Patent Publication Number: US-2007102893-A1

Title: Computer caddy

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Technical Field  
      This invention relates generally to a computer support system and more particularly to a moveable computer support system.  
      2. State of the Art  
      The use of computers is continually increasing not only in business, but also in homes of consumers. Typical computers include a computer tower which retains the central processing unit (CPU), the motherboard, the hard drive, peripheral drives, and other components necessary for a computer to function properly. These towers are typically stored either on a desk or more commonly on the floor of the business or home under a desk. A majority of the cables used to lead to the monitor, keyboard, mouse or other external accessories of a computer are located on the back of the tower. Because the computer tower is typically on the floor, gaining access to the back of the computer tower to adjust cables, to replace current accessories with a new one, to add further accessories, to perform maintenance and to clean around the computer tower is difficult and inconvenient. This becomes even more inconvenient when these types of activities take place in a business where there are several computers that need to be accessed. Additionally, the cables extending from the back of the computer often tangle with each other and create a visual mess and further difficulty in performing any type of maintenance on the computer.  
      Conventional computer supports have a support base and casters to provide simply for the ability to move the computer tower more easily. However, they are lacking in a proper support base to support every type of tower, and additionally they have a greater tendency to tip or fall during movement due to the narrow base and/or wheel base supporting the computer. Further they do not provide for management and/or organization of the computer cables. Additionally, conventional computer supports are lacking in the ability to support and retain a power strip and do not provide a support or device to retain computer accessories and/or computer peripherals. Further still, conventional computer supports are lacking a handle to aid in the moving of the computer support.  
      Accordingly, there is a need in the field of computer support systems for an improved moveable computer support system.  
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a moveable computer caddy or computer support system for supporting a computer tower.  
      An aspect of the present invention includes a computer caddy comprising a base plate with a handle, two side panels coupled on opposing side edges of the base, a rear brace bar coupled between the side panels, a rear shelf comprising a retainer plate, and computer cable couplers attached to rear portions of the base, the side panels and the retainer plate.  
      Another aspect of the present invention includes a computer caddy comprising a base plate with a handle, two side panels coupled on opposing side edges of the base, wherein the side panels have attachment members, and at least one accessory support coupled to at least one side panel by use of the attachment members.  
      Further still, another aspect of the present invention includes a computer caddy comprising a base plate with a handle, two side panels coupled on opposing side edges of the base, wherein the side panels have attachment members, at least one accessory support coupled to at least one side panel by use of the attachment members, a rear brace bar coupled between the side panels, a rear shelf comprising a retainer plate and computer cable couplers.  
      Another aspect of the present invention includes a computer caddy for supporting and retaining a computer tower, the computer caddy comprising a base plate having a handle and two side panels rotatably coupled to opposing sides of the base plate. The two side panels being rotatable to provide access to the computer tower. The computer caddy further includes a rear shelf adapted to retain a power strip.  
      Still another aspect of the present invention includes a computer organizing system comprising a computer tower having a plurality of cables for connecting and operating a plurality of components of the computer tower and a computer caddy supporting and retaining the computer tower. The computer caddy includes a base plate for supporting the computer tower, a rear shelf for supporting and retaining a power strip, and cable couplers coupled to apertures of the computer caddy. The cable couplers are adapted to organize and couple the cables of the computer tower to the computer caddy.  
      Yet still, another aspect of the present invention includes a method of using a computer caddy, the method comprising steps of receiving a computer tower within the computer caddy, connecting cables to the computer tower, and organizing the cables by use of cable couplers coupled to apertures of the computer caddy.  
      The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the particular embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a computer caddy, in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 2A  is a side view of a side panel of a computer caddy, in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 2B  is a side view of a side panel coupled to a base plate of a computer caddy, in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 2C  is a perspective view of a computer caddy with a rotated side panel, in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIGS. 3A  is a perspective view of a computer caddy with a computer tower supported by the computer caddy, in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIGS. 3B  is a rear view of a computer caddy with a computer tower supported by the computer caddy, in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIGS. 3C  is a front view of a computer caddy with a computer tower supported by the computer caddy, in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of a computer caddy, in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 5  is a top view of a computer caddy, in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 6A  is a perspective view of an accessory support, in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 6B  is a side view of an accessory support, in accordance with the present invention; and  
       FIG. 6C  is a front view of an accessory support, in accordance with the present invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION  
      As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to a moveable computer caddy or computer support system for supporting a computer tower. Generally a computer caddy in accordance with embodiments of the present invention includes a base with a handle and side panels.  
      As shown in  FIG. 1 , particular embodiments of the present invention comprise a computer caddy  10 . The computer caddy  10  may comprise a base  12  with handle  14 , side panels  16 , a rear shelf  18  and casters  24 . The computer caddy may also comprise an accessory support  20 , crossbeam  21  and apertures  23  for receiving cable couplers. The base  12  may be in a substantially horizontal position so as to provide proper support to a computer tower retained within the computer caddy  10 . The handle  14  of the base is configured to provide access to the handle  14  when a computer tower is being supported by the computer caddy  10 . A user can use the handle  14  to move the computer caddy  10  to gain access to the back of the computer tower or simply to just clean around the tower. Referring also to  FIGS. 2A, 2B  and  5 , the side panels  16  may be coupled to opposing sides of the base  12 , wherein the side panels  16  are coupled in a substantially perpendicular direction from the base  12 , such that the side panels  16  extend up from the base  12  and create a tower space  28 . The tower space  28  may be dimensioned to receive a computer tower, wherein the size and dimension of the computer tower may vary so long as the dimensions are smaller than the dimensions of the tower space  28 . The side panels  16  provide additional support to a computer tower placed within the computer caddy, and may be of any shape and form so long as it provides the necessary support to the computer tower to prevent tipping of the computer tower.  
      In particular embodiments, a rear shelf  18  is operatively coupled to the base  12  of the computer caddy  10 . The rear shelf  18  may be aligned with the base  12  such that a top portion of the shelf  18  and the base  12  are substantially horizontal and within the same plane. The shelf  18  may comprise at least one retainer plate  26 . The retainer plate  26  is configured to retain a particular object on the shelf  18 , particularly when the computer caddy  10  is moved using the casters  24 . A fastener strap, such as a hook and loop fastener strap, may be used to further retain a particular object on the shelf  18 . Additionally, the cable couplers received in apertures  23  may be used to retain computer cables in an orderly fashion creating a cleaner area and providing more efficient access to the cables of the computer. The cable couplers may be coupled to apertures  23  along a rear edge of the side panels  16  and the crossbeam  21 . It will be understood that the shelf  18  while shown to be in the same plane as the base, may be located anywhere and further, may be located on a rear portion of the caddy  10 . Further, the apertures  23  may also be located in a plurality of locations to receive various types of cable couplers, such as, but not limited to flexibly rigid fingers, straps, hook and loop fasteners, clips, tie downs, and any other component wherein a portion of the cables are retained on the computer caddy  10 .  
      The accessory support  20  is removably coupled to an upper portion of a side panel  16  and configured to receive and retain an external computer accessory. Such accessories may include an external hard drive, disk drive, digital camera, digital camcorder, modem, and many other accessories that are not internal to the computer tower. The accessory support  20  is not limited to being located on an upper portion, but may be located anywhere on a side panel. Further, the accessory support  20  may be removably coupled to either side panel and in particular embodiments, two accessory supports  20  may be used on the computer caddy  10 .  
      Referring again to the drawings,  FIGS. 2A-2C  depicts a side panel  16  and the coupling of the side panel  16  to a base plate  12  of a computer caddy  10  in accordance with particular embodiments of the present invention. The side panel  16  comprises a first protrusion  90  and a second protrusion  92  extending from a bottom edge of the side panel  16 . The first protrusion  90  is pivotably coupled to the base plate  12  by use of aperture  94  and the second protrusion is releasably secured to the base plate  12  within slot  96 , shown in  FIGS. 2C and 4 . The side panels  16  are rotatable about the first protrusion  90  when the second protrusion  92  is released from slot  96  of the base plate  12 . In particular embodiments, the first protrusion  90  includes threads  91 , wherein the threads  91  engage corresponding threads of the aperture  94  when the side panel  16  is coupled to the base plate  12 . The threads  91  allow the side panel  16  to rotate while securing the first protrusion  90  within the aperture  94 . It will be understood that the side panels  16  may be coupled to the base plate  12  in various different ways, so long as the side panels are rotatable to provide access to the computer tower.  
      Referring further to the drawings,  FIGS. 3A-3C  depicts a computer caddy  10  supporting and retaining a computer tower  30 . The tower  30  fits within the tower passageway  28 , supported by the base  12  and between the side panels  16 . The side panels  16  and the crossbeam  21  provide added support to prevent tipping of the tower  30  during movement of the caddy  10 . The handle  14  may then be used to move the computer caddy  10  and the tower  30 . This is particularly useful when needing to access the back portion of the computer tower as seen in  FIG. 3B , wherein the caddy  10  can be easily moved exposing the cables and the back of the tower  30  for maintenance and/or connecting additional devices to the computer. Further the accessory support  20  may be used to retain accessory  32  and provide easy access to the back of the tower  30  for connecting accessory  32  to the computer. Cable couplers  22  are then used to retain and organize computer cables  22 . The shelf  18  may support a power strip  34  with multiple outlets and the retainer plates  26  may further support and retain the power strip  34  on the shelf  18 , particularly during movement of the caddy  10 . In such particular embodiments, the caddy  10  lifts the computer tower off of the floor. This provides added protection to the computer, particularly in office situations wherein the office has a sprinkler fire system. Computer towers are often stored under desks. The desk typically protects the computer from being damaged by the water from on top if the sprinkler fire system is activated, however, the tower  30  is subject to damage and water collects on the floor of the office and contacts the computer tower  30  as water runs under the desk. The computer caddy  10  supports the computer tower  30  above the ground surface, as well as all cables and power sources, thereby preventing water damage from water collection on the floor. Additionally, the ability to easily move the computer caddy  10  with the computer tower  30  on it, allows for easier, more efficient cleaning of spaces under desks and behind the tower  30 .  
      Looking at the drawings further,  FIG. 4  depicts an exploded view of a computer caddy  10 . In particular embodiments of the present invention, the side panels  16  may be coupled to the base  12  by use of first and second protrusions  90 ,  92  coupled to aperture  94  and slot  96  respectively. Caster apertures  42  are configured to receive shafts  25  of the casters  24 . The casters  24  are thereby coupled to a bottom side of the base plate  12  and the casters  24  are rotatable in all directions for moving the computer caddy  10  while the computer caddy  10  retains the computer tower. The crossbeam  21  may be coupled to a rear edge of the side panels  16  by use of shaft  17  of each of the side panels mating with corresponding channels  19  of the crossbeam  21 . The channels  19  and the shafts  17  are coupled together by a press fit, however, other methods of coupling may be employed, including, but not limited to, clips, clamps, snaps, straps, and the like. The accessory support  20  may be coupled to either side panel  16  by use of slots  27 . Slots  27  correspond to protrusions (not shown) of the accessory support  20 .  
      Referring again the drawings,  FIGS. 6A-6C  depict an accessory support  20  in accordance with particular embodiments of the present invention. The accessory support  20  comprises a support base  81  with a first side portion  80  and a second side portion  82  coupled to opposing edges of the base  81 . The side portions extend upward and outward from the base  81  creating and accessory space  83 . The accessory space  83  may be dimensioned to receive various types of computer accessories and/or peripherals. The accessory support  20  further comprises an accessory support flange  84 . The flange  84  is configured to removably couple to a slot  27  of a side panel  16  of a computer caddy  10 . This coupling of the accessory support  20  to the caddy  10  has sufficient strength to support various types of computer accessories and/or peripherals. It will be understood that each side panel has slots  27  so as to allow coupling of the accessory support  20  onto either side panel  16 , or to have two accessory supports  20  coupled to each side panel  16 . It will be understood that the accessory support  20  may be coupled to the side panel  16  in any way and is not limited to this particular embodiment. For example, and without limitation, the accessory support may be coupled to the side panel by a notch and hook, a nut and bolt, a hook and loop fastener, a rivet, a weld, an epoxy, an adhesive, and any other form of coupling the accessory support  20  to the side panel. It will also be understood that the accessory support  20  may be integral to the side panel  16 .  
      Another particular embodiment of the present invention includes base that may comprise a handle, a shelf and retaining plates, wherein the base, handle, shelf and retaining plates are integral with each other such that they form one single component. The base may also comprise side panel recesses, wherein the side panel recesses are configured to receive protrusions that extend from the side panel (not shown) and are used to couple the side panels to the base. Further, base apertures are also located on the base to lighten the weight of the material as well as provide for better ventilation and cooling of a computer tower supported by the base.  
      It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that while particular embodiments couple the side panel to the base, other particular embodiments may include a computer caddy that is formed as a single unit wherein all of the components including the base, side panels, crossbeam, handle, shelf retaining plates and cable couplers are all integral with each other.  
      It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the retaining plates  26  may be coupled to the rear shelf  18  by various ways of attaching the retainer plate  26  to the shelf  18  that include, but are not limited to, a press fit, a threaded fit, a clip, an epoxy, a weld, a bolt and any other form of coupling a retainer plate  26  to the shelf  18 . Further, the rear shelf  18  and the retaining plates  26  may be integral with each other.  
      According to another particular embodiment, the present invention includes a computer caddy comprising a base, side panels and a slide rails. The slide rails are used in place of the casters and are used in other particular embodiments wherein the slide rails allow the caddy to be easily slid and moved on the floor surface, thereby providing access to the back of a computer tower. It will be understood that mobility of computer caddies according to particular embodiments of the present invention are not limited to casters and slide rails, but that any manner of providing mobility while lifting a base of the caddy off of a floor surface may be use. For example, and without limitation, mobility may be accomplished by using: two casters coupled to a rear portion of the caddy and at least one support foot coupled to a front portion of the caddy such that the front of the caddy may be lifted using the handle and the caddy moved using the two casters, such that when the foot is placed on the floor surface, it supports the computer caddy and provides resistance to unwanted movement of the caddy; and at least three support feet with slidable bottom surface, wherein the slidable surfaces easily slide on the floor surface allowing movement of the caddy. Additionally, other ways of providing mobility of the caddy may include without limitation ski shaped rails and a toboggan shaped support under the base plate. Further, the components that provide mobility of the caddy may be attached to the computer caddy by one of coupling to the computer caddy, integral to the computer caddy and any combination thereof.  
      The components defining any particular embodiment of a computer caddy may be formed of any of many different types of materials or combinations thereof that can readily be formed into shaped objects provided that the components selected are consistent with the intended operation of a computer caddy. For example, the components may be formed of: rubbers (synthetic and/or natural) and/or other like materials; glasses (such as fiberglass) carbon-fiber, aramid-fiber, any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; polymers such as thermoplastics (such as ABS, Fluoropolymers, Polyacetal, Polyamide; Polycarbonate, Polyethylene, Polysulfone, and/or the like), thermosets (such as Epoxy, Phenolic Resin, Polyimide, Polyurethane, Silicone, and/or the like), any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; composites and/or other like materials; metals, such as zinc, magnesium, titanium, copper, iron, steel, carbon steel, alloy steel, tool steel, stainless steel, aluminum, any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; alloys, such as aluminum alloy, titanium alloy, magnesium alloy, copper alloy, any combination thereof, and/or other like materials; any other suitable material; and/or any combination thereof.  
      Furthermore, the components defining any particular embodiment of the present invention may be purchased pre-manufactured or manufactured separately and then assembled together. However, any or all of the components may be manufactured simultaneously and integrally joined with one another. Manufacture of these components separately or simultaneously may involve extrusion, pultrusion, vacuum forming, injection molding, blow molding, resin transfer molding, casting, forging, cold rolling, milling, drilling, reaming, turning, grinding, stamping, cutting, bending, welding, soldering, hardening, riveting, punching, plating, and/or the like. If any of the components are manufactured separately, they may then be coupled with one another in any manner, such as with adhesive, a weld, a fastener (e.g. a bolt, a nut, a screw, a nail, a rivet, a pin, and/or the like), wiring, any combination thereof, and/or the like for example, depending on, among other considerations, the particular material forming the components. Other possible steps might include sand blasting, polishing, powder coating, zinc plating, anodizing, hard anodizing, and/or painting the components for example.  
      Another aspect of the present invention includes a method of using a computer caddy, the method comprising steps of receiving a computer tower within the computer caddy, connecting computer cables to the computer tower, and organizing the cables by use of cable couplers coupled to apertures of the computer caddy. The method may further comprise a step of moving the computer caddy by use of the handle to provide access to the back of the computer tower and/or to clean behind the computer tower. The method may also include the steps of attaching an accessory support onto a side panel, placing a computer accessory and/or a peripheral in the accessory support, connecting the accessory operatively to the computer tower by use of a cable and organizing the cable by use of the cable couplers  
      The embodiments and examples set forth herein were presented in order to best explain the present invention and its practical application and to thereby enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the foregoing description and examples have been presented for the purposes of illustration and example only. The description as set forth is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teachings above without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.