U.S. patent application number 10/738068 was filed with the patent office on 2004-10-14 for strap assembly for supporting a tray and the like.
Invention is credited to Haber, Robert.
Application Number | 20040200870 10/738068 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33135990 |
Filed Date | 2004-10-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040200870 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Haber, Robert |
October 14, 2004 |
Strap assembly for supporting a tray and the like
Abstract
An assembly for supporting a laptop computer or other tray-like
product is provided. The inventive support assembly includes a
series of supporting straps which depend from a harness unit. The
harness unit includes a series of straps and is fitted securely and
snugly to the user. The supporting straps which depend from the
harness unit are selectively adjustable and include coupling
members at the end of the straps for both engaging and supporting
the base of the laptop computer.
Inventors: |
Haber, Robert; (Larchmont,
NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GOTTLIEB RACKMAN & REISMAN PC
270 MADISON AVENUE
8TH FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
100160601
|
Family ID: |
33135990 |
Appl. No.: |
10/738068 |
Filed: |
December 16, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60461798 |
Apr 10, 2003 |
|
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60472069 |
May 19, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
224/259 ;
224/646 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45F 2003/045 20130101;
A45F 3/047 20130101; B44D 3/02 20130101; A45F 3/14 20130101; A45F
2200/0525 20130101; A45F 2003/146 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
224/259 ;
224/646 |
International
Class: |
A45F 003/04 |
Claims
1. A system for supporting a tray and the like comprising: a
wearable supporting unit; a connecting assembly selectively
attached to said supporting unit and including a plurality of
connecting elements depending therefrom; wherein each of said
connecting elements is designed for selectively coupling to a
location along said tray.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein said supporting unit comprises a
harness.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein said connecting elements comprise
a plurality of supporting straps.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein each of said supporting straps
includes a forward end having a tray attachment member.
5. The system of claim 2, wherein said harness includes a pair of
shoulder straps and a waist strap connected thereto.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein said shoulder straps are
adjustable in length.
7. The system of claim 5, wherein said harness is adjustable in
height.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein said harness is adjustable in
height by means of a length adjustable strap connected between said
shoulder straps and said waist strap.
9. The system of claim 3, wherein each of said supporting straps is
length adjustable.
10. The system of claim 5, wherein said connecting elements
comprise supporting straps.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein each said supporting strap of
said strap assembly is selectively attached to one of said shoulder
straps of said harness.
12. The system of claim 4, further including a plurality of
engagement members fixable along said tray and to at least some of
which said attachment members at the ends of said plurality of
supporting straps are selectively connectable thereto.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein each said attachment member of
said supporting straps comprises one of a plurality of hook members
and a plurality of loop members, and wherein each said engagement
members disposed along said tray comprise the other of a plurality
of hook members and a plurality of loop members.
14. The system of claim 12, wherein said engagement members are
designed to be fixedly disposed along the underside of said
tray.
15. The system of claim 5, wherein at least one of said connecting
elements depends from said waist strap.
16. The system of claim 1, wherein said supporting unit includes a
waist belt from which at least one of said connecting elements
depends therefrom.
17. The system of claim 1, wherein said support unit includes at
least one shoulder strap from which at least one of said connecting
elements depends therefrom.
18. A carrying system comprising: a product to be carried; a
support unit wearable by an individual; a connecting assembly
selectively attached to said support unit and including a plurality
of connecting elements depending therefrom; wherein each of said
connecting elements is designed for selective coupling to a
location along said product.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein said support unit includes a
pair of shoulder straps and a waist strap.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein said support unit is adjustable
in height by means of a length adjustable strap connected between
said shoulder straps and said waist strap.
21. The system of claim 18, wherein each of said connecting
elements is length adjustable.
22. The system of claim 19, wherein each of said connecting
elements is selectively attached to at least one of said shoulder
straps and said waist strap of said support unit.
23. The system of claim 18, further including a plurality of
engagement members disposed along said product to which at least
some of said plurality of connecting elements are selectively
attachable thereto.
24. The system of claim 23, wherein each said connecting element
comprises one of a plurality of hook members and a plurality of
loop members, and wherein each said engagement member disposed
along said product comprises the other of a plurality of hook
members and a plurality of loop members.
25. The system of claim 23, wherein said product has an underside
along which said engagement members are fixedly disposed.
26. The system of claim 25, wherein said product has a plurality of
corners adjacent to which said engagement members are located along
said product underside.
27. The system of claim 18, wherein said product is selected from
the group consisting of a laptop computer, an artist's palette and
a tray.
Description
[0001] This application claims priority to provisional application
Nos. 60/461,798, filed Apr. 10, 2003 and 60/472,069, filed May 19,
2003; both applications are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Personal computers are becoming more and more a part of
everyday life. Many individuals, whether those in the business
world or students, require the need to utilize a computer while on
the go. Most of these individuals use what is known as a laptop
computer, which essentially is a portable computer comprising a
base portion which houses the guts of the computer and which
includes an overlying keyboard, as well as a pivotally attached
screen portion which is used to view the computer during operation.
Because of the size and weight of most laptop computers, they
normally must be used while an individual is sitting down, with the
base either resting on a table or other support structure, or
directly on the lap or legs of the individual. While not
impossible, it is extremely difficult to utilize a laptop computer
while standing, unless, of course, a flat support surface can be
located. However, for many individuals who travel to or from work
or school, they often must be standing, either on a train or
subway, or even on the bus. In a standing position, it is extremely
difficult, as one can appreciate, to properly use a laptop
computer.
[0003] Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an assembly
for supporting a laptop computer or other tray-like product for a
user who is in a standing position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Generally speaking, in accordance with the invention, an
assembly for supporting a laptop computer or other tray-like
product is provided. The inventive support assembly includes a
series of supporting straps which depend from a harness type unit
worn by an individual. The harness unit also includes a series of
straps and is fitted securely and snugly to the user. The
supporting straps which depend from the harness unit are
selectively adjustable and include coupling members at the end of
the straps for both engaging and supporting the base of the laptop
computer. Preferably, each coupling member includes a plurality of
hooks and/or loops extending from the ends of the strap surfaces
and suitable for engaging corresponding hook/loop members disposed
along the underside of the laptop base.
[0005] Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a
strap assembly for supporting a laptop computer or similar type of
tray-like product.
[0006] Still another object of the invention is to provide a strap
assembly for supporting a laptop computer which is selectively
engaged to a harness unit. Another object of the invention is to
provide a strap assembly for supporting a laptop computer that
utilizes hook and loop coupling members.
[0007] Still, other objects and advantages of the invention will,
in part, be obvious and will, in part, be apparent from the
following description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is
made to the following description, taken in connection with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the strap assembly of the
invention being used to support a laptop computer;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of
FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the strap assembly shown in
FIG. 1 being used for supporting an artist's palette; and
[0012] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of
FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] Referring now to FIG. 1, a strap assembly used for
supporting a conventional laptop computer 33 and generally
indicated at 11 is shown. Strap assembly 11 is typically made from
a fabric material and includes a harness or support unit 12 unit
comprising a pair of length adjustable shoulder straps 13, an
adjustable a waist strap 15, a vertically directed front strap 17
and a cross strap 19. Harness unit 12 may be adjusted in height to
accommodate various sized and shaped individuals by means of hook
and loop type fasteners as, for example, shown with respect to
front strap 17.
[0014] A strap support or connecting assembly 21 is selectively
coupled to shoulder straps 13 of harness unit 12 by means of
anchors 23, as shown in FIG. 1. In particular, support assembly 21
includes strap support members 25 which wrap around and otherwise
engage anchors 23, and are adjustable in position by conventional
hook and loop type fasteners in order to selectively adjust the
height of supporting assembly 21. Depending from the bottom ends at
each of strap members 25 are a pair of forward supporting straps or
other top of connecting elements 27A and a pair of rearward
supporting straps or other type of connecting elements 27B. Each of
straps 27A and 27B have free ends 29A and 29B respectively, as best
shown in FIG. 2, formed with a plurality of hook-type fasteners
30A, 30B.
[0015] Still referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, laptop computer 33
includes a base 35 having an overlying keyboard 37 as well as a
pivotally connected screen member 39, as is well known. Base 35
includes a bottom 36 having two pairs of loop-type fasteners 31A
and 31B located adjacent the corners of base 35. As shown in both
FIGS. 1 and 2, in order to support laptop computer 33, hook-type
fasteners 30A, 30B of free ends 29A, 29B selectively engage
loop-type fasteners members 31A, 31B disposed along bottom 30 of
laptop base 35.
[0016] Turning now to FIGS. 3 and 4, strap assembly 11 is shown
being used to support an artist's palette 43. In particular,
supporting straps 27A and 27B of support assembly 21 have hook-type
fasteners 30A, 30B along ends 29A and 29B of straps 27A,27B that
are engaged to a corresponding number of loop-type fasteners
41A,41B disposed along the bottom of palette 43. As can be seen,
palette 43 is formed with an opening 45 for retaining and otherwise
storing one or more brushes 47.
[0017] Referring now to FIGS. 5-7, a second embodiment of a strap
assembly used for supporting a tray 133 and generally indicated at
111 is shown. Strap assembly 111 includes a harness or support unit
112 comprising a pair of shoulder straps 113 and a waist strap or
belt 115. Strap assembly 111 also includes a strap support assembly
generally indicated at 121 selectively coupled to shoulder straps
113. Particularly, support assembly 121 includes a pair of forward
supporting straps or other type of connecting elements 127A and a
pair of rear supporting straps or other type of connecting elements
127B, both depending from and coupled to the bottom ends of
shoulder straps 113, as shown best in FIG. 6. Forward supporting
straps 127A are releasably coupled to shoulder straps 113 by means
of hook 161 fixed to one end of each of supporting straps 127A and
buckle 163 fixed along each of shoulder straps 113.
[0018] Each of supporting straps 127A and 127B have support ends
129 with extending hooks 130. Hooks 130 are used for supporting
tray 133 as described below.
[0019] Still referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, as well as FIG. 7, tray
133 includes a base 135 having a top surface 137 suitable for
receiving and supporting a piece of paper 145 and the like. Tray
133 also includes a pivotally connected support shelf 129 having a
pair of vertically oriented flexible bands 141 which can be used to
secure a book or other type of reading material in an open position
along the top surface of shelf 129.
[0020] In order to support tray 133, base 135 includes a bottom 136
having two pairs of fasteners 131 located adjacent the corners of
base 135. As shown, the forward pair of fasteners 131A includes a
buckle member 132 to which hooks 130 of supporting straps 127A and
127B may be selectively engaged, as shown in FIG. 5, to enable tray
133 to be supported by means of assembly 111. Also, fasteners 131 B
also include a buckle member for selective engagement to a hook 139
depending from waist strap or belt 115 of harness unit 112. Thus,
tray 133 is, in part, supported along the waist of the wearer.
[0021] It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, and
those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently
attained, and since certain changes may be made in the products set
forth above without departing from the spirit and scope from the
invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above
description and shown in the accompanying drawing shall be
interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
[0022] It is also to be understood that the following claims are
intended to cover all the generic and specific features of the
invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the
invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall
therebetween.
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