mechanism 1658 within the support arm 1604. The counterbalance mechanism 1658 may include a four-bar link within the four-bar link that directs movement of the display 102. At least one energy storage device 1656 may be positioned in the housing 1618 and may be coupled with a counterbalance 1662 and the second end support 1626. Block 1662 may translate within housing 1618 in response to forces applied by energy storage device 1656 and a balancing link comprising balancing arm 1664 and transition arm 1688. A balance arm 1664 may be pivotally connected to the housing 1618 at a balance pivot point 1666, and may contact the block 1662 at a follower 1668. Transition arm 1688 may be pivotally connected to first end support 1624 at end support pivot point 1690 and to balance arm 1664 at arm pivot point 1692. The

pivot point

1666,1690,1692 and the pivot axis of the housing 1618 relative to the first end support 1624 may form a joint of a four-bar linkage within the support arm 1604. Housing 1618, first end support 1624, balance arm 1664, and transition arm 1688 may be links in a four-bar linkage of the balance mechanism.

The energy storage device 1656 can store or release potential energy as the block 1662 translates along the longitudinal axis of the support arm 1604. Rotation of balance arm 1664 may be driven by shift arm 1688 rather than by a gear interaction such as described above with respect to other embodiments. As shown in fig. 16-19, as the support arm 1604 rotates, the housing 1618 rotates relative to the first end support 1624. Because the balance arm 1664 is attached to the housing 1618 at the pivot point 1666, the balance arm 1664 moves with the housing 1618 relative to the first end support 1624. The distance between the balance pivot point 1666 and the end support pivot point 1690 changes with the movement of the housing 1618, thus rotating the shift arm 1688 relative to the first end support 1624. Due to the attachment at arm pivot point 1692, balance arm 1664 also simultaneously rotates about balance pivot point 1666. The distance between each

pivot point

1666,1690,1692 and follower 1668 may provide a 2:1 ratio of the angular displacement of housing 1618 to the angular displacement of an axis through the balance pivot point 1666 and another point on the balance arm 1664 (e.g., follower 1668) or through two other coincident points on the balance arm 1664.

For example, as shown in fig. 16, the axis through arm pivot point 1692 and follower 1668 is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of housing 1618. After the housing 1618 is rotated upward approximately 90 degrees, as shown in fig. 19, the same axis through

elements

1668 and 1692 is angled at approximately 45 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing 1618. This conversion ratio can control the amount of translation of the block 1662 along the longitudinal axis of the housing 1618, and thus can control the change in potential energy of the energy storage device 1656 as needed to offset the change in potential energy of the mass of the attached display 102. See also fig. 21 and the associated description herein.

In some embodiments, the first end support 1624 may include an angular displacement limiting feature. Transition arm 1688 may be positioned within a groove 1694 in first end support 1624 having lower side surface 1696 and upper side surface 1698. Lower surface 1696 and upper surface 1698 can contact shift arm 1688 at respective minimum and maximum rotational positions of housing 1618, as shown in fig. 16 and 19. Thus, the angle formed by lower side surface 1696 and upper side surface 1698 may define the range of motion of translation arm 1688 and, thus, the range of motion of the entire support arm 1604. Interference between shift arm 1688 and

side surface

1696,1698 may prevent movement of balance arm 1664 and its attached housing 1618.

Fig. 20 illustrates another embodiment of a support system 2000 in which a display 2002 is mounted to a support 2006 by a linkage 2004 having a counterbalance mechanism 2008 external to the linkage 2004 and within the support 2006. Elements having similar names in this embodiment may serve similar functions as other embodiments described herein.

The link 2004 may be a four-bar parallelogram link having four

pivot points

2010,2012,2014,2016. In this embodiment, the housing of display 2002 provides a portion of a four-bar configuration that couples

pivot points

2010 and 2012. The housing of the bracket 2006 provides a portion of a four-bar configuration that couples the pivot points 2014 and 2016. In some embodiments, separate rods may be coupled to points 2010/2012 and 2014/2016, respectively, and those separate rods may be mounted to display 2002 or stand 2006 (e.g., similar to first end support 124 and second end support 126). Thus, when the first and

second bars

2020,2022 of the link 2004 are rotated, the display 2002 can move parallel to the vertical axis of the support 2006 because the line passing through

points

2010 and 2012 is parallel to the line passing through

points

2014 and 2016.

The counterbalance mechanism 2008 may have a shift arm 2023 coupled to one of the bars at a pivot point 2024 on at least one of the first bar 2020 and the second bar 2022. The transition arm 2023 may be pivotally attached to the counterbalance arm 2026 at an arm pivot point 2025. The counterbalance arm 2026 may be pivotally attached to the housing of the cradle 2006 at a counterbalance pivot point 2028, and may have a follower 2030 portion that engages a translatable block 2032 positioned within the cradle 2006. Block 2032 is in contact with energy storage device 2034, and energy storage device 2034 is restrained at one end 2036.

As the link 2004 rotates the

lever

2020,2022, the pivot point 2024 may move along an arcuate path about the pivot point 2014. Movement of pivot point 2024 drives rotation of arm pivot point 2025 and counterbalance arm 2026 about counterbalance pivot point 2028. Rotation of the counterbalance arm 2026 causes vertical movement of the follower 2030, compressing or expanding the energy storage device 2034 while the bottom end 2036 remains stationary relative to the cradle 2006. Thus, this embodiment illustrates how the four-bar linkage 2004 may support and guide the movement of the display 2002, and the scotch yoke counterbalance may be positioned outside of the linkage 2004.

Fig. 21 provides a graph 2100 of energy versus arm angle in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The arm angle may be defined as the angle of the support arm (e.g., 104 or 1604) relative to a horizontal direction (e.g., horizontal axis X). Gravitational potential energy 2102 may be defined as the potential energy of the mass of the display and any other connected components of the support assembly as a function of movement of the support arm. As defined herein, the gravitational potential energy 2102 is zero when the support arm is horizontal. The gravitational potential energy increases as the support arm is raised and it decreases as the support arm is lowered.

To ensure smooth and effortless operation of the support arm, the potential energy 2104 of a spring or other energy storage device in the system may be controlled via a counterbalance mechanism to have a magnitude that varies at a rate opposite to the direction at which the gravitational potential energy 2102 is of the same magnitude. Thus, the system energy 2106 (which represents the sum of the gravitational potential energy 2102 and the spring potential energy 2104 at all arm angles) may remain constant as the arm rotates. Thus, very little input force is required to change the potential energy (i.e., vertical position) of the display, as the spring potential energy provides supplemental energy to assist in the rotation of the support arm as the display moves. The changes in gravitational and spring potentials may be related in magnitude to simple harmonic motion of the masses of the display and the connected moving parts.

Within the limits applicable to the present technology, the collection and use of data from a variety of sources may be used to improve the delivery of heuristic content or any other content to a user that may be of interest to the user. The present disclosure contemplates that, in some instances, such collected data may include personal information data that uniquely identifies or may be used to contact or locate a particular person. Such personal information data may include demographic data, location-based data, telephone numbers, email addresses, personal information, and/or personal information,

ID. A home address, data or records relating to the user's health or fitness level (e.g., vital sign measurements, medication information, exercise information), a date of birth, or any other identifying or personal information.

The present disclosure recognizes that the use of such personal information data in the present technology may be useful to benefit the user. For example, the personal information data may be used to deliver target content that is of greater interest to the user. Thus, using such personal information data enables the user to have planned control over the delivered content. In addition, the present disclosure also contemplates other uses for which personal information data is beneficial to a user. For example, health and fitness data may be used to provide insight into the overall health condition of a user, or may be used as positive feedback for individuals using technology to pursue health goals.

The present disclosure contemplates that entities responsible for collecting, analyzing, disclosing, transmitting, storing, or otherwise using such personal information data will comply with established privacy policies and/or privacy practices. In particular, such entities should enforce and adhere to the use of privacy policies and practices that are recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or government requirements for maintaining privacy and security of personal information data. Such policies should be easily accessible to users and should be updated as data is collected and/or used. Personal information from the user should be collected for legitimate and legitimate uses by the entity and not shared or sold outside of these legitimate uses. Furthermore, such acquisition/sharing should be performed after receiving user informed consent. Furthermore, such entities should consider taking any necessary steps to defend and secure access to such personal information data, and to ensure that others who have access to the personal information data comply with their privacy policies and procedures. In addition, such entities may subject themselves to third party evaluations to prove compliance with widely accepted privacy policies and practices. In addition, policies and practices should be adjusted to the particular type of personal information data collected and/or accessed, and to applicable laws and standards including specific considerations of jurisdiction. For example, in the united states, the collection or acquisition of certain health data may be governed by federal and/or state laws, such as the health insurance association and accountability act (HIPAA); while other countries may have health data subject to other regulations and policies and should be treated accordingly. Therefore, different privacy practices should be maintained for different personal data types in each country.

Regardless of the foregoing, the present disclosure also contemplates embodiments in which a user selectively prevents use or access to personal information data. That is, the present disclosure contemplates that hardware elements and/or software elements may be provided to prevent or block access to such personal information data. For example, in the case of an ad delivery service, the present technology may be configured to allow a user to opt-in or opt-out of participating in the collection of personal information data at any time during or after registration service. In another example, the user may choose not to provide emotion-related data for the targeted content delivery service. In another example, the user may choose to limit the length of time that emotion-related data is kept, or to prohibit the development of the underlying emotional condition altogether. In addition to providing "opt-in" and "opt-out" options, the present disclosure contemplates providing notifications related to accessing or using personal information. For example, the user may be notified that their personal information data is to be accessed when the application is downloaded, and then be reminded again just before the personal information data is accessed by the application.

Further, it is an object of the present disclosure that personal information data should be managed and processed to minimize the risk of inadvertent or unauthorized access or use. Once the data is no longer needed, the risk can be minimized by limiting data collection and deleting data. In addition, and when applicable, including in certain health-related applications, data de-identification may be used to protect the privacy of the user. De-identification may be facilitated by removing specific identifiers (e.g., date of birth, etc.), controlling the amount or specificity of stored data (e.g., collecting location data at a city level rather than at an address level), controlling how data is stored (e.g., aggregating data on a user), and/or other methods, as appropriate.

Thus, while the present disclosure broadly covers the use of personal information data to implement one or more of the various disclosed embodiments, the present disclosure also contemplates that various embodiments may be implemented without the need to access such personal information data. That is, various embodiments of the present technology do not fail to function properly due to the lack of all or a portion of such personal information data. For example, content may be selected and delivered to a user by inferring preferences based on non-personal information data or an absolute minimum amount of personal information, such as content requested by a device associated with the user, other non-personal information available to a content delivery service, or publicly available information.

The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without the specific details. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments described herein are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching.

Claims

1. A display assembly, comprising:

an electronic display;

an arm link, the arm link comprising:

a first end support attachable to a support surface;

a second end support coupled to the electronic display;

a first lever attached to a first pivot point on the first end support and to a second pivot point on the second end support; and

a second bar attached to a third pivot point on the first end support and to a fourth pivot point on the second end support; wherein the first pivot point, the second pivot point, the third pivot point, and the fourth pivot point form a parallelogram; and

a balance mechanism, the balance mechanism comprising:

an energy storage device;

a block coupled to the energy storage device;

a balance arm having a follower contacting the block;

wherein movement of the electronic display rotates the first rod about the first pivot point, rotates the second rod about the third pivot point, moves the follower relative to the block in a direction perpendicular to an axis extending through the first pivot point and the second pivot point, and translates the block to change the potential energy of the energy storage device; and is

Wherein a rate of change of the potential energy of the energy storage device as a function of a degree of rotation of the arm link while the arm link is moving from a lowered position is lower than a rate of change of the potential energy of the energy storage device as the arm link is moving from a raised position.

2. The display assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing containing the arm link and the counterbalance mechanism, wherein the counterbalance mechanism includes a rotatable member having a follower end that contacts the mass, the rotatable member configured to pivot and cause translation of the mass in response to the movement of the electronic display; and

a display stand extending below the housing, the support surface positioned on the display stand;

wherein the second pivot point and the fourth pivot point are stationary relative to each other during the movement of the electronic display relative to the display mount.

3. The display assembly of claim 1, further comprising a housing that houses the arm link and the counterbalance mechanism.

4. The display assembly of claim 1, wherein the support surface is part of a display stand.

5. The display assembly of claim 1, wherein the block engages a balancing link to convert rotational motion of the arm link into translation of the block.

6. The display assembly of claim 5, wherein the balancing link translates rotational motion of the arm link into rotation of a member of the balancing link.

7. The display assembly of claim 6, wherein the rotational motion of the arm link is converted to rotation of the member at a ratio of 2: 1.

8. The display assembly of claim 1, wherein the block is part of a scotch yoke.

9. A display support, comprising:

a base;

an arm extending from the base, the arm comprising:

a first end member having a first lateral axis;

a second end member having a second lateral axis;

a link coupling the first end member to the second end member, wherein the second end member is vertically translatable relative to the first end member without rotation of the first end member or the second end member about its respective first lateral axis or second lateral axis;

a block; and

a follower coupled to the mass and to the linkage, the follower configured to move through an arcuate path centered about a pivot point on the linkage, the arcuate path offset from a central longitudinal axis of the arm as the arm rotates; and

an energy storage structure coupled to the mass, the energy storage structure increasing energy storage in proportion to downward movement of the second end member and decreasing energy storage in proportion to upward movement of the second end member, wherein movement of the follower along the arcuate path changes energy storage.

10. The display support of claim 9, wherein the energy storage structure is positioned in the arm.

11. The display support of claim 9, further comprising a weight coupled to the second end member, wherein the energy storage structure stores or releases energy in an amount equal to the amount of change in potential energy of the weight.

12. The display support of claim 9, wherein the first end member comprises a first gear surface and the energy storage structure comprises a second gear surface engaging the first gear surface.

13. The display support of claim 12, wherein the first and second gear surfaces cause a portion of the energy storage structure to rotate at half a rod rotation rate of at least one link.

14. The display support of claim 9, wherein the energy storage structure comprises a biasing member that stores energy in response to movement of the second end member, the biasing member applying a force to the mass.

15. An electronic display assembly comprising:

an electronic display having a forward viewing surface;

a bracket having a vertical axis;

a link coupled to the bracket, the link coupled to the electronic display; and

a counterbalance assembly having a biasing member and a counterbalance mechanism to change potential energy stored in the biasing member;

wherein applying a force to the electronic display pivots the link relative to the mount and relative to the electronic display, wherein the forward viewing surface is parallel to the vertical axis; and is

Wherein application of the force rotates the counterbalance mechanism to change an amount of potential energy stored in the biasing member, the amount of potential energy being equal to the changed amount of potential energy of the electronic display, wherein a rate of change of the potential energy follows a sinusoidal curvature from a fully raised position relative to a support surface to a fully lowered position relative to the support surface, wherein the rate of change of the potential energy as a function of the degree of rotation of the link is lower when the link is moving from the fully lowered position compared to the rate of change of the potential energy when the link is moving from the fully raised position.

16. An electronic display assembly according to claim 15, wherein the balancing mechanism comprises a four-bar linkage.

17. An electronic display assembly according to claim 15, wherein the counterbalance mechanism comprises a block coupled to the biasing member, wherein rotation of the link relative to the bracket translates the block.

18. An electronic display assembly according to claim 15, wherein the balancing mechanism comprises meshing gears.

19. An electronic display assembly according to claim 15, wherein the link is a four-bar link.

20. An electronic display assembly according to claim 15, wherein the counterbalance assembly is positioned between the electronic display and the stand.