Stand for supporting a computing device
View Patent ↗A stand for supporting a computing device at an elevated position is provided. The stand may support a laptop computer at a height such that a screen of the laptop computer is at or near eye-level of a user. The stand may include support arms and cross-members attached to the support arms to provide an offset to the support arms. Mounting points may be attached to ends of the support arms. The mounting points may be engageable with a base of the screen of the laptop computer such that a chassis of the laptop computer is suspended from the base of the screen.
1. A stand for supporting a computing device above a support surface, the stand comprising:
a first side-frame structure including a first elongate frame member and a second elongate frame member, the second elongate frame member attached to the first elongate frame member such that the second elongate frame member is pivotable relative to the first elongate frame member and is slideable along a length of the first elongate frame member, the second elongate frame member including an upper end portion that extends beyond the first elongate frame member, the upper end portion of the second elongate frame member and an upper end portion of the first elongate frame member are each configured to engage the computing device when the stand is in a fully-extended position;
a second side-frame structure including a third elongate frame member and a fourth elongate frame member, the fourth elongate frame member attached to the third elongate frame member such that the fourth elongate frame member is pivotable relative to the third elongate frame member and is slideable along a length of the third elongate frame member, the fourth elongate frame member including an upper end portion that extends beyond the third elongate frame member, the upper end portion of the fourth elongate frame member and an upper end portion of the third elongate frame member are each configured to engage the computing device when the stand is in the fully-extended position; and
a cross-frame structure positioned between the first and second side-frame structures, the cross-frame structure attached to the first and second side-frame structures such that the first and second side-frame structures are oriented substantially parallel to one another during collapse of the stand from the fully-extended position to a fully-collapsed position, wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth elongate frame members is oriented at an oblique angle relative to the support surface when the stand is in the fully-extended position.
2. The stand of claim 1 , wherein:
the first side-frame structure further includes a first cross-link member pivotally attached at a first end to the first elongate frame member and at a second end to the second elongate frame member; and
the second side-frame structure further includes a second cross-link member pivotally attached at a first end to the third elongate frame member and at a second end to the fourth elongate frame member.
3. The stand of claim 1 , wherein:
the second elongate frame member intersects the first elongate frame member between upper and lower ends of the first elongate frame member; and
the fourth elongate frame member intersects the third elongate frame member between upper and lower ends of the third elongate frame member.
4. The stand of claim 1 , wherein
the second elongate frame member defines a first internal passage through which the first elongate frame member slideably passes; and
the fourth elongate frame member defines a second internal passage through which the third elongate frame member slideably passes.
5. The stand of claim 1 , wherein:
the first side-frame structure further includes a first stop associated with the first elongate frame member to restrict movement of the second elongate frame member; and
the second side-frame structure further includes a second stop associated with the third elongate frame member to restrict movement of the fourth elongate frame member.
6. The stand of claim 1 , wherein:
the first side-frame structure further includes a first tab attached to an upper end of the first elongate frame member; and
the second side-frame structure further includes a second tab attached to an upper end of the third elongate frame member.
7. The stand of claim 1 , wherein lower ends of the first, second, third, and fourth elongate frame members are disposed in a common plane when the stand is in the fully-extended position.
8. The stand of claim 1 , wherein:
the first and second elongate frame members are disposed in a first plane;
the third and fourth elongate frame members are disposed in a second plane; and
the first and third elongate frame members are disposed in a third plane oriented substantially perpendicular to the first and second planes.
9. The stand of claim 8 , wherein the cross-frame structure is oriented substantially parallel to the third plane.
10. The stand of claim 1 , wherein the cross-frame structure is oriented substantially co-planar with the first and third elongate frame members.
11. The stand of claim 1 , wherein the cross-frame structure comprises:
a first cross-frame member pivotally attached at a lower end to the first elongate frame member and at an upper end to the third elongate frame member; and
a second cross-frame member pivotally attached at a lower end to the third elongate frame member and at an upper end to the first elongate frame member.
12. The stand of claim 11 , wherein the first and second cross-frame members are pivotally attached to each other intermediate their respective ends.
13. The stand of claim 11 , wherein the upper ends of the first and second cross-frame members are slideable along a length of the third and first elongate frame members, respectively.
14. The stand of claim 13 , further comprising:
a first latching element associated with the upper end of the first cross-frame member to restrict the upper end of the first cross-frame member from sliding along the length of the third elongate frame member; and
a second latching element associated with the upper end of the second cross-frame member to restrict the upper end of the second cross-frame member from sliding along the length of the first elongate frame member.
15. The stand of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and third elongate frame members include a foot structure that is supported by the support surface when the stand is in the fully-extended position.
16. The stand of claim 15 , wherein each foot structure is attached to its respective elongate frame member such that the foot structure is not movable relative to its respective elongate frame member.
17. The stand of claim 15 , wherein each foot structure includes a grip element that restrains slippage of the foot structure relative to the support surface when the stand is in the fully-extended position.
18. A stand for supporting a computing device above a support surface, the stand comprising:
a first side-frame structure including a first elongate frame member and a second elongate frame member pivotally attached to the first elongate frame member, the second elongate frame member including an upper end portion that extends beyond the first elongate frame member, the upper end portion of the second elongate frame member and an upper end portion of the first elongate frame member are each configured to support the computing device when the stand is in a fully-extended position;
a second side-frame structure including a third elongate frame member and a fourth elongate frame member pivotally attached to the third elongate frame member, the fourth elongate frame member including an upper end portion that extends beyond the third elongate frame member, the upper end portion of the fourth elongate frame member and an upper end portion of the third elongate frame member are each configured to support the computing device when the stand is in the fully-extended position, wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth elongate frame members are oriented at an oblique angle relative to the support surface when the stand is in the fully-extended position; and
a cross-frame structure positioned between the first and second side-frame structures, the cross-frame structure including:
a first cross-frame member extending from the first elongate frame member to the third elongate frame member, the first cross-frame member having a first end pivotally attached to the first elongate frame member and a second end pivotally attached to the third elongate frame member, wherein the second end of the first cross-frame member is slideable along a length of the third elongate frame member; and
a second cross-frame member pivotally attached to the first cross-frame member, the second cross-frame member extending from the third elongate frame member to the first elongate frame member, the second cross-frame member having a first end pivotally attached to the third elongate frame member and a second end pivotally attached to the first elongate frame member, wherein the second end of the second cross-frame member is slideable along a length of the first elongate frame member.
19. The stand of claim 18 , wherein the first and second cross-frame members are oriented substantially co-planar with the first and third elongate frame members.
20. The stand of claim 19 , wherein:
the first and second elongate frame members are substantially co-planar in a first plane;
the third and fourth elongate frame members are substantially co-planar in a second plane; and
the first and second cross-frame members are oriented substantially perpendicular to the first and second planes.
21. The stand of claim 18 , wherein the first and second cross-frame members are pivotally attached to each other intermediate their respective ends.
22. The stand of claim 18 , further comprising:
a first latching element associated with the second end of the first cross-frame member to restrict the second end of the first cross-frame member from sliding along the length of the third elongate frame member; and
a second latching element associated with the second end of the second cross-frame member to restrict the second end of the second cross-frame member from sliding along the length of the first elongate frame member.
23. The stand of claim 18 , wherein:
the first side-frame structure further includes a first cross-link member pivotally attached at a first end to the first elongate frame member and at a second end to the second elongate frame member; and
the second side-frame structure further includes a second cross-link member pivotally attached at a first end to the third elongate frame member and at a second end to the fourth elongate frame member.
24. The stand of claim 18 , wherein:
the second elongate frame member intersects the first elongate frame member between first and second ends of the first elongate frame member; and
the fourth elongate frame member intersects the third elongate frame member between first and second ends of the third elongate frame member.
25. The stand of claim 18 , wherein:
the second elongate frame member defines a first internal passage through which the first elongate frame member slideably passes; and
the fourth elongate frame member defines a second internal passage through which the third elongate frame member slideably passes.
26. The stand of claim 18 , wherein:
the second elongate frame member is slideable along a length of the first elongate frame member; and
the fourth elongate frame member is slideable along a length of the third elongate frame member.
27. The stand of claim 18 , wherein
the first side-frame structure further includes a first tab attached to an upper end of the first elongate frame member; and
the second side-frame structure further includes a second tab attached to an upper end of the third elongate frame member.
28. The stand of claim 18 , wherein lower ends of the first, second, third, and fourth elongate frame members are disposed in a common plane when the stand is in the fully-extended position.