IES990817A2

IES990817A2 - Computer Terminal Pedestal

Info

Publication number: IES990817A2
Authority: IE
Inventors: Oliver Hood
Original assignee: Ergoview Technologies Ltd
Priority date: 1999-09-30
Filing date: 1999-09-30
Publication date: 2001-04-04

Abstract

A pedestal for a video display unit comprises a generally horizontal platform (12) having a plurality of non-linear corrugations (22) on its upper surface. <Figure 2>

Description

This invention relates to a pedestal for a video display unit.

According to the present invention there is provided a pedestal for a video display unit, comprising a generally horizontal platform having a corrugated upper surface.

Preferably the corrugations are non-linear, most preferably serpentine.

In an embodiment the platform is substantially rectangular in plan view and the corrugations extend substantially fully between opposite substantially parallel side edges of the platform.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pedestal according to a first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a pedestal according to a second embodiment of the invention; Fig. 3 shows the pedestal of the first embodiment located over the pedestal of the second embodiment ready for stacking; pi2 9060.spc IE990817 Fig. 4 shows the pedestal of the first embodiment stacked on the pedestal of the second embodiment; Fig. 5 is a side view of the stacked pedestals of Fig. 4, seen from the direction indicated by the arrow A in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a side view of the stacked pedestals of Fig. 4, seen from the direction indicated by the arrow B in Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a side view of the stacked pedestals of Fig. 4, seen from the direction indicated by the arrow C in Fig. 4; Fig. 8 shows a video monitor mounted on a pedestal according to the first embodiment; and Fig. 9 shows a video monitor mounted on a pedestal according to the second embodiment.

Referring to Fig. 1, a pedestal 10 for a video display unit (VDU) comprises a platform 12 which is substantially rectangular, preferably square, in plan view with opposite pairs of substantially parallel side edges 14, 16 respectively. Opposite pairs of narrow sidewalls 18, 20 respectively depend from the opposite pairs of side edges 14, 16 respectively, giving the pedestal the general form of a shallow inverted tray. The platform 12 is substantially horizontal when the pedestal is resting on a horizontal support surface pi29060.spc IE990817 such as a desktop. The pedestal is preferably moulded in one piece from a rigid plastics material.

Substantially the entire upper surface of the platform 12 is corrugated with a plurality of substantially parallel ribs or corrugations 22 which extend in serpentine fashion across the upper surface of the platform from one side edge 14 to the other. The individual corrugations 22 may be solid or, more preferably, hollow from below so as to form corresponding channels in the lower surface of the platform 12. The top edges 22a of the corrugations are substantially coplanar.

In use, the pedestal 10 is placed on a flat substantially horizontal support surface, such as a desktop, and a VDU 100, Fig. 8, is placed on the corrugations 22. The corrugations 22 provide strength to the pedestal and, as compared to straight (linear) corrugations, their serpentine shape provides support for VDU bases of various shapes and sizes by providing more contact (support) surfaces than straight corrugations. Also, serpentine corrugations do not present parallel edges to the base of the VDU, thereby allowing easy sliding adjustment of the VDU on the pedestal. Being substantially coplanar, the corrugations do not present raised edges which could catch the base of the VDU.

Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment of pedestal 10' which differs from the first pedestal 10 only in that t'he opposite sidewalls 18' have a greater depth than the corresponding sidewalls 18 of Fig. 1, whereby the pi29060.spc IE990817 platform 12, and consequently the VDU 100, is supported at a greater height above the underlying support surface (Fig. 9) .

Although either of the pedestals 10 and 10' may be used alone as a support for a VDU, as seen in Figs. 8 and 9, they are designed for stacking one upon another to allow the VDU to be raised to different heights by selecting different combinations of pedestals 10 and/or 10' to be stacked. Although the following will describe the case of a pedestal 10' stacked on a pedestal 10, it will be understood that the stacking design allows either pedestal 10 or 10' to be stacked upon another of the same type or of the other type.

Each pedestal 10 and 10' has a plurality of aligned slots 24 formed in the tops of the corrugations 22 along each of the side edges 14 of the platform 12, and a plurality of lateral projections 26 (or 26' in the case of the pedestal 10') spaced evenly along each of the same side edges 14. The projections 26' differ from the projections 26 only in their greater depth, corresponding to the greater depth of the sidewall 18' .

When it is desired to stack the pedestal 10 on the pedestal 10', the pedestal 10 is lifted over the pedestal 10', Fig. 3, and then lowered so that the bottom of the pedestal 10 engages the top of the pedestal 10', Figs. 4 to 7. In particular, the lower ends of the projections 26 of the pedestal 10 are received alternately between the upper ends of the projections 26' of the pedestal 10', while the lower pi2 9060.spc IE990817 edges of the sidewalls 18 between the projections 26 are received in the slots 24 of the pedestal 10’.

It will be seen that the engagement of the sidewalls 10 with the slots 24 provides positive location of the pedestal 10 relative to the pedestal 10' in the direction normal to the side edges 14, while the engagement of the projections 26 between the projections 26' provides positive location of the pedestal relative to the pedestal 10' in the direction parallel to the side edges 14, thereby preventing the top pedestal 10 from slipping in either direction relative to the bottom pedestal 10'.

Where a pedestal 10' is to be stacked on a pedestal 10, it is the lower ends of the projections 26' which are received alternately between the upper ends of the projections 26, and the lower edges of the sidewalls 18' which are received in the slots 24 of the pedestal 10. Where a pedestal 10 or 10' is to be stacked on a pedestal 10 or 10'of the same type, it is the lower ends of the projections 26 or 26' of the upper pedestal which are received alternately between the upper ends of the projections 26' or 26 of the lower pedestal, and the lower edges of the sidewalls 18 or 18' which are received in the slots 24 of the lower pedestal.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein which may be modified or varied without departing from the scope of the invention. pi2 9060.spc

Claims

1. A pedestal for a video display unit, comprising a generally horizontal platform having a corrugated upper surface .

2. A pedestal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the corrugations are serpentine.

3. A pedestal as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the platform is substantially rectangular in plan view and the corrugations extend substantially fully between opposite substantially parallel side edges of the platform.

4. A pedestal as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, including means for positive location of the bottom of the pedestal with the top of a like pedestal to allow stacking of the pedestals.

5. A pedestal as claimed in claim 6, wherein the means for positive location comprises a plurality of aligned slots formed in the corrugations along each of said side edges for receiving a dependant edge of a like pedestal and a plurality of lateral projections spaced evenly along each of said side edges such that when two such pedestals are stacked one upon the other the lower ends of the projections of the upper pedestal are received alternately between the upper ends of the projections of the lower pedestal.