US20060180058A1

US20060180058A1 - Technician's laptop table

Info

Publication number: US20060180058A1
Application number: US11/016,668
Authority: US
Inventors: Steven Monson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-12-16
Filing date: 2004-12-16
Publication date: 2006-08-17

Abstract

A tilt-adjustable table for a laptop computer to be mounted on a cabinet or similar horizontal surface that has an upward protruding vertical extension at the outside edge. The table contains two side support brackets, each of which is pivotal and folds under the table. The pivotal supports are fastened to the underside of the table and have elongated slotted holes in the pivotal supports to allow the pivotal support and bracket to move forward and backward. The support brackets and pivotal supports slide back under the table and fold under the tilt-adjustable table into a collapsible and portable laptop table. Positioned at the end of the support bracket are height adjustable knobs on lower extended arms, which allow the table to tilt to the proper working angle. Positioned at the end of the support brackets are downwardly protruding lips on upper extended arms, which engages the upward protruding vertical extension of a cabinet.

Description

REFERENCES CITED

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

5,722,624 Mar., 1998 Watt

D438,729 Aug., 2000 Weitzman

6,505,797 Lan., 2003 Dempsey

6,701,851 Mar., 2004 Ibrahim

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE RELATED ART

U.S. Pat. No. D428,729 discloses a portable collapsible laptop computer table.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,851 discloses a stand for reading materials and laptop computers, which is height adjustable and tiltable and has a lip to hold materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,505,797 discloses a collapsible laptop stand, which is mounted on vertical structures or set on horizontal surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,624 discloses a laptop computer support that attaches to horizontal surfaces. The patented support clampingly secures to a table surface. However, U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,624 issued to Richard Watt, et al, patented laptop computer support, differs from the present invention because the bracket, support and pivotal structures are not collapsible, do not fold to a compact form, is not easily transported in a laptop computer case, and is designed for use on a table's edge whereas the present invention forms a unique clamping and angle adjustment design that is collapsible, compact, portable and is uniquely designed to attach to utility cabinets that house computerized devices requiring a laptop interface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to platforms or table devices for supporting laptop computers. The tables are supported by two brackets that have a clamp structure opening, a protruding support arm and downwardly protruding lip and are tiltable by height adjustment knobs at the end of each bracket protruding support arm.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a table and bracket structure for supporting a laptop computer. It is one the main objectives of the present invention to provide a collapsible and portable laptop stand that can be easily mounted on a utility cabinet's lower horizontal surface that contains a vertical upwardly protruding lip. The laptop table comprises a flat top section having non-slip pads equally positioned at each corner and a retaining lip positioned at the bottom edge. Each support bracket is located on the underside of the top section and attached to pivotal structures that allow the support bracket to slide forward to engage the utility cabinet's lower horizontal surface and vertical lip. Height adjustment knobs contact the bottom surface of the utility cabinet's lower horizontal surface and thus raise or lower to adjust the table angle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The nature and mode of operation of the present invention will be more fully described in the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tilt-adjustable technician's laptop table support for a laptop computer in its normal use configuration, incorporating the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tilt-adjustable technician's laptop table support for a laptop computer in its folded, portable configuration.
FIG. 3 is a right side elevational view showing the support brackets retracted and extended, thereof with the left side view being identical.
FIG. 4 is sectional view of the right support bracket and pivotal structure in its normal use position.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the right support bracket and pivotal structure in its folded, portable configuration.
FIG. 6 is a bottom view of an extended support brackets and pivotal structures configuration with broken line showing the bottom surface of the lower horizontal surface of a utility cabinet.
FIG. 7 is a bottom view of a retracted support brackets and pivotal structures configuration with broken line showing the bottom surface of the lower horizontal surface of a utility cabinet.
FIG. 8 is a bottom view of a retracted and folded support brackets and pivotal structures configuration with broken line showing the bottom surface of the lower horizontal surface of a utility cabinet.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the technician's laptop table in a normal use configuration relative to a broken line showing the utility cabinet and its relation to attachment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The tilt-adjustable support table of the present invention, which is generally designated as 10 in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, is intended for supporting a suitable device, such as a laptop computer, not shown, in a user tilt-adjustable position relative to a suitable support, such as a utility cabinet or electrical panel 28 as shown in FIG. 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, being comprised of 30 horizontal surface with a upwardly facing surface 24, and a downwardly facing surface 23, and a vertical lip 25 extending upward from the outer edge of 30 horizontal surface.
The table 31 consists of an upwardly facing surface 13 and a downwardly facing surface 26. A lip 17 functions to prevent the laptop from sliding off the flat upwardly facing surface 13. The non-slip pads 3 are designed and positioned to come in contact with the feet of a variety of laptop models, thus preventing the laptop from shifting position when the table 31 is tilted to a variety of angles. Located centrally from the left and right sides, right side shown in FIG. 3, of 31 towards the top edge 34, which is opposite the bottom edge 33 containing the lip, is an elliptical opening 4 that is used as handle to transport and carry the unit 10.
As best shown FIG. 3, 4, 5, there are two depending support brackets 6 extending the length of the table 31 from the bottom edge 33 to the top edge 34. The brackets 6 attach to pivotal structures 18, which are mounted against the table's 31 downwardly facing surface 26. Mounting holes 21, best shown in FIG. 6, 7, 8, are elongated slots to permit the pivotal structures to extend forward and backwards. The support bracket 6 and pivotal structure 18 are secured together by means 20. The pivotal structures 18 and table 31 are secured together by means 19 and between the pivotal structures 18 and means 19 are washers 22, which allows the pivotal structures 18 to be fastened in a manner as to provide ease of movement and to allow the pivotal structures 6, which are securely attached to the support brackets 6, to slide along the length of the elongated slots 21. Thus permitting the support brackets 6 to extend out and clampingly attach to the cabinet 28 structure, while the table 31 remains outside the cabinet enclosure so as not to interfere with or engage any miscellaneously mounted devices within the cabinet 28 structure. Then, once table 10 is removed from the cabinet 28 structure, the support brackets 6 can be retracted inwardly, sliding back along the elongated slots 21 until the support brackets 6 and table 31 top edge 34 and bottom edge 33 as shown in the lower diagram of FIG. 3 are align along their respective planes as shown in the upper diagram of FIG. 3.
Support brackets 6 support the table 31 and are mounted flush against the downwardly facing 26 surface. The lower protruding arms 12 of support brackets 6 extend out and underneath the utility 28 cabinet. Located centrally on upwardly facing surfaces 32 of the arms 12 are threaded holes 16. Bolts 15 engages the holes 16 and are adjusted into and out of the threaded holes 16 by a turning action of knobs 14, which are physically attached to bolts 15. Adjustment knobs 14 and bolts 15 comprise a height adjustment assembly, which is turned counterclockwise or clockwise to insert or remove the bolts 15 into or out of the threaded holes 16. The height adjustment corresponds directly to the tiltability of the table 31. As the height adjustment knob 14 is lowered in relation to arms 12, the unit 10 will tilt downwards. As the height adjustment knob 14 is raised in relation to arm 12, the unit 10 will tilt upwards. The opening 8 is designed to accept cabinets 28 with various horizontal 30 thicknesses and vertical 25 heights by adjusting the height adjustment knob 14.
Located above the lower extended arms 12 are the openings 8 which accept the utility 28 cabinet's vertical 25 and horizontal 30 surfaces. The support brackets 6 have an upper extended arm 35, which has protruding lips 9 extending downward at the end of the upper extending arm 35 and the protruding lips 9 rear vertical surface 11 engages the inner surface of the vertical 25 lip extension. Height adjustment knobs 14 engage the downwardly facing 23 surface of the cabinet's 28 horizontal 30 surface, thus holding the table 10 in place against the utility 28 cabinet. At the top of vertical 11 surfaces are notches 29, which is positioned and sized to engage the upper portion of vertical 25 lip extension, thus preventing the table 10 from sliding forward.
The elongated and angled openings 7 in the support brackets 6 are both decorative and functional in nature. The openings 7 allow for the removal of weight from the table 10, producing a physically lighter product and also will function as handles or grips in positioning support brackets 6.
The product is a tiltable, portable, collapsible, table that can be mounted on a cabinet, utility box, electrical panel to support a laptop computer.
The foregoing description conveys a described and illustrated understanding of the objectives, advantages, and uses of the present invention and it is to be clearly stated that different embodiments may be made of the inventive concept of this invention. It is to be understood that all matter disclosed herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not to be limited in scope.

Claims

1. A flat top section comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, a lip on the top surface centered between the two side surfaces, four non-slip pads positioned at each corner of the top surface, two support brackets located medially from the two side surfaces of the top section's bottom surface at least a spacing equal or greater than the thickness of the support brackets.

2. A pair of support brackets, each support bracket comprising a top surface, bottom surface and the bottom surface slops up at an angle to meet the top surface at an apex and at the opposite end of the support bracket the bracket opens to a form a clamp configuration. On the support bracket clamp end, the lower portion extends out to contract the underside of a horizontal structure, the upper portion on the clamp structure has a downward protrusion that contracts the backside of the horizontal structure's vertical lip, thus holding the support bracket attached to the horizontal structure and its corresponding vertical lip. The support brackets are mounted on pivotal structure to allow the support brackets to fold flat against the table top section's bottom surface. Also, the pivotal structures have elongated slotted mounting holes to allow the pivotal structure and support brackets to slide back under the top surface until the support bracket clamp arm protrusion edge is aligned in the plane with the top sections top edge surface plane and rear portion of the support bracket is aligned in the plane of the top section's bottom edge surface plane.

3. The angle of the top section is adjusted by height adjustment knobs located on the top surface of the support bracket clamp end protrusion arm. The knobs turn clockwise to lower the angle and counterclockwise to raise the angle of the table surface and are attached to a threaded bolt, which threads into centrally located tapped hole in the support bracket clamp end protrusion arm.