For two-letter codes and other abbreviations, refer to the"Guid- ance Notes on Codes and Abbreviations"appearing at the begin- ning of each regular issue of the PCT Gazette.

PORTABLE WORK SURFACE FOR A LAPTOP COMPUTER AND CARRYING CASE FOR A LAPTOP COMPUTER Field of the Invention The present invention relates to portable work surfaces and, more particularly, to portable work surfaces for laptop computers.

Background and Summary As is suggested by their name, laptop computers are often used while resting on the laps of the user. After a period of use, a laptop computer will often generate a sufficiently substantial amount of heat to make continued use of the laptop computer in a user's lap uncomfortable, particularly on warm days. It is desirable to avoid user discomfort due to the heat of a laptop computer.

Moreover, when a laptop computer rests on a user's lap, it is not as fully ventilated as it might be. Most laptop computers are provided with extendable and retractable legs so that, among other things, the computer can be cooled through circulating air. When the computer is sitting on a user's lap, a substantial portion of the computer is prevented from having cooling air flow over it. It is possible that damage to the computer can occur if sufficiently high temperatures are reached. It is desirable to provide enhanced air circulation around a laptop computer, even when used on a user's lap.

The extendable and retractable laptop computer legs also facilitate positioning the laptop computer on a rigid surface at an angle that is more ergonomically correct than when

the laptop computer simply rests on the rigid surface. Nonetheless, some laptop computers are not provided with legs of any form. It is desirable to make it more convenient to use a laptop computer, even when the laptop computer does not have legs.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a portable work surface for a laptop computer includes a rigid, rectangular board having a length and a width at least as great as a length and a width of a laptop computer to be used with the work surface, and one or more foot holders disposed on a top surface of the board proximate a left rear and a right rear corner of the work surface and at least two cut-outs being provided in the one or more foot holders.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a laptop computer carrying case includes a carrying case, a laptop computer carried in the carrying case, and a portable work surface for the laptop computer. The portable work surface includes a rigid, rectangular board having a length and a width at least as great as a length and a width of a laptop computer to be used with the work surface, and one or more foot holders disposed on a top surface of the board proximate a left rear and a right rear corner of the work surface and at least two cut- outs being provided in the one or more foot holders. The portable work surface is carried in the carrying case.

Brief Description of the Drawings The features and advantages of the present invention are well understood by reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings in which like numerals indicate similar elements and in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable work surface for a computer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a portable work surface for a computer according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a carrying case for a laptop computer and a portable work surface for a computer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description A portable work surface 21 for a laptop computer 23 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 (computer 23 shown in phantom in FIG. 1). The work surface 21 includes a rigid, rectangular board 25 having a length and a width at least as great as a length and a width of the laptop computer 23 to be used with the work surface. The board 25 is preferably made of an inexpensive, rigid material, such as PVC or some other plastic material, wood, etc.

The work surface 21 preferably includes one or more, preferably two, foot holders 27 disposed on a top surface 29 of the board 25 proximate a left rear and a right rear corner of the work surface. The foot holders 27 have cut-outs or holes 31 therein. The cut-outs 31 in the foot holders 27 are preferably as large as feet portions 33 of legs 35 of the laptop computer 23 to be used with the work surface 21 so that the feet portions can be received in the cut-outs to hold the laptop computer relative to the work surface. The foot holders 27, when the work surface is provided, are preferably initially separate from the board 25 so that a user can locate them on the board depending upon the location of the feet of the user's particular computer and using the legs as a guide. The foot holders 27 are preferably attached to the board 25 by any suitable means, such as by providing an adhesive on the foot holders and a peel off cover that covers the adhesive until it is desired to apply the foot holders on the board. If the computer does not have legs, the user can position the foot holders 27 according to directions that can be prepared based on the dimensions of a particular computer model.

The portable work surface 21 may also be provided with a ledge or pad portion 37 disposed on the top surface 29 of the board 25 across a front portion of the board. A front bottom corner 39 of the laptop computer preferably rests on or against the ledge portion 37 so that the laptop computer is restrained from moving past the front portion of the board 25. The ledge portion 37 may be a material having a high coefficient of friction with the front bottom corner 39 of the laptop computer 23, such as rubber, to assist in preventing the computer from shifting relative to the work surface 21. The ledge portion 37 may, if desired or necessary, be formed integrally with the board 25.

One or more leg accessories 41, each leg accessory having at least one foot portion 43 adapted to fit in the cut-out or cut-outs 31 of a corresponding foot holder or foot holders and a top portion 45, larger than the foot portion 43, on which a portion of a bottom of a laptop computer 23 is adapted to rest. FIG. 1 shows two leg accessories 41, with dotted lines showing how a single leg accessory could be substituted for the two leg accessories. Each leg accessory 41 has at least one foot portion 43 and at least one top portion 45 and, particularly in the embodiment shown by dotted lines in FIG. 1, may have two or more foot portions. If desired or necessary, any leg accessory 41 could have plural top portions 45 that contact the laptop computer 23 at different points. Obviously, more leg accessories 41 could be provided, if desired or necessary. The leg accessories 41 are preferably used when the laptop computer 23 does not have legs of its own and places the laptop computer at an angle relative to the work surface 21 that is preferably more ergonomically correct than the angle at which the laptop computer would otherwise rest, and so that the laptop computer does not rest directly on the work surface. The top portion 45 of each leg accessory 41 preferably has a surface with a high coefficient of friction with the bottom portion of laptop computer 23 that rests

upon the top portion, such as rubber, thereby assisting in preventing the computer from shifting relative to the work surface 21.

As seen in FIG. 3, a laptop computer carrying case 51 is preferably designed to carry both the laptop computer 23 and a portable work surface 21 for the laptop computer.

While this invention has been illustrated and described in accordance with a preferred embodiment, it is recognized that variations and changes may be made therein without departing from the invention as set forth in the claims.