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US-12616299-B1 - Platform assembly

US12616299B1US 12616299 B1US12616299 B1US 12616299B1US-12616299-B1

Abstract

A platform assembly with platform extending in a horizontal plane with a bottom surface, a vertical support member coupled to the platform and a C-clamp. The C-clamp comprises a horizontally oriented side coupled to the vertical support member; a first and second vertically oriented side extending downward; the second vertically oriented side comprising a threaded hole. A screw comprises a handle at a first end of the screw, and a shoe at a second end of the screw. A second end of the screw passes through the threaded hole and extends horizontally toward the first vertically oriented side of the C-clamp. Movement of the handle causes the second end of the screw to further extend horizontally toward the first vertically oriented side of the C-clamp such that the shoe and the first vertically oriented side of the C-clamp engage a support structure.

Inventors

  • Christopher Eng
  • Patrick Triato

Assignees

  • ILW LC

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20250729

Claims (19)

  1. 1 . A platform assembly comprising: a platform extending in a horizontal plane and having a bottom surface; a vertical support member having a lower end, and an upper end directly coupled to the bottom surface of the platform; a C-clamp comprising: a horizontal side at least a portion of which is coupled to the lower end of the vertical support member; a first vertical side meeting the horizontal side at a first corner of the C-clamp and extending downward; and a second vertical side meeting the horizontal side at a second corner of the C-clamp and extending downward, the second vertical side comprising a threaded hole; and a screw comprising a handle at a first end of the screw and a shoe at a second end of the screw, the second end of the screw passing through the threaded hole of the second vertical side of the C-clamp and extending horizontally toward the first vertical side of the C-clamp, wherein movement of the handle causes the second end of the screw to further extend horizontally toward the first vertical side of the C-clamp such that the shoe and the first vertical side of the C-clamp frictionally engage a support structure when the support structure is positioned between the first and second vertical sides of the C-clamp.
  2. 2 . The platform assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a vertical plate abutting an inside surface of the first vertical side of the C-clamp; and wherein the movement of the handle that causes the second end of the screw to further extend horizontally toward the first vertical side of the C-clamp such that the shoe and the first vertical side of the C-clamp frictionally engage the support structure when the support structure is positioned between the first and second vertical sides of the C-clamp, comprises movement of the handle that causes the second end of the screw to further extend horizontally toward the first vertical side of the C-clamp and the vertical plate abutting the inside surface of the first vertical side of the C-clamp such that the shoe and the first vertical side of the C-clamp and the vertical plate abutting the inside surface of the first vertical side of the C-clamp frictionally engage the support structure when the support structure is positioned between the first vertical side of the C-clamp abutting the vertical plate and second vertical side of the C-clamp.
  3. 3 . The platform assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a horizontal plate; wherein the portion of the horizontal side of the C-clamp coupled to the lower end of the vertical support member, comprises: the horizontal plate coupled to the lower end of the vertical support member; and the portion of the horizontal side of the C-clamp coupled to the horizontal plate.
  4. 4 . The platform assembly of claim 3 , further comprising a second C-clamp having a horizontal side coupled to the horizontal plate.
  5. 5 . The platform assembly of claim 3 , wherein the portion of the horizontal side of the C-clamp coupled to the horizontal plate, comprises the portion of the horizontal side of the C-clamp slidably coupled to the horizontal plate.
  6. 6 . The platform assembly of claim 3 , wherein the horizontal plate comprises an elongated aperture; and wherein the platform assembly further comprises a threaded fixing positioned along a length of the horizontal side of the C-clamp and passing through any position along the elongated aperture of the horizontal plate via which the portion of the horizontal side of the C-clamp is coupled to the horizontal plate.
  7. 7 . The platform assembly of claim 3 , wherein the horizontal plate coupled to the lower end of the vertical support member, and the portion of the horizontal side of the C-clamp coupled to the horizontal plate, comprises the horizontal plate molded with the horizontal side of the C-clamp as a single component of the platform assembly.
  8. 8 . The platform assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a threaded fixing positioned along a length of the horizontal side of the C-clamp via which to couple the portion of the horizontal side of the C-clamp to the lower end of the vertical support member.
  9. 9 . The platform assembly of claim 8 , wherein the horizontal side of the C-clamp comprises a hole positioned along the length of the horizontal side of the C-clamp through which the threaded fixing passes to couple the portion of the horizontal side of the C-clamp to the lower end of the vertical support member.
  10. 10 . The platform assembly of claim 9 , wherein the threaded fixing comprises a bolt with external male threads that passes through the hole positioned along the length of the horizontal side of the C-clamp to mate with a nut with internal female threads embedded at the lower end of the vertical support member to couple the portion of the horizontal side of the C-clamp to the lower end of the vertical support member.
  11. 11 . The platform assembly of claim 8 , wherein the horizontal side of the C-clamp comprises a plurality of holes positioned along the length of the horizontal side of the C-clamp, wherein the threaded fixing passes through any one of the plurality of holes of the horizontal side of the C-clamp to couple the portion of the horizontal side of the C-clamp to the lower end of the vertical support member.
  12. 12 . The platform assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first vertical side of the C-clamp comprises a threaded hole, the platform assembly further comprising a second screw comprising a handle at a first end of the second screw and a shoe at a second end of the second screw, the second end of the second screw passing through the threaded hole of the first vertical side of the C-clamp and extending horizontally toward the second vertical side of the C-clamp, wherein movement of the handle of the second screw causes the second end of the second screw to further extend horizontally toward the second vertical side of the C-clamp such that the shoes of the respective first and second screws frictionally engage the support structure when the support structure is positioned between the first and second vertical sides of the C-clamp.
  13. 13 . The platform assembly of claim 12 , wherein the threaded hole in the first vertical side of the C-clamp comprises a slot and a clip slidably engaged with the slot, wherein the second screw passing through the threaded hole of the first vertical side of the C-clamp comprises the second screw passing through the slot.
  14. 14 . The platform assembly of claim 13 , wherein the second screw comprises an externally threaded second screw, and wherein the clip comprises an internally threaded flange, wherein the second screw passing through the threaded hole of the first vertical side of the C-clamp comprises the externally threaded second screw passing through the internally threaded flange of the slot.
  15. 15 . The platform assembly of claim 1 , wherein the horizontal side of the C-clamp, at least the portion of which is coupled to the lower end of the vertical support member, comprises the horizontal side molded or 3D-printed with the lower end of the vertical support member as a single component of the platform assembly.
  16. 16 . The platform assembly of claim 1 wherein the vertical support member comprises a vertical cylinder having a diameter, as measured along a horizontal axis, and a length, as measured along a vertical axis, that is greater than the diameter of the cylinder.
  17. 17 . The platform assembly of claim 16 , wherein the length of the cylinder greater than the diameter of the cylinder, comprises the length of the cylinder greater than three times the diameter of the cylinder.
  18. 18 . The platform assembly of claim 16 , wherein the cylinder is a right circle cylinder.
  19. 19 . A platform assembly comprising: a platform extending in a horizontal plane and having a bottom surface; a vertical post having a width, as measured along a horizontal axis, and a length, as measured along a vertical axis, that is greater than the width, the vertical post having a lower end, and an upper end directly coupled to the bottom surface of the platform; a C-clamp comprising: a horizontal side at least a portion of which is coupled to the lower end of the vertical post; a first vertical side meeting the horizontal side at a first corner of the C-clamp and extending downward; and a second vertical side meeting the horizontal side at a second corner of the C-clamp and extending downward, the second vertical side comprising a threaded hole; and a screw comprising a handle at a first end of the screw and a shoe at a second end of the screw, the second end of the screw passing through the threaded hole of the second vertical side of the C-clamp and extending horizontally toward the first vertical side of the C-clamp, wherein movement of the handle causes the second end of the screw to further extend horizontally toward the first vertical side of the C-clamp such that the shoe and the first vertical side of the C-clamp frictionally engage a support structure when the support structure is positioned between the first and second vertical sides of the C-clamp.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 19/280,677 filed Jul. 25, 2025, entitled, “PLATFORM ASSEMBLY,” which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/838,491, filed Jul. 3, 2025, entitled “PLATFORM ASSEMBLY,” the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. This application is related to U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 18/213,110, issued on May 21, 2024 as U.S. Pat. No. 11,986,087, entitled “UTILITY TRAY”; U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 18/653,856, issued on Jul. 1, 2025 as U.S. Pat. No. 12,344,433, entitled “UTILITY TRAY”; and U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 18/974,579, filed Dec. 9, 2024, entitled “UTILITY TRAY,” the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. TECHNICAL FIELD Embodiments of the present invention relate to a platform, and in particular a platform that can be attached to an upright support member, which can in turn be attached to another support member. BACKGROUND Platforms, such as utility trays, have previously been provided with attachment means for attaching the platform to a supporting structure. However, the attachment means does not work well for some platforms, or for some support structures, for example, a bed frame. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identify the figure in which the reference number first appears. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical items or features. FIGS. 1A-1F illustrate a platform assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 1G, 1H, 1I and 1J illustrate a platform assembly in which a horizontally oriented plate may be molded or 3D-printed with a vertical support member as a single component, according to an embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 2A-2E illustrate a platform assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a platform assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 4A-4B illustrate a platform assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 5 illustrates a platform assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 6A-6C illustrate aspects of a platform assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 7A illustrates a platform assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 7B and 7C illustrate a platform assembly in which a portion of a horizontally oriented side of a C-clamp is molded or 3D-printed with the vertical support member as a single component of the platform assembly. FIG. 8 illustrates a platform assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 9A-9D illustrate a platform assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 10A-10B illustrate a platform assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 11A-11B illustrate a platform assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 12 illustrates a platform assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 13 illustrates a platform assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 14 illustrates a platform assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 15 illustrates a platform assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 16A-16H illustrate a platform assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. FIGS. 17A-17C illustrate a platform assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Embodiments of a platform assembly 100, 700, 800 are illustrated, for example, in FIGS. 1A-1F, 7 and 8. The platform assembly is capable of being frictionally engaged to, or clamped onto, a support structure 140, as disclosed in detail below. The support structure may have a rectangular cross section, as illustrated in FIG. 1F. Such a support structure may be made of solid wood, or hollow rectangular or square metal tubing. Alternatively, the support structure may be a right-angle structure, as illustrated in FIG. 1E, such as a piece of angle iron A platform 102 of the platform assembly extends in a horizontal plane and has a top surface 104 and bottom surface 106, as illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B. In one embodiment, the platform is a planar surface and is generally oriented in a horizontal plane. However, it is appreciated that the platform's surface may or may not be planar, or not entirely planar, according to an embodiment. Moreover, the platform may be tilted from the horizontal plane, for example, to accommodate reading a book or viewing an object (e.g., a display screen of a computing or electronic device placed on the platform, e.g., an electronic reader or computing tablet.) Optionally, the platform may be a tray or flat shallow container with a raised rim or edge, to hold food or drink or other objects. The platform assembly 100 inclu