Computer monitor stand having an internal tray

Abstract

A stand has a tray movably extending along a first axis and also along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The tray has a pair of tray guide rails parallel to the second axis and located to engage a parallel pair of upper guide rails on an intermediate support. The support in turn has a pair of lower guide rails located to engage a pair of housing guide rails parallel to the first axis. The different mating pairs of guide rails guide the tray in and out of adjacent and perpendicular sides of the housing, with the support traveling along the first axis but not the second.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A support stand for office equipment, comprising:
 a rectangular housing having two front corner posts and two back corner posts and a top supported by the corner posts, a front elongated connecting member connecting the front corner posts and a back elongated connecting member connecting the rear corner posts and being parallel to the front elongated connecting member, first and second parallel guide rails each extending between the front and back connecting members and each having an opposing end fastened to an upper side of the front and back connecting members, the first and second guide rails being parallel and extending parallel to a first axis extending between the front corner posts, the front and back elongated connecting members being parallel to a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis and exits a side of the housing;   an intermediate guiding support having third and fourth guide rails on a lower portion thereof and parallel to the first axis and located to be aligned with and adjacent to the first and second guide rails during use to guide motion of the intermediate guiding support along the first axis during use, the intermediate guiding support having fifth and sixth guide rails on an upper portion thereof and parallel to the second axis;   a tray having at least a front and one side adjacent the front and a bottom connected to the front and the at least one side, and further including seventh and eight guide rails connected to the tray bottom and parallel with the second axis and located to align with and adjacent to the fifth and sixth guide rails during use to guide travel of the tray along the second axis during use, the tray being configured to fit through a front opening defined by the front corner posts, the top and the first elongated connecting member so the tray may move along the first axis guided by the first through fourth guide rails, the tray being further configured to fit through a side opening defined by one front and one rear corner post, the top and one of the first or second guide rails so the tray may move along the second axis guided by the fifth through eight guide rails.   
     
     
         2 . The support stand of  claim 1 , further comprising a motion limit stop limiting travel of the tray in a first direction along the first axis. 
     
     
         3 . The support stand of  claim 1 , wherein the motion limit stop comprises one of a member extending from the third or fourth guide rails, or a projection fastened to the first or second guide rails. 
     
     
         4 . The support stand of  claim 1 , further comprising a motion limit stop limiting travel of the tray in a first direction along the second axis. 
     
     
         5 . The support stand of  claim 4 , wherein the motion limit stop comprises one of a member extending from the sixth or seventh guide rails, or a projection depending from the tray. 
     
     
         6 . The support stand of  claim 1 , wherein the tray has a shaped gripping opening on the front and a different shaped gripping opening on at least one side adjacent the front, the shaped gripping openings configured to be manually gripped to move the tray relative to the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The support stand of  claim 1 , wherein the third and fourth guide rails each have a depending portion adjacent one end, with a laterally extending projection configured so the laterally extending portion is located below but adjacent to a different one of the first and second guide rails so that the projection cannot move vertically past the guide rail to which the projection is adjacent. 
     
     
         8 . The support stand of  claim 1 , wherein the seventh and eighth guide rails each have a depending portion adjacent one end, with a laterally extending projection configured so the laterally extending portion is located below but adjacent to a different one of the fifth and sixth guide rails so that the projection cannot move vertically past the guide rail to which the projection is adjacent. 
     
     
         9 . The support stand for office equipment as in  claim 1 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth guide rails are in substantially the same plane. 
     
     
         10 . The support stand of  claim 1 , wherein the fifth, sixth, seventh and eight guide rails are in substantially the same plane. 
     
     
         11 . A support stand for office equipment, comprising
 a housing having a tray movably extending out of and into the housing along a first axis and also out of and into the housing along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, the housing comprising, the tray having two tray guide rails extending on opposing sides of and parallel to the second axis;   first and second guide rails supported by the housing and extending parallel to and on opposing sides of the first axis;   an intermediate guiding support located above and resting on the first and second guide rails, third and fourth guide rails each depending from the intermediate guiding support parallel to and adjacent to a different one of the first and second guide rails so as to guide the tray along the first guide rails as the tray moves into and out of the housing along the first axis, the intermediate guiding support having fifth and sixth guide rails each extending above the intermediate guiding support parallel to and on opposing sides of a different one of the two tray guide rails and extending a distance sufficient to cooperate with the two tray guide rails to guide the tray as the tray moves in and out of the housing along the second axis.   
     
     
         12 . The support stand of  claim 11 , wherein the intermediate guiding support moves along the first axis with the tray as the tray moves in and out of the housing. 
     
     
         13 . The support stand of  claim 11 , wherein the intermediate guiding support does not move along the second axis with the tray as the tray moves in and out of the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The support stand of  claim 11 , further comprising a motion limit stop limiting travel of the tray along the first axis to prevent a back portion of the tray from extending outside the housing while a front side of the tray is in the housing. 
     
     
         15 . The support stand of  claim 11 , wherein the motion limit stop comprises one of a member extending from the third or fourth guide rails, or a projection fastened to the first or second guide rails. 
     
     
         16 . The support stand of  claim 11 , further comprising a motion limit stop limiting travel of the tray a first direction along the second axis. 
     
     
         17 . The support stand of  claim 16 , wherein the motion limit stop comprises one of a member extending from the tray guide rails, or a projection depending from the tray. 
     
     
         18 . The support stand of  claim 11 , wherein the third and fourth guide rails each have a depending portion adjacent one end, with a laterally extending projection configured so the laterally extending portion is located below but adjacent to a different one of the first and second guide rails so that the projection cannot move vertically past the guide rail to which the projection is adjacent. 
     
     
         19 . The support stand of  claim 11 , wherein the tray guide rails each have a depending portion adjacent one end, with a laterally extending projection configured so the laterally extending portion is located below but adjacent to a different one of the fifth and sixth guide rails so that the projection cannot move vertically past the guide rail to which the projection is adjacent. 
     
     
         20 . The support stand as in  claim 11 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth guide rails are in substantially the same plane. 
     
     
         21 . The support stand as in  claim 11 , wherein the fifth, sixth, seventh and eight guide rails are in substantially the same plane.