Abstract:
An exemplary stand structure includes a base board, telescopic supporting rods, and a holding base. The supporting rods are retractable into the base board with the holding base detachably engaged on the base board. When the base board needs to be supported in a slanting orientation, the holding base is detached from the base board, the supporting rods depart from the base board, and the supporting rods are extended to lengths and locations at which the holding base is in a desired position to support the base board.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to stands for supporting objects such as electronic devices, and particularly to a stand that is usable in an electronic device enclosure, for example. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Generally, handheld electronic devices do not have a stand for supporting the electronic device. A user has to hold the electronic device in a certain desired orientation. However, to hold the electronic device for a long time can be uncomfortable. 
         [0005]    Therefore, it is desirable to provide a means which can overcome the above-mentioned problems. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with references to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of a stand structure for supporting an electronic device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, wherein the stand structure includes four supporting rods, a holding base, a cover, and a base board of an enclosure of the electronic device, showing the enclosure in a face down position. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged, exploded, abbreviated, isometric view of one of the supporting rods of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged, exploded, isometric view of the holding base and the cover of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged, isometric view of the holding base and connecting end portions of the supporting rods of  FIG. 1  connected together. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is an abbreviated, cross-sectional view of part of the holding base and one of the supporting rods of  FIG. 4 , corresponding to line V-V thereof. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is an assembled view of the stand structure and enclosure of  FIG. 1 , showing the supporting rods, the holding base and the cover stowed in the base board of the enclosure. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is an assembled, isometric view of the stand structure and enclosure of  FIG. 1 , showing the stand structure supporting the enclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail below, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates an enclosure  10  and a stand  20  of an electronic device  1 , in accordance with a first embodiment. The electronic device  1  may, for example, be a portable electronic device such as a handheld device. The stand  20  is set on the enclosure  10 . The enclosure  10  includes a rear base board  100 . The base board  100  includes an inner sidewall  102  and an outer sidewall  101  (see also  FIGS. 7-8 ). The inner sidewall  102  is parallel to the outer sidewall  101 . The stand  20  includes at least one telescopic supporting rod  21 , a holding base  22 , a cover  23 , and at least one fastening board  25 . The enclosure  10  defines at least one stowing groove  24  in the base board  100  for receiving the at least one supporting rod  21 . In the illustrated embodiment, there are four supporting rods  21 , four fastening boards  25  and four stowing grooves  24 . The enclosure  10  further defines a receiving recess  26  in a center of the base board  100 , for receiving the holding base  22 . 
         [0018]      FIGS. 2 and 5  show that each supporting rod  21  includes a first connecting part  212 , a second connecting part  213  sleeved in the first connecting part  212 , and a positioning mechanism  214  set in the second connecting part  213 . The first connecting part  212  is substantially an elongated hollow post. The second connecting part  213  is substantially an elongated post. The second connecting part  213  can be hollow or solid. An inner diameter of the first connecting part  212  is slightly greater than an outer diameter of the second connecting part  213 . Thus, the second connecting part  213  can insert into and slide along the first connecting part  212 , and the second connecting part  213  is retractable into and extendable from the first connecting part  212 . 
         [0019]    The first connecting part  212  includes a first connecting end  2120  and an opposite second connecting end  2122 . The second connecting part  213  includes a third connecting end  2130  and an opposite fourth connecting end  2132 . The first connecting part  212  defines an opening  2123  at the second connecting end  2122 . The third connecting end  2130  inserts into the first connecting part  212  via the opening  2123 , and is slidably received in the first connecting part  212 . The second connecting part  213  defines a positioning hole  215  close to the third connecting end  2130 , for receiving the positioning mechanism  214 . The first connecting part  212  defines a number of annular positioning grooves  216  in an inner surface  212   a  thereof, as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 8 . The positioning mechanism  214  engages in one of the positioning grooves  216  to position a selected portion of the second connecting part  213  within the first connecting part  212 . 
         [0020]    In this embodiment, the positioning mechanism  214  includes a spring  2140  and a ball  2142 . One end of the spring  2140  connects with the ball  2142 . The other end of the spring  2140  is fastened in the positioning hole  215 . The spring  2140  holds the ball  2142  such that a distal part of the ball  2142  is exposed out of a top opening of the positioning hole  215 . When the ball  2142  is pressed inward, the spring  2140  compresses. That is, the ball  2142  can resiliently move in and out along a same radius of the second connecting part  213 . When the positioning mechanism  214  is aligned with any of the positioning grooves  216 , the ball  2142  resiliently inserts into the positioning groove  216  to thereby position the second connecting part  213  in the first connecting part  212 . When the position of the second connecting part  213  in the first connecting part  212  needs to be changed, the second connecting part  213  is pushed or pulled along the longitudinal direction of the first connecting part  212 , and the ball  2142  escapes from the positioning groove  216  and slides along the inner surface  212   a  of the first connecting part  212  until the ball  2142  inserts into another desired positioning groove  216 . 
         [0021]    FIGS.  2  and  4 - 5  show that the second connecting part  213  forms a first spherical joint  2133  at the fourth connecting end  2132 . In this embodiment, the holding base  22  is approximately rectangular with four rounded corners, and includes a top board  220 , a peripheral sidewall  222 , and a number of sockets  223 . In the illustrated embodiment, there are four sockets  223  at the four corners of the holding base  22 . The sidewall  222  perpendicularly extends down from a periphery of the top board  220 . The holding base  22  forms a number of connecting hooks  224  on the sidewall  222 . Each of the sockets  223  includes a positioning wall  2232  and defines a first draw hole  2230 . The positioning wall  2232  extends down along a direction away from the top board  220 , and forms a peripheral wall of the first draw hole  2230 . The positioning wall  2232  includes a restricting part  2232   a  and a guiding part  2232   b.  The restricting part  2232   a  is substantially in the form of a truncated cone. An inner diameter of the restricting part  2232   a  gradually reduces from an end thereof at the cover  23  to an end thereof far from the cover  23 . The guiding part  2232   b  extends from a lower portion of the restricting part  2232   a  to the sidewall  222  to define a channel  2220  communicating the first draw hole  2230  with the lateral exterior of the holding base  22 . 
         [0022]    In this embodiment, the top board  220  is substantially a rectangular plate with four rounded corners. The first draw holes  2230  are correspondingly defined in the four corners. The guiding parts  2232   b  of the four positioning walls  2232  extend along two diagonal lines of the top board  220 , with the diagonal lines crossing at a geometrical center of the top board  220 . The diameter of the first draw hole  2230  is similar to the diameter of the first spherical joint  2133 . The inner diameter of the narrowest (lowest) end of the restricting part  2232   a  is less than the diameter of the first spherical joint  2133 , and the inner diameter of the widest (highest) end of the restricting part  2232   a  is slightly greater than the diameter of the first spherical joint  2133 . The second connecting part  213  extends out of the holding base  22  via the channel  2220 , with the first spherical joint  2133  rotatably received and held in the restricting part  2232   a.    
         [0023]    The cover  23  fastens on the holding base  22  for shielding the first draw holes  2230  of the holding base  22 . The cover  23  has a shape similar to that of the top board  220 . In this embodiment, the cover  23  is a rectangular plate with four rounded corners. Two opposite ends of the cover  23  have a pair of downwardly extending fastening hooks  230 , respectively. The fastening hooks  230  correspondingly connect with a periphery of the sidewall  222  to fasten the cover  23  onto the top board  220 . 
         [0024]    FIGS.  1  and  6 - 7  show that the receiving recess  26  is defined in a center of the base board  100 . The receiving recess  26  has a shape and size similar to those of the top board  220 . The holding base  22  is fastened in the receiving recess  26  by the connecting hooks  224  inserting into a pair of fastening grooves  262  defined in an inner sidewall of the receiving recess  26 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0025]      FIGS. 2 and 8  show that the first connecting part  212  of each supporting rod  21  forms a second spherical joint  2121  at the first connecting end  2120 . The stowing grooves  24  extend from the receiving recess  26  along two diagonal lines of the base board  100 , with the diagonal lines crossing at a geometrical center of the base board  100 . The directions in which the stowing grooves  24  extend correspond to the directions in which the guiding parts  2232   b  of the holding base  22  extend. The base board  100  defines four second draw holes  240  at ends of the stowing grooves  24  away from the receiving recess  26 , respectively. The structure of each second draw hole  240  is essentially the same as the structure of each first draw hole  2230 . The second spherical joint  2121  of each supporting rod  21  is rotatably received and held in a corresponding one of the second draw holes  240 . The fastening boards  25  cover bottom openings of the second draw holes  240 , respectively, to prevent the second spherical joints  2121  from escaping out of the second draw holes  240 . 
         [0026]    In assembly of the stand  20  and the enclosure  10 , the second spherical joints  2121  of the first connecting parts  212  are movably connected into the second draw holes  240 . The second connecting parts  213  are passed through the first draw holes  2230 , and the first spherical joints  2133  of the second connecting parts  213  are movably connected into the first draw holes  2230 . The third connecting end  2130  of each second connecting part  213  is slidably sleeved into the corresponding first connecting part  212  via the opening  2123  at the second connecting end  2122  of the first connecting part  212 . The positioning mechanism  214  is engaged in any one of the positioning grooves  216  for positioning the second connecting part  213  in the first connecting part  212 . The length of the supporting rod  21  can be adjusted by pushing or pulling the second connecting part  213  relative to the first connecting part  212 . In this embodiment, the assembled stand  20  and enclosure  10  includes the four stowing grooves  24  correspondingly extending from the four corners of the rectangular receiving recess  26  along the diagonal lines of the base board  100 , and the four second connecting parts  213  correspondingly sleeved in the four first connecting parts  212  to form the four supporting rods  21 . The supporting rods  21  are retractable into and extendable out from the stowing grooves  24 . 
         [0027]    When the electronic device  1  is not in use, the holding base  22  is fastened on the base board  100  by the connecting hooks  224  being engaged in the fastening grooves  262 . The supporting rods  21  are correspondingly fully received in the stowing grooves  24 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 9  shows that when the electronic device  1  needs to be supported by the stand  20 , the holding base  22  is pulled out of the receiving recess  26 . The length of each supporting rod  21  can be adjusted, to achieve any one of different desired viewing angles for the electronic device  1 . That is, in a typical application, the cover  23  and one side of the enclosure  10  rest on a supporting surface (not shown) and cooperatively hold the electronic device  1  in position. 
         [0029]    In a second embodiment, the stand  20  is formed on a base board of a protection case of the electronic device  1 . The stand  20  can support the protection case, thereby supporting the electronic device  1  received in the protection case. 
         [0030]    While various exemplary and preferred embodiments have been described, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited thereto. To the contrary, various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art) are intended to also be covered. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.