Desktop stand for a docking station and a portable computer

• US 7,515,408 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2005
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oahwip BV
• Original Assignee: BakkerElkhuizen Innovations B.V.
• Inventors: Blom, Hendrik Gerrit, Elkhuizen, Jan Willem, Bakker, Willem Hendrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Lea-Edmonds; Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): WRIGHT, INGRID D
• Application Number:
  US11/084,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20050207112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• Field of Search: 361/686, 361/681
• US Class Current: 361/679.33
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• 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

A desktop stand for a docking station and a portable computer having a keyboard member and a display panel projecting from a rear end portion of the keyboard member. A fastener structure is provided for fastening the docking station to a support structure for supporting at least a portion of the keyboard member. An abutment for engaging the end of the keyboard member remote from the display is located at a distance of and faces the fastener structure when in operative position for fastening the docking station to the support structure. When in fixed condition, the fastener structure or the abutment is releasably fixed and, when in a released condition, allows adjustment of the distance from the abutment to the fastener structure.

Claims

1. A desktop stand for a docking station and a portable computer having a keyboard member and a display panel projecting from a rear end portion of the keyboard member, comprising:

a support structure for supporting at least a portion of the keyboard member,

a bearing structure under said support structure such that at least a portion of said keyboard member located adjacent to the display panel is held at a higher level above a face on which the desktop stand rests than a level at which an end of the keyboard member remote from the display panel is held,

at least one fastener structure mounted to the support structure for fastening the docking station to the support structure, and

at least one abutment for engaging the end of the keyboard member remote from the display panel at a distance of and facing the fastener structure when in operative position for fastening the docking station to the support structure,

wherein, when in a fixed condition, at least the fastener structure or the abutment is releasably fixed and, when in a released condition, at least the fastener structure or the abutment allows adjustment along the support structure of the distance from the abutment to the fastener structure and fixing of the fastener structure at any of a plurality of distances from the abutment.

2. A stand according to claim 1, wherein said fastener structure is displaceable along said support structure when in released condition for allowing adjustment of the distance from the abutment to the fastener structure.

3. A stand according to claim 1, further comprising at least one guide for guiding movement of at least the fastener structure or the abutment towards and away from the other when in said released condition.

4. A stand structure according to claim 3, wherein the at least one guide comprises a slot in the support structure, through which the fastener structure projects.

5. A stand according to claim 1, further comprising a document deck extending above said support structure when in operative condition and comprising a storage for office supplies.

6. A stand according to claim 5, wherein the storage is provided in the form of a dispenser for dispensing office supplies.

7. A stand according to claim 1, further comprising a housing for a port replicator or for port replicator circuitry.

8. A stand according to claim 1, further comprising a document deck extending above said support structure when in operative condition, the document deck being pivotable between a position projecting from the support structure and a position extending along the support structure.

9. A desktop stand for a docking station and a portable computer having a keyboard member and a display panel projecting from a rear end portion of the keyboard member, comprising:

a support structure for supporting at least a portion of the keyboard member,

a bearing structure under said support structure such that at least a portion of said keyboard member located adjacent to the display panel is held at a higher level above a face on which the desktop stand rests than a level at which an end of the keyboard member remote from the display panel is held, and

at least one fastener structure for fastening the docking station to the support structure,

wherein the fastener structure comprises an exchangeable interface member arranged between the support structure and the docking station and fastened to the support structure when in fixed condition and having members for positioning the docking station relative to the exchangable interface and the support structure.

10. A stand according to claim 9, further comprising at least one abutment for engaging the end of the keyboard member remote from the display panel at a distance of and facing the fastener structure when in operative position for fastening the docking station to the support structure, wherein, in a released condition, the exchangable interface member is displaceable to and from the abutment.

11. A kit including a stand according to claim 9, comprising at least a first and a second exchangeable interface, each fastenable to the support structure, at least as an alternative to the other.

12. A desktop stand for a docking station and a portable computer having a keyboard member and a display panel projecting from a rear end portion of the keyboard member, comprising:

a support structure for supporting at least a portion of the keyboard member,

a bearing structure under said support structure such that at least a portion of said keyboard member located adjacent to the display panel is held at a higher level above a face on which the desktop stand rests than a level at which an end of the keyboard member remote from the display panel is held, and

at least one fastener structure for fastening the docking station to the support structure,

further comprising a document deck extending above said support structure in a first orientation when in operative condition and pivotable away from the support structure about an axis located adjacent to a lower end of the support structure, from the first orientation to a second orientation projecting away from the support structure.