Multi-positional mouse pad

• US 6,526,896 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2001
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inscape Corporation
• Original Assignee: Inscape Corporation
• Inventors: Parshad, David Ambrose, Woronecki, Peter, Edwards, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Korie
• Application Number:
  US09/834,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20020104947A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 312/208.1, 312/223.3, 108/50.02, 108/92, 108/94, 108/95, 108/96, 108/138, 248/118, 248/118.1, 248/918
• US Class Current: 108/95
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/009 Keyboards associated with mousepads
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/08 around a vertical axis , e.g. panoramic heads F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2021 around a horizontal axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0395 Mouse pads
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/918 Ancillary device support associated with a video display screen

Abstract

A multi-positional support mechanism for a computer mouse pad comprising a support adapted to be secured to a keyboard support tray to extend upwardly from the keyboard support tray, a bracket mounted to the support for pivoting about a generally horizontal tilt axis, and a mouse pad mounted to the bracket for pivoting about a turntable axis generally normal to the tilt axis.

Claims

1. A computer keyboard support mechanism with a multi-positional mouse pad comprising:

a keyboard support tray adapted to support a keyboard thereon;

a support extending upwardly from the keyboard support tray;

a bracket mounted to the support for pivoting about a generally horizontal tilt axis;

a mouse pad mounted to the bracket for pivoting about a turntable axis generally normal to the tilt axis;

a tilt lock mechanism to releasably lock the bracket against pivoting about the tilt axis relative the support;

a manual release mechanism to manually release the tilt lock mechanism, and

a biasing mechanism biasing the tilt lock mechanism to a locked configuration.

2. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 including a turntable lock mechanism to releasably lock the mouse pad against pivoting about the turntable axis relative the bracket.

3. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein the manual release mechanism includes a lever carried by the support pivotable about a fulcrum on the support and biased by the biasing mechanism into the locked configuration in which one or more lever catch members carried on the lever adapted to engage one or more tilt catch members carried on the bracket to lock the bracket relative the support at different tilt angles,

the lever having one end which is accessible to a user for manual engagement to pivot the lever against the bias of the biasing mechanism to disengage the lever catch members from engagement with the plurality tilt catch members and permit the bracket to be pivoted relative the support member about the tilt axis.

4. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 in combination with a keyboard having keys including a numeric keypad comprising a rectangular matrix of numeric keys on a right hand side of the keyboard,

the keyboard located on the keyboard support tray,

the support mounted to a right hand side of the keyboard support tray to the right of the keyboard and locating the mouse pad at a height above the keyboard,

the mouse pad extending radially of the turntable axis asymmetrically relative the turntable axis such that the mouse pad may be pivoted about the turntable axis between positions in which the mouse pad overlies the numeric keypad and positions in which the mouse pad does not overlie the numeric keypad.

5. A computer keyboard support mechanism with a multi-positional mouse pad comprising:

a keyboard support tray adapted to support a keyboard thereon;

a support extending upwardly from the keyboard support tray;

a bracket mounted to the support for pivoting about a generally horizontal tilt axis;

a mouse pad mounted to the bracket for pivoting about a turntable axis generally normal to the tilt axis;

the keyboard support tray has two spaced upwardly opening sockets, each adapted to removably receive the support therein.

6. A mechanism as claimed in claim 5 wherein the two sockets comprise a right socket on a right hand side of the keyboard support tray and a left socket on a left hand side of the keyboard support tray,

the right socket and left socket spaced a distance at least equal to a width of a keyboard to be received on the keyboard support tray so as to permit removal and insertion of the support from and into both the right socket and the left socket with the keyboard received on the keyboard support tray.

7. A computer keyboard support mechanism with a multi-positional mouse pad comprising:

a keyboard support tray adapted to support a keyboard thereon;

a support extending upwardly from the keyboard support tray;

a bracket mounted to the support for pivoting about a generally horizontal tilt axis;

a mouse pad mounted to the bracket for pivoting about a turntable axis generally normal to the tilt axis;

the keyboard support tray has at least one upwardly opening socket adapted to removably receive the support therein.

8. A mechanism as claimed in claim 7 wherein the keyboard support tray has an upwardly directed surface,

the upwardly directed surface being adapted to receive a keyboard thereon and having a keyboard area corresponding to an area to receive a keyboard thereon,

the upwardly directed surface having a border area outside the keyboard area,

the socket provided on the border area,

the socket extending downwardly into the keyboard support tray from the upwardly directed surface about a socket axis generally normal the upwardly directed surface,

the support received in the socket extending upwardly therefrom with the mouse pad extending laterally from the support to overlie the keyboard area spaced generally therefrom sufficiently to permit a keyboard to be located under the mouse pad between the mouse pad and the keyboard support surface.

9. A mechanism as claimed in claim 7 including a mounting mechanism for mounting the keyboard support tray to a workstation,

the mounting mechanism permitting the keyboard support tray to be movable to various heights and angular positions relative the workstation,

the keyboard support tray having a front edge which faces a person using a keyboard located on the keyboard support tray,

the front edge means disposed generally horizontal.

10. A mechanism as claimed in claim 7 wherein the mouse pad overlies the support at a height above the support and extends radially from the support to overlie the keyboard support tray.

11. A mechanism as claimed in claim 10 wherein the support overlies the keyboard support tray spaced upwardly therefrom a distance sufficient to receive a keyboard therebetween.

12. A mechanism as claimed in claim 7 wherein the mouse pad extends radially of the turntable axis asymmetrically relative the turntable axis such that the mouse pad may be pivoted about the turntable axis between positions in which the mouse pad overlies an area on the keyboard support tray adapted to receive a keyboard and positions in which the mouse pad does not overlie said area.

13. A mechanism as claimed in claim 7 wherein the keyboard support tray having a keyboard area adapted to receive a keyboard thereon,

the socket provided outside the keyboard area.

14. A mechanism as claimed in claim 13 wherein the socket is provided on a right hand side of the keyboard area.

15. A mechanism as claimed in claim 7 wherein the support comprises an elongate member having a plug at a lower end adapted to be received within the socket and an upper body extending from the plug to an upper end,

with the plug received in the socket the upper body extends above the keyboard support tray,

the bracket journalled to the upper body on an axle member extending transversely of the upper body,

the bracket having a side leg extending along one side of the upper body and connected to a top plate of the bracket overlying the upper end of the support,

the top plate normal the turntable axis,

a turntable mechanism coupling the top plate to the mouse pad for rotation of the mouse pad about the turntable axis.

16. A mechanism as claimed in claim 7 wherein the support having a plug to be removably received in the socket.

17. A mechanism as claimed in claim 7 wherein the socket having a socket axis normal to a surface of the keyboard support tray adapted to receive a keyboard,

the support mountable in the socket at different positions pivoted relative the socket axis.

18. A computer keyboard support mechanism with a multi-positional mouse pad comprising:

a keyboard support tray adapted to support a keyboard thereon;

a support extending upwardly from the keyboard support tray;

a bracket mounted to the support for pivoting about a generally horizontal tilt axis;

a mouse pad mounted to the bracket for pivoting about a turntable axis generally normal to the tilt axis;

a tilt lock mechanism to releasably lock the bracket against pivoting about the tilt axis relative the support;

a friction clutch mechanism to prevent pivoting of the mouse pad relative to the bracket about the turntable axis under rotational forces attempting to rotate the mouse pad about the turntable axis less than a minimal rotational force.

19. A computer keyboard support mechanism with a multi-positional mouse pad comprising:

a keyboard support tray adapted to support a keyboard thereon;

the keyboard support tray having an upwardly directed surface,

the upwardly directed surface being adapted to receive a keyboard thereon, the upwardly directed surface having a keyboard area corresponding to an area to receive a keyboard thereon and a border area outside the keyboard area,

an elongate mouse pad support having a lower end and an upper end,

the support having its lower end removably secured to the keyboard support tray in the border area with the support extending upwardly from the border area about an axis generally normal to the upwardly directed surface of the keyboard support tray to the upper end of the support,

a mouse pad mounted to the upper end of the support and extending laterally from the support to overlie the keyboard area,

the support having a length from its lower end to its upper end which spaces the mouse pad upwardly from the keyboard area sufficiently to permit a keyboard to be located under the mouse pad between the mouse pad and the keyboard support surface.

20. A computer keyboard support mechanism as claimed in claim 19 wherein the mouse pad is mounted to the upper end of the support for pivoting about a generally horizontal tilt axis and for pivoting about a turntable axis generally normal to the tilt axis.

21. A computer keyboard support mechanism as claimed in claim 19 wherein a bracket mounted to the upper end of the support for pivoting about a generally horizontal tilt axis;

and

the mouse pad is mounted to the bracket for pivoting about a turntable axis generally normal to the tilt axis.