Anti-skid foot assembly

BACKGROUND

Electronic devices, such as notebook computers, personal digital assistants, gaming devices, etc., and other devices that are generally portable or are susceptible to movement from use thereof have non- or anti-skid feet. These anti-skid feet are generally formed from rubber or soft plastic and are located on the bottom or underside of the device to prevent the device from sliding on a support surface and/or to prevent scratching or marring of the support surface. However, these anti-skid feet are susceptible to falling off or being sheared off, especially if the anti-skid foot was adhesively secured to the device, resulting in the device no longer being level relative to a support surface and probable loss of the anti-skid foot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> is a diagram illustrating an electronic device in which an embodiment of an anti-skid foot assembly is employed to advantage; and

<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2A</figref> is a diagram illustrating an exploded assembly view of an embodiment of the anti-skid foot assembly of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>;

<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2B</figref> is a diagram illustrating an assembled view of the embodiment of the anti-skid foot assembly of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2A</figref>; and

<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of an anti-skid foot assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> is a diagram illustrating an electronic device <b>10</b> in which an embodiment of an anti-skid foot assembly <b>12</b> is employed to advantage. In the embodiment illustrated in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, electronic device <b>10</b> comprises a notebook or laptop computer <b>14</b> having a display member <b>16</b> rotatably coupled to a base member <b>18</b>. However, it should be understood that anti-skid foot assembly <b>12</b> may be incorporated and/or otherwise used with other types of devices, electronic or non-electronic, such as, but not limited to, a personal digital assistant, tablet computer, and gaming device. In the embodiment illustrated in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, display member <b>16</b> and base member <b>18</b> each comprise a housing <b>20</b> and <b>22</b>, respectively. Each of housings <b>20</b> and <b>22</b> generally comprises various walls located on various edges, sides and/or surfaces thereof. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, housing <b>22</b> comprises a front wall <b>30</b>, a rear wall <b>32</b>, oppositely disposed side walls <b>34</b> and <b>36</b>, an upper wall or working surface <b>38</b>, and a bottom wall <b>40</b>. In the embodiment illustrated in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, four anti-skid foot assemblies <b>12</b> are illustrated as being disposed on bottom wall <b>40</b>. However, it should be understood that the quantity of anti-skid foot assemblies <b>12</b> may be varied, and the locations of anti-skid foot assemblies <b>12</b> on device <b>10</b> may be varied. In <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, anti skid foot assemblies <b>12</b> are illustrated having a round or circular configuration. However, it should be understood that anti-skid foot assemblies <b>12</b> may be configured having square, rectangular, elliptical, or another type of geometric configuration.

<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2A</figref> is a diagram illustrating an exploded assembly view of anti-skid foot assembly <b>12</b> of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>, and <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2B</figref> is a diagram illustrating an assembled view of anti-skid foot assembly <b>12</b> of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2A</figref>. In the embodiment illustrated in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2A and 2B</figref>, anti-skid foot assembly <b>12</b> comprises an anti-skid foot <b>42</b> couplable to device <b>10</b>. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2A and 2B</figref>, bottom wall <b>40</b> of housing <b>22</b> comprises an annular shoulder <b>44</b> (e.g., extending outwardly or away from an exterior surface <b>46</b> of bottom wall <b>40</b>) forming a cylindrically-shaped cavity <b>48</b> for receiving anti-skid foot <b>42</b> therein. In the embodiment illustrated in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2A and 2B</figref>, bottom wall <b>40</b> also comprises an annular shoulder <b>50</b> extending inwardly from an interior surface <b>52</b> of bottom wall <b>40</b> to facilitate forming of cavity <b>48</b>. However, it should be understood that housing <b>22</b> may be otherwise configured for receiving and/or otherwise engaging anti-skid foot <b>42</b> (e.g., in some embodiments, anti-skid foot <b>42</b> may be attached directly to a planar surface of housing <b>22</b>). In the embodiment illustrated in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2A and 2B</figref>, cavity <b>48</b> substantially reduces the likelihood of anti-skid foot <b>42</b> being sheared away from device <b>10</b> at least because shoulder <b>44</b> and corresponding walls surrounding cavity <b>48</b> substantially reduce a moment arm of any force applied to anti-skid foot <b>42</b> in a direction substantially parallel or planar to support surface <b>64</b>.

In the embodiment illustrated in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2A and 2B</figref>, anti-skid foot <b>42</b> comprises a closed end <b>60</b> and an open end <b>62</b>. In operation, anti-skid foot <b>42</b> is attached and/or otherwise coupled to housing <b>22</b> such that closed end <b>60</b> is disposed against and/or otherwise positioned to rest on a support surface <b>64</b> when anti-skid foot <b>42</b> is coupled to device <b>10</b> and device <b>10</b> is positioned to rest on support surface <b>64</b>. In the embodiment illustrated in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2A and 2B</figref>, anti-skid foot <b>42</b> comprises an outer portion <b>70</b> and an inner substrate portion <b>72</b>. In some embodiments, outer portion <b>70</b> comprises an elastomer material such as, but not limited to, a thermoplastic elastomer, thermoplastic urethane, thermoplastic rubber or other material having anti-skid properties that preferably will not scratch or mar support surface <b>64</b> and is at least somewhat flexible and or resilient. In some embodiments, substrate portion <b>72</b> comprises a rigid, high-strength thermoplastic such as, but not limited to, polycarbonate. However, it should be understood that the materials used to form anti-skid foot <b>42</b> may be otherwise varied. In some embodiments, anti-skid foot <b>42</b> is manufactured using an injection molding process such that outer portion <b>70</b> is overmolded onto substrate portion <b>72</b>, thereby creating a chemical or cross-linked bond between the materials forming outer portion <b>70</b> and substrate portion <b>72</b>. As illustrated in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2A and 2B</figref>, outer portion <b>70</b> is disposed over and/or otherwise covers at least the portion of substrate portion <b>72</b> near closed end <b>60</b> such that only outer portion <b>70</b> is disposed in contact with support surface <b>64</b>.

In the embodiment illustrated in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2A and 2B</figref>, anti-skid foot <b>42</b> also comprises a threaded insert <b>76</b> disposed within an annular shaped cavity <b>77</b> formed by substrate portion <b>72</b>. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2A and 2B</figref>, substrate portion <b>72</b> comprises an annular wall <b>80</b> and a cross wall <b>82</b>, thereby forming a cap-shaped substrate portion <b>72</b>. In the embodiment illustrated in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2A and 2B</figref>, threaded insert <b>76</b> is disposed within cavity <b>77</b> formed by substrate portion <b>72</b> such that anti-skid foot <b>42</b> is internally threaded to facilitate engagement of anti-skid foot <b>42</b> with an externally threaded member. In some embodiments, threaded insert <b>76</b> is ultrasonically welded or heat inserted into cavity <b>77</b> and to substrate portion <b>72</b> to fixedly secure threaded insert <b>76</b> to anti-skid foot <b>42</b>. However, it should be understood that anti-skid foot <b>42</b> may be otherwise configured to be internally threaded (e.g., in some embodiments, threads may be formed directly on wall <b>80</b> of substrate portion <b>72</b>).

In the embodiment illustrated in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2A and 2B</figref>, anti-skid foot assembly <b>12</b> comprises an externally threaded member <b>90</b> (e.g., a screw or other type of fastening member) insertable through an opening <b>92</b> formed in housing <b>22</b> such that a threaded portion <b>94</b> of member <b>90</b> extends outwardly from and/or downwardly relative to housing <b>22</b> for engagement with threaded insert <b>76</b> of anti-skid foot <b>42</b>. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 2A and 2B</figref>, threaded portion <b>94</b> is inserted through opening <b>92</b> to threadably engage threaded insert <b>76</b> of anti-skid foot <b>42</b> such that anti-skid foot <b>42</b> is positioned and/or otherwise retained within cavity <b>48</b> by a head portion <b>96</b> of threaded member <b>90</b> seated against an interior surface <b>98</b> of bottom wall <b>40</b>. In some embodiments, a thread retention adhesive may be used to further secure anti-skid foot <b>42</b> to threaded member <b>90</b>.

<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of anti-skid foot assembly <b>12</b>. In the embodiment illustrated in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, threaded member <b>90</b> is formed and/or otherwise manufactured as an integral member of housing <b>22</b> and/or bottom wall <b>40</b> (e.g., a single, unitary structure). Thus, in this embodiment, anti-skid foot <b>12</b> threadably engages an outwardly extending threaded extension <b>100</b> of housing <b>22</b> to secure anti-skid foot <b>42</b> to housing <b>22</b>. However, it should be understood that the extension <b>100</b> may be otherwise formed (e.g., as a separate and/or discrete component welded, bonded, or otherwise secured to housing <b>22</b>).

Thus, embodiments of anti-skid foot assembly <b>12</b> provide an anti-skid foot <b>42</b> that is resistant to being sheared off or peeled away from device <b>10</b>. Embodiments of anti-skid foot assembly <b>12</b> provide an anti-skid foot <b>42</b> that is also resistant to contaminants that may otherwise adversely affect an adhesive-based bond of an anti-skid foot to a device.