AU2002100268A4

AU2002100268A4 - Article holder for a computer screen

Info

Publication number: AU2002100268A4
Application number: AU2002100268A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jane E Ogden
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-04-05
Filing date: 2002-04-05
Publication date: 2002-05-23
Anticipated expiration: 2010-04-05

Description

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AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Applicant(s): JANE E OGDEN Invention Title: ARTICLE HOLDER FOR A COMPUTER SCREEN The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 2 ARTICLE HOLDER FOR A COMPUTER SCREEN Field of the Invention This invention relates to an article holder for a video display unit, such as a computer screen.

Background of the Invention Most workplaces these days use computers and many people spend a considerable amount of time in front of a video display unit in the form of a computer screen or computer monitor. People generally like to personalise their work area by displaying photographs of family or the like.

Generally, the photographs are arranged in an ad hoc manner on and around the computer monitor. If conventional picture frames are used on video display monitors, the possibility exists for the picture and frame to fall from the monitor, which may cause damage to a keyboard or other article in the work area, as well as damage the photograph and frame itself.

Summary of the Invention The object of the invention is to provide an article holder which can be used with a video display unit such as a computer screen, and which overcomes this problem.

The invention may be said to reside in an article holder for a video display unit, including: a holder body formed from a flexible material for wrapping around the periphery of the video display unit; securing means for securing the holder to the video display unit; and holder elements on the body for enabling attachment of articles so that the articles can be held by the body and therefore about the periphery of the video display unit.

The holder according to the present invention thereby \\melbfiles\home$\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Jane Ogden Innovation Article Holder for a Computer Screen.doc 4/04/02 3 enables articles such as photographs or other things to be held about the periphery of the video display unit, where they are easily in the view of a person working with the unit, and where the articles are held securely and are not likely to fall and damage the article or ancillary equipment around the video display unit.

Preferably the holder body comprises a strip of flexible material. The material may be leather, fabric, vinyl, fake fur, and the like.

Preferably the securing means comprises an elastic member attached to ends of the body.

In other embodiments, the securing means may comprise a hook and loop-type fasteners located on strips attached to the ends of the body. Such fasteners are generally sold under the registered trade mark VELCRO.

In other embodiments, the securing means may comprise a buckle connected to one end of the body, and a strap secured to the other end of the body for engaging the buckle.

In still further embodiments, the securing means may be provided by the elasticity of the body itself.

Preferably the holding means comprises at least one slot formed in the body so that the article can pass through the slot and a flange section of the article sandwiched between the body and the video display unit to therefore hold the article in place to the video display unit.

The invention may also provide a sheet frame including: a bifurcated body portion having a first panel and a second panel adjacent the first panel and defining a space therebetween for receiving a sheet material; \\melbfiles\home$\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Jane Ogden Innovation Article Holder for a Computer Screendoc 4/04/02

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4 an entrance at one edge of the body portion so that the sheet member can be inserted through the entrance and into the space between the panels; a closed end opposite the entrance for coupling the panels together; and a first flange extending transverse to one of the panels; and a second flange extending transverse to the other of the panels.

Preferably the sheet frame is integral and formed from perspex.

Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of an article holder according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a view of the holder of Figure 1 in an in use situation; Figure 3 is a view of an article to be held by the article holder according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, showing an end view of the article; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the article of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a side view showing how the article is held by the article holder according to the preferred embodiment; Figure 6 is a plan view showing how the article is held by the article holder; Figure 7 shows another embodiment of the manner in which the article holder is secured about a video display unit; and Figure 8 shows a still further embodiment of how the article is secured about the video display unit.

\\melbfiles\home$\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Jane Ogden Innovation Article Holder for a Computer Screen.doc 4/04/02 5 Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments With reference to Figure i, an article holder 10 is shown which comprises a body 12 which is in the form of a strip formed from a flexible material such as leather, vinyl, fabric, fake fur, or the like.

The body has a strap 14 at one end 12a which has a buckle 16. A strap 18 is secured the other end 12b of the body 12 and the strap 18 includes punched holes 20. The straps 14 and 18 form a belt for securing the article 10 to a video display unit 30 (see Figure as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

The body 12 also includes a plurality of slots 24 formed through the body 12 and which are configured somewhat like oversized button holes.

The article is secured to the video display unit 30 in the manner shown in Figure 2. The video display unit 30 may be in the form of a computer monitor of a personal computer, and the body 12 is wrapped around the periphery of the monitor 30, with the straps 14 and 18 being located underneath the monitor 30. The strap 18 is passed through the buckle 16 so that the buckle 16 can be engaged with one of the openings 20 of the strap 18 to thereby tightly secure the body 12 about the periphery of the monitor The articles which the body 12 is preferably intended to hold comprise picture frames 40 formed as an integral frame from perspex material, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

The picture frame 40 has a first panel 42 and a second panel 44 joined by a curved transition region 46. The panels 42 and 44 are closely adjacent to one another, but define a very fine space 48 therebetween. The space 48 has an entrance opening 50 opposite the curved transition section 46 into which a sheet member such as a photograph \\melb_files\home$\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Jane Ogden Innovation Article Holder for a Computer Screen.doc 4/04/02 I 6 or the like can be inserted, so that the photograph can be viewed through one of the panels 42 or 44. The panel 42 has a first flange 52 extending at right angles outwardly of the panel 42 adjacent the entrance opening 50 and the panel 44 has a second flange 54 extending in the opposite direction to the flange 52 also adjacent to the entrance opening The picture frame 40 is secured to the computer screen by locating the flanges 52 and 54 through one of the slots 24 so that the flanges 52 and 54 are sandwiched between the body 12 and the computer monitor This arrangement is shown more clearly in Figures 5 and 6.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, it is apparent that two slots 24 are arranged in the body 12 so that they are on top of the monitor 30 and one slot 24 is arranged on one side of the monitor 30 and another slot 24 on the other side of the monitor 30. Thus, in this embodiment, four picture frames 40 can be supported about the monitor It should be understood that in other embodiments, articles other than picture frames 40 can be supported.

Preferably the articles are provided with the flange configuration as per the picture frame 40, but may be in the form of containers or the like which can be located at the sides of the monitor 30 for holding pens, pencils or other stationery items.

Figure 7 shows a further embodiment of the invention in which the body 12 is secured about the periphery of the monitor 30 by an elastic strip 70 which is connected between the ends 12a and 12b of the body 10. In this embodiment, the holder 10 is in the form of a loop because the free ends 12a and 12b are always joined by the strip \\melbfiles\home$\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Jane Ogden Innovation Article Holder for a Computer Screen.doc 4/04/02

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7 and the elastic strip 70 is simply stretched to enable the body 12 to slide over the periphery of the monitor and then when released, will pull the body 12 tight about the periphery of the monitor 30 under the natural elasticity of the elastic strip In still further embodiments, the elastic strip 70 could be incorporated into the body 12 so that the body 12 is itself elasticated and formed in the same loop configuration as in Figure 7, and therefore a separate elastic strip 70 joining the free ends 12a and 12b is not required. In this embodiment, the natural elasticity of the body 12 will act to secure the body 12 about the periphery of the monitor In the embodiment of Figure 8, the ends 12a and 12b of the body 12 have a first strap 80 and a second strap 82 which form a VELCRO (trade mark) type fastener, so that after the body 12 is wrapped around the monitor 30, the straps 80 and 82 are pulled tight and pressed towards one another so that the VELCRO fastener grips to hold the body 12 about the periphery of the monitor Since modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention may readily be effected by persons skilled within the art, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described by way of example hereinabove.

\melb_files\home$\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Jane Ogden Innovation Article Holder for a Computer Screen.doc 4/04/02

Claims

1. An article holder for a video display unit, including: a holder body formed from a flexible material for wrapping around the periphery of the video display unit; securing means for securing the holder to the video display unit; and holder elements on the body for enabling attachment of articles so that the articles can be held by the body and therefore about the periphery of the video display unit.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein the holder body comprises a strip of flexible material. The material may be leather, fabric, vinyl, fake fur, and the like.

3. The article of claim 1 or 2 wherein the securing means comprises an elastic member attached to ends of the body.

4. The article of claim 1 or 2 wherein the securing means comprises a hook and loop-type fasteners located on strips attached to the ends of the body.

The article of claim 1 or 2 wherein the securing means comprises a buckle connected to one end of the body, and a strap secured to the other end of the body for engaging the buckle.

6. The article of claim 1 or 2 wherein the securing means is provided by the elasticity of the body itself.

7. The article of any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the holding means comprises at least one slot formed in the body so that the article can pass through the slot and a flange section of the article sandwiched between the \\melbfies\home$\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Jane Ogden Innovation Article Holder for a Computer Screen.doc 4/04/02 1 r 9 body and the video display unit to therefore hold the article in place to the video display unit.

8. A sheet frame including: a bifurcated body portion having a first panel and a second panel adjacent the first panel and defining a space therebetween for receiving a sheet material; an entrance at one edge of the body portion so that the sheet member can be inserted through the entrance and into the space between the panels; a closed end opposite the entrance for coupling the panels together; and a first flange extending transverse to one of the panels; and a second flange extending transverse to the other of the panels.

9. The frame of claim 8 wherein the sheet frame is integral and formed from perspex. Dated this 5th day of April 2002 JANE E OGDEN By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia H:\Luisa\Keep\Speci\Jane Ogden Innovation Article Holder for a Computer Screen.doc 5/04/02