Adjustable keyboard holder for workstations

• US 5,487,525 A
• Filed: 03/14/1994
• Issued: 01/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Engineered Data Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Engineered Data Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Starkey, Daniel C., Drabczyk, Matthew P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Application Number:
  US08/212,084
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 248/918, 248/639, 248/280.1, 248/281.1, 248/284, 248/291, 248/298, 108/138, 108/143, 403/87, 403/91, 403/92
• US Class Current: 248/639
• 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 21/007 with under-desk displays, e.g. displays being viewable through a transparent working surface of the table or desk
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/0314 Platforms for supporting office equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2210/15 Keyboard drawers
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 25/009 Alarm systems; Safety sytems, e.g. preventing fire and explosions using inert gases F26B21/14
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/918 Ancillary device support associated with a video display screen

Abstract

An adjustable keyboard holder for ergonomically designed workstations. The present invention provides a keyboard holder that is infinitely adjustable both angularly and vertically. The keyboard holder includes a locking apparatus that allows ease of adjustment as well as restraining the keyboard holder from movement when locked. This keyboard holder allows adjustment without interfering with the use of an underdesk visual display terminal.

Claims

1. An adjustable keyboard holder for a workstation, said adjustable keyboard holder comprises:

a keyboard tray support;

means for mounting said keyboard support to a workstation;

means for infinitely adjusting the angular position of said keyboard tray support within a range of motion relative to the workstation;

means for infinitely adjusting the vertical position of said keyboard tray support within a range of motion relative to the workstation;

means for providing horizontal movement of said keyboard tray support from an operating position extending substantially beyond the edge of the workstation to a storage position substantially beneath the surface of the workstation; and

a single actuating mechanism mounted adjacent said keyboard tray support for releasing said angular adjusting means and said vertical adjusting means for adjustment and for locking said angular adjusting means and said vertical adjusting means in a selected angular and vertical position.

2. The adjustable keyboard holder of claim 1 wherein said angular adjustment means include:

an elongated member extending beneath said keyboard tray support;

means for pivotally mounting said keyboard tray support on said elongated member;

means for frictionally clamping said keyboard tray support relative to said elongated member to prevent pivoting movement of said keyboard tray support on said elongated member; and

means on said single actuator for disengaging said frictional clamping means to allow adjustment of the angular position of said keyboard tray support and for engaging said frictional clamping means to lock said keyboard tray support in a selected angular position.

3. The adjustable keyboard holder of claim 2 wherein said means for frictionally clamping said keyboard tray support includes:

friction washers mounted between said means for pivotally mounting said keyboard tray support on said elongated member;

spring members for resiliently biasing said friction washers against said pivotally mounting means; and

said means on said single actuator operatively engages said spring members to remove said resilient biasing on said friction washers to allow angular adjustment of said keyboard tray support and disengages said spring members to replace said resilient biasing against said friction washers to lock said keyboard tray support in a selected angular position.

4. The adjustable keyboard holder of claim 3 wherein said single actuator includes:

a lever rotatably mounted on said elongated member;

a first cam surface formed on said lever;

a second cam surface formed on a portion of said elongated member adjacent said second cam surface wherein said first cam surface engages said second cam surface as said lever is rotated relative to said elongated member to move said elongated member along its longitudinal axis to remove the resilient bias of said spring members against said friction washers.

5. The adjustable keyboard holder of claim 1 wherein said means for infinitely adjusting the vertical position of said keyboard tray support relative to the workstation includes:

pivotal linkage members between said keyboard tray support and said workstation; and

said single actuating mechanism releases said pivotal linkage members to allow vertical adjustment of said keyboard tray support and clamps said pivotal linkage members to lock said keyboard tray support in a selected vertical position.

6. The adjustable keyboard holder of claim 3 wherein said means for infinitely adjusting the vertical position of said keyboard tray support relative to the workstation includes:

pivotal linkage members between said keyboard tray support and said computer workstation;

said pivotal linkage members pivotally mounted on said elongated member;

means for frictionally clamping said pivotal linkage members relative to said elongated member to prevent vertical movement of said keyboard tray support; and

said single actuating mechanism releases said frictional clamping means on said pivotal linkage members to allow vertical adjustment of said keyboard tray support and reengages said frictional clamping means to clamp said pivotal linkage members to lock said keyboard tray support in a selected vertical position.

7. The adjustable keyboard holder of claim 1 wherein said means for mounting said keyboard tray support to said computer workstation includes:

means for allowing horizontal, vertical and angular adjustment of said keyboard tray support without interfering with an underdesk visual display of said workstation.