WO2010004329A1

WO2010004329A1 - Flat folding stand

Info

Publication number: WO2010004329A1
Application number: PCT/GB2009/050807
Authority: WO
Inventors: Courtenay Charles Ilbert Inchbald
Original assignee: Inchbald Limited
Priority date: 2008-07-10
Filing date: 2009-07-08
Publication date: 2010-01-14
Also published as: GB2461642A; GB0911861D0

Abstract

The invention comprises a flat - folding stand for the display of personal handheld media players and like items, the stand comprising a first half and a second half, said first and second halves being joined by a hinge, each half comprising an upright region, said upright region comprising a base edge, a hinge forming edge and an, in use, item supporting edge, each half further comprising an elongate region, said elongate region comprising a base edge and an item holding region, said item holding region being substantially perpendicular to the base edge of its respective half wherein in use the first and second halves may be manipulated about the hinge from a flat position wherein the halves share adjacent planes into a supporting position where the splayed halves sit on their respective base edges and a personal handheld media player or similar may be supported by the item holding regions and wherein when the stand is in the supporting position, the hinge axis lies along a line directed towards the item.

Description

FLAT FOLDING STAND

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to flat folding stands for mobile telephones, handheld media players, personal digital assistants and similarly shaped objects.

Problems to be solved

A media player is a portable device such as for example Apple's "iPhone" (a registered trade mark of Apple Incorporated), which can be used to watch videos and other media. A stand for such a device provides a substitute for the need to use one's hands to hold the media player in place whilst watching it The requirements made of such a stand are twofold - they must prevent the movement of the media player so that the picture can be watched by the user without discomfort and without hazard to the player (which may for example drop and break) and they must ensure that it is held at an angle favourable to the user, thus counteracting eye and neck strain and helping to deal with reflections on the screen. These problems must be solved in such a way that a degree of interaction with the screen may be supported.

Various stands already exist but these are often incorporated into a case for the media player, increasing its overall size, and impacting on portability. It would be possible to produce a solid stand similar to others on the market but this would be inconvenient to store, not being flat, or being otherwise bulky.

The problem is therefore one of how to produce a portable, durable working media player stand which takes up the minimum of storage space.

Summary of the invention

fn a first broad, independent aspect, the invention comprises a flat - folding stand for the display of personal handheld media players and like items, the stand comprising a first half and a second half, said first and second halves being joined by a hinge, each half comprising an upright region, said upright region comprising a base edge, a hinge forming edge and an, in use, item supporting edge, each half further comprising an elongate region, said elongate region comprising a base edge and an item holding region, said item holding region being substantially perpendicular to the base edge of its respective half wherein in use the first and second halves may be manipulated about the hinge from a flat position wherein the halves share adjacent planes into a supporting position where the splayed halves sit on their respective base edges and a personal handheld media player or similar may be supported by the item holding regions and wherein when the stand is in the supporting position, the hinge axis lies along a line directed towards the item.

The invention solves the problems of space-saving and portability, being embodied in an exceedingly compact stand. It also provides a means of locating a media player, PDA or similar on a surface - for example on a table on a train — in such a manner that it may be watched without hazard to the device and without discomfort to the watching user.

The advantages of having a hinge which is not strictly perpendicular to the ground, but leans, in use, toward the hand-held player are twofold: it reduces the amount of material required to make the stand of any given footprint size, thereby making it cheaper to manufacture and smaller- therefore easier to store; and it gears the relationship between the opening angle (i.e. the angle formed by the opening of the two halves) and the presentation angle (i.e. the angle at which the media player is presented on the stand), creating a larger usable range of presentation angles without excessive distortion of the profile of the cradle created by the item holding regions. In a first subsidiary aspect, the upright regions exhibit triangular geometry.

The triangle (forming a tripod) is an inherently strong shape which uses a minimal amount of material and is therefore both cost effective and environmentally friendly. The employment of specific types of triangle shape and the advantages therein are discussed in the detailed description.

In a second subsidiary aspect, the hinge comprises a thinner region of the material of which the entire stand is made.

The making of the hinge with the same material as the rest of the stand is advantageous from both the perspectives of environmental friendliness and speed of production. The advantage of the substantially upright projection is that it provides a simple way to stop the hand-held media player or similar from falling from the stand if, for example, knocked. It is particularly advantageous to have more than one such projection.

In a third subsidiary aspect, the item holding region comprises at least one, in use, substantially upright projection.

The presence of more than one projection gives the stand a rack function, whereby the angle of the media player may be adjusted to suit the demands of user and context for example to provide portrait and Landscape holding options for a single player.

In a fourth subsidiary aspect, the stand is of a single piece construction with an integrally formed hinge.

The integrally formed hinge is fashioned in such a way as to allow the stand to be folded flat. It dispenses with the additional material that would be required to form and attach a separate hinge. It allows the stand to be advantageously stored in a wallet or a pocket without distortion of or damage to that wallet or pocket. And it allows the stand to be made from a single piece of material, thus reducing manufacturing costs and environmental impact. In a fifth subsidiary aspect, the hinge is a living hinge.

A living hinge is particularly advantageous in that it is the most basic, economical hinge available. Being a type of integrally formed hinge brings with it benefits associated with simplicity of manufacture. The polymeric living hinge is particularly hard-wearing.

In a sixth subsidiary aspect the hinge comprises an indentation on one face only of the flat folding stand.

A hinge formed from an indentation on one face only allows the manufacturer of the stand to influence a large degree of control as to which way the user arranges the two halves about the hinge. This allows the faces of the stand (of which there are usually four) to be assigned rotes as outer and inner faces. In particular, stands which bear a logo would benefit from this feature insofar as it will tend to ensure the logo is on an outer face.

In a seventh subsidiary aspect, the invention comprises means for locking the stand in either the flat or at least one supporting position.

The provision of locking means has the dual advantage of stabilising the stand if in a supporting position or ensuring its flatness if in the flat position or the second folded in half flat position.

In an eighth subsidiary aspect, the stand is symmetrical about its hinge.

Symmetry is particularly advantageous from a storage point of view - in particular the folding of the flat-folding stand about its hinge to create a "two ply flat" or folded in half flat shape. Each side reinforces the other in storage, thereby ensuring against a portion of the stand snapping off.

Symmetry is also necessary for the supporting geometry to keep the apex point which supports the player central when the stand is opened at different angles. In some embodiments, the geometry of the supporting points will be symmetrical without being visually symmetrical - ie text may be present, or there may be apertures in the stand itself. In a ninth subsidiary aspect, at Least one of the item holding regions comprises a gripping portion made of a different material to the rest of the stand.

The provision of a gripping portion advantageously holds, in use, the media player on the stand in a given, user-defined position. They also act as a means of keeping the arms open at a fixed angle, thus fixing the presentation angle as well.

In cases where the gripping portions are present, it may be advantageous to space them asymmetrically, to avoid the increase in thickness when the stand is in the "closed", flat folded position.

In a tenth subsidiary aspect, the gripping portion comprises one or more detachable bands.

Detachable bands offer a cheap and adjustable way of adding gripping portions to the stand.

In an eleventh subsidiary aspect, when it is laid flat, the flat folding stand has a span of substantially no more than 16 centimetres.

The invention also comprises stands substantially as described herein with reference to and illustrated in any appropriate selection or combination of the description and the drawings.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention is illustrated and not limited by the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are not to scale and of which;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the invention,

figure 2 is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the invention supporting a media player (not part of the invention),

figure 3 is a plan view of the first embodiment of the invention in a flat position, figure 4 is a plan view of the second embodiment of the invention, figure 5 is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the invention, figure 6 is a side view of the first embodiment of the invention bearing grip portions, figure 7 is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the invention, figure 8 is a side view of the second embodiment of the invention, figure 9 is a plan view of the third embodiment of the invention, figure 10 is a plan view of the fourth embodiment of the invention, figure 11 is a perspective view of the fourth embodiment of the invention, figure IZ is a plan view of the fifth embodiment of the invention, figure 13 is a plan view of the sixth embodiment of the invention, figure 14 is a plan view of the seventh embodiment of the invention, figure 15 is a plan view of the eighth embodiment of the invention, figure 16 is a perspective view of a ninth embodiment of the invention, figure 17 is a perspective view of a tenth embodiment of the invention, and figure 18 is a plan view of an eleventh embodiment of the invention. Detailed description of the preferred embodiments At Figure 1 there is shown a flat folding stand for the display of personal hand-held media players and like items indicated generally at 2. The folding stand 2 has a first half 4 and a second half 6. The halves 4, 6 are joined by a hinge 8, said hinge 8 being an integrally formed part of stand 2. The folding stand 2 is therefore of a single piece construction. In this embodiment each half 4, 6 is identical to the other; the halves 4, 6 have the hinge 8 as their line of symmetry.

Each of the halves 4, 6 comprises an upright region 10, which in this embodiment of the invention is triangular, which is a preferred shape. Other shapes may be used - in particular materials saving shapes are environmentally, ergonomicalty and economically advantageous. Equally, pieces of the folding stand 2 may be stamped out during the manufacturing process, as shown at 46 in Figure 12, to the extent that stand 2 may be rendered as a framework. Alternatively stand 2 may be manufactured by injection moulding. This can have environmental, economic and weight saving advantages. The upright region 10 has a base edge 12 which in use engages the folding stand 2 with a supporting surface such as a table or the ground. The upright region 10 further comprises a hinge-forming edge 14 and an item supporting edge 16 which in use will support a part of the media player placed upon it, most likely the back of the player, so that the visual display on the front panel may be viewed by the user. In some embodiments, entire item supporting edge 16 will support the item (not shown). More commonly, only parts of the item supporting edge 16, namely the top and the bottom, support the item.

Each half 4, 6 of the folding stand 2 further comprises an elongate region 18, which has a base edge 20 and an item holding region 22. The base edge 20 of elongate region 18 in use contacts the floor, a table or another similar surface, thereby supporting the folding stand 2 in tandem with the base edge 12 of the upright region 10. In this embodiment of the invention the base edge 12 of the upright region 10 and the base edge 20 of the elongate region 18 comprise a continuous edge TOO. This is advantageous for stability. It is also advantageous in some embodiments where the elongate region 18 is thin and tends to twist - having base edge 20 in uninterrupted or near uninterrupted contact with the ground will reduce this tendency to twist under the weight of the item.

First half 4 and second half 6 are arranged in a "splayed" position about hinge 8. In this position stand 2 is suitable for taking a media player or similar, not shown. Item holding region 22 comprises each of halves 4 and 6, a first projection 24 and a second projection 26 which together define a first item receiving recess 28 and a second item receiving recess 30. The provision of a plurality of item-receiving recesses 28, 30, allows for the placement of a media player at different predetermined angles. In particular, this allows for the display of a media player positioned in either portrait or landscape. There is further some scope for adjustment within a given item-receiving recess 28, 30 for the adjustment of the angle of a media player placed there.

The first and second projections 24, 26 on each 4, 6 half point away from each other; they point in diverging directions. This provides the advantage of increasing the possible surface area of a given item receiving recess 28, 30 which may come into contact with a media player (not shown). The front of each of the elongate regions 18 has a rounded profile 40. Such rounding of shapes is present at several points in the design of the invention and this, coupled with the bevelling of edges, decreases the chances that the stand 2 will somehow harm the user, or the pocket or wallet the item is held in.

At Figure 2 is shown a folding stand 2 upon which has been placed a media player 32, item .supporting edge 16 of upright region 70 can be seen supporting media player 32 which is leaned against it. In this embodiment of the folding stand 2, the folding stand 2 has only first projections 24. These stop the media player 32 from falling off the cradle formed by the folding stand 2.

Figure 3 shows the folding stand 2 in a first flat position. A view such as this emphasises the single piece construction of the stand 2.

At Figure 4 there is a folding stand 2. This stand 2 notably has only first projections 24 (ie it only has single projections) and therefore only first item receiving recesses 28. A line of symmetry 34 has been superimposed on this diagram to emphasise the symmetry of the first and second halves 4, 6 and also the area occupied by the hinge 8. In use the stand 2 is folded about the hinge 8, which is centrally placed. When not in use, the stand 2 may either be formed in the first flat position, or may be folded in half - into a second, two ply, flat position. The embodiment of Figure 5 has a large upright region 10 at each of the halves 4, 6 and a relatively small elongate region 18.

Figure 6 shows a further embodiment of the folding stand 2, of which only the first half 4 is visible. First item receiving recess 28 features a gripping portion 42, which here is a silicone band, but could equally be a form of injection moulding. Substances other than silicone may also be used. The band 42 is removable and also adjustable. In this embodiment, gripping portion 42 improves grip between stand 2 and item held, and between stand 2 and the surface supporting it. Alternatively, it might be possible to use an injection moulding process to coat the stand 2 locally or entirely, or to mould in gripping inserts.

In other embodiments, the gripping material may be placed all over the folding stand 2. In still other embodiments the stand 2 may be made of a material such as a bonded leather which is made partially of rubber.

At Figure 7 is a folding stand 2. Here the item supporting edge 16 is designed so that the media player (not shown) may be leaned against it, gaining continuous support from the edge. Jn other embodiments such as that shown in Figure 1, it is the case that only a part of the edge or the apex 44 of the upright region 10 will provide such support.

The view of the folding stand 2 at figure 8 emphasises the continuous nature of the support provided by supporting edge T 6. The diagram also emphasises the flatness of the item contacting edge 64 of first projection 24. Item contacting edge 64 and supporting edge 16 are substantially at right angles to one another, thus providing maximum support for a cuboidal player.

Figure 9 shows a folding stand 2 wherein each of the first and second halves 4, 6 exhibits a cut-away 46. Said cut-aways 46 are an example of a discontinuous base edge 12. Savings in materials therefore have to be balanced with a degree of stability as factors in choosing the appropriate embodiment. Figures 10 and 11 show another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment are scalloped regions T 10 are designed to make sure that the back of the player (not shown) is in contact with the apex 44 of the upright portion 10.

At Figure 12 is a folding stand 2 of the invention. This example features a further example of a cutaway 46, said cutaway 46 in this example being an aperture. Such cutaways 46 provide the advantages inherent in the saving of materials. The fashioning of such a cutaway may be achieved by known methods.

Also present is text 62. This is illustrative of the possibility of printing on the folding stand 2. Such printing (or embossing, or any other way of imbuing the stand 2 with an image) may be used to display branding or advertising, to add eye appeal or to provide the printed areas with texture. Where text 62 is present it may be preferable to fashion hinge 8 in such a way as to ensure that in use the text displaying sides face outwards, although other text, such as instructions, may be printed on the inside faces. Where the stand is die-cut, this method of fashioning the hinge 8 is known as "half-cutting".

At figure 13 there is a further embodiment of the stand 2 with an expanded hinge 52. This hinge 52, which may be a living hinge, is so sized as to enable the stand to be wrapped around a given media player. This enhances portability and increases the likelihood that stand 2 and player will be carried together.

At figure 14 is shown a stand 2 wherein each half 4, 6 is equipped with a hinge 48. This hinge divides the upright regions 10 of each half 4, 6 from their concomitant elongate regions 18. These hinges 48 which may also be living hinges allow the stand to be further folded. This is particularly useful when the stand 2 is for a larger device such as an electronic book. Means for locking 50 a given half 4, 6 in a folded position are present in this embodiment 2. Equally means for locking the stand 2 in a laid flat or folded flat position (or indeed a particular open position) may be supplied and may for example be a click Lock integrated into the hinge itself.

Further means for ensuring a stand 2 is carried with a device are present at figure 15. This stand 2 is characterised in that each half 4, 6 is curved inwards. Such a stand 2 may be configured to follow the curvature of a particularly popular brand of player. Figure 16 shows a stand with a rectangular hinge 70. This is designed to fit around the profile of some media players. The rectangular hinge 70 comprises a flat panel 72 and two integrally formed hinges 74 of the type used in the first embodiment of the invention. A double hinge of this sort can also be used when conventional hinges are used to allow the two halves 4,6 to fold flat on each other folded in both directions, and the whole stand 2 to be flat if stored on the opened position. A further advantage is that the stand 2 can accommodate wider landscape format ptayer≤.

Figure 17 has a similar arrangement to that in 16, but has a curved panel 76. Again, this allows for the close fit with the profile of a media player.

Figure 18 shows a stand 2 with an alternative hinge configuration 80. This is not integrally formed, but rather comprises a discrete hinge portion 82 joining the two halves 4, 6. Discrete hinge portion 82 comprises a piece moulded onto the stand 2, with an additional hinge 84 on each side. The moulded part in this embodiment can clip onto the stand 2 or couLd be fashioned to clip onto a media player. The discrete portion adds strength to hinge 8. Although in this example it does not extend down to the base edge 12, it may do so in other embodiments, thus providing further support and stability. Other, conventional hinges may be selected as appropriate by the skilled man. A double hinge of this sort can also be used when conventional hinges are used to allow the two halves 4,6 to fold flat on each other, and the whole stand 2 to be flat if stored in the opened position.

Jn some embodiments, the stand 2 further comprises a holder for headphones which may take the form of protrusions or recesses in the stand 2. In cases where the holder comprises one or more protrusions, the protrusions may themselves be collapsible, in order that they may also fold flat, in order to complement the flat folding stand 2 itself.

In any embodiment, the flat folding stand 2 may be made from one or more plastics materials such as polypropylene or polyethylene. Other appropriate materials may include metals, woods and paper / card. The skilled man is invited to experiment with different materials. In the following paragraphs, another example of the invention is described. Reference numbers have been added in order that it may be superimposed on the embodiment shown in figure 1 and thereby better understood.

The invention is a stand (the stand 2) comprising two substantially similar flat triangular elements (the arms - or halves 4,6) hinged together along one side (the hinge, 8) and with projections (the horns - first projections 24) on the corner (item holding portion 22) of each arm (4,6) opposite the hinge (8) and which can be fully opened for flat storage and which can be partly opened to form a cradle to present an Apple iPhone or other similar shaped item (the item - media player 32) such as a framed photograph.

When the arms 4, 6 are partly opened the stand forms a tripod (the tripod) with the hinge 8 at the back and a cradle at the front to support the item (32). The cradle is created by the upper front facing edges (Item supporting edges T 6) of the triangular shapes (upright regions 10) particularly at the top and bottom and the horns (24).

The internal angles of the arms' (4,6) triangular shapes including that at the base of the hinge (8) are less than 90 degrees with the consequence that the hinge (8) is never perpendicular to the ground but leans towards the item. This has two benefits compared with a conventional stand with a vertical hinge as commonly used for plate display: it reduces the amount of material required to make the stand (2) making it both cheaper to manufacture and smaller to store; and it gears the relationship between the opening angle and the presentation angle creating a larger usable range of presentation angles without excessive distortion of the profile of the cradle created by the two horns (24).

The item will be unstable if its centre of gravity is outside the base of the tripod or in front of the points of contact of the horns (24) with the item (32). The angle required between the upward facing edge (item receiving recess 28) of the horns (24) at the point of contact with the item and the front upward facing edge (16) of the triangular shapes (10) depends upon the position of the centre of gravity of the item (32) when the stand (2) is closed. The further the centre of gravity is behind the hinge (8) the more acute must this angle be. The further it is in front of the top of the hinge (8), the more oblique this angle can be. Calculation of the required angle for any given item must be done with the cradle in its dosed position because the distortion of the profile will reduce the effective angle as the arms are opened. Since the stand (2) will never be used with the arms (4,6) completely closed this calculation method ensures that the item will be supported within the tipping point With central positioning of the centre of gravity, no interference and a perfectly stable and horizontal surface, this angle will be sufficient. However in environments where the assembly is subjected to interference such as vibration, knocks or touching by users, or the item is not centrally positioned, a more acute angle will be required to provide sufficient stability.

The required front to back length of the horns (24) must be sufficient to allow the horns (24) to exert a force perpendicular to their upward facing edges (28) onto the base of the item at the stand's maximum intended opening angle. A larger radius on the bottom of the item therefore requires longer horns than a smaller radius. This calculation must be performed at the maximum intended opening angle because the distortion reduces the effective length of the horns (24) the more the arms (4, 6) are opened. Additional length will provide more security against interference with the assembly.

The arms (4, 6) can be folded flat for storage either fully open or fully closed.

Material may be added or removed from one or both arms (4, 6) for the purposes of styling or to accommodate physical features of a specific item (32), or to move forward the points of contact of the stand (2) with the ground, provided that doing so does not compromise its supporting geometry, its rigidity or its folding ability.

Material may also be removed to create one or more slots (ie second projection 26, second item receiving recess 30) for the item (32), supporting it at a more vertical angle or angles.

The arms (4,6) can be made from a variety of materials including plastics, woods, cardboards and metals. The arms (4,6) must be sufficiently rigid to support the weight of the item to be presented. The hinge (8) can be of any sort including with suitable material a living hinge whether moulded, scored or a part cut. A living hinge has two advantages: it is flat and it allows the stand to be made from a single piece of material reducing manufacturing costs. The arms (4, 6) can be Locked at one angle or at one of the range of angles by means of a member joining the two arms or by means of a locking mechanism in the hinge. Such a member can be incorporated in many ways including by means of a second hinge parallel to the first attaching one end of the member to one arm whilst the second arm has a slot which accommodates the other end of the member allowing it to be locked into place. The second hinge may be of any type including with suitable material a living hinge.

Rubber or other grippy elements (42) can be added to the invention to help it to grip both the item and the flat surface. These can be added using a variety of means including inserts, two-part moulding and banding.

An instance of the invention to support an Apple iPhone is as follows; it is cut from 1.2mm thick polypropylene sheet with a half cut living hinge; the horns are constructed with internal and external radii of 5mm and 10mm respectively, and the centres of these radii are 77mm apart; the internal angles of the triangular shapes of the arms are 61 degrees at the top of the hinge and 62 degrees at the bottom of the hinge; the angle between the front surfaces of the trianguLar shapes and the supporting surface of their respective horns is 96 degrees; all edges apart from the radii already mentioned are straight.

Claims

1 A ftat - folding stand for the display of personal handheld media players and like items, the stand comprising a first half and a second half, said first and second halves being joined by a hinge, each half comprising an upright region, said upright region comprising a base edge, a hinge forming edge and an, in use, item supporting edge, each half further comprising an elongate region, said elongate region comprising a base edge and an item holding region, said item holding region being substantially perpendicular to the base edge of its respective half wherein in use the first and second halves may be manipulated about the hinge from a flat position wherein the halves share adjacent planes into a supporting position where the splayed halves sit on their respective base edges and a personal handheld media player or similar may be supported by the item holding regions and wherein when the stand is in the supporting position, the hinge axis lies along a line directed towards the item.

2 A stand according to claim 1 wherein the upright regions exhibit triangular geometry.

3 A stand according to either of claims 1 and 2, wherein the hinge comprises a thinner region of the material of which the entire stand is made.

4 A stand according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the item holding region comprises at least one, in use, substantially upright projection.

5 A stand according to any of the preceding claims wherein the stand is of a single piece construction with an integrally formed hinge.

6 A stand according to any of the preceding claims wherein the hinge is a living hinge.

7 A stand according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the hinge comprises an indentation on one face onLy of the flat folding stand. 8 A stand according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising means for locking the stand in either the flat or at least one supporting position.

9 A stand according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the stand is symmetrical about its hinge.

10 A stand according to any of the preceding ciaims, wherein at teast one of the item holding regions comprises a gripping portion made of a different material to the rest of the stand.

11 A stand according to claim 10, wherein the gripping portion comprises one or more detachable bands.

IZ A stand according to any of the preceding claims, wherein when it is laid flat the flat folding stand has a span of substantially no more than 16 centimeters.

13 A stand substantially as described herein with reference to and illustrated in any appropriate selection or combination of the description and the drawings.