Universal portable computer stand and high speed connectivity center

• US 20040233631A1
• Filed: 05/12/2004
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hotwire Development LLC
• Original Assignee: Hotwire Development LLC
• Inventors: Lord, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,035,100 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/686
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2023/049 Desk stand for laptop computer
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/00 Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles heads thereof F16M11/02 ; undercarriages thereof F16M11/20 ; adapted to be stuck in the ground A45F3/44 ; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles supports for measuring instruments G01D11/30; supports for casings of remote control switching devices H01H9/025
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/024 by positive interaction, e.g. male-female connections
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/08 Foot or support base
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

An apparatus adapted to angle and space a laptop computer above a surface to facilitate user ease of use, the cooling thereof, and provide high speed connectivity thereto. The apparatus includes an adjustable stand device for mounting a notebook or tablet computer comprising at least a base 100, a first member 200 mounted on the base 100, a second member 300 slidably coupled to the first member 200, and a laptop backboard cradle 400 mounted on the second member 300. The second member 300 is arcuately slidable with respect to the first member 200 to allow backboard cradle 400 to be adjustably angled with respect to base 100 from a fully reclined position to a full height position. Along the sides of base 100 are located a plurality of USB input and output ports, some of which may be powered.

Claims

1. A notebook computer stand, comprising:

a support member adapted to support a notebook computer and selectively elevate the notebook computer;

said support member further comprising

a base;

a first member;

a second member; and

a backboard cradle;

said first member being coupled to the base;

said second member being coupled to the backboard cradle; and

said second member being arcuately, slidably coupled to the first member so as to permit the backboard cradle to be adjustably angled with respect to the base.

2. The stand of claim 1, further comprising the backboard cradle having a front side and a back side and a plurality of sides;

said second member being mounted to the back side of the backboard cradle;

said front side of the backboard cradle having a truss adapted to support a latop computer.

3. The stand of claim 1, further comprising a swale located approximately from the bottom edge of the backboard cradle to the top edge of the backboard cradle.

4. The stand of claim 3, further comprising the base having a plurality of input and output data and power ports.

5. The stand of claim 4, further comprising at least one active USB data port, at least one passive USB data port and at least one power input port.

6. The stand of claim 1, further comprising the base having a bottom surface with four corners;

and

four wheels located about the four corners of the bottom surface.

7. The stand of claim 1, further comprising the base having a bottom surface;

and

non-skid pads located about the bottom surface.

8. The stand of claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism coupling the first member and the second member;

said locking mechanism operable, when released, to allow the second member to arcuately slide with respect to the first member; and

said locking mechanism operable, when locked, to hold the second member in a fixed position with respect to the first position.

9. An adjustable stand for mounting a notebook computer or pen-input tablet computer comprising:

a base;

a first member;

a second member; and

a backboard cradle;

the base having

a base top surface;

a base bottom surface;

a plurality of base side surfaces;

the first member having a substantially rhomboid shape comprising;

a first member top;

a first member bottom;

and four sides, said four sides comprising

a first member front side;

a first member back side;

a first member left side;

and a first member right side;

the first member bottom being mounted to the base top surface;

the four sides of first member having four corners, comprising

a left back corner where the first member left side and first member back side meet orthogonally;

a right back corner where the first member right side and first member back side meet orthogonally;

a left front corner where the first member left side and first member front side meet orthogonally;

a right front corner where the first member right side and first member front side meet orthogonally;

the height of the left back corner and right back corner being substantially equal;

the height of the left front corner and right front corner being substantially equal;

the height of the left back corner being about 1.5 to 3 times the height of the left front corner;

the height of the right back corner being about 1.5 to 3 times the height of the right front corner;

each of the top edges of the first member left side and first member right side having an inward concave curvature from the back to the front thereof;

each of the top edges of each of the first member back side and first member front side being substantially straight and substantially parallel to the base top surface;

there being a guide formed at the terminating ends of the left side and the right side;

the integral molding of the four sides of first member forming the first member open top having a two sides thereof in a concave curvature shape;

the second member having at least two sides;

a second member left side;

a second member right side;

a second member bottom, said second member bottom having a convex surface;

second member left side and second member right side being formed integral and orthogonal to second bottom so as to form second member open top;

the rate of curvature of the second member bottom and the first member open top being substantially equal in absolute value so as to permit the second member bottom to be received and mated with the first member open top;

the arc length of the convex shaped portion of the second member open top being about 1.5 to 5 times the arc length of the concave shaped portion of the second member bottom;

the backboard cradle comprising;

a cradle front;

a cradle back;

a plurality of sides

a pivotably connected truss coupled to the cradle front;

a truss mechanism being located within the backboard cradle;

a truss release coupled to the truss mechanism operable to release the truss from its closed position to its open position;

the truss operable to keep the laptop or tablet computer from sliding off the backboard cradle when the backboard cradle is in a full height position;

the second member being mounted to the cradle back of the backboard cradle at the second member open top;

the convex surface portion of the second member being placed on top of the concave shaped portion of the first member open top, operable to allow the second member to slide along the first member from a first position to a final position;

the first position being when the back of the second member is at its closest position to the back of first member operable to orient the cradle back essentially facing and parallel to the base top surface of the base; and

the final position being when the front of second member is at its closest position to the front of first member, operable to orient the cradle back at about a 60 degree to 85 degree angle to the base top surface.

10. The adjustable stand of claim 9, further comprising:

a locking mechanism adapted to hold the backboard cradle in a preferred angled position with reference to the base;

the locking mechanism comprising a release mechanism with a first end and second end;

a release button;

a latch;

the release button being responsively coupled to a first end of the release mechanism;

the latch being responsively coupled to a second end of the release mechanism;

the release button located on or about the base;

the release mechanism being located within and through the interior of the base and the interior of first member;

a longitudinal prolate shaped cut-out or slot in the convex surface of the second member bottom;

the slot having at least one notch adapted to receive the latch portion of the release mechanism;

the latch extending into slot;

the locking mechanism adapted to lock and unlock the slidable coupled second member from the first member.

11. The adjustable stand of claim 10, further comprising the arrangement of latch into at least one slot operable to provide stops for the backboard cradle at the fully reclined position at one extreme to the full height position at the other extreme.

12. The adjustable stand of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of input and output, power and data ports located on the stand

13. The adjustable stand of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of input and output, power and data ports located on the base.

14. The adjustable stand of claim 13, wherein said plurality of input and output, power and data ports are located along the sides of the base.

15. The adjustable stand of claim 12, wherein said plurality of input and output, power and data ports are located on the first member.

16. The adjustable stand of claim 12, wherein said plurality of input and output, power and data ports comprise active and/or passive USB data ports, serial data ports, power input ports and the like.

17. The adjustable stand of claim 16, wherein the dataports are adapted to receive keyboards, mice, digital camera or MP3 players.

18. The adjustable stand of claim 9, further comprising rotatable wheels being located on the base bottom.

19. The adjustable stand of claim 9, further comprising non-skid pads being located on the base bottom.

20. The adjustable stand of claim 9 further comprising non-skid pads being located on the cradle front.

21. The adjustable stand of claim 9 further comprising being fabricated substantially from a resilient plastic.

22. The adjustable stand of claim 9, further comprising a swale being located on the cradle front;

the swale extending into the void formed by the walls of the second member; and

the swale being operable to allow air to circulate beneath the bottom of the computer.