Computer work desk

• US 10,010,169 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2011
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eric Arthur Grotenhuis
• Original Assignee: Eric Arthur Grotenhuis
• Inventors: Grotenhuis, Eric Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Nkeisha
• Application Number:
  US13/065,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20120248263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,649 Days
• Field of Search: 248161, 248407, 248159, 248157, 2481621, 248917-923, 248126, 248454, 2482741, 24812311, 24829511, 108 43, 108147, 108107, 108 49, 108 34, 108 35, 108 38
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/02 with vertical adjustable parts
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/24 changeable in height or length of legs, also for transport only, e.g. by means of tubes screwed into each otherF16M11/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/048 for balancing translational movement of the undercarriage
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/08 Foot or support base

Abstract

A monitor mounting device that allows more flexibility and support for large-format, thin, flat, touchscreen monitors. This mount offers the solution to use these monitors as the computer interface, along with a standard keyboard and mouse platform mounted below for more traditional input options. The flexible height and tilt controls combined with the constantly-level keyboard tray provide an improved, comfortable balance between large-format, touch computing and traditional work station configurations. This invention is optimized to improve human comfort and the computing experience.

Claims

1. A workstation comprising:

a base;

a vertical column or multiple columns, affixed to said base;

an adjustable armature that rolls on and extends perpendicularly to the vertical column or the multiple columns;

a monitor mount affixed to said armature, incorporating 90°

of tilt adjustment for the monitor mount;

a large keyboard tray affixed to said monitor mount using gears to remain at a constant angle when said monitor mount is tilted;

one or more brake levers and brake pads mounted to the armature;

the brake levers and the brake pads are coupled, such that moving the brake levers causes the brake pads to engage a central post;

one or more calipers coupled to the brake pads;

the one or more calipers being mounted on the vertical column or the multiple columns;

a set of levers mounted on the armature closer to the monitor mount than to the vertical column or the multiple columns;

a spring coupled to the one or more calipers and the armature, pushing the calipers into the vertical column or the multiple columns, holding the armature in a fixed location on the vertical column or the multiple columns;

a cable attached at one point to the calipers and at another point to the set of levers, such that moving the set of levers pulls on the cable, which in turn pulls on the calipers, moving the calipers away from the vertical column or the multiple columns, allowing the armature to travel up and down along the vertical column or the multiple columns.

2. The workstation of claim 1, wherein the armature rolls on the vertical column or the multiple columns, aided by wheels, rails, at least one electric motor and at least one counterweight;

the one or more brake levers and brake pads engage with the vertical column or the multiple columns to reinforce the adjustable armature against vertical or horizontal movement.

3. The workstation of claim 1, further comprising a CPU mounting assembly affixed to said armature or said columns.

4. The workstation of claim 1, wherein a computer monitor sits on the monitor mount.

5. A workstation comprising:

a base;

at least one vertical column rigidly affixed to the base;

an arm-structure including at least one arm that engages the at least one vertical column riding in a vertical direction along the at least one vertical column, and the arm of arm-structure extends perpendicularly away from the at least one vertical column;

a monitor mount rotatably affixed to the arm-structure, incorporating 90 degrees of tilt-adjustment for the monitor mount;

a keyboard tray rotatably coupled to the monitor mount towards a bottom end of the monitor mount, incorporating 90 degrees of tilt-adjustment with respect to the monitor mount, so that the keyboard tray adjusts with movement of the monitor mount to be placed in a horizontal position no matter what angle of tilt within the 90 degrees of tilt of the monitor mount, the monitor mount is adjusted to;

as the monitor mount rotates, the keyboard tray moves horizontally;

a pulley system having at least one pulley wheel, the pulley system being coupled to the arm-structure;

a cord wrapped around the at least one pulley wheel of the pulley system, one end of the cord being attached to the at least one vertical column, another end of the cord attaches to a counterweight that creates a force that is translated through the cord and pulls the monitor mount in an upward direction, the counterweight making it easier to move the arm-structure upward than were the counterweight not present.

6. The workstation of claim 5, the counterweight being located within the at least one vertical column.

7. The workstation of claim 6, the counterweight engaging tracks within the at least one vertical column, the counterweight riding vertically as the arm-structure moves along the vertical column.

8. A workstation comprising:

a base;

at least one vertical column rigidly affixed to the base;

an arm-structure including at least one arm that engages the at least one vertical column riding in a vertical direction along the at least one vertical column, and the arm of the arm-structure extends perpendicularly away from the at least one vertical column;

a monitor mount rotatably affixed to the arm-structure, incorporating 90 degrees of tilt-adjustment for the monitor mount;

a keyboard tray rotatably coupled to the monitor mount towards a bottom end of the monitor mount, incorporating 90 degrees of tilt-adjustment with respect to the monitor mount, so that the keyboard tray adjusts with movement of the monitor mount to be placed in a horizontal position no matter what angle of tilt within the 90 degrees of tilt of the monitor mount, the monitor mount is adjusted to;

as the monitor mount rotates, the keyboard tray moves horizontally;

a pulley system including at least two pulley wheels, one pulley wheel being mounted at a top end of the at least one vertical column and one pulley wheel being mounted on the arm-structure, the cord being wrapped over the at least two pulley wheels and a first end of a cord being coupled to the at least one vertical column and a second end of the cord being coupled to a counterweight.

9. A workstation comprising:

a base;

at least one vertical column rigidly affixed to the base;

an arm-structure including at least one arm that engages the at least one vertical column, the arm-structure riding in a vertical direction along the at least one vertical column, and the arm of arm-structure extends perpendicularly away from the at least one vertical column;

a monitor mount rotatably affixed to the arm-structure, incorporating 90 degrees of tilt-adjustment for the monitor mount;

a keyboard tray rotatably coupled to the monitor mount towards a bottom end of the monitor mount, incorporating 90 degrees of tilt-adjustment with respect to the monitor mount, so that the keyboard tray adjusts with movement of the monitor mount to be placed in a horizontal position no matter what angle of tilt within the 90 degrees of tilt of the monitor mount, the monitor mount is adjusted to;

as the monitor mount rotates, the keyboard tray moves horizontally;

a horizontal support shaft rotatably mounted in a horizontal position to the arm-structure;

a support block rotatably mounted to the horizontal support shaft allowing the support block to rotate on the horizontal support shaft;

a support plate rigidly coupled to the support block, so that the support block supports the support plate;

a bracket coupled to the support plate;

at least one vertical lever rotatably coupled to the bracket at one point and gripping the horizontal support shaft at another point;

a spring pushing the point at which the lever that grips the horizontal support shaft into the horizontal support shaft, therein causing the lever to grip, and hold, the horizontal support shaft from rotating, such that rotating the lever to move the point at which the lever that grips the horizontal support shaft away from the horizontal support shaft allows the horizontal support shaft to rotate, allowing the angle of tilt of the monitor mount with respect to the arm-structure to be changed.

10. The workstation of claim 9, further comprising:

a needle bearing engaging the horizontal support shaft;

the support block being mounted, via the needle bearing, to the horizontal support shaft allowing the support block to rotate on the horizontal support shaft.

11. The workstation of claim 9, further comprising:

a horizontal keyboard shaft rigidly coupled to the keyboard tray and a vertical shaft allowing the keyboard tray to be adjusted to a horizontal position with adjustments to a monitor mount'"'"'s position is adjusted, no matter what angle of tilt within the 90 degrees of tilt of a monitor mount the monitor mount is oriented.

12. The workstation of claim 11, further comprising:

the horizontal support shaft having a gear on at least one end the horizontal keyboard shaft having a gear on at least one end;

the vertical shaft having a gear at one end engaging the gear of the horizontal support shaft and the vertical shaft having a gear at another end engaging a gear of the horizontal keyboard shaft, the keyboard tray being rigidly held to the horizontal keyboard shaft, so as to control rotation of the keyboard tray and rotate an angle of the keyboard tray with respect to the

support plate as the angle of the support plate is adjusted, keeping the keyboard tray horizontal no matter the angle of the support plate.

13. A workstation comprising:

a base;

at least one vertical column rigidly affixed to the base;

an arm-structure including at least one arm that engages the at least one vertical column riding in a vertical direction along the at least one vertical column, and the arm of arm-structure extends perpendicularly away from the at least one vertical column;

a monitor mount rotatably affixed to the arm-structure, incorporating 90 degrees of tilt-adjustment for the monitor mount;

a keyboard tray rotatably coupled to the monitor mount towards a bottom end of the monitor mount, incorporating 90 degrees of tilt-adjustment with respect to the monitor mount, so that the keyboard tray adjusts with movement of the monitor mount to be placed in a horizontal position no matter what angle of tilt within the 90 degrees of tilt of the monitor mount, the monitor mount is adjusted to;

as the monitor mount rotates, the keyboard tray moves horizontally;

an arm within the keyboard tray rigidly held to the horizontal keyboard shaft;

a button inside the arm;

a molded path inside a horizontal channel in the keyboard tray; and

a spring inside the button pushing the button to engage the molded path;

pushing the button against the spring disengages the button from the molded path, allowing free horizontal travel of the keyboard tray, along the horizontal channel.

14. A workstation comprising:

a base;

at least one vertical column rigidly affixed to the base;

an arm-structure including at least one arm that engages the at least one vertical column riding in a vertical direction along the at least one vertical column, and the arm of arm-structure extends perpendicularly away from the at least one vertical column;

a monitor mount rotatably affixed to the arm-structure, incorporating 90 degrees of tilt-adjustment for the monitor mount;

a keyboard tray rotatably coupled to the monitor mount towards a bottom end of the monitor mount, incorporating 90 degrees of tilt-adjustment with respect to the monitor mount, so that the keyboard tray adjusts with movement of the monitor mount to be placed in a horizontal position no matter what angle of tilt within the 90 degrees of tilt of the monitor mount, the monitor mount is adjusted to;

as the monitor mount rotates, the keyboard tray moves horizontally;

a pulley system having two pulley wheels;

a cord wrapped around the two pulley wheels of the pulley system, one end of the cord being attached to the monitor mount having a first counterweight that pushes the monitor mount downwards, another end of the cord being attached to a second counterweight that creates a force that translates through the cord and pulls the monitor mount in an upward direction, the first counterweight and second counterweight making it easier to move the arm-structure upward than were the first counterweight and the second counterweight not present;

wheels, attached to the second counterweight, engaging tracks within the at least one vertical column, the second counterweight riding vertically, via the wheels, as the arm-structure moves;

one or more feet attached to the base, the workstation having a center of gravity, the one or more feet extend past the center of gravity of the workstation no matter what combination of possible positions during normal use the arm-structure, monitor mount, and keyboard tray are in, to keep the workstation from falling towards the arm-structure;

a mouse-tray-support-block mounted rigidly to the keyboard tray;

a mouse tray rigidly mounted to the mouse-tray-support-block;

a horizontal support shaft rotatably mounted in a horizontal position to the arm-structure;

the arm-structure having two arms extending away from the at least one vertical column, the horizontal support shaft being rotatably held in two sockets, which include a first socket at an end of a first of the two arms and a second socket at an end of a second of the two arms;

a needle bearing engaging the horizontal support shaft;

a support block being mounted, via the needle bearing, to the horizontal support shaft allowing the support block to rotate on the horizontal support shaft;

a support plate rigidly coupled to the support block, so that the support block supports the support plate;

two brackets opposite one another, each coupled to an opposite side of the support plate to another of the two brackets;

a first vertical lever rotatably coupled to a first of the two brackets at one point on the first vertical lever and gripping the horizontal support shaft at another point of the first vertical lever;

a second vertical lever rotatably coupled to a second of the two brackets at one point of the second vertical lever and gripping the horizontal support shaft at another point of the second horizontal lever;

a first spring pushing the point at which the first lever grips the horizontal support shaft, into the horizontal support shaft, therein causing the first lever to grip, and hold, the horizontal support shaft from rotating;

a second spring pushing the point at which the second lever that grips the horizontal support shaft, into the horizontal support shaft, therein causing the second lever to grip, and hold, the horizontal support shaft from rotating;

such that rotating the first lever to move the point at which the first lever grips the horizontal support shaft away from the horizontal support shaft and rotating the second lever to move the point at which the second lever that grips the horizontal support shaft away from the horizontal support shaft, allows the horizontal support shaft to rotate, allowing an angle of tilt of the monitor mount with respect to the arm-structure to be changed;

a third vertical lever rotatably coupled to the first of the two brackets at one point on the third vertical lever;

a fourth vertical lever rotatably coupled to the second of the two brackets at one point on the fourth vertical lever;

a first caliper mounted on one side of the arm-structure engaging the at least one vertical column;

a second caliper mounted on another side of the arm-structure engaging the at least one vertical column;

a third spring pushing the first caliper closed to grip, and hold, the at least one vertical column;

a fourth spring pushing the second caliper closed to grip, and hold, the at least one vertical column;

the third vertical lever and the fourth vertical lever being coupled to the third spring and the fourth spring by brake cable, the brake cable pushing or pulling a point on the third spring and pushing or pulling a point on the fourth spring to pull the first calipers and the second calipers open working against the third spring and the fourth spring to allow the arm-structure to move vertically along the vertical support; and

a horizontal keyboard shaft rigidly coupled to the keyboard tray and the vertical shaft and rotatably mounted with respect to the monitor mount, allowing the keyboard tray to be adjusted to a horizontal position with adjustments a monitor mount'"'"'s position no matter what angle of tilt within the 90 degrees of tilt of the monitor mount the monitor mount is oriented;

the horizontal support shaft having a first miter gear on a first end and second miter gear on a second end;

the horizontal keyboard shaft having a third miter gear on a first end of the horizontal keyboard shaft and a fourth miter gear on a second end of the horizontal keyboard shaft;

the first vertical shaft having a fifth miter gear at one end engaging the gear of the first miter gear of the horizontal support shaft and the first vertical shaft having a sixth miter gear at another end engaging the third miter gear of the horizontal keyboard shaft;

the second vertical shaft having a seventh miter gear at one end engaging the gear of the second miter gear of the horizontal support shaft and the second vertical shaft having an eighth miter gear at another end engaging the fourth miter gear of the horizontal keyboard shaft;

the keyboard tray being rigidly held to the keyboard shaft, so as to control rotation of the keyboard tray and rotate an angle of the keyboard tray with respect to the monitor support plate as an angle of tilt of the monitor support plate is adjusted, keeping the keyboard tray horizontal no matter an angle of tilt of the monitor support;

a first arm within the keyboard tray rigidly held to the horizontal keyboard shaft at the first end of the keyboard shaft;

a second arm within the keyboard tray rigidly held to the horizontal keyboard shaft at the second end of the keyboard shaft;

a first button inside the first arm;

a second button inside the second arm;

a first molded path inside a first horizontal channel in the keyboard tray at a first end of the keyboard tray;

a second molded path inside a second horizontal channel in the keyboard tray at a second end of the keyboard tray;

a first spring inside the first button, pushing the first button to engage the first molded path; and

a second spring inside the second button pushing the second button to engage the second molded path;

pushing the first button against the first spring disengages the first button from the first molded path and pushing the second button against the second spring disengages the second button from the second molded path, allowing free horizontal travel of the keyboard tray, along the channels.