Holding apparatus, which can be placed on a table and is also mobile, for a work aid
Patent No. US7204193 (titled "Holding apparatus, which can be placed on a table and is also mobile, for a work aid") on May 13, 2004. The application was issued on Apr 17, 2007.
What is this patent about?
’193 is related to the field of ergonomic office furniture and portable equipment supports. It specifically addresses the need for height-adjustable platforms that can be used on existing desk surfaces to allow users to alternate between sitting and standing positions while using laptops or monitors.
The underlying idea behind ’193 is a mechanical height-adjustment system that utilizes geometric canting to provide instantaneous, tool-free locking. By exploiting the natural leverage and weight distribution of a cantilevered support plate, the device uses the friction generated by angled guide elements within a vertical track to hold its position without requiring manual knobs or levers.
The claims of ’193 focus on a free-standing assembly where a support plate is mounted to a slide that travels along a vertical stand. This slide is supported from below by a gas spring and features two distinct guide elements that are designed to cant within corresponding channels. This specific geometry ensures that the assembly remains fixed under the downward load of a work aid but can be easily repositioned by hand.
In practice, the invention functions through a balance of forces between the gas spring’s upward lift and the frictional resistance of the guide elements. To lower the platform, the user applies pressure to the rear region of the plate, while lifting from the front edge disengages the self-locking mechanism to allow upward travel. This interaction allows for continuous, fluid adjustment across the entire height of the stand.
This approach differs from prior solutions that relied on fixed increments, telescopic pins, or complex clamping handles. By integrating the locking function directly into the frictional locking of the guide interface and counterbalancing the weight with a gas spring, the invention provides a more intuitive, one-handed adjustment experience that remains stable under load while remaining portable enough to be disassembled for transport.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical Landscape
In the early 2000s when ’193 was filed, portable computing hardware was increasingly integrated into office environments at a time when ergonomic support systems were typically implemented using fixed-angle wedges or static risers. When systems commonly relied on rigid mechanical supports rather than integrated dynamic adjustment mechanisms, achieving a wide range of vertical travel on a desktop surface was often restricted by the use of bulky telescopic tripods or vehicle-mounted fixed stands. During this era, hardware constraints made the combination of a low-profile collapsed state and a stable, free-standing elevated state non-trivial, as existing solutions often required external anchors like table edges or lacked the structural rigidity to support hardware across a continuous vertical gradient.
Prosecution Position
The disclosed invention represents a technical advancement in ergonomic support structures through the integration of a free-standing vertical stand with a linear-guided support plate featuring self-locking guide elements. This architectural shift moves away from fixed-increment or externally-anchored supports toward a self-contained system capable of continuous height adjustment. The technical effect achieved is a weight-counterbalanced movement facilitated by a gas spring, which enables the precise positioning of heavy computing equipment while preventing unintentional descent. This configuration overcomes the constraint of limited vertical range, allowing a single desktop apparatus to transition between a near-flush surface position and an elevated standing-height position without requiring permanent installation or specialized furniture.
Claims
The patent contains a total of 7 claims, with claim 1 serving as the sole independent claim. This primary claim focuses on a mobile holding apparatus for a work aid, specifically detailing a height-adjustable support plate mounted on a free-standing stand that utilizes a gas spring and a self-locking slide mechanism featuring canted guide elements for frictional locking. The dependent claims serve to further define the structural components of the device, such as the specific arrangement of the support arms, the configuration of the base feet, the modularity of the parts, and the inclusion of a specialized container for transporting the disassembled apparatus.
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US7204193
- Application Number
- US10844831A
- Filing Date
- May 13, 2004
- Publication Date
- Apr 17, 2007
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO , Google Patents