Pivotable, stowable, keyboard shelf for apron banded table

• US 5,653,413 A
• Filed: 04/03/1995
• Issued: 08/05/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bernard Fink
• Original Assignee: Bernard Fink
• Inventors: Fink, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Application Number:
  US08/415,670
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 248/291.1, 248/286.1, 248/292.13, 248/292.14, 248/918, 248/284.1, 108/2, 108/5, 108/6, 108/138, 108/143, 312/223.3, 312/223.2, 312/302, 312/313, 312/334.4
• US Class Current: 248/286.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/0321 Keyboard supports
• 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 2210/15 Keyboard drawers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/918 Ancillary device support associated with a video display screen

Abstract

A computer keyboard shelf for users of large data display monitors. The computer keyboard is positioned in front and just below the table top when in use. For storage, a fingerpull unlatches the shelf permitting the shelf to swing down and under the top of the apron banded table. When in the "stow" position, the keyboard is fully concealed and shielded from damage or collecting dust. In the "use" position, the hands operating the keyboard are below the elbows which is an ergonomically advantageous position.

Claims

1. A device for supporting a keyboard in a first position where the key board is accessible to an operator using the keyboard extended in front of a work table together with a monitor positioned on a top surface of said work table and in a second position where the keyboard is stowed under and proximal to said top surface, said device comprising;

a shelf means adapted for supporting said keyboard on an upper surface of said tray means;

said shelf tray means being substantially rectangular with an under surface opposite said upper surface and having a pair of side edges, one side edge of said pair of side edges parallel to and opposite another side edge of said pair of side edges and a front edge parallel to and opposite a rear edge;

a pair of elongated side arms one side arm of said pair of elongated side arms secured to said shelf means along said one side edge and another side arm of said pair of elongated side arms secured to said shelf means along said another side edge;

a pair of parallel track means adapted for being fastened on a bottom surface of said work table opposite said top surface for slidably supporting a pair of gantry means to slide in a direction parallel to said top surface and perpendicular and proximal to a working edge of said work table;

a pair of gantry means, one gantry means of said pair of gantry means slidably engaged in one track means of said pair of track means and another gantry means engaged in said another track means of said pair of track means for rotatably supporting ends of said elongated support arms;

means for rotatably securing said one side arm to said one gantry means proximal to said rear edge of said tray;

means for rotatably securing said another side arm to said another gantry means proximal to said rear edge of said tray rotates about an axis that is parallel to said rear edge of said shelf and said working edge of said work table;

each track means of said pair of track means having a forward aperture in a location proximal to said working edge of said top surface and a rear aperture in a location distal from said working edge of said top surface;

one guide rod axially slidably mounted on and parallel to said under surface of said shelf means and positioned for a near end of said one guide rod to slide into and out of engagement in one of said forward apertures when said shelf means is in said first position and to slide into and out of engagement with one of said rear apertures when said shelf means is in a second position;

another guide rod axially slidably mounted on and parallel to said under surface of said shelf means and positioned for a near end of said another guide rod to slide into and out of engagement with another one of said forward apertures when said shelf means is in said first position and to slide into and out of engagement with another one of said rear aperture when said shelf means is in said second position;

means for slidably positioning said one guide rod and said another guide rod into and out of said apertures respectively;

spring means for biasing said one guide rod and said another guide rod into engagement with respective aperture wherein said pair of gantry means is enabled to be slid to a first location with said shelf means extended from top surface of said work table and is accessible to said user and detachable securing said shelf means in said second position and wherein said pair of gantry means is enabled to be slid to a second location with said shelf means stowed under said top surface of said work table.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said work table has an apron and said device comprises said elongated arms and shelf means being operably configured with a shape such that when said shelf is in said first location, said keyboard is located substantially on a level with underside of said work surface and when said shelf is in said second position said keyboard is on a level proximal to an underside of said work surface.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said means for slidably positioning comprises:

a frame having four legs, each leg rotatably attached to an end of a neighboring leg such that said frame has four corners;

said frame mounted on said shelf means with one corner of said frame secured to a far end of one guide rod and an opposite corner of said frame secured to a far end of said another guide rod distal;

a pull strap having one end accessible to said user and another end coupled to said frame operably arranged such that, when said user pulls said strap, said end near of said one guide rod and said near end of said another guide rod are both disengaged from said respective apertures.

4. The device of claim 3 which comprises:

a mouse tray means for supporting a mouse;

a slot in at least one of said elongated arms;

said slot and mouse tray constructed in operable combination to permit sliding said mouse tray into said slot and adapted to support a mouse.

5. A device for supporting a keyboard in a first position where the keyboard is accessible to an operator using the keyboard extended in front of a work table having a table top with a top surface together with a monitor positioned on said top surface of said work table and in a second position where the keyboard is stowed under and proximal to said top surface, said device comprising:

a shelf means adapted for supporting said keyboard on an upper surface of said tray means;

said shelf means being substantially rectangular with an under surface opposite said upper surface and having a pair of side edges, one side edge of said pair of side edges parallel to an opposite another side edge of said pair of side edges and a front edge parallel to an opposite a rear edge;

a pair of elongated side arms, one side arm of said pair of elongated side arms secured to said shelf means along said one side edge and another side arm of said pair of elongated side arms secured to said shelf means along said another side edge;

a pair of parallel track means adapted for being fastened on a bottom surface of said work table opposite said top surface for slidably supporting a pair of gantry means to slide in a direction parallel to said top surface and perpendicular and proximal to a working edge of said work table;

a pair of gantry means, one gantry means of said pair of gantry means slidably engaged in one track means of said pair of track means and another gantry means engaged in said another track means of said pair of track means for rotatably supporting ends of said elongated support arms;

means for rotatably securing said one side arm to said one gantry means proximal to said rear edge of said tray;

means for detachably securing said shelf in said first position wherein said pair of gantry means is slid to a first location with said shelf means extended from said top surface of said work table and is accessible to said user and for detachably securing said shelf means in said second position wherein said pair of gantry means is slid to a second location with said shelf means stowed under and against said table top of said work table.