Folding monitor stand

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10436378-B2
Application number	US-201715419465-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2017
Priority date	Jan 30, 2017
Publication date	Oct 8, 2019
Grant date	Oct 8, 2019

Abstract

A monitor stand comprises a first arm for coupling to a first monitor and a second arm for coupling to a second monitor. The first and second arms are coupled to an upper column of the monitor stand. A lower column of the monitor stand supports the upper column. The first arm, the second arm, and the upper column are configured to rotate around a rotation axis offset from a longitudinal center axis of the lower column to fold or unfold the monitor stand between an open and closed position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A monitor stand comprising:
a first arm for coupling to a first monitor;
a second arm for coupling to a second monitor;
an upper column coupled to the first and second arms and comprising a skirt plate coupled to a first lock pin;
a lower column supporting the upper column and comprising a retainer having a plurality of lock holes; and
a cap for covering the upper column, the cap in physical communication with the skirt plate,
wherein the first arm, the second arm, and the upper column are configured to rotate around a rotation axis offset from a longitudinal center axis of the lower column to fold or unfold the monitor stand between an open position and a closed position, and
wherein the cap is configured to be lowered causing the skirt plate to be lowered to a lowered position, to thereby lower the first lock pin into a specific one of the lock holes of the retainer of the lower column and prevent the rotation of the first arm, the second arm, and the upper column.

2. The monitor stand of claim 1 , wherein the second arm is further coupled to a track of a retainer of the lower column, the rotation of the second arm being defined by the track.

3. The monitor stand of claim 1 , the upper comprising:
an upper retainer coupled to the second arm by a top offset bolt; and
a lower retainer coupled to the second arm by a bottom offset bolt, wherein the top and bottom offset define the rotation axis.

4. The monitor stand of claim 1 , wherein:
when the monitor stand is in the open position and the skirt plate is in the lowered position, a second lock pin coupled to the skirt plate is engaged with a particular one of the lock holes of the retainer of the lower column; and
when the monitor stand is in the closed position and the skirt plate is in the lowered position, the second lock pin is not engaged with any of the lock holes of the retainer of the lower column.

5. The monitor stand of claim 1 , wherein the specific one of the lock holes is different when the monitor stand is in the open position and the closed position.

6. The monitor stand of claim 1 , wherein the upper column further comprises:
a link rod coupled to the cap at a first end and the skirt plate at a second end.

7. The monitor stand of claim 1 , wherein the upper column further comprises:
a lower retainer coupled to a spring for supporting the skirt plate, wherein the skirt plate is configured to be lowered into the lower retainer by compressing the spring.

8. The monitor stand of claim 1 , wherein the rotation of the second arm is greater than 90 degrees.

9. A monitor stand comprising:
a first arm coupled to a first monitor;
a second arm coupled to a second monitor and to a track of a retainer, the rotation of the second arm being defined by the track, the retainer comprising a plurality of lock holes;
a column coupled to the first and second arms and comprising a skirt plate coupled to a first lock pin; and
a cap for covering the column, the cap in physical communication with the skirt plate,
wherein the first arm, the second arm, and the column are configured to rotate around a rotation axis offset from a longitudinal center axis of the column to fold or unfold the monitor stand between an open position and a closed position, and
wherein the cap is configured to be lowered causing the skirt plate to be lowered, to thereby lower the first lock pin into a specific one of the lock holes of the retainer and prevent the rotation of the first arm, the second arm, and the column.

10. The monitor stand of claim 9 , wherein the specific one of the lock holes is different when the monitor stand is in the open position and the closed position.

11. A method for folding or unfolding a monitor stand, comprising:
unlocking a monitor stand to allow rotation of the monitor stand by raising a cap of the monitor stand thereby causing a skirt plate of an upper column of the monitor stand to raise, the skirt plate coupled to a first lock pin;
rotating a first arm, a second arm, and the upper column of the monitor stand around a rotation axis offset from a longitudinal center axis of the upper column, the second arm being coupled to a track of a retainer of a lower column of the monitor stand such that the rotation of the second arm is defined by the track; and
locking the monitor stand to prevent rotation of the monitor stand,
wherein the causing the skirt plate to raise causes the first lock pin to raise out of a specific one of a plurality of lock holes of the retainer to allow rotation of the first arm, the second arm, and the first upper column.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein locking the monitor stand comprises:
lowering the cap of the monitor stand thereby causing the skirt plate to lower,
wherein the causing the skirt plate to lower causes the first lock pin to lower into the specific one of the plurality of lock holes of the retainer to prevent rotation of the first arm, the second arm, and the upper column.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein
when the monitor stand is in open position, causing the skirt plate to lower further causes a second lock pin coupled to the skirt plate to lower into a particular one of the plurality of lock holes of the retainer; and
when the monitor stand is in a closed position, causing the skirt plate to lower does not engage the second lock pin with any of the plurality of lock holes of the retainer.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the specific one of the plurality of lock holes is different when the monitor stands is in an open position and a closed position.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein lowering a cap of the monitor stand thereby causing a skirt plate of the upper column to lower comprises:
lowering the skirt plate into a lower retainer of the upper column by compressing a spring supporting the skirt plate.

Assignees

• Bloomberg Finance Lp

Inventors

• Roarty Sean
• Brown Chris
• Illuzzi Vito
• Harmen John
• Castagna Al

Classifications

• F16M11/2014

  around a vertical axis (F16M11/2035 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16M11/08 Primary

  around a vertical axis {, e.g. panoramic heads (F16M11/12 takes precedence)} · CPC title