Keyboard cover and wrist rest

• US 5,346,164 A
• Filed: 02/08/1993
• Issued: 09/13/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fellowes Manufacturing Company (Fellowes Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Fellowes Manufacturing Company (Fellowes Incorporated)
• Inventors: Allen, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Blair M.
• Application Number:
  US08/014,837
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 248/118, 248/118.1, 248/118.3, 248/118.5, 248/918, 248/345.1, 400/715, 400/714, 400/713, 361/222
• US Class Current: 248/118
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/0371 Platforms for supporting wrists
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/918 Ancillary device support associated with a video display screen

Abstract

A cover and wrist rest for a keyboard, such as for computers, is provided so that in one position it can provide a closed compartment suitable for storing computer diskettes, pens, pencils, and the like and also provide support for a user'"'"'s wrist and in another position it can cover the keys of the keyboard to prevent damage to the keys and unwanted material from entering the space between the keys.

Claims

1. A cover and wrist rest for a keyboard comprising:

a. a lower tray with a bottom, a front and a rear with the rear adjacent the keyboard; and

,

b. an upper tray with a top surface, a front, and a rear, the front of the upper tray being hinged to the front of the lower tray;

c. means hingedly mounting the lower tray'"'"'s rear whereby the lower and upper trays are pivotable between a first keyboard cover position wherein the upper tray and lower tray are adapted to cover the keys on the keyboard and a second wrist rest position wherein the upper tray is adapted to be located above the lower tray so that the top surface of the upper tray provides a rest for a keyboard user'"'"'s wrists and such that the top surface of the upper tray is above and spaced from the bottom of the lower tray to define a compartment.

2. The cover and wrist rest of claim 1 wherein the lower tray and the upper tray are each integrally molded from plastic.

3. The cover and wrist rest of claim 1 wherein the top surface of the upper tray is upwardly angled from the front to the rear.

4. The cover and wrist rest of claim 1 further having a pad of resilient material provided on at least a portion of the top surface of the upper tray.

5. The cover and wrist rest of claim 1 wherein the upper tray further has a first side opposite a second side, each side having an aperture provided near the front of the upper tray;

and wherein the lower tray further has a first side and a second side with an extending pin provided on each side near the front that removably engages the apertures to removably hinge the front of the upper tray to the front of the lower tray.

6. The cover and wrist rest of claim 1 wherein the upper tray encompasses the lower tray when the trays are in a wrist rest position.

7. The cover and wrist rest of claim 1 wherein the top surface of the lower tray further has a plurality of ridges.

8. A cover and wrist rest for a keyboard comprising:

a. a base panel having a front, a rear, two sides, an upper surface suitable for supporting the keyboard and an underside;

b. a lower tray with a bottom, a front, a rear opposite the front, and two opposing sides, the tray rear hinged with the panel front; and

,

c. an upper tray with a top, a front, a rear opposite the front, and two opposing sides, the upper tray front hinged to the lower tray front such that in one position the upper tray and the lower tray are adapted to cover the keys on the keyboard supported on the base panel and in another position the upper tray is adapted to be located above the lower tray to define a compartment and a rest for a keyboard user'"'"'s wrists.

9. The cover and wrist rest of claim 8 wherein the base panel, the lower tray, and the upper tray are each integrally molded from plastic.

10. The cover and wrist rest of claim 8 wherein a pad is attached to at least a portion top of the upper tray.

11. The cover and wrist rest of claim 8 wherein the top surface of the upper tray top is upwardly angled from the front to the rear.

12. The cover and wrist rest of claim 8 wherein the top surface of the lower tray further has a plurality of ridges.

13. A cover and wrist rest for a keyboard comprising:

a. a rigid base having a from, a rear, two sides, an upper surface suitable for supporting the keyboard and an underside, the panel front having an upstanding member with an extending pin adjacent each side;

b. a lower tray with a bottom, a front, a rear opposite the front, and two opposing sides, each side having an extending pin near the front, the tray rear having an upstanding member adjacent each tray side, each upstanding member having an aperture to removably receive the corresponding pin on the base to removably hinge the lower tray rear to the base front; and

,

c. an upper tray with a top, a front, a rear opposite the front, and two opposing sides each having an aperture near the front to removably receive the corresponding extending pin in the lower tray to removably hinge the upper tray front to the lower tray front such that in one position the tray and the lower tray are adapted to cover the keys on the keyboard supported on the rigid base and in another position the upper tray is adapted to be located above the lower tray to provide a rest for a keyboard user'"'"'s wrists and a closed compartment.

14. The cover and wrist rest of claim 13 further having a pad of resilient material provided on at least a portion of the top surface of the upper tray.

15. The cover and wrist rest of claim 13 wherein the top of the upper tray is upwardly angled from the front to the rear.

16. The cover and wrist rest of claim 13 wherein the top surface of the lower tray further has a plurality of ridges.

17. A cover and wrist rest for a keyboard comprising:

a. a base panel having a front, a rear, two sides, an upper surface suitable for supporting the keyboard and an underside;

b. a lower tray with a bottom having a top surface with a plurality of ridges, a front, a rear opposite the front, and two opposing sides, the tray rear hinged with the panel front; and

,

c. an upper tray with a top, a front, a rear opposite the front, and two opposing sides, the upper tray front hinged to the lower tray front such that in one position the upper tray and the lower tray are adapted to cover the keys on the keyboard supported on the base panel and in another position the upper tray is adapted to be located above the lower tray to provide a closed compartment and a rest for a keyboard user'"'"'s wrists.