Supports – Armrest or headrest
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-17
2002-06-25
Ramirez, Ramon O. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Armrest or headrest
C108S093000, C248S118300, C248S284100, C248S291100, C248S918000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06409127
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to adjustable keyboard support mechanisms. In one of its aspects, the invention relates to an adjustable keyboard support mechanism for selective adjustment of an angular orientation and/or height of a keyboard tray by manipulating a single control lever. In another of its aspects, the invention relates to an adjustable keyboard support mechanism for single-handed selective adjustment of the height and/or angular position of a keyboard tray.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A number of keyboard support mechanisms have been developed for supporting a computer keyboard on the underside of a work surface. One such device is shown in
FIGS. 1-9
to which reference is now made.
An adjustable keyboard support mechanism
10
including a keyboard support
15
coupled by a connector mechanism
18
to a work surface mounting mechanism
20
that is removably coupled to the underside
24
of a work surface
14
. The keyboard support
15
provides the supporting surface for a keyboard, and includes a keyboard tray support bracket
16
. The keyboard tray support bracket
16
includes a flat plate
26
. Preferably plate
26
is a stamped metal component, and includes a plurality of openings
27
. Plate
26
also includes vertical flanges
28
, which extend downwardly at opposite side edges of the plate
26
. Flanges
28
include aligned openings
126
formed in an upper portion near the rear of flanges
28
and aligned arcuate slots
130
positioned below openings
126
.
Keyboard tray
31
includes two slidable plates
40
and
41
. Plate
40
is a substantially rectangular member, and includes a front edge
33
that supports at least one upwardly extending tab
32
and a downwardly extending tab
38
. The front edge
33
also supports an outwardly extending arm
37
. Plate
40
also includes a top surface
39
that defines a pair of axially extending slots
49
and an axially extending slot
44
positioned between slots
49
. Additionally, side edges
46
of plate
40
support a downwardly extending, inwardly facing C-shaped flange
48
.
Plate
41
includes a top surface
39
′ that defines a plurality of openings
46
. The rear edge
35
of plate
41
supports flange
34
, wherein flange
34
defines a central opening
169
.
To assemble plates
40
,
41
, plate
41
is slidably received in C-shaped flange
48
. The plates
40
,
41
are fastened together by a bolt clamp mechanism
43
that fits into slot
44
and screws
47
that are received in openings
47
′. An adjustment knob
45
screws onto bolt
42
received in slot
44
to clamp or release plates
40
,
41
for adjustment. The positions of the plates
40
,
41
may be adjusted to fit different keyboards.
Turning now to a discussion of work surface mounting mechanism
20
, work surface mounting mechanism
20
couples keyboard support
15
to work surface
14
. A carriage
60
is slidably mounted in a track
50
mounted on the underside of work surface
14
by means of fasteners
52
, as illustrated in FIG.
5
. Track
50
has a central plate
54
that abuts the underside of work surface
14
, with inwardly facing C-shaped flanges
56
on each side of central plate
54
. Flanges
56
define opposed slots
58
that receive and hold carriage
60
for inward and outward slidable movement with respect to work surface
14
.
Carriage
60
includes a work surface mounting bracket
61
having a central horizontal plate
62
having downwardly extending flanges
64
on opposite lateral sides thereof. Flanges
64
include aligned openings
113
located at an upper forward end and aligned openings
159
also formed in the forward end, but at a position below openings
113
.
A slide mechanism
66
is carried by plate
62
. Slide mechanism
66
comprises a central plate
68
that abuts plate
62
and raised side flanges
70
that are spaced above plate
62
and extend outwardly from plate
68
. Side flanges
70
fit in slots
58
of track
50
and guide the rear support for linear movement in a forward and backward direction with respect to work surface
14
.
Slide mechanism
66
is mounted in track
50
by a plurality of slidable bearing members
80
, shown in detail in
FIGS. 6 and 7
. Bearings
80
contact surface of track
50
and provide the surface upon which slide mechanism
66
contacts track
50
.
Bearings
80
comprise elongated strips of tough flexible plastic material, preferably having a low coefficient of friction. The strips form upper and lower bearing surfaces in the form of V-shaped ridges
88
spaced laterally apart on the upper and lower surface thereof, as illustrated in FIG.
7
. Ridges
88
provide a reduced contact bearing surface for engagement with upper and lower surfaces of adjacent slots
58
. Bearings
80
are positioned at the four corners of slide mechanism
66
and do not extend the length of flanges
70
.
The strips of bearing material
80
fit through slots
82
at the front and rear edges of each slide member
66
. The strips have mating latch members
84
and
86
on the ends at an inner side thereof to permit the strips to be installed and replaced on slide member
66
. Latch members
84
,
86
form a clip mechanism
87
that can be mechanically engaged. Clip mechanism
87
has a lip on a lower edge that extends outwardly which engages a lip that extends inwardly from an upper edge. When installed, clip mechanism
87
does not become easily disengaged and generally requires that latch members
84
,
86
be broken for removal. This prevents bearing
80
from inadvertently coming off during use. One advantage of bearing members
80
is that they provide a minimal surface contact area for maximum slip and are easily replaced when worn out.
Slide mechanism
66
is mounted on plate
62
of work surface mounting bracket
61
by a central pivot bolt
90
. Pivot bolt
90
permits pivotal movement of keyboard support
15
and bracket
62
about a vertical axis defined by the axis of bolt
90
. The manner in which these members are connected together permits rotation of keyboard support
15
in a smooth manner that provides just enough resistance to rotation to maintain keyboard
12
in the position to which it is moved.
As shown in
FIGS. 8 and 9
, pivot bolt
90
is a socket head bolt. Pivot bolt
90
fits through an opening
92
in plate
68
, and in opening
63
in plate
62
. The head of pivot bolt
90
is spaced from plate
68
by a low friction Nylon washer
94
or similar material. The underside of plate
68
engages a circular Nylon plate
96
, which in turn bears against upper plate
62
of work surface mounting bracket
61
. An annular rib
98
extends downwardly from plate
68
(or it could alternatively be formed in disk
96
) so as to minimize the surface contact between slider plate
68
and disk
96
. Another nylon washer
100
is positioned between disk
96
and slider plate
68
. A steel washer
102
is positioned on the outside of plate
62
, and a nut
104
is threaded on the end of pivot bolt
90
. Nut
104
is carefully tightened with a torque wrench until there is just enough rotation resistance to maintain keyboard
12
in a desired rotational position. Once pivot bolt
90
is sufficiently tightened, the end of pivot bolt
90
is flared with a center punch to provide an enlarged portion
106
that locks nut
104
in its desired position. Nut
104
can be a lock nut having a nylon insert or the like in order to provide additional resistance to undesired rotation of nut
104
.
If inward and outward sliding of keyboard tray
31
is not required, slider mechanism
66
and track
50
can be eliminated, and work surface mounting bracket
61
may be attached directly to the underside of work surface
14
.
Turning now to a discussion of connector mechanism
18
, connector mechanism
18
interconnects work surface mounting mechanism
20
and keyboard support
15
. Connector mechanism
18
includes a support arm
110
, as best shown in
FIGS. 2 and 9
, which is pivotally coupled at an inner end
108
to work surface mounting bracket
61
. At opposite end
Conner John P.
VanderHeide Craig L.
Knape & Vogt Manufacturing Co.
Le Tan
McGarry Bair LLP
Ramirez Ramon O.
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