Patent ID: 8783639

Claim:
A stand for supporting an object, comprising: a base; a support member coupled to the base; a support element coupled to the support member; a movement mechanism comprising a pivot mechanism adapted to allow the support element to pivot along a range of travel, and further adapted to position the support element at an infinite number of locations along the range of travel; and a locking mechanism, for locking a position of the support element along the range of travel, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a plunger assembly including a plunger, an outer mandrel, an inner mandrel, and a cooperating torsion spring wound around at least a portion of both the outer mandrel and the inner mandrel, wherein the outer mandrel and the inner mandrel are mounted to the support member so that the outer mandrel rotates opposite the inner mandrel as the support member pivots, and wherein the plunger cooperates with the torsion spring to lock the rotation of the outer mandrel and the inner mandrel.