Accessory support device

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an accessory support device, comprising a support structure defining a flat base plane, and comprising an inclined portion supported on the support structure, extending in an inclined plane upwardly relative to the base plane from a front portion of the accessory support device to a rear portion of the accessory support device. The accessory support device also includes a vertical portion supported on the support structure or on the inclined portion, extending in a mostly vertical plane relative to the base plane from the rear portion of the accessory support device to form a privacy panel to prevent the user from being seen from the rear portion of the accessory support device. The vertical portion and the inclined portion are connected in an angularly adjustable manner by an angle compensation device to compensate the vertical portion for angular adjustment of the inclined portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an accessory support device. Background Art

[0002] Sitting at a desk behind a computer for long periods of time can lead to muscle strain, fatigue, and stress. However, ergonomics experts say there are several simple and effective ways computer users can improve their physical comfort, combat fatigue, and reduce the risk of injury.

[0003] Optimal ergonomics requires adjusting the work area to suit the needs of the user.

[0004] Small adjustments in spinal posture can quickly yield benefits. Even at home, but especially in stressful environments such as offices, users can force their bodies into rigid positions, leading to fatigue, muscle strain, and potential injury.

[0005] Maintaining what experts call an optimal ergonomic positioning can increase energy levels and improve overall comfort. Good posture keeps the spine in what health experts call a neutral position. Maintaining a neutral position requires, for example, centering the weight of the head on top of the spine when sitting upright in a chair. Maintaining this position can help reduce muscle strain and relieve pressure on the lower back.

[0006] Among other things, to address stress issues, more attention should be paid to personal privacy and well-being in the workplace. One of the things needed to achieve better personal privacy is to create privacy by providing spatial divisions, such as with privacy screens, to help address visual distractions and improve productivity.

[0007] The installation of privacy screens often conflicts with the installation of flat-panel monitor arms due to impractical form factors. Even more frustrating about this combination is that it can result in insufficient desk depth for optimal viewing distance for computer users. As office costs per square meter rise, desks are becoming smaller and, most notably, less deep. At the same time, privacy screens are becoming thicker to absorb ambient noise, while flat-panel monitor arms are becoming larger to include more features, especially those equipped with brackets to facilitate two or even three monitors, or those with laptop stands mounted on them.

[0008] Previous attempts have been made to independently design and develop privacy screens and flat panel display arms. However, these attempts either fail to provide optimal viewing distances due to impractical form factors, are not adequately adjustable to accommodate users of different sizes, or require considerable effort to change the configuration and setup of all of these screens and arms or assemble these screens and arms as a whole. In addition, these attempts either fail to do this exactly where personal privacy is needed, or require a large amount of raw materials as a whole to work properly. For the above reasons, a device is needed that has a specific sleek form factor to create personal privacy for users sitting upright and helps keep the height within a range sufficient to accommodate users of different sizes. This device should preferably consistently elevate documents, mobile devices, laptops, and flat panel displays, and all of these have optimal viewing distances incorporated when preferably synchronously adjustable. Summary of the invention

[0009] The present disclosure is intended to alleviate the disadvantages of the prior art. To this end, the present disclosure provides an accessory support device, comprising: a support structure, defining a flat base plane; an inclined portion, supported on the support structure, having an inclined portion width, and extending upward in the inclined plane relative to the base plane along the inclined portion length from the front of the accessory support device facing the user to the rear of the accessory support device away from the user, the inclined portion including an accessory support surface extending at a first viewing angle of the user; and a vertical portion, supported on the support structure or on the inclined portion, having a vertical portion width, and extending in a mostly vertical plane relative to the base plane along the vertical portion length from the rear of the accessory support device at a second larger viewing angle of the user to form a privacy panel, thereby preventing the user from The user is viewed from the rear of the accessory support device; wherein the vertical portion is connected to the inclined portion in an angle-adjustable manner, optionally to the base or other portion of the support structure, preferably via a first hinge structure; wherein the inclined portion is connected to the base or other portion of the support structure in an angle-adjustable manner, preferably via a second hinge structure; wherein the first and second hinge structures are coupled by an angle compensation device, optionally by a parallelogram mechanism, to compensate the first hinge structure for angle adjustment of the second hinge structure, thereby keeping the angle of the vertical portion relative to the base plane mostly unchanged when adjusting the angle of the inclined portion relative to the base plane.

[0010] This configuration helps to keep the height within a range sufficient to accommodate users of different sizes. Moreover, this configuration consistently elevates documents, mobile devices, laptops, and flat panel displays.

[0011] This configuration simultaneously elevates documents, mobile devices, laptops, and flat panel displays, all with optimal viewing distances incorporated.

[0012] Preferably, the accessory support device may be a desktop accessory support device, comprising a support structure to be supported on a user's desktop.

[0013] Advantageously, the accessory support device can be made from a single piece and single material, for example by bending or extruding highly sustainable (recycled) aluminum. The accessory support device can be of different sizes to accommodate users of different sizes. Bending aluminum sheets or extruding aluminum allows for a particularly sleek form factor. The vertical portion can be as thin as 3mm. This allows for incorporation of optimal viewing distances, even in cases where the desk depth required for these optimal viewing distances for computer users is insufficient. A device made from a single piece requires no configuration, no setup, and no assembly. Everyone can benefit from this structure, from design, development, mold making, all the way to manufacturing for the user. Sustainability is easily ensured.

[0014] The accessory support surface may be configured to support standard A4 or Legal size office paper in the longitudinal direction as well as a laptop (base) and for example a mobile phone or tablet. The majority of the vertical plane may be between -30 degrees (i.e. away from the user) and +10 degrees (i.e. towards the user), particularly between -20 degrees and +5 degrees relative to a plane perpendicular to the base plane. The vertical portion width may be much wider than the inclined portion width, for example at least 1.5 times, 2 times or more wider. The privacy panel itself may be prepared to carry a lightweight add-on, such as a felt privacy panel extender.

[0015] In this context, the vertical portion length may correspond at least to the inclined portion length, and the vertical portion width may correspond at least to the inclined portion width.

[0016] Preferably, the vertical portion comprises a connector portion, which is arranged to support a flat panel display, preferably by means of a connector element provided on the vertical portion. The flat panel display is carried on the side of the vertical portion facing the user. The connector portion may have one or more (slot-shaped) holes, or one or more (horizontally) undercut blind holes (slots), for example advantageously in a VESA pattern, to facilitate fixing of the flat panel display to the vertical portion.

[0017] A connecting device can be connected to the connector element, wherein the connecting device includes a fixing member to fix the flat panel display to the vertical portion. The fixing member can define a head and a body, the head of the fixing member is used to slidably engage the vertical portion, and the body of the fixing member can define a main portion and a threaded end, the main portion is used to act as a spacer, and the threaded end is used to threadably engage the flat panel display.

[0018] According to the present disclosure, the vertical portion may have a vertical member having a vertical member length and width that are respectively much smaller than the length and width of the inclined portion. Moreover, the vertical portion carries a flat panel display having a flat panel display length and width, so that the vertical member and the flat panel display carried thereon together form a privacy panel having a privacy panel length and width, respectively, and the privacy panel length and width respectively correspond to at least half of the length and width of the inclined portion, and optionally at least correspond to the length and width of the inclined portion, respectively. This advantageous structure can save a lot of raw materials.

[0019] Advantageously, the length and width of the inclined portion, in particular the length and width of the accessory support surface, may correspond at least to the length and width of a standard A4 or legal size office paper, respectively, in the longitudinal direction.

[0020] Elegantly, the inclined portion, in particular the accessory support surface thereof, may comprise a flange portion extending transversely to the accessory support surface near the front of the accessory support device to prevent an accessory supported on the inclined portion, in particular the accessory support surface thereof, from sliding down.

[0021] In one particularly cost-effective embodiment, the support structure may include a flat base having a base width and extending along a base length from the rear portion of the accessory support device to the front portion of the accessory support device.

[0022] Elegantly, the support structure may be provided with a central opening at the front of the accessory support device to provide access to a storage area located below the inclined portion to facilitate keyboard cleaning and storage of keyboards, mobile phones and tablets and documents, for example. The base may include legs at the sides with gaps between the legs to facilitate easy sliding in.

[0023] According to the present disclosure, the upright portion may be connected to the inclined portion in an angularly adjustable manner, optionally to the base or other portion of the support structure, preferably by a first hinge configuration (about a first hinge configuration axis extending along the longitudinal axis of the first hinge configuration), and the inclined portion may be connected to the base or other portion of the support structure in an angularly adjustable manner, preferably by a second hinge configuration (about a second hinge configuration axis extending along the longitudinal axis of the second hinge configuration), and the first hinge configuration axis may extend parallel to the second hinge configuration axis. Such a configuration facilitates a height range sufficient to accommodate users of different sizes. Moreover, such a configuration consistently elevates documents, mobile devices, laptops, and flat panel displays.

[0024] Advantageously, the first and second hinge configurations may be coupled by an angle compensation device, optionally by a parallelogram mechanism, to compensate the first hinge configuration for angular adjustment of the second hinge configuration, thereby keeping the angle of the vertical portion relative to the base plane mostly unchanged when adjusting the angle of the inclined portion relative to the base plane. Such a configuration simultaneously elevates documents, mobile devices, laptops, and flat panel displays, all with optimal viewing distances incorporated.

[0025] Elegantly, independently of the angular adjustment of the inclined portion relative to the base plane, the vertical portion may be angularly adjustable relative to the base plane.

[0026] According to the present disclosure, a counterbalancing force device acting between the base or other parts of the support structure and the inclined portion can be used. The counterbalancing force device can be a gas lift or a spring, or a more compact solution, such as a positioning hinge using friction and torsion spring force.

[0027] Moreover, in accordance with the present disclosure, the tilting portion may include a movable component, which optionally includes at least a portion of the accessory support surface, and the movable component is optionally connected to the tilting portion by a third hinge structure so as to be independently angle-adjustable relative to the tilting portion. This movable component can be used to further improve the optimal viewing distance and angle. This movable component can be used to facilitate documents, such as when a user needs to read more than one document. This movable component can also be used to facilitate laptops, such as when a laptop computer located on a first accessory support device is used with a flat-panel display located on a second accessory support device and when the user elegantly wishes to keep the two privacy panels horizontally aligned. For optimal viewing, preferably, the laptop screen is horizontally aligned with the flat-panel display (e.g., the bottom or top of their screens are aligned). This requires the additional movable component.

[0028] The hinge construction comprises, for example, a positioning hinge, which comprises, for example, a continuous friction member, allowing the creation of a threshold of symmetrical counterbalancing to counteract gravity. In addition, the hinge construction comprises, for example, a positioning hinge, which comprises, for example, a continuous friction member and a coiled torsion spring, allowing the creation of a threshold of asymmetrical counterbalancing to counteract gravity. Advantageously, the hinge construction comprises a hinge member having means for preventing the hinge member from rotating, such as a circumferential knurled surface, and means for correct positioning in the hinge construction, such as a flat portion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The present disclosure will be further described based on the example embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. In these drawings:

[0030] Figure 1 A schematic three-dimensional view showing a first embodiment of an accessory support device according to the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 2 A schematic perspective view showing a second embodiment of an accessory support device according to the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 3 A schematic three-dimensional view showing a third embodiment of an accessory support device according to the present disclosure;

[0033] Figure 4 A schematic three-dimensional view showing a fourth embodiment of an accessory support device according to the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 5 A schematic perspective view showing a fifth embodiment of an accessory support device according to the present disclosure;

[0035] Figure 6 A schematic perspective view showing a sixth embodiment of an accessory support device according to the present disclosure;

[0036] Figure 7 A schematic perspective view showing a seventh embodiment of an accessory support device according to the present disclosure;

[0037] Figure 8 A schematic three-dimensional view showing an eighth embodiment of an accessory support device according to the present disclosure;

[0038] Fig. 9 A first exploded view showing an embodiment of an accessory support device according to the present disclosure; and

[0039] Fig.10 A second exploded view of an embodiment of an accessory support device according to the present disclosure is shown.

[0040] It should be noted that these drawings are only schematic diagrams of preferred embodiments of the present disclosure (given here as non-limiting exemplary embodiments). In this specification, the same or similar parts and elements have the same or similar reference numerals. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] Figure 1A first embodiment of an accessory support device 1 according to the present disclosure is shown. The accessory support device 1 comprises: a support structure 2 defining a flat base plane; an inclined portion 3 supported on the support structure 2, having an inclined portion width, and extending upward in the inclined plane relative to the base plane along the inclined portion length from the front of the accessory support device 1 facing the user to the rear of the accessory support device 1 away from the user, the inclined portion 3 comprising an accessory support surface 4 extending at a first viewing angle of the user; and a vertical portion 5 supported on the support structure 2 or on the inclined portion 3, having a vertical portion width, and extending in a mostly vertical plane relative to the base plane along the vertical portion length from the rear of the accessory support device 1 at a second viewing angle of the user to form a privacy panel 6 to prevent the user from being seen from the rear of the accessory support device 1. The support structure 2 can be fixed to a table, the inclined portion 3 can carry a laptop computer 7, or the vertical portion 5 can carry a privacy panel extender. The inclined portion 3, in particular the accessory support surface 4 thereof, comprises a flange portion 12 extending transversely to the accessory support surface 4 near the front of the accessory support device 1 to prevent the accessories supported on the inclined portion 3, in particular the accessory support surface 4, from sliding down. The support structure 2 is provided with a central opening 14 at the front of the accessory support device 1 to provide access to a storage area located below the inclined portion 3.

[0042] Figure 2 A second embodiment of an accessory support device 1 according to the present disclosure is shown. The accessory support device 1, wherein the vertical portion 5 includes a connector portion 9 configured to support a flat panel display 8, preferably via a connector element disposed on the vertical portion 5. The connector portion 9 may be composed of a set of holes 10 spaced apart in a VESA pattern.

[0043] Figure 3 A third embodiment of an accessory support device 1 according to the present disclosure is shown. An accessory support device 1 wherein the vertical portion 5 comprises a vertical member 11 having a vertical member length substantially less than the length of the inclined portion, and wherein the vertical portion 5 carries a flat panel display 8 having a flat panel display length, such that the vertical member 11 and the flat panel display 8 carried thereon together form a privacy panel 6 having a privacy panel length corresponding to at least half the length of the inclined portion, optionally corresponding to at least the length of the inclined portion.

[0044] Figure 4A fourth embodiment of an accessory support device 1 according to the present disclosure is shown. An accessory support device 1 wherein the vertical portion 5 comprises a vertical member 11 having a vertical member width substantially less than the width of the inclined portion, and wherein the vertical portion 5 carries a flat panel display 8 having a flat panel display width, such that the vertical member 11 and the flat panel display 8 carried thereon together form a privacy panel 6 having a privacy panel width corresponding to at least half the width of the inclined portion, optionally corresponding to at least the width of the inclined portion.

[0045] Figure 5 A fifth embodiment of an accessory support device 1 according to the present disclosure is shown. The accessory support device 1, wherein the vertical portion 5 is connected to the inclined portion 3 in an angularly adjustable manner, optionally to the base 13 or other parts of the support structure 2, preferably via a first hinge structure 15 around the first hinge structure axis. The vertical portion 5 and the inclined portion 3 can be folded in half and folded flat in this way, that is, they can be folded parallel to each other.

[0046] Figure 6 A sixth embodiment of an accessory support device 1 according to the present disclosure is shown. An accessory support device 1, wherein the inclined portion 3 is connected to the base 13 or other part of the support structure 2 in an angularly adjustable manner, preferably via a second hinge structure 21 around a second hinge structure axis. The first and second hinge structures 15, 21 may also include hole members and shaft members 16, 17, which have corresponding teeth 18, or have friction hinges 19, torsion springs 20, or a combination of these. As an alternative, a simple bolt and nut structure may also be used. The inclined portion 3 and the base 13 may be folded in half and folded flat in this way, that is, they may be folded parallel to each other. The first hinge structure axis may extend parallel to the second hinge structure axis.

[0047] Figure 7 A seventh embodiment of an accessory support device 1 according to the present disclosure is shown. An accessory support device 1 wherein the first and second hinge configurations 15, 21 are coupled by an angle compensation device 22, optionally by a parallelogram mechanism, to compensate the first hinge configuration 15 for angular adjustment of the second hinge configuration 21, thereby keeping the angle of the vertical portion 5 relative to the base plane mostly unchanged when adjusting the angle of the inclined portion 3 relative to the base plane. The shaft member 17 of the first hinge configuration 15 may include spaced teeth 23, or may include basic male and female friction members 24, 25, which may be equipped with additional friction sleeves 26 to form friction independent of the male and female friction members 24, 25 for independent angular adjustment. The first or second hinge configuration 16, 21 or both may include a friction hinge 19 and a torsion spring 20, acting as a counter force device 27.

[0048] Figure 8An eighth embodiment of an accessory support device 1 according to the present disclosure is shown. An accessory support device 1, wherein the tilting portion 3 comprises a movable part 28, the movable part 28 optionally comprising at least part of the accessory support surface 4, and the movable part 28 is optionally connected to the tilting portion 3 via a third hinge structure 29, so as to be independently angularly adjustable relative to the tilting portion 3. The shaft member 17 of the second and third hinge structures 21, 29 may also comprise spaced teeth 23, or may also comprise basic male and female friction members 24, 25, which may also be equipped with an additional friction sleeve 26 to form friction independent of the male and female friction members 24, 25 for independent angular adjustment. The width of the tilting portion, in particular the width of the accessory support surface 4, corresponds at least to the width of a standard A4 or legal size office paper 30 in the longitudinal direction.

[0049] Fig. 9 A first exploded view of an embodiment of an accessory support device 1 according to the present disclosure is shown.

[0050] Fig.10 A second (partial) exploded view of an embodiment of an accessory support device 1 according to the present disclosure is shown. Advantageously, the hinge construction comprises a hinge member having means for preventing the hinge member from rotating, such as a circumferential knurled surface 31, and means for correct positioning in the hinge construction, such as a flat portion.

[0051] These and other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the following claims.

[0052] Reference numerals list

[0053] 1. Accessory support device

[0054] 2. Support structure

[0055] 3. Inclined part

[0056] 4. Accessory support surface

[0057] 5. Vertical part

[0058] 6. Private Panel

[0059] 7. Laptop

[0060] 8. Flat panel display

[0061] 9. Connector

[0062] 10. Hole

[0063] 11. Vertical pieces

[0064] 12. Flange

[0065] 13. Base

[0066] 14. Central opening

[0067] 15. First hinge structure

[0068] 16. Hole parts

[0069] 17. Shaft

[0070] 18. Teeth

[0071] 19. Friction hinge

[0072] 20. Torsion spring

[0073] 21. Second hinge structure

[0074] 22. Angle compensation device

[0075] 23. Spaced teeth

[0076] 24 male friction parts

[0077] 25. Mother friction parts

[0078] 26. Friction sleeve

[0079] 27Balance device

[0080] 28. Movable Parts

[0081] 29. Third hinge structure

[0082] 30.A4 office paper

[0083] 31. Knurled surface

Claims

1. An accessory support device, comprising: A support structure that defines a flat base plane; an inclined portion supported on the support structure, having an inclined portion width and extending upwardly in an inclined plane relative to the base plane along the inclined portion length from a front portion of the accessory support device facing the user to a rear portion of the accessory support device away from the user, the inclined portion including an accessory support surface extending at a first viewing angle of the user; as well as a vertical portion supported on the support structure or the inclined portion, having a vertical portion width and extending in a vertical plane relative to the base plane from the rear of the accessory support device along the vertical portion length at a second viewing angle of the user to form a privacy panel to prevent the user from being seen from the rear of the accessory support device, The vertical portion is connected to the inclined portion in an angle-adjustable manner, connected to the base or other parts of the support structure, and connected by a first hinge structure. The inclined portion is connected to the base or other parts of the support structure in an angle-adjustable manner, and is connected via a second hinge structure. The first and second hinge structures are coupled via an angle compensation device to compensate the first hinge structure for angle adjustment of the second hinge structure, thereby maintaining the angle of the vertical portion relative to the base plane unchanged when adjusting the angle of the inclined portion relative to the base plane.

2. The accessory support device according to claim 1, wherein: The length of the vertical portion at least corresponds to the length of the inclined portion.

3. The accessory support device according to claim 1, wherein: The width of the vertical portion at least corresponds to the width of the inclined portion.

4. The accessory support device according to claim 1, wherein: The vertical portion includes a connector portion configured to support a flat panel display.

5. The accessory support device according to claim 1, wherein: The vertical portion includes a vertical member having a vertical member length that is much smaller than the length of the inclined portion, and wherein the vertical portion carries a flat-panel display having a flat-panel display length, so that the vertical member and the flat-panel display carried thereon together form a privacy panel having a privacy panel length, and the privacy panel length corresponds to at least half of the length of the inclined portion.

6. The accessory support device according to claim 1, wherein: The vertical portion includes a vertical member having a vertical member width that is much smaller than the width of the inclined portion, and wherein the vertical portion carries a flat panel display having a flat panel display width, so that the vertical member and the flat panel display carried thereon together form a privacy panel having a privacy panel width, and the privacy panel width corresponds to at least half of the width of the inclined portion.

7. The accessory support device of claim 1, wherein: The bevel length corresponds at least to the length of a standard A4 or legal size office paper in the longitudinal direction.

8. The accessory support device of claim 1, wherein: The bevel width corresponds at least to the width of a standard A4 or legal size office paper in the longitudinal direction.

9. The accessory support device of claim 1, wherein: The inclined portion includes a flange portion extending transversely to the accessory support surface near the front portion of the accessory support device to prevent an accessory supported on the inclined portion from sliding down.

10. The accessory support device of claim 1, wherein: The support structure includes a flat base having a base width and extending along a base length from the rear portion of the accessory support device to the front portion of the accessory support device.

11. The accessory support device of claim 1, wherein: The support structure defines a central opening at the front portion of the accessory support device to provide access to a storage area below the ramp.

12. The accessory support device of claim 1, wherein: Independent of the angular adjustment of the inclined portion relative to the base plane, the vertical portion is angularly adjustable relative to the base plane.

13. An accessory support device as claimed in claim 1, including a counterbalancing force device acting between the base or other part of the support structure and the inclined portion.

14. The accessory support device of claim 1, wherein: The configuration for angular adjustment of the vertical portion relative to the base plane is between the user and a side of the privacy panel facing the user.

15. The accessory support device of claim 1, wherein: The configuration for angular adjustment of the inclined portion relative to the base plane is between the user and a side of the privacy panel facing the user.

16. The accessory support device of claim 1, wherein: The tilting portion includes a movable component, the movable component including at least a portion of the accessory support surface, and the movable component is connected to the tilting portion by a third hinge configuration so as to be independently angularly adjustable relative to the tilting portion.

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