Keyboard support mechanism

• US 7,841,569 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2006
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Humanscale Corporation
• Original Assignee: Humanscale Corporation
• Inventors: Mileos, George, King, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): King; Anita M
• Application Number:
  US11/385,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20060157628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,716 Days
• Field of Search: 248/281.11, 248/284.1, 248/918, 248/291.1, 248/292.12, 108/139, 108/140, 108/141, 108/143, 108/145, 108/138
• US Class Current: 248/281.11
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/0321 Keyboard supports
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/0328 of the pantograph type
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/0335 mounted under the worksurface
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2021/0342 having one double articulated arm
• 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

A keyboard support mechanism containing a novel articulating arm mechanism for permitting vertical movement of the keyboard shelf. The articulating arm mechanism has six major components: (1) a mounting bracket, (2) a mounting bracket support in combination with a swivel bracket, (3) a shelf bracket, (4) an upper arm, (5) at least one side arm, and (6) at least one stopping means. The upper arm links the shelf bracket and the mounting bracket; the side arm and the stopping means cooperate to keep the shelf bracket (and hence the keyboard shelf) at a constant angle relative to the ground.

Claims

1. A mechanism for mounting an auxiliary shelf on a desk, comprising:

a. a swivel bracket;

b. a linkage attached to the swivel bracket, said linkage comprising;

i. an upper arm defining a first end and a second end;

ii. a side arm defining a first end and a second end;

iii. a shelf bracket;

iv. a mounting bracket; and

v. a first pivot rod pivotally connecting the first end of the upper arm to the mounting bracket, a second pivot rod pivotally connecting the second end of the upper arm to the shelf bracket, a third pivot rod pivotally connecting the second end of the side arm to the shelf bracket, and a bolt slidably coupling the first end of the side arm to the mounting bracket; and

c. a stopping surface attached to the mounting bracket, the stopping surface frictionally engaged by the first end of the side arm.

2. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the first end of the side arm is curved.

3. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a locking knob is coupled to the bolt for adjusting the horizontal orientation of the shelf bracket.

4. A mechanism for mounting an auxiliary shelf on a desk, comprising:

a. a swivel bracket;

b. a linkage attached to the swivel bracket, said linkage comprising;

i. an upper arm defining a first end and a second end;

ii. a side arm defining a first end and a second end;

iii. a shelf bracket;

iv. a mounting bracket; and

v. a first pivot rod pivotally connecting the first end of the upper arm to the mounting bracket, a second pivot rod pivotally connecting the second end of the upper arm to the shelf bracket, a third pivot rod pivotally connecting the second end of the side arm to the shelf bracket, and a bolt slidably coupling the first end of the side arm to the mounting bracket; and

vi. a coil spring carried by the first pivot rod, the coil spring having opposite ends arranged to engage the upper arm and the mounting bracket; and

c. a stopping surface attached to the mounting bracket, the stopping surface frictionally engaged by the first end of the side arm.

5. A mechanism according to claim 4, wherein the force of gravity biases said linkage downwardly about the first pivot rod to force the first end of the side arm into frictional engagement with the stopping surface.

6. An auxiliary shelf mechanism, comprising:

a. a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket having a front end and a back end;

b. a first arm having a rear portion and a front portion, the rear portion of the first arm being pivotally connected to the mounting bracket;

c. a shelf bracket, the shelf bracket defining a front portion and a rear portion wherein the front portion is wider than the rear portion, the front portion of the shelf bracket having a shelving surface for supporting an auxiliary shelf thereon, the rear portion of the shelf bracket being pivotally connected to the front portion of the first arm;

d. a second arm having a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion of the second arm being pivotally connected to the shelf bracket; and

e. a stopping surface attached to the mounting bracket, wherein the rear portion of the second arm frictionally engages the stopping surface to lock the auxiliary shelf mechanism into position.

7. The auxiliary shelf mechanism of claim 6, wherein the mounting bracket is attached to a swivel mechanism, and wherein the swivel mechanism is slidably connected to a mounting track.

8. The auxiliary shelf mechanism of claim 6, wherein the first and second arms are parallel to each other.

9. The auxiliary shelf mechanism of claim 6, further comprising a spring for biasing either the first or second arms.

11. The auxiliary shelf mechanism of claim 6, wherein the first arm being connected to the mounting bracket by a first pivot and to the shelf bracket by a second pivot and further wherein the second arm is connected to the shelf bracket by a third pivot and to the mounting bracket by a fourth pivot.

10. An improved auxiliary shelf mechanism, comprising:

a. a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket having a front end and a back end;

b. a first arm having a rear portion and a front portion, the rear portion of the first arm being pivotally connected to the mounting bracket;

c. a shelf bracket having a shelving surface for positioning a keyboard on top thereof, the shelf bracket being pivotally connected to the front portion of the first arm by at least one pivot positioned above the shelving surface;

d. a second arm having a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion of the second arm being pivotally connected to the shelf bracket and the rear portion of the second arm being connected to the mounting bracket;

e. a stopping surface attached to the mounting bracket, wherein the second arm frictionally engages the stopping surface;

f. a swivel mechanism attached to the mounting bracket, wherein the swivel mechanism is slidably connected to a mounting track; and

g. a spring for biasing the first or second arm.

12. An auxiliary shelf mechanism, comprising:

a. a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket having a front end and a back end;

b. a first arm having a rear portion and a front portion, the rear portion of the first arm being pivotally connected to the mounting bracket;

c. a second arm having a front portion and a rear portion, the rear portion of the second arm being connected to the mounting bracket;

d. a shelf bracket pivotally connected to the front portion of the first arm by a first pivot rod, the shelf bracket pivotally connected to the front portion of the second arm by a second pivot rod;

e. a stopping surface being associated with the mounting bracket such that movement of the second arm is restricted by the stopping surface when the second arm is translated;

f. a swivel mechanism attached to the mounting bracket, wherein the swivel mechanism is slidably connected to a mounting track; and

g. a spring for biasing the first or second arms.

13. The auxiliary shelf mechanism of claim 12, wherein movement of the second arm is restricted into position by friction between the rear portion of the second arm and the stopping surface.

14. An improved auxiliary shelf mechanism, comprising:

a. a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket having a front end and a backend;

b. a first arm having a rear portion and a front portion, the rear portion of the first arm being pivotally connected to the mounting bracket;

c. a shelf bracket having a shelving surface for positioning a keyboard on top thereof, the shelf bracket being pivotally connected to the front portion of the first arm by at least one pivot positioned above the shelving surface;

d. a second arm having a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion of the second arm being pivotally connected to the shelf bracket and the rear portion of the second arm being connected to the mounting bracket;

e. a stopping surface associated with the mounting bracket, the rear portion of the second arm frictionally engaging the stopping surface of the mounting bracket to fix the auxiliary shelf mechanism into position;

f. a swivel mechanism attached to the mounting bracket, wherein the swivel mechanism is slidably connected to a mounting track; and

g. a spring for biasing either the first or second arm.

15. A support arm assembly for a computer keyboard mounted on a work support comprising, in combination:

a first bracket member;

a second bracket member;

a first arm with a first end pivotally connected to the first bracket member and a second end pivotally connected to the second bracket member;

a second arm with a first end pivotally connected to the first bracket member and a second end pivotally connected to the second bracket member;

the first bracket member having an angled stopping surface slidably engaged by the first end of the second arm, such that the support arm assembly has a locked position when the first bracket member and the second arm are compressed together and has an unlocked position when the compression of the first bracket member and the second arm is released.

16. An improved auxiliary shelf mechanism, comprising:

a. a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket having a front end and a back end;

b. a first arm having a rear portion and a front portion, the rear portion of the first arm being pivotally connected to the mounting bracket;

c. a shelf bracket pivotally connected to the front portion of the first arm;

d. a second arm having a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion of the second arm being pivotally connected to the shelf bracket and the rear portion of the second arm being connected to the mounting bracket;

e. a stopping surface connected to the mounting bracket, wherein the stopping surface comprises a chamfer, wherein the rear portion of the second arm engages the chamfer to fix the auxiliary shelf mechanism into position;

f. a swivel mechanism attached to the mounting bracket, wherein the swivel mechanism slidably couples a mounting track; and

g. a spring for biasing the first or second arms.

17. An auxiliary shelf mechanism, comprising:

a. a mounting bracket having a stopping surface, wherein the stopping surface comprises a chamfer;

b. a shelf bracket;

c. a first arm having a rear portion and a front portion, the rear portion of the first arm being pivotally connected to the mounting bracket, the front portion of the first arm being pivotally connected to the shelf bracket by a first pivot rod;

d. a second arm having a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion of the second arm being pivotally connected to the shelf bracket by a second pivot rod, the rear portion of the second arm being frictionally engaged with the stopping surface of the mounting bracket; and

e. wherein the rear portion of the second arm further comprises a pivoted side-arm cam.

18. An auxiliary shelf mechanism, comprising:

a. a mounting bracket having a stopping surface;

b. a shelf bracket;

c. a first arm defining a rear portion and a front portion, the rear portion of the first arm being pivotally connected to the mounting bracket by a first pivot rod, the front portion of the first arm being pivotally connected to the shelf bracket by a second pivot rod;

d. a second arm defining a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion of the second arm being pivotally connected to the shelf bracket by a third pivot rod, the rear portion of the second arm being releasably engaged to the stopping surface of the mounting bracket;

wherein the shelf bracket pivots in a downward direction about the second pivot rod to force the rear portion of the second arm into frictional engagement with the stopping surface of the mounting bracket; and

e. wherein the rear portion of the second arm is biased into frictional engagement with the stopping surface of the mounting bracket.