Adjustable keyboard support mechanism

• US 6,409,127 B1
• Filed: 09/17/1999
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Workrite Ergonomics Incorporated (Knape & VOGT Manufacturing Company)
• Original Assignee: Knape & VOGT Manufacturing Company
• Inventors: Conner, John P., VanderHeide, Craig L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Tan
• Application Number:
  US09/398,414
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 248/286.1, 248/284, 248/286, 248/918, 248/118, 248/118.1, 248/118.3, 248/276.1, 248/291.1, 108/93, 108/145
• US Class Current: 248/118
• 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: Y10S 248/918 Ancillary device support associated with a video display screen

Abstract

An adjustable keyboard support assembly including a keyboard tray support bracket; a work surface mounting bracket adapted to be coupled to a work surface; a connector mechanism having one end coupled to the work surface mounting bracket and an opposite end coupled to the keyboard tray support bracket, the connector mechanism comprising a support arm coupled to the keyboard support at an outer end, such that the keyboard tray support bracket is rotatable about a horizontal axis with respect to the support arm; an angle control mechanism between the keyboard tray support bracket and the support arm for locking the keyboard tray support bracket at a desired angular inclination with respect to the support arm, the angle control mechanism including a spring exerting a clamping pressure on the support arm and the keyboard tray support bracket and a spring lifter for repositioning the spring so as to relieve the pressured applied to the support arm and the keyboard tray support bracket; and a lever control bar coupled to the keyboard tray support bracket and the spring lifter for actuating the spring lifter to permit adjustment of the keyboard tray support bracket with respect to support arm. The lever control bar is pivotally mounted to the keyboard tray support bracket, and is substantially co-extensive with a front edge of the keyboard tray such that the keyboard support assembly may be repositioned using one hand.

Claims

1. An adjustable keyboard support assembly, comprising:

a keyboard tray support bracket;

a work surface mounting bracket adapted to be coupled to a work surface;

a connector mechanism having one end coupled to the work surface mounting bracket and an opposite end coupled to the keyboard tray support bracket, the connector mechanism comprising a support arm mounted at one end to the work surface mounting bracket and a coupling mounting another end of the support arm to the keyboard tray support bracket for rotatable movement of the keyboard tray support bracket about a horizontal axis with respect to the support arm;

an angle control mechanism between the keyboard tray support bracket and the support arm for locking the keyboard tray support bracket at a desired angular inclination with respect to the support arm, the angle control mechanism including a spring exerting a clamping pressure on the support arm and the keyboard tray support bracket and a spring lifter for repositioning the spring so as to relieve the pressure applied to the support arm and the keyboard tray support bracket; and

a lever control bar coupled to the keyboard tray support bracket and spring lifter for selective repositioning of the spring lifter for selective adjustment of the keyboard tray support bracket with respect to the support arm.

2. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 1 wherein the coupling mounting another end of the support arm to the keyboard tray support bracket comprises a pivotal mounting.

3. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 1, wherein the angle control mechanism further includes a pair of spaced apart clamping plates, wherein the spring is placed between the clamping plates.

4. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 3, wherein the spring comprises at least one leaf spring.

5. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 4, wherein the at least one leaf spring comprises a fiber filled synthetic resin.

6. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 5, wherein the fiber filled synthetic resin is a fiberglass filled polyester resin.

7. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 6, wherein the at least one leaf spring is pultruded.

8. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 4, wherein the at least one leaf spring comprises two resilient, elongated plates.

9. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 3, wherein each clamping plate defines a retaining recess for receiving and retaining the ends of the at least one spring and the ends of the at least one spring are seated in the recess.

10. The adjustable keyboard support mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the clamping plates are fabricated of a glass fiber filled nylon material.

11. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 3, wherein the support arm is positioned between the clamping plate and the keyboard tray support bracket in clamped relationship thereto when the spring exerts clamping pressure against the clamping plate.

12. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 3, wherein the lever control bar is pivotally mounted to the keyboard tray support bracket.

13. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 12 further comprising a keyboard tray mounted to the keyboard tray support bracket, wherein the lever control bar is substantially co-extensive with a front edge of the keyboard tray and adjacent thereto for release of the clamping mechanism and adjustment of the keyboard tray with respect to a work surface with one hand by the user.

14. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 1, wherein the spring is at least one leaf spring.

15. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 14, wherein the at least one leaf spring comprises a fiber filled synthetic resin.

16. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 15, wherein the fiber filled synthetic resin is a fiberglass filled polyester resin.

17. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 16, wherein the at least one leaf spring is pultruded.

18. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 14, wherein the at least one leaf spring comprises two resilient, elongated plates.

19. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 14, wherein the lever control bar is pivotally mounted to the keyboard tray support bracket.

20. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 19 further comprising a keyboard tray mounted to the keyboard tray support bracket, wherein the lever control bar is substantially co-extensive with a front edge of the keyboard tray and adjacent thereto for release of the clamping mechanism and adjustment of the keyboard tray with respect to a work surface with one hand by the user.

21. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 1 the connector mechanism is pivotally mounted to the work surface mounting bracket and to the keyboard tray support bracket so as to permit height adjustment of the keyboard tray support bracket with respect to the work surface mounting bracket.

22. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 1 and further comprising a pivot mount between the spring lifter and the lever control bar.

23. An adjustable keyboard support assembly, comprising:

a keyboard tray support bracket;

a work surface mounting bracket adapted to be coupled to a work surface;

a connector mechanism having one end coupled to the work surface mounting bracket and an opposite end coupled to the keyboard tray support bracket, the connector mechanism comprising a support arm pivotally mounted at one end to the work surface mounting bracket and a coupling mounting another end of the support arm to the keyboard tray support bracket for vertical movement of the keyboard tray support bracket with respect to the work surface mounting bracket;

a height control mechanism between the keyboard tray support bracket and the support arm for locking the keyboard tray support bracket at a desired height with respect to the work surface mounting bracket, the height control mechanism including a spring exerting a clamping pressure on the support arm and the keyboard tray support bracket and a spring lifter for repositioning the spring so as to relieve the pressure applied to the support arm and the keyboard tray support bracket; and

a lever control bar coupled to the keyboard tray support bracket and spring lifter for selective repositioning of the spring lifter for selective height adjustment of the keyboard tray support bracket with respect to the work surface mounting bracket.

24. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 23, wherein the angle control mechanism further includes a pair of spaced apart clamping plates, wherein the spring is placed between the clamping plates.

25. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 24, wherein the spring comprises at least one leaf spring.

26. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 25, wherein the at least one leaf spring comprises a fiber filled synthetic resin.

27. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 26, wherein the fiber filled synthetic resin is a fiberglass filled polyester resin.

28. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 27, wherein the at least one leaf spring is pultruded.

29. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 25, wherein the at least one leaf spring comprises two resilient, elongated plates.

30. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 24, wherein each clamping plate defines a retaining recess for receiving and retaining the ends of the at least one spring and the ends of the at least one spring are seated in the recess.

31. The adjustable keyboard support mechanism according to claim 24, wherein the clamping plates are fabricated of a glass fiber filled nylon material.

32. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 24, wherein the support arm is positioned between the clamping plate and the keyboard tray support bracket in clamped relationship thereto when the spring exerts clamping pressure against the clamping plate.

33. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 24 wherein the support arm comprises a pair of spaced depending connecting flanges having aligned openings and a pair of aligned arcuate slots, the connecting flanges are adjacent to and in abutting contact with the spaced apart clamping plate;

the keyboard tray support bracket has a pair of depending flanges with two sets of aligned openings and which are adjacent to the connecting flanges; and

a pivot pin extends through the aligned openings in the connecting flanges and one set of the aligned openings in the keyboard tray support bracket depending flanges to pivotally mount the other end of the support arm to the keyboard tray support bracket; and

the connector mechanism further comprises a pair of locking arms pivotally mounted to the work surface mounting bracket at one end and having a pair of aligned openings at another end in register with the connecting flanges aligned arcuate slots and with the other set of the aligned openings in the keyboard tray support bracket depending flanges; and

a pin extending through the aligned openings in locking arms at the other end, the other set of aligned openings in the keyboard tray support bracket depending flanges and through the pair of aligned arcuate slots in the support arm, the pin having a head at each end to clamp the keyboard tray support bracket, the locking arms, the support arm and the clamping plate together against the force of the spring.

34. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 23, wherein the lever control bar is pivotally mounted to the keyboard tray support bracket.

35. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 34 and further comprising a keyboard tray mounted to the keyboard tray support bracket, wherein the lever control bar is substantially co-extensive with a front edge of the keyboard tray and adjacent thereto for release of the clamping mechanism and adjustment of the keyboard tray with respect to a work surface with one hand by the user.

36. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 23 and further comprising a keyboard tray mounted to the keyboard tray support bracket, wherein the lever control bar is substantially co-extensive with a front edge of the keyboard tray and adjacent thereto for release of the clamping mechanism and adjustment of the keyboard tray with respect to a work surface with one hand by the user.

37. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 23, wherein the spring comprises at least one leaf spring.

38. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 37, wherein the at least one leaf spring comprises a fiber filled synthetic resin.

39. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 38, wherein the fiber filled synthetic resin is a fiberglass filled polyester resin.

40. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 39, wherein the at least one leaf spring is pultruded.

41. The adjustable keyboard support according to claim 23 and further comprising a pivot mount between the spring lifter and the lever control bar.

42. An adjustable keyboard support assembly, comprising:

a keyboard tray support bracket;

a work surface mounting bracket adapted to be coupled to a work surface;

a keyboard tray mounted to the keyboard tray support bracket and having a front edge distal from the work surface mounting bracket;

a connector mechanism having one end coupled to the work surface mounting bracket and an opposite end coupled to the keyboard tray support bracket for rotation about a horizontal axis and height articulation of the keyboard tray support bracket with respect to the work surface mounting bracket;

a locking mechanism associated with the connector mechanism for selectively locking the keyboard tray support bracket at a desired articulated position with respect to the work surface mounting bracket;

a release mechanism coupled to the locking mechanism and including a lever control bar coupled to the locking mechanism for selectively releasing the locking mechanism for selective adjustment of the height and/or angular orientation of the keyboard tray support bracket with respect to the work surface mounting bracket; and

the lever control bar has an outer end which is substantially co-extensive with the front edge of the keyboard tray and adjacent thereto for release of the locking mechanism and adjustment of the keyboard tray with respect to a work surface with one hand by the user.

43. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 42, wherein the lever control bar is pivotally mounted to the keyboard tray support bracket.

44. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 42 wherein the locking mechanism includes at least one leaf spring.

45. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 44, wherein the at least one leaf spring comprises a fiber filled synthetic resin.

46. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 45, wherein the fiber filled synthetic resin is a fiberglass filled polyester resin.

47. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 46, wherein the at least one leaf spring is pultruded.

48. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 47, wherein the at least one leaf spring comprises two resilient, elongated plates.

49. The adjustable keyboard support assembly according to claim 43, wherein the at least one leaf spring comprises two resilient, elongated plates.

50. In an adjustable keyboard assembly, comprising:

a keyboard tray adapted to support a keyboard and having an upper surface and a lower surface defined by at least one edge;

a keyboard tray support bracket mounting the keyboard tray;

a work surface mounting bracket adapted to be coupled to a work surface;

a connector mechanism having one end coupled to the work surface mounting bracket and an opposite end coupled to the keyboard tray support bracket for relative movement of the keyboard support bracket with respect to the work surface mounting bracket;

a locking control mechanism mounted to the connector mechanism for releasably locking the keyboard tray support bracket in a locked condition at a desired angular inclination and height with respect to the work surface mounting bracket;

the locking control mechanism further includes a release member for selectively releasing the locking of the keyboard tray support bracket with respect to the work surface mounting bracket;

the improvement which comprises;

the locking control mechanism includes a spring to bias the locking of keyboard tray support bracket with respect to the work surface mounting bracket; and

the release member includes a lever pivotally mounted with respect to the keyboard tray support bracket and having a first portion operably connected to the spring;

the lever is movable between a locking position in which the spring bias locks the keyboard tray support bracket with respect to the work surface mounting bracket and an unlocking position in which the spring bias is relieved so that the keyboard tray support bracket is relatively movable with respect to the work surface mounting bracket; and

the lever extends beneath the keyboard tray lower surface to a second portion distal from the first portion and that is positioned adjacent the at least one edge of the keyboard tray, and wherein the lever second portion moves toward the keyboard tray at least one edge when the lever moves between the locking position and the unlocking position;

whereby a user can grasp the keyboard tray at the at least one edge and the lever second portion with one hand, unlock the locking control mechanism by squeezing the lever second end and the keyboard tray toward each other and, at the same time with the same hand, can adjust the relative position of the keyboard tray with respect to the work surface mounting bracket.

51. An adjustable keyboard assembly according to claim 50 wherein the keyboard tray support bracket is coupled to the work surface mounting bracket for relative tilting about a horizontal axis with respect to the work surface mounting bracket.

52. An adjustable keyboard assembly according to claim 51 wherein the keyboard tray support bracket is further coupled to the work surface mounting bracket for relative vertical movement with respect to the work surface mounting bracket.

53. An adjustable keyboard assembly according to claim 50 wherein the keyboard tray support bracket is coupled to the work surface mounting bracket for relative vertical movement with respect to the work surface mounting bracket.

54. An adjustable keyboard assembly according to claim 50 wherein the spring is a leaf spring having a central portion between opposite ends and the leaf spring is resiliently bowed in compression in the connector mechanism to exert outward locking forces at opposite ends of the spring when the keyboard tray support bracket is in the locked condition.

55. An adjustable keyboard assembly according to claim 54 wherein the lever first portion is connected to the central portion of the leaf spring to increase the bow of the leaf spring to release the outward locking forces at the outer ends of the spring when the lever moves between the locking position and the unlocking position.

56. An adjustable keyboard assembly according to claim 50 wherein the at least one edge of the keyboard tray is a front edge thereof.

57. An adjustable keyboard support assembly, comprising:

a keyboard tray support bracket;

a work surface mounting bracket adapted to be coupled to a work surface;

a keyboard tray mounted to the keyboard tray support bracket and having an upper surface and lower surface bounded by at least one edge distal from the work surface mounting bracket;

a connector mechanism having a first end coupled to the work surface mounting bracket and a second end coupled to the keyboard tray support bracket for relative adjustment of the keyboard tray support bracket with respect to the work surface mounting bracket; and

a locking mechanism associated with the connector mechanism for selectively locking the keyboard tray support bracket at a desired position with respect to the work surface mounting bracket;

a release mechanism coupled to the keyboard tray support bracket for selectively releasing the locking mechanism for selective adjustment of the keyboard tray with respect to the work surface mounting bracket, the release mechanism including a lever control bar movable between a locking position and an unlocking position;

the lever control bar extends beneath the keyboard tray lower surface from the locking mechanism to the at least one edge, the lever control bar has a gripping portion adjacent the at least one edge and the lever control bar is movable toward the at least one edge as the lever control bar moves between the locking position and the unlocking position, whereby a user can release the locking mechanism by squeezing together with one hand the keyboard tray at the at least one edge and the gripping portion of the lever and, at the same time with the same hand, can adjust the keyboard tray support bracket with respect to the work surface mounting bracket.

58. The adjustable keyboard support assembly of claim 57, wherein the connector mechanism is coupled to the keyboard tray support bracket for adjustment of the keyboard tray support bracket about a horizontal axis with respect to the work surface mounting bracket.

59. The adjustable keyboard support assembly of claim 58, wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a leaf spring exerting opposing clamping forces between the connector mechanism and the keyboard tray support bracket.

60. The adjustable keyboard support assembly of claim 59, wherein the lever control bar is elongate and substantially parallel to an underside of the keyboard tray support bracket.

61. The adjustable keyboard support assembly of claim 57, wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a leaf spring exerting opposing clamping forces between the connector mechanism and the keyboard tray support bracket.

62. The adjustable keyboard support assembly of claim 57, wherein the lever control bar is elongate and substantially parallel to an underside of the keyboard tray support bracket.

63. The adjustable keyboard support assembly of claim 57, wherein the connector mechanism is coupled to the keyboard tray support bracket for vertical adjustment of the keyboard tray support bracket with respect to the work surface mounting bracket.