GB2373716A

GB2373716A - Holder for office or domestic equipment

Info

Publication number: GB2373716A
Application number: GB0106780A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lee Kenneth Markwick
Original assignee: Technology Desking Ltd
Current assignee: Technology Desking Ltd
Priority date: 2001-03-19
Filing date: 2001-03-19
Publication date: 2002-10-02
Also published as: GB0106780D0

Abstract

A holder for holding a flat panel computer monitor in relation to a desk has a support pillar,1, a collar,9, carrying a holding arm,10, together with an arrangement,5, for fixing the pillar,1, in position and a mount,12, for mounting the monitor. The collar,9, has a conical inner surface 16 against which bears conical outer surfaces 27 of split gripping members 23. The gripping members 23 are carried by a tightening member 22 which makes a screw-thread connection with the collar 9 so that it can be screwed into the collar 9 to grip the pillar 1 and screwed out to release the collar 9, thereby providing a simple arrangement for allowing the arm 10 to move axially with respect to the pillar 1 and to be fixed in position and subsequently released. The sides of the pillar 1 have flexible cable retainer lips 31 for retaining a cable or cables going to the monitor, and the underside of the arm 10 has a similar arrangement. This provides a simple way of securing and concealing the cables.

Description

Holder for Office or Domestic Equipment Background to the Invention The invention relates to a holder for holding a piece of office or domestic equipment at a suitable position in relation to a desk or a table. The equipment can for instance be computer equipment such as a monitor, for instance a flat panel monitor. The holder has a support preferably having a generally cylindrical or part-cylindrical outer surface, an arrangement for fixing the support in position, a holding arm whose proximal end is secured to the support, the arm being adjustable longitudinally of the support, and possibly also rotationally, and a mount being secured to the distal end of the support arm, for mounting the piece of equipment.

There have been two problems associated with such holders. One is finding a convenient way of locking the arm to the support and the other is to find an attractive way of securing cables feeding to the piece of equipment. It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

The Invention The invention provides a holder as set forth in Claim 1,16, 18,24, 25,26 or 27, and extends to a desk or table in relation to which is fixed the holder. Claims 2 to 15,17 and 19 to 23 claim preferred or optional features of the invention.

The invention of Claim 1 provides a simple and convenient way of locking the holding arm to the support. The gripping arrangement can be simply actuated and released with the annular tightening member, which can have a screw-thread connection to the collar, but when actuated, the holding arm is firmly secured to the support.

The support is preferably vertical, but it could be horizontal and it could be e. g. polygonal in section.

Although the invention is primarily directed towards a holder for holding a piece of office or domestic equipment at a suitable position in relation to a desk or table, it can more generally be applied to holding a piece of any equipment at a suitable position in relation to any work surface.

The holder of Claim 16 or 18 provides a simple way of concealing the main run of the cable from the piece of equipment. The cable can be very simply pushed in between the retainer lips, and is then securely held out of sight, although it can be simply pulled out if required.

Preferred Embodiment The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Figure 1 is a third-angle projection showing part of the frame of an office desk and a holder in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a vertical section through the collar of the holder of Figure 1, with the gripping insert shown above its correct position; Figure 3 is a top view of the collar of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a section along the line IV-IV in Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a section along the line V-V in Figure 1.

Figure 1 shows the holder, which has a parallelpiped support pillar 1 in this case having a generally cylindrical or part-cylindrical outer surface (see Figure 4). The support pillar 1 can be extruded in aluminium. The support pillar 1 is fixed to the frame 2 of a desk, shown as being of rectangular hollow section mild steel though it can be of any suitable material. The frame 2 can be of any suitable type, but is shown as comprising a mounting beam 3 to which the pillar 1 is attached by clamping the beam 3 between a baseplate 4 and a keyplate 5 using a clamping sleeve 6, thereby providing an arrangement for fixing the pillar 1 in position. Specifically, the baseplate 4 is fixed to the pillar 1 while the keyplate 5 has a profiled hole so that it can slide along but not rotate relative to the pillar 1. The sleeve 6 has an internal screw-thread which engages a thread machined on the outside of the pillar 1 (the lower part of the pillar 1 has a slightly greater diameter than the remainder). However, any suitable arrangement can be provided, for instance a threaded stud at the bottom of the pillar 1, coaxial with the pillar 1, or a threaded bore in the bottom of pillar 1 for receiving a screw. The pillar 1 has a top end cap 7 of plastics retained by a stud 8 making a friction fit in the centre of the pillar 1.

The pillar 1 carries a collar 9 to which is articulated a holding arm 10 which is in two sections, with double links as appropriate, as readily apparent from Figure 1. If desired, though not shown, two arms 10 could be articulated to the collar 9 with pivots on spaced, parallel vertical axes. At its end, by way of a ball and socket joint 11, the arm 10 carries a mount 12 for mounting a piece of equipment such as a flat panel monitor.

The collar 9 is shown in more detail in Figure 2. The collar 9 has a connection piece 13 to which the arm 10 is pivotally connected, and, starting from the top, has an internally screw-threaded part 14, a part 15 with a conical inner surface 16, a part 17 and an annular plastics insert 18 adjacent the lower end and remote from the part 15 and spaced from the conical inner surface 16. The insert 18 is in the form of a split ring e. g. of

polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which is snap-fitted into position, and resists twisting moments about a horizontal axis imposed by the arm 10 whilst avoiding damaging and rendering unsightly the surface of the pillar 1. Two integral lugs 19 are provided on the lowest part of the collar 9, engaging in shallow longitudinal grooves 20 in the pillar 1 and prevent rotation of the collar 9 relative to the pillar 1.

Inserted into the collar 9 is a gripping arrangement 21 connected to an annular tightening member 22 having a milled or grooved outer surface. The tightening member 22 surrounds the pillar 1. The gripping arrangement 21 comprises two semi-circular gripping members or pieces 23, which are identical. The two gripping pieces 23 hold themselves in place without any other fixing required. Each member is a small amount less than a complete half circumference, to enable assembly. For instance, with an internal diameter of 45.5 mm, the amount can be 1.75 mm. As the pieces 23 are free to move circumferentially relative to the tightening member 22, the split line moves and the circumferential gaps between the gripping pieces 23 varies. The gripping arrangement, starting at the top, has a part 24 with a generally cylindrical outer surface with two axially-spaced annular projections 25, one of which is at the top end of the part 24 but spaced from the top of the member 22. The projections 25 are received in mating grooves in the internal surface of the tightening member 22. The projections 25 provide a positive connection between the gripping arrangement 21 and the tightening member 22 in each direction of axial motion of the tightening member 22. The gripping arrangement 21 has a part 26 with a conical outer surface 27, the whole of the inner surface of the gripping arrangement 21 being cylindrical. The conical outer surface 27 bears against the conical inner surface 16 of the collar 9.

The tightening member 22 has a screw-threaded part 28 which engages the screwthreaded part 14 of the collar 9 for moving the tightening member 22 and the gripping arrangement 21 longitudinally (axially) with respect to the collar 9. When the gripping arrangement 21 is moved axially in this manner, it is forced radially inwardly against the pillar 1 and grips the pillar 1. Unscrewing the tightening member 22 pulls the gripping arrangement 21 out and releases the grip on the pillar 1.

In general terms, the angle of inclination or half angle of the surface 27 is about seven times the half angle of the surface 16, the half angles preferably being about 10 and 1 respectively. This difference in angles is found to give an enhanced gripping effect, and also good release. The 100 half angle of the surface 27 aids location of the gripping pieces 23 into the collar 9.

The gripping arrangement 21 may be made of PTFE, or a plastic such nylon or polypropylene which is suitable for injection moulding.

As shown in Figure 4, the pillar 1 has diagonally-opposite longitudinal recesses 29 with smaller longitudinal recesses which carry protrusions 30 holding in position retainer lips 31. The retainer lips 31 almost wholly close the recesses 29 and have outer surfaces which are generally part-cylindrical to conform with the cylindrical shape of the pillar 1.

The retainer lips 31 can be made of extruded polyvinylchloride (PVC).

As shown in Figure 5, the arm 10 is of generally inverted U-shape providing a large longitudinal recess 32 and a smaller longitudinal recess 33. The recess 33 is engaged by a barbed fillet 34 on the top of a plastics insert 35 having flexible inwardly-directed cable retainer lips 36 which nearly wholly close the underside of the arm 10. The lips 36 can be of a softer, more flexible plastic than the remainder of the insert 35. The retainer lips 36 can be formed of Flex PVC nitrile coextruded with the remainder of the insert, which can be formed ofunplasticised PVC, the join line being shown.

The lips 31,34 act as cable retainer lips. At least one cable extending to the piece of equipment (not shown) can be pushed into the respective recesses 27,30 and securely held in position, out of sight except where it passes over the pivotal joints of the arm 10 and the collar 9.

Though not shown, an external cable management clip can be snap-fitted onto the pillar 1 in any position. The cable management clip allows excess cabling which will not fit into the pillar recesses 29 to be gathered to the exterior of the pillar 1 at any height and controlled.

The present invention has been described above purely by way of example, and modifications can be made within the spirit of the invention, which extends to equivalents of the features described. The invention also consists in any individual features described or implicit herein or shown or implicit in the drawings and in any combination of any such features and in any generalisation of any such features or combination.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words'comprise', 'comprising', and the like, are to be construed in an inclusive as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of"including, but not limited to".

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A holder for holding a piece of office or domestic equipment at a suitable position in relation to a desk or table, comprising: a support; an arrangement for fixing the support in position; a collar which substantially surrounds the support and is moveable longitudinally of the support and fixable in position relative to the support; a holding arm whose proximal end is connected to the collar; and a mount secured to the distal end of the support arm, for mounting the piece of equipment; wherein the collar has a gripping arrangement which extends around the support, the gripping arrangement having an outer surface which can bear against an internal surface of the collar, and the collar being associated with an annular tightening member which surrounds the support and which is moveable longitudinally with respect to the collar to move the gripping arrangement axially with respect to the collar, the outer surface of the gripping member and/or the inner surface of the collar providing a wedge surface, whereby when the gripping arrangement is moved longitudinally by the tightening member, the gripping arrangement is forced inwardly against the support, to grip the support, the tightening member being connected to the gripping arrangement so that movement of the tightening member in the opposite direction moves the gripping arrangement in the opposite direction with respect to the collar, to loosen the grip of the gripping arrangement on the support.
2. The holder of Claim 1, wherein the gripping arrangement comprises a plurality of gripping members each extending around a sector of the support.
3. The holder of Claim 2, wherein there are two said gripping members.
4. The holder of any of the preceding Claims, wherein the gripping arrangement has at least a part having an inner surface for engaging the support and an outer surface defining said wedge surface which is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the support.
5. The holder of Claim 4, wherein the angle of inclination of the outer surface is between about 7 and about 130.
6. The holder of any of the preceding Claims, wherein the gripping arrangement has a projection mating with a groove in the internal surface of the tightening member, to provide a positive connection between the gripping arrangement and the tightening member in each direction of longitudinal motion.
7. The holder of Claim 4 or 5 and of Claim 6, wherein the gripping arrangement comprises the part with the inclined outer surface and a part with an outer surface extending parallel to the support, the latter part having a said projection at or adjacent the end remote from the part with the inclined outer surface and a further projection spaced from the first projection and also spaced from the part with the inclined outer surface, the projections mating with respective grooves in the internal surface of the tightening member.
8. The holder of any of the preceding Claims, wherein the inner surface of the collar has at least a part which is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the support.
9. The holder of Claim 8, wherein the angle of inclination of the collar inner surface is between about H and about 3 .
10. The holder of Claim 4 and Claim 8, wherein the angle of inclination of the inclined outer surface of the gripping arrangement is substantially greater than the angle of inclination of the inner surface of the collar.
11. The holder of Claim 10, wherein the angle of inclination of the inclined outer surface of the gripping arrangement is between about 5 and about 10 times the angle of inclination of the inner surface of the collar.
12. The holder of any of Claims 8 to 11, wherein the collar has a first part with the inclined inner surface and a second part which is for bearing on the support, the latter part being at or adjacent the end remote from the inclined inner surface and spaced from the inclined inner surface.
13. The holder of Claim 12, wherein said latter part is a plastics insert.
14. The holder of any of the preceding Claims, wherein to provide the longitudinal movement of the tightening member with respect to the collar, there is a screw-threaded connection between the tightening member and the collar.
15. The holder of any of the preceding Claims, wherein the support has a generally cylindrical or part-cylindrical outer surface and said wedge surface or surfaces is or are conical.
16. A holder for holding a piece of equipment at a suitable position in relation to a work surface, comprising: a support; an arrangement for fixing the support in position; a holding arm whose proximal end is secured to the support; and a mount secured to the distal end of the support arm, for mounting the piece of equipment; the arm being of generally inverted U-shape, and having flexible inwardlydirected cable retainer lips partially or wholly closing the underside of the U, whereby a cable or cables can be pushed up through the lips and retained out of sight.
17. The holder of Claim 16, wherein the lower surface of each lip is generally horizontal.
18. A holder for holding a piece of equipment at a suitable position in relation to a work surface, comprising: a support; an arrangement for fixing the support in position; a holding arm whose proximal end is secured to the pillar, the arm being adjustable longitudinally of the support; and a mount secured to the distal end of the support arm, for mounting the piece of equipment; the support having at least one longitudinal recess and having flexible inwardlydirected cable retainer lips partially or wholly closing the mouth of the recess, whereby a cable or cables can be pushed up through the lips and retained out of sight.
19. The holder of Claim 18, wherein the support has a generally cylindrical or partcylindrical outer surface, and the outer surfaces of the lips are generally part-cylindrical to conform with the cylindrical shape of the support.
20. The holder of any of Claims 1 to 15 and having the features of the holder of Claim 16 and/or Claim 18.
21. The holder of Claim 16 and having the features of Claim 18.
22. The holder of any of the preceding Claims, wherein the support has a vertical longitudinal axis.
23. The holder of Claim 22, wherein the proximal end of the holding arm is connected to the support by way of a pivot joint for pivoting about a vertical axis and the distal end of the holding arm is connected to the mount by a pivot joint permitting pivotal movement about a vertical axis.
24. A holder for holding a piece of equipment at a suitable position in relation to a work surface, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
25. The holder of Claim 1, wherein the collar and gripping arrangement are substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
26. The holder of Claim 16, wherein the retainer lips are substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.
27. The holder of Claim 18, wherein the retainer lips are substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.
28. A desk or table in relation to which is fixed the holder of any of the preceding Claims.

28. A desk or table in relation to which is fixed the holder of any of the preceding Claims.

CLAIMS:

1. A holder for holding a piece of office or domestic equipment at a suitable position in relation to a desk or table, comprising: a support; an arrangement for fixing the support in position; a collar which substantially surrounds the support and is moveable longitudinally of the support and fixable in position relative to the support; a holding arm whose proximal end is connected to the collar; and a mount secured to the distal end of the support arm, for mounting the piece of equipment; wherein the collar has a gripping arrangement which extends around the support, the gripping arrangement having an outer surface which can bear against an internal surface of the collar, and the collar being associated with an annular tightening member which surrounds the support and which is moveable longitudinally with respect to the collar to move the gripping arrangement axially with respect to the collar, the outer surface of the gripping member and/or the inner surface of the collar providing a wedge surface, whereby when the gripping arrangement is moved longitudinally by the tightening member, the gripping arrangement is forced inwardly against the support, to grip the support, the tightening member being connected to the gripping arrangement so that movement of the tightening member in the opposite direction moves the gripping arrangement in the opposite direction with respect to the collar, to loosen the grip of the gripping arrangement on the support.

2. The holder of Claim 1, wherein the gripping arrangement comprises a plurality of gripping members each extending around a sector of the support.

3. The holder of Claim 2, wherein there are two said gripping members.

4. The holder of any of the preceding Claims, wherein the gripping arrangement has at least a part having an inner surface for engaging the support and an outer surface defining said wedge surface which is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the support.

5. The holder of Claim 4, wherein the angle of inclination of the outer surface is between about 70 and about 130.

6. The holder of any of the preceding Claims, wherein the gripping arrangement has a projection mating with a groove in the internal surface of the tightening member, to provide a positive connection between the gripping arrangement and the tightening member in each direction of longitudinal motion.

7. The holder of Claim 4 or 5 and of Claim 6, wherein the gripping arrangement comprises the part with the inclined outer surface and a part with an outer surface extending parallel to the support, the latter part having a said projection at or adjacent the end remote from the part with the inclined outer surface and a further projection spaced from the first projection and also spaced from the part with the inclined outer surface, the projections mating with respective grooves in the internal surface of the tightening member.

8. The holder of any of the preceding Claims, wherein the inner surface of the collar has at least a part which is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the support.

9. The holder of Claim 8, wherein the angle of inclination of the collar inner surface is between about Yzo and about 30.

10. The holder of Claim 4 and Claim 8, wherein the angle of inclination of the inclined outer surface of the gripping arrangement is substantially greater than the angle of inclination of the inner surface of the collar.

11. The holder of Claim 10, wherein the angle of inclination of the inclined outer surface of the gripping arrangement is between about 5 and about 10 times the angle of inclination of the inner surface of the collar.

12. The holder of any of Claims 8 to 11, wherein the collar has a first part with the inclined inner surface and a second part which is for bearing on the support, the latter part being at or adjacent the end remote from the inclined inner surface and spaced from the inclined inner surface.

13. The holder of Claim 12, wherein said latter part is a plastics insert.

14. The holder of any of the preceding Claims, wherein to provide the longitudinal movement of the tightening member with respect to the collar, there is a screw-threaded connection between the tightening member and the collar.

15. The holder of any of the preceding Claims, wherein the support has a generally cylindrical or part-cylindrical outer surface and said wedge surface or surfaces is or are conical.

16. A holder for holding a piece of equipment at a suitable position in relation to a work surface, comprising: a support; an arrangement for fixing the support in position ; a holding arm whose proximal end is secured to the support; and a mount secured to the distal end of the support arm, for mounting the piece of equipment; the arm being of generally inverted U-shape, and having flexible inwardlydirected cable retainer lips partially or wholly closing the underside of the U, whereby a cable or cables can be pushed up through the lips and retained out of sight.

17. The holder of Claim 16, wherein the lower surface of each lip is generally horizontal.

18. A holder for holding a piece of equipment at a suitable position in relation to a work surface, comprising: a support; an arrangement for fixing the support in position; a holding arm whose proximal end is secured to the support, the arm being adjustable longitudinally of the support; and a mount secured to the distal end of the support arm, for mounting the piece of equipment; the support having at least one longitudinal recess and having flexible inwardlydirected cable retainer lips partially or wholly closing the mouth of the recess, whereby a cable or cables can be pushed up through the lips and retained out of sight.

19. The holder of Claim 18, wherein the support has a generally cylindrical or partcylindrical outer surface, and the outer surfaces of the lips are generally part-cylindrical to conform with the cylindrical shape of the support.

20. The holder of any of Claims 1 to 15 and having the features of the holder of Claim 16 and/or Claim 18.

21. The holder of Claim 16 and having the features of Claim 18.

22. The holder of any of the preceding Claims, wherein the support has a vertical longitudinal axis.

23. The holder of Claim 22, wherein the proximal end of the holding arm is connected to the support by way of a pivot joint for pivoting about a vertical axis and the distal end of the holding arm is connected to the mount by a pivot joint permitting pivotal movement about a vertical axis.

24. A holder for holding a piece of equipment at a suitable position in relation to a work surface, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

25. The holder of Claim 1, wherein the collar and gripping arrangement are substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

26. The holder of Claim 16, wherein the retainer lips are substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

27. The holder of Claim 18, wherein the retainer lips are substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.