Patent Publication Number: US-8523299-B2

Title: Flat panel TV stand providing floating appearance

Description:
The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/131,269, filed Jun. 2, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,167,253. 
    
    
     I. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This application relates to flat panel TV stands that give the appearance that the TV is floating. 
     II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     TV stands have been provided for conventional cathode ray tube TVs. More modern flat panel TVs that use, e.g., liquid crystal display (LCD) or light emitting diode (LED) or other matrix-type technology tend either to require wall mounting, constraining such TVs to one place, or uncertain perches on handy nearby furniture. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A TV stand for a flat panel TV display has a base with at least a top horizontal shelf and a translucent frame on the top shelf. An upright rear support is configured to hold the TV juxtaposed with the translucent frame with the bottom of the TV above the top shelf, such that the TV appears as though it is floating above the top shelf when mounted to the rear support. 
     If desired, a lamp can illuminate a bottom portion of the frame. In non-limiting embodiments the base has a bottom shelf resting on ground pads and engaged with the rear support, and in specific implementations a rear edge of the bottom shelf is disposed in a lower groove of the rear support. Also, a translucent middle shelf can be supported by a bracket connected to the rear support with a rear edge of the middle shelf is disposed in a middle groove of the rear support. For stability, the bottom shelf may extend forward of the top shelf relative to the rear support. 
     In another aspect, a display stand has a translucent frame configured to be juxtaposed with an outer edge of a display and a base coupling the frame to the ground such that a display supported on the base and juxtaposed with the frame appears to float above a surface. 
     In yet another aspect, a TV stand has a bottom shelf, a top shelf parallel to and spaced above the bottom shelf, and an upright support connecting the shelves. The bottom shelf rests on floor mounts and the support rests on the floor. The bottom shelf is larger in area than the top shelf. A TV can be supported on the stand to appear as though the TV floats above the top shelf. 
     The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, can best be understood in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of the TV stand supporting a flat panel TV; 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the TV stand shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the TV stand shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear elevational view of the TV stand shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of the TV stand supporting a flat panel TV. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring initially to  FIGS. 1 and 5 , a TV stand  10  supports a TV  12  such as a flat panel LCD or LED or other matrix display. Accordingly, for ease of disclosure directional terms such as “front”, “rear”, “top”, “forward”, and the like will be used relative to how the TV  12  is mounted in the intended orientation shown in  FIG. 1 , with the screen of the TV facing “front”. The TV stand is portable so that it may be movably placed in a convenient location of a room and easily moved if desired to another location. 
     As shown, in one embodiment the TV stand  10  includes a flat horizontal bottom shelf  14 , laminated if desired, that rests on floor-contacting pads  16 . As perhaps best shown in  FIG. 5 , the rear edge of the bottom shelf  14  fits into a lower elongated horizontal groove  18  of a generally parallelepiped-shaped, elongated, upright support  20 , the bottom of which can be generally coplanar with the bottom surfaces of the support pads  16 . Alternatively, the bottom shelf  14  may be connected to the support  20  using brackets and/or threaded fasteners and/or adhesive bonding and/or other appropriate means. 
     A flat horizontal middle shelf  22 , which in a non-limiting implementation may be made of translucent or transparent glass, can be parallel to and spaced above the bottom shelf  14  and the rear edge of the middle shelf  22  can rest in a middle elongated horizontal groove  24  of the support  20 . A generally horizontal metal shelf support bracket  26  can be attached to the support  20  to support left and right sides of the middle shelf  22  as shown. As best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the bracket  26  can include left and right segments  28  that are generally colinear and that extend laterally away from each other to terminate in respective edge support segments  30 , which extend from the left and right segments  28  forward and parallel to each other (and, hence, perpendicular to the segments  28 ). The edge support segments  30  respectively support the left and right edges of the middle shelf  22 . 
     A flat horizontal top shelf  32 , which may be made of laminated wood or glass or metal as desired, can be parallel to and spaced above the middle shelf  22  and the rear edge of the top shelf  32  can rest in a top elongated horizontal groove  34  of the support  20 . The top shelf  32  can be formed with a receptacle for an audio speaker. A generally horizontal metal shelf support bracket  36  can be attached to the support  20  to support left and right sides of the top shelf  32  as shown. As best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the bracket  36  can include left and right segments  38  that are generally colinear and that extend laterally away from each other to terminate in respective edge support segments  40 , which extend from the left and right segments  38  forward and parallel to each other (and, hence, perpendicular to the segments  38 ). The edge support segments  40  respectively support the left and right edges of the top shelf  32 . The shelves  14 ,  22 ,  32  can become progressively smaller in area from bottom to top, such that the bottom shelf  14  extends forward of the middle shelf  22 , for example, adding stability to the TV stand. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a hollow rectangular translucent plastic or glass frame  42  can be mounted upright on the top shelf  40 . The frame  42  can be various species of translucent, e.g., transparent (clear), color tinted, etc. The frame  42  may be glued or bracketed or fastened to the top shelf  40  and/or the frame  42  can be attached to the rear support  20 . In any case, as shown the frame  42  is marginally larger than the screen of the TV  12  sought to be supported. In one implementation the four outer edges of the front of the TV  12  are substantially flush with the four inner edges of the frame  42 . Thus, as perhaps best shown in  FIG. 2 , the TV  12  appears to float above the top shelf  32  with at most the rear support  20  being visible through the frame  42 . 
       FIG. 3  shows that the rear of each shelf may be formed with a rectilinear cutout  444  that serves as a space for cables to pass through, the cutouts  444  being coaxial in the vertical dimension as shown in  FIG. 3 .  FIGS. 4 and 5  show that the rear support  20  may be made of more than a single piece if desired, e.g., a lower metal support block  44  with the grooves for supporting the middle and top shelves may be surrounded on its front surface and left and right surfaces by a laminated wood or plastic fascia  46 . The fascia  46  can rise above the top shelf  32  and can be connected to the TV  12  using threaded fasteners that pass through holes in the fascia  46  that are registered with the rear mounting brackets/holes of the TV  12 . The fascia  46  and/or support block  44  can be formed with larger through-openings  48  that establish cable access ports for wire management. 
     Concluding with  FIG. 5 , in one embodiment, at least the bottom edge of the frame  42  (and if desired additional edges) may be illuminated by one or more lamps  50 . In one embodiment the lamps  50  are LEDs that are disposed inside the bottom edge of the frame and that can be powered by one or more batteries  52  that may be supported on the rear support  20 . Or, the LEDs may receive power from the AC grid. 
     When the bottom segment of the frame  42  is made of clear material, when it is illuminated by the lamp(s) it functions as a light pipe, causing only the edges of the frame to be illuminated and creating a halo effect around the TV. If the translucent frame is not clear but rather is, e.g., color tinted, the illumination caused by the lamp(s) gives the panel a more glowing effect. 
     While the particular FLAT PANEL TV STAND PROVIDING FLOATING APPEARANCE is herein shown and described in detail, it is to be understood that the subject matter which is encompassed by the present invention is limited only by the claims.