Keyboard support

• US 5,704,299 A
• Filed: 05/16/1996
• Issued: 01/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Inventors: Alexander, Brian D. T., Corpuz, Roque Matias Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US08/649,032
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 108/145, 108/147, 108/50, 108/2, 108/3, 108/6, 108/7, 108/9, 108/10, 312/195, 312/194, 312/223.3, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 248/917-923
• US Class Current: 108/50.01
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/0307 Platforms for supporting office equipment and wrists
• 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: A47B 21/0371 Platforms for supporting wrists

Abstract

A keyboard support stand having a height-adjustable support frame and a keyboard support tray and arm rest which are carried by the support frame and are independently adjustable. The keyboard tray is pivotally mounted so as to be adjustable through a significant angular range between a raised position above a horizontal plane and a lowered position angling downwardly. The arm rest which supports the forearms of a user is similarly angularly adjustable through a similar angular range between raised and lowered positions. Any combination of angular positions of the arm rest and keyboard tray, as well as the height thereof, can be provided so as to optimize the comfort of the user.

Claims

1. A keyboard support stand for supporting at least a computer keyboard, comprising:

first and second leg assemblies which are disposed in a laterally spaced relation and are height-adjustable, said leg assemblies including a fixed lower portion, an upper portion, and adjustment means for selectively adjusting the vertical height of said upper portion relative to said lower portion;

an elongate support member extending laterally between said first and second leg assemblies and connected to said upper portions so as to move in combination therewith during adjustment of said height;

an arm rest disposed on a front side of said support member and having arm rest connector parts which are pivotally joined to said support member to permit vertical angular displacement of said arm rest about said support member; and

a keyboard tray disposed on a rear side of said support member in a space between said first and second leg assemblies, said keyboard tray including keyboard connector parts pivotally joined to said support member to permit vertical angular movement of said keyboard tray about said support member.

2. A keyboard support stand according to claim 1, wherein said arm rest is angularly pivotable about said support member so as to move in a vertical plane through an angular path of approximately 45 degrees, said angular path extending both above and below a horizontal plane.

3. A keyboard support stand according to claim 1, wherein said keyboard tray is angularly pivotable about said support member so as to move in a vertical plane through an angular path of approximately 35 degrees, said angular path extending both above and below a horizontal plane.

4. A keyboard support stand according to claim 1, wherein each of said upper portions of said first and second leg assemblies include respective firs and second side work surfaces connected thereto, said side work surfaces being disposed on opposite lateral sides of said keyboard tray and being horizontally enlarged to provide an upward facing support surface.

5. A keyboard support stand according to claim 1, wherein said adjustment means is operatively connected to releasable brake means for selectively braking said adjustment means to selectively restrain vertical displacement of said upper portion relative to said lower portion.

6. A keyboard support stand according to claim 1, wherein said adjustment means include first and second pivot arms having first ends connected to a front end region of one of said upper and lower portions of said leg assembly and having second ends connected to-a rear end region of the other of said upper and lower portions of said leg assemblies, said first and second support arms generally defining a parallelogram so as to permit relative vertical movement of said upper portion relative to said lower portion.

7. A keyboard support stand according to claim 6, wherein said adjustment means includes biasing means connected between said upper and lower leg portions so as to bias said upper portion upwardly relative to said lower portion.

8. A keyboard support stand according to claim 1, wherein said arm rest connector parts include an arcuate slot which is aligned with a respective aperture of said support member and slidably receives a pin of a locking device which extends therethrough and into said respective aperture, said slot being slidable along said pin so as to permit relative angular movement of said arm rest relative to said support member, said locking device being actuatable to fix said arm rest connector part relative to said support member and being releasable to permit said relative angular movement of said arm rest.

9. A keyboard support stand according to claim 1, wherein said keyboard connector parts include an arcuate slot which is aligned with a respective aperture of said support member and slidably receives a pin of a locking device which extends therethrough and into said respective aperture, said slot being slidable along said pin so as to permit relative angular movement of said keyboard relative to said support member, said locking device being actuatable to fix said keyboard connector part relative to said support member and releasable to permit said relative angular movement of said keyboard.

10. A keyboard support stand according to claim 1, wherein each of said upper portions of said leg assemblies include respective first and second side worksurfaces connected thereto, said side worksurfaces being disposed on opposite lateral sides of said keyboard tray and being horizontally enlarged to provide upward facing support surfaces, said arm rest being angularly pivotable about said support member so as to move in a vertical plane through an angular path of approximately 45 degrees, and said keyboard tray being angularly pivotable about said support member so as to move in a vertical plane through an angular path of approximately 35 degrees, said angular paths extending both above and below a horizontal plane.

11. A keyboard support stand according to claim 10, wherein said adjustment means include first and second pivot arms having first ends connected to a front end region of one of said upper and lower portions of said leg assembly and having second ends connected to a rear end region of the other of said upper and lower portions of said leg assemblies, said first and second support arms generally defining a parallelogram so as to permit relative vertical movement of said upper portion relative to said lower portion.

12. A keyboard support stand for supporting at least a computer keyboard comprising:

a support frame including a fixed lower frame portion and an upper frame portion, and adjustment means connected to said upper and lower frame portions for selectively adjusting a height of said upper frame portion relative to said lower frame portion;

first and second worksurfaces connected to said upper frame portion to move in combination therewith during said height adjustment, said first and second work surfaces being disposed in laterally spaced relation so as to define an intermediate open area therebetween;

an arm rest defining an upward facing surface and being pivotally joined to support means of said upper frame portion so that said arm rest is angularly pivotable in a vertical plane; and

a keyboard tray defining an upward facing surface and being disposed in said intermediate open area, said keyboard tray being pivotally joined to said support means of said upper frame portion so that said keyboard tray is angularly pivotable in a vertical plane.

13. A keyboard support stand according to claim 12, wherein said support means defines a horizontal axis about which both said arm rest and said keyboard tray are angularly pivotable.

14. A keyboard support stand according to claim 13, wherein said support means comprises an elongate support member extending laterally between said first and second worksurfaces, said keyboard tray and said arm rest being disposed respectively on opposite front and rear sides of said support member.

15. A keyboard support stand according to claim 12, wherein said adjustment means include first and second pivot arms having first ends connected to a front end region of one of said upper and lower frame portions of said support frame and having second ends connected to a rear end region of the other of said upper and lower frame portions of said support frame, said first and second support arms generally defining a parallelogram so as to permit relative vertical movement of said upper frame portion relative to said lower frame portion.

16. A keyboard support stand for supporting at least a computer keyboard, comprising:

a support frame having first and second leg assemblies disposed in a laterally spaced relation and elongate support means which extends laterally and is connected to said first and second leg assemblies, said leg assemblies each including a base structure having a pair of elongate legs extending upwardly, a plurality of horizontal cross members connected between said legs which are vertically spaced apart one from the other, a caster at a rear portion of the base structure for rolling engagement with a floor, and a glide at a front portion of said base structure so as to be supported on the floor;

first and second worksurfaces connected respectively to upper portions of said first and second leg assemblies, said first and second worksurfaces being horizontally enlarged and disposed in laterally spaced relation so as to define an intermediate open area therebetween;

an elongate arm rest which extends laterally along a front of said support frame, said arm rest being joined to said support means such that said arm rest defines an upward facing surface extending forwardly away from said support means;

a horizontally enlarged keyboard tray joined to said support means so as to be disposed rearwardly of said arm rest, said keyboard tray defining an upward facing surface disposed in said intermediate space; and

adjustment means for selectively adjusting a height of said first and second worksurfaces as well as said arm rest and said keyboard tray relative to said leg assemblies, said adjustment means having a lower portion connected to the upper ends of said first and second leg assemblies and an upper portion connected to said support means add said first and second worksurfaces which move in combination therewith, said upper portion being vertically movable relative to said lower portion to adjust the height of said arm rest, keyboard tray and first and second worksurfaces.

17. A keyboard support stand according to claim 16, wherein said support means is an elongate support member, said arm rest and said keyboard tray including connector means for pivotally joining said arm rest and said keyboard tray to said support member so as to be angularly pivotable in a vertical plane.

18. A keyboard support stand according to claim 16, wherein said adjustment means include first and second pivot arms having first ends connected to a front end region of one of said upper and lower portions and having second ends connected to a rear end region of the other of said upper and lower portions, said first and second support arms generally defining a parallelogram so as to permit said relative vertical movement.

19. A keyboard support stand according to claim 18, wherein said support means is an elongate support defining a horizontal axis, said arm rest and said keyboard tray including connector means for pivotally joining said arm rest and said keyboard tray to said support so as to be angularly pivotable in a vertical plane about said horizontal axis, said arm rest extending forwardly away from said horizontal axis and said keyboard tray extending rearwardly away from said horizontal axis.

20. A support stand for supporting office equipment thereon, comprising:

a support frame which includes a base adapted to be supported on a floor;

an elongate support member which extends laterally and is connected to an upper portion of said support frame, a first open area being defined forwardly of said support member and a second open area being defined rearwardly of said support member;

an elongate arm rest which is disposed on a front side of said support member and extends laterally, said arm rest being horizontally enlarged to define an upward facing surface and including first connector means for pivotally joining a rearward portion of said arm rest to said support member to permit vertical pivoting about said support member in said first open area, said front connector means including first locking means for releasably locking said front support plate in a selected angular orientation relative to said support member; and

a rear worksurface which is disposed on a rear side of said support member and is adapted to support office equipment thereon, said rear worksurface including second connector means for pivotally joining a forward portion of said rear worksurface to said support member to permit vertical pivoting of said rear worksurface about said support member in the region of said second open area, said second connector means including second locking means for releasably locking said rear worksurface in a selected angular orientation relative to said support member without the angular orientation of said arm rest.

21. A support stand according to claim 20, wherein said support frame includes height-adjustment means for adjusting the height of said support member relative to said base, said arm rest and said rear worksurface being movable vertically in combination with said support member.

22. A support stand according to claim 20, wherein each of said first and second connector means include fixed connector plates projecting outwardly from said support member and movable connector plates which are fixed to said front and rear support plates so as to move therewith, each one of said fixed connector parts being joined to one of the movable connector parts by a connector pin for said pivoting of said front and rear support plates relative to said support member.

23. A support stand according to claim 22, wherein said support member defines a horizontal pivot axis about which both of said front and rear support plates pivot, said movable connector parts including a semi-circular part which is movable circumferentially about the outer surface of said support member, said connector pin being spaced from said horizontal pivot axis while being fixed to one of said first and second connector parts and being slidable along an arcuate slot formed in the other of said first and second connector parts to permit angular pivoting of said arm rest and said rear worksurface.

24. A support stand according to claim 20, wherein the opposite ends of said support member are fixedly supported on said support frame, said support member including an intermediate section which extends between said fixed opposite ends thereof, said first and second connecting means pivotally connecting said arm rest and said rear worksurface respectively to said intermediate section on the opposite forward and rearward sides thereof.