Patent Publication Number: US-6701851-B2

Title: Stand for reading materials and laptop computers

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to platforms for holding reading materials and laptop computers. The platforms are supported about two legs and are tiltable about the tops of the legs. Provision is made for vertical adjustment of the platforms. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Platforms with height adjustable and tiltable features are known in the art. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,042 discloses a drafting table which requires the use of a pedal, an elongated member and a spring to adjust the position of the drawing surface. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,763 discloses a height-adjustable, tiltable table which requires an arcuate guiding path with arcuate rods to provide the desired positioning. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,377 discloses a footrest which is height-adjustable and tiltable. Rollers attached to the platform traverse the top surfaces of a generally triangular support to provide the desired angle while adjustment of the distance between the rollers provides for the desired height. 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,356,203 and 5,626,393 disclose footrests which contain a platform for supporting the feet, each side of which is supported by a triangular frame. Foot pressure on the platform can determine the degree of tilt of the surface. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,806 discloses a footrest which contains a platform, two side base portions, and an intermediate member which is coupled to the platform and the base members. Rotation about offset axes provides the desired height and degree of tilt. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a stand for reading material or a laptop computer. More particularly, the stand comprises a flat top section having ventilation holes for allowing air to cool a laptop computer. The flat top section also comprises a raised lip for preventing the laptop computer or the reading material from sliding off when the top is in the tilted position. Each side of the top section has a depending support. Each support contains an elongated hole along the center line. Two mirror-image legs having triangular-shaped top surfaces with off-center apexes support the top section. These legs also contain holes along the center line thereof. Knobs attached to threaded bolts which fasten to nuts allow the connection between the supports and the legs to be tight or loose. When tight, the top is secured in an immovable position with respect to the legs. When loose, the top may be freely moved to a different position. Thus, the stand of the present invention contains few parts, is simple to assemble, and provides a stand for either a laptop computer or reading material, which stand is height adjustable and tiltable along the axis provided by the apexes of the triangular-shaped tops of the legs. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is an elevational perspective view of the stand of this invention showing the top in a horizontal position. 
     FIG. 2 is an elevational perspective view of the stand of this invention showing the top in a tilted position. 
     FIG. 3 is an elevational perspective view of the underside of the stand showing the top in a raised, horizontal position. 
     FIG. 4 is an elevational side view of the stand of this invention showing the top in a lowered, horizontal position. 
     FIG. 5 is an elevational side view of the stand of this invention showing the top in a raised, slightly tilted position. 
     FIG. 6 is an elevational side view of the stand of this invention showing the top in a raised, fully tilted position. 
     FIG. 7 is an elevational front view of the stand of this invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a plan view of the top of the stand. 
     FIG. 9 is a plan view of the bottom of the stand. 
     FIG. 10 is an elevational side view, in detail, showing the top in a lowered position. 
     FIG. 11 is an elevational view, in detail, showing the top in a raised position. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the above drawings, wherein like identifying numerals refer to like parts throughout. 
     The stand  2  of the present invention is simple in design and construction. The stand  2  comprises a flat top section  4 , a pair of legs  6 , and a pair of tightness controllers  8  which join the legs  6  to the flat top section  4 . 
     The flat top section  4  comprises a top surface  10 , a bottom surface  12 , a distal surface  14 , a proximal surface  16 , two side surfaces  18 , a lip  20  on the top surface  10  centered between the two side surfaces  18  and located at or near the proximal surface  16 . The function of the lip  20  is to prevent the laptop computer or the reading material from sliding off the flat top section  4  when the flat top section  4  is in the tilted position. The flat top section  4  additionally contains a plurality of holes  22  extending from the top surface  10  to the bottom surface  12 . The holes  22  provide ventilation for the laptop computer in order to keep the computer from becoming too warm. 
     There are two depending supports  24  extending from at or near the proximal surface  16  to at or near the distal surface  14  of the flat top section  4 . These depending supports  24  have distal ends  26 , proximal ends  28 , lateral side surfaces  30 , and medial side surfaces  32 . These depending supports  24  are located medially from the two side surfaces  18  of the flat top section  4  at least a distance equal to the thickness of the legs  6 . Each depending support  24  has a slot  34  running through it from the lateral side surface  30  to the medial side surface  32 . The slot  34  is placed midway between the proximal surface  16  and the distal surface  14  of the flat top section  10 . 
     The stand  2  comprises a pair of legs  6 . Each leg  6  comprises a bottom surface  36 , a distal surface  38 , a proximal surface  40 , a lateral surface  42 , a medial surface  44 , a proximal top surface  46  and a distal top surface  48 . The distal top surface  48  is parallel to the bottom surface  36 . The proximal  46  and distal  48  top surfaces meet at an apex  50  which is offset from the center line between the distal surface  38  and proximal surface  46  such that when the flat top section  4  rests upon the distal top surface  48 , the flat top section  4  is parallel to the bottom surface  36  and, therefore, parallel to the surface upon which the stand  2  rests. When the flat top section  4  rests upon the proximal top surface  46 , the flat top surface  4  is tilted toward the user up to an angle of 45°. Each leg  6  has at least one hole  52  running through it from the lateral surface  42  to the medial surface  44 . This hole  52  is located on a line midway between the proximal surface  40  and distal surface  38  of the leg  6 . 
     The legs  6  and depending supports  24  are joined together by tightness controllers  8 . A tightness controller  8  comprises a knob  54  having a size and shape as to be readily turned by hand. The knob  54  is fixedly attached to a bolt  56  which has external threads at the end opposite the knob  54 . The external threads of the bolt  56  fit into internal threads of a nut  58 . When the stand  2  is assembled, the knob  54  is on the lateral side  30  of a depending support  24  and the nut  58  is on the medial side  44  of a leg  6 . The bolt  56  passes through the slot  34  in the depending support  24  and the hole  52  in the legs  6 . The tightness controllers  8  allow easy tightening and loosening of the fit between a leg  6  and a depending support  24 . When tightened, the depending support  24  remains in position. When loosened, the depending support  24  may be raised or lowered relative to the legs  6 . Also, when loosened, the depending support  24  may be tilted about the apex  50  formed by the meeting of the distal top surface  48  and the proximal top surface  46  of the leg  6 . The flat top surface  4  may be made to rest on the proximal top surface  46  of the legs  6 , the distal top surface  48  of the legs  6 , any desired location in between, or may be raised above the top surface  46 ,  48  of the legs  6 . 
     The result is a stand  2  suitable for holding a laptop computer or reading material at a variety of heights and degrees of tilt. The stand  2  is easy to assemble, easy to use, and versatile in its utility. 
     Although the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example, and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The spirit and scope of the present invention are to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.