Granted Patent B2

US 7,942,374 · App. 12/428,700 · Granted May 17, 2011

Abstract

Claims (40)

1. A keyboard support for movably supporting a keyboard with respect to a work surface of a workstation, the keyboard support comprising:

a) a workstation engaging member adapted to be attached to an underside of the work surface;

b) a keyboard engaging member disposed forwardly of the workstation engaging member for supporting a keyboard;

c) a linkage assembly mechanically coupling and providing relative movement between the workstation engaging member and the keyboard engaging member, the linkage assembly including:

1) an upper support member including one end rotatably mounted to the workstation engaging member and an opposite end;

2) a lower support member including one end rotatably mounted to the workstation engaging member and an opposite end;

3) a lower connector coupled to the opposite end of the upper support member, the opposite end of the lower support member, and the keyboard engaging member; and

4) an upper connector coupled to the opposite end of the upper support member and the keyboard engaging member, the keyboard engaging member pivoting about the upper connector; and

d) a tilt gauge assembly to indicate a tilt angle of the keyboard engaging member, the tilt gauge assembly including a parallelogram linkage defining a longitudinal axis, the parallelogram linkage including stationary member affixed to the keyboard engaging member that pivots with the keyboard engaging member with respect to the upper connector and a movable member tangent to the lower connector, wherein changing the tilt angle of the keyboard engaging member causes a distance along the longitudinal axis between the stationary member and the movable member to change.

2. The keyboard support of claim 1 wherein the stationary member and the movable member are substantially parallel to and laterally offset from the parallelogram linkage longitudinal axis.

3. The keyboard support of claim 2 wherein the tilt gauge assembly parallelogram linkage further includes a first pivot member and a spaced apart second pivot member transverse to the parallelogram linkage longitudinal axis and pivotally coupled between the stationary member and the movable member, wherein changing the tilt angle of the keyboard engaging member pivots the upper and lower pivot members with respect to the stationary member and the movable member thereby causing the distance along the longitudinal axis between the stationary member and the movable member to change.

4. The keyboard support of claim 3 wherein the first pivot member further includes an extending arm and a biasing spring is affixed to the extending arm to bias the movable member against the lower connector.

5. The keyboard support of claim 3 wherein the first pivot member further includes an upwardly angled arm including a pointer at a distal end of the arm, the pointer moving along an arcuate path as the tilt angle of the keyboard engaging member is changed.

6. The keyboard support of claim 5 wherein tilt gauge assembly further includes a cover affixed to the stationary member and at least partially overlying the parallelogram linkage, the cover including an opening.

7. The keyboard support of claim 6 wherein the pointer of the upper pivot member is adjacent the opening of the cover, wherein changing the tilt angle of the keyboard engaging member causes the upper pivot member to pivot and move the pointer needle along the opening of the cover.

8. The keyboard support of claim 7 wherein the opening of the cover is arcuate and the cover includes tilt angle indicia along an edge of the cover adjacent the arcuate opening and a position of the pointer needle along the arcuate opening of the cover provides a visual indication of the tilt angle of the keyboard engaging member.

9. A tilt gauge assembly in combination with a keyboard support comprising:

the keyboard support including:

a workstation engaging member adapted to be attached to an underside of the work surface;

a keyboard engaging member disposed forwardly of the workstation engaging member for supporting a keyboard; and

a linkage assembly mechanically coupling and providing relative movement between the workstation engaging member and the keyboard engaging member, the linkage assembly including: an upper support member coupled at one end to the workstation engaging member, a lower support member coupled at one end to the workstation engaging member, a lower connector and an upper connector, the lower connector coupled to a second end of the upper support member, a second end of the lower support member, and the keyboard engaging member; and the upper connector coupled to the second end of the upper support member and the keyboard engaging member, the keyboard engaging member pivoting about the upper connector, and

the tilt gauge assembly providing an indication of a tilt angle of the keyboard engaging member, the tilt gauge assembly including:

a parallelogram linkage defining a longitudinal axis;

the parallelogram linkage including stationary member affixed to the keyboard engaging member that pivots with the keyboard engaging member with respect to the upper connector and a movable member tangent to the lower connector;

wherein changing the tilt angle of the keyboard engaging member causes a distance along the longitudinal axis between the stationary member and the movable member to change.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein the stationary member and the movable member are substantially parallel to and laterally offset from the parallelogram linkage longitudinal axis.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein the tilt gauge assembly parallelogram linkage further includes a first pivot member and a spaced apart second pivot member transverse to the parallelogram linkage longitudinal axis and pivotally coupled between the stationary member and the movable member, wherein changing the tilt angle of the keyboard engaging member pivots the upper and lower pivot members with respect to the stationary member and the movable member thereby causing the distance along the longitudinal axis between the stationary member and the movable member to change.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein the first pivot member further includes an extending arm and a biasing spring is affixed to the extending arm to bias the movable member against the lower connector.

13. The combination of claim 11 wherein the first pivot member further includes an upwardly angled arm including a pointer at a distal end of the arm, the pointer moving along an arcuate path as the tilt angle of the keyboard engaging member is changed.

14. The combination of claim 13 wherein tilt gauge assembly further includes a cover affixed to the stationary member and at least partially overlying the parallelogram linkage, the cover including an opening.

15. The combination of claim 14 wherein the pointer of the upper pivot member is adjacent the opening of the cover, wherein changing the tilt angle of the keyboard engaging member causes the upper pivot member to pivot and move the pointer needle along the opening of the cover.

16. The combination of claim 15 wherein the opening of the cover is arcuate and the cover includes tilt angle indicia along an edge of the cover adjacent the arcuate opening and a position of the pointer needle along the arcuate opening of the cover provides a visual indication of the tilt angle of the keyboard engaging member.

17. A tilt gauge assembly in combination with a workstation engaging member and a keyboard engaging member, the tilt gauge assembly providing a visual indication of a tilt angle of the keyboard engaging member with respect to the workstation engaging member, the combination comprising:

a parallelogram linkage defining a longitudinal axis and including a stationary member affixed to the keyboard engaging member and a movable member, the stationary member and the movable member being substantially parallel to and laterally offset from the parallelogram linkage longitudinal axis; and

the parallelogram linkage further including a first pivot member and a spaced apart second pivot member transverse to the parallelogram linkage longitudinal axis and pivotally coupled between the stationary member and the movable member, wherein changing the tilt angle of the keyboard engaging member pivots the upper and lower pivot members with respect to the stationary member and the movable member thereby causing the distance along the longitudinal axis between the stationary member and the movable member to change.

18. The tilt gauge assembly of claim 17 wherein the first pivot member further includes an extending arm and a biasing spring is affixed to the extending arm to bias the movable member against the lower connector.

19. The tilt gauge assembly of claim 17 wherein the first pivot member further includes an upwardly angled arm including a pointer at a distal end of the arm, the pointer moving along an arcuate path as the tilt angle of the keyboard engaging member is changed.

20. The tilt gauge assembly of claim 19 wherein tilt gauge assembly further includes a cover affixed to the stationary member and at least partially overlying the parallelogram linkage, the cover including an opening.

21. The tilt gauge assembly of claim 20 wherein the pointer of the upper pivot member is adjacent the opening of the cover, wherein changing the tilt angle of the keyboard engaging member causes the upper pivot member to pivot and move the pointer needle along the opening of the cover.

22. The tilt gauge assembly of claim 21 wherein the opening of the cover is arcuate and the cover includes tilt angle indicia along an edge of the cover adjacent the arcuate opening and a position of the pointer needle along the arcuate opening of the cover provides a visual indication of the tilt angle of the keyboard engaging member.

Assignments (7)