Meter stand

Abstract

A meter stand is provided for holding a meter such as a multi-meter. In general, the meter stand includes an arm assembly detachably connected to a base member. The arm assembly includes a meter attachment assembly for holding the meter, a first arm attached to the meter attachment assembly, and a second arm hingedly connected to the first arm. The second arm also includes a socket attachment that detachably connects the arm assembly to the base member. In one embodiment, the base member is a magnetic base member. In another embodiment, the base member includes a clamp assembly. In yet another embodiment, the base member includes a stand assembly. The stand assembly can be used to support the meter stand on a substantially flat surface or a vertical surface or used in combination with a neck strap to support the meter stand around a user's neck.

1 . A meter stand for holding a meter, comprising: 
 a base member having a first socket attachment; and    an arm assembly, comprising: 
 an meter attachment assembly adapted to hold the meter;  
 a first arm having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end is coupled to said meter attachment; and  
 a second arm having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end is hingedly connected to said second end of said first arm and said second end has a second socket attachment detachably connected to said first socket attachment of said base member.  
   
   
   
       2 . The meter stand of  claim 1  wherein said first socket attachment is a male socket attachment and said second socket attachment is a female socket attachment.  
   
   
       3 . The meter stand of  claim 1  wherein said first socket attachment is a female socket attachment and said second socket attachment is a male socket attachment.  
   
   
       4 . The meter stand of  claim 1  wherein said arm assembly further comprises a first fastener coupled to said first end of said second arm and said second end of said first arm such that said second arm is free to hingedly rotate with respect to said first arm when said first fastener is unlocked, and said first arm and said second arm form a substantially rigid structure when said first locking mechanism is locked.  
   
   
       5 . The meter stand of  claim 4  wherein said first fastener comprises: 
 a bolt that passes through an orifice in each of said first and second arms of said arm assembly; and    a wing nut secured on said bolt such that said first fastener is locked by tightening said wing nut and unlocked by loosening said wing nut.    
   
   
       6 . The meter stand of  claim 5  wherein said first arm of said arm assembly further comprises said bolt and said bolt passes through said orifice in said second arm.  
   
   
       7 . The meter stand of  claim 5  wherein said second arm of said arm assembly further comprises said bol,t and said bolt passes through said orifice in said first arm.  
   
   
       8 . The meter stand of  claim 1  wherein said base member comprises a stand assembly, comprising: 
 an arm having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end comprises said first socket attachment;    a first support member hingedly connected to said second end of said arm of said stand assembly; and    a second support member hingedly connected to said second end of said arm of said stand assembly.    
   
   
       9 . The meter stand of  claim 8  wherein said first and second support members spread apart to stabilize said stand assembly.  
   
   
       10 . The meter stand of  claim 8  wherein said stand assembly further comprises a first fastener coupled to said second end of said arm and said first and second support members such that said arm and said first and second support members are free to hingedly rotate with respect to one another when said first fastener is unlocked, and said arm and said first and second support members form a substantially rigid structure when said first locking mechanism is locked.  
   
   
       11 . The meter stand of  claim 10  wherein said first fastener comprises: 
 a bolt that passes through an orifice in each of said arm and said first and second support members of said stand assembly; and    a wing nut secured on said bolt such that said first fastener is locked by tightening said wing nut and unlocked by loosening said wing nut.    
   
   
       12 . The meter stand of  claim 8  further comprising a neck strap having a first end detachably connected to a first orifice in a first end of said first support member and a second end detachably connected to a second orifice in a second end of said first support member.  
   
   
       13 . The meter stand of  claim 12  further comprising a waist strap having a first end detachably connected to a first orifice in a first end of said second support member and a second end detachably connected to a second orifice in a second end of said second support member.  
   
   
       14 . The meter stand of  claim 1  wherein said base member is a magnetic base member comprising said first socket attachment.  
   
   
       15 . The meter stand of  claim 14  wherein said magnetic base member further comprises a third socket attachment, wherein said first socket attachment and said third socket attachment are on adjacent sides of said magnetic base member.  
   
   
       16 . The meter stand of  claim 15  further comprising a clamp body, comprising a fourth socket attachment detachably coupled to said magnetic base member via said second socket attachment, wherein said clamp body and said magnetic base member form a c-clamp assembly.  
   
   
       17 . The meter stand of  claim 16  wherein said clamp body comprises: 
 a c-shaped portion having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said c-shaped portion comprises said fourth socket attachment and said second end of said c-shaped portion comprises a threaded orifice; and    a threaded bolt assembly passing through said threaded orifice and having a first end, wherein said meter stand is attached to a structure by upwardly rotating said threaded bolt until said first end is in contact with a bottom surface of said structure and a bottom side of said magnetic base member is in contact with an upper surface of said structure.    
   
   
       18 . The meter stand of  claim 1  wherein said base member comprises a clamp assembly comprising said first socket attachment.  
   
   
       19 . The meter stand of  claim 16  wherein said clamp assembly further comprises: 
 a c-shaped portion having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said c-shaped portion comprises said first socket attachment and said second end of said c-shaped portion comprises a threaded orifice; and    a threaded bolt assembly passing through said threaded orifice and having a first end, wherein said meter stand is attached to a structure by upwardly rotating said threaded bolt until said first end is in contact with a bottom surface of said structure and a bottom side of said first end of said c-shaped portion is in contact with an upper surface of said structure.    
   
   
       20 . The meter stand of  claim 1  wherein said meter attachment assembly has an adjustable width.  
   
   
       21 . The meter stand of  claim 1  wherein said meter attachment assembly comprises: 
 a first slotted member comprising a first portion having a first slot, a second portion having a first perpendicular tab, a front side, and a back side;    a second slotted member comprising a first portion having a second slot, a second portion having a second perpendicular tab, a front side, and a back side; and    a third slotted member comprising a first portion having a third slot, a second portion having a third perpendicular tab, a front side, and a back side;    a bolt passing through said front sides of said first, second, and third slotted members; and    a wing nut secured on said bolt at said back sides of said first, second, and third slotted members such that said first, second, and third slotted members are free to slide about said bolt when said wing nut is loosened and said first, second, and third slotted members form a substantially rigid structure when said wing nut is tightened;    said first slotted member and said second slotted member arranged such that said first slot overlaps said second slot and said first perpendicular tab is located horizontally across from said second perpendicular tab;    said third slotted member arranged such that said third slot overlaps said first and second slots and said third perpendicular tab is located on an axis perpendicular to said first and second perpendicular tabs.    
   
   
       22 . Meter stand of  claim 1  wherein said second arm further comprises a ball joint coupling said second socket attachment to said second arm.  
   
   
       22 . A meter stand for holding a meter, comprising: 
 a stand assembly, comprising: 
 an arm having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end comprises a first socket attachment;  
 a first support member hingedly connected to said second end of said first arm; and  
 a second support member hingedly connected to said second end of said first arm; and  
   an arm assembly, comprising: 
 a first end comprising a second socket attachment adapted to detachably connect said arm assembly to said first socket attachment of said stand assembly; and  
 a meter attachment assembly adapted to hold the meter at a second end of said arm assembly.  
   
   
   
       23 . The meter stand of  claim 22  wherein said first and second support members spread apart to stabilize said stand assembly.  
   
   
       24 . The meter stand of  claim 22  wherein said stand assembly further comprises a first fastener coupled to said second end of said arm and said first and second support members such that said arm and said first and second support members are free to hingedly rotate with respect to one another when said first fastener is unlocked, and said arm and said first and second support members form a substantially rigid structure when said first locking mechanism is locked.  
   
   
       25 . The meter stand of  claim 24  wherein said first fastener comprises: 
 a bolt that passes through an orifice in each of said arm and said first and second support members of said stand assembly; and    a wing nut secured on said bolt such that said first fastener is locked by tightening said wing nut and unlocked by loosening said wing nut.    
   
   
       26 . The meter stand of  claim 22  further comprising a neck strap having a first end detachably connected to a first orifice in a first end of said first support member and a second end detachably connected to a second orifice in a second end of said first support member.  
   
   
       27 . The meter stand of  claim 26  further comprising a waist strap having a first end detachably connected to a first orifice in a first end of said second support member and a second end detachably connected to a second orifice in a second end of said second support member.  
   
   
       28 . The meter stand of  claim 22  wherein said first socket attachment is a male socket attachment and said second socket attachment is a female socket attachment.  
   
   
       29 . The meter stand of  claim 22  wherein said first socket attachment is a female socket attachment and said second socket attachment is a male socket attachment.  
   
   
       30 . The meter stand of  claim 22  wherein said first support member and said arm are free to rotate such that the first support member and the arm are positioned within said second support member, thereby placing said stand assembly in a substantially flat folded position.  
   
   
       30 . A meter stand for holding a meter, comprising: 
 a magnetic base member having a first socket attachment; and    an arm assembly, comprising: 
 a second socket attachment at a first end of said arm assembly adapted to detachably connect said arm assembly to said first socket attachment of said magnetic base member; and  
 a meter attachment assembly adapted to hold the meter at a second end of said arm assembly.  
   
   
   
       31 . The meter stand of  claim 30  wherein said first socket attachment is a male socket attachment and said second socket attachment is a female socket attachment.  
   
   
       32 . The meter stand of  claim 30  wherein said first socket attachment is a female socket attachment and said second socket attachment is a male socket attachment.  
   
   
       33 . A meter stand for holding a meter, comprising: 
 a c-clamp assembly comprising a first socket attachment; and    an arm assembly, comprising: 
 a first end comprising a second socket attachment adapted to detachably connect said arm assembly to said first socket attachment of said c-clamp; and  
 a meter attachment assembly adapted to hold the meter at a second end of said arm assembly.  
   
   
   
       34 . The meter stand of  claim 33  wherein said first socket attachment is a male socket attachment and said second socket attachment is a female socket attachment.  
   
   
       35 . The meter stand of  claim 33  wherein said first socket attachment is a female socket attachment and said second socket attachment is a male socket attachment.  
   
   
       36 . The meter stand of  claim 33  wherein said c-clamp assembly further comprises: 
 a c-clamp body comprising a third socket attachment; and    a base member comprising said first socket attachment and a fourth socket attachment, wherein said fourth socket attachment is adapted to connect said base member to said third socket attachment.    
   
   
       37 . The meter stand of  claim 36  wherein said clamp body further comprises: 
 a c-shaped portion having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said c-shaped portion comprises said third socket attachment and said second end of said c-shaped portion comprises a threaded orifice; and    a threaded bolt assembly passing through said threaded orifice and having a first end, wherein said meter stand is attached to a structure by upwardly rotating said threaded bolt until said first end is in contact with a bottom surface of said structure and a bottom side of said base member is in contact with an upper surface of said structure.    
   
   
       38 . The meter stand of  claim 36  wherein said third socket attachment is a male socket attachment and said fourth socket attachment is a female socket attachment.  
   
   
       39 . The meter stand of  claim 36  wherein said third socket attachment is a female socket attachment and said fourth socket attachment is a male socket attachment.