Keyboard height adjustment system

• US 7,652,874 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2007
• Issued: 01/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Loughnanae, James Cathal, Sheehan, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US12/001,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20080144263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 36167908-6792
• US Class Current: 361/679.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0208 Arrangements for adjusting the tilt angle of a keyboard, e.g. pivoting legs for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1667

Abstract

Keyboards comprise mechanisms to raise a portion of the keyboard to angle the keyboard for more ergonomically efficient usage. A first embodiment includes a system of gears that rotates cylindrical feet out of the bottom of the keyboard. The gear system transforms a small amount of user input into a relatively large height extension. Another embodiment includes a plinth of the keyboard housing that rests on the table while the upper portion of the keyboard is raised or lowered to the desired height.

Claims

1. A keyboard for use on a work surface, the keyboard comprising:

a housing having a base;

one or more feet; and

a system of gears that extends the one or more feet in a direction substantially perpendicular to the base, and raises a rear portion of the keyboard up and away from the surface such that the base of the housing at the rear portion of the keyboard is not in contact with the surface.

2. The keyboard of claim 1 further comprising a lever that drives the system of gears to alter the distance between the base of the housing at the rear portion and the surface.

3. The keyboard of claim 2 wherein the keyboard has 2 or more discrete selections for the distance between the base of the housing at the rear portion and the surface.

4. The keyboard of claim 3 wherein for each discrete selection there is a discrete position for the lever.

5. The keyboard of claim 4, wherein the discrete position is maintained by a flexible member positioned within a recess of a rotating gear of the system.

6. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the system of gears comprises a pinion that rotates a threaded member and extends at least one of the one or more feet.

7. A keyboard having a front and a rear, the keyboard for use on a work surface and comprising:

an upper housing, the upper housing comprising openings where keys of the keyboard are located; and

a lower housing comprising a plinth, the plinth rotatable about a pivot at or near the front of the keyboard,

wherein a rear portion of the plinth is extended out from the upper housing while the plinth rotates about the pivot in order to change the height of the rear of the keyboard.

8. The keyboard of claim 7, wherein the plinth is spring loaded.

9. The keyboard of claim 7, wherein when a user releases the upper housing from the lower housing, a spring exerts a force that drives the lower and upper housing away from each other.

10. The keyboard of claim 7, further comprising a latch, the latch operable to release the upper housing from the lower housing.

11. The keyboard of claim 10, wherein the latch is located at the rear of the keyboard, positioned in a location where a user of keyboard may disengage the latch while raising the rear of the upper housing of the keyboard relative to the work surface and the plinth, the plinth remaining on the work surface.

12. A method of raising the rear of a keyboard, the method comprising:

depressing a button, the button releasing a foot and causing a compressed spring to decompress thereby rotating the foot about a pivot to an extended position,

the extended position of the foot raising the rear of the keyboard relative to a front of the keyboard.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the foot comprises 2 or more legs, and wherein raising the rear of the keyboard comprises depressing the button once to rotate a first of the legs, and depressing the button again to rotate additional of the legs, the first of the legs raising the rear of the keyboard a different height than each of the additional legs.

14. A keyboard for use on a work surface, the keyboard comprising:

a housing having a base;

one or more feet; and

a system of gears that extends the one or more feet in a direction substantially perpendicular to the base, and raises a first portion of the keyboard up and away from the surface such that the base of the housing at the first portion of the keyboard is not in contact with the surface.

15. The keyboard of claim 14, wherein the first portion comprises the front of the keyboard, and the front of the keyboard is raised relative to a rear portion of the keyboard.

16. The keyboard of claim 14, wherein the first portion comprises the rear of the keyboard, and the rear of the keyboard is raised relative to a front portion of the keyboard.

17. A keyboard having a front and a rear, the keyboard for use on a work surface and comprising:

an upper housing, the upper housing comprising openings where keys of the keyboard are located; and

a lower housing comprising a plinth, the plinth rotatable about a pivot at or near the rear of the keyboard,

wherein a front portion of the plinth is extended out from the upper housing while the plinth rotates about the pivot in order to change the height of the front of the keyboard.