# US 5,350,151 A · Load supporting apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,350,151 A - Document ID: US5350151A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 07/959,909 - Filed: 1992-10-13 - Granted: 1994-09-27 - Earliest claimed: 1991-12-09 - Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Satoshi Aoki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5350151A ## CPC - F16F 15/04: using elastic means (single elements or their attachment F16F1/00 - F16F13/00); {(F16F15/023, F16F15/03 take precedence)} - A47B 91/04: Elastic supports - B60B 33/00: Castors in general {; Anti-clogging castors} (castors for large containers B65D90/18) - B60B 33/0021: {in the form of a mounting pin} - B60B 33/0023: {in the form of specific adaptations to the form of the object} - B60B 33/0028: {Construction of wheels; methods of assembling on axle} - B60B 33/0089: {acting on the floor} - B60B 33/0094: {actuated automatically} - B60B 33/028: {being actuated automatically} - F16M 11/42: with arrangement for propelling the support {stands on wheels} - B60B 33/0039: {Single wheels} - B60B 33/0049: {the rolling axle being horizontal} - B60B 33/0055: {the rolling axle intersects swivel axis} - B60B 33/0068: {the swivel axis being vertical} - B60B 33/0073: {the swivel axis being symmetrical to wheel or wheels} - B60B 2200/40: Articles of daily use - F16M 2200/04: Balancing means - F16M 2200/048: for balancing translational movement of the undercarriage - F16F: SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION - A47B: TABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE (furniture jointing F16B) - B60B: VEHICLE WHEELS (making wheels or wheel parts by rolling B21H1/00, by forging, hammering or pressing B21K1/28); CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION - F16M: FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS ## Abstract Load such as a large screen TV set is supported with improved stability without losing mobility, by providing resilient members such as compression springs between the supporting fiat base whereon the TV set is mounted and plural load supporting bodies which are rollers held vertically movable to some extent. When a strong outside force is applied, for instance, the TV set is strongly pushed from its back, the front rollers are retracted by compression of the spring, thereby the front bottom edge of the console touches the floor and resisting force or reaction force against the fall down of the TV set much increases. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A load supporting apparatus for supporting an audiovisual assembly comprising: a supporting base, plural load supporting bodies mounted to said supporting base so that said supporting base is vertically movable with respect to the support bodies, and resilient members provided between each of said load supporting bodies and said supporting base, which permit the supporting base to move vertically with respect to the supporting bodies against a resilient force of the resilient members and, when a force which acts on said supporting base exceeds a predetermined amount, permit an edge of said supporting base to come into contact with a surface on which the load supporting apparatus is disposed, thereby increasing an angle formed between a vertical line through a center of gravity of said apparatus and an oblique straight line connecting the center of gravity of the audiovisual assembly and a forward most point of contact of said load supporting apparatus. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A load supporting apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said resilient members are compression springs each contained in a closed space formed by a concave part formed under raised parts of said supporting base and over flange parts of each said load supporting body, touching at an upper end of each spring is inner lower faces of the concave part of said raised parts, and touching at a lower end of each spring is upper faces of the said flange parts of the load supporting body. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A load supporting apparatus in accordance with claim 2 which further comprises: bottom lids which touch under faces of said flange parts of said load supporting body and have threaded part for engaging screw parts provided at bottom corners of said raised parts of said supporting base. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) A load supporting apparatus in accordance with claim 2, which further comprises: flange stoppers which are movably mounted on corners at a bottom of said raised parts of said supporting base in a manner to permit upward-passings of said compression springs and said flange parts but to inhibit downward passings of the same, said flange stoppers being spring hinges which normally take horizontal posture to receive said flange parts thereon, rotated upward by pushing, but never rotate downward beyond horizontal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) A load supporting apparatus in accordance with claim 2 which further comprises: plural fold-up strips which are connected to an end of said flange parts, lead above top parts of said raised parts and have threads at their top edge parts and a nut which is fastened to said threads and overriding said top parts of said raised parts, thereby to prevent escape down of said compression spring and said load supporting bodies. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) A load supporting apparatus in accordance with claim 2 which further comprises: engage levers mounted rotatably on top of said supporting bodies and engage anchors which are provided on top part of said supporting base and have offset recesses thereunder for engaging ends of said engage levers therein. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) A load supporting apparatus in accordance with claim 2 further comprising: cam-engage levers rotatably mounted on top of said load supporting bodies and end plane cam provided on top edges of said raised part and having alternately disposed high parts and low parts for receiving engaging parts of said cam-engage levers, thereby to limit downward motion of said load supporting bodies and retract up said load supporting bodies when said cam-engage levers are received on said high parts. ### Claim 8 A load supporting apparatus for supporting an audiovisual assembly comprising: a supporting base, guide pins fixed vertically on said supporting base, plural load supporting bodies coupled to said guide pins so that said supporting base and said guide pins mounted thereto are vertically movable relative to the load supporting bodies, and tension springs whose ends are engaged to engaging means on said supporting base and to engaging means on said load supporting bodies. ### Claim 9 A load supporting apparatus for supporting an audiovisual assembly comprising: a supporting base, roller supporting shafts fixed horizontally to supporting parts provided on said supporting base, roller supporting members including roller shafts rotatably mounted to said roller supporting shafts, rollers borne by said roller shafts, and resilient means provided between said roller supporting members and said supporting parts in a manner to give a predetermined downward force to said rollers in relation to said supporting base. ### Claim 10 A load supporting apparatus for supporting an audiovisual assembly comprising: a supporting base, at least two cylinders provided in said supporting base, each cylinder being divided into two parts by a slidable piston and each divided part containing fluid inside, said divided parts being connected through respective ports in a manner that an upper divided part of one cylinder being connected to a lower divided part of the other cylinder and vice versa, said pistons being linked to load supporting bodies, and being urged by resilient members to keep each of said at least two pistons at substantially an intermediate in said respective cylinder thereby holding said supporting base horizontal in a normal state wherein no external falling-down force is applied to said audiovisual assembly.