HOLDER FOR LAPTOP COMPUTER
A holder system for supporting and accommodating a laptop computer or other device comprises —an extendable/retractable carrier system provided with frame portion means for attachment to a tabletop; —a holder and support member for holding and/or accommodating and/or supporting a laptop computer or other device, and —pivot means pivotally connecting said carrier system and said holder and support member, whereby the holder and support member can be brought from a substantially vertical orientation to a substantially horizontal orientation when the carrier system is in its extended or drawn out position. The holder system according to the invention is provided with a pull handle and associated rod system enabling locking of the holder and support member in the horizontal position by releasable engagement between a distal end portion of the rod system and corresponding engagement means provided on said frame portion means of the holder system.
The invention relates generally to holders for devices such as a laptop computer that is typically used on or at a table and more specifically to such holders provided with means for protecting a device housed in or supported on the holder against theft.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONAn increasing number of laptop computers is being sold today partly due to the desirable mobility offered by such devices and partly due to the fact that the capabilities (processing speed, data storage capacity etc.) of such portable computers have reached a level where they can cover the requirements of most users. Therefore, laptop computers are often used in the same manner as stationary computers are being used, for instance in the office. Often a so-called docking station is applied, which connects the laptop computer with the network (LAN) of the office and hence external communication networks such as the Internet and with the display screen, computer mouse, keyboard or other external devices. The laptop computer is now used in the same manner and substantially with the same functionalities as the stationary computer. The laptop computer is often placed on the user's desk together with the docking station and a number of cables and hence occupies a not inconsiderable amount of space on the desktop, which is a distinct disadvantage to the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONOn the above background it is an object of the present invention to provide means for holding a laptop computer or similar portable device and optionally for connecting it to a docking station, if required, in such a manner that the desktop of the user is kept free from the laptop computer, docking station and the various cables used to establish the necessary interconnections.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a holder of the above kind provided with means for protecting a laptop computer or other device housed in or supported on said holder against unauthorised use of the device or against theft.
According to the principles of the invention the laptop or other device is when not in use removed from a traditional position on the tabletop of for instance a desk to a position beneath the tabletop in such a manner that it takes up as limited a space beneath the tabletop as possible, hence not interfering with for instance the legs of a person seated at the desk.
The above and other objects and advantages are attained with a holder system according to the invention comprising:
- (a) an extendable/retractable carrier system provided with means for attachment to a tabletop or similar object;
- (b) a holder and support member for holding/accommodating and supporting a laptop computer or other device, said member being connected to said carrier system such that the holder and support member by extension/retraction of the carrier system can be displaced relative to said tabletop, between a retracted position where the holder and support member is located at least partly below the tabletop and an extended or drawn out position where the holder and support member is entirely free of the tabletop;
- (c) pivot means pivotally connecting said carrier system and said holder and support member, whereby the holder and support member can be brought from a substantially vertical orientation to a substantially horizontal orientation when the carrier system is in its extended or drawn out position.
According to the invention there is furthermore provided a cover or lid member which together with a handle member makes access to the computer or other device in the holder system impossible when the holder system is in its retracted position totally or at least partly beneath the tabletop.
A number of advantages are attained by the holder system according to the invention:
1. The usable area of the tabletop is increased by removal of the laptop computer from this area.
2. No inconvenience will be caused by the above-mentioned cables.
3. The laptop computer will not inconvenience the user as it is not placed under the desk but is in stead suspended in the holder system at an end of the desk. A shorter desk may hence for instance be applied without the person sitting at the desk being annoyed by the presence of the computer, for instance in a drawer below the tabletop.
4. The laptop computer or the holder and support member itself can be used as an extra table when the holder is placed in a horizontal position.
5. The laptop computer can be secured against theft or unauthorised usage when it is suspended below the desk.
The holder system according to the present invention will be more fully understood with reference to the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention and to the appended figures where
The invention is illustrated in the following with reference to three specific embodiments hereof, but it is understood that other embodiments may be envisaged by a person skilled in the art without such embodiments deviating from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
With reference to
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As shown in
This locking function of the handle member 8, 16 is described with reference to
With the handle member 8, 16 in its open position, it is possible to release the laptop computer 4 and docking station 6 from the holder and support member 3 or to mount them hereon. The docking station 6 can be secured to the surface of the holder and support member by various means for instance by means of a Velcro strip 27. In order to offer further support for the computer when in the vertical position, the surface of the holder and support member can furthermore be provided with abutment means for instance a pair of rubber blocks 9 as shown in
Referring to
Attachment of the holder and support system 3 and of the cover portion 10 to the tabletop 2 is according to a specific embodiment accomplished by means of an attachment member 30 that may be attached to the bottom surface of the tabletop 2 by screws as schematically shown in
The attachment member 30 is shown in more detail in
With reference to
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When the holder and support member 3 is in its retracted position under the tabletop, the lid 35 is being prevented from opening due to a retaining engagement between the upper (as seen in
When the holder and support member 3 is extended/drawn out from its initial vertical position under the tabletop, the upper lid portion and the edge portion 36′ of the retainment member 36 are brought out of engagement with each other as shown in
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It is understood that although the holder system according to the invention in the preceding has been shown and described comprising a docking station for a laptop computer, this is not considered a limitation of the invention, and the holder system according to the invention may be used without a docking station. It may furthermore also be used for housing and supporting other objects or devices than the laptop computer described above attaining the same advantages with regard to space requirements under a tabletop and security against theft.
Claims
1. A holder system for supporting and accommodating a laptop computer or other device comprising:
- (a) an extendable/retractable carrier system (11, 12) provided with frame portion means (50) for attachment to a tabletop (2);
- (b) a holder and support member (3) for holding and/or accommodating and/or supporting a laptop computer (4) or other device, said holder and support member (3) being connected to said carrier system (11, 12) such that the holder and support member (3) by extension/retraction of the carrier system (11, 12) can be displaced substantially parallel relative to said tabletop, between a retracted position, where the holder and support member (3) is located at least partly below the tabletop (2) and an extended or drawn out position, where the holder and support member (3) is entirely free of the tabletop (2);
- (c) pivot means pivotally connecting said carrier system (11, 12) and said holder and support member (3), whereby the holder and support member (3) can be brought from a substantially vertical orientation to a substantially horizontal orientation when the carrier system (11, 12) is in its extended or drawn out position.
2. A holder system according to claim 1, characterised in that it is provided with a pull handle and associated rod system (7, 7′, 7″, 7′″, 7″″) enabling locking of the holder and support member (3) in the horizontal position by releasable engagement between a distal end portion (7″″) of the rod system and corresponding engagement means (18, 19) provided on said frame portion means (50) of the holder system.
3. A holder system according to claim 2, characterised in that it comprises a handle member (8, 16) pivotally mounted so that the handle member (8, 16) can rotate between an open and a closed position, in the closed position extending from side portions (13) of the holder and support member (3) along side portions of a laptop computer (4) or other device housed and/or supported by the holder and support member (3), whereby the laptop computer is being prevented from removal from the holder and support member (3).
4. A holder system according to claim 2, characterised in that said handle member (8, 16) is provided with a gripper member (24), which rotates with an end portion (8′) of the handle member (8), where the gripper member comprises a portion (26) for engagement with at least one of the sections (7′, 7″, 7′″, 7″″) of the rod system, and where said section is furthermore provided with a collar means (23) attached to the section of the rod system, whereby the rod system (7′, 7″, 7′″, 7″″) of the pull handle (7) is prevented from unlocking due to locking engagement between said collar means (23) and said portion (26) of the gripper means (24) when the handle member (8, 16) is in its open state.
5. A holder system according to claim 1, characterised in that a gas cylinder or spring member (15) is provided between the holder and support member (3) and said carrier system (11, 12) impeding a rotational movement of the holder and support member (3) between said vertical and horizontal position or vice versa.
6. A holder system according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises locking means (5) for locking the holder and support member (3) to the frame portion (50), when the holder and support member is in its retracted, vertical position.
7. A holder system according to claim 1, characterised in that it is furthermore provided with a cover (10) at least partly surrounding the holder and support member (3), when this is in its retracted position at least partly under the tabletop (2), said cover (10) being attached either to the bottom surface of the tabletop (2) itself or to the frame portion (50) of the holder system.
8. A holder system according to claim 7, characterised in that said cover (10) comprises curved or planar side portions (10′) at one end connected by a bottom portion (29) and at the opposite end provided with edge portions (10″) for attachment of the cover (10) to the tabletop (2) or to the frame portion (50).
9. A holder system according to claim 1, characterised in that said holder and support member (3) is provided with a lid portion (35) pivotally attached (8, 37) to the holder and support member (3) and where said frame portion (50) is provided with a retainment member (56) for preventing opening of the lid portion (35), when the holder and support member (3) is at least partly in its retracted state, said opening being prevented by locking engagement between an upper edge portion of the lid portion (35) and a portion of said retainment member (36).
10. A holder according to claim 9, characterised in that said portion of the retainment member (36) is a laterally extending edge portion (36′).
11. A holder system according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises means (27) for attaching a docking station (6) to the holder and support member (3).
12. A holder system according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a docking station (6).
Type: Application
Filed: May 3, 2006
Publication Date: Mar 26, 2009
Inventor: Jorgen Larsen (Korsor)
Application Number: 11/915,083
International Classification: A47B 37/00 (20060101);