Abstract:
A cabinet support platform which supports a cabinet of an electronic device and the like has a base plate which receives a base surface of the cabinet. Two side support members which support side faces of the cabinet and stoppers are provided on the inside of the side support members. The stoppers are attached to the side support members to tightly grip and hold the side surfaces of the cabinet by tight contact with the cabinet surfaces.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a cabinet support platform that supports a cabinet of an electronic device, etc. and prevents it from toppling. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     In recent years, personal computers, external memory devices, and other electronic devices have been made so that a cabinet can be set up in either a vertical or horizontal orientation. In the vertical orientation, a cabinet support platform is sometimes used to keep it from toppling over. 
     Among cabinet support platforms of this type, as the first previous known example, there is one that consists of a set of members having clamping pieces for sandwiching in and holding both sides of the cabinet and a setting surface on which the cabinet is to be set, and in which these members are fastened together by screws (for example, patent H5-266643 [1993]). 
     In another conventional example, the cabinet consists of a set of members having a holding part that clamps and holds both sides of the cabinet, a protruding part on which the cabinet is to be set, and legs, and in which these members are joined rotatably to each other (patent H6-350276 [1994]). 
     However, with the cabinet support platform of the first conventional example, the members are fastened together by screws, and the spacing between the clamping pieces must be adjusted to fit the width of the cabinet, which makes the work of putting it together complicated. 
     With the second above described conventional example there is the problem that the structure is complicated, because the members are joined rotatably. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention, which was conceived in order to solve the above problems, to provide a cabinet support platform whose structure and assembly are simple and that supports the cabinet in a more stable condition. 
     The above and other objects of the present invention are attained by a cabinet support platform that supports the cabinet of an electronic device, etc., and comprises a base plate that supports a base surface of said cabinet, two side support members that are provided on both side ends of said base plate and that each supports a side face of said cabinet, and stoppers that protrude on at least one inside surface of said side support members and are attached so as to make a tight contact with the side surfaces of said cabinet. 
     In an embodiment, a cabinet support platform that supports the cabinet of an electronic device, etc. comprises a base plate that supports a base surface of said cabinet and two side support members that are provided on both side ends of said base plate and that each supports a side face of said cabinet, wherein said side support members are each formed in the shape of an angular pillar on a side. 
     In another embodiment, a cabinet support platform that supports the cabinet of an electronic device, etc., comprises a base plate that supports a base surface of said cabinet, a ;protective member that is provided on the front end of said base plate and protects the front part of said cabinet, and protruding members that are provided on said base plate surface and fit into depressions formed in the base surface of said cabinet. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the stand of a first embodiment of this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an electronic device in a horizontal orientation supported by the stand of the first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 diagrammatically shows a base surface of the electronic device of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view seen from the direction of arrow X in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view of the stand of the first embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a front view of the stand of the first embodiment; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cover of a side support member; 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of a side support member with its cover removed; 
     FIG. 9 is a diagram showing how to use the stand of the first embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the state in which an electronic device is mounted on the stand of the first embodiment; 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the stand of a second embodiment; 
     FIG. 12 is a plan view of the stand of FIG. 11; 
     FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the state in which an electronic device is attached to the stand of the second embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 14 is a side view showing the state in which an electronic device is attached to the stand of the second embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     An electronic device  1  is, for example, an entertainment device that executes games, etc. The cabinet of electronic device  1  consists mainly of an upper cabinet part  2  and a lower cabinet part  3 , and it is designed so that the lower cabinet part  3  is somewhat smaller than upper cabinet part  2 . Provided on upper cabinet part  2  are a power switch  2   a , a switch  2   b , a disk tray  2   c , memory card slots  2   d ,  2   e , and controller slots  2   f ,  2   g , etc. 
     Disk tray  2   c  is of a forward-sliding structure, and by pressing the disk tray switch  2   b , one gives instruction for the pullout operation and the put-in operation. Controllers for game operation are connected to controller slots  2   f ,  2   g . Memory cards for recording game data, etc. corresponding to the controllers connected to controller slots  2   f ,  2   g  are mounted in memory card slots  2   d ,  2   e , respectively. 
     As shown in FIG. 3, six legs  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d ,  3   e ,  3   f  consisting of elastic material such as rubber are attached to the base of the lower cabinet part  3 . Among these legs, legs  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d  can easily be removed. 
     As shown in FIG. 4, legs  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c ,  4   d  for when the electronic device  1  is put into vertical orientation are attached to one side  4  of the electronic device  1 . These legs  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c ,  4   d  are formed by elastic members such as rubber. 
     Next the structure of the stand for supporting the electronic device  1  having such a cabinet structure in the vertical orientation. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the stand of the first embodiment, FIG. 5 is a plan view of the stand of the first embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a front view of the stand of the first embodiment. 
     Stand  10  serving as a cabinet support platform consists mainly of a base plate  11  and left and right side support members  12 ,  13 . These are made mainly of, for example, synthetic resin. 
     Base plate  11  is formed so that its cross-sectional shape forms roughly a V shape. The electronic device  1  is placed in vertical orientation on its setting surface  11   a . Depressions  1   b ,  1   c ,  1   d ,  1   e  are formed in the four corners of setting surface  11   a . These depressions  11   b ,  11   c ,  11   d ,  11   e  are shaped so that legs  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c ,  4   d  shown in FIG. 4 can fit into them, respectively. 
     A support piece  11   f  for supporting the protruding part of the upper cabinet part  2  on side surface  4  of electronic device  1  is formed on base plate  11  so as to protrude the prescribed amount on the front side. 
     Side support members  12 ,  13  are provided on the left and right sides, respectively, of such base plate  11 . Side support members  12 ,  13 , which are each shaped like a triangular pillar lying horizontally, support the side surfaces of electronic device  1  between support plate  121  and support plate  131 , which are formed roughly perpendicularly to the base plate. Covers  122 ,  132 , which have sloping faces  122   a ,  132   a , respectively, are detachably attached to side support members  12 ,  13 . 
     Stoppers  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17  consisting of elastic materials such as rubber are provided on support plates  121 ,  131  of side support member  12 ,  13  so as to protrude inwardly thereof Stoppers  14 ,  15  are attached by inserting each into slits formed in support plate  121 . This specific attachment structure is described below. On the other side, stoppers  16  and  17  are similarly inserted into slits in support plate  131  that are not pictured. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the structure of cover  122  of the side support member  12 . Cover  122  is generally formed by side plates  122   b ,  122   c  formed integrally with the sloping face  122   a . Two bosses  122   d ,  122   e  for screw fastening are formed integrally on the inside of this cover  122 . In addition, two protruding pieces  122   f ,  122   g  that extend downward are formed on the upper edge of cover  122 . As shown in FIG. 1, the structure of protruding pieces  122   f    122   g  is such that stoppers  14 ,  15  are pushed on from above with cover  122  attached. 
     FIG. 8 is a side view showing the structure of side support member  12  with cover  122  removed. Shown in FIG. 8 is a side view as seen from the outside. Depressions  121   c ,  121   d  are formed in both sides of slit  121   a . Stopper  14  is attached to slit  121   a . Stopper  14  has fins  14   b ,  14   c  on both sides of body  14   a , which is of roughly pillar shape. Stopper  14  is mounted in slit  121   a  by slide-inserting has  14   b ,  14   c  down into depressions  121   c ,  121   d , respectively. 
     The structure on the side of slit  121   b  is the same as slit  121   a , and this description thereof is omitted. 
     Base surface  111 , which is shaped by extending the base plate  11 , is provided on the side support member  12 . Two attachment platforms  112 ,  113  are formed on base surface  111 . Bosses  122   d ,  122   e  of cover  122  shown in FIG. 7 are placed on attachment platforms  112 ,  113 , respectively. Hole  112   a  is formed in the middle of attachment platform  112 , allowing a screw, (not shown), to be inserted from below. With such screw, boss  122   d  of cover  122  can be screwed to base surface  111 . Similarly, attachment platform  113 , by the same structure as attachment platform  112 , allows boss  122   e  of cover  122  to be screwed to base surface  111 . 
     Formed integrally between support plate  121  and base surface  111  are, for example, four ribs  123 ,  124 ,  125 ,  126 . This increases the strength. 
     The structure of side support member  12  was described in connection with FIGS. 7 and 8, and the other side support member  13  has the same structure, so it is not described here. 
     Next, the manner of using stand  10  of the first embodiment having the above described composition will be described. 
     FIG. 9 is a diagram showing how to use stand  10 . Electronic device  1  is inserted between side support members  12 ,  13  with the side face  4  facing downward and the front side facing the side of support piece  11   f  of stand  10 . At this time, positioning is done so that legs  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c ,  4   d  of base surface  4  shown in FIG. 4 fit into depressions  11   b ,  11   c ,  11   d ,  1   e  of base plate  11 , respectively. Thus electronic device  1  can be held in the vertical orientation by stand  10 , as shown in FIG.  10 . 
     At this time, tottering can be prevented, because stoppers  14 - 17  provided on the inside of side support members  12 ,  13  press the side faces of cabinets  2 ,  3  of electronic device  1  from both sides. Slipping can also be prevented, because legs  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c ,  4   d  fit into depressions  11   b ,  11   c ,  11   d ,  11   e  in the base plate. 
     Because side support members  12 ,  13  are made in the shape of an angular pillar such as a triangular pillar, they can generally be matched to the design of a cabinet having many angles. 
     Next, the second embodiment of this invention will be described. 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the stand of the second embodiment, and FIG. 12 is a plan view of the stand of the second embodiment. Stand  20 , which is a stand for horizontal orientation of the electronic device, consists of base a plate  21  and a front protective member  22  which are made substantially of a material such as, for example, synthetic resin. 
     Base plate  21  is shaped so as to have roughly the same design as the base surface part of the lower cabinet  3  of electronic device  1  shown in FIG.  2 . Provided on this base plate  21  are four protruding members  21   a ,  21   b ,  21   c ,  21   d . The protruding members  21   a ,  21   b ,  21   c ,  21   d  are formed as elastic members of elastic material such as rubber. Also, protruding members  21   a ,  21   b ,  21   c ,  21   d  are shaped so as to be able to fit into holes, (not shown) after legs  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d  of lower cabinet  3  of the electronic device  1  are removed, respectively. 
     Front protective member  22 , which covers the front of electronic device  1 , is provided detachably on the front side of base plate  21 . This front protective member  22  has the shape of a triangular pillar on its side and is formed so that sloping face part  22   a  faces the front. 
     FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the state in which electronic device  1  is attached to stand  20  of the second embodiment, and FIG. 14 is a side view thereof. If electronic device  1  is to be attached to stand  20 , one removes legs  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d  on the rear surface of lower cabinet  3 , executes the positioning so that protruding members  21   a ,  21   b ,  21   c ,  21   d  fit into the holes, (not shown), into which these legs formerly fitted, and places electronic device  1  on the base plate  21 . In this way, one can securely attach stand  20  to the electronic device  1 . 
     At this time, as shown in FIG. 14, the front of the lower cabinet  3  can be protected by the inside surface  22   b  of the front protective member  22 . 
     Because the front protective member  22  is made in the shape of an angular pillar such as a triangular pillar, it can generally be matched to the design of a cabinet having many angles. 
     In addition, as shown in FIG. 14, protruding members  21   a ,  21   b ,  21   c ,  21   d  and legs  21   e ,  21   f ,  21   g ,  21   h  of base plate  21  may be respectively formed integrally, and may be made in such as way as to fit into holes, (not shown), made in base plate  21 . In this way the number of parts can be kept small and the number of manufacturing steps can be reduced.