Cantilevered sliding elbow rest

Supports – Armrest or headrest

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C312S208300, C400S715000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06244546

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of devices for relieving stress on the arm of an operator operating a typical mouse electrically connected to a computer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The fatigue typically imposed on clerical staff, draftspersons and the like who sit in front of a computer for extended periods of time is well documented. In particular, it is well documented that the arms and wrists become fatigued when holding the hands in the preferred typing position.
In the prior art, applicant is aware of various attempts to provide support so as to alleviate such fatigue. These attempts may take the form of typically rests on which may be laid the wrists of the operator while typing. Also for example, applicant is aware of U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,905 which issued Dec. 17, 1991 for Wrist and Forearm Rests which may be pivoted from underneath a table surface into a position on which may be rested the elbow and forearm of the operator. The wrists of the operator are rested on a separate pad adjacent the edge of the keyboard.
Another device of which the applicant is aware is represented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,931 which issued Nov. 14, 1995 again for a rest on which may be placed the operators' hands to alleviate stress of the operator using a computer keyboard. In this instance, a hand support bar is provided which rotates up into position when needed, and is pivoted out of the way onto swing arms when the rest is not required for resting of the palm of the operator.
What is neither nor suggested in the prior art of which applicant is aware is a sliding cantilevered platform which may be readily mounted underneath an operator's computer keyboard table, offset to one side so that when it is desired to use a computer mouse for an extended period of time, the cantilevered arm may be slid out from underneath the desk top for resting of the elbow and forearm thereon.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In summary, the cantilevered sliding elbow rest of the present invention includes a cantilevered member slidably mountable into a mounting bracket, wherein the mounting bracket comprises an opposed facing pair of laterally spaced apart longitudinally extending rails rigidly mounted in parallel spaced apart relation so as to accept in sliding engagement therebetween the cantilevered member. The opposed facing rails have lower opposed longitudinally extending sliding support surfaces on which the cantilevered member may be slidably supported when mounted in sliding engagement on the pair of rails.
The cantilevered member is generally planar and rigid so that when the mounting bracket is mounted to an underside surface of a table top, and the cantilevered member is slidably mounted in the mounting bracket, the cantilevered member may be slid from a stowed position stored snugly between the opposed pair of rails and snugly sandwiched between the supporting surfaces and the lower surface of the table, to an extended position wherein a first portion of the cantilevered member is cantilevered outwardly of the mounting bracket. Thus, a downward bending moment applied to the first portion of the cantilevered member is resisted by a second portion of the cantilevered member remaining in snug sliding engagement in the mounting bracket beneath the table top.
Advantageously, the pair of rails are held in parallel spaced apart relation by a rigid pair of cross members. Further advantageously, the laterally outer edges of the cantilevered member have lower longitudinally extending grooves so as to form outwardly extending longitudinal flanges along the laterally outer edges for sliding mating engagement on the supporting surfaces on the pair of rails.
In one aspect of the present invention, the upper surface of the cantilevered member is generally flush with the upper surface of the rails when the cantilevered member is mounted between the rails so that the cantilevered member may snugly slide between the rails and snugly slide beneath the lower surface of the table top.
In another aspect of the present invention, a stop may be mounted to a lower surface of the cantilevered member so as to limit the range of sliding motion of the cantilevered member relative to the mounting bracket. In one embodiment the stop may be mounted at one end, for example, the outer end of the cantilevered member. The stop abuts a cross member, for example, one of the pair of cross members, mounted between the rails when the cantilevered member is in its stowed position. A second stop may be mounted at an opposite end, for example, the inner end of the cantilevered member so as to abut the same cross member when the cantilevered member is fully extended, thus limiting the range of sliding motion of the cantilevered member.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3929309 (1975-12-01), De Vore
patent: 4272273 (1981-06-01), Trahan et al.
patent: 4482063 (1984-11-01), Berke et al.
patent: 4621781 (1986-11-01), Springer
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patent: 5072905 (1991-12-01), Hyatt
patent: 5139559 (1992-08-01), Kozora
patent: 5211367 (1993-05-01), Musculus
patent: 5334233 (1994-08-01), Kozora
patent: 5358543 (1994-10-01), Kozora
patent: 5465931 (1995-11-01), MacDonald
patent: 5571274 (1996-11-01), Holstensson
patent: 5595428 (1997-01-01), Huang
patent: 5628483 (1997-05-01), Smith et al.
patent: 6070838 (2000-06-01), Luginsland

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