Tablet mounting arm systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9441782-B2
Application number	US-201213650702-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2012
Priority date	Oct 14, 2011
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

One embodiment provides a tablet mounting system including a support having a tablet portion located near the first end of the support arm for supporting a tablet, a monitor portion located between the tablet portion and the second end of the support arm for supporting a display monitor, and a support portion located between the first end and the second end of the support arm for attaching the arm to a support object such as a desk, wall, desk stand, or display arm. In some cases, the support portion is located closer to the monitor portion of the support arm than to the tablet portion of the support arm. A tablet mount is configured to support a tablet and to attached to the tablet portion of the support arm. Methods for mounting tablets are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tablet mounting system comprising:
a support arm having a first end and a second end, the support arm comprising
a projection arm having a first end and a second end;
an extension arm having a first end and a second end, the projection arm and the extension arm interconnected such that the extension arm is longitudinally movable relative to the projection arm to extend and retract between a fully extended position and a fully retracted position, the projection arm being interconnected near the first end of the projection arm, and the extension arm being interconnected near the second end of the extension arm;
a tablet portion located near the first end of the extension arm for supporting a tablet,
a monitor portion located between the tablet portion and the second end of the projection arm for supporting a display monitor, and
a support portion located between the first end and the second end of the projection arm, the support portion configured to attach to a support object, the support portion located closer to the monitor portion of the support arm than to the tablet portion of the support arm;

a tablet mount configured to support a tablet and to ach to the tablet portion of the support arm; and
a brace attachable to the extension arm and located between the first end and the second end of the extension arm, the brace configured to translate in a longitudinal direction relative to a length of the extension arm, the brace including:
a first portion and a second portion, the first portion configured to extend from the extension arm and the first portion is configured to extend adjacent an edge of the supported display monitor, the second portion configured to extend from the first portion,
the first portion and the second portion being so configured as to define an adjustable clamping structure, the second portion being so configured as to be adjustable relative to the extension arm so as to contact a front portion of the supported display monitor and clamp the brace about a thickness of the supported display monitor,

wherein in an attached state the support arm is configured to position the tablet mount and a supported tablet relative to the support object.

2. The tablet mounting system of claim 1 , wherein the support portion is partially overlapped with the monitor portion.

3. The tablet mounting system of claim 1 , wherein the support portion is completely overlapped with the monitor portion.

4. The tablet mounting system of claim 1 , wherein the support portion is located between the tablet portion and the monitor portion without overlapping the monitor portion.

5. The tablet mounting system of claim 1 , wherein in the attached state a weight of the supported tablet creates a first rotational force based on a distance between the tablet portion and the support portion, and a weight of a supported display monitor creates a second rotational force based on a distance between the monitor portion and the support portion, whereby
(a) the first rotational force has a direction substantially opposite a direction of the second rotational force, and
(b)the magnitude of the first rotational force is not substantially greater than twice the magnitude of the second rotational force.

6. The tablet mounting system of claim 1 , further comprising a weight beam attached to the support arm, the weight beam supporting a counterweight movable along at least a portion of the length of the weight beam.

7. The tablet mounting system of claim 6 wherein in the attached state a weight of the supported tablet creates a first rotational force based on a distance between the tablet portion and the support portion, a weight of a supported display monitor creates a second rotational force based on a distance between the monitor portion and the support portion, and a weight of the counterweight creates a third rotational force based on a distance between the counterweight and the support portion, whereby
(a) the first rotational force has a direction substantially opposite a direction of the second rotational force and substantially opposite a direction of the third rotational force, and
(b) the magnitude of the first rotational force is not substantially greater than twice the magnitude of the second rotational force combined with the third rotational force.

8. The tablet mounting system of claim 1 wherein the support portion is configured to attach to the support object in a plurality of orientations, whereby the support arm is configured with a corresponding plurality of orientations, wherein
in a first of the plurality of support arm orientations, the supported tablet is located to the right of a supported display monitor, in a second of the plurality of support arm orientations, the supported tablet is located to the left of a supported display monitor, in a third of the plurality of support arm orientations, the supported tablet is located above a supported display monitor, and in a fourth of the plurality of support arm orientations, the supported tablet is located below a supported display monitor.

9. The tablet mounting system of claim 1 , wherein the tablet portion provides rotation of the tablet mount and the supported tablet with respect to the support arm, the rotation including at least two biased tablet orientations comprising a tablet portrait orientation and a tablet landscape orientation.

10. The tablet mounting system of claim 9 , wherein the tablet portion further comprises a detent mechanism comprising:
a slider,
a rotating catch that is permitted to rotate relative to the slider,
a landscape detent feature, and
a portrait detent feature, wherein
the rotating catch can be seated in one of two features: (i) the landscape detent feature, and (ii) the portrait detent feature; and wherein
when the rotating catch is seated in the landscape detent feature, the supported tablet is in a landscape orientation, and
when the rotating catch is seated in the portrait detent feature, the supported tablet is in portrait orientation.

11. The tablet mounting system of claim 1 , wherein the tablet portion comprises a VESA support arrangement for attaching the tablet portion to the tablet mount.

12. The tablet mounting system of claim 1 , wherein the table mount is configured to releasably retain the supported tablet.

13. The tablet mounting system of claim 1 , wherein the tablet mount comprises a tablet docking station.

14. The tablet mounting system of claim 1 wherein the support portion is configured to attach to one or more of a laptop stand, a desktop display monitor stand, a wall mount, a computer cart, and an articulating arm support.

15. A tablet mounting system comprising:
a projection arm having a first end and a second end, the projection arm comprising
a monitor portion located near the second end of the projection arm for supporting a display monitor, and
a support portion located between the first end and the second end of the projection arm, the support portion configured to attach to a support object;

an extension arm having a first end and a second end, the extension arm comprising a tablet portion located near the first end of the extension arm, the tablet portion configured to support a tablet; and
a brace attachable to the extension arm and located between the first end and the second end of the extension arm, the brace configured to engage with only one edge of the supported display monitor and configured to translate in a longitudinal direction relative to a length of the extension arm, the brace including:
a first portion and a second portion, the first po

Assignees

• Ergotron Inc

Inventors

• Funk Joe
• Lindblad Shaun C
• Ergun Mustafa A

Classifications

• Y10T29/49948

  Multipart cooperating fastener [e.g., bolt and nut] · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• Y10T29/49817

  with other than ancillary treating or assembling · CPC title

• H05K5/0204

  Mounting supporting structures on the outside of casings · CPC title

• H01R33/97

  Holders with separate means to prevent loosening of the coupling or unauthorised removal of apparatus held · CPC title