# US 5,706,130 A · Support assembly for a retractable device

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- Number: US 5,706,130 A
- Document ID: US5706130A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/550,197
- Filed: 1995-10-30
- Granted: 1998-01-06
- Earliest claimed: 1995-10-30
- Inventors: John B. Rosen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5706130A

## CPC

- G03B 21/58: collapsible, e.g. foldable; of variable area
- G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D)

## Abstract

A support assembly for supporting a retractable device includes a frame, at least one arm movably mounted on the frame for carrying the device between a retracted position for stowing the device, and an extended position for presenting the device, and a reactionator couple operatively connected to the arm for resisting, in part, against the arm when it is moved from the extended position to the retracted position, thereby slowing the rate at which the device is retracted.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A support assembly for supporting a retractable device comprising:
a frame;
an arm pivotally mounted on the frame for carrying the device, the arm being movable between a retracted position for stowing the device, and an extended position for presenting the device; and
a reactionator couple further connecting the frame and the arm for resisting movement of the arm substantially throughout movement of the arm from the extended position to the retracted position, thereby slowing the rate at which the device may be retracted.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the arm is pivotable about an axis which is generally orthogonal to the arm's direction of movement.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The assembly of claim 2, wherein the reactionator couple includes a shock absorber mounted on the arm, the shock absorber having a pressurized stopper operatively pivotally connected to the frame.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The assembly of claim 3, wherein the reactionator couple further includes a movable glide pivotally connected to the frame and mounted on a glide track connected to the arm, the glide being engaged by the pressurized stopper to yieldably oppose movement of the glide along the glide track when the arm is moved between the extended and retracted positions.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The assembly of claim 4, wherein the device is a screen.

### Claim 6

A support assembly for supporting a retractable screen comprising:
a frame;
a screen-carrying arm pivotally mounted on the frame for pivot about a first pivot axis between a retracted position for stowing the screen, and an extended position for presenting the screen; and
a reactionator couple slidably mounted on the arm, the reactionator coupler including a force-absorbing member which interconnects the frame and the arm and is controllably collapsible for slowing the arm's movement when the arm is pivoted from the extended position to the retracted position, thereby slowing the rate at which the screen may be retracted.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The assembly of claim 6, wherein the reactionator couple includes a force-absorbing member for resisting against the arm's movement when the arm is moved from the extended position to the retracted position.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The assembly of claim 6, wherein the reactionator couple includes a pivot which pivotally connects the force-absorbing member to the frame, the pivot providing for controlled pivot of the force-absorbing member about a second pivot axis, spaced from the first pivot axis, when the arm is pivoted between the retracted and extended positions and vice versa.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The assembly of claim 8, wherein such controlled pivot of the force-absorbing member is characterized by increasing resistance against arm movement when the arm is pivoted from the extended position to the retracted position, such increased resistance acting to slow the rate at which the screen is retracted.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The assembly of claim 9, wherein the force-absorbing member includes a pressure unit which is biased to bear against the pivot so that arm movement is slowed when the arm is pivoted from the extended position to the retracted position.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The assembly of claim 10, wherein the force-absorbing member includes a slide member interposed between the pivot and the pressure unit, the slide member being slidable in relation to the arm's movement between the extended and retracted positions, and vice versa, such sliding movement for accommodating, in part, the pressure unit's force-absorbing movement.

### Claim 12

A retractable projection screen support comprising:
a frame;
a pair of inwardly-foldable, bi-directionally-movable opposed arms, each pivotally mounted on the frame for pivot about a corresponding first pivot axis between a retracted position for stowing the screen, and an extended position for presenting the screen;
at least one glide pivotally connected to the time for pivot about a second pivot axis spaced from the first pivot axis and mounted for reciprocal movement along a glide track mounted on one of the arms; and
at least one pressurized retraction decelerator coupled between the glide member and at least one of the opposed arms, the retraction decelerator including a reciprocally-movable stop which abuts the glide member under pressure to yieldably resist movement of the support from the extended position to the retracted position.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The support of claim 12, wherein the arms are pivotally mounted on the frame for articulation between the retracted and extended, and wherein the arms are articulable about defined axes which are generally parallel to one another.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The support of claim 13, wherein the support includes two pressurized retraction decelerators, each one of which is coupled between the frame and an associated one of the arms.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The support of claim 12, wherein the glide member includes a glide arm and a slide coupled thereto, the glide arm being pivotally mounted on the frame, and the slide being movable by the glide arm when the support is moved from the extended position to the retracted position, the stop being configured to abut the slide to resist movement of the support.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The support of claim 13, wherein each arm includes an upper portion and a lower portion pivotally connected thereto.

### Claim 17

In a screen presentation device which includes a frame and a retractable screen mounted on the frame for biased movement between a retracted position and a presented position, an improvement comprising:
an articulable arm pivotally mounted on the frame for moving the screen between the retracted and presented positions, the arm being pivotal about a first axis; and
a retraction-controlling element operatively interconnected between the frame and the arm, the retraction controlling element including a pivot mounted on the frame for pivot about a second axis spaced from the first axis, a moveable guide connected to the pivot and mounted for movement along a glide track of the arm, and a shock absorber mounted on the arm and having a pressurized stopper which engages the glide to resist movement of the arm when the arm moves the screen from the extended position to the retracted position.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The device of claim 17, wherein the retraction-controlling element increases resistance to movement of the arm as the arm approaches the retracted position so as to progressively slow the screen's retraction.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The device of claim 17, wherein the retraction-controlling element includes a shock absorber with a biased stopper arm.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The device of claim 19, wherein the retraction-controlling element includes a slide member connected between the frame and the shock absorber and in abutting engagement with the stopper arm.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The device of claim 17, wherein the retraction-controlling element is pressurized.