Patent Abstract:
A supporting apparatus includes a first connection member, a second connection member defining a fixing groove, a third connection member, a fourth connection member and a fifth connection member. The first connection member, the second connection member and the third connection member are rotationally connected to each other head to hail to form a triangle and can be detached from each other. The fourth connection member is detachably attached to and rotatable around the third connection member. The fifth connection member is detachably attached to and rotatable around the fourth connection member. The second connection member defines a connection hole. A portion of the fifth connection member is detachably received in the connection hole to support the triangle.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to Taiwan Patent Application No. 103137103, filed on Oct. 28, 2014, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
       FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a supporting apparatus. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    When a portable electronic device, for example a tablet computer, is being used, one hand supports the portable electronic device and the other hand operates the functions of the portable electronic device. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures. 
           [0005]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a supporting apparatus in a first state according to an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is an exploded, isometric view of part of the supporting apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 2 , but viewed from another angle. 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the supporting apparatus of  FIG. 1  in a second state. 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the supporting apparatus of  FIG. 1  supporting an electronic device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features. The description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. 
         [0011]    Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented. 
         [0012]    The term “substantially” is defined to be essentially conforming to the particular dimension, shape, or other feature that the term modifies, such that the component need not be exact. For example, “substantially cylindrical” means that the object resembles a cylinder, but can have one or more deviations from a true cylinder. The term “comprising” means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in a so-described combination, group, series, and the like. 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates a supporting apparatus  100  including a first connection member  10 , a second connection member  40 , a third connection member  50 , a fourth connection member  60  and a fifth connection member  70 . 
         [0014]      FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate that one end of the first connection member  10  defines a first clamping groove  13 , and the other end of the first connection member  10  defines a fixing groove  15 . In the embodiment, the first connection member  10  is a substantially cylindrical pole. The cylindrical pole includes two first clamp pieces  14  at one end of the cylindrical pole. The two first clamp pieces  14  are substantially parallel. The first clamping groove  13  is positioned between the two first clamp pieces  14 . The fixing groove  15  is defined at a lateral surface of the first connection member  10 . 
         [0015]    The second connection member  40  includes a first pole  41  and a first rotation body  15 . The first pole  41  is a substantially cylindrical. The first pole  41  includes two second clamp pieces  44  at one end of the first pole  41 . The two second clamp pieces  44  are substantially parallel. A second clamping groove  43  is defined between the two second clamp pieces  44 . The first rotation body  45  is attached to the other end of the first pole  41  away from the second clamping groove  43 . The first rotation body  45  is received in the first clamping groove  13 . The first rotation body  45  is rotatable around a center axis of the first pole  41  in the first clamping groove  13  and rotatable around an axis Y perpendicular to an extended direction of the two first clamp pieces  14 . Thus, an angle between the second connection member  40  and the first connection member  10  is adjustable when the second connection member  40  rotates around the axis Y. The second connection member  40  further defines a connection hole  411  between the second clamping groove  43  and the first rotation body  45 . In the embodiment, the connection hole  411  is defined on a lateral surface of the second connection member  40 . The first rotation body is an elastic ball. A diameter of the ball is greater than a distance between the two first clamp pieces  14 . Therefore, the ball can be firmly received in the first clamping groove  13 . 
         [0016]    The third connection member  50  has a structure similar to the second connection member  40 . The third connection member  50  includes a second pole  51  and a second rotation body  55 . The second pole  51  is a substantially cylindrical. The second pole  51  includes two third clamp pieces  55  at one end of the second pole  51 . The two third clamp pieces  55  are substantially parallel. A third clamping groove  53  is defined between the two third clamp pieces  55 . The second rotation body  55  is attached to the other end of the second pole  51  away from the third clamping groove  53 . The second rotation body  55  is received in the second clamping groove  43 . The second rotation body  55  is rotatable around a center axis of the second pole  51  in the second clamping groove  43  and rotatable around an axis L 1  perpendicular to an extended direction of the two second clamp pieces  44 . Thus, an angle between the third connection member  50  and the second connection member  40  is adjustable when the third connection member  50  rotates around the axis L 1 .  FIG. 4  illustrates that a distal end of the two third clamp pieces  54  away from the second rotation body  55  can be received in the fixing groove  15  when the second connection member  10  rotates around the axis Y and the third connection member  50  rotates around the axis L 1 . Thus, the first connection member  10 , the second connection member  40  and the third connection member  50  form a triangle. In the embodiment, the first connection member  10 , the second connection member  40  and the third connection member  50  have a same length. Thus, the first connection member  10 , the second connection member  40  and the third connection member  50  form an isosceles triangle. 
         [0017]    The fourth connection member  60  has a structure similar to the second connection member  40 . The fourth connection member  60  includes a third pole  61  and a third rotation body  65 . The third pole  61  is a substantially cylindrical. The third pole  61  includes two substantially parallel fourth clamp pieces  64  at one end of the third pole  61 . A fourth clamping groove  63  is defined between the two fourth clamp pieces  64 . The third rotation body  65  is attached to the other end of the third pole  61  away from the fourth clamping groove  63 . The third rotation body  65  is received in the third clamping groove  53 . The third rotation body  65  is rotatable around a center axis of the third pole  61  in the third clamping groove  53  and rotatable around an axis L 2  perpendicular to an extended direction of the two third clamp pieces  54 . Thus, an angle between the fourth connection member  60  and the third connection member  50  is adjustable when the fourth connection member  60  rotates around the axis L 2 . 
         [0018]    The fifth connection member  70  has a structure similar to the second connection member  40 . The fifth connection member  70  includes a fourth pole  71  and a fourth rotation body  75 . The fourth pole  71  is a substantially cylindrical. The fourth pole  71  includes two substantially parallel fifth clamp pieces  74  at one end of the fourth pole  71 . A fifth clamping groove  73  is defined between the two fifth clamp pieces  74 . The fourth rotation body  75  is attached to the other end of the fourth pole  71  away from the fifth clamping groove  73 . The fourth rotation body  75  is received in the fourth clamping groove  63 . The fourth rotation body  75  is rotatable around a center axis of the fourth pole  71  in the fourth clamping groove  63  and rotatable around an axis L 3  perpendicular to an extended direction of the two fourth clamp pieces  64 . Thus, an angle between the fifth connection member  70  and the fourth connection member  60  is adjustable when the fifth connection member  70  rotates around the axis L 3 . The fifth connection member  70  further includes a fixing member  20 . The fixing member  20  is rotationally received in the fifth clamping groove  73 . An end of the fixing member  20  can be received in the connection hole  411  to support the second connection member  40 . In the embodiment, the fixing member  20  includes a ball  21  and a fixing portion  23  attached to the ball  21 . The ball  21  is rotationally received in the fifth clamping groove  73 . The fixing portion  23  is configured to be received in the connection hole  411 .  FIG. 5  illustrates when the first connection member  10 , the second connection member  40  and the third connection member  50  are formed to a triangle and the fixing member  20  is received in the fixing hole  411 , the supporting apparatus  100  can support an electronic device  80 . 
         [0019]    The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the details, including in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure, up to and including the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5