US20060131467A1

US20060131467A1 - Stand assembly

Info

Publication number: US20060131467A1
Application number: US11/013,453
Authority: US
Inventors: Chin-Yang Wang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-12-17
Filing date: 2004-12-17
Publication date: 2006-06-22

Abstract

The present invention discloses a stand assembly that comes with an attached section for attaching and fixing the stand assembly onto a flat surface and an adjustable carrier stand for holding an electronic device and allowing users to adjust the position of the carrier stand by turning a first prop stand, a first prop stand, a second prop stand, a rotary stand or the carrier stand in any direction to facilitate the access and operation of the electronic device.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a stand assembly, more particularly to a stand assembly that comes with an adjustable carrier stand for holding an electronic device and allows users to adjust the position of the stand to facilitate the access and operation of the electronic device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Unlike the past, the present world has entered into a new era with blooming developments of science and technology, and various precision electronic products bring us tremendous convenience and improve our living quality, and thus the quality of these electronic products is indispensable with our life. For instance, a handheld electronic device such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) or a mobile phone not only features a small size and a light weight but also integrates the functions of notebook, calendar, database, game, telephone directory, English-Chinese dictionary, drawing and calculator, etc. Therefore, more and more people have high demand for this type of handheld electronic devices in recent years, and thus manufacturers and companies spare no effort to continuously research and develop this type of electronic devices and provide powerful functions for users in addition to making these electronic devices lighter, thinner, and smaller.
Regardless of these handheld electronic devices being used as an information management tool, a game machine, a music player, or a navigation system, a user may want to install these handheld electronic devices in a motor vehicle to facilitate the use of these handheld electronic devices while driving a motor vehicle. A traditional automobile stand can be used to achieve the foregoing objective.
Please refer to FIG. 1 for a traditional automobile stand 10 which comprises a bendable extended tube 11 having a frame 14 at one end and an attached section 12 at the other end; an electronic device 15 being installed on a side of the frame with its back facing the extended tube 11, so that the electronic device 15 can be mounted onto the automobile stand 10; a sucking disc 13 being disposed on the attached section 12 at the end away from the extended tube 11 for attaching the automobile stand 10 onto a flat surface (such as the control panel) inside a motor vehicle, so that a user in the motor vehicle can adjust the extended tube 11 to set the electronic device 15 to an appropriate position.
Although the design of the foregoing extended tube allows users to adjust and fix the electronic device in an appropriate using position, the extended tube will be deformed because the extended tube itself will become inflexible after being used for a while or due to the vibration produced by the moving motor vehicle, and thus the electronic device will come off easily from its original position. A user has to readjust the extended tube, which causes tremendous inconvenience when the user uses the electronic device. Therefore, designing a stand assembly for mounting an electronic device in a motor vehicle without the need of frequently adjusting the position of the electronic device demands immediate attention and improvement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the shortcomings of the traditional automobile stand, the inventor of the present invention based on years of experience in the related industry to conduct extensive researches and experiments to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and finally invented a stand assembly in accordance with the present invention in hope of contributing the innovative idea and design to the general public.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a stand assembly comprising: a base, having an attached section on one side and a first prop stand on another side, and another end of the first prop stand is pivotally coupled to a second prop stand, and a pivotal axle disposed between the second prop stand and the first prop stand is connected perpendicularly to a central axle perpendicular to the base, another end of the second prop stand is pivotally coupled to a rotary stand, and a pivotal axle disposed between the rotary sand and the second prop stand is connected perpendicularly to a central axle disposed between the second prop stand and the first prop stand; a carrier stand being pivotally coupled to another end of the rotary stand, and a pivotal axle disposed between the carrier stand and the rotary stand is connected perpendicularly to a central axle disposed between the rotary stand and the second prop stand; and an electronic device disposed on another end of the carrier stand, such that when the stand is fixed onto a flat surface by the attached section, a user can turn the carrier stand, the rotary stand and the second prop stand to adjust the carrier stand to an appropriate position and angle to facilitate operating or accessing the electronic device.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a traditional automobile stand assembly.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a stand assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a stand assembly according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a stand assembly according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIG. 2 for a stand assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which comprises a base 21, an attached section 4 disposed on a surface of the base 21 for being attached and fixed onto a flat surface (such as a control panel in a motor vehicle), and a first prop stand 22 being disposed on another surface of the first prop stand 22 and a second prop stand 23 being pivotally coupled to another end of the first prop stand 22, and a pivotal axle 31 disposed between the second prop stand 23 and the first prop stand 22 is connected perpendicularly to a central axle perpendicular to the base 21, such that the second prop stand 23 can be rotated on the first prop stand 22; a rotary stand 24 being pivotally coupled to another end of the second prop stand 23, and a pivotal axle 32 disposed between the rotary stand 24 and the second prop stand 23 is connected perpendicularly to a pivotal axle 31 disposed between the second prop stand 23 and the first prop stand 22, such that the rotary stand 24 can be rotated on the second prop stand 23; and a carrier stand 25 being pivotally coupled to another end of the rotary stand 24, and a pivotal axle 33 disposed between the carrier stand 25 and the rotary stand 24 (as shown in FIG. 3) is connected perpendicularly to a pivotal axle 32 disposed between the rotary stand 24 and the second prop stand 23, such that the carrier stand 25 can be rotated on the rotary stand 24.
Please refer to FIG. 2 again. Since an electronic device (which is a handheld electronic device 15 such as a mobile phone or a personal digital assistant as shown in FIG. 1 is installed, a user can turn the carrier stand 25, the rotary stand 24 and the second prop stand 23 to adjust the carrier stand 25 into an appropriate direction to facilitate the operation and access of the electronic device when the stand 2 is mounted onto a flat surface by the attached section 4.
Please refer to FIG. 4 for another preferred embodiment of the present invention. After the second prop stand 23 and the first prop stand 22 according to the aforementioned embodiment are separated, at least one extended stand 26 is pivotally connected onto the first prop stand 22, and a pivotal axle 34 disposed between the extended stand 26 and the first prop stand 22 is connected perpendicularly to a central axle of the base, such that the extended stand 26 can be rotated on the first prop stand 22. Another end of the extended stand is pivotally coupled to the second prop stand 23, and a pivotal axle 36 disposed between the extended stand 26 and the second prop stand 23 is kept parallel with a pivotal axle 34 disposed between the extended stand 26 and the first prop stand 22, such that the second prop stand 23 can be rotated on the extended stand 26. Therefore, the second prop stand 23, rotary stand 24 and carrier stand 25 are maintained at a specific distance away from (or proximate to) the base 21 by the structure and design of the extended stand 26.
Please refer to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 for each of the foregoing embodiment. The pivotal axles 31, 32, 33, 34, 36 comprises at least one elastic clip 35 for being clipped between each pivotal axle 31, 32, 33, 34, 36 and their corresponding base 21, second stand 23, rotary stand 24, carrier stand 25 and extended stand 26 after the pivotal axles 31, 32, 33, 34, 36 are connected respectively to the corresponding base 21, second stand 23, rotary stand 24, carrier stand 25 and extended stand 26. Therefore, when the stand 2 is not turned, the structural design of the clip 35 makes the pivotal axles 31, 32, 33, 34, 36 to be engaged precisely with the corresponding base 21, second stand 23, rotary stand 24, carrier stand 25 and extended stand 26, such that the stand cannot be moved and turned freely.
Please refer to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 again. When a user wants to turn the stand 2, the elasticity of the clip 35 makes the clip 35 to produce a deformation at the turned portion as to release the each turned pivotal axle 31, 32, 33, 34, 36 from the corresponding base 21, second prop stand 23, rotary stand 24, carrier stand and extended stand 26, such that the stand 2 can be turned.
Please refer to FIG. 3. The attached section 4 for each embodiment as shown in FIG. 2 is a sucking disc 41, and an insert member 42 is disposed at the center of the sucking disc 41, and a through hole 43 is disposed at one end of the insert member 42 corresponding to the sucking disc 41, and an accommodating section 44 of the insert member 42 is disposed on one side of the base 21 facing the attached section 4; and the accommodating section 44 is extended to a specific length in the direction away from the attached section 4 for accommodating the insert member 42, and a sliding groove 45 corresponding to the through hole 43 is disposed on both sides of the accommodating section 44, such that when the insert member 42 enters the accommodating section 44 to allow the sucking disc 41 to be placed adjacent to the base, both ends of the through hole 43 correspond to both sliding grooves 45 at the end away from the sucking disc 41.
Further, please refer to FIG. 3 for the present invention again. The attached section 4 further comprises a turning section 46 having one end to be gripped by a user, and both sides of the other end having a latch plate 461, and the external periphery of the accommodating section 44 can be accommodated precisely between the two latch plates 461. A latch hole 462 corresponding to each of the two sliding grooves 45 is disposed on each of the two corresponding surfaces of the two latch plates 461 respectively, so that if the accommodating section 44 is accommodated between the two latch plates 461 and there is an insert member 42 accommodated in the accommodating section 44, the two latch holes correspond to the two sliding grooves 45 respectively, and the two corresponding ends of the through hole 43 allow a positioning axle 47 to be extended into each latch hole 462, sliding groove 45 and through hole 43 in sequence as to couple the sucking disc 41, the base 21 and the turning section 46.
Please refer to FIG. 3. Since the external periphery of the sucking disc 41 is larger than the external periphery of the base 21 and the central position of the base 21 is protruded towards the first prop stand 22, therefore the turning section 46 is turned towards one side to drive the positioning axle 47 away from the sucking disc 41 to produce a displacement in the sliding groove 45 while driving the insert member 42 to displace in the accommodating section 44, and the external periphery of the sucking disc 41 is engaged with the external periphery of the base 21, and a portion at the center of the sucking disc 41 produces a deformation along that direction. Therefore, when the base 21 is placed on a flat surface and the sucking disc 41 is in contact with the flat surface, the turning section 46 is turned to produce an attraction force between the sucking disc 41 and the flat surface as to attach the base 21 onto the flat surface.
While the invention has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.

Claims

1. A stand assembly, comprising:

a base, having an attached section on one side and a first prop stand on another side;

a second prop stand, having one end pivotally coupled to an end of said first prop stand, and a pivotal axle between said second prop stand and said first prop stand is coupled perpendicularly with a central axle perpendicular to said base;

a rotary stand, with one end being pivotally coupled to another end of said second prop stand and having a pivotal axle disposed between said rotary stand and said second prop stand, which is coupled perpendicularly with a pivotal axle disposed between said second prop stand and said first prop stand; and

a carrier stand, being pivotally coupled to another end of said rotary stand, and a pivotal axle disposed between said carrier stand and said rotary stand is coupled perpendicularly with a pivotal axle disposed between said rotary stand and said second prop stand.

2. The stand assembly of claim 1, wherein said pivotal axle comprises at least one clip for latching said pivotal axles with said first prop stand, said second prop stand, said rotary stand and said carrier platform respectively when said pivotal axles are coupled to said first prop stand, said second prop stand, said rotary stand and said carrier stand respectively.

3. The stand assembly of claim 1, wherein said attached section is a sucking disc.

4. The stand assembly of claim 3, wherein said base comprises an accommodating section on a surface facing said attached section, and said accommodation section is extended to a predetermined length along the direction away from said accommodating section for accommodating an insert member disposed at the center of said sucking disc, and said insert member has a through hole, and said accommodating section has two sliding grooves disposed on both ends corresponding to said through holes and a turning section with one end to be gripped by a user, and both corresponding sides of another end of said through hole individually comprises a latch plate, and a latch hole corresponding to said two sliding groove is disposed on both corresponding sides of said two latch plates, and a positioning axle is provided for passing through said each hole, said sliding groove and said through hole in sequence to couple said sucking disc, said base and said turning section.

5. A stand assembly, comprising:

at least one extended stand, being pivotally coupled to another end of said first prop stand, and a pivotal axle disposed between said extended stand and said first prop stand is coupled perpendicularly with a central axle of said base;

a second prop stand, having one end pivotally coupled to an end of said second stand, and a pivotal axle disposed between said second prop stand and said extended stand is coupled in parallel with a pivotal axle disposed between said extended stand and said first prop stand;

a rotary stand, with one end being pivotally coupled to another end of said second prop stand and having a pivotal axle disposed between said rotary stand and said second prop stand, which is coupled perpendicularly with a pivotal axle disposed between said extended stand and said first prop stand; and

6. The stand assembly of claim 5, wherein said pivotal axles comprise at least one clip each for engaging said first prop stand, said extended stand, said second stand, said rotary stand and said carrier stand by said clip when said pivotal axles are coupled with said first prop stand, said extended stand, said second stand, said rotary stand and said carrier stand respectively.

7. The stand assembly of claim 5, wherein said attached section is a sucking disc.

8. The stand assembly of claim 7, wherein said base comprises an accommodating section on a surface facing said attached section, and said accommodation section is extended to a predetermined length along the direction away from said accommodating section for accommodating an insert member disposed at the center of said sucking disc, and said insert member has a through hole, and said accommodating section has two sliding grooves disposed on both ends corresponding to said through holes and a turning section with one end to be gripped by a user, and both corresponding sides of another end of said through hole individually comprises a latch plate, and a latch hole corresponding to said two sliding groove is disposed on both corresponding sides of said two latch plates, and a positioning axle is provided for passing through said each hole, said sliding groove and said through hole in sequence to couple said sucking disc, said base and said turning section.