Adjustable keyboard holder

• US 5,626,323 A
• Filed: 05/31/1995
• Issued: 05/06/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nova Solutions Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nova Solutions Inc.
• Inventors: Risse, Anne T., Lechman, John N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EDWARDS, WILLIAM GLENN
• Application Number:
  US08/454,646
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 108/143, 108/137, 108/50, 108/138, 248/918, 248/286.1, 248/291.1
• US Class Current: 248/286.1
• 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: Y10S 248/918 Ancillary device support associated with a video display screen

Abstract

An adjustable keyboard holder has a keyboard support. Relative to a horizontal work platform, the keyboard support is slidably extensible from a storage position to a working position and is retractable therefrom. In the working position, the keyboard support is vertically adjustable and tilt angle adjustable. The keyboard support is pivotably supported on each end by two pairs of lever arms and these lever arms are all pivotably supported by a pair of slidable beams so that a parallelogram arrangement is achieved which is used for keyboard support vertical positioning. One pair of lever arms is slidably movable relative to the associated respective beams so that, by varying the distance between lever arm pivot locations along each beam, tilt positioning is accomplished. Adjustable friction enhancers permit position fixing of the lever arms when the keyboard support is in a desired attitude. The keyboard support can be a keyboard tray or a combination of a keyboard with interconnection means for lever arm association.

Claims

1. An adjustable keyboard holder comprising in combination:

(a) a pair of spaced, parallel, stationary, elongated rail members including upper and lower support surfaces;

(b) a pair of elongated, spaced, parallel beam means having interconnected roller means for associating each one of said beam means with said support surfaces of a different one of said rail members for extension and retraction movements of each said beam means along and relative to each said associated rail member;

(c) keyboard support means having opposite end portions;

(d) two pairs of lever arm members,

the lever arm members of each pair being in laterally spaced, parallel relationship to each other and located adjacent a different one of said keyboard support opposite end portions,

the respective lever arm members of one said pair being in transversely spaced, parallel relationship to the corresponding respective lever arm members of the second said pair,

a corresponding one end region of each lever arm member of each said pair of lever arm members being pivotably associated with a different one of said beam means, including pivot shaft means therefor, and

a corresponding opposite end region of each said lever arm member of each said pair of lever arm members being pivotably associated with a different one of said keyboard support opposite end portions, including pivot shaft means therefor, thereby to provide a forward pair of lever arm members and a rearward pair of lever arm members relative to said keyboard support means; and

(e) said rearward pair of lever arm members additionally being slidably horizontally movable along each respective so associated said beam means;

whereby said keyboard support means is horizontally extensible and retractable, and, when extended, said keyboard support means is height adjustable and tilt angle adjustable.

2. The adjustable keyboard holder of claim 1 wherein adjustable friction enhancer means is functionally associated between said end region of each said lever arm member and said respective so associated said beam means for restricting movement of each of said lever arm members and including adjustment means therefor.

3. The adjustable keyboard holder of claim 1 wherein said keyboard support means comprises a keyboard support tray.

4. The adjustable keyboard holder of claim 1 wherein said keyboard support means comprises in combination a keyboard having opposite end portions and associated interconnection means at said opposite end portions thereof for connecting said keyboard to said forward and said rearward pair of lever arm members.

5. The adjustable keyboard holder of claim 1 wherein each one of said lever arm members of both said lever arm pairs has a diagonally extending mid-region whereby in each said lever arm member said one end region is laterally offset from said opposite end region, thereby achieving a lateral spacing between each of said beam means and said keyboard support opposite end portions.

6. The adjustable keyboard holder of claim 5 wherein each of said lever arm member has a substantially similar size and configuration.

7. The adjustable keyboard holder of claim 2 wherein each said pivot shaft means for said one end region of each said lever arm member extends laterally and perpendicularly through each respective one of said associated beam means, each said lever arm member is adjacent an inside surface of said associated beam means, the outside terminal end of each said pivot shaft means is threaded and is threadably engaged with knob adjustment means, whereby the amount of friction applied to each said one end region is regulatable by rotational manipulation of said knob means.

8. The adjustable keyboard holder of claim 7 wherein each said knob means is configured for slidable longitudinal movement within and along each of said rail members when said beams are so retracted relative to their respective associated rail members.

9. The adjustable keyboard holder of claim 7 wherein said one end region of each one of said lever arm members of said forward pair of lever arms is fixedly associated with a first centrally threaded plate means whose exposed outer face is radially ribbed, and wherein adjacent portions of said inside surface of said associated beam means is fixedly associated with a second centrally apertured plate means whose exposed outer face is radially ribbed, whereby, when said each knob means is tightened relative to its so associated pivot shaft means, said first plate means is engagable with said second plate means to an extend such that said lever arm members are not further pivotable.

10. The adjustable keyboard holder of claim 7 wherein said pivot shaft means that is associated with each one of said rearward pair of lever arm members so extends through the associated said beam means in a horizontal, elongated slot that is defined in each one of said associated said beam means so that each of said rearward pivot shaft means is slidably horizontally movable in said slot, and wherein said inside terminal end of each one of said rearward pivot shaft means is pivotably engaged with a different one of said rearward pair of lever arms whereby, when said knob means is turned relative to each associated said rearward pivot shaft means, frictional engagement of said rearward pivot shaft means relative to said associated said beam means is increased to a level where slidable movement of said rearward pivot shaft means is prevented.

11. An adjustable keyboard holder comprising in combination:

(a) a pair of spaced, parallel, stationary, elongated rail members including upper and lower support surfaces;

(b) a pair of elongated, spaced, parallel beam means having interconnected roller means for associating each one of said beam means with said support surfaces of a different one of said rail members for slidable extension and retraction movements of each said beam means along and relative to each said associated rail member;

(c) a keyboard means having opposite end portions and associated interconnection means at said opposite end portions;

(d) two pairs of lever arm members,

the lever arm members of each pair being in laterally spaced, parallel relationship to each other and located adjacent a different one of said keyboard support opposite end portions,

the respective lever arm members of one said pair being in transversely spaced, parallel relationship to the corresponding respective lever arm members of the second said pair,

a corresponding one end region of each lever arm member of each said pair of lever arm members being pivotably associated with a different one of said beam means, including pivot shaft means therefor, and

a corresponding opposite end region of each said lever arm member of each said pair of lever arm members being pivotably associated with a different one of said keyboard interconnection means, including pivot shaft means therefor, thereby to provide a forward pair of lever arm members and a rearward pair of lever arm members relative to said keyboard support means;

(e) said rearward pair of lever arm members additionally being slidably horizontally movable along each respective so associated said beam means; and

(f) adjustable friction enhancer means functionally associated between said end region of each said lever arm member and said respective so associated said beam means for restricting movement of each of said lever arm members and including adjustment means therefor;

whereby said keyboard support means is horizontally extensible and retractable, and, when extended, said keyboard support means is height adjustable and tilt angle adjustable.

12. The adjustable keyboard holder of claim 11 wherein said interconnection means comprises a pair of plate means, each plate means being connected with said pivot shaft means for said opposite end region of each of the two said lever arm members that are each so associated with one of said beam means including connecting means for so connecting and each said plate means also being connected to a different opposite end portion of said keyboard including fastening means for so connecting.

13. The keyboard holder of claim 12 wherein said fastening means comprises an adhesive.

14. The keyboard holder of claim 12 wherein said fastening means comprises screw means.

15. The keyboard holder of claim 12 wherein said fastening means comprises a peripherally extending cup-like receptacle into which each said keyboard opposite end region is received.