Computer workstation

• US 5,044,284 A
• Filed: 03/01/1990
• Issued: 09/03/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Milton Gross
• Original Assignee: Milton Gross
• Inventors: Gross, Milton
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Gerald A.
• Application Number:
  US07/486,692
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 108/138, 108/10, 108/3, 108/5, 108/6, 108/9, 108/95, 108/96, 108/106, 108/144, 211/150, 211/187, 211/209, 248/242
• US Class Current: 108/10
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/0307 Platforms for supporting office equipment and wrists
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/0321 Keyboard supports
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/00 Tables or desks for office equipment, e.g. typewriters, keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/0314 Platforms for supporting office equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0043 Inclination adjustable work top
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0046 Desks with double worktop of which one at least is separately height adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0069 with rack

Abstract

A computer workstation for supporting and positioning a computer and/or its video display terminal or screen and its keyboard at minimum fatigue locations. The computer and/or the video display terminal can be located at a desired elevations and tilted. The keyboard is supported on a keyboard shelf which can also be positioned at a desired elevation and tilted. The computer table and shelf are located between side wall panels of a frame having racks with slots at different elevations. Both the keyboard shelf and the computer table are pivotally mounted on members which can be positioned in different ones of the slots to select the elevation thereof. A belt connected at one end to the frame extends around a pulley under the computer table so as to support the table. The belt has holes which are engaged by a hook on a handle which is pivotally mounted to the bottom of the table. By pivoting the handle the length of the belt underneath the table can be changed thereby tilting the table. A stop pin is extended through a hole in the table into one of the holes in the belt thereby maintaining the table at a selected inclination or tilt. The keyboard shelf is connected by links to the side walls and may also be tilted. The center of the screen of the terminal and the keyboard may be located along the normal line of sight of the operator seated in front of the station for minimum fatigue for operators who may be tall or short. Arm rests may be pivotally mounted on the side walls so that they can be raised or lowered.

Claims

1. A workstation for supporting a computer and/or a video display terminal which comprises a frame having sidewalls and a back member extending between said sidewalls, racks having edges with a plurality of slots along one edge of each of said racks said racks being disposed on said sidewalls with said slots of one of said racks laterally aligned with the slots of the other of said racks a table having an upper surface for supporting said terminal, said table having forward and rear edges and having side edges and also having a bottom surface, members connected to said table and extending beyond said side edges, said table being disposed between said sidewalls with each of said members disposed in one of said slots in said rack said members may be disposed in different ones of said slots;

to adjust the elevation of said table, said table being pivotally mounted on said members in said slots, and means including a belt connected to said back member of said frame and extending along and in supporting relationship with the bottom surface of said table, for adjusting the inclination of said table.

2. The workstation according to claim 1 wherein said members are comprised of end portions of a rod connected to said table.

3. The workstation according to claim 2 wherein said rod is disposed against said forward edge of said table.

4. The workstation according to claim 1 wherein said inclination adjusting means also comprises a pulley having an axis of rotation paralleling said forward edge of said table and rotatably mounted on the bottom surface of said table, said axis being below said bottom surface, a handle pivotally mounted to said bottom surface of said table, said belt extending around said pulley and having a first portion between said pulley and said back member and a second portion extending beyond said pulley, and means for engaging said second portion of said belt with said handle, said handle being pivoted to change the length of said first portion thereby changing the inclination of said table.

5. The workstation according to claim 4 wherein said belt has a plurality of holes spaced from each other along said belt, said means for engaging said belt including a hook on said handle extending into a selected one of said holes.

6. The workstation according to claim 5 wherein said inclination adjusting means further comprises a hole through said table overlying said belt, and a pin removably disposed in said hole and extending into one of said holes for holding said belt to maintain said table at a selected inclination.

7. The workstation according to claim 1 wherein said computer has a keyboard, a shelf having the surface for supporting said keyboard and also having forward, rear and side edges, means pivotally supporting said shelf forwardly of said terminal supporting table at selected elevations and inclinations with respect to said terminal supporting table.

8. The workstation according to claim 7 wherein said means for pivotally supporting said shelf comprises projections from the side edges of said shelf and positioned in the slots of said racks selected in accordance with the desired elevation of said shelf, and links pivotally connecting said shelf to said side walls for pivoting said shelf about said projections said links adjusting the inclination of said shelf.

9. The workstation according to claim 7 further comprising a pair of arm rest members, each of said armrest being pivotally connected to one of said sidewalls and extending in a forward direction past said terminal supporting table and said shelf, and means for positioning said arm rest members at selected inclinations.

10. The workstation according to claim 1 further comprising a backing panel movably attached to said sidewalls and extending therebetween, said backing panel being disposed above said terminal supporting table.

11. The workstation according to claim 10 wherein said sidewalls have pairs of slots, a pair of said slots in one of said sidewalls being in alignment with a second pair of said slots in the other of said sidewalls, and knob means outside said sidewalls and extending through said slots into said backing panel for holding said backing panel in a selected position along said slots.