Adjustable support mechanism for a keyboard platform

• US 5,257,767 A
• Filed: 07/21/1992
• Issued: 11/02/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Waterloo Furniture Components Limited (Knape & VOGT Manufacturing Company)
• Original Assignee: Waterloo Furniture Components Limited (Knape & VOGT Manufacturing Company)
• Inventors: McConnell, Dale K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Application Number:
  US07/918,642
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 248/284, 248/918, 248/286, 248/291, 248/293, 248/298, 248/281.1, 108/69, 108/75, 312/28
• US Class Current: 248/284.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/0321 Keyboard supports
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/0328 of the pantograph type
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/0335 mounted under the worksurface
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/0314 Platforms for supporting office equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2210/15 Keyboard drawers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/918 Ancillary device support associated with a video display screen

Abstract

An adjustable platform support mechanism for a keyboard includes a platform and a connecting assembly for the platform. The connecting assembly is attached to the platform by means of first and second pivotal connecting arms. The quadrilateral formed by connecting the pivots is in all instances a non-parallelogram. Thereby the platform, when moved from an extended position to a storage position, is pivoted upwardly in order to increase the space available in the kneehole underneath the desk. The shelf also features an adjustable tilt mechanism associated with keyboard platform support bracket so that the operator will be able to adjust the platform to any one of a number of tilt positions.

Claims

1. An improved adjustable support mechanism for a keyboard platform assembly of the type including a platform supported by said support mechanism, said platform associated with a work surface, said mechanism comprising in combination:

a mounting plate for attachment to the underside of the work surface;

a slide assembly cooperative with the mounting plate and slidable between an extended position and a retracted position;

a first bracket means projecting downwardly from the slide assembly, said first bracket means including a first upper pivot and a first lower pivot;

a forward platform for support of a keyboard;

a second bracket means projecting downwardly from the forward platform, said second bracket means including a second upper pivot and a second lower pivot;

a first linkage arm between the first and second upper pivots;

a second linkage arm between the first and second lower pivots, whereby the linkage arms and pivots provide non-parallel unequal connecting linkages between the pivots, said arms defining means for tilting the platform from a horizontal orientation to a non-horizontal orientation as the platform is moved by the pivoting of the linkage arms;

spring means for biasing the linkage arms about the axes of pivots wherein the spring means comprises a compressible fluid cylinder connected between the pivots of the first and second bracket means;

wherein the first linkage arm comprises a pair of spaced arms and said second linkage arm comprises a single arm intermediate the spaced arms.

2. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 1 wherein said spaced arms are parallel one to the other.

3. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 1 or 2 further comprising a cross member integrally connecting said spaced arms to one another.

4. An improved adjustable support mechanism for a keyboard platform assembly of the type including a platform supported by said support mechanism, said platform associated with a work surface, said mechanism comprising in combination:

a mounting plate for attachment to the underside of the work surface;

a first bracket means projecting downwardly from the mounting plate, said first bracket means including a first upper pivot and a first lower pivot;

a forward platform for support of a keyboard;

a second bracket means projecting downwardly from the forward platform, said second bracket means including a second upper pivot and a second lower pivot;

a first linkage arm between the first and second upper pivots, said first linkage arm having a first length; and

a second linkage arm between the first and second lower pivots, said first and second linkage arms having different lengths, whereby the linkage arms and pivots provide unequal non-parallelogram connecting linkages between the pivots, said arms defining means for tilting the platform from a horizontal orientation to a non-horizontal orientation as the platform is moved by the pivoting of the linkage arms.

5. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 4 including platform orientation adjustment means connecting the platform with the second bracket means.

6. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 4 wherein the platform orientation adjustment means comprises a pivot mechanism connecting the second bracket means to the platform for pivoting said platform about said second upper pivot.

7. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 4 wherein the first linkage arm comprises a pair of spaced arms, the spaced arms being parallel to one another, and said second linkage arm comprises a single arm intermediate the spaced arms.

8. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 4 wherein the first linkage arm comprises a pair of spaced arms and said second linkage arm comprises a single arm intermediate the spaced arms.

9. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 7 or 8 further comprising a cross member integrally connecting said spaced arms to one another.

10. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 4 further comprising a vertical pivot axis connecting means between the mounting plate and the underside of the work surface, for pivoting the mechanism beneath said work surface.

11. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 4 wherein the forward platform is pivotable about the second upper pivot and further including detent means for locking the platform into any one of a series of detent positions whereby the platform may be maintained in said position for support of a keyboard and the like.

12. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 4 further comprising spring means for biasing the linkage arms toward the extended position.

13. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 4 wherein the first linkage arm comprises a pair of parallel arms spaced one from the other by a cross member and further including spiral spring means having one end biased against the cross member and other end biased against the first bracket means to bias the first linkage arms toward an extended position.

14. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 4 wherein said spring means comprises a compressible fluid cylinder connected between the pivots of the first and second bracket means.

15. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 4 further comprising means for locking the linkage arms in a fixed pivot position.

16. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 15 wherein said means for locking the linkage arms in a fixed pivot position comprises means for frictionally locking the first linkage arm and the second linkage arm one against the other.

17. An improved adjustable support mechanism for a keyboard platform assembly of the type including a platform supported by said support mechanism, said platform associated with a work surface, said mechanism comprising in combination:

a mounting plate for attachment to the underside of the work surface;

a first bracket means projecting downwardly from the mounting plate, said first bracket means including a first upper pivot and a first lower pivot;

a forward platform for support of a keyboard;

a second bracket means projecting downwardly from the forward platform, said second bracket means including a second upper pivot and a second lower pivot;

a first linkage arm between the first and second upper pivots;

a second linkage arm between the first and second lower pivots, whereby the linkage arms and pivots provide non-parallel unequal connecting linkages between the pivots, said arms defining means for tilting the platform from a horizontal orientation to a non-horizontal orientation as the platform is moved by the pivoting of the linkage arms.

18. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 17 including platform orientation adjustment means connecting the platform with the second bracket means.

19. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 18 wherein the platform orientation adjustment means comprises a pivot mechanism connecting the second bracket means to the platform for pivoting said platform about said second upper pivot.

20. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 17 wherein the first linkage arm comprises a pair of spaced arms, the spaced arms being parallel to one another, and said second linkage arm comprises a single arm intermediate the spaced arms.

21. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 17 wherein the first linkage arm comprises a pair of spaced arms and said second linkage arm comprises a single arm intermediate the spaced arms.

22. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 20 or 21 further comprising a cross member integrally connecting said spaced arms to one another.

23. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 17 further comprising a vertical pivot axis connecting means between the mounting plate and the underside of the work surface, for pivoting the mechanism beneath said work surface.

24. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 17 wherein the forward platform is pivotable about the second upper pivot and further including detent means for locking the platform into any one of a series of detent positions whereby the platform may be maintained in said position for support of a keyboard and the like.

25. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 17 further comprising spring means for biasing the linkage arms toward the extended position.

26. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 17 wherein the first linkage arm comprises a pair of parallel arms spaced one from the other by a cross member and further including spiral spring means having one end biased against the cross member and other end biased against the first bracket means to bias the linkage arms toward an extended position.

27. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 17 further comprising means for locking the linkage arms in a fixed pivot position.

28. The improved adjustable support mechanism of claim 27 wherein said means for locking the linkage arms in a fixed pivot position comprises means for frictionally locking the first linkage arm and the second linkage arm one against the other.