Flat panel display unit provided with attachment means and attachment unit for the removable attachment of an object

Abstract

A flat panel display unit ( 1 ) has a display screen ( 3 ) on a front side ( 5 ) and a rear panel ( 7 ) having an outer surface ( 9 ) on an opposite rear side ( 11 ), the display unit being provided with attachment means for the removable attachment of the rear panel ( 7 ) of the display unit ( 1 ) to a surface ( 13 ) of a supporting structure such as a room wall, a car dashboard, a refrigerator cabinet, a piece of furniture, etc., the attachment the elements: adhesive means ( 39 ), suction cup means ( 19 ), hook-and-loop fastening means ( 45 ), hook means, permanent magnet means ( 33 ). The display unit ( 1 ) is provided with at least one integrated attachment unit ( 15; 17 ) comprising a plurality of attachment means constituting a subset of said attachment means set and being permanently secured to the rear panel ( 7 ) outer surface ( 9 ).

1 . A flat panel display unit ( 1 ) having a display screen ( 3 ) on a front side ( 5 ) and a rear panel ( 7 ) having an outer surface ( 9 ) on an opposite rear side ( 11 ), the display unit being provided with attachment means for the removable attachment of the rear panel ( 7 ) of the display unit ( 1 ) to a surface ( 13 ) of a supporting structure, the attachment means comprising a variety of means from an attachment means set, characterized in that the display unit ( 1 ) is provided with at least one integrated attachment unit ( 15 ;  17 ) comprising a plurality of attachment means constituting a subset of said attachment means set and being permanently secured to the rear panel ( 7 ) outer surface ( 9 ).  
   
   
       2 . A flat panel display unit as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the display unit ( 1 ) is provided with a plurality of identical integrated attachment units ( 15 ) attached to the rear panel outer surface ( 9 ).  
   
   
       3 . A flat panel display unit as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the display unit ( 1 ) is provided with a plurality of integrated attachment units ( 15 ;  17 ) attached to the rear panel ( 7 ) outer surface ( 9 ), at least one of the attachment units ( 17 ) comprising a plurality of attachment means constituting a subset different from the subset of at least one other integrated attachment unit ( 15 ).  
   
   
       4 . An attachment unit ( 15 ;  17 ) for the removable attachment of an object such as a flat panel display unit ( 1 ) to a surface ( 13 ) of a supporting structure, characterized in that the attachment unit is an integrated attachment unit ( 15 ;  17 ) and comprises a variety of attachment means from an attachment means set comprising at least the elements: adhesive means ( 39 ), suction cup means ( 19 ), hook-and-loop fastening means ( 45 ), hook means, permanent magnet means ( 33 ).  
   
   
       5 . An attachment unit ( 15 ) as claimed in  claim 4 , characterized in that the attachment unit comprises: 
 a suction cup means ( 19 ) made of resilient flexible material having a bottom portion ( 21 ) having an outer surface ( 23 ) and an opposite axially spaced rear surface ( 25 ) to be directed to rear panel outer surface ( 9 ) of a flat panel display unit ( 1 ), a peripheral flange portion ( 27 ) axially spaced from the bottom portion ( 21 ) and having an annular rim surface ( 29 ) suitable for airtight cooperation with an opposite surface ( 13 ) of a supporting structure, and an intermediate resiliently flexible wall portion ( 31 ) which is deformable between a relaxed shape in a relaxed state of the suction cup means ( 15 ) and an axially deformed shape nearer to the bottom portion ( 21 ) in a deformed state of the suction cup means ( 15 ),    permanent magnet means ( 33 ) permanently secured to the bottom portion outer surface ( 23 ) of the suction cup means ( 19 ) and having an exposed magnetic outer surface ( 35 ) disposed substantially flush with the annular rim surface ( 29 ) of the suction cup means ( 19 ) when the suction cup means ( 19 ) is in the deformed state.    
   
   
       6 . An integrated attachment unit as claimed in  claim 5 , characterized in that the attachment unit ( 15 ) comprises a layer ( 39 ) of pressure-sensitive adhesive means of the type suitable for removable attachment to an object, arranged on the rim surface ( 29 ) of the suction cup means ( 19 ) and/or on the permanent magnetic means ( 35 ).  
   
   
       7 . An integrated attachment unit as claimed in  claim 5 , characterized in that the attachment unit ( 17 ) comprises a hook-and-loop fastening means portion ( 45 ) arranged such that an exposed outer surface ( 47 ) of the hook-and-loop fastening means portion ( 45 ) is disposed substantially flush with the annular rim surface ( 29 ) of the suction cup means ( 19 ) when the suction cup means ( 19 ) is in the deformed state.  
   
   
       8 . An integrated attachment unit as claimed in  claim 5 , characterized in that the suction cup means ( 19 ) is provided with manually operable valve means for selectively putting a sealed air space present between the suction cup means and an opposite surface in air communication with the ambient air to facilitate removal of the suction cup means from the opposite surface.