I own a company designing and building stands for payment terminals, and my idea is a new product for use in the tablet PC, ereader and smartphone market. It will be the first product in a new vertical market. I will use the website, press releases, and social media to build buzz. Its name is the ATS-Tablet PC Stand.

When I first saw the iPad, I immediately began thinking of how I could build a stand that is versatile and is easy to use. As the iPad has many applications, I envisioned the stand to have many applications. I have a stand design that can be used with tablets and ereaders, but I have based it on the Apple iPad and the Amazon Kindle. It will accommodate other models such as the new HP Touchpad. Additional accessories expand its use to increase its value. It comes in three sections: a top plate, a pivot head/pole mount, and a base with a cyclinder cone to hold the pole.

The top plate is the heart of the stand innovation. It has six bumpers to hold the tablet. In the vertical/portrait position, two stationery bumpers are located at the bottom. The four remaining bumpers located at the sides move left to right in slots to accommodate different tablet widths. Bumpers contain screws that protrude through the slots. Washers and wing nuts on the backside tighten the bumpers and secure the tablet to the desired position on the top plate. It’s simple, solid, effective and easy to insert and remove the tablet. Why so plain? Products are evolving and model widths can change. The iPad and iPad2 are indicative of this occurrence. Using protective tablet covers can further affect dimension change. Consequently, product changes can cause stand obsolescence. I counter that by offering flexibility and adaptability. Along with innovation in support of multiple tablets, I have added versatility.

I designed an iPad-sized plastic insert adapter to fit on the top plate. It attaches to the top plate similar to inserting an ipad. It also functions in the same manner as the ipad top plate. This plate however is designed for the 7” displays—the Kindle as well as other tablets. In addition, this insert plate can have its own stand.

The top plate attaches to the pivot head which uses a combination metal/plastic tilt that tilts within 180-degrees. I added a NEW limited portrait / landscape movement. From the vertical position, a 90 degree turn to the left or right achieves the horizontal or landscape position. The pivot head mounts on a one-inch diameter pole that contains O-Rings on the stem that fits into the cone on the base. The O-Rings provide a smooth swivel movement that remains in place when reaching the desired position with enough torque to have it remain steady. In addition, we have an 8-inch square base to avoid “tipover” with a pad on the bottom to eliminate skid. We powder-coat or leave the stand in a natural aluminum state.