Apparatus and method for support of electronic components

• US 7,017,760 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2003
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anthony Zuclich, Judy Zuclich
• Original Assignee: Anthony Zuclich, Judy Zuclich
• Inventors: Zuclich, Anthony, Zuclich, Judy
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, HUGH B
• Application Number:
  US10/695,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20050087503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 211/26, 211/187, 211/190, 211/134, 211/186, 108106-109
• US Class Current: 211/187
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 81/06 Furniture aspects of radio, television, gramophone, or record cabinets for similar equipment supports attached to the wall or ceiling or floor stands F16M
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 81/064 vertically
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/18 Construction of rack or frame

Abstract

Apparatuses and a method are provided for supporting electronic equipment. A base supports a pair of vertical supports. The vertical supports are mounted generally parallel to each other in a first plane and extending in the first plane in a first direction from the base. At least one component support is supported by the vertical supports. The component support includes a pair of support members that generally are mounted parallel to each other in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane and the first direction. The support members are configured to support an underside of an electronic component.

Claims

1. An apparatus for supporting at least one electronic equipment component, the apparatus comprising:

a base;

a pair of vertical supports configured to be secured to the base, the vertical supports being further configured to be mounted generally parallel to each other in a first plane and extending in the first plane in a first direction from the base; and

at least one component support, the component support including a pair of support members configured to be supported by the vertical supports, the pair of support members being configured to be mounted generally parallel to each other in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane and the first direction and further configured to support an underside of an electronic component, wherein the base includes a recess configured to receive at least one inset panel, the inset panel including an inset material that is one of differently constituted and differently colored than a base material of which the base is comprised.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional component support, the additional component support including a pair of additional support members being configured to be mounted generally parallel to each other in a third plane perpendicular to the first plane and parallel to the second plane.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base is configured to rest on a floor surface and the pair of vertical supports is configured to extend upwardly from the floor surface in the first direction.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the base is configured to include securing mass configured to lower a center of gravity of the apparatus such that a first distance from the center of gravity to the floor surface is shorter than a second distance from a front edge and a rear edge of the base measured along the floor surface to a projection of the center of gravity along the floor surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base is configured to be mounted on an overhead element and the pair of vertical supports is configured to extend downwardly from the overhead element in the first direction.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the component support includes a lateral member configured to engage each of the vertical supports and further configured to support the pair of support members.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the lateral member is fixably coupled to each of the vertical supports.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the lateral member is configured to be releasably coupled to each of the vertical supports such that the lateral member can be coupled to the vertical supports at a plurality of points along the first direction.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the lateral member is configured to be secured to the vertical supports with securable fasteners.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the securable fasteners include at least one of bolts, screws, and pegs.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each end of the lateral member includes at least one downward-facing hook configured to engage the vertical support.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the downward-facing hook is received in a recess on the vertical support.

13. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the support members are fixably coupled to the lateral member.

14. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the support members are configured to be releasably coupled to the lateral member such that the support members can be disposed at varying positions along a length of the lateral member.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the support members are configured to be secured to the lateral member with securable fasteners.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the securable fasteners include at least one of bolts, screws, and pegs.

17. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the pair of support members rest on an upper surface of the lateral member.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the pair of support members is configured to be supportably mounted on a first vertical support, each of the support members including a platform extending perpendicularly toward a second vertical support.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the vertical supports includes a plurality of vertical support sections.

20. An apparatus for supporting at least one electronic equipment component, the apparatus comprising:

a base;

a pair of vertical supports configured to be secured to the base, the vertical supports being further configured to be mounted generally parallel to each other in a first plane and extending in the first plane in a first direction from the base; and

at least one component support, the component support including a pair of support members configured to be supported by the vertical supports, the pair of support members being configured to be mounted generally parallel to each other in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane and the first direction and further configured to support an underside of an electronic component, wherein the support members are configured to be secured to the lateral member with a gravity-secured mechanism.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein an underside of the support members include at least one downward-facing peg configured to be received by a socket in an upper face of the lateral member.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the support member includes an upwardly extending suspension member received by a receiving orifice on the lateral member.

23. An apparatus for supporting at least one electronic equipment component, the apparatus comprising:

a base;

a pair of vertical supports configured to be secured to the base, the vertical supports being further configured to be mounted generally parallel to each other in a first plane and extending in the first plane in a first direction from the base; and

at least one component support, the component support including a pair of support members configured to be supported by the vertical supports, the pair of support members being configured to be mounted generally parallel to each other in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane and the first direction and further configured to support an underside of an electronic component, wherein each of the vertical supports includes a nonlinear shape.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein each of the vertical supports includes the nonlinear shape wherein a first width between the vertical supports at a first end of the vertical supports adjoining the base is not equal to a second width between the vertical supports at a second end not adjoining the base.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein first width is greater than the second width.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein each of the vertical supports includes the nonlinear shape in a third plane perpendicular to the first plane and the second plane.

27. An apparatus for supporting at least one electronic equipment component, the apparatus comprising:

a base;

a pair of vertical supports configured to be secured to the base, the vertical supports being further configured to be mounted generally parallel to each other in a first plane and extending in the first plane in a first direction from the base;

at least one component support, the component support including a pair of support members configured to be supported by the vertical supports, the pair of support members being configured to be mounted generally parallel to each other in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane and the first direction and further configured to support an underside of an electronic component; and

at least one lateral brace configured to securably couple the vertical support members to each other at a distance removed from the base along the first direction.

28. A method for supporting at least one electronic equipment component, the method comprising:

providing a pair of vertical supports generally parallel to each other in a first plane;

coupling to each of the vertical supports a pair of support members, the pair of support members being configured to be mounted generally parallel to each other in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane between the vertical supports; and

positioning the pair of support members to support an underside of an electronic component without covering an entirety of the underside of the electronic component, wherein the vertical supports extend downwardly from an overhead element.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising providing a base configured to securably receiving a first end of each of the vertical supports.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the vertical supports extend upwardly from a floor surface.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising coupling to each of the vertical supports a plurality of pairs of support members for supporting a plurality of electronic components.

32. The method of claim 28, further comprising joining the vertical supports with at least one lateral brace configured to securably couple the vertical support members to each other.

33. The method of claim 28, further comprising forming the vertical supports from a plurality of vertical support sections.

34. A method for supporting at least one electronic equipment component, the method comprising:

providing a pair of vertical supports generally parallel to each other in a first plane;

coupling to each of the vertical supports a pair of support members, the pair of support members being configured to be mounted generally parallel to each other in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane between the vertical supports;

positioning the pair of support members to support an underside of an electronic component without covering an entirety of the underside of the electronic component, wherein coupling the pair of support members to each of the vertical supports includes coupling an lateral member to each of the vertical supports and coupling the pair of support members to the lateral member; and

securing the support members to the lateral member with a gravity-secured mechanism.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising fixably coupling the lateral members to each of the vertical supports.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising releasably coupling the lateral member to each of the vertical supports such that the lateral member can be coupled to the vertical supports at a plurality of points along vertical supports.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising releasably coupling the lateral member to the vertical supports with securable fasteners.

38. The method of claim 34, further comprising fixably coupling the support members to the lateral member.

39. The method of claim 34, further comprising resting the support members rest on an upper surface of the lateral member.

40. A method for supporting at least one electronic equipment component, the method comprising:

providing a pair of vertical supports generally parallel to each other in a first plane;

coupling to each of the vertical supports a pair of support members, the pair of support members being configured to be mounted generally parallel to each other in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane between the vertical supports;

positioning the pair of support members to support an underside of an electronic component without covering an entirety of the underside of the electronic component; and

forming the vertical supports to include a nonlinear shape.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein each of the vertical supports includes the nonlinear shape wherein a first width between the vertical supports at a first end of the vertical supports adjoining the base is not equal to a second width between the vertical supports at a second end not adjoining the base.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein first width is greater than the second width.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein each of the vertical supports includes the nonlinear shape in a third plane perpendicular to the first plane and the second plane.

44. A method for supporting at least one electronic equipment component, the method comprising:

providing a pair of vertical supports generally parallel to each other in a first plane;

coupling to each of the vertical supports a pair of support members, the pair of support members being configured to be mounted generally parallel to each other in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane between the vertical supports;

positioning the pair of support members to support an underside of an electronic component without covering an entirety of the underside of the electronic component, wherein coupling the pair of support members to each of the vertical supports includes coupling an lateral member to each of the vertical supports and coupling the pair of support members to the lateral member; and

releasably coupling the support members to the lateral member such that the support members can be disposed at varying positions along a length of the lateral member, wherein releasably coupling is performed with securable fasteners.