Ergometric combination adjustable keyboard support stand and wrist rest, particularly for avoidance of carpal tunnel syndrome

• US 5,375,800 A
• Filed: 08/20/1993
• Issued: 12/27/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Basic Needs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Basic Needs, Inc.
• Inventors: Wilcox, Katherine C., Weston, David
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOTKOWSKI, KAREN
• Application Number:
  US08/110,411
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 248/118, 248/118.1, 248/118.3, 248/118.5, 248/346, 248/345.1, 248/918, 248/678, 400/718, 400/715, 132/73
• US Class Current: 248/118.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/0307 Platforms for supporting office equipment and wrists
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/0371 Platforms for supporting wrists
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 5/10 Arrangements of keyboards , e.g. key button disposition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• 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: H01H 2217/034 Support for hands or arms
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/044 Repetitive strain injury [RSI] considerations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/918 Ancillary device support associated with a video display screen

Abstract

A keyboard is adjustably supported in an ergonomically neutral position relative to a typist'"'"'s forearm, wrist and fingers nonetheless that the elevation, and attendant magnitude, of a support also provided to the typist'"'"'s wrist is conveniently independently variably adjustable. The two adjustments increase comfort while reducing fatigue and repetitive motion injury, particularly carpal tunnel syndrome. A planar keyboard support member is variably supported at typically six (6) different angles from 0° to 15° by a support mechanism typically in the shape of a hinged arm engaging a selected channel, or groove. A padded wrist rest, normally hinged to the keyboard support, is independently adjustable to typically four (4) different elevations, preferably by use of an eccentric cam. The wrist rest preferably defines an interior cavity for holding pencils and other objects. A console for holding paper clips and like objects is selectively attachable to the keyboard support member, and is a copyholder for holding paper copy is in turn selectively attachable to the console.

Claims

1. A combination wrist rest and keyboard support stand for supporting both a typist'"'"'s wrist and a keyboard above a surface, the stand comprising:

a wrist-rest member for supporting a typist'"'"'s wrist;

a manually adjustable first variable support for supporting the wrist-rest member at a variable elevation above the surface; and

a keyboard-support member for supporting a keyboard;

a second variable support, manually adjustable independently of the first variable support, for supporting the keyboard-support member at a variable angle relative to the surface; and

a hinge, positionally located between, on the one hand, the wrist-rest member and the first variable support, and, on the other hand, the keyboard-support member and the second variable support, for pivotally connecting, as first elements, the wrist-rest member and the first variable support to, as second elements, the keyboard-support member and the second variable support, the pivotal connection being so that the wrist-rest member is pivotable relative to an unchanging stationary keyboard-support member during a course of the wrist-rest member'"'"'s variable adjustment in elevation above the surface by action of the first variable support, and so that, equivalently and conversely, the keyboard-support member is pivotable relative to an unchanging stationary wrist-rest member during a course of the keyboard-support member'"'"'s adjustment in angle relative to the surface by action of the second variable support;

wherein the typist'"'"'s wrist that is supported upon the wrist-rest member is variably positionable in elevation relative to the surface independently of the keyboard-support member'"'"'s adjustment in angle relative to the same surface;

wherein the keyboard that is supported upon the keyboard-support member is variably positionable in angle relative to the surface independently of the wrist-rest member'"'"'s adjustment in elevation relative to the same surface;

wherein the typist'"'"'s wrist that rests upon the wrist-rest member is variably positionable both in elevation and in angle relative to the keyboard that rests upon the keyboard-rest member, and vice versa.

2. The combination wrist rest and keyboard support stand according to claim 1 wherein the wrist-rest member has and defines:

an upper surface curved along an imaginary axis substantially parallel to a long axis of the keyboard as such keyboard is supported upon the keyboard-support member;

wherein the typist'"'"'s wrist is supported along a line of tangential contact between the wrist and the upper surface of the wrist-rest member.

3. The combination wrist rest and keyboard support stand according to claim 2

wherein the line of contact of the typist'"'"'s wrist with the upper surface of the wrist-rest member is located in relatively greater, or relatively lesser, proximity to the keyboard dependent upon whether the keyboard-support member is angled, respectively, to a relatively higher or a relatively lower angle of adjustment;

wherein the adjustment in elevation of the wrist-rest member serves to cause it to contact the typist'"'"'s wrist at various positions of greater, or of lessor, proximity to the typist'"'"'s fingers and to the keyboard that is supported by the keyboard-support member.

4. The combination wrist rest and keyboard support stand according to claim 1 wherein the wrist-rest member has and defines:

an interior cavity for holding objects.

5. The combination wrist rest and keyboard support stand according to claim 4

wherein the wrist-rest'"'"'s cavity is sufficiently large so as to hold a pencil.

6. The combination wrist rest and keyboard support stand according to claim 4 wherein the wrist-rest member comprises:

a first hinge joint; and

a cover, having and defining an upper surface for supporting the typist'"'"'s wrist, for pivoting about the first hinge joint in order to provide access to the interior cavity.

7. The combination wrist rest and keyboard support stand according to claim 1 wherein the manually-adjustable first variable support comprises:

a second pivot joint;

an asymmetrical member, eccentrically mounted to the second pivot joint, for pivoting about the second pivot joint in order to support the wrist-rest member at the variable elevation above the surface.

8. The combination wrist rest and keyboard support stand according to claim 1 wherein the keyboard-support member comprises:

a first substantially planar elongate member having and presenting an upper surface suitable to support the keyboard;

a second substantially planar elongate member for resting level upon the surface;

wherein a one of the first and the second members has and defines, on its surface that is directionally disposed towards the other one of the first and second members, a plurality of features aligned along its elongate axis, any one of which features is suitable to engage an end of an abutting strut;

wherein the hinge pivotally connects the second planar member to the first planar member as well as the wrist-rest member to the keyboard-support member; and

wherein the second variable support comprises;

a pivot joint located upon a remaining one of the first and the second members; and

a strut pivotally connected to the pivot joint and manually moveable in position so as to, by an abutting engagement of its end with a selected one of the plurality of features, hold the first and the second members at a selectable predetermined angle of separation, one relative to the other.

9. The combination wrist rest and keyboard support stand according to claim 8 wherein the plurality of features of the one of the first and second members comprise:

a plurality of parallel grooves.

10. The combination wrist rest and keyboard support according to claim 1 further comprising:

a console, attachable to the keyboard support member at a position oppositely from its hinged attachment to the wrist rest, having and defining cavities for containing and holding small objects without interference to the support functions of both the wrist rest and keyboard support member, and without interference to the typist'"'"'s use of his/her wrist and fingers in typing upon the supported keyboard.

11. The combination wrist rest and keyboard support according to claim 10 further comprising:

a copyholder, attachable to the console oppositely from its attachment to the keyboard support member, for holding a paper copy at a position visible to a typist whose wrist is supported upon the wrist rest.

12. A combination wrist rest, keyboard support, and pencil box apparatus for use on a level support surface, the apparatus comprising:

an adjustable wrist rest, resting on the support surface and having and defining an interior cavity for holding pencils, for supporting a typist'"'"'s wrist above the support surface, the adjustable wrist rest including

a padded member upon which the typist'"'"'s wrist is supported, and

means for adjusting the padded member in elevation relative to the support surface upon which it rests and relative to the wrist rest to which it connects;

an adjustable keyboard support member, resting on the support surface and connected to the wrist rest, for supporting a keyboard above the support surface, the adjustable keyboard support member including

a planar member upon which the keyboard is supported, and

means for adjusting the planar member in angle relative to the level support surface; and

a connection means for movably connecting the wrist rest to the keyboard support member, the connection means including

a hinge pivotally connecting the rest to the keyboard support member;

wherein the typist may rest his/her wrist upon the wrist rest while keystroking the keyboard supported upon the keyboard support member.

13. The combination wrist rest, keyboard support, and pencil box apparatus according to claim 12 further comprising:

a console, attachable to the keyboard support member oppositely to its moveable connection to the wrist rest, for holding small objects; and

a means for attaching the console to the keyboard support member;

wherein the apparatus is a combination wrist rest, keyboard support, pencil box and small object holder.

14. The combination wrist rest, keyboard support, and pencil box apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the means for attaching the console to the keyboard support member comprises:

a tracked slide.

15. The combination wrist rest, keyboard support, pencil box and small object holder apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising:

a copyholder, attachable to the console oppositely to its attachment to the keyboard support member, for holding a paper copy; and

means for attaching the copyholder to the console;

wherein the apparatus is a combination wrist rest, keyboard support, pencil box, small object holder and copyholder.

16. An ergonomically correct, manually adjustable, and, from time to time, manually variable, wrist rest for supporting a typist'"'"'s wrist relative to a keyboard in order to minimize carpal tunnel syndrome, the wrist rest comprising:

an angularly adjustable keyboard support means, manually selectively adjustable in angle relative to an exterior surface upon which it rests, for supporting a base of a keyboard at various small acute angles relative to level; and

a wrist rest, positioned towards the typist from and connected to the keyboard support member, manually adjustable in elevation above the exterior surface upon which it rests for supporting the typist'"'"'s wrist at various elevations relative to the selectively angled keyboard, the wrist rest having

an eccentric cam manually rotatable in position under force of the fingers for conveniently manually adjusting the keyboard in elevation;

wherein the keyboard may be supported by the keyboard support member at an ergonomically neutral position relative to the angle of the typist'"'"'s forearm, wrist and fingers;

wherein, one the keyboard is supported in the ergonomically neutral position, the wrist may be conveniently, and at various times and frequencies desired by the typist, supported at various elevations also desired by the typist relative to the surface, and to the keyboard;

wherein the ergonomic neutral position of the typist'"'"'s forearm, wrist and fingers is substantially maintained nonetheless that the elevation, and attendant magnitude, of support provided to the typist'"'"'s wrist is conveniently variable to reduce fatigue.