Modular operation console for audiovisual processing apparatus

Abstract

 A modular operation console for audiovisual processing apparatus comprises a hollow base (10) suitable to house a plurality of display apparatuses, such as monitors (22) or the like, which extends frontally in a working plane (18) suitable to support at least one control apparatus (26) of the said display apparatuses (22), such as at least one keyboard or the like.

Description

[0001] The object of the present invention is a mod­ular operation console for audiovisual processing apparatus.

[0002] More specifically, the invention relates to a console of new conception that can be used e.g. both in the T.V. direction field and in the computer graphics field

[0003] Many known problems are involved in making a console of the above mentioned kind, since a suitab­le arrangement should be found for all the audio and video apparatus which are at the operator's dispos­al, so that the latter can use them to the best of his ability, both to draw the maximum efficiency and quality out of his work, and to make the relevant operations easy and comfortable.

[0004] In the specific case of the so-called control desks, particularly in the television direction field, the arrangement of the various apparatus, in­cluding both the image reproduction means such as monitors and the like, and the processing control apparatus such as keyboards or the like, does not comply with the above requirement, with the conseq­ uence that the operator's work results to be extrem­ely hard and uncomfortable.

[0005] One typical inconvenience consists in the visual monitors being arranged on uprights of consid­erable height, extending above the operator's work­ing plane, and in the control operations being diff­icult particularly for the monitors located at the greatest heights, and, consequently, in the image processing being a complex operation.

[0006] Another inconvenience related to the above mentioned arrargement of the video apparatus lies in the fact that they limit the field of vision of the operator, who cannot check the extremely important events that may take place behind the said apparat­us, as for instance on the occasion of direct pick-­up, or broadcasting, or post-production. His visual field, in fact, is limited to what is displayed on the TV monitors located above the working plane on­ly, and this limits consequently the view of other controlling monitor units placed before the console in a wall structure, compelling the operator to cont­inually raise his head in a very discomfortable way.

[0007] When, typically too, a computer is used, the latter and the apparatus related thereto are gener­ ally arranged at random on supporting planes or desks and therefore, in most cases, in operationally incorrect positions.

[0008] There has been now devised, and forms the object of the present invention, a modular operation console for audiovisual processing apparatuses, allowing to obviate all the above mentioned inconvenien­ces.

[0009] The characteristics as well as the advantages of the console according to the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of one of its non limiting embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective front view of the console according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the said console taken along a longitudinal section to show the way the apparatus are arranged in the console itself;

FIGURE 3 is a view of a multiple console, showing the versatility thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to the one of Fig. 3 of another possible embodiment of the console according to the present invention; and

FIGURES 5 to 8 show in different views the console of the present invention.

[0010] Referring first to Figgs. 1 and 2, it can be seen that the console according to the present inv­ention comprises a base indicated as a whole by 10, being hollow so as to enable the housing of a plura­lity of display apparatus, as will be explained in detail hereinafter.

[0011] The base or support 10 consists substantially of two side walls or shoulders 12, 14 and of an incl­ined upper wall 16 to which will be secured the up­rights and crosspieces supporting the display appar­atus.

[0012] The cons<le side walls 12, 14 are prolonged, in their front portion, by two extensions 13, 15 which hold up an operation desk indicated as a whole by 18. The latter is intended to support at least one control device of the display apparatus located in the base 10.

[0013] Referring still to Figgs. 1 and 2 in partic­ular, onto the inner face of the side walls 12, 14 and of the upper wall 16 there are secured in any known manner two supports of the display apparatus indicated as a whole by 20 and known in the specific audiovisual media field as rack units or shoulders in 19" frames set side by side to form a carrying structure.

[0014] The support elements 20 hold up two monitors 22 which can be seen by the operator through the aperture defined by the upper portions of the side walls 12, 14, by the upper wall 16 and by the work­ing plane 18. One of the two monitors 22 is only partially drawn so as to make visible some of the rack units 20.

[0015] As can be seen in particular in Fig. 2, the lower end parts of the front rack units 20 are link­ed to the rear edge of the working plane 18 by means of a removable inclined wall 24 which is secured in a known manner , at its ends, to the said units 20 and to the said plane 18.

[0016] Wall 24 being downward bent towards the units 20 allows to increase the operator's visual field, and to arrange in the console, accordingly, display apparatus of larger size which are therefore more effective in controlling and carying out the audio­visual processing.

[0017] It is also possible to place additional app­aratus above wall 16, by providing for suitable supporting means of same and increasing thus the amount of the apparatus that may be inserted (as schematically shown in broken line in Fig. 2 by ref­ erence 21).

[0018] As can be seen still with reference to Fig. 2, the rack units 20 are backward bent, so that the display apparatus, such as e. g. monitors 22, are set in an inclined position that optimalizes the operator's view of the screens.

[0019] According to a further characteristic of the console of the present invention, the working plane 18 consists of a panel 18a resting on a support met­al frame 18b secured to shoulders 12, 14. More spec­ifically, panel 18 is frontally pivoted at one side of support 18b by means of not shown lockable hinge means of known type. This arrangement allows to mod­ify the inclination of the working plane for a greater operator's convenience. For example, panel 18a may be brought to the raised position represent­ed by a broken line in Fig. 2 when the control app­aratus located on plane 18 and referred to by 26 is arranged in such a way that, in order to be used, requires that the working plane be rotated as indic­ated. This rotation may even be directed downward.

[0020] Figgs. 3 and 4 show the modular character of the console by illustrating two possible ways in which it can be made up, namely various arrangements of the adjustable plane, as well as additional app­aratus 27 applied below monitors 22 and supported by suitable brackets secured to the rack units 20.

[0021] Apparatus 27 are arranged with their front control part nearest the user, consisting e. g. by video recorders, computers, etc.

[0022] It is also evident that, as already said her­einabove, the console according to the present inv­ention can be used in any audiovisual media field, be they for television direction or for video-comp­uter graphics. The console structure is very comp­act, of minimum vertical dimensions and such as to allow to arrange the various apparatus in an optimal operating position from the ergonometric point of view.

[0023] Finally, variations and/or modifications can be obviously made to the console according to the present invention without thereby departing from the scope of the invention itself.

Claims

1. Modular operation console for audiovisual processing apparatus, characterized by the fact of comprising a hollow base (10) suitable to house a plurality of display apparatus, such as monitors (22) or the like, which extends frontally in a work­ing plane 18 suitable to support at least one contr­ol apparatus (26) of the said display apparatus (22), such as at least one keyboard or the like.

2. Modular operation console according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the hollow base (10) is defined by two side walls (12), (14) and by an upper wall (16), the console being open at its rear part.

3. Modular operation console according to claims 1 and 2, characterized by the fact that on the inner face of the upper portions of the side walls (12), (14) as well as on the inner face of the upper wall (16) there are set side by side support­ing modular elements of the display apparatus (22).

4. Modular operation console according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that said support­ing modular elements consist of rack units (20).

5. Modular operation console according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that said modular supporting elements of the display apparatus, in case of monitors or the like, are backward bent tow­ards the rear part of the console.

6. Modular operation console according to claims 1 and 3, characterized by the fact that bet­ween the ear edge of the working plane (18) and the lower end of the rack unit (20) there is inserted a wall (24) bent downward towards the said rack units (20).

7. Modular operation console according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the working plane (18) is formed by a panel (18a) supported by a metal frame (18b), to which the said panel is pivot­ed at its front side by means of lockable hinge means allowing the upward and/or downward position­ing thereof.

Drawing