Display stand and bracket

A display stand includes a base, a leg and a bracket. The bracket is mounted to a backside of the base and includes a bridge for receiving the at least one portion of the leg. The bridge includes a first detent and a second detent. The portion of the leg that is received by the bridge is movable into a first position or a second position. A different portion of the leg mates with the first detent to support the display stand at a first viewing angle when the leg is rotated while in the first position. Yet another portion of the leg mates with the second detent to support the display stand at a second viewing angle that is different from the first viewing angle when the leg is rotated while in the second position.

BACKGROUND

Cookbooks, recipes, pictures, art work and tablet computers are all exemplary products that take advantage of free-standing display stands, frames or easels for propping the product up for display. Because viewers view the products on the free-standing display stands, frames or easels from varying heights, the free-standing stands or easels often have more than one viewing angle.

SUMMARY

A display stand includes a base, a leg and a bracket. The bracket is mounted to a backside of the base and includes a bridge for receiving the at least one portion of the leg. The bridge includes a first detent and a second detent. The portion of the leg that is received by the bridge is movable into a first position so that when the leg is rotated while in the first position, a different portion of the leg mates with the first detent to support the display stand at a first viewing angle. The portion of the leg that is received by the bridge is movable into a second position so that when the leg is rotated while in the second position, yet another portion of the leg mates with the second detent to support the display stand at a second viewing angle that is different from the first viewing angle.

In addition to the bridge, the bracket further includes a lower flange and an upper flange. The bridge couples the lower flange to the upper flange and is oriented along an axis and is configured to receive the leg. The bridge includes an outer surface that is located at a fixed distance from the axis and an inner surface that is located at a fixed distance from the axis. The first detent of the bridge further is oriented along a first surface plane that intersects with the axis, is defined between the outer surface and the inner surface of the bridge and extends between a first end of the bridge and a terminating end. The second detent of the bridge is oriented along a second surface plane that intersects with the axis, is defined between the outer surface and the inner surface of the bridge and extends between a second end of the bridge and a terminating end. The first surface plane of the first detent is oriented at an angle relative to the second surface plane of the second detent.

To adjust the viewing angle of the display stand, the portion of the leg that is engaged within the bridge is slid in a first direction along the axis and rotated until it mates with the first detent so that the viewing angle of the display stand is oriented into a first viewing angle. The portion of the leg that is engaged within the bridge is slid in a second direction along the axis and rotated until it mates with the second detent so that the viewing angle of the display stand is oriented into a second viewing angle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments described herein include a display stand having a bracket that supports a support member or leg. Exemplary display stands can be frames, display holders, easels and the like. The bracket is a two stage bracket that is capable of supporting the support member or leg in two different configurations. In the first configuration, the bracket supports the support member or leg so a base of the display stand is oriented at a first viewing angle. In the second configuration, the bracket supports the support member or leg supports so the base of the display stand is oriented at a second viewing angle. Features of the bracket allow a user of the display stand to easily and simply adjust between the two different angles for optimal viewing of a product being held on the display stand. For example, the display stand might be capable of holding or displaying a cookbook, a recipe, a picture, art work, a tablet computer and the like.

FIGS. 1-8illustrate perspective and orthogonal views of a bracket100that is to be mounted to a base of a display stand according to one embodiment. In particular,FIGS. 1is a front right side perspective view,FIG. 2is a front left side perspective view,FIG. 3is a front view,FIG. 4is a back view,FIG. 5is a top view,FIG. 6is a back view,FIG. 7is a right side view andFIG. 8is a left side view. Bracket100includes a lower flange102, an upper flange104and a spine or bridge106that couples the lower flange102to the upper flange104. Spine106includes an outer surface110, an inner surface112and is oriented along an axis108. More specifically, outer surface110and inner surface112form curved or radial surfaces that are located at fixed distances from axis108. Axis108is similar to an axis of a curvilinear geometric shape, such as a cylinder. InFIGS. 1-8, spine106is shaped like an open cylinder that has been cut in half at its axis108. While spine106is illustrated as having curved surfaces, it should be realized that in the alternative, spine106can include rectilinear surfaces that are located at fixed distances from an axis, such as axis108.

Inner surface112defines a space for receiving a support member or leg of a display stand. The space defined by inner surface112is adapted to receive at least one portion of a support member or leg that orients and supports the display stand at a viewing angle. In addition, lower flange102includes a plurality of holes103for receiving fasteners for mounting bracket100to a backside of a base of a display stand and upper flange104includes a plurality of holes105for receiving fasteners for mounting bracket100to the backside of the base of the display stand. While lower flange102includes a width114that is less than a width116of upper flange104, the heights of each flange can be substantially equal or substantially different.

Spine106includes a first shoulder118having a first leg engaging surface or first detent119and a second shoulder120having a second leg engaging surface or a second detent121. As illustrated inFIG. 3, a thickness138of first leg engaging surface or first detent119is defined between outer surface110and inner surface112and a width139of first leg engaging surface or first detent119extends between a first end122of spine106and a terminating end123. Terminating end123of first shoulder118, and therefore of first leg engaging surface or first detent119, is in alignment with a right side edge126of lower flange102. As illustrated inFIG. 3, a thickness141of second leg engaging surface or second detent121is defined between outer surface110and inner surface112and a width142of second leg engaging surface or second detent121extends between a second end124of spine106and a terminating end125. Terminating end125of second shoulder120, and therefore of second leg engaging surface or second detent121, is in alignment with a left side edge128that opposes right side edge126of lower flange102.

More specifically, first shoulder118or first leg engaging surface119, as illustrated inFIGS. 7 and 8, is oriented along a surface plane140that intersects with axis108Likewise, second shoulder120or second leg engaging surface121, as illustrated inFIGS. 7 and 8, is oriented along a surface plane143that intersects with axis108. As further illustrated inFIGS. 7 and 8, surface plane140is at an angle144relative to surface plane143. Due to the construction of spine106, angle144can be less than 90 degrees or greater than 90 degrees. However, angle144cannot be more than 180 degrees. As illustrated inFIGS. 7 and 8, angle144is an acute angle. This acute angle144translates to first leg engaging surface119mating with a leg of a display stand so that a base of the display stand can be oriented at a first viewing angle and second leg engaging surface121mates with the leg so that the base of the display stand can be oriented at a second viewing angle.

The relative placement between first shoulder118or first leg engaging surface119and second shoulder120or second leg engaging surface121can be described in additional ways. For example, and as illustrated inFIGS. 7 and 8, an axial plane145can be defined as intersecting through axis108, outer surface110and inner surface112and being substantially parallel with outer surfaces146and147and inner surfaces148and149of lower and upper flanges102and104. First leg engaging surface119or surface plane140is located at a first angle130relative to axial plane145, while second leg engaging surface or surface plane143is located at a second angle132relative to axial plane145. First angle130is different from second angle132and the difference between second angle132and first angle130is substantially equal to angle144.

FIG. 9illustrates an enlarged top view of bracket100as engaged with a support member or leg252of a display stand250in a first configuration.FIG. 10illustrates a right side view of display stand250including a left side view of bracket100as mounted to a base254of display stand250and engaged with leg or support member252in the first configuration.FIG. 11illustrates a back right perspective view of display stand250including a top left perspective view of bracket100as mounted to base254of display stand250and engaged with leg or support member252in the first configuration. Display stand250includes base254, leg or support member252and bracket100. Base254is the component of display stand250that holds a product up for display, while leg or support member252is the component of the display stand250that holds base254up at a viewing angle. As illustrated inFIGS. 10 and 11, base254includes a bottom lip290so as to hold a bottom of a cookbook, a recipe, a picture, art work, a tablet computer or the like.FIG. 10illustrates one exemplary embodiment of base254; however, base254can include other features or additional features for holding products for display.

Leg or support member252includes at least one spine engaging or bridge engaging portion256, a pair of support portions258and259and corners260and261that couple the at least one spine engaging portion256with support portions258and259. Corner260couples support portion258to spine engaging portion256and corner261couples support portion259to spine engaging portion256.

Bracket100includes fasteners264that are inserted through holes103and105to secure bracket100to base254and therefore secure spine or bridge106to base254for receiving spine engaging portion256of leg252. As described above, spine106includes a first leg engaging surface or first detent119and a second leg engaging surface or second detent121. Spine engaging or bridge engaging portion256of leg252is slidable within spine or bridge106of bracket100along axis108and support portions258and259are configured to mate with either first leg engaging surface or first detent119or second leg engaging surface or second detent121to orient display stand250at a first viewing angle or a second viewing angle.

As illustrated inFIGS. 9 and 11, spine engaging or bridge engaging portion256of support member or leg252is slidable along axis108in a first direction272until spine engaging portion256can no longer slide within spine or bridge106because corner260has reached a surface of spine106that is in alignment with terminating end125and side edge128of lower flange102. Support member or leg252is then rotated so that support portion258mates with second leg engaging surface or second detent121. In this configuration, second leg engaging surface or second detent121prevents support member or leg252from further rotating and display stand250is held at an orientation of a first viewing angle266(FIG. 10). As illustrated inFIG. 10, first viewing angle266is defined as being the angle between base254and a surface270that display stand250rests upon. As illustrated inFIG. 10, first viewing angle266can be approximately 65 degrees. However, other angles are possible.

FIG. 12illustrates an enlarged top view of bracket100as engaged with support member252of display stand250in a second configuration.FIG. 13illustrates a left side view of display stand250including a right side view of bracket100as mounted to base254of display stand200and engaged with leg or support member252in the second configuration.FIG. 14illustrates a back left perspective view of display stand250including a top right perspective view of bracket100as mounted to base254of display stand250and engaged with leg or support member252in the first configuration. As described with reference toFIGS. 9-11, display stand250includes base254, leg or support member252and bracket100. Base254is the component of the display stand250that holds up a product for display, while leg or support member252is the component of the display stand250that holds base254up at a viewing angle. As illustrated inFIGS. 13 and 14, base254includes bottom lip290so as to hold a bottom of a cookbook, a recipe, a picture, art work, a tablet computer or the like.FIGS. 13 and 14illustrate one exemplary embodiment of base254; however, base254can include other features or additional features for holding products for display.

In one embodiment and as illustrated in phantom inFIG. 12, leg252includes two spine engaging or bridge engaging portions256aand256b.Rather than spine engaging portion256including a single portion as illustrated inFIG. 9, spine engaging portion256includes two portions having ends that are spaced apart from each other. In this way, rather than spine engaging portion256having to be coupled to bracket100when bracket100is mounted to base254as would be the case inFIGS. 9-11, spine engaging portion256can be easily inserted into spine or bridge106by a user after bracket100is mounted to base254or easily removed from spine or bridge106by the user after bracket100is mounted to base254. Corner260couples support portion258to spine engaging portion256aand corner261couples support portion259to spine engaging portion256b.

Spine engaging portions256aand256bof leg252are slidable within spine or bridge106of bracket100along axis108and support portions258and259are configured to mate with either first leg engaging surface or first detent119or second leg engaging surface or second detent121to orient display stand250at a first viewing angle or a second viewing angle.

As illustrated inFIGS. 12 and 14, spine engaging or bridge engaging portions256aand256bare slidable along axis108in a second direction274, which is opposite first direction272, until spine engaging portions256aand256bcan no longer slide within spine or bridge106because corner261has reached a surface of spine106that is in alignment with terminating end123and side edge136of lower flange102. Support member or leg252is then rotated so that support portion259mates with first leg engaging surface or first detent119. In this configuration, first leg engaging surface or first detent119prevents support member or leg22from further rotating and display stand250is held at an orientation of a second viewing angle268(FIG. 13). As illustrated inFIG. 13, second viewing angle268is defined as being the angle between base254and a surface270that display stand250rests upon. As illustrated inFIG. 13, second viewing angle268can be approximately 80 degrees. While second viewing angle268can include a variety of angle values, it should be understood that second viewing angle268is different from first viewing angle266, and in some embodiments and as illustrated inFIGS. 9-12, second viewing angle268is greater than first viewing angle266.

As previously described, outer surface110and inner surface112of spine or bridge106are radial surfaces. However, outer surface110and inner surface112need not have radial surfaces and can have other types of shapes, such as rectilinear surfaces. As illustrated in the figures, leg or support member252is a wire member. However, inner surface112need not include a corresponding radial shaped surface to receive the wire member.

To adjust the viewing angle of display stand250, at least one spine engaging or bridge engaging portion256of support member252of display stand250is engaged with inner surface112of spine106and is oriented along axis108. Spine106couples first flange102that is mounted to the backside of display stand250to second flange104that is mounted to the backside of display stand250. The at least one spine engaging portion256of support member252is slid in first direction272along axis108. Support member252is then rotated until it mates with second detent121on spine106to orient the viewing angle of display stand250into first viewing angle266. The at least one spine engaging portion256of support member252is slid in second direction274along axis108. Support member252is then rotated until it mates with first detent119on spine106to orient the viewing angle of display stand250into a second viewing angle268.

When orienting the viewing angle of display stand250into a first viewing angle266, support member252is rotated to mate second detent121with support portion258. When orienting the viewing angle of display stand250into a second viewing angle268, support member252is rotated to mate first detent119with support portion259. In this way, bracket100is a two stage bracket that includes features that allow support member252to be adjusted into two different positions for attaining two different viewing angles.

Additionally, support member252can fold up against base254. This can be accomplished in multiple different ways. For example, when at least one spine engaging portion256is slid within spine106in first direction272for mating second detent121with support portion258, support member252cannot be rotated upwardly past second detent121in this position, however, support member252can be rotated downwardly to lie flat against base254of display stand250. Similarly and in another example, when at least one spine engaging portion256is slid within spine106in second direction274for mating first detent119with support portion258, support member252cannot be rotated upwardly past first detent119in this position, however, support member252can be rotated downwardly to lie flat against base254of display stand250. Still further and in yet another example, at least one spine engaging portion256is movable within spine106and can attain a position where neither support portion258nor support portion259can mate with second detent121or first detent119when support member252is rotated. In this position, support member252can be rotated upwardly or downwardly to lie flat against base254of display stand250.