Horizontally supported planar surfaces – With structural installation
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-22
2001-07-17
Cuomo, Peter M. (Department: 3636)
Horizontally supported planar surfaces
With structural installation
C108S050010, C248S316100, C269S045000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260486
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a stand for supporting and securing items such as a portable computer.
Continuing advancements and developments in portable computers and their accessories have resulted in increasing use of portable computers in a wide range of environments such as in vehicles or in situations where a relatively flat surface on which to place the computer is not available.
An increasing number of sales representatives, insurance adjusters, delivery truck drivers and other workers who spend a considerable portion of their work time in a vehicle, carry portable computers in their vehicles to facilitate the entry, retrieval and utilization of data before, during and after sales calls, deliveries or out of office meetings. Unfortunately, most vehicles are not designed to function as desks. The portable computer is usually placed in the passenger seat while the worker is in transit, and then placed in the worker's lap during use, hopefully after parking the vehicle. Many portable computers are damaged when the vehicle comes to a relatively quick stop and the momentum of the unrestrained portable computer causes it to crash into the dash of the car. In addition, trying to operate a portable computer in your lap while in the relatively cramped confines of an automobile can prove awkward and uncomfortable. A worker may also need to use the portable computer in the field at locations where neither a desk nor any other acceptable relatively flat surface is available for supporting the computer during use.
Although various table type structures, stands and the like have been developed for use in supporting items in a vehicle, most of these tables or stands do not provide means for securing items to the table at least without modifying the item itself or which would not impair the useability and accessibility to a portable computer secured thereon. U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,936 issued to Wang on Aug. 8, 1995, discloses a table with clamps for securing an item therebetween. However, the clamps, which expand and retract along a fixed axis, may tend to block or cover up various ports, slots, electrical connectors or related openings along the sides of the portable computer which permit use of various accessories. Such ports, slots, and connectors might comprise floppy drives, CD rom readers, PC card slots, power supply ports, mouse attachment ports, printer ports, ports for connecting full size screens and keyboards, ports for modem cards and the like. The location of these openings, ports or connectors varies from computer to computer and therefore the table is limited in the variety of computers with which it may be used without restriction. There continues to be a need for a stand which may be secured in a vehicle for supporting and securing almost any brand or style of personal computer thereon without impairing accessibility to the various ports, accessories or connectors for various accessories.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a stand for supporting and securing a portable computer. The stand comprises a hinged leaf assembly to which a portable computer or the like may be supported. The leaf assembly is adapted to be secured to a support member such as an articulated arm. A lower end of the articulated arm is adapted to be secured to structure such as a base plate mounted to a vehicle or other structure relative to which the computer is to be supported.
The leaf assembly comprises a first leaf and a second leaf hingedly secured together at inner ends thereof. At least one and preferably two abutment members, are slidingly secured along outer ends of each of the first and second leaves. Opposed sets of the abutment members on the outer ends of the first and second leaves are adapted for engaging and supporting a portable computer or the like therebetween. The relative location of the abutment members along the outer edge of each leaf is adjustable to avoid obstructing access to a port or the like on the computer.
The stand further includes a pair of pivotal support trays, each pivotally secured to an outer surface of one of the leaves and pivotal away from the respective leaf to provide a tray for supporting accessories thereon. Side support trays are removably securable across adjacent ends of the leaves.
The articulated arm is designed to be manipulated through a wide range of motion to permit the leaf assembly and the item supported thereby to be placed or oriented as desired. Further the articulated arm includes means for locking the arm in place after an orientation is selected.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
The objects and advantages of this invention include: providing a stand which may be used for supporting an item such as a laptop computer relative to a surface and which includes means for firmly securing an item thereto; providing such a stand particularly well adapted for securing a wide variety of portable computers thereon; providing such a stand wherein the securement mechanism does not interfere with accessibility to ports, openings or connectors on the sides of the computer or on the bottom thereof; providing such a stand comprising a hinged leaf assembly having a pair of leaves hingedly secured together for securing an item between outer ends of the leaves; providing such a stand which includes at least one abutment member slidingly secured to each leaf along an outer edge thereof; providing such a stand wherein the stand is selectively positionable in a wide range of positions and orientations within a vehicle; providing such a stand which is securable to an articulated arm which is removably secured to the vehicle; providing such a stand which is collapsible to a relatively low profile configuration; providing such a stand which is readily transportable by a person; providing such a stand wherein the articulated arm is readily removable from the vehicle; providing such a stand which is particularly well adapted for its intended purposes.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention.
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 2669958 (1954-02-01), Sweeney
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patent: 3391960 (1968-07-01), Megargle et al.
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patent: 4852499 (1989-08-01), Ozols
patent: 4909159 (1990-03-01), Gonsoulin
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Sales literature for Bogen Super Clamp System distributed by Bogan Photo Corp., 565 East Crescent Ave., P.O. Box 506, Ramsey, NJ 07446-0506, on information and belief published prior to Dec., 1994.
Sales literature for Gamber-Johnson Service & Solutions, 801 Francis Street, Stevens Point, WI 54481, on MCS-100 Series & Accessories for Mission Control ©1995.
Boos Shane M.
Tse Eric H.
Anderson Jerry A.
Cuomo Peter M.
Merging 20 Into 21, Inc.
Shughart Thomson & Kilro P.C.
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