Abstract:
A laptop computer stand including a tripod and a platform releasably attached to the top of the tripod. The platform includes a base portion for supporting a laptop computer and a number of props radiating outwardly from the base portion for grasping the corners of the laptop computer supported by the base portion. Each of the props has a slide with an inner end and an outer end and a longitudinal channel in the inner end. A pair of upstanding fins is affixed to the outer end of the slide and projects above the top of the base portion. The fins are oriented at right angles to one another to form an inwardly directed concavity for receiving a corner of the laptop computer. A number of threaded fasteners, each respectively penetrating the base portion and one of the longitudinal channels, fix the positions of the props relative to the base portion.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to supports and, more particularly, to platforms for mounting articles directly above stationary stands, e.g., tripod heads.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Laptop computers became commercial successes by sacrificing expandability for portability. One does not usually purchase a laptop with the idea of upgrading it. One buys a laptop to have a computer anywhere. It is now common for laptops to assist their users while they are giving lectures, working outdoors, or traveling in moving vehicles.  
         [0003]     The conventional laptop employs a keyboard and an adjacent touchpad to transmit data and instructions to a small hard drive and microprocessor positioned in a housing beneath the keyboard. Hingedly connected to the housing is a display for viewing output from the microprocessor. Unfortunately, laptop keyboards and displays are small and are difficult to see and manipulate unless such are held close to a user.  
         [0004]     Computer users have been resourceful in supporting their laptops for easy access. Laptops are often seen perched in users&#39; laps, balanced atop podiums, and set on train seats. One wrong move, however, can send the laptop to the floor where irreparable damage can result. In the worst case, work stored in the memory of the damaged laptop is permanently lost.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     In light of the problems associated with the known methods for positioning a laptop computer for ready access and use, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a stand that will safely support a laptop computer for a user virtually anywhere. The stand is adjustable so that the position of the laptop computer can be finely adjusted about three axes to satisfy the most finicky user.  
         [0006]     It is another object of the invention to provide a laptop computer stand of the type described that can be employed with all known makes and models of laptop computers. Mounting of a laptop on the stand is accomplished without special tools or prolonged training.  
         [0007]     It is a further object of the invention to provide a laptop computer stand that utilizes a conventional camera tripod to elevate the laptop above a supporting surface such as a floor or the ground. Modification of neither the tripod nor the laptop computer is required to use the stand. Furthermore, the stand does not prevent access to CD/DVD drives, ports, and other fixtures being part of the typical laptop computer.  
         [0008]     Still another object of the invention is to provide a stand of the type described with supplemental cooling for a laptop computer to ensure that the laptop computer performs up to its maximum processing capabilities. The means for providing cooling air to the laptop computer are powered by the laptop computer&#39;s internal battery. The cooling means are energized by a user only when needed to conserve battery power. The stand is, thus, portable, reusable, and economical.  
         [0009]     It is an object of the invention to provide improved features and arrangements thereof in a laptop computer stand for the purposes described that is lightweight in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, energy efficient, and dependable in use.  
         [0010]     Briefly, the laptop computer stand in accordance with this invention achieves the intended objects by featuring a tripod and a platform for supporting a laptop computer atop the tripod.  
         [0011]     The platform includes a rectangular base portion upon which a laptop computer can be positioned. The base portion has four corners and a slot in each of the corners. A number of props radiate outwardly from the base portion for grasping a laptop computer positioned thereon. Each of the props has a slide with an inner end with a longitudinal channel slidably positioned in a respective one of the slots. A pair of upstanding fins is affixed to the outer end of each slide and projects above the top of the base portion. The fins are oriented at right angles to one another so as to form an inwardly directed concavity for receiving one corner of a laptop computer. A number of threaded fasteners, each respectively penetrating one slot in the base portion and the longitudinal channel in one slide, fix the positions of the props relative to the base portion.  
         [0012]     A pair of electric fans is optionally mounted in the base portion for cooling a laptop computer positioned upon the platform. By means of a USB plug, the fans are connected to the internal battery of the laptop computer.  
         [0013]     The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     The present invention may be more readily described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a laptop computer stand in accordance with the present invention together with a laptop computer.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the laptop computer stand of  FIG. 1  supporting a laptop computer.  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the platform of the laptop computer stand.  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the platform with portions broken away to reveal details thereof.  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the platform with a clip-on tripod adapter positioned adjacent thereto.  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a USB plug being inserted into a USB port in a laptop computer to convey electrical power therefrom.  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is an electrical circuit diagram for the laptop computer stand. 
     
    
       [0022]     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the accompanying drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0023]     Referring now to the FIGS., a laptop computer stand in accordance with the present invention is shown at  10 . Stand  10  includes a tripod  12  to the top of which a platform  14  is releasably attached. A laptop computer  16  is positioned atop platform  14 .  
         [0024]     Tripod  12  includes three telescoping legs  18  connected at their tops by a pinnacle bracket  20 . A tubular brace  22  extends downwardly from bracket  20  between legs  18 . Brace  22  is reinforced at its bottom by struts  24  extending inwardly from legs  18 . A pole  26  is telescopically positioned within brace  22  and can be extended upwardly from brace  22  with a light pulling force. By manipulation of bracket  20 , the top of pole  26  can be locked at a desired height above brace  22 .  
         [0025]     A top pole  26  is a mounting bracket  28 . Mounting bracket  28  has a mounting portion  30  affixed to the top of pole  26  and a locking portion  32  hingedly attached to mounting portion  30 . A control arm  34  extending outwardly from mounting portion  30  permits mounting bracket  28  to be moved in terms of pitch and yaw. Locking portion  32  can be “rolled” by manipulation of the hinged connection between itself and mounting portion  30 .  
         [0026]     Locking portion  32  is provided with a recess  36  and its top to one side of which is positioned a pivoting wedge  38 . An adapter plate  40  can be locked within recess  36  by manually pivoting wedge  38 . As adapter plate  40  is affixed to the bottom of platform  14  by means of a screw  42 , adapter plate  40 , mounting portion  30 , and wedge  38  define an uncomplicated mechanism for the “quick release” of platform  14  from tripod  12 .  
         [0027]     Tripod  12  is collapsible. In this regard, legs  18  are hingedly connected to pinnacle bracket  20  and the outer ends of struts  24 . The inner ends of struts  24  are connected to a ring  44  that slides upon tubular brace  22 . So, the bottoms of legs  18  can be pulled outwardly from one another to the extent permitted by struts  24  to form a stable support as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  or can, by elevating ring  44  on brace  22 , be pushed together so that tripod  12  can be compactly stored. Legs  18 , being capable of telescoping in the usual manner, can be extended to the broken line positions shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  or retracted to the solid line positions illustrated therein.  
         [0028]     Laptop computer  16  has a rectangular housing  46  to which a display  48  is hingedly attached. The top of housing  46  supports a keyboard  50  and a touchpad  52  for inputting data and commands into a central processing unit and memory (neither shown) within housing  46 . When computer  16  is not being used, display  48  is normally folded downwardly upon keyboard  50  in clamshell-like fashion for protective storage. The back of housing  46  is provided with at least one USB port  54  for attaching peripheral devices, like a copier, scanner, or camera, to computer  16 , but which can be used as an electrical power source as will be described hereinbelow.  
         [0029]     Platform  14  comprises a base portion  56  having a top wall  58  and a bottom wall  60  connected together about their peripheries by: a front wall  62 , a back wall  64 , and a pair of opposed side walls  66 . Top wall  58  is provided with a pair of laterally spaced air outlet openings  68 . Similarly, bottom wall  60  has a pair of laterally spaced air inlet openings  70  that that are axially aligned with outlet openings  68 .  
         [0030]     Mounted within platform  14  is a pair of fans  72 . Each fan  72  is positioned between one aligned pair of inlet and outlet openings  70  and  68 . Each fan  72  includes an electric motor  74 , operating on direct current, having a rotatable driveshaft  76  that carries an impeller blade  78 . For safety, a pair of cover gratings  80  and  82  affixed within openings  68  and  70  shields blade  78 . When energized, fans  72  draw air into inlet openings  70  from the environment and eject such upwardly from outlet openings  68 .  
         [0031]     Fans  72  are energized by connecting such to a rechargeable battery  82  with provided within laptop computer  16 . Battery  82  normally powers computer  16  but can be tapped as an electrical current source via USB port  54  (or PS/2 socket, not shown) normally located in the back of housing  46 . Simply inserting USB plug  84  at the ends of electrical leads  86  extending from motors  74  into USB port  54  is all that is required to energize motors  74 . Removing plug  84  from port  54  is all that is required to deenergized motors  74 .  
         [0032]     Plug  84  is positioned at the terminal ends of electrical leads  86  extending from motors  74  that are connected in parallel with one another. To protect leads  86 , they are sheathed together in the form of a cable  88 . Cable  88  extends from back wall  64  of platform  14  and can have any desired length although a length of a few inches is sufficient.  
         [0033]     At the four corners of platform  14 , at the junctions of front wall  62  and back wall  64  with side walls  66 , slots  90  are provided by cutting away portions of walls  62 ,  64 , and  66 . Each slot  90  provides access to the interior of platform  14  and is dimensioned to snugly receive the slide  92  of a prop  94  for supporting one of the four corners of laptop housing  46 .  
         [0034]     Each prop  94  has a slide  92  and a pair of upstanding fins  96  affixed to slide  92 . Slide  92  is an elongated bar with a channel  98  extending along its center. Fins  96  are joined to one another at right angles and are positioned at the outer end of slide  92 . Fins  96  project above the top of platform  14  to form concavities as at  100  in each prop  94  for receiving and grasping one of the four corners of computer housing  46 .  
         [0035]     When slides  92  are pushed to their fullest extent into slots  90 , fins  96  fit flush against adjacent walls  62  or  64  and  66  for compact storage and use with computers with small housings. When, however, slides  92  are extended part way from slots  90 , fins  96  can receive the four corners of a larger computer housing such as the one shown at  16 .  
         [0036]     Threaded fasteners  102  are provided for setting the positions of props  94  relative to base portion  56 . Each of fasteners  102  has a head  104  positioned atop one of slides  92  and a threaded shaft  106  extending downwardly through a channel  98  from head  104 . The bottom of each threaded shaft  106  projects through one of a number of close-fitting bores  108  in bottom wall  60  located adjacent each of slots  90 . A knurled nut or knob  110  is screwed onto the bottom of each threaded shaft  106  for selectively clamping a slide  92  in place against bottom wall  60  thereby setting the extension of a prop  94  from a slot  90 . It should be noted that if knobs  110  are made from plastic, they can effectively serve as non-marring legs for platform  14  when it is used away from tripod  12  on a tabletop or podium.  
         [0037]     A screw boss  112  with a threaded bore  114  is affixed within an opening at the center of bottom wall  60  to receive the screw  42  that attaches adapter plate  40  to platform  14 . Preferably, boss  112  engages both bottom wall  60  and top wall  58  to reinforce platform  14  at its center. Adjacent boss  112 , an alignment bore  116  is provided in bottom wall  60  to receive an alignment pin  118  projecting upwardly from adapter plate  40  adjacent screw  42 .  
         [0038]     Use of laptop computer stand  10  is straightforward. First, with stand  10  in the configuration shown in  FIG. 1 , adapter plate  40  is screwed onto the bottom of platform  14 . Next, the positions of props  94  are adjusted so that fins  96  snugly grasp the four corners of laptop computer housing  46  and are affixed by tightening knobs  110 . Then, platform  14  is set atop mounting bracket  28  with adapter plate  40  set in recess  36  and locked there by manually pivoting wedge  38 . Now, tripod  12 , with platform  14  joined to it, is positioned in a convenient location and computer housing  46  is set atop platform  14 . Finally, computer  16  is energized and used in the convenient manner.  
         [0039]     Should supplemental cooling for computer  16  be desired, USB plug  84  need only be inserted into USB port  54  to energize fans  72  to blow air upwardly into one or more air inlets (not shown) in the bottom of computer housing  46 . The entire set-up process requires approximately one minute to complete. A person taking down and disassembling stand  10  needs about the same amount of time. After disassembly, all of stand  10  can be conveniently stored and transported with laptop computer  16  in a briefcase or other carrier for immediate reuse.  
         [0040]     While the invention has been described with a high degree of particularity, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to it. For example, tripods, other than those utilizing a quick release adapter plate  40 , can be used in association with platform  14  and laptop computer  16 . Most of these tripods are simply provided with mounting brackets having upwardly extending screws and alignment pins. Thus, attachment and detachment of platform  14  from another tripod may take a few seconds longer to complete than with tripod  12  described above but the stand assembled with such a tripod would offer substantially the same benefits as stand  10 . Therefore, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.