Detachable wrist support of keyboard

• US 5,904,327 A
• Filed: 12/30/1997
• Issued: 05/18/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Behavior Tech Computer Corporation
• Inventors: Cheng, Chun-Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Leslie A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEISEY, DAVID E
• Application Number:
  US09/000,621
• Time in Patent Office: 504 Days
• Field of Search: 248/118.1, 248/118.3, 248/918, 248/292.12, 248/118, 403/326, 403/329
• US Class Current: 248/118.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/034 Support for hands or arms

Abstract

A wrist support is detachably connectable to a computer keyboard by means of two connector plates which are received within two cavities formed on the wrist support and movable between a stow position where the connector plates are completely received within the cavities and an extended position where an end of the connector plates is extended out of the wrist support to be pivotally connected to the keyboard. Each of the cavities has two side walls each having two spaced flanges defining therebetween a rail for receiving and guiding a lateral side edge of the plate so as to allow the movement of the plate within the cavity. The plate has first paws which are engageable with ends of the flanges to define the extended position and a second paw engageable with stop blocks provided in the cavity to define the stowed position. The second paw is releasable from the stop blocks to allow the connector plate to move from the stowed position to the extended position. By means of such a detachable connection, the keyboard and the wrist support may be packed and sold separately and allow the general consumers to selectively mount the wrist support to the keyboard.

Claims

1. A wrist support adapted to be attached to a keyboard in a detachable manner, comprising a plurality of connectors each comprising a plate having a first end adapted to be selectively pivotally connectable to an edge of the keyboard and a second end received within a respective cavity formed on the wrist support, the plate being movable within the cavity between a stowed position where the plate is completely received within the cavity and an extended position where the first end of the plate is extended beyond an edge of the wrist support adapted to be releasably and selectively connected to the keyboard, the cavity having a bottom face and two spaced side walls, each of the side walls having a first flange and a second flange formed thereon to define therebetween a rail to accommodate a lateral side edge of the plate therein and thus allowing the plate to slide with respect thereto, the plate having first paw means that is engageable with ends of the second flanges so as to define the extended position and second paw means releasably engageable with stops provided on the bottom face so as to define the stowed position.

2. The wrist support as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first end of the plate has a pivot provided thereon adapted to be rotatably received and held within a slot provided on the edge of the keyboard so as to pivotally connect the wrist support to the keyboard.

3. The wrist support as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first end of the plate has two notches formed thereon which define a central portion and two side portions of the first end with the side portions being deflectable toward the central portion, each of the side portions having a sideways, pin-like projection which defines the pivot of the plate and wherein the plate is adapted to receive the keyboard through a slot having a recess in the keyboard which has two end walls.