Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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SWIVEL DEVICE FOR A TELEVISION RECEI~7ER
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a television receiver
swivel device which permits the cabinet by remote control or
manual action.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An example of remote controlled swivel de--ice for a
television receiver is disclosed, for example, in Japanese
Utility Model Kokai Publication No. 57-178765. In the
device therein disclosed, a pair of stoppers are provided on
a fixed portion of the device, to limit, to a predetermined
range, swivel motion of the mounting plate on which the
television receiver rests.
Another example of conventional remote swivel device
for a television receiver is disclosed in Japanese Utility
Model Kokoku Publication No. 36-29052, in which no stoppers
are provided. When no stoppers are provided, swiveling the
television receiver through a large range will cause pulling
on and breaking of the antenna wire and power cord and
irregular color of the image. Thus, for practical purposes,
providing stoppers is essential.
In the first-mentioned example of the conventional
swivel device above described, the swivel means for the
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television receiver comprises a fixed portion containing
therein a driving device comprising an electric motor and
reduction gears, and a swiveling mounting plate which is
supported on this fixed portion and has an upper surface on
which the cabinet of the television receiver is mounted.
When a signal emitted from the remote control signal
generator is received by the television receiver, the
driving device is actuated causing the mounting plate and
the television receiver to swivel. The top plate is
provided with a limit switch that is actuated when swivel
motion reaches a predetermined angle, stopping the driving
action of the driving device. In addition, if the
television receiver is turned by hand, a restraining rib on
the mounting plate strikes against a stopper so that
swiveling beyond the predetermined angle is prevented
mechanically.
Limiting the swiveling to a certain angular range is
inconvenient since the antenna terminal board and video tape
recorder input and output terminals of television receivers
are generally located at the rear. If the swiveling is
limited to a certain range, the work of connecting the leads
of an antenna or video tape recorder, or of changing these
connections, makes it necessary to go around behind the
television receiver.
Another problem associated with the conventional
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television receiver swivel devices described above is that
when the television receiver is swiveled 90 from the
reference position with the television front part facing the
front), since the television receiver is susceptible to the
effects of geomagnetism (earth magnetism) the electron beam
being radiated onto the picture tube (CRT) to make the image
is deflected from its target by geomagnetism, resulting in
irregular color.
SUMMARY OF T~E INVENTION
The present invention has been devised with a view to
solving these problems.
An ob~ect of the invention is to provide a television
receiver swivel device in which swiveling of the television
receiver by an electric motor, e.g., responsive to a signal
from a remote control signal generator, is permitted within
a predetermined range, and a greater degree of swiveling is
obtained by manual action so that the rear of the television
receiver may be turned toward the front and connection work
can be carried out conveniently.
In the television receiver swivel device of the present
invention, a turning ring rides on an annular groove on the
upper surface of a supporting base so that it is capable of
swiveling relative to the supporting base, a television
receiver cabinet rides on this turning ring so that it is
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capable of swiveling relative to the turning ring, a stopper
means is interposed between the lower surface of the bottom
panel of the cabinet and the upper surface of the supporting
base such that swivel motion is normally (with the
overriding means not in operation) possible within a
predetermined swivel range and swiveling beyond this
predetermined range is prevented.
A manually operated overriding means is provided to
override the restriction, so that the television receiver
can be swiveled manually be~,~ond said predetermined swivel
range to an angle of 180-.
Additionally, there may be provided a power supply
limit switch such that electric power to the television
receiver is interrupted when it swivels beyond a second
predetermined range (which may or may not be identical to
the first-mentioned predetermined range), and is restored
when it returns within the second predetermined range.
In a typical situation, the driving device is actuated
by the signal from the remote control signal generator,
causing the television receiver to swivel within the first
predetermined range. The television receiver is restricted
by the stopper means from swiveling beyond the predetermined
range. To swivel the television receiver beyond the
predetermined range, the overriding means is manually
operated, overriding the function of the stopper means. The
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orientation of the television receiver may then be changed
by manually turning it until the rear face the front,
allowing connection work to be carried out conveniently.
Where the power supply limit switch is provided to
interrupt the power supply of the television receiver when
the television receiver moves beyond the second
predetermined swivel range, the image is extinguished so
that images infected with irregular color due to the effect
of geomagnetism is not seen. When the television receiver
returns within the second predetermined swivel range, the
power supply limit switch restores electric power to the
television receiver, eliminating the influence of
geomagnetism, and an image free of irregular color appears
automatically. As is usual, a degaussing circuit is
activated when television receiver power is turned on to
eliminate the adverse effects of geomagnetism. Accordingly,
by turning off the supply of the electric power when the
second predetermined swivel range is exceeded, and turning
on when the television receiver is returned to within the
second predetermined swivel range, the degaussing circuit is
activated and the effect of the geomagnetism which is
received while the television receiver is swiveled away from
the front-facing position, and is otherwise left even after
the television receiver is returned to the front-facing
positlon is removed.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TliE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is an exploded view of a swivel device for a
television receiver in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention.
Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section of the device of
Fig. 1 in the assembled condition.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device in the condition in
which the swiveling of the television receiver is restricted
by a stopper means.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device in the condition in
which the restriction by the stopper means is overridden by
the overriding means of Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the relationship between
the power supply limit switch of Fig. 1 and the abutment
wall for switching on and off the power supply.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
An embodiment of the invention will now be described
with reference to the drawings. Referring first to Fig. 1
and Fig. 2, a television set includes a cabinet 2 for
housing a television receiver 1. The cabinet 2 includes a
bottom panel 3. The cabinet 2 is supported on a turning
ring 20 in such a manner that it can swivel relative to the
turning ring 20 (when gears 5 and 22, to be described later,
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meshing with each other rotate). The turning ring 20 is
supported on a supporting base 13, in such a manner that it
can swivel relative to the supporting base 13. The
supporting base 13 is to be placed on a television stand or
on the floor (not shown).
Three mounting seats 9 (Fig. 2) are fixed to the lower
surface of the bottom panel 3 at the pivot axis PX for the
swiveling. More specifically they are at the vertexes of a
small triangle centered on the pivot axis PX. They are
integral with the bottom panel 3, and encircled by a
protruding guide cylinder 12 fixed to and extending from the
lower surface of the bottom panel 3, and centered on the
pivot axis PX. A holding plate 10 is mounted to the
mounting seats 9 by means of mounting screws 11. Provided
at the center of the supporting base 13 is a guide hole 16a.
Extending downward from the periphery of the guide hole 16a
is a guide cylinder 16b. The protruding cylinder 12 of the
bottom panel 3 is fitted in the guide cylinder 16b and its
outer surface is slidably engaged with the inner surface of
the cylinder 16b, so that the cabinet 2 is capable of
swiveling relative to the supporting base 13 and at the same
time the axis of swiveling is established by the slidable
engagement-between the cylinders 12 and 16b.
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A driving device 4, whose frame 4a is mounted to the
bottom panel 3 by means of mounting screws 6, comprises an
electric motor 4b and a reduction gear chain 4c including an
output gear 5, which is a bevel gear having its axis
extending horizontally, and has its lower part protruding
downward through an opening 3a in the bottom panel 3 of the
cabinet 2.
The turning ring 20 comprises a flange-shaped part 20b
and a cylindrical part 20c extending upward from the inner
periphery of the flange-shaped part 20b and provided with a
bevel gear 22 formed to extend along the top end of the
cylindrical part 20c. The bevel gear 22 has its axis
coincident with the pivot axis PX, and meshes with the bevel
gear S of the driving device 4.
The supporting base 13 is provided with an annular
receiving groove 14 coaxial with the cylinder 16b, and hence
centered on the pivot axis PX. The flange-shaped part 20b
of the turning ring 20 is received in the receiving groove
14, and is slidable against the groove 14, so that the
turning ring 20 is capable of swiveling with the flange-
shaped part 20b sliding against the groove 14.
A plurality of supporting concavities 20a are provided
on the upper surface of the flange-shaped part 20b of the
turning ring 20. They are at locations along the
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circumference of the turning ring 20. Each of the
concavities 20a are for receiving and supporting two pairs
of casters 21, with their axis of rotation orthogonal to the
pivot axis PX.
The cabinet 2 is provided with a pair of coaxial
annular pro~ections 8 both coaxial with the cylinder 12, and
extending downward from the lower surface of the bottom
panel 3. The lower extremities of the pro~ections 8 are
slidably supported on the top surfaces of the casters 21.
- The electric motor 4b of the driving device 4 rotates
under control of a remote control signal generator, not
shown. When the electric motor 4b rotates, the output gear
5 of the driving device 4 rotates. The output gear 5 is
meshing with the large-diameter bevel gear 22 of the turning
ring 20. The flange-shaped part 20b of the turning ring 20
is in sliding contact with the annular receiving groove 14
of the support base 13. The friction between the flange-
shaped part 20b and the groove 14 is relatively large, so
the turning ring 20 remains stationary relative to the
supporting base 13, while the cabinet 2, with the driving
device 4 including the output gear 5 swivels, due to the
reaction from the swivel support ring 20.
When the cabinet 2 is turned by hand, while the
electric motor 4b of the driving device 4 is not rotating,
the cabinet 2 and the turning ring 20 are kept fixed
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relative to each other because of the meshing between the
gears 5 and 22, and the flange-shaped part 20b slides
against the annular groove 14, so the cabinet 2 and the
turning ring 20 swivel together relative to the supporting
base 13.
If the cabinet 2 is held by hand to prevent rotation
while the electric motor 4b of the driving device 4 is
rotating, the turning ring 20 rotates sliding against the
groove 14, while the cabinet 2 is fixed relative to the
supporting base 13.
A restraining rib 7 consists of an annular protrusion
coaxial with the cylinder 12 and extending downward from the
lower surface of the bottom panel 3, with a predetermined
angular or swivel range cut away to form a gap 7a.
A stopper 17 is mounted on the supporting base 13. The
stopper 17 comprises a disk-shaped part 17b connected to a
shaft 17c, which extends through a hole 13b in the
supporting base 13 and about which the stopper 17 is capable
of pivoting. Provided on and extending upward from the top
surface of the disk-shaped part 17b are a pair of engagement
pro~ections 17a diametrically opposed to each other with
respect to the axis of pivoting. Fixed to the lower end of
the shaft 17c of the stopper 17 is a stopper gear 18.
When the stopper 17 is at such a rotary position that
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the pair of engagement proJections 17a are oriented in the
circumferential direction of the restraining rib 7, they can
abut against the ends 7b of the restraining rib 7, and they
thus restrain the swiveling of the cabinet 2 within a
predetermined angular range a .
When the stopper 17 is at such a rotary position that
the pro~ections 17a are aligned in the radial direction
(direction orthogonal to the pivot axis PX), the restraining
rib 7 can pass through the space between the two engagement
projections 17a, and the restriction on the swiveling of the
cabinet 2 is removed.
Referring next to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, a lever 23 is
supported by a support pin 13a fixed to and extending
downward from the lower surface of the supporting base 13.
Provided on the outer surface of the lever 23 is a tab 23a.
Formed on the lower surface of the lever 23 is a lever gear
portion 24.
A rack structure 25 is supported by the supporting base
13 so that it can move along its length. A rack portion 25a
at one end of the rack structure 24 meshes with the stopper
gear 18, and a rack portion 25b at the other end of the rack
structure 25 meshes with the lever gear 24. A resetting
spring 26 biases the lever 23 in the direction opposite to
the direction of arrow A.
In the state illustrated in Fig. 3, the tab 25a is in
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the rest position in which the lever 23 is fully rotated in
the direction opposite to the direction of arrow A. Being
coupled via the lever gear 24, the rack structure 25, and
the stopper gear 18, the stopper 17 is at such a rotary
position ln which the engagement pro~ections 17a are aligned
in the circumferential direction as shown in Fig. 3, and are
engageable with the ends 7b of the restraining rib 7 when
the cabinet 2 swivels. The swiveling of the cabinet 2 is
thereby limited within the swivel range ~ , as described
before.
When the lever 23 is rotated by pushing the tab 23a in
the direction A, the stopper 17 is rotated via the rack
structure 25 and the stopper gear 18, as shown in Fig. 4, so
the pair of the engagement pro~ections 17a are aligned in
the radial direction. In this state, the restraining rib 7
can pass between the two engagement pro~ections 17a, so the
cabinet 2 can be turned freely.
The tab 23a is pushed manually, typically by a finger,
to rotate the lever 23. The cabinet 23 can then be turned
or swiveled by hand. To rotate the lever 23, it is
necessary to overcome the force of the resetting spring 26.
When the tab 23a is released, the lever 23 is returned to
the original rest position shown in Fig. 3 by the force of
the reset spring 26.
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The rotation within the angular range a can be made by
rotation of the electric motor 4b, as described above.
When it is desired to swivel the cabinet 2 beyond the
swivel range a , the lever 23 is rotated in the direction of
arrow A, overcoming the biasing force of the resetting
spring 26, thereby pivoting the stopper 17 into the position
in which the engagement pro~ections 17a are aligned
radially. Then, the cabinet 2 is swiveled by hand, with the
annular restraining rib 7 passing between the engagement
pro~ections 17a. Once the restraining rib 7 is inserted
between the engagement pro~ections, the lever 23 may be
released, since the restraining rib 7 is kept passing
between the engagement pro~ections 17a thereby maintaining
the state in which the cabinet 2 can be swiveled freely by
hand.
When the cabinet 2 is then swiveled by hand back into
the swivel range a , restraining rib 7 is disengaged from
the pro~ections 17a, and if the lever 23 is already released
or is thereafter released, the lever 23 is caused by the
resetting spring 26 to rotate back in the direction B, into
the state shown in Fig. 3. This rotation is transmitted via
the rack structure 25 to the stopper 17, which is thereby
rotated back to the position ~n which the pair of engagement
proJections 17a are aligned in the circumferential
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direction, achleving a condition in which cablnet 2 is
limited to the predetermined swivel range.
The lever 23 and the rack structure 25 thus form an
overriding means for overriding the restriction by the
stopper 17.
Referring to Fig. 5 as well as Fig. 1, an abutment wall
15 is formed on the upper surface of the supporting base 13.
The abutment wall 15 comprises a larger-radius arcuate part
15b and a smaller-radius arcuate part 15a which are both
centered on the pivot axis PX. The smaller-radius arcuate
part 15a extends over an angle ~ . The larger-radius
arcuate part over the remaining angle 360- - ~ .
A power supply limit switch 30 having a contactor 30a
is mounted to a mounting block 32 which is fastened by means
of screws 31 to the lower surface of the bottom panel 3.
The limit switch 30 is so positioned that the contactor 30a
confronts and is not engaged with the smaller-radius arcuate
part 15a while the cabinet is within the normal range of
angle ~ in which the cabinet is facing the front. In this
state, the limit switch 30 permits supply of the electric
power to the television receiver. When the cabinet 2 is
swiveled beyond the angle ~ , the contactor 30a confronts
and is engaged ~ith the larger-radius arcuate part 15b, and
the limit switch 30 then interrupts the suppl~ of electric
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power to the television receiver.
When the cabinet 2 is swiveled back into the angular
range ~ , the contactor 30a is disengaged from the larger-
radius arcuate part 15b, so that the limit switch 30 resumes
permitting supply of the electric power to the television
receiver.
Because the power supply to the television receiver is
interrupted when the cabinet is swiveled beyond the second
swivel range ~ image infected with the irregular color is
not seen.
A degaussing circuit is activated when television
receiver power is turned on to remove the adverse effects of
geomagnetism. Accordingly, by turning off the supply of the
electric power when the second angular range ~ is exceeded,
and turning on when the television receiver is returned to
within the angular range ~ , the degaussing circuit is
activated and the effect of the geomagnetism which is
received while the television receiver is swiveled and is
otherwise left even after the television receiver is
returned to the front-facing position is removed.
The angular range ~ may or may not be equal to the
angular range a in which the swiveling is possible with the
lever 23 in the rest position. In the illustrated
embodiment, the angular range a is 30 (15- on either side
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from the reference position in which the front face of the
television receiver is facing the exact front), and the
angular range ~ is slightly larger in both ways than the
angular range a . This means the range ~ is exceeded
(power supply to the television receiver is interrupted)
when or a little after the swivel range a is exceeded.
Additional limit switches 33 and 34 also mounted to the
block 32 cooperate with an additional abutment wall 35 to
turn off the driving device 4 a little before the ends 7b of
the restraining rib 7 come into contact with the engagement
proJections 17a and 17b.
The operation for swiveling the cabinet 180-,
performing work connection on the back of the cabinet and
swivellng the cabinet back into the front-facing position
will now be described in sequence.
When the television receiver is facing the front, the
gap 7a in the restraining rib 7 is positioned at the stopper
17, and the engagement projections 17a are oriented
circumferentially, as shown in Fig. 3. In this condition,
the driving device 4 can be actuated by means of the remote
control signal generator so as to swivel the television
receiver 1 within the swivel range ~ .
To swivel the television receiver to a greater angle to
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allow for connection work at the rear panel, the procedure
is as follows. The manual lever 23 is rotated in direction
A (Fig. 3), then the stopper 17 is rotated so that the pair
of engagement pro~ections 17a are oriented in the radial
direction, as shown in Fig. 4. When, in this condition, the
cabinet 2 is swiveled by hand, the restraining rib 7 passes
between the pair of engagement pro~ections 17a and the
stopper 17 continues in the condition in which this
restriction is overridden. Also, the power supply limit
switch 30 comes into contact with the abutment wall 15,
interrupting the supply of electric power to the television
receiver 1, eliminating the effect of color irregularities
due to geomagnetism, and thereby eliminating discomfort.
The cabinet 2 is then swiveled (e.g., 180-) to a position in
which its rear panel is toward the front, and the work of
connecting external leads or changing connections of the
television receiver is accomplished.
When the work is finished, the cabinet 2 is swiveled
back to the original position by hand, causing the
restraining rib 7 to be removed from between the pair of
engagement pro~ections 17a of the stopper 17 and, the
stopper 17, actuated by the resetting spring 26, rotates so
that the pair of engagement pro~ections 17a are in the
condition in which they are oriented circumferentially,
restricting the swiveling of the cabinet 2, and allowing the
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television receiver 1 to be swiveled by the remote control
within the predetermined range. Also, the power supply
limit switch 30 is reset to the power-on condition, allowing
electric power to be supplied to the television receiver 1.
In the embodiment described above, the power supply
limit switch 30 automatically interrupts the supply of
electric power to the television receiver 1 when the swivel
motion exceeds the predetermined range, but it is possible
to eliminate the power supply limit switch and provide a
switch that is operated manually for degaussing when color
irregularities occur. With this arrangement, the television
receiver 1 can be swiveled 180- while the power supply
remains on. In this case, however, the switch must be
operated manually.
As can be seen from the foregoing, the present
invention makes it possible, by disposing, on an annular
groove in a supporting base, a turning ring capable of
swivel motion, and by disposing on the turning ring a
cabinet capable of swiveling, and by providing a stopper
means between the bottom panel of the cabinet and the upper
surface of the supporting base to permit swivel motion
within a predetermined range, and restricting the swivel
motion beyond this range, and by enabling the television
receiver to be swiveled on the turning ring within the
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predetermlned range by means of a driving device that is
mounted on the cabinet and actuated by a remote control
signal generator, and by making it possible to override the
restriction of the swiveling by means of a restriction
override means that is manually operated, allowing the
television receiver to be changed 180- in orientation, and
thereby allowing the convenient performance of connection
work with the rear panel of the television receiver facing
the front.
It is also possible, by providing a power supply limit
switch between the bottom panel of the cabinet and the top
surface of the supporting base, to turn the power supply to
the television receiver off when the television receiver
swivels beyond a predetermined range and back on when it
returns to the predetermined range, thereby removing, by
means of a degaussing circuit activated at the time of pouer
on, the effects of geomagnetism, and preventing the
occurrence of color irregularities.
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