Support

• US 4,946,120 A
• Filed: 08/09/1988
• Issued: 08/07/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mead-Hatcher, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Posting Equipment Corporation
• Inventors: Hatcher, David O.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOTKOWSKI, KAREN
• Application Number:
  US07/230,331
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 248/183, 248/349, 248/503, 248/503.1, 248/499, 248/510, 248/289.1, 248/296, 248/278, 248/279, 248/454, 108/44, 108/139, 108/103, 312/235 A, 297/468
• US Class Current: 248/183.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0252 for personal computers, e.g. laptops, notebooks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0012 Seats or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0059 using clips, clamps, straps or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0071 using latches, clips, clamps, straps or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0089 around three axes, i.e. universally mounted
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/929 Article carrier for electrical device

Abstract

A support (10) for securing a lap type computer (14) to a car seat (12). The support has upper and lower pivotally interconnected units (32, 30 respectively), the lower unit carrying a belt (54) so that it may be belted to the car seat (12). The upper unit also carries a belt (54) for the purpose of securing the lap top computer to the upper unit. In order to provide for suitable adjustment of the computer for ease of viewing and use, the lower unit is provided with a pair of opposed downwardly extending legs (42 and 44, 46), one of which legs (44, 46) may be secured in various positions of vertical adjustment. The upper unit and lower unit are provided with means (74, 76, 78, 80) to secure the upper unit in various positions of swiveling adjustment. In addtion, the upper unit is provided with a vertically adjustable auxiliary suppport (34) so that the angle of inclination of the lap type computer may be varied. The support may additionally be provided with a writing surface attachment which may be mounted on the upper unit, or alternatively, a writing surface unit may be substituted for the upper unit (32).

Claims

1. A support capable of mounting a computer on a car seat said support comprising:

a lower unit adapted to be positioned on the car seat, the lower unit including an upper intermediate planar portion and a pair of opposed downwardly extending legs, one of the downwardly extending legs being provided with adjusting means for varying the length of the one downwardly extending leg so that the upper intermediate planar portion of the lower unit may be disposed in a generally horizontal position;

first holding means for securing the lower unit to a car seat;

an upper unit which receives a computer, the upper unit including a lower intermediate planar portion and a pair of opposed upwardly extending legs;

vertically adjustable auxiliary support means carried by the upper unit and for adjustably supporting an edge of the computer so that the computer may be positioned for maximum ease of use and viewing;

pivot means pivotally securing the lower intermediate planar portion of the upper unit to the upper intermediate planar portion of the lower so that the upper unit can swivel with respect to the lower unit; and

second holding means for securing a computer between the upwardly extending legs and on the lower intermediate planar portion of the upper unit.

2. The support as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first holding means is a lower belt carried by the lower unit, the lower belt being adapted to be passed about the car seat so that ends of the lower belt may be secured together to hold the support on the car seat, each of the downwardly extending legs being provided with a horizontal slot, the belt passing through said slots.

3. The support as set forth in claim 1 wherein the pivot means is disposed adjacent an edge of the planar portion of the lower unit which edge is adapted to be positioned closest to the user.

4. The support as set forth in claim 1 wherein a plurality of vertically aligned apertures are provided adjacent an edge of each of the upwardly extending legs of the upper unit which edge is disposed closest to the computer operator, the vertically adjustable auxiliary support means including a rod which extends through one opposed pair of vertically aligned apertures, and securing means to secure the rod in place in said pair of vertically aligned apertures.

5. The support as set forth in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the second holding means is an upper belt carried by the upper unit and which is adapted to be passed about the computer, the ends of the upper belt being secured to each other to hold the computer in place.

6. The support as set forth in claim 5 wherein each of the upwardly extending legs of the upper unit is provided with a pair of aligned parallel slots, the upper belt passing through the pair of slots on each leg.

7. The support as set forth in claim 3 wherein the upper intermediate planar portion of the lower unit includes an arcuate slot, and wherein the planar portion of the upper unit is provided with an aperture in alignment with said slot, the support further being characterized by releasable fastening means passing through said slot and aperture for fastening together and holding the upper unit on the lower unit in various positions of adjustment.

8. The support as set forth in claim 4 wherein the ends of the rod are threaded, and the securing means are nuts which are threaded onto the ends of the rod.

9. The support as set forth in claim 4 wherein an intermediate portion of the rod is covered with a soft tube.

10. A support capable of mounting a computer on a car seat, said support comprising:

a lower unit adapted to be positioned on a car seat, the lower unit including upper intermediate planar portion and a pair of front and rear opposed downwardly extending legs, one of said downwardly extending legs being provided with adjustable means so that the length of the one downwardly extending leg may be varied so that the upper intermediate planar portion of the lower unit may be disposed in a generally horizontal position;

holding means in the form of a lower belt carried by the lower unit, the lower belt being adapted to be passed around the car seat so that the ends of the lower belt may be secured together to hold the lower unit on the car seat;

an upper unit which receives a computer, the upper unit including a lower intermediate planar portion and a pair of front and rear opposed upwardly extending legs;

pivot means pivotally securing the lower intermediate portion of the upper unit to the upper intermediate planar portion of the lower unit for swiveling the upper unit with respect to the lower unit so that the computer carried by the upper unit may be properly angled about a vertical axis with respect to the operator;

a vertically adjustable fore and aft extending auxiliary support means carried by the front and rear opposed upwardly extending legs of the upper unit for adjustably supporting one edge of the computer in various positions of vertical adjustment so that the computer may be positioned for maximum ease of use and viewing; and

second holding means in the form of an upper belt carried by the upper unit for securing the computer between the upwardly extending legs, the ends of the upper belt being secured to each other to hold the computer in place.