Adjustable television stand

• US 6,095,476 A
• Filed: 02/12/1998
• Issued: 08/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Virgil Mathis
• Original Assignee: Virgil Mathis
• Inventors: Mathis, Virgil
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Anita M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAXTER, GWENDOLYN WRENN
• Application Number:
  US09/022,358
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 248/422, 248/415, 248/405, 248/278.1, 248/279.1, 248/910, 248/530, 248/149, 248/371, 248/395, 248/397, 248/922, 248/921, 248/923, 74/89.15, 74/495, 74/89.18, 74/10 A, 108/6, 108/7, 108/147, 297/DIG. 8
• US Class Current: 248/422
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2014 around a vertical axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/24 changeable in height or length of legs, also for transport only, e.g. by means of tubes screwed into each otherF16M11/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/922 Angular
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1864 Shaft and nut driven
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18816 Curvilinear rack

Abstract

An adjustable television stand is provided including a base fixedly positioned on a recipient surface. Also included is an intermediate portion slidably situated on the base along a vertical axis. An upper support is rotatably coupled to the intermediate portion about a vertical axis and further tiltable about a horizontal axis. A plurality of mechanisms are provided for selectively raising and lowering the intermediate portion and further rotating and tilting the upper support.

Claims

1. An adjustable television stand comprising, in combination:

a hollow base including a weighted bottom face, an upstanding side wall, and a top face, the top face having an annular slit formed therein thereby requiring a circular central portion of the top face to be supported via an L-shaped support mounted within an interior space of the base;

an intermediate portion having a vertically oriented hollow cylindrical configuration slidably situated within the annular slit formed in the top face of the base, the intermediate portion having a horizontal circular divider mounted therein adjacent to an open top thereof;

an upper support including a top plate having a planar square configuration with a stop formed along a front edge thereof and a rigid bracket mounted between side edges of the top plate for encompassing a television mounted on the top plate, the upper support including a post having a top end pivotally coupled about a horizontal axis to the top plate the post having a bottom end rotatably coupled about a vertical axis to a top face of the divider of the intermediate portion, and a hollow hemispherical portion mounted to a bottom surface of the top plate and slidably abutting an upper peripheral edge of the open top of the intermediate portion;

a riser mechanism including a vertically oriented ball screw having a top end rotatably mounted to the divider of the intermediate portion and a bottom end in screwable engagement within a ball nut which is in turn rotatably coupled to the central portion of the base, the ball nut having a periphery with a plurality of teeth for engaging a gear of a first motor mounted within the base for selectively raising and lowering the intermediate portion and upper support;

a rotator mechanism including a gear fixedly coupled in concentric relationship with a bottom of the post for engaging a gear of a second motor mounted on the divider of the intermediate portion for the purpose of selectively rotating the upper support about a vertical axis; and

a tilt mechanism including a portion of a gear mounted to a bottom surface of the top plate of the upper support with a center thereof in alignment with the horizontal axis associated with the pivotal coupling between the post and the upper support, the tilt mechanism further including a third motor mounted on the post with a gear for engaging the portion of the gear thereby selectively tilting the upper support about a horizontal axis.