Patent Publication Number: US-2013248665-A1

Title: Television base and television safety device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to safety devices and, more particularly, to a television base safety device that helps secure a television base onto a television stand and or a television safety device that helps secure a television in its entirety onto a television stand. 
     Televisions fall on small children and cause injury or death because the base on large, flat screen televisions cannot withstand the top force once a television is tipped. 
     As can be seen, there is a need for an apparatus for securing a television base to help prevent a television from tipping. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a television safety device comprises first and second suction cups; and a connecting beam attached to the first suction cup at a first end thereof and attached to the second suction cup at a second end thereof, wherein the connecting beam is spaced from a surface onto which the suction cups attach by a distance equal to a thickness of a television support base. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a television safety device comprises a suction cup adapted to attach to a surface; and an arm extending from the suction cup, the arm adapted to secure a television support base of a television resting on the surface. 
     In a further aspect of the present invention, a television safety device comprising a television support base having at least one suction cup formed therein, wherein the suction cup attaches to a surface when the television support base is disposed on the surface. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a television base safety device, in use, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the television base safety device of  FIG. 1 , removed from the television base; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the television base safety device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a television base safety device, in use, according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a television base safety device, in use, according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a television base safety device, in use, according to still a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a television base safety device, in use, according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 8 ; and 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a television base safety device, in use, according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a television safety device that includes a suction cup attachment mechanism to help secure a television to a television stand. One or more suction cups may hold one or more bars, where the bars can secure the television to the television stand. For example, a bar may extend between two suction cups. The bar may be disposed over the television base while the suction cups are secured to the television stand. Other designs are also possible, using one or more suction cups attached to one or more bars, to secure a television and prevent it from tipping. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 4 , a suction cup  10  may be disposed on each end of a connecting beam  16 . The suction cups  10  are adapted to be secured to a television stand  32  (or any smooth furniture top where the television is placed) while the connecting beam  16  extends across a television support base  30  that supports a television  26 . The connecting beam  16  can hold the television support base  30  and prevent it from sliding or tipping. In some embodiments, the suction cups  10  may be disposed inside a rigid suction cup support cone  12 . A locking suction cup actuating handle  14  may be used to help secure the suction cup  10  to the television stand  32 . 
     While the drawings show the connecting beam  16  attached directly to the tops of the suction cups  10 , in some embodiments, such as those where the television support base  30  is thick, the connecting beam  16  may turn at an angle on each end before connecting to the suction cups  10 . This design may provide a greater distance between the television stand  32  and the bottom edge of the connecting beam  16 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , in an alternate embodiment of the present invention, a single suction cup  10  may connect to a gripper  18 , such as a rubber gripper. The gripper  18  may press against the television support base  30 , typically on a back side of the television support base  30 , to prevent movement and tipping thereof. In some embodiments, the gripper  18  may be rotatable, with a mechanism, such as a thumb screw (not shown) to fix the rotation at a given angle. This rotation may provide support for thicker or thinner television support bases  30 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , in an alternate embodiment of the present invention, a single suction cup  10  may support pivoting jaws  20  that may pivot on top of the television support base  30 . In some embodiments, the pivoting jaws  20  may pivot about a television support column  28 . In this embodiment, the pivoting jaws  20  may not only help prevent the television  26  from tipping, but may also prevent the television base stand  30  from sliding on the television stand  32 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , in another alternate embodiment of the present invention, a single suction cup  10  may retain an overhead stabilizer  22  that may reach around the top of the television  26  to help support the television  26  from tipping. 
     It should be noted that the above designs may be used alone or in combination. For example, the overhead stabilizer  22  of  FIG. 7  could be used with the pivoting jaws  20  of  FIG. 6  or the gripper  18  of  FIG. 5 , for example. In some embodiments, multiple support pieces may extend from a single suction cup. In other embodiments, multiple suction cups may be used for multiple support pieces. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the television support base  30  described above may be replaced with a specially adapted suction cup base  24 . The suction cup base  24  may include a large suction cup  10  formed in a bottom section thereof, designed to hold the suction cup base  24  to the television stand  32  when the base  24  is placed thereupon. A locking suction cup actuating handle  14  may be disposed on and extend from the suction cup base  24  to help in securing and removing the suction cup  10  to/from the television stand  32 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , in place of the single large suction cup described in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , a plurality of suction cups  10 , such as two suction cups  10  may be disposed on each side of the television support base  30 . The locking suction cup actuating handles  14  for each suction cup  10  may extend from the top of the television support base  30  to help in securing and removing the suction cup  10  to/from the television stand  32 . 
     In some embodiments of the present invention, a locking mechanism (not shown) may be provided to help keep the locking suction cup actuating handle  14  in a locked position. Such a locking mechanism may help prevent a child form accidentally or deliberately unlocking the suction cup  10 . 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.