Device positioning supports

Abstract

A device positioning support for selectively positioning a device in one of a plurality of positions comprising a base, a pair of links which are each connected to the base and to a device, a manually operable self-locking release comprising a biasing member which normally biases a first constraint connected to one of the links into engagement with a second constraint connected to the other link in order to prevent relative movement of the links. The release is manually operable to relieve the biasing force and thereby permit relative movement between the first link relative to the second link in order to reposition the device.

1 . A device positioning support for selectively positioning a device in one of a plurality of positions, said device comprising:
 a base,   a pair of generally parallel links pivotally connected to said base and to a device, a first one of said links comprising a first plurality of teeth,   a manually operable self-locking release comprising a biasing member and a second plurality of teeth, wherein said release is connected to the second one of said links,   said release normally biasing said second plurality of teeth into engagement with said first plurality of teeth to prevent relative movement of said first plurality of teeth with respect to said second plurality of teeth,   said release manually operable to reduce the biasing force applied to said teeth sufficiently to allow disengagement of said respective teeth thereby allowing movement of said first link relative to said second link.   
     
     
         2 . A device positioning support according to  claim 1  wherein said first plurality of teeth are integrally formed on said first link. 
     
     
         3 . A device positioning support according to  claim 2  wherein said release comprises a spring-biased clip connected to said second link. 
     
     
         4 . A device positioning support according to  claim 3  wherein at least one portion of said clip is pivotally connected to said second link. 
     
     
         5 . A device positioning support according to  claim 1  wherein said second plurality of teeth are integrally formed with said release. 
     
     
         6 . A device positioning support according to  claim 1  wherein said release is operable by one hand. 
     
     
         7 . A device positioning support according to  claim 1  wherein said device positioning support comprises a second plurality of links, a second pair of engageable teeth, and a second release. 
     
     
         8 . A device positioning support according to  claim 7  further comprising a linkage connecting said release with said second release, and wherein operation of one of said releases to allow disengagement of said first set of teeth also allows disengagement of said second plurality of engageable teeth. 
     
     
         9 . A device positioning support according to  claim 8  wherein said linkage comprising a sheathed wire. 
     
     
         10 . A device positioning support according to  claim 1  wherein said device positioning support comprises a device and said device comprises a lamp. 
     
     
         11 . A device positioning support according to  claim 1  wherein said links are generally parallel. 
     
     
         12 . A device positioning support according to  claim 1  wherein at least one of said links is selectively elongatable. 
     
     
         13 . A device positioning support according to  claim 12  further comprising a third plurality of teeth connected to said elongatable link. 
     
     
         14 . A device positioning support according to  claim 13  wherein said third plurality of teeth are arranged in a row which is substantially parallel to said elongatable link. 
     
     
         15 . A device positioning support according to  claim 13  wherein said release is selectively engageable with said third plurality of teeth to maintain the longitudinal configuration of said elongatable link. 
     
     
         16 . A device positioning support according to  claim 1  wherein both of said links are elongatable. 
     
     
         17 . A device positioning support according to  claim 16  further comprising a third plurality of teeth arranged in a row which is substantially parallel to said elongatable link. 
     
     
         18 . A device positioning support according to  claim 17  wherein said release is selectively engageable with said third plurality of teeth to maintain the longitudinal configuration of said elongatable link. 
     
     
         19 . A device positioning support according to  claim 16  wherein at least one of said links comprises a plurality of telescoping elements. 
     
     
         20 . A device positioning support according to  claim 1  wherein said second link is at least partially disposed in said first link. 
     
     
         21 . A device positioning support according to  claim 20  wherein said release is at least partially disposed in said first link. 
     
     
         22 . A device positioning support according to  claim 21  wherein said release is also at least partially disposed in said second link. 
     
     
         23 . A device positioning support according to  claim 1  wherein said release is at least partially disposed in said first link. 
     
     
         24 . A device positioning support according to  claim 23  wherein said release is also at least partially disposed in said second link. 
     
     
         25 . A device positioning support according to  claim 23  wherein said release comprises a sheathed wire. 
     
     
         26 . A device positioning support according to  claim 1  wherein said release comprises a sheathed wire. 
     
     
         27 . A device positioning support for selectively positioning a device in one of a plurality of positions, said device comprising:
 a base,   a pair of links pivotally connected to said base and to a device, each of said links comprising a longitudinal axis extending from said base to a device; a manually operable self-locking release comprising at least one projecting member, said release connected to a first one of said links,   a second one of said links comprising at least one receptor, said receptor configured to receive at least a portion of said projecting member with said receptor positioned on both sides of said projection generally along said axis;   said release normally biasing said at least one projection member into at least one receptor, so that movement of said projection relative to said longitudinal axis of said second link is prevented, and   said release manually operable to reduce the biasing force and permit said projection to move out of said receptor.   
     
     
         28 . A device positioning support according to  claim 27  wherein said links are generally parallel. 
     
     
         29 . A device positioning support according to  claim 27  wherein said projection and said receptor both comprise teeth. 
     
     
         30 . A device positioning support according to  claim 27  wherein said receptor comprises a resilient material. 
     
     
         31 . A device positioning support according to  claim 27  wherein said release is a one-hand-operated release. 
     
     
         32 . A device positioning support according to  claim 27  wherein said device positioning support comprises a second plurality of links, a second pair of engageable teeth, and a second release. 
     
     
         33 . A device positioning support according to  claim 32  further comprising a linkage connecting said release with said second release, and wherein operation of one of said releases to allow disengagement of said first set of teeth also allows disengagement of said second plurality of engageable teeth. 
     
     
         34 . A device positioning support for selectively positioning a device in one of a plurality of positions under a designed load, said device comprising:
 a base,   a first pair of links pivotally connected to said base and to an intermediate base,   a second pair of links connected to said intermediate base and a device,   a first release engageable with said first pair of links to prevent relative movement, under the designed load, between said links of said first pair of links; and   a second release engageable with said second pair of links to prevent relative movement, under the designed load, between said links of said second pair of links.   
     
     
         35 . A device positioning support according to  claim 34  further comprising a linkage operably connecting said first release with said second release so that the actuation of said first release causes the actuation of said second release. 
     
     
         36 . A device positioning support according to  claim 35  wherein said linkage comprising a wire. 
     
     
         37 . A device support positioning support according to  claim 35  wherein said linkage comprises a sheathed wire. 
     
     
         38 . A device positioning support according to  claim 34  wherein at least one of said pairs of links comprise links which are generally parallel. 
     
     
         39 . A device positioning support according to  claim 34  wherein said first pair and said second pair of links comprise links which are generally parallel. 
     
     
         40 . A device positioning support for selectively positioning a device in one of a plurality of positions, said device comprising:
 a base,   a pair of links pivotally connected to said base and to a device,   a manually operable self-locking release comprising a first constraint, said release connected to a first one of said links, said release comprising a biasing member which normally biases said first constraint into engagement with a second one of said links.   
     
     
         41 . A device positioning support according to  claim 40  wherein at least one of said links is selectively elongatable,
 further comprising a third constraint connected to said elongatable link, and 
 wherein said release is selectively engageable with said third constraint to maintain the longitudinal configuration of said elongatable link, 
 said release operable to reduce the biasing force applied to said third constraint to allow the elongation of said at least one elongatable link. 
 
     
     
         42 . A device positioning support according to  claim 40  wherein at least one of said constraints comprises teeth. 
     
     
         43 . A device positioning support according to  claim 40  wherein a plurality of said constraints comprise teeth. 
     
     
         44 . A device positioning support according to  claim 40  wherein said release is a one-hand-operated release. 
     
     
         45 . A device positioning support according to  claim 40  wherein said device positioning support comprises a second plurality of links, a second pair of engageable teeth and a second release. 
     
     
         46 . A device positioning support according to  claim 45  further comprising a linkage connecting said release with said second release, and wherein operation of one of said releases to allow disengagement of said first set of teeth also allows disengagement of said second plurality of engageable teeth. 
     
     
         47 . A device positioning support for selectively positioning a device in one of a plurality of positions, said device comprising:
 a base,   a first link pivotally connected to said base and a device;   a second link disposed at least partially in said first link, said second link pivotally connected to said base and to said device, said second link comprising a second constraint,   a manually operable self-locking release at least partially disposed in said first link, said release comprising a first constraint, said release also comprising a biasing member which normally biases said first constraint into engagement with said second constraint.   
     
     
         48 . A device positioning support according to  claim 47  wherein said release is manually operable to reduce the biasing force on said first constraint sufficiently to allow disengagement of said constraints thereby allowing movement of said first link relative to said second link. 
     
     
         49 . A device positioning support according to  claim 47  wherein said release is a one-hand-operated release. 
     
     
         50 . A device positioning support according to  claim 47  wherein at least one of said constraints comprises a plurality of teeth. 
     
     
         51 . A device positioning support according to  claim 47  wherein said first constraint comprises a plurality of teeth and said second constraint comprises a plurality of teeth engageable with said teeth of said first constraint. 
     
     
         52 . A device positioning support according to  claim 47  wherein said device positioning support comprises a second plurality of links, a second pair of engageable teeth, and a second release. 
     
     
         53 . A device positioning support according to  claim 52  further comprising a linkage connecting said release with said second release, and wherein operation of one of said releases to allow disengagement of said first set of teeth also allows disengagement of said second plurality of engageable teeth. 
     
     
         54 . A device positioning support for selectively positioning a device in one of a plurality of positions under a designed load, said device comprising:
 a base,   a first link comprising a first end and a second end, said first link pivotally connected to said base proximate said first end and pivotally connected to a device proximate said second end,   a second link comprising a first end and a second end, said second link pivotally connected to said base proximate said first end and pivotally connected to a device proximate said second end,   said first link comprising a first plurality of teeth,   said second link comprising a second plurality of teeth which are movable relative to said first plurality of teeth when at least one of said links is pivoted relative to said base, said second plurality of teeth arranged for selective engagement with said first plurality of teeth,   a manually operable self-locking release connected to said second link and comprising a second plurality of teeth arranged for selective engagement with said first plurality of teeth, said release comprising a biasing member operatively connected to said second plurality of teeth to bias said second plurality of teeth toward engagement with said first plurality of teeth of said first link wherein engagement of said teeth of said second link with said teeth of said first link prevents movement of said first link, under the designed load, relative to said second link, said release manually operable to reduce the biasing force applied to said teeth of said second link sufficiently to allow disengagement of said respective teeth thereby allowing movement of said first link relative to said second link.   
     
     
         55 . A device positioning support according to  claim 54  wherein said release is a one-hand-operated release. 
     
     
         56 . A device positioning support according to  claim 54  wherein said first plurality of teeth are integrally formed on said first link. 
     
     
         57 . A device positioning support according to  claim 54  wherein said release is in the form of a spring-biased clip connected to said second link. 
     
     
         58 . A device positioning support according to  claim 57  wherein at least one portion of said clip is pivotally connected to said second link. 
     
     
         59 . A device positioning support according to  claim 54  wherein said second plurality of teeth are integrally formed with said release. 
     
     
         60 . A device positioning support according to  claim 54  wherein said device positioning support comprises a second pair of links, a second pair of engageable teeth, and a second release. 
     
     
         61 . A device positioning support according to  claim 60  further comprising a linkage connecting said release with said second release and wherein operation of said release allows disengagement of said first set of teeth and the second set of teeth. 
     
     
         62 . A device positioning support according to  claim 54  wherein said device positioning support comprises a device and said device comprises a lamp. 
     
     
         63 . A device position support according to  claim 62  wherein said device comprises a lamp.