U.S. patent application number 11/786123 was filed with the patent office on 2008-10-16 for anti-skid foot assembly.
Invention is credited to Paul J. Doczy, Jonathan R. Harris, Mark S. Tracy.
Application Number | 20080251663 11/786123 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39852848 |
Filed Date | 2008-10-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080251663 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tracy; Mark S. ; et
al. |
October 16, 2008 |
Anti-skid foot assembly
Abstract
An anti-skid foot assembly comprises an anti-skid foot having a
closed end and an open end, the closed end configured to rest on a
support surface when the anti-skid foot is secured to a device, and
wherein the open end comprises an internally threaded cavity for
threadably securing the anti-skid foot to the device.
Inventors: |
Tracy; Mark S.; (Tomball,
TX) ; Harris; Jonathan R.; (Cypress, TX) ;
Doczy; Paul J.; (Cypress, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HEWLETT PACKARD COMPANY
P O BOX 272400, 3404 E. HARMONY ROAD, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ADMINISTRATION
FORT COLLINS
CO
80527-2400
US
|
Family ID: |
39852848 |
Appl. No.: |
11/786123 |
Filed: |
April 11, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/188.8 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B 91/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/188.8 |
International
Class: |
A47B 91/00 20060101
A47B091/00 |
Claims
1. An anti-skid foot assembly, comprising: an anti-skid foot
removably couplable to a device via a threaded member configured to
seat against an interior surface of a housing of the device, the
anti-skid foot having a closed end and an open end, the closed end
configured to rest on a support surface when the anti-skid foot is
secured to the device, and wherein the open end comprises an
internally threaded cavity for threadably securing the anti-skid
foot to the device.
2. The anti-skid foot assembly of claim 1, wherein the anti-skid
foot comprises an elastomer portion molded to a rigid
substrate.
3. The anti-skid foot assembly of claim 2, wherein the elastomer
portion is disposed over at least a portion of the closed end for
resting on the support surface.
4. The anti-skid foot assembly of claim 1, wherein the internally
threaded cavity comprises a threaded insert fixedly secured
therein.
5. The anti-skid foot assembly of claim 1, wherein the anti-skid
foot comprises an outer elastomer portion and an inner rigid
portion.
6. The anti-skid foot assembly of claim 5, wherein the internally
threaded cavity comprises a threaded insert fixedly secured to the
inner rigid portion.
7. An anti-skid foot assembly, comprising: a device having a
housing; and an internally threaded anti-skid foot removably
couplable to the device via a threaded member configured to seat
against an interior surface of the housing and extending outwardly
from the housing, the anti-skid foot having a closed end configured
to rest on a support surface when the anti-skid foot is coupled to
the housing.
8. The anti-skid foot assembly of claim 7, wherein the threaded
member extends through an opening formed in the housing to engage
the anti-skid foot.
9. The anti-skid foot assembly of claim 7, wherein the anti-skid
foot comprises an elastomer portion molded to a rigid
substrate.
10. The anti-skid foot assembly of claim 7, wherein the anti-skid
foot comprises a threaded insert fixedly secured therein.
11. The anti-skid foot assembly of claim 7, wherein the anti-skid
foot comprises an outer elastomer portion and an inner rigid
portion.
12. The anti-skid foot assembly of claim 7, wherein the anti-skid
foot comprises an elastomer portion overmolded onto a rigid
thermoplastic portion.
13. The anti-skid foot assembly of claim 7, wherein the anti-skid
foot is disposed at least partially in an cavity formed in the
housing.
14. A method for manufacturing an anti-skid foot assembly,
comprising: providing a device having a housing; and removably
coupling an internally threaded anti-skid foot to the device with a
threaded member configured to seat against an interior surface of
the housing and extending outwardly from the housing, the anti-skid
foot having a closed end configured to rest on a support surface
when the anti-skid foot is coupled to the housing.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein coupling the anti-skid foot to
the housing comprises threadably engaging the anti-skid foot to a
threaded member extending through an opening of the housing.
16. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing the
anti-skid foot having a threaded insert disposed therein.
17. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing the
anti-skid foot having an elastomer portion molded to a rigid
substrate.
18. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing the
anti-skid foot having an outer elastomer portion and an inner rigid
portion.
19. An anti-skid foot assembly, comprising: a housing means; an
anti-skid means having an open end and a closed end, the closed end
configured to rest on a support surface when the anti-skid means is
coupled to the housing means; and means for threadably coupling the
open end of the anti-skid means to the housing means, the means for
threadably coupling configured to removably couple the anti-skid
means to the housing means and to seat against an interior surface
of the housing means.
20. The anti-skid foot assembly of claim 19, wherein the anti-skid
means comprises an elastomer means molded onto a rigid substrate
means.
21. An anti-skid foot assembly, comprising: an anti-skid foot
removably couplable to a device via a threaded member configured to
extend through an opening formed in a housing of the device, the
anti-skid foot having a closed end and an open end, the closed end
configured to rest on a support surface when the anti-skid foot is
secured to the device, and wherein the open end comprises an
internally threaded cavity for threadably securing the anti-skid
foot to the device via the threaded member.
22. The anti-skid foot assembly of claim 21, wherein the internally
threaded cavity comprises a threaded insert fixedly secured
therein.
23. The anti-skid foot assembly of claim 21, wherein the anti-skid
foot comprises an outer elastomer portion and an inner rigid
portion.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Electronic devices, such as notebook computers, personal
digital assistants, gaming devices, etc., and other devices that
are generally portable or are susceptible to movement from use
thereof have non- or anti-skid feet. These anti-skid feet are
generally formed from rubber or soft plastic and are located on the
bottom or underside of the device to prevent the device from
sliding on a support surface and/or to prevent scratching or
marring of the support surface. However, these anti-skid feet are
susceptible to falling off or being sheared off, especially if the
anti-skid foot was adhesively secured to the device, resulting in
the device no longer being level relative to a support surface and
probable loss of the anti-skid foot.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0002] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device in
which an embodiment of an anti-skid foot assembly is employed to
advantage; and
[0003] FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating an exploded assembly view
of an embodiment of the anti-skid foot assembly of FIG. 1;
[0004] FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating an assembled view of the
embodiment of the anti-skid foot assembly of FIG. 2A; and
[0005] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of an
anti-skid foot assembly.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device 10 in
which an embodiment of an anti-skid foot assembly 12 is employed to
advantage. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, electronic
device 10 comprises a notebook or laptop computer 14 having a
display member 16 rotatably coupled to a base member 18. However,
it should be understood that anti-skid foot assembly 12 may be
incorporated and/or otherwise used with other types of devices,
electronic or non-electronic, such as, but not limited to, a
personal digital assistant, tablet computer, and gaming device. In
the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, display member 16 and base
member 18 each comprise a housing 20 and 22, respectively. Each of
housings 20 and 22 generally comprises various walls located on
various edges, sides and/or surfaces thereof. For example, in the
embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, housing 22 comprises a front wall
30, a rear wall 32, oppositely disposed side walls 34 and 36, an
upper wall or working surface 38, and a bottom wall 40. In the
embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, four anti-skid foot assemblies 12
are illustrated as being disposed on bottom wall 40. However, it
should be understood that the quantity of anti-skid foot assemblies
12 may be varied, and the locations of anti-skid foot assemblies 12
on device 10 may be varied. In FIG. 1, anti skid foot assemblies 12
are illustrated having a round or circular configuration. However,
it should be understood that anti-skid foot assemblies 12 may be
configured having square, rectangular, elliptical, or another type
of geometric configuration.
[0007] FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating an exploded assembly view
of anti-skid foot assembly 12 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is a diagram
illustrating an assembled view of anti-skid foot assembly 12 of
FIG. 2A. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B,
anti-skid foot assembly 12 comprises an anti-skid foot 42 couplable
to device 10. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS.
2A and 2B, bottom wall 40 of housing 22 comprises an annular
shoulder 44 (e.g., extending outwardly or away from an exterior
surface 46 of bottom wall 40) forming a cylindrically-shaped cavity
48 for receiving anti-skid foot 42 therein. In the embodiment
illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, bottom wall 40 also comprises an
annular shoulder 50 extending inwardly from an interior surface 52
of bottom wall 40 to facilitate forming of cavity 48. However, it
should be understood that housing 22 may be otherwise configured
for receiving and/or otherwise engaging anti-skid foot 42 (e.g., in
some embodiments, anti-skid foot 42 may be attached directly to a
planar surface of housing 22). In the embodiment illustrated in
FIGS. 2A and 2B, cavity 48 substantially reduces the likelihood of
anti-skid foot 42 being sheared away from device 10 at least
because shoulder 44 and corresponding walls surrounding cavity 48
substantially reduce a moment arm of any force applied to anti-skid
foot 42 in a direction substantially parallel or planar to support
surface 64.
[0008] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, anti-skid
foot 42 comprises a closed end 60 and an open end 62. In operation,
anti-skid foot 42 is attached and/or otherwise coupled to housing
22 such that closed end 60 is disposed against and/or otherwise
positioned to rest on a support surface 64 when anti-skid foot 42
is coupled to device 10 and device 10 is positioned to rest on
support surface 64. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2A and
2B, anti-skid foot 42 comprises an outer portion 70 and an inner
substrate portion 72. In some embodiments, outer portion 70
comprises an elastomer material such as, but not limited to, a
thermoplastic elastomer, thermoplastic urethane, thermoplastic
rubber or other material having anti-skid properties that
preferably will not scratch or mar support surface 64 and is at
least somewhat flexible and or resilient. In some embodiments,
substrate portion 72 comprises a rigid, high-strength thermoplastic
such as, but not limited to, polycarbonate. However, it should be
understood that the materials used to form anti-skid foot 42 may be
otherwise varied. In some embodiments, anti-skid foot 42 is
manufactured using an injection molding process such that outer
portion 70 is overmolded onto substrate portion 72, thereby
creating a chemical or cross-linked bond between the materials
forming outer portion 70 and substrate portion 72. As illustrated
in FIGS. 2A and 2B, outer portion 70 is disposed over and/or
otherwise covers at least the portion of substrate portion 72 near
closed end 60 such that only outer portion 70 is disposed in
contact with support surface 64.
[0009] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, anti-skid
foot 42 also comprises a threaded insert 76 disposed within an
annular shaped cavity 77 formed by substrate portion 72. For
example, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B,
substrate portion 72 comprises an annular wall 80 and a cross wall
82, thereby forming a cap-shaped substrate portion 72. In the
embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, threaded insert 76 is
disposed within cavity 77 formed by substrate portion 72 such that
anti-skid foot 42 is internally threaded to facilitate engagement
of anti-skid foot 42 with an externally threaded member. In some
embodiments, threaded insert 76 is ultrasonically welded or heat
inserted into cavity 77 and to substrate portion 72 to fixedly
secure threaded insert 76 to anti-skid foot 42. However, it should
be understood that anti-skid foot 42 may be otherwise configured to
be internally threaded (e.g., in some embodiments, threads may be
formed directly on wall 80 of substrate portion 72).
[0010] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, anti-skid
foot assembly 12 comprises an externally threaded member 90 (e.g.,
a screw or other type of fastening member) insertable through an
opening 92 formed in housing 22 such that a threaded portion 94 of
member 90 extends outwardly from and/or downwardly relative to
housing 22 for engagement with threaded insert 76 of anti-skid foot
42. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B,
threaded portion 94 is inserted through opening 92 to threadably
engage threaded insert 76 of anti-skid foot 42 such that anti-skid
foot 42 is positioned and/or otherwise retained within cavity 48 by
a head portion 96 of threaded member 90 seated against an interior
surface 98 of bottom wall 40. In some embodiments, a thread
retention adhesive may be used to further secure anti-skid foot 42
to threaded member 90.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of
anti-skid foot assembly 12. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG.
3, threaded member 90 is formed and/or otherwise manufactured as an
integral member of housing 22 and/or bottom wall 40 (e.g., a
single, unitary structure). Thus, in this embodiment, anti-skid
foot 12 threadably engages an outwardly extending threaded
extension 100 of housing 22 to secure anti-skid foot 42 to housing
22. However, it should be understood that the extension 100 may be
otherwise formed (e.g., as a separate and/or discrete component
welded, bonded, or otherwise secured to housing 22).
[0012] Thus, embodiments of anti-skid foot assembly 12 provide an
anti-skid foot 42 that is resistant to being sheared off or peeled
away from device 10. Embodiments of anti-skid foot assembly 12
provide an anti-skid foot 42 that is also resistant to contaminants
that may otherwise adversely affect an adhesive-based bond of an
anti-skid foot to a device.
* * * * *