Abstract:
A video monitor mounted support shelf or platform has adaptive support legs vertically adjustable for fitting a range of monitors and further provides a clamping device for attachment to the monitor&#39;s case without modification of the monitor&#39;s case. The adjustable legs are defined in two embodiments as the scissor adjustable type or as laterally displaced V-shaped legs having an adjustable divergent angle.

Description:
This application is based upon a previously filed Disclosure Document No. 428086 filed with the United States Patent Office on Nov. 18, 1997. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to stands and support apparatuses, and more particularly to a platform stand that is adaptive to the contours of a video monitor so as to hold devices, equipment and other items on the top of the monitor. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The following art defines the present state of this field: 
     Feldman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,119 describes a furniture unit for the support of a video set and video tape cassettes in conjunction with a television receiver, comprising a base element sized to be inserted under the television receiver, a first vertical side member rigidly attached to the base element at a position corresponding to one side of the television receiver, the vertical side member being configured to include storage racks for video cassettes, and a shelf element rigidly attached to the vertical element configured to support a video set above a television receiver, the major plane of the shelf element being parallel to the major plane of the base element. 
     Kirchner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,598 describes a desktop mount comprising a shelf and at least two spacers form mounting said shelf on a support, e.g., on a desktop. To ensure that the desktop mount can support technical end electronic equipment which can conveniently be operated each spacer consists of a swivel bracket, which comprises a bracket base, which is adapted to be secured to a desktop or other support, and a bracket arm, which is pirated to the bracket base and to the shelf on spaced apart vertical axes. 
     Garrett, U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,255 describes a mounting bracket which provides for attaching an accessory onto a display device or the like that allows the accessory to be readily attached to or removed from said display device, comprising a hooking portion shaped to cooperate with a front surface of said display device so as to locate said bracket; a mounting portion adapted to receive said accessory; and a stablishing portion providing a second point of location on said display device so as to provide stability between said bracket and said display device. 
     Allard, U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,650 describes a table adapted to be used as a coffee table having a top, all or part of which can be raised and moved laterally on struts forming a part of the legs of the table. The raised and moved portion is moved to a position where it can be used as an ordinary table for writing or the placement of food. The struts are slidable in the portion of the table used as legs and included alternate devices to support the raised part. 
     The prior art teaches brackets for use with video monitors, the closest of which to the present invention is the above reference to Garrett. However, the prior art does not teach that such a bracket or stand may be constructed in such a manner as to be mounted without modification of the monitor and to be adaptive to the wide range of monitor case conformations in the commercial market. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below. 
     The present invention provides a video monitor mounted support shelf or platform having adaptive support legs adjustable for fitting a range of monitors and further providing a clamping device for attachment to the monitor&#39;s case. 
     A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a shelf platform mountable onto a video monitor having advantages not taught by the prior art. 
     Another objective is to provide such a shelf platform that is fixed to a monitor without modification of the monitor. 
     A further objective is to provide such an apparatus that provides legs having vertical adjustment. 
     A still further objective is to provide such an apparatus that provides a clamp for securing the apparatus to the monitor&#39;s case. 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In such drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment thereof; and 
     FIG. 3 is a side view thereof more explicitly showing a means of the invention for clamping a video monitor. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The above described drawing figures illustrate the invention, a stand apparatus  10  for use with a video monitor  1 . The stand apparatus  10  comprises a rigid platform  20  providing a peripheral edge  22 , an upfacing surface  24  and, in opposition thereto, a downfacing surface  26 , and further provides a platform supporting means receiving means  28  integral with the downfacing surface  26  and which will be described in detail below, and a monitor hooking means receiving means  29  integral with the peripheral edge  22 . The monitor hooking means receiving means, in the preferred embodiment is a nut which is fixed to, as shown in FIG. 3, or inset into (not shown), the peripheral edge  22  of the platform  20 . The receiving means  29  may represent a double sided tape for adhesive engagement. The apparatus  10  further provides a monitor hooking means  30 , such as the hook shaped bracket shown in the figures, which is engaged with the monitor hooking means receiving means  29 , by for instance, a hand fastened threaded bolt as shown, so as to be positionable for hooking a screen rim  3  of a monitor screen  5  of the video monitor  1 . The monitor hooking means  30  provides an elongated hole so that it may be adjusted vertically for monitors having a range of screen rim positions. The invention may be made without the monitor hooking means per se by substituting a monitor attachment means such as a double sided foam tape or the equal. Such an attachment tape may be placed between the platform or other part of the invention and the monitor case surface for assuring that the platform is immobile. Preferably the platform  20  provides a downwardly extending flange  21  for resting against a front surface of the video monitor  1 . The apparatus  10  further comprises a platform supporting means  40 , which will be described in detail below, engaged with the platform supporting means receiving means  28  wherein the platform supporting means  40  extends downwardly for contacting a case surface  7  of the video monitor  1  so as to support the platform  20  thereabove. Functionally, the apparatus further comprises a clamping means  50 , such as the screw  51  mounted in a threaded stud  53  for threaded adjustment toward or away from the monitor screen  5 , as best seen in FIG. 3, and which is mounted onto, and extending from the downfacing surface  26  of the platform  20 , the clamping means  50  providing a pivoting clamping face  52  positioned for contact with the video monitor case surface  7  so as to sandwich the video monitor case surface  7  between the monitor hooking means  30  and the clamping means  50 . Inventively, the clamping means  50  comprises a manual tightening means  54 , such as a handle, as shown, for applying a rotation to the screw  51  so as to apply a clamping force on the video monitor case surface  7  so as to fix the invention to the monitor  1 . 
     In a first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the platform supporting means  40  is a pair of elongate V-shaped rigid legs comprised of a pair of leg struts  42  and  44  having a divergent angle, alpha, defined therebetween. The struts  42 ,  44  are pivotally joined at  43  and are adjustable for selecting the divergent angle, alpha, of the rigid legs. The platform supporting means receiving means  28  is a pair of spaced apart linear receptacles, each of the linear receptacles providing a plurality of receptacle portals  28 ′ and each of the pair of elongate V-shaped rigid legs  40  provides a pair of sockets  45  at proximal ends thereof, respectively, for tight-fitting engagement within a selected pair of the series of receptacle portals  28 ′ of each of the linear receptacles so as to adjust the vertical height of the platform supporting means  40  and thus the platform  20  itself. 
     In a second embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the platform supporting means  40  is a pair of elongate rigid legs  46  mutually, medially, pivotally engaged at  46 ′ for scissors action in vertical adjustment of the rigid platform  20 , and the platform supporting means receiving means  28  is a series of holes  48  arranged along the peripheral edge  22  of the platform  20  and depending downwardly therefrom. Each of the pair of elongate rigid legs  46  provides a tubular receiver  49  at a proximal end thereof, and further a pair of engagement pins  60  are enabled by spring action in a pair of resilient legs  62 , for fixing the tubular receivers  49  at a selected pair of the series of holes  48  so as to scissorly adjust the vertical height of the platform supporting means  40  and thus the platform  20  itself. 
     In use, the invention allows the positioning of the platform  20  over the video monitor  1  so as to provide a flat mounting surface which may be used for storing remote control devices, or as is shown in FIG. 3, for mounting a decoder box or other electronic gear. The platform supporting means  40  is adjusted in height to accommodate the position and slope of the monitor case so that the platform is level. The monitor hooking means  30  is placed at the screen rim  3  and tightened using the nut shown, and then the screw  51  is tightened so that the platform  20  is fixed to the monitor case surface  7 . 
     While the invention has been described with reference to at least one preferred embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims.