Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Protective Screen For A Visual DisplaY Unit
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a protective screen for a visual
display unit comprising a transparent plate, a supporting
frame for the plate and fixing means for fixing the supporting
frame to the body of the visual display~unit.
Background of the Inventlon
A screen of the type defined hereinabove is known, in which
the frame can be positioned so as to position the screen
adjacent to the visual display unit. This screen protects the
user from the glare caused by external light sources. For
reasons of confidentiality, it is sometimes necessary to
prevent viewing by persons other than those directly in front
of the visual display unit.
Summarv of the Invention
Preferred embodiments of the invention provide a protective
screen which alIows for viewing of the surface of the visual
display unit over only a relatively limited angle while
preventing viewing by persons outside this angle and which at
the same time can be fixed in a simple manner to the body of
the visual display unit.
The screen according to the present invention is characterised
in that the plate comprises a louvre-type film known per se
which defines parallel microwindows in order to-define a
limited viewing angle and in which the fixing means comprise a
first part which can be fixed to the frame and a second part
which can be separated from the first part and can be fixed to
the visual display unit.
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Brief DescriPtion of the Drawinqs
This and other features of the model are described in the
following embodiment given by way of non-limiting example with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which.
Figure 1 is a front view of a screen embodying the invention
in the porition of use;
Figure 2 is a partial longitudinal section of the screen of
Figure 1 on a different scale;
Figure 3 is a partial longitudinal section of a detail from
Figure 2 on a different scale, and
Figure g is a front view of a container for housing the screen
of Figure 1 on a different scale.
Detailed DescriPtion of Preferred Embodiments
Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, a protective screen is
designated in general by the reference numeral 6 and is
applied to a portable computer 7 of known type which is shown
by dash-dotted lines in the drawings and comprises a body 8, a
cover 9 and a visual display unit 11 housed in the cover 9.
In this embodiment the screen 6 comprises a supporting frame
12 for a transparent plate 13. The supporting frame 12
comprises a front half shell 14 having a seat 16 provided over
the entire edge of the front half shell 14, and a rear half
shell 17. A plate 13 has a thickness of approximately 1 mm
and comprises an intermediate louvre film 18 of slats of black
silicone rubber 25 which form the walls of parallel
microwindows 22 of very fine layers of transparent silicone
rubber. The film 18 is inserted between two outer plates
19 and 21 of polycarbonate. The combination of the
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black silicone rubber, the transparent silicone rubber and the
thickness of the intermediate film 18 creates a row of
microwindows or passages 22 so as to define a viewing angle 23
which varies considerably as a funct~ion of the variation in
the thickness of the intermediate film 18.~ The thickness of
the film 18 is approximately 60~. She outer plate 21 has its
respective outer sur$ace:treated so:that the coefficient of
reflection:is minimal. The plate 13 with the frame~12 is
rectangular, the base being greater than the;height, and has
dimensions corresponding to those of the visual display unit
11. The dlrectlon of the slats 25 ls lncllned by
approxlmately 13 wlth respect to a dlrection perpendicular to
that of the base, although the inclination can vary from 1 to
30. ` ` : ~
The plate 13 is positioned in the seat 16 and is locked to the
rear half shell 17 which is positioned against the front half
shell 14 and the two half shells 14 and 17 are thus rigidly
welded together by means of ultrasonic welding so as to form
one piece with the plate 13.
:
The rear half shell 17 is provided on its two lateral edges
wlth two houslngs 24 positioned in the vicinity of the upper
edge of the half shell 17. In an analoguous manner, the front
half shell 14 is provlded on lts two lateral edges wlth two
toothed proJectlons 26. The fixlng means 27 comprlse two
tables of adhesive velcro 28 each having a first element 28
which is positioned and fixed by means of adhesive in the
respective housing 24 of the rear half shell 17 and a second
element 29 which is positioned and fixed by means of adhesive
on the inner part of the cover 9 adjacent to the visual
display unit ll, so that the base of the plate 13 is parallel
to the base:of the said visual display unit 11.
The protective screen 6 is mounted on a portable computer 7 in
the following msnner. The screen 6 is positioned with the two
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first elements 28 registering with the two second element 29
and the pressure is applied to the two toothed projections 26
on the front half shell 19 untii the~elements 28 and 29 are
gripped to each other. The screen 6 is thus positioned with
the plate 13 in front of the visual display unit 11.
In order to remove the screen 6 from the portable computer 7,
the screen 6 is lifted by means of the lower part of the half
shell 14 until the elements 28 and 29 of the velcro 27 are
freed therefrom.
The protective screen 6 described hltherto and used in the
non-limiting example on a portable computer 7 allows for
confidential viewing of the visual~ display unit 11 by only the
operator over an angle of 60', the angle being~variable
between 30' and 90'. It ls thus clear that the operator can
operate in any area, such as office, aeroplane, train, etc.
with complete confidentiality. Moreover, the protective
screen 6 can be applied to any visual dislay unit of large or
small dimensions, thereby allowing for confidential viewing.
The inclination of the slats 25 between 1' and 30' moreover
prevents the formation of interference fringes on the visual
display unit 11.
Once the screen 6 has been removed from the portable computer
7 it can be placed ln a container or case 31 (Fig. 4) of nylon
fabric having a lower part 32 and an upper part 33. The lower
part 32 comprises a central pocket 34 adapted to house the
protective screen 6, shown by dash-dotted lines, and two side
pockets 36 and 37 of small dimensions to house, e.g. two
floppy discs 38, shown by dash-dotted lines, or any other
components for use of the portable computer 7. The upper
part 33 can be folded along the line 39 in order to engage
with a strip of velcro 41 of the lower part 32 in order to
keep the container 31 closed. The inner surface of the upper
part 33 is rough and moreover has advantageously been
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stiffened in order to be used as a face for the use of the
mouse.
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