Computer keyboard support system

• US 5,443,237 A
• Filed: 05/06/1994
• Issued: 08/22/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jack Sutherland
• Original Assignee: Seymour H. Stadtmauer
• Inventors: Stadtmauer, Seymour H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Purol, David M.
• Application Number:
  US08/239,235
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 248/918, 248/346, 248/284, 248/118, 248/441.1, 248/118.1, 248/118.3, 248/276, 248/240, 248/240.4, 248/278, 248/279
• US Class Current: 248/441.1
• 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 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 2200/009 Keyboards associated with mousepads
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0094 Copyholder for VDU screen
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/918 Ancillary device support associated with a video display screen

Abstract

A computer keyboard support system that includes an articulating arm with first and second pivot couplings spanning between pairs of parallel lock plates and links, the lock plates to be clamped against the links and ends of the pivot couplings by operation of a lock bolt that is arranged for manual operation to maintain articulating arm positioning, as set at the first and second pivot couplings. The first pivot coupling is mounted to a top plate that is arranged for fitting into a track that is mounted to an undersurface of a work table, allowing the top plate and connected articulating arm to be pulled outwardly from the table edge. Which track may also accommodate a height adjustable document holder. The articulating arm is vertically movable around the first pivot coupling to be lowered from a horizontal attitude, with the second pivot coupling arranged with a keyboard holder mount as the second pivot coupling that may be tilted to provide a tilt that is up to a negative nine (9) degrees from the horizontal a keyboard holder or mouse pad connected thereto. The keyboard holder is to accommodate a computer keyboard maintained thereon and may provide for connecting a mouse pad thereto to extend outwardly from the side or opposite sides of the keyboard holder. The mouse pad may be fixed or arranged to tilt from the horizontal, and the keyboard holder, along a forward edge, preferably includes a height adjustable palm rest that can include a padded top surface.

Claims

1. A computer keyboard support system comprising, an articulating arm means with means for connecting said articulating arm means between a work surface and a computer accessory holder and is arranged to both lower vertically from said work surface and tilt from the horizontal said computer accessory holder and includes a body that incorporates a first pivoting section that includes a top plate for fitting into a mount that is secured to an undersurface of said work surface, said first pivoting section provides a coupling across a top end of a pair of spaced parallel straight lock sides with a first pivot coupling arranged across a pair of straight flat links that are individually pivotally coupled to top ends of said first pivot coupling, said first pivoting section mounted to an undersurface of said top plate, and including a second pivoting section that provides a coupling across a bottom end of said pair of spaced parallel lock sides with a second pivot coupling arranged across bottom ends of said links, and with a keyboard holder mount as said second pivoting section for connection to said accessory holder, and means for clamping said spaced parallel lock sides against said links and against ends of said first and second pivoting sections, forming a rigid structure, until released.

2. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for connecting the articulating arm means between the work surface and a computer accessory holder is a flat rectangular section that includes aligned spaced holes formed along opposite sides thereof for receiving fasteners to connect said mount onto the work surface undersurface, and includes a straight flat section spanning between said opposite sides, with at least one pair of aligned longitudinal slots, each slot formed is an opposing wall of each said opposite sides, alongside said flat section to receive opposing edges of the articulating arm top plate.

3. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 2, wherein the mount includes a second pair of aligned slots formed longitudinally the opposing walls of said opposite sides, alongside each of said first pair of slots and separated therefrom by the flat rectangular section;

and further including a document holder means for maintaining written materials thereon that includes a document holder slide for sliding into said second pair of slots, that is bent back upon itself into an upper portion for supporting a holder section of said document holder.

4. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 3, wherein the holder section is a narrow flat rectangular section that is bent at approximately a ninety degree angle across a lower portion thereof into an outwardly extending lip for receiving and supporting written materials thereon;

means for mounting said holder section to the document holder slide upper portion to provide for vertical movement of said holder section along said document holder slide upper portion; and

means for releasably locking said holder section to said document holder slide upper portion.

5. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 4, wherein the means for mounting and providing for vertical movement of the holder section onto and along the document holder slide upper portion is a vertical slot formed through said document holder slide upper portion section, and a slide pin mounted to extend at a right angle outwardly from approximately the center of said holder section for fitting through said vertical slot, and a means for fitting to said slide pin for binding against edges of said vertical slot;

and a center tapped hole is formed in a head end of said slide pin to receive a threaded end of a bolt as said means for fitting to said slide pin turned therein, and said bolt maintains a knob means for manual turning by an operator to turn said bolt, with, when said bolt is turned into said slide pin, a flat forward end of said knob means to engage said edges of said vertical slot as the means for releasably locking said holder section to said document holder slide upper portion.

6. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 5, further including, an outwardly projecting ridge formed around the vertical slot, from a rear face of the document holder slide upper portion, said ridge having a flat top edge for engaging the flat forward end of said knob means.

7. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 1, wherein the arrangement of the second pivoting section and the second pivot provide for pivotally connecting the pairs of links and lock sides so as to allow the keyboard holder mount to be tilted such that the computer accessory holder couples thereto at a center of a rear edge thereof, can be tilted up to nine (9) degrees negative or downwardly from the horizontal.

8. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 7, wherein the computer accessory holder is a computer keyboard holder that includes a flat platform for mounting onto a base of said computer keyboard holder for supporting a computer keyboard positioned thereon, and includes a palm rest means mounted to extend upwardly from along a top forward edge of said flat platform.

9. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 8, further including means for adjusting and maintaining a flat top surface of the palm rest at a desired height above the top surface of the flat platform.

10. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 9, wherein the palm rest means includes a top portion formed as a narrow rectangle with equal height parallel front, rear and side walls with the flat top surface arranged across the top edges of said walls, and is open across said walls lower edges;

the flat platform includes a fence arranged at a right angle to and across the top of a forward edge to pass by inner surfaces of said palm rest means front and side walls when said palm rest means is moved to a lowered attitude;

the means for adjusting and maintaining said palm rest means height relative to said top surface of said flat platform is a rectangular plate having opposing equal length narrow flat front and rear sides, with parallel grooves formed in the opposing inner surfaces of said top portion front and rear walls for receiving edges of said rectangular plate front and rear sides to slide therealong, and said flat platform and rectangular plate each include ramp means that oppose each other whereby movement of said rectangular plate outer edges along said top portion front and rear walls grooves moves sides of said ramp means over one another thereby moving said top portion vertically relative to said flat platform, and means for moving said rectangular plate outer edges along said opposing grooves.

11. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 10, wherein the ramp means are pairs of identical spaced right angle triangle sections each positioned alongside the other with the triangle section bases of opposing pairs secured to the flat platform and the rectangular plate, respectively, such that the hypotenuse sides of said pairs that extend from the rectangular plate slide along the hypotenuse sides of the pairs that are secured to the flat platform;

the means for moving said rectangular plate outer edges along said opposing grooves is an arm that extends outwardly from a rectangular plate outer edge and through a horizontal slot that has been formed in the palm rest means top portion front wall, which said arm includes a finger engaging tab formed across said arm end; and

means for releasably maintaining said opposing hypotenuse sides of the opposing pairs in engagement.

12. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 11, further including guide means for guiding vertical movement of the palm rest means top portion relative to the flat platform consisting of at least one cylinder secured across a bottom end thereof to extend at a right angle upwardly from the bottom face of the palm rest means top surface and a post for each said cylinder secured across a lower end at a right angle to the flat platform to fit through a longitudinal slot formed in the rectangular plate and to fit axially into said cylinder;

and at least one center longitudinal slot formed in said rectangular plate wherethrough said cylinder extending from said bottom face of said palm rest is fitted, to slide freely along said longitudinal slot.

13. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 11, wherein the means for releasably maintaining the opposing hypotenuse sides of the opposing pairs of right angle triangle sections are teeth or serrations extending from along the opposing hypotenuse sides of at least one of the opposing pairs.

14. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 10, further including a layer of a padded material secured onto a top surface of said palm rest means top portion.

15. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 8, wherein the keyboard holder flat platform is arranged to be movable from front to rear across the base;

means for guiding movement of said keyboard holder flat platform across said base that consists of at least a pair of opposing rails, the individual rails secured, respectively, to opposing surfaces of the keyboard holder flat platform and base; and

releasably means for maintaining the relative positioning of said keyboard holder flat platform to said base.

16. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 8, further including a mouse pad means and means for mounting said mouse pad means to the keyboard holder whereby a mouse pad means flat top surface extends outwardly from a side of said keyboard holder.

17. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 16, wherein the mouse pad means, includes, as the means for mounting, a bracket secured to an undersurface of the flat top surface and means for coupling said bracket to a flat coupling foot;

and the keyboard holder base includes at least one slot formed into a side thereof that is for receiving said flat coupling foot fitted therein as the means for mounting said mouse pad means.

18. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 17, wherein the bracket is positionable along rails arranged across an undersurface of the mouse pad means top surface and includes a flat mounting face for engaging a flange side of said flat coupling foot;

means for pivot mounting an outer face of said flange side to said bracket flat mounting face so as to allow said flange side to pivot across said bracket flat mounting face to tilt the mouse pad means top surface.

19. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 18, wherein the means for pivot mounting includes a pair of spaced holes from through the coupling foot flange side, each hole to receive a bolt means fitted therethrough, and a pair of curved slots formed through the bracket flat mounting face to receive said bolt means fitted therethrough and nut means for turning onto said bolt means to clamp said flange side and flat mounting face surfaces together;

and a pivot means consisting of post that extends outwardly from said flange side to fit into a hole formed in said flat mounting face.

20. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 17, wherein slots are formed in the opposite sides of the keyboard holder means base allowing the mouse pad means to be mounted to extend outwardly from either side of said keyboard holder means.

21. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 8, wherein the computer work surface means is a mouse pad means that includes a flat top surface and a bracket that extends from an undersurface of said flat top surface;

and means for mounting said mouse pad means to the keyboard holder mount.

22. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 2, wherein the first pivoting section includes a bracket for arrangement across and attachment to the top plate and along with the lock sides, is arranged to receive a first bolt, with a nut for turning over a threaded end of said first bolt, and the first pivot coupling includes a pin fitted through the opposite link ends and through said cylindrical pivot bracket;

the second pivoting section includes the keyboard holder mount with a second bolt for fitting therethrough and through holes in said lock sides, with a nut for turning over a threaded end of said second bolt that is for fitting with said keyboard holder mount including a hole formed therethrough for receiving a pin fitted therethrough and through aligned holes through the link ends and further including a mounting means centered in a keyboard holder mount forward wall for mounting to the computer accessory holder, said second pivoting section and second pivot couplings to allow said keyboard holder mount to be independently pivoted whereby the computer accessory holder can be tilted up to a nine (9) degree negative angle from the horizontal; and

means for clamping said lock sides and links against ends of said bracket and keyboard holder mount.

23. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 22, wherein the means for clamping the lock sides and links against the bracket and keyboard holder mount is a lock bolt means arranged for fitting through said lock sides and through a sleeve and is for receiving a nut turned thereover.

24. A computer keyboard support system as recited in claim 23, further including means for maintaining the nut to one lock side as the lock bolt means is turned thereover.