Keyboard tray

• US 5,655,743 A
• Filed: 03/26/1996
• Issued: 08/12/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charles A. Gillis
• Original Assignee: Charles A. Gillis
• Inventors: Gillis, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SNAPP, SANDRA S
• Application Number:
  US08/621,876
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 248/346.01, 248/346.07, 248/448, 248/678, 248/917, 248/918, 248/924, 248/118, 248/147, 248/149, 108/137, 108/143
• US Class Current: 248/346.01
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/009 Keyboards associated with mousepads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0395 Mouse pads
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/918 Ancillary device support associated with a video display screen

Abstract

The invention is a keyboard tray which is formed from two relatively shallow molded bodies united along a periphery thereof to define an internal relatively flat chamber in which is slidable a mouse tray. The mouse tray can project outwardly of the chamber through either of opposite side edges of the keyboard tray. The mouse tray carries a projection which limits sliding movement of the mouse tray in its opposite directions. A rigid block of wood is secured in a recess portion of the keyboard tray to afford rigidity thereto and provide frictional purchase for screws which secure the keyboard to a keyboard tray mounting or support arm.

Claims

1. A keyboard tray particularly adapted for supporting any one of a variety of keyboards and an associated mouse comprising upper and lower walls and a peripheral wall therebetween, said peripheral wall including spaced opposite side wall portions, a slot in each side wall portion, said peripheral wall maintaining said upper and lower walls in generally spaced relationship and defining a relatively flat chamber therebetween, a single relatively flat slidable tray housed generally within said flat chamber, said flat slidable tray having opposite side edges each generally adjacent one of said side wall portions, and said single relatively flat slidable tray being slidable relative to said chamber such that opposite side edge portions of said single relatively flat slidable tray can alternatively project beyond an associate side wall portion to adapt the keyboard tray for selective right hand and left hand utilization of a mouse selectively upon either of said single relatively flat slidable tray side edge portions.

2. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 wherein said side edge portions each include an upper surface possessing a relatively high coefficient of friction to preclude inadvertent mouse movement/slippage thereon.

3. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 wherein said flat slidable tray includes an upper opening relatively shallow recess, and a piece of material having an upper surface possessing a relatively high coefficient of friction housed in said shallow recess to preclude inadvertent mouse movement/slippage thereon.

4. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 wherein said flat slidable tray includes an upper opening relatively shallow recess, and a piece of material having an upper surface possessing a relatively high coefficient of friction adhered in said shallow recess to preclude inadvertent mouse movement/slippage thereon.

5. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 including upstanding side reinforcing ribs projecting above said upper wall adjacent each side wall portion.

6. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 including upstanding side reinforcing ribs projecting above said upper wall adjacent each side wall portion, and an upstanding rear reinforcing rib projecting above said upper wall and generally spanning the distance between said side reinforcing ribs.

7. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 including means in said flat chamber secured to said lower wall for imparting reinforced rigidity thereto.

8. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 including means in said flat chamber secured to said lower wall for imparting reinforced rigidity thereto, and said reinforced rigidity imparting means is a block of wood.

9. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 including means in said flat chamber secured to said lower wall for imparting reinforced rigidity thereto, and said reinforced rigidity imparting means is a block of wood housed in an upwardly opening recess of said lower wall.

10. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 including a plurality of downwardly and outwardly opening channels in said lower wall for imparting rigidity thereto.

11. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 including a plurality of downwardly and outwardly opening channels in said lower wall for imparting rigidity thereto, and said channels include at least a pair of channel portions disposed in converging relationship relative to each other.

12. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 including a plurality of downwardly and outwardly opening channels in said lower wall for imparting rigidity thereto, and channels include at least a pair of laterally spaced side channel portions, one adjacent each side wall portion and a front channel portion extending between said side channel portions.

13. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 including a plurality of downwardly and outwardly opening channels in said lower wall for imparting rigidity thereto, channels include at least a pair of laterally spaced side channel portions, one adjacent each side wall portion and a front channel portion extending between said side channel portions, and said channels further include at least a pair of channel portions disposed in converging relationship relative to each other in a direction away from said front channel portion.

14. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 including means in said lower wall for providing universal mounting of said keyboard tray relative to a variety of articulated and/or stationary keyboard tray mounting arms.

15. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 including stop means carried by said flat slidable tray for limiting sliding movement of said flat slidable tray in each of opposite directions of sliding movement.

16. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 including stop means carried by a lower side of said flat slidable tray for limiting sliding movement of said flat slidable tray in each of opposite directions of sliding movement.

17. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 2 including stop means carried by said flat slidable tray for limiting sliding movement of said flat slidable tray in each of opposite directions of sliding movement.

18. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 17 including means in said flat chamber secured to said lower wall for imparting reinforced rigidity thereto.

19. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 17 wherein said flat slidable tray includes an upper opening relatively shallow recess, and a piece of material having an upper surface possessing a relatively high coefficient of friction housed in said shallow recess to preclude inadvertent mouse movement/slippage thereon.

20. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 19 wherein the distance between terminal side edges of said flat slidable tray is less than the distance between said slots whereby at least one of said flat slidable tray terminal side edges is at all times accessible at one of said slots.