Stand for desktop telephone
A stand allows a user to quickly and easily set the angular orientation of a telephone or other piece of equipment relative to a support surface (e.g. a desktop). The stand is fastened to, and removed from, the equipment without the use of tools by a magnetic attraction. The stand allows a user to tilt the equipment at one of two user-selected angles, to improve access to keys of the equipment and/or to reduce glare on the equipment's display. The display may also be tiltable. The stand provides for at least two course angle adjustments of the tilt of the equipment by the selected orientation of the stand and/or the selected attachment position of the stand relative to the equipment.
1. A combination comprising:
a stand including:
a first generally planar surface having a first edge;
a second generally planar surface attached to said first generally planar surface at an angle, said second generally planar surface having a second edge;
a first magnet attached to, or located within, said first generally planar surface; and
a second magnet attached to, or located within, said second generally planar surface,
wherein when said first magnet is magnetically attracted to an appliance at least partially supported by said stand, said second edge engages a support surface; and
wherein when said second magnet is magnetically attracted to the appliance at least partially supported by said stand, said first edge engages the support surface.
2. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein said angle between said first generally planar surface and said second generally planar surface is greater than 90 degrees.
3. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein said first generally planar surface is formed of plastic and said first magnet is embedded into and surrounded by said plastic forming said first generally planar surface; and wherein said second generally planar surface is formed of plastic and said second magnet is embedded into and surrounded by said plastic forming said second generally planar surface.
4. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein said first edge includes first and second foot portions for engaging the support surface, and said second edge includes third and fourth foot portions for engaging the support surface.
5. The combination according to claim 4 , further comprising a rubberized material attached to said first, second, third and fourth foot portions.
6. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein when said second magnet is magnetically attracted to an appliance at least partially supported by said stand, said second edge also engages the support surface.
7. The combination according to claim 1 , wherein said first magnet includes a plurality of first magnets, each of said plurality of first magnets being attached to, or located within, said first generally planar surface; and wherein said second magnet includes a plurality of second magnets, each of said plurality of second magnets being attached to, or located within, said second generally planar surface.
8. The combination according to claim 7 , wherein said plurality of first magnets alternate polarity between north and south pole magnets, and wherein said plurality of second magnets alternate polarity between north and south pole magnets.
9. The combination according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a telephone including:
a plurality of first magnetizable materials attached to, or located within, a bottom surface of said telephone; and
a plurality of second magnetizable materials attached to, or located within, said bottom surface of said telephone, wherein when said plurality of first magnetizable materials are magnetically attracted to said plurality of first magnets of said stand, a bottom edge of said telephone engages the support surface.
10. The combination according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a telephone including:
a plurality of third magnets attached to, or located within, a bottom surface of said telephone; and
a plurality of fourth magnets attached to, or located within, said bottom surface of said telephone, wherein when said plurality of third magnets are magnetically attracted to said plurality of first magnets of said stand, a bottom edge of said telephone engages the support surface.
11. The combination according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a telephone including:
a first magnetizable material or magnet attached to, or located within, a bottom surface of said telephone; and
a second magnetizable material or magnet attached to, or located within, said bottom surface of said telephone, wherein when said first magnetizable material or magnet is magnetically attracted to said first magnet of said stand, a bottom edge of said telephone engages the support surface.
12. The combination according to claim 11 , wherein when said first magnetizable material or magnet is magnetically attracted to said first magnet of said stand, said telephone assumes a tilted orientation of between 40 to 70 degrees relative to the support surface, and wherein when said second magnetizable material or magnet is magnetically attracted to said second magnet of said stand, said telephone assumes a tilted orientation of between 20 to 35 degrees relative to the support surface.
13. The combination according to claim 11 , further comprising:
at least one jack formed in said bottom surface of said telephone; and
a through hole in the form of a slot located generally in a center of said stand, wherein said slot allows access to said at least one jack when said stand at least partially supports said telephone.
14. The combination according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a display unit on a top surface of said telephone; and
a hinge connecting said display unit to said top surface of said telephone such that said display unit can be pivoted away from said top surface of said telephone about said hinge to a user selected angle.
15. A combination comprising:
a stand including:
a first generally planar surface having a first edge;
a second generally planar surface attached to said first generally planar surface at an angle, said second generally planar surface having a second edge;
a first magnetizable material attached to, or located within, said first generally planar surface; and
a second magnetizable material attached to, or located within, said second generally planar surface,
wherein when said first magnetizable material is magnetically attracted by an appliance at least partially supported by said stand, said second edge engages a support surface; and
wherein when said second magnetizable material is magnetically attracted by the appliance at least partially supported by said stand, said first edge engages the support surface.
16. The combination according to claim 15 , wherein said angle between said first generally planar surface and said second generally planar surface is greater than 90 degrees.
17. The combination according to claim 15 , wherein said first generally planar surface is formed of plastic and said first magnetizable material is embedded into and surrounded by said plastic forming said first generally planar surface; and wherein said second generally planar surface is formed of plastic and said second magnetizable material is embedded into and surrounded by said plastic forming said second generally planar surface.
18. The combination according to claim 15 , wherein said first magnetizable material includes a plurality of first magnetizable materials, each of said plurality of first magnetizable materials being attached to, or located within, said first generally planar surface; and wherein said second magnetizable material includes a plurality of second magnetizable materials, each of said plurality of second magnetizable materials being attached to, or located within, said second generally planar surface.
19. The combination according to claim 18 , further comprising:
a telephone including:
a plurality of first magnets attached to, or located within, a bottom surface of said telephone; and
a plurality of second magnets attached to, or located within, said bottom surface of said telephone, wherein when said plurality of first magnets are magnetically attracted to said plurality of first magnetizable materials of said stand, a bottom edge of said telephone engages the support surface.
20. The combination according to claim 16 , further comprising:
a telephone including:
a first magnet attached to, or located within, a bottom surface of said telephone; and
a second magnet attached to, or located within, said bottom surface of said telephone, wherein when said first magnet is magnetically attracted to said first magnetizable material of said stand, a bottom edge of said telephone engages the support surface.
21. The combination according to claim 20 , wherein when said first magnet is magnetically attracted to said first magnetizable material of said stand, said telephone assumes a tilted orientation of between 40 to 70 degrees relative to the support surface, and wherein when said second magnet is magnetically attracted to said second magnetizable material of said stand, said telephone assumes a tilted orientation of between 20 to 35 degrees relative to the support surface.
22. The combination according to claim 20 , further comprising:
at least one jack formed in said bottom surface of said telephone; and
a through hole in the form of a slot located generally in a center of said stand, wherein said slot allows access to said at least one jack when said stand at least partially supports said telephone.
23. The combination according to claim 20 , further comprising:
a display unit on a top surface of said telephone; and
a hinge connecting said display unit to said top surface of said telephone such that said display unit can be pivoted away from said top surface of said telephone about said hinge to a user selected angle.
24. A combination comprising:
an appliance; and
a stand including:
a first generally planar surface;
a second generally planar surface attached to said first generally planar surface at an angle;
a first magnet attached to, or located within, said first generally planar surface; and
a second magnet attached to, or located within, said second generally planar surface,
wherein said appliance includes:
a first magnetizable material or magnet attached to, or located within, a bottom surface of said appliance; and
a second magnetizable material or magnet attached to, or located within, said bottom surface of said appliance;
wherein when said first magnetizable material or magnet is magnetically attracted to said first magnet of said stand, said appliance is supported by said stand and assumes a first tilted orientation relative to a support surface beneath said stand; and
wherein when said second magnetizable material or magnet is magnetically attracted to said second magnet of said stand, said appliance is supported by said stand and assumes a second tilted orientation relative to the support surface beneath said stand, where said second tilted orientation is different from said first tilted orientation.
25. The combination according to claim 24 , wherein said appliance is a telephone.
26. A combination comprising:
an appliance; and
a stand including:
a first generally planar surface;
a second generally planar surface attached to said first generally planar surface at an angle;
a first magnetizable material attached to, or located within, said first generally planar surface; and
a second magnetizable material attached to, or located within, said second generally planar surface,
wherein said appliance includes:
a first magnet attached to, or located within, a bottom surface of said appliance; and
a second magnet attached to, or located within, said bottom surface of said appliance;
wherein when said first magnet is magnetically attracted to said first magnetizable material of said stand, said appliance is supported by said stand and assumes a first tilted orientation relative to a support surface beneath said stand; and
wherein when said second magnet is magnetically attracted to said second magnetizable material of said stand, said appliance is supported by said stand and assumes a second tilted orientation relative to the support surface beneath said stand, where said second tilted orientation is different from said first tilted orientation.
27. The combination according to claim 26 , wherein said appliance is a telephone.