Abstract:
A laptop computer stand device to hold a laptop computer that includes a keyboard and a screen hinged to the keyboard includes a base including two feet spaced apart a sufficient distance to straddle a recumbent person and legs upstanding from the feet. A cross-member extends between the legs above the feet. A laptop keyboard support extends to one side of the cross-member including a protrusion to hook on a portion of the keyboard, and a laptop screen support extends to one side of the cross-member spaced from the laptop keyboard support to hook on the screen.

Description:
This is a non-provisional of Provisional patent application No. 61/848,431, filed Jan. 4, 2013. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is in the technical field of laptop computer stands. More specifically, the present invention is in the technical field of portable laptop computer stand devices. 
     Conventional laptop computer stands are typically used in an upright, seated position, which doesn&#39;t allow the user to lay flat in a horizontal position while using a laptop computer. The upright, seated position becomes uncomfortable after a while for some laptop users. People who have back problems or who are confined to a bed have difficulty using laptop computers, due to having to be in an upright, seated position. The present invention resolves this problem by allowing the user to relax in a horizontal position while using a laptop computer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a portable laptop computer stand device which allows users to lay on a bed or a horizontal surface in a horizontal position while using a laptop computer. The computer stand allows users to rotate a laptop computer about an axis at a 360 degree angle while in this stand. The portable laptop stand may be used on a bed, table top, floor, horizontal or vertical surface. 
     A laptop computer stand device to hold a laptop computer that includes a keyboard and a screen hinged to the keyboard includes a base including two feet spaced apart a sufficient distance to straddle a recumbent person and legs upstanding from the feet. A cross-member extends between the legs above the feet. A laptop keyboard support extends to one side of the cross-member including a protrusion to hook on a portion of the keyboard, and a laptop screen support extends to one side of the cross-member spaced from the laptop keyboard support to hook on the screen. 
     In one embodiment the cross-member is pivotally connected with the legs, so the legs can be folded toward the cross-member to make a compact configuration for storage. 
     The laptop keyboard support and laptop screen support may be pivotally mounted to the cross-member, to allow the angles of the keyboard and screen presented to the user to be adjusted for user preference. Preferably, the laptop keyboard support and laptop screen support can be clamped to the cross-member to restrain pivoting to keep the angle of the keyboard and screen presented to the user at a user&#39;s preference. 
     The laptop keyboard support and laptop screen support may contact their respective keyboard and screen at contact points, and at least some of the contact points are adjustable in location so the laptop computer stand device can hold the laptop computer at an angle between the laptop screen and keyboard that can be varied. 
     The laptop keyboard support and laptop screen support may each include a rod extending generally parallel to the cross member with the laptop keyboard support including hooks to hook to a front of a laptop keyboard and the laptop screen support including hands to support screen-side left and right edges of the screen. 
     The invention can also be considered as a method of using a laptop computer that includes a keyboard and a screen hinged to the keyboard including deploying a support that has a laptop keyboard support and a laptop screen support by spacing two feet of the support apart a sufficient distance so a cross-member extends between legs above the feet spaced apart enough to straddle a recumbent person, positioning the keyboard in a hook portion of the laptop keyboard support, and resting the laptop screen on the laptop screen support. The method may include the preliminary step of opening a folded laptop computer support by pivoting the feet away from a storage configuration to a use configuration. 
     The method may include pivoting the laptop keyboard support and laptop screen support about a horizontal axis to allow the angles of the keyboard and screen presented to the user to be adjusted for user preference. The method may include clamping part of the support to restrain pivoting to keep the angle of the keyboard and screen presented to the user at a user&#39;s preference. It may also include adjusting the laptop screen support to vary an angle between the laptop screen and keyboard. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a left side view of the portable laptop computer stand device of an embodiment of the present invention in operation by a recumbent laptop computer user. 
         FIG. 2  is an overhead view of the portable laptop computer stand device of  FIG. 1  in operation by a laptop/notebook computer user. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective head-side view of the portable laptop computer stand device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a right side view of the portable laptop computer stand device of  FIG. 1  without a laptop computer in place; 
         FIG. 5  is a close up view of the mid-section of the portable laptop computer stand device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a rear close up view of the mid-section of the portable laptop computer stand device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a right side, partial-sectional view of the mid-section of the portable laptop computer stand device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a left side, partial-sectional view close up of the mid-section of the portable laptop computer stand device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 9  is an overhead view of the portable laptop computer stand device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a right side view of the portable laptop computer stand device of  FIG. 1  elevating a laptop computer. 
         FIG. 11  is a head side view of the portable laptop computer stand device of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 12  is a view of the portable laptop computer stand device of  FIG. 1  folded for compact storage. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the invention in more detail, in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , there is shown a portable laptop computer stand device  10 , in operation suspending a laptop computer  9  in the air. The user is able to lie in a horizontal position, and operate the laptop computer  9 . As seen clearly in  FIG. 1 , the computer  9  is opened about 145 degrees, or could be opened to a lesser angle and still be supported by the device  10 . 
       FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  also show the portable laptop computer stand device  10 . This stand includes a cross member such as horizontal axis rod  23  held in a substantially level position elevated above a horizontal surface (such as a bed), by two vertical legs  21  and  22 . Each of the legs  21 ,  22  has an end attached to the horizontal axis rod  23 , with a 90 degree angle, two-way L-shape slip connector  24 ,  25 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 9 , one of two rods  26  and  27  is inserted into each of the 90 degree angle, two-way L-shape slip connectors  24  and  25 . Each of the rods  26  and  27  is held in place by a screw  28  and  29 . Each screw  28  and  29  is in the middle of one of the 90 degree angle, two-way L-shape slip connectors  24  and  25 . At the opposite ends of each of the vertical rods  26  and  27 , are attached two-way L-shaped slip connectors  30  and  31 . Each of two-way L-shaped connectors  30  and  31  has a hole  32 ,  33 . Each hole  32  and  33  is mid-way the length of each two-way L-shaped connectors  30  and  31  and also extends through rods  26  and  27 . Clevis pins  34  and  35  are inserted into holes  32  and  33 , as best illustrated in  FIG. 9 . Each clevis pin  34  and  35  is used in order stabilize each two-way, L-shaped connector  30  and  31  in a vertical upright position. One of two vertical legs  21  and  22  is attached to each two-way, L-shaped connector  30  and  31 . There are two three-way, T-shaped slip connectors  15  and  16  at the bottoms of legs  21  and  22 . Each three-way, T-shaped slip connector  15  and  16  has two outward-facing holes, one facing to the left and the other facing to the right, and a third hole facing up. Each of the two legs  21  and  22  is attached to one of the vertical up-facing holes in one of the three-way, T-shaped slip connectors  15  and  16 . The two vertical legs  21  and  22  are stabilized in a vertical upright position by feet made up of four horizontal legs,  11 ,  12 ,  13 , and  14 . Each of the legs  11 ,  12 ,  13  and  14  is connected to one of the horizontal left or right holes in each of the two T-shaped three-way slip connectors  15  and  16 . The legs  11 ,  12 ,  13  and  14  can pivot in or out, by changing the orientations of the legs  21  and  22  in the up-facing holes in the three-way T-shaped slip connectors  15  and  16 . The pivoting allows the user to adjust to less or more upper body space between the legs. Each of the four legs  11 ,  12 ,  13  and  14  have balancing end caps,  17 ,  18 ,  19 , and  20 . Each of the caps  17 ,  18 ,  19  and  20  is inserted onto the outward facing ends of legs  11 ,  12 ,  13  and  14 . 
     Now referring to  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , in the center of the axis rod  23  is a four-way slip connector  36 . Axis rod  23  is inserted horizontally through the center of the four-way slip connector  36 , which is centered in the middle of the axis rod  23 . The four-way slip connector  36  allows laptop/notebook style computers to rotate vertically up and down potentially at up to a 360 degree angle.  FIG. 5  shows two rods  37  and  38  inserted into the four-way slip connector  36  at north and south ends. Each of the rods  37  and  38  has a slip connector adapter  39  and  40  attached to it. As best shown in  FIG. 6 , rod  37  is inserted into the vertical north end of four-way slip connector  36  with a slip connector adapter  39 , and held in place by a screw  41 . The second rod  38  is inserted into the south end of the four-way slip connector  36  with a slip connector adapter  40  and held in place by a screw  42 . Rods  37  and  38  each have one of three-way, T-shaped slip connector  45  and  46  attached at its end. Each three-way, T-shaped slip connector  45  and  46  is held in place by one screw  43  and  44 . Other fasteners, including glue, can be substituted where this specification mentions screws. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 9 , rod  47  is inserted through the top three-way, T-shaped slip connector  45 . This three-way, T-shaped slip connector  45  is centered in the middle of rod  47 . There are holes  50  and  51  in rod  47  at eight or more intervals, on both the left and right ends of rod  47 , as best illustrated in  FIG. 5 . These elements serve as a laptop screen support in a preferred embodiment. 
       FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  show two L-shaped laptop holder arms  48  and  49  inserted into one of holes  50  and  51  in rod  47 . The first arm  48  is inserted into one of the holes  50  on the right side of rod  47  and the second arm  49  is inserted into one of the holes  51  on the left side of rod  47 . Each L-shaped laptop holder arm  48  and  49  has a rubber arm hand  52  and  53 . As best shown in  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 9 , each rubber arm hand  52  and  53  has a hole in the middle, receiving one of the L-shaped laptop holder arms  48  and  49 . These L-shaped laptop holder arms  48  and  49  are adjustable and may be placed in any of the intervals holes  50  and  51  in rod  47 , in order to adjust to different laptop computer screen sizes. Rod  47  can rotate, in order to adjust to different laptop screen sizes and positions, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 . 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , each L-shaped laptop holder arm  48  and  49  has a wing nut  54  and  55 . Each of these two wing nuts  54  and  55  screw up or down on each L-shaped laptop holder arm  48  and  49 , in order to adjust the laptop holder arm&#39;s 48 and 49 arm length. Each L-shaped laptop holder arm  48  and  49  has one of two rubber end caps  56  and  57 . Each end cap  56  and  57  is at the top end of each L-shaped laptop holder arm  48  and  49 . Each L-shaped laptop holder arm  48  and  49  and arm hands  52  and  53  cooperate with a holder hook  89  and  90  to hold laptop computers in a stable position, as seen in  FIG. 11 . 
     As best shown in  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 7 ,  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 , the stabilizing assembly includes two U-shaped clamps  58  and  59  that have 180 degree angle ends. Each U-shaped clamp  58 ,  59  has one vertical hole at each end. U-shaped clamps  58 ,  59  rest on rod  47 , to the left and right side of the T-shaped three-way connector  45 . There are two lower, U-shaped clamps  60 ,  61  that have 180 degree angle ends, with vertical holes one at each end. Each of the U-shaped clamps  60 ,  61  bears against axis rod  23 , facing upward, to the left and right side of four-way slip connector  36 . 
       FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8  show two bolts  62 ,  63  on the front-facing side of the computer stand device  10 . Each bolt  62 ,  63  has one washer  66 ,  67  each. Bolts  62 ,  63 , are inserted through the washers  66 ,  67 . Each bolt  62 ,  63  is inserted through both holes in each U-shaped clamps  58 ,  59 . Each bolt  62 ,  63  is inserted through one of the holes in U-shaped clamps  60 ,  61 . Two more washers  68 ,  69  are inserted onto bolts  62 ,  63  followed by two nuts,  70 ,  71 . Nuts  70 ,  71  are screwed up on the bolts  62 ,  63 . These two nuts  70 ,  71  help stabilize rotation of stabilizing assembly. 
     Now referring to  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , there are two threaded rods  64 ,  65 . Each threaded rod  64 ,  65  has a lock nut  72 ,  73  on the south ends of the rods. These threaded rods  64 ,  65  are inserted from the bottom through U-shaped clamps  60 ,  61 , then through U-shaped clamps  58 ,  59 . Washers  74 ,  75  receive one of each threaded rod  64 ,  65 . Each threaded rod  64   65  is inserted in rubber spacers  76 ,  77 . There are two washers  78 ,  79  applied onto each threaded rod  64 ,  65 . There are two wing nuts  80 ,  81  screwed down on the threaded rods  64 ,  65 . These wing nuts  80 ,  81  are adjustable. When tightened, they work to exert friction on the connector  36  and stabilize the rotational orientation of stabilizing assembly of the laptop computer stand device  10 . When they are loosened, this stabilizing assembly allows laptop computer  9  to be rotated vertically up or down about the rod  23  and then be held in a stable position by re-tightening. There are two rubber end caps  82 ,  83  at the top of each threaded rod  64 ,  65 . As depicted in  FIG. 5 , two collar guards  84 ,  85  are inserted onto the axis rod  23 . Each collar guard  84 ,  85  works as a guide to prevent the U-shaped clamps  60 ,  61  from moving outwardly. Those of ordinary skill in the art will readily devise alternate stabilizing assembly configurations. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the lower, south-pointing rod  38  is connected to a three-way, T-shaped slip connector  46 . Rod  86  making up a part of the laptop keyboard support is inserted through the three-way, T-shaped slip connector  46  and generally is centered in the middle of the three-way, T-shaped slip connector  46 . 
     Now referring to  FIG. 9 , rod  86  has two holes  87 ,  88 , to the left and right of the three-way, T-shaped slip connector  46  in rod  86 . Laptop holder hooks  89 ,  90  are inserted through holes  87 ,  88 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . Each holder hook  89 ,  90  has a threaded end. These hooks are suspended in place by two acorn nuts  91  and  92 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 5 . 
     Now referring to  FIG. 5 , holder hooks  89 ,  90 , each have a rubber grip covering  93 ,  94 . Each rubber grip covering  93 ,  94  covers a laptop holder hook  89 ,  90 . These holder hooks  89 ,  90  engage a lower edge of a computer  9  to suspend the laptop computer  9  in the air, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     As depicted  FIG. 5 , two end caps  95 ,  96  are inserted into the left and right ends of rod  47 . There are two end caps  97 ,  98  inserted into the left and right ends of rod  86 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 11 , the portable laptop computer stand device  10  is in the configuration of a desk, in operation elevating a laptop  9  above a horizontal surface. 
     Now referring to  FIG. 12 , there is shown the portable laptop computer stand device  10  in a folded configuration. The folded configuration is achieved by retracting the pins  34 ,  35  so the legs  21  and  22  can be rotated to be nearly parallel with rod  23 . The nuts  80 ,  81  are loosed to allow the rod  45  to similarly be made nearly co-planar with the rod  23 . 
     In further detail, still referring to the stand of  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 12 , the horizontal vertical laptop stand, device  10 , width is sufficiently wide, such as about 25″ to 30″ to straddle a person&#39;s torso as seen in  FIG. 1 . The height of the device  10  is about 15″ to 20″ off the base and bed. The length of the stand  10  is about 21″ to 25″. The length of the top rod arm holder  47  is about 18″ to 23″ in length. The two laptop holder arms  48 ,  49  are about 7″ to 10″ in length. The length of the bottom holder hook rod  86  is about 12″ to 14″ from end to end. The two laptop holder hooks  89 ,  90  are about 1½″ to 2″ in depth, and have a height of about1½″ to 1¾″. The distance from top rod arm holder  47  to two bottom holder hook rods  86  is about 12″ to 14″. Those with ordinary skill will be able to devise alternate sizes. 
     The present invention as shown in the above figures is the laptop computer stand device  10 . This device can be manufactured using wood, plastic, metal and the like. Further, the various components of the laptop computer stand device  10  can be made of different materials. 
     As can be seen, the combination of the hooks  89 ,  90  and rubber arm hands  52 ,  53  are what support the laptop directly. The adjustability of these components with respect to one another permits various laptops that only open to less than laptop sizes to be supported, particularly laptop computers that only open to less than 180 degrees between the screen and the keyboard. In addition, to the variable laptop opening permitted, the angle of presentation to the recumbent (or sitting) user can be varied by rotation of the assembly holding the hooks and arms about the horizontal axis, such as rod  23 . 
     Also, the embodiment shown has the hooks  89 ,  90  of a standard length and the arms  48 ,  49  of adjustable length. But, the hook lengths can be adjustable, as well, and the arm lengths can be fixed. 
     The foregoing written description will enable one of ordinary skill to construct and utilize the invention. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. Therefore, the scope of the invention is not to be limited by the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all modifications which come within the scope of the following claims.