Keyboard slide structure with removable palm rest and slide rail means

• US 5,704,698 A
• Filed: 02/07/1996
• Issued: 01/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chin-Chih Lin
• Original Assignee: Chin-Chih Lin
• Inventors: Lin, Chin-Chih
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILKENS, JANET MARIE
• Application Number:
  US08/598,002
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 312/208.1, 312/223.1, 312/223.3, 312/330.1, 312/282, 312/246, 312/334.12, 312/334.8, 312/334.21, 312/334.23, 312/334.26, 312/334.44 , 312/334.45, 312/334.46, 400/715, 400/682, 248/918, 248/118.3, 248/118, 248/118.1, 108/143, 108/65, 108/69, 108/90, 108/50, 108/25, 108/26
• US Class Current: 312/208.1
• 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
• 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: H01H 2217/034 Support for hands or arms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/918 Ancillary device support associated with a video display screen

Abstract

A keyboard slide structure which includes a keyboard slide having a top side provided with multiple holes at a front edge thereof, a palm rest removably locked to the holes of the keyboard slide by snap hooks thereof. A sliding mouse pad may be slidably connected to either the left or the right side of the keyboard slide by means of a slide rail means such that the mouse slide may be slid out or in under the keyboard slide in a retractable manner.

Claims

1. A keyboard supporting slide structure with a removable palm rest, comprising;

a keyboard slide having a top side provided with a plurality of holes at a front edge thereof;

a palm rest removably mounted on said keyboard slide, said palm rest having a plurality of snap hooks respectively hooked in the plurality of holes of said keyboard slide, and a curved surface for receiving the palms of a user; and

, an adjusting means movably mounted on said keyboard slide, the adjusting means having a stop piece extending above the top side of the keyboard slide and mounted such that a distance between the stop piece and the front edge of the keyboard slide is adjustable, said keyboard slide further comprising two indentations respectively disposed at lateral sides of the keyboard slide, each of said two indentations being provided with a plurality of locking holes for locking with a slide rail means.

2. The keyboard supporting slide structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said two indentations are each provided with a plurality of fastening slots, and further comprising two side plates, each having a size corresponding to that of one of said two indentations and having a plurality of lugs configured to fit into said fastening slots to attach the side plates to the keyboard slide in the indentations.

3. The keyboard supporting slide structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said keyboard slide further comprises raised portions respectively disposed at each to two lateral sides for limiting lateral displacement of a keyboard placed on said keyboard slide.

4. The keyboard support slide structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjusting means comprises:

an adjusting hole having a front portion formed at a central rear portion of said keyboard slide;

an adjusting element having the stop piece, the adjusting element movably located in the adjusting hole;

two parallel lateral flanges on the keyboard slide located adjacent to the adjusting hole;

a plurality of corrugated teeth formed adjacent to the front portion of the adjusting hole such that said teeth extend perpendicularly to said lateral flanges;

said adjusting element further comprising at least two snap hooks extending from a bottom edge thereof and engaging said lateral flanges, and a raised portion at a front end thereof engaging said teeth adjacent to said adjusting hole.

5. The keyboard supporting slide structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a depression located adjacent to front edge of said keyboard slide for placement of small items therein.

6. The keyboard supporting slide structure as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a recess in said palm rest in alignment with the depression in said keyboard slide for placement of small items.

7. The keyboard supporting slide structure as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a cover pivotally connected to said palm rest over said recess so that said cover may be opened and closed.

8. The keyboard supporting slide structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said keyboard slide further comprises a plurality of equally spaced apart horizontal surface ribs for increasing friction between said keyboard slide and a keyboard.

9. The keyboard supporting slide structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said keyboard slide further comprises a bottom side provided with a plurality of symmetrical hollow screw posts for attachment to retractable rod devices.

10. The keyboard supporting slide structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a soft pad affixed to said curved surface of said palm rest to provide comfort.

11. A slide rail means movably connecting a first object and a second object, said slide rail means comprising:

two fixed rails and two slide rails, wherein said fixed rails each are substantially L-shaped and are attached to the first object such that said L-shaped fixed rails face in opposite directions, each of said fixed rails having a first vertical section with an elongated horizontal slide slot, a mounting hole at either end of the vertical section adjacent to the elongated slide slot, wherein each of said slide rails are substantially L-shaped and are secured to the second object, each of said slide rails having a second vertical section provided with at least two projections, each projection supporting a roller, said rollers engaging the elongated slide slots of said first vertical sections such that said fixed rails and said slide rails will not be separated from one another and the first and second objects may move relative to each other; and

stop pieces fixed to the mounting holes of the first vertical sections, the stop pieces having a stop portion to contact one of the rollers so as to limit the displacement of the slide rails relative to the fixed rails.

12. The slide rail means as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first object comprises a keyboard slide having a bottom side which is provided with a plurality of second mounting holes at front and rear edges to enable connection with said fixed rails.

13. The slide rail means as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second object is a sliding mouse pad having an upper surface and a bottom side provided with a plurality of third mounting holes to enable connection of said slide rails, said sliding mouse pad further having a projected border at an outermost end thereof to facilitate pulling or pushing.

14. The slide rail means as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of said stop pieces comprises an elastic material and has at least one raised portion provided at one end thereof and a vertical stop portion at another end thereof, the distance between said raised portion and said stop portion being equivalent to the thickness of said first vertical section of said fixed rails, said stop portion having a projecting stop end with an oblique nose formed at one side thereof to facilitate insertion of said projecting stop into one of said mounting holes in the first vertical section, whereby, when said roller is to be inserted into said elongated slide slot, said roller will press said stop portion and pass over said stop end into said slide slot, and when said roller has engaged said elongated slide slot, said stop portion will return to its original position whereby contact with said roller limits the movement of said roller in said elongated slide slot.

15. A keyboard supporting slide structure with a removable palm rest, comprising:

a keyboard slide having a top side provided with a plurality of holes at a front edge thereof;

a palm rest removably mounted on said keyboard slide, said palm rest having a plurality of snap hooks respectively hooked in the plurality of holes of said keyboard slide, and a curved surface for receiving the palms of a user; and

, an adjusting means movably mounted on said keyboard slide, the adjusting means having a stop piece extending above the top side of the keyboard slide and mounted such that a distance between the stop piece and the front edge of the keyboard slide is adjustable, wherein the adjusting means comprises;

an adjusting hole having a front portion formed at a central rear portion of said keyboard slide;

an adjusting element having the stop piece, the adjusting element movably located in the adjusting hole;

two parallel lateral flanges on the keyboard slide located adjacent to the adjusting hole;

a plurality of corrugated teeth formed adjacent to the front portion of the adjusting hole such that said teeth extend perpendicularly to said lateral flanges;

said adjusting element further comprising at least two snap hooks extending from a bottom edge thereof and engaging said lateral flanges.

16. A keyboard supporting slide structure with a removable palm rest, comprising:

a keyboard slide having a top side provided with a plurality of holes at a front edge thereof;

a palm rest removably mounted on said keyboard slide, said palm rest having a plurality of snap hooks respectively hooked in the plurality of holes of said keyboard slide, and a curved surface for receiving the palms of a user; and

, an adjusting means movably mounted on said keyboard slide, the adjusting means having a stop piece extending above the top side of the keyboard slide and mounted such that a distance between the stop piece and the front edge of the keyboard slide is adjustable, wherein said keyboard slide further comprises a bottom side provided with a plurality of symmetrical hollow screw posts for attachment to retractable rod devices.

17. A keyboard supporting slide structure with a removable palm rest, comprising:

a keyboard slide having a top side provided with a plurality of holes at a front edge thereof;

a palm rest removably mounted on said keyboard slide, said palm rest having a plurality of snap hooks respectively hooked in the plurality of holes of said keyboard slide, and a curved surface for receiving the palms of a user; and

, an adjusting means movably mounted on said keyboard slide, the adjusting means having a stop piece extending above the top side of the keyboard slide and mounted such that a distance between the stop piece and the front edge of the keyboard slide is adjustable;

a depression located adjacent to the front edge of said keyboard slide for placement of small items therein; and

, a recess in said palm rest in alignment with the depression in said keyboard slide for placement of small items.

18. The keyboard supporting slide structure as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a cover pivotally connected to said palm rest over said recess so that said cover may be opened and closed.