Dynamic wrist rest

• US 5,568,907 A
• Filed: 04/27/1995
• Issued: 10/29/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wolfe Mountain Enterprises, LLC
• Original Assignee: Jimmy V. Wolfe
• Inventors: Williams, Bruce L., Wolfe, Jimmy V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Application Number:
  US08/430,750
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 248/118, 248/118.1, 248/118.3, 248/118.5, 248/918, 400/715, 400/719, 267/117, 267/142
• 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 dynamic wrist rest for use with a computer keyboard for the prevention of carpel tunnel syndrome is provided. The wrist rest provides for a constant up and down motion of the wrist through an internally mounted pressure sensitive air bladder. The up and down motion can also be provided by a motor and gear driven belt and pulley system that provides a lower speed and high torque which functions to rotate a roller along the interior surface of the support surface of the wrist rest thus creating the up and down motion. The up and down motion can also be provided by a motor driven, internally mounted oblong roller that is mounted for rotation about its axis.

Claims

1. A dynamic wrist rest, including:

a. a housing;

b. an expandable bladder combined with said housing to create a substantially air tight internal void space within said expandable bladder;

c. said wrist rest having a top outer surface serving as a wrist interface; and

d. means for moving said wrist interface in a piston-like motion in response to static or dynamic pressure.

2. A dynamic wrist rest including:

a. a housing;

b. an expandable bladder combined with said housing to create an internal void space;

c. a portion of said dynamic wrist rest serving as a wrist interface

d. means for moving said wrist interface in a reciprocal motion; and

e. said means for moving said wrist interface in a reciprocal motion including a port providing for the intake of air into and the expulsion of air out of said void space and means for regulating the flow of air into and out of said void space as pressure is applied to the wrist interface, said regulating means causing air to rapidly fill said void space in response to a reduced pressure on said wrist rest at said wrist interface and to slowly expel air from the void space in the event of increased pressure on said wrist interface.

3. A dynamic wrist rest including:

a. a housing;

b. an expandable bladder combined with said housing to cream an internal void space;

c. a portion of said dynamic wrist rest serving as a wrist interface;

d. means for moving said wrist interface including a roller;

e. means mounting said roller within said housing for movement about a defined path;

f. a motor having a power output;

g. a drive train connected to the power output of said motor;

h. means for causing said drive train to drive said roller along said defined path; and

i. the movement of said roller along said defined path causing up and down motion of said wrist interface.

4. The wrist rest according to claim 3 wherein said roller has an axis and at each position of said roller during its travel over its defined path, said axis is parallel to the axis of the roller at every other position of said roller.

5. The wrist rest according to claim 4 wherein said axis moves in a loop as the roller travels along its defined path.

6. A dynamic wrist rest including:

a. a housing;

b. an expandable bladder combined with said housing to cream an internal void space;

c. a portion of said dynamic wrist rest serving as a wrist interface;

d. means for moving said wrist interface including an oblong roller;

e. said oblong roller mounted internally of said void space and having an axis and an outer perimeter, the oblong roller mounted such that a portion of its outer perimeter contacts an interior surface of the wrist interface;

f. a motor; and

g. means connecting saint motor to said oblong roller to rotate said roller about its axis.