Support with multi-stage clamping mechanism

Supports – Stand or bracket alternative

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C248S229120, C248S316400, C248S918000, C396S428000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06679463

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a clamping support for a portable electrical device such as an image capture device, and particularly to a support having a multi-stage clamping mechanism, which provides either a non-clamping free-standing support function, or a clamping function.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
With the progress of image processing and data transmitting technologies, image capturing devices are getting more and more popular than ever. A classical image-capturing device has at least a lens and a support located thereunder, where the support can be placed either on a desktop, a CRT type display, or any suitable plane surface. Regarding the distance and height in capturing a proper image, the most common position to put the image-capturing devices is around the top of the display. However, the LCD type display, which is much thinner than that of a CRT, requires a clamping mechanism to support the whole image-capturing device.
Please see
FIG. 1
, taken from a disclosure published in the Taiwan IPO gazette as TW491527, showing a support for an image-capturing device. The support
202
includes a main body
208
, a sliding portion
210
, a pair of springs
214
, and a lead board
212
. The sliding portion
210
can be combined with the main body
208
using the springs
214
located at each side of the main body
208
such that the support can clamp an object between the main body
208
and the sliding portion
210
. Furthermore, the lead board
212
can increase the weight of the sliding portion
210
to stabilize the support
202
in use. Various defects can still be found as below:
1. Due to the additional weight of the lead board
212
, the support
202
is not suitable for carrying.
2. A square and huge body will lead to a wasting of limited space on a working surface.
3. Because of the extra weight of the lead board
212
attached to the sliding portion
210
, the springs
214
must be strong enough to give a stable clamping force in order to clamp an object firmly.
4. The distance of travel for the sliding portion
210
under the main body
208
is quite long, which will easily result in jamming.
Another support device can also be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,431,507. Please see
FIGS. 2A and 2B
. The support device includes a neck
12
for connecting a camera
10
, a main arm
14
, a right arm
20
, and a left arm
20
′. The arms
20
and
20
′ can be rotated pivotally relative to the neck
12
. In addition, the main arm
14
has an end
21
, and each of the right arm
20
and left arm
20
′ has a hook
29
,
29
′. With the spreading of the right arm
20
,
20
′, the main arm
14
, right arm
20
and left arm
20
′ can support the camera
10
in a standing state. Moreover, the arms
20
and
20
′ can be rotated forwardly to clamp an object (LCD display)
76
between the arms
20
,
20
′ and the main arm
14
. The disadvantages of the support device is as following,
1. The hooks
29
and
29
′ are clamped at the front surface of the display
76
and might scratch the precious LCD panel when the support is moved carelessly.
2. The way of attaching the display
76
basically is a rotate-to-clamp motion in an opposite direction for main arm
14
and arms
20
,
20
′. Therefore the thickness of the display
76
has to be carefully limited in a certain range, or the support device will not clamp the object
76
tightly enough.
With respect to the various defects listed above, the applicant has developed the improvement for the electric portable device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a stable, small size, and adjustable support with a multi-stage clamping mechanism, which provides not only a clamping but also a standing function.


REFERENCES:
patent: 6431507 (2002-08-01), Prather et al.
patent: 6481681 (2002-11-01), Stunkel et al.
patent: 6579017 (2003-06-01), Wei
patent: 6601999 (2003-08-01), McTeer

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