Arrangement for adjusting the inclination of a keyboard

• US 4,735,394 A
• Filed: 12/23/1986
• Issued: 04/05/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ING C Olivetti & C Olivetti & C SPA
• Original Assignee: Ing. C. Olivetti & C., SpA (Telecom Italia S.p.A.)
• Inventors: Facco, Gastone
• Primary Examiner(s): Foss, J. Franklin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Talbott, David L.
• Application Number:
  US06/945,523
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 248/653, 248/455, 248/456, 248/398, 248/371, 248/188.8, 248/359 E, 248/649, 248/359 C, 248/677, 248/1 B, 248/1 I, 248/1, 400/681, 400/682, 403/93, 108/7, 108/9, 108/6
• US Class Current: 248/653
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/06 Special supports, platforms or trolleys for supporting machines on tables
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 5/10 Arrangements of keyboards , e.g. key button disposition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0208 Arrangements for adjusting the tilt angle of a keyboard, e.g. pivoting legs for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1667
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/923 Tilting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32336 Engaging notch or recess in outer periphery of component

Abstract

The inclination adjusting arrangement is applied to a keyboard having a base structure in which a plurality of keys is mounted. The keyboard is provided in its lower portion with fixed front support feet and rear support feet. The rear feet can project by varying amounts from the bottom of the base structure in such a way that the angle of inclination of the plane of the keys is variable with respect to the desk top. For the purposes of adjusting the degree of projection, the rear feet are pivoted and movable along their own axis by means of a slot which co-operates with a fixed pivot pin on the base structure. Each rear foot comprises a positioning tooth which is disposed opposite a support surface and which is capable of selectively engaging with a seat of a series of seats of the base structure. Resilient means which co-operate with the pin hold the positioning tooth engaged with one of the seats. The seats are disposed on a circular arc substantially coaxial with the fixed pin, in different angular positions for varying the distance of the support surfaces from the plane of the keys. The resilient means comprise a resilient blade which is bent and curved in such a way that its free end engages the fixed pin.

Claims

1. An arrangement for adjusting the inclination of a keyboard having a base structure in which a plurality of keys is mounted and having a bottom portion;

adjustable support feet which can project variable amounts from said bottom portion to vary the inclination of the plane of the keys with respect to a support surface for the keyboard, wherein the adjustable support feet are movable from a first position of minimum inclination to a second position of intermediate inclination and to a third position of maximum inclination of the keyboard and vice-versa; and

the combination comprising;

said base structure comprises for each adjustable support foot a housing for housing in part the respective adjustable support foot when it is in the first position;

a fixed pivot pin;

three fixed seats which are disposed on a circular arc of the base structure coaxially with the fixed pivot pin and at various angular positions; and

two fixed abutments disposed adjacent to the fixed pivot pin;

each adjustable support foot is embodied in one piece and comprises a support surface, by means of which it is supported on the support surface for the keyboard;

a hook-shaped element which projects from the foot and defines a slot for housing the fixed pivot pin and for causing the foot to pivot and to move axially with respect to said fixed pivot pin;

an inclined surface which partially delimits said slot;

a positioning tooth which is disposed opposite to said support surface and is capable of selectively engaging a seat of said three fixed seats;

two shoulders for cooperating with the two fixed abutments; and

a resilient blade which projects from the foot, is disposed adjacent to the hook-shaped element and comprises an opertive portion adjacent to said slot;

wherein said inclined surface delimits the axial movement of the foot when the positioning tooth is housed in the selected seat; and

wherein said resilient blade is curved and bent in such a way that its operative portion is always engaged with said fixed pivot pin to hold the positioning tooth in condition of engagement with the selected seat of said three fixed seats.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein each adjustable support foot is of substantially parallelepipedic shape and comprises two opposite sides of smaller size and a side larger size, wherein a side of smaller size is provided with the support surface and the opposite side is provided with the positioning tooth, wherein the side of larger size is provided with the hook-shaped element and with the resilient blade, and wherein said hook-shaped element and said resilient blade are positioned adjacent to said positioning tooth.

3. An arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the two shoulders of each adjustable support foot are disposed on mutually oppositely disposed side surfaces adjacent to said hook-shaped element;

and wherein each foot further comprises two series of ribs which are disposed adjacent to and at the sides of the support surface, and a projecting edge which is disposed on the continuation of the support surface and allows gripping thereof to facilitate positioning of the respective adjustable support foot in one of said three seats.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the first seat of said three fixed seats is disposed adjacent to the bottom portion of said bse structure and said first seat corresponds to the first position of the adjustable support foot, the second seat corresponds to the second position of the adjustable support foot, and the third seat corresponds to the third position of the adjustable support foot, wherein the first seat and the second seat comprise each an inclined surface for assisting with the movement of the positioning tooth from the first position to the second position and successively from the second position to the third position, and wherein when the adjustable support foot is in the third position the two shoulders cooperate with the two fixed abutments to prevent possible breaking as between the parts of the arrangement if the adjustable support foot were to be forced beyond the third position.

5. An arrangement according to claim 4, wherein

when the adjustable feet in the third position or in the second position, to be positioned in the second position or the first position, the adjustable feet must be gripped on the ribs,

must be pulled axially outwardly of the base structure against the force of the resilient blade and must then be turned about the fixed pin to position the positioning tooth in the second seat or in the first seat and then finally released, whereupon the resilient blade causes the positioning tooth rapidly to engage with the second seat or with the first seat.

6. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein for mounting the foot to the base structure, the foot is disposed in a position of being slightly inclined against the bottom of the housing with the slot aligned with the fixed pin, a pressing force is applied to the outside edge of the positioning tooth, urging the foot towards the rear part of the base structure so as slightly to bend the element which defines the slot, permitting the fixed pin to be housed in the slot and permitting the free edge of the resilient blade to engage the fixed pin, thereby to cause the foot to occupy its first position.

7. An arrangement for adjusting the inclination of a keyboard having a base structure in which a plurality of keys is mounted and which is provided in its lower portion with adjustable support feet which can project by variable amounts from the bottom of the base structure to vary the inclination of the plane of the keys with respect to a desk top from a rest position to a plurality of opertive positions;

wherein the base structure comprises a fixed pivot pin and a series of seats disposed at different angular positions with respect to said fixed pivot pin;

wherein each adjustable foot is guided in a housing and pivoted and movable with respect to the fixed pivot pin of the base structure; and

wherein each adjustable foot comprises a support surface, a positioning tooth which is disposed opposite to said support surface and which is capable of selectively engaging a seat of said series of seats of the base structure for permitting variable angles of inclination of the plane of the keys with respect to the desk top, and resilient means for urging the positioning tooth to stay engaged with a seat of the series of seats and enabling easy assembly of the foot on said base structure;

said resilient means comprising;

a hook element of the foot, which delimits a slot for cooperating with said fixed pin, wherein said slot includes an entering section and is configured to cause the foot to pivot and to move axially with respect to said fixed pin;

a resilient blade disposed adjacent to said hook element and having an operative portion adjacent to said slot to engage with the fixed pin when the foot is assembled with said base portion; and

an inclined surface at the entering section of said slot ot limit the axial movement of said foot along said slot;

wherein each foot is of plastic material in one piece with said support surface, said positioning tooth, said resilient blade, and said hook element; and

wherein said inclined surface is configured to enable housing of said pivot pin in said slot upon putting the entering section of said slot aligned with said fixed pin and urging the foot so as slightly to bend the hook element upon the housing of said pin beyond said entering section and engagement of said pin with the operative portion of said resilient blade.

8. An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the series of seats comprises two seats capable of being selectively engaged by the positioning tooth to define two positions of inclination of the plane of the keys with respect to the desk top, wherein said two seats include an intermediate seat and an end seat corresponding to a position of intermediate inclination and a position of maximum inclination of the plane of the keys with respect to the desk top;

wherein the intermediate seat includes an inclined surface for assisting with the positioning of the positioning tooth from an intermediate position corresponding to engagement with said intermediate seat to an end position corresponding to engagement with said end seat;

wherein said end seat is delimited by a sharp surface avoiding back positioning of said tooth to said intermediate seat; and

wherein said slot defines a path for said tooth which enables said tooth to release the sharp surface of said end seat under a pulling action on said tooth against the action of said resilient blade.

9. An arrangement according to claim 8 wherein the base structure comprises two fixed abutments co-operable with two shoulders of the respective foot when the foot is in the end position to prevent possible breaking as between the parts of the arrangement if the foot were to be forced beyond said end position.

10. An arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the base structure comprises two housings for accommodating two respective feet and wherein each foot is adjustable and has a projecting edge adjacent to said support surface to permit gripping thereof to facilitate positioning of the foot in one of said two seats.

11. An arrangement for adjusting the inclination of a keyboard having a base structure in which a plurality of keys is mounted and which is provided in its lower portion with adjustable support feet which can project by variable amounts from the bottom of the base structure to vary the inclination of the plane of the keys with respect to a desk top from a rest position to a plurality of operative positions;

wherein the base structure comprises a fixed pivot pin and a series of seats disposed at different angular positions with respect to said fixed pivot pin;

wherein each adjustable foot is guided in a housing and pivoted and movable with respect to the fixed pivot pin of the base structure; and

wherein each adjustable foot comprises a support surface, a positioning tooth which is disposed opposite to the support surface and which is capable of selectively engaging a seat of said series of seat of the base structure permitting variable angles of inclination of the plane of the keys with respect to the desk top, and resilient means for urging the positioning tooth to stay engaged with a seat of said series of seats and performing unidirectional motion of each foot toward increasing inclinations of the keyboard with respect to the desk top;

said resilient means comprising;

means for defining a slot on said foot, wherein said slot causes the foot to pivot and to move axially with respect to said fixed pin, wherein said series of seats comprises two seats capable of being selectively engaged with the positioning tooth the define two positions of inclination of the plane of the keys with respect to the desk top, wherein said two seats include an intermediate inclination and a position of maximum inclination of the plane of the keys with respect to the desk top;

a resilient blade disposed adjacent to said slot and having an active portion adapted to stay always engaged with the fixed pin; and

an inclined surface adjacent to said intermediate seat for assisting with positioning of the positioning tooth from an intermediate position corresponding to engagement with said intermediate seat to an end positioning corresponding to engagement with said end seat;

wherein said end seat is delimited by a sharp surface avoiding back positioning of said tooth to said intermediate seat; and

wherein said slot defines a path for said tooth which enables said tooth to release the sharp surface of said end seat under a pulling action on said tooth against the action of said resilient blade.

12. An arrangement according to claim 11 wherein the base structure comprises two fixed abutments co-operable with two shoulders of respective foot when the foot is in the end position to prevent possible breaking as between the parts of the arrangement if the foot were to be forced beyond the end position.