Granted Patent B2

US 8,070,631 · App. 11/983,589 · Granted Dec 6, 2011

Abstract

Claims (32)

1. A removable base comprising:

an interior base surface;

an exterior base surface positioned above the interior base surface;

a curved, convex inner shoulder that is integrally attached to the exterior base surface and defines a wall with a closed perimeter; and

a plurality of prongs attached to the interior base surface and uniformly spaced in a grid on the interior surface, the plurality of prongs being substantially perpendicular to the interior surface and extending away from the interior surface along a first direction.

2. The removable base of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of prongs is substantially cylindrical in shape.

3. The removable base of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of prongs are made of deformable material.

4. A quick release base system comprising:

a base platform comprising:

a bottom platform surface;

a top platform surface positioned above the bottom platform surface, the top platform surface including a first plurality of prongs, wherein the first plurality of prongs are substantially perpendicular to the top platform surface of the base platform and extend away from the top platform surface and away from the bottom platform surface;

a removable base that rests on top of the base platform comprising an interior base surface comprising a second plurality of prongs, wherein:

the second plurality of prongs are substantially perpendicular to the interior base surface and extend away from the interior base along a vertical direction when the removable base rests on top of the base platform, and the first plurality of prongs interact with the second plurality of prongs so as to create a lateral restraining force between the base platform and the removable base while at the same time the first plurality of prongs and second plurality of prongs are engaged to one another in a manner so as to allow substantially unencumbered movement of the removable base along the vertical direction;

the base platform comprising a concave outer shoulder integrally attached to the bottom platform surface and the top platform surface; and

wherein the removable base comprises a curved, convex inner shoulder that is integrally attached to the exterior base surface, complementarily shaped to the concave outer shoulder and defines a wall with a closed perimeter, wherein the curved, convex inner shoulder rests on the concave outer shoulder.

5. The quick release base system of claim 4 , wherein the curved, convex inner shoulder defines a wall with a closed perimeter; and wherein a portion of the wall extends in the vertical direction past free ends of the second plurality of prongs.

6. A base platform comprising:

a bottom platform surface;

a top platform surface positioned above the bottom platform surface;

a plurality of prongs attached to the top platform surface and uniformly spaced in a grid on the top platform surface, the plurality of prongs being substantially perpendicular to the upper platform surface and extending away from the upper platform surface and away from the bottom platform surface along a first direction, wherein each of the plurality of prongs fails to have an appendage that extends along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and

a concave outer shoulder integrally attached to the bottom platform surface and the top platform surface.

7. A method for using a quick release base system, comprising:

providing a base platform, the base platform comprising:

a bottom platform surface; and

a top platform surface positioned above the bottom platform surface, the top platform surface comprising a first plurality of prongs, wherein the first plurality of prongs are substantially perpendicular to the top platform surface of the base platform and extended away from the top platform surface and the bottom platform surface;

providing a removable base on top of the base platform, the removable base comprising:

an interior base surface; and

an exterior base surface positioned above the interior base surface, the interior base surface including a second plurality of prongs, wherein the second plurality of prongs are substantially perpendicular to the interior base surface and extended away from the interior base surface along a vertical direction when the removable base rests on top of the base platform, and wherein the first plurality of prongs interact with the second plurality of prongs so as to create a lateral restraining force between the base platform and the removable base while at the same time the first plurality of prongs and second plurality of prongs are engaged to one another in a manner so as to allow substantially unencumbered movement of the removable base along the vertical direction; and

subjecting the removable base to a potential external lateral force such that the removable base detaches from the base platform as a result of the potential external lateral force;

the base platform comprising concave outer shoulder integrally attached to the bottom platform surface and the top platform surface; and

wherein the removable base comprises a curved, convex inner shoulder that is integrally attached to the exterior base surface, complementarily shaped to the concave outer shoulder and defines a wall with a closed perimeter, wherein the curved, convex inner shoulder rests on the concave outer shoulder.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the curved, convex inner shoulder defines a wall with a closed perimeter; and wherein a portion of the wall extends in the vertical direction past free ends of the second plurality of prongs.

Assignments (17)