Abstract:
One aspect of the current invention is directed toward a stand for a video game controller. In one embodiment, a stand is disclosed which comprises a seating device, an anchor member operably connected to the seating device, an elongate upstanding member selectably connected to the seat with the anchor member being connected to the upstanding member, and a platform connected to the upstanding member. In this embodiment, the anchor member permits rotation in a forward direction of the upstanding member and the platform.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a stand for a video game controller. 
         [0003]    2. Background Art 
         [0004]    Many people enjoy playing video games for entertainment. Some of the video games include driving or flying simulations. To increase realism in these games, the control of the simulations is accomplished by a video game controller, that may include such components as a pad, a joy stick, a yoke, a video screen and/or a steering wheel. In addition, there may be foot-operated controls used in conjunction with the controller. 
         [0005]    A recent addition to increase the realism of the simulation is force feedback. Force feedback includes a motor in the controller that provides simulated feedback to a user. Improved realism may be achieved by maintaining the controller at a fixed position in space. In the absence of a fixed position for the controller, many users witness the controller and the user migrating to dispositions rendering the controller effectively inoperable. Related art may be categorized as stabilizing devices that attach to the user&#39;s body, that are placed in front of the user and rely on shape factor for stability, and that at least partially encapsulate the user, such as a cockpit. 
         [0006]    As an example of the stabilizing device that attaches to the user&#39;s body, in U.S. Design Pat. D 510,306, a lap attachment is a relatively cost effective solution to constraining the controller in a fixed position. Using the lap attachment, a user attempts to rigidly position the controller between the user&#39;s thighs and the chair. Since the user is often coordinating hand and foot motions, frequently the mass and/or friction applied to the lap attachment becomes insufficient to restrain the controller in a fixed position. Even when the mass is properly applied, the thighs are slightly compressible. In effect, the thighs, and possibly a cushioned chair, typically act as moderate force springs. The controller, as a consequence, does not readily remain in a fixed position. 
         [0007]    As an example of the stabilizing device that is placed in front of the user and relies on shape factor for stability, some video controller stands incorporate stabilizing bases that are broader than the chair width. If the stabilizing base is too narrow, the typical user overcomes the stabilizing force. As a consequence, the controller does not remain in a fixed position. If a relatively wide base is used, the user may have difficulties with storing the seat and is limited in the number of spaces where the controller can be used because of the space requirements. 
         [0008]    In an inexpensive example of the shape factor, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,156,026, the video controller stand may be placed in front of the chair. If the stand is not attached to the chair, the stand moves readily and becomes effectively inoperable, particularly when force feedback is present. If the stand is attached to the chair, structure is again used for stability. The stabilizing base is too narrow and many times the typical user overcomes the stabilizing force. In addition, the user must push the stand and controller away to exit the seat. 
         [0009]    In another inexpensive example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,663,058, in some video game controller stands the frame rests on the ground. The stand relies on the structure of the base to provide stability through its width. The stabilizing base is too narrow and many times the typical user overcomes the stabilizing force. In addition, the user must push the stand and controller away to exit the seat. 
         [0010]    Another example of a stabilizing device is the cockpit-like stand that at least partially encapsulates the user. The cockpit-like stands are large relatively expensive structures that rely on shape factor and weight for stability. The stands occupy a substantial amount of floor space because they closely approach the size of a real race car or flight cockpit. 
         [0011]    What is needed is a relatively inexpensive video controller stand that is compact and provides a highly stable mounting platform for the controller even when the force feedback feature is present. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    An aspect of the present invention discloses a stand for a video game controller. 
         [0013]    In certain embodiments of the present invention, a stand for a video game controller that is positionable on a floor is disclosed. In certain embodiments, the stand comprises a seating device and an anchor member selectably, operably connected to the seating device. Selectably connected to the seat is an elongate upstanding member with the anchor member being connected to the upstanding member. A platform is connected to the upstanding member. The anchor member permits rotation in a forward direction of the upstanding member and the platform. 
         [0014]    In certain embodiments, the stand comprises a seating device having a seat having a front end and a rear end, at least two legs, and a securing device adjacent to the front end of the seat. An upstanding member operably connects to the seating device at an elevation below the seat. The upstanding member is disposed at a position intermediate between the two legs when the upstanding member is in a playing position. The upstanding member is rotatable from an exiting position to the playing position. In the playing position, the upstanding member is selectably securable to the securing device. A platform is connected to the upstanding member and adapted for attaching a video game screen and a steering device. 
         [0015]    In certain embodiments, the stand comprises an upstanding member having at least one vertical member having a first top end and a first bottom end and a securing point intermediate between the first ends. At least one angled member has a second top end and a second bottom end. The second top end is connected to the first bottom end. The second bottom end is adapted to move about a first fixture sufficiently that the securing point cooperates with a second fixture when the upstanding member is moved from an exiting position to a playing position. The first fixture is operably connected to the floor. The second fixture is elevated above the first fixture. A platform is connected to the first top of the upstanding member and is adapted for operably connecting with a steering device of a video game controller. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a video controller stand according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of a video controller stand including a gaming seat according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of a video controller stand including a gaming seat according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0019]    Reference will now be made in detail to compositions, embodiments and methods of the present invention known to the inventors; however, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the present invention, which may be embodied in various alternative forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. 
         [0020]    Except where expressly indicated, all numerical quantities in this description indicating the amounts of material or conditions are understood as modified by the word “about” in describing the broadest scope of the present invention. Practice within the numerical limits is generally preferred. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 1  illustrating a portion of a video game user&#39;s play space, the present invention includes a chair  2  having a seat  4  for a user  6  and at least two legs  10  and  12  positioned on a floor  14 . The video controller stand  16  is secured to the chair  2  with a bracket  18  through which a rod  20  passes. The stand  16  is positioned in the playing position  8 . A controller mounting pad  22  is connected to the rod  20  with an upright  24  therebetween. For the combined rod  20  and upright  24  there are three axes of translation  26 ,  28 , and  30  and three axes of rotation  32 ,  34 , and  36 . A video game controller  38  may be mounted on the mounting pad  22 . In certain embodiments, a selectively securable band  40 , such as a hook and loop strap with a spacer block  42  is connected to the chair  2  at about seat height using a screw  44  attached to the seat  4 . The band  40  wraps around the upright  24  at a securing point intermediate between the ends of the upright  24  and fastens to itself. The spacer block  42  may limit the range of rotation in the backward direction towards the chair  2 . It is understood that other means for limiting the range of rotation such as contacting the seat  4  of the chair  2  or snapping into a C-section (not shown) may be used without violating the spirit of the present invention. An optional foot pedal controller  46  may be present for additional controls for the video game. In the presence of the foot pedal controller  46 , the user may remove his or her feet from the floor without impacting the stability of the video game controller stand  16 . 
         [0022]    It should be further understood that the bracket  18  may be located on other parts of the chair  2 . Non-limiting examples of the bracket  18  may include using fasteners to connect the rod  20  directly to the chair  2 , incorporating a C-section to receive the rod  20  into a blow-molded chair base, or making a hole through the chair legs. In addition, the bracket may comprise one or more units, possibly connected to one another. 
         [0023]    Further, the combination of the bracket  18 , rod  20 , and upright  24  may be made as a single unit or multiple articles. Examples are illustrated below. 
         [0024]    Positioning the user  6  on the seat  4  puts the user&#39;s  6  weight on the chair legs  10  and  12  securing the bracket  18  and rod  20  in all three of the axes of motion  26 ,  28 , and  30 , and two of three axes of rotation  32  and  34  allowing the user  6  to keep the video game controller steering wheel  48  in a relatively fixed position. With the band  40  attached, the third axis of rotation  36  becomes constrained and relatively fixes the video game controller stand  16  in space. 
         [0025]    The present invention may fix the controller within a range of rotation and/or translation of five axes. The ranges may be independently selected from 2, 5, 8, or 10 to 12, 15, or 20 degrees of rotation of axes  32  and  34 ; and ⅛, ¼, or ½ to 1, 2, or 4 inches of translation in the three axes  26 ,  28 , and  30 . Further, rotation about the sixth axis  36  may be independently selected from 5, 10, 15, or 20 degrees to 25 or 30 degrees of rotation when in the playing position  8 . When the game is completed, the upright  24  may be rotated 30, 45, 60, or up to 90 degrees away from the user  6  to an inactive position (not shown) allowing the user  6  to easily exit the seat  2 . 
         [0026]    While  FIG. 1  illustrates the upright  24  with an outwardly curved bow  52 , it should be understood that the upright may include a three-bar or four-bar linkage and/or be straight, angled, hinged, recurved, S-curved, articulated, compound curved, or inwardly curved without violating the intent of the invention. Further, it should be understood that the upright  24  may be a single upright, a U-shaped upright and/or channel, or have a plurality of uprights without violating the spirit of the invention. Further, an end of the upright  24  may include at least one angled support (not shown). This support may be, for a non-limiting example, a radiused continuation of the upright  24  that extends approximately perpendicular to the upright  24  or may form obtuse angles relative to a vertically oriented axis of the upright body  24 . If an embodiment includes two angled supports, it may appear almost like a triangle when coupled with an anchor member such as the rod  20  when the rod  20  connects to lower ends of two opposed angled supports. 
         [0027]    The controller mounting pad  22  may be fixed, rotate and/or translate relative to the upright  24 . The video game controller  38  may be secured to the controller mounting pad  22  by attachment means known in the industry. The mounting pad  22 , in certain embodiments, may be incorporated into the video game controller  38 . 
         [0028]    The floor  14  may be comprised of a traditional house surface or other floor surfaces known in the art. It should be understood that the floor  14  may be covered with other surfaces such as carpet or linoleum without departing from the spirit of the invention. Further, the chair  2  may be connected to a separate base (not shown) which may be positioned on the floor  14  without departing from the spirit of the invention. 
         [0029]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a gaming chair  70 , a non-limiting example of which is an AK ROCKER Model 200 by AK Designs (Bluffdale, Utah), may be fitted into a gaming chair base  72 . The base  72  supports the downstanding columns  74  and the rocker  76  of the gaming chair  70 . The base  72  has a receiving cavity  78  incorporated into the bottom side  80  of the base  72 , which is adjacent to the floor  82 . Pivotably connected into the receiving cavity  78  is a connector  84 , such as a rod or a curved bar, which connects to a pin hitch  86  approximately at the midpoint of the connector. The pin hitch  86  pivotably connects to an extensible post  88  which connects the connector  84  with the controller mounting pad  90  which supports the video game controller  92 . The extensible post  88  may allow for the controller  92  to be positioned to the user&#39;s height for good ergonomic comfort. Further, the extensible post  88  may be curved outwardly  94  to allow the game controller to be positioned more closely to a player in the game playing position  96 . The extensible post  88  may be secured in the game playing position  96  using a catch  98  built into the pin hitch  86 . The catch  98  may be released by turning the handle  100  to activate a cable (not shown) or similar device connecting the handle  100  and the catch  98 . When released, the extensible post  88  may pivot in the forward direction  102  to a non-playing position  104  so that the user may exit the gaming chair  70  with relative ease. 
         [0030]    The extensible post may be made compact for storage by shortening the post. Examples of the shortening or extending mechanism are well known in the art and may include, in a non-limiting sense, snap fits, spring loaded ball and socket combinations, or telescoping mechanisms. 
         [0031]    The extensible post  88  may be comprised of relatively rigid materials and forms. Examples of forms may include a solid beam, an articulated arm, or a hollow tube. Typical materials may include thermoplastic plastic, thermoset plastic, or metal such as aluminum, white metal, or alloys including aluminum, copper, or zinc. In addition, the extensible post may be formed in multiple sections, a single homogeneous section or a single composite section. It should be understood that the various components of the extensible post, if any, may be comprised of one or more materials, including some relatively soft materials coated over a rigid section. It may be advantageous to have such overcoating of soft materials such as thermoplastic polyurethane to protect the user and to provide a comfortable touch and feel to the post  88 . 
         [0032]    The base  72  may be designed to allow room for comfort if the user&#39;s feet are tucked under the gaming chair slightly. This is facilitated by placing the connector  84  further under the base  72  and extending only the pin hitch  86 . 
         [0033]    It should be understood that the extensible post  88  may be connected directly to the connector  84  without violating the spirit of the present invention. 
         [0034]    The base  72  may be relatively light in weight to facilitate movement for storage. Examples of such light construction may be accomplished by forming an essentially hollow base. Examples of non-limiting methods for forming these essentially hollow bases may include blow-molding, preparing hand layup composites, twin-sheet thermoforming or rotomolding such bases. It should be understood that the base may be fabricated in one or more sections. If more than one section is used, the base may be assembled. The sections may use one or more materials. 
         [0035]    Typical materials for such processes may include thermoplastics, including polyolefin, polyvinyl chloride, long fiber thermoplastic, and polyalkylene terephthalate; or thermosets, including polyester, fiberglass reinforced polyester, or polyurethane. 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , a gaming chair  148  such as an Ultimate Gaming Chair (Antioch, Calif.) or the Gaming Base (Corbeau LLC, Bluffdale, Utah) having four legs  150 ,  152 ,  154 , and  156  comprised of a ferrous material, connects magnetically to a rotatable ball-and-socket joint  158  disposed on at least one of front leg  154 , and optionally, a second front leg  156 . The joint  158  connects to a tube  160  and is secured to the leg  154  as well as selectably connects to the leg  156 , when in the playing position  162 . The tube  160  may be disconnected from leg  156  and swung aside on the ball-and-socket joint  158  when the player exits the gaming chair  148  and the video controller stand  164  is placed in the exiting/entry position (not shown). 
         [0037]    It should be understood that the tube  160  and connection to the ball-and-socket joint  158  may be sufficiently rigid in the translational and rotational directions,  166 ,  168 ,  170  and  172 ,  174 ,  176 , respectively, that securing the tube  160  to another leg  156  of the gaming chair  148 , may not be needed to relatively fix the video game controller in space. 
         [0038]    In using the video game controller stand, the user will connect the stand to the fixture to hold the stand adjacent to the chair. This fixture may include, but is not limited to, the bracket, the C-channel in the gaming chair base, or holes in the legs of the chair. Depending upon the fixture used, the video game controller stand may be slid into place, connected by an interference fit, mechanically secured, or other attachment means known in the art. In the exit position, the video game controller stand is typically in contact with the floor or an optional stand in contact with the floor. The user takes the position in the seat and draws the video game controller stand off of the floor and towards the seat. As an option, the user connects the video game controller stand to the seat either in a rigid or a flexible manner. The video game controller stand including the steering device for the video game and an optional video game screen are now relatively fixed in space. The user may then play the game and have good control of the positioning of the steering device in space. After completing the game, the user may optionally detach the video game controller stand from the seat and lower the stand towards the floor. Once the video game controller stand is in the exit position, the user may get up from the chair and leave the area. 
       EXAMPLE 1 
       [0039]    In this example, the video game controller stand is fabricated using ½″ diameter steel pipe that has a tensile strength in excess of 55,000 psi when tested according to ASTM D638 at 73° F. When the video game controller stand is connected to the AK ROCKER Model 100 seat using small blocks with brackets under the front ends of the rocker, and is secured to the seat using VELCRO hook-and-loop connectors fastened to the seat, the motion of the steering wheel is limited to about 10° of rotation or 2 inches of translation from the center position. A test user indicates that this amount of constraint allows adequate control of the steering device for the game. 
       COUNTER EXAMPLE 1 
       [0040]    In this example, the video game controller stand is fabricated using 2″ diameter Schedule 40 PVC pipe that has a tensile strength of 5300-8050 psi when tested according to ASTM D638 at 73° F. When the video game controller stand is connected to the AK ROCKER Model 100 seat using small blocks with brackets under the front ends of the rocker, and is secured to the seat using VELCRO hook-and-loop connectors fastened to the seat, the motion of the steering wheel moves at least about 20° of rotation or 5 inches of translation from the center position. In this condition, the game becomes uncontrollable in the opinion of the test user. 
         [0041]    While the best mode for carrying out the invention has been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention as defined by the following claims.