Horizontally supported planar surfaces – Tiltable surfaces – With horizontal adjustment
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-19
2001-12-11
Cuomo, Peter M. (Department: 3636)
Horizontally supported planar surfaces
Tiltable surfaces
With horizontal adjustment
C248S418000, C248S457000, C108S142000, C108S147200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06327982
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to stands or supports used to hold a laptop computer or keyboard.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today, laptop computers are commonly used in homes and motel rooms without a desk or table. When used while sitting in a chair or bed, the laptop computer must be supported on the user's lap. Unfortunately, in a short time the bottom of the laptop computer becomes hot and begins to bum the user's legs. Without a mouse support surface, the user is also forced to use the touch pad or point stick provided with the laptop computer. Also, the position of the keyboard is unsuitable for proficient typing.
Portable food stands are widely used in hospitals to support a tray of food for a patient lying in a bed. Because hospital beds have tall open areas under the bed frame, the legs on the stands are able to freely extend under the bed to position the food tray over the patient.
The height and design of chairs and beds at home varies greatly and do not have tall open areas under them to accommodate the legs used on portable hospital food stands. What is needed is an adaptable computer stand that can be used with a wide variety of different chairs and beds.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable stand capable of being used to support a laptop computer or keyboard over a user's lap while sitting.
It is an object of the present invention to provide such a stand designed for use with chairs, couches, or beds, commonly used in homes, that have short open areas under them.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a stand adaptable to different types of chairs, couches, and beds, different sized individuals, and different sitting and reclining positions, as well as standing up.
These and other objects of the invention, which will become apparent, are met by the computer stand disclosed herein. The computer stand is used to support a laptop computer or keyboard over a user's lap while sitting in a chair or bed. The stand includes a wide, low profile base designed to extend into the short open area located under a chair or bed commonly found in a home. Attached perpendicularly to the base is a vertically aligned fixed pole. The fixed pole is attached to the rear member on the base so that the side members on the base may be placed under the chair and the fixed pole may be placed immediately adjacent to the side of the chair. By placing the base under the chair, the stand is able to remain upright during use.
Attached to the upper end of the fixed pole is an adjustable extension pole designed to be selectively raised or lowered on the fixed pole. During use, the extension pole slides longitudinally inside the fixed pole to a desired elevation and is then locked in position with a locking mechanism disposed between the upper end of the fixed pole and the lower section of the extension pole. In one embodiment, the extension pole is designed to rotate 360 degrees around the longitudinal axis of the fixed pole.
Attached to the distal end of the extension pole is an adjustable extension arm that holds the support surface horizontally over the edge or seat of the chair or bed. In the preferred embodiment, the fixed extension pole and extension arm are both circular in cross section. During use, the extension arm is able to rotate and slide longitudinally inside the upper section of the extension pole, thereby enabling the relative position of the support member to the fixed pole to be selectively adjusted by the user. A locking means is disposed between the distal end of the extension pole and the proximal end of the extension arm thereby enabling the extension arm to be locked in a desired position on the extension pole. In a second embodiment, a pivoting means is provided between the extension pole and extension arm that enables the proximal end of the extension arm to pivot 360 degrees around a vertical axis. In a third embodiment, the base is Y-shaped with two extending legs aligned longitudinally at least 90 degrees apart, so that the base can be positioned around a corner leg on the chair. Limiting means are disposed between the fixed pole and extension pole that limit the arc of rotation of the extension pole over the fixed pole to the two leg members on the base so that the stand does not tip over during use.
As mentioned above, attached to the distal end of the extension arm is a planar support member used to support a keyboard or laptop computer. A universal joint is disposed between the distal end of the extension arm and the bottom surface of the support member. During use, the user is able to selectively rotate and tilt the support member relative to the extension arm at any desired position for comfort and stability. An optional lip may be attached or formed on the front edge of the support member to prevent the keyboard or laptop computer from sliding off the support member during use.
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patent: 5143341 (1992-09-01), Juster
patent: 5732910 (1998-03-01), Martin
patent: 1372652-A (1964-04-01), None
Anderson Jerry A.
Craine Dean A.
Cuomo Peter M.
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