Keyboard carrier

A keyboard carrier for adjusting elevation and inclination of a keyboard position thereon includes a locating mechanism, which includes an outer sleeve, a braking block axially movably disposed in the outer sleeve, a screw rod having an end pivotally connected to the keyboard carrier and the other end perpendicularly extended through the outer sleeve and a round hole on the braking block, a handle located at an end of the outer sleeve, and a pivoting mechanism connected to an inner end of the handle and having a screw bolt screwed into a central axis of the braking block. When the handle is pivotally turned to axially move the braking block in the outer sleeve with the screw rod engaged with a threaded section on the round hole of the braking block, the keyboard carrier is stably supported by the screw rod without the risk of moving.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a keyboard carrier for adjusting elevation and inclination of a keyboard positioned thereon, and more particularly to a keyboard carrier that includes a locating mechanism having high supporting ability to locate the keyboard carrier in place after the keyboard carrier has been adjusted to desired elevation and inclination.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the prior art, the keyboard carrier includes a base for fixedly connecting to an underside of a desk, a slide seat slidably mounted between two sliding rails formed below two lateral edges of the base, a bracket mount connected to an underside of the slide seat, a pair of links and an elevating member pivotally connected at respective rear ends to two front ends of the bracket mount to form a link mechanism for adjusting a height of front ends of the links and the elevating member relative to the desk, and an inclining member pivotally connected at two rear ends to two front ends of the elevating member via a long shaft of a quick-detachable mechanism located below the inclining member. The long shaft is extended through two curved slots formed at the front ends of the elevating member and thereby allows the inclining member to slide in the curved slots for adjusting an inclination of the inclining member relative to the desk.

Since the quick-detachable mechanism is provided at pivoting points between the elevating member and the two links, as well as the pivoting points between the inclining member and the elevating member, locking of the quick-detachable mechanism in place would also lock the pivoting points on the link mechanism formed from the elevating member and the links, as well as the pivoting points between the elevating and the inclining member, causing the keyboard carrier to be locked to the adjusted elevation and inclination at the same time.

The quick-detachable mechanism includes a long shaft disposed in a quick detachable sleeve. When the long shaft is tightened, the links, the elevating member, and the inclining member are brought to closely contact with one another at the pivotally connected positions, so that the pivoting points become immovable to achieve the locating effect. However, the above-described quick-detachable mechanism provides only a very limited supporting force. When an excessive force is applied on the keyboard carrier, or the keyboard carrier has been used over a prolonged time, the quick-detachable mechanism tends to become loose from the keyboard carrier and fails to stably support the keyboard carrier.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard carrier that includes a new locating mechanism to replace the conventional quick-detachable mechanism, so that the keyboard carrier is more stably supported and fixed to an adjusted position.

To achieve the above and other objects, the locating mechanism included in the keyboard carrier of the present invention includes an outer sleeve, a braking block axially movably disposed in the outer sleeve, a screw rod having an end pivotally connected to the keyboard carrier and the other end perpendicularly extended through the outer sleeve and a round hole on the braking block, a handle located at an end of the outer sleeve, and a pivoting mechanism connected to an inner end of the handle and having a screw bolt screwed into a central axis of the braking block. When the handle is pivotally turned to axially move the braking block in the outer sleeve with the screw rod engaged with a threaded section formed on one side of the round hole of the braking block, the keyboard carrier is stably supported by the screw rod without the risk of moving, enabling a user to operate the keyboard more conveniently.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer toFIGS. 1,2, and3which are exploded, and assembled top and bottom perspective views, respectively, of a keyboard carrier according to the present invention. As shown, the keyboard carrier includes a base10for fixedly connecting to an underside of a desk, a slide seat20slidably mounted between two sliding rails11formed below two lateral edges of the base10, a bracket mount30connected to an underside of the slide seat20, a pair of links50and an elevating member60pivotally connected at respective rear ends to two front ends of the bracket mount30to form a link mechanism for adjusting a height of front ends of the links50and the elevating member60relative to the desk, and an inclining member70pivotally connected at two rear ends to two front ends of the elevating member60via a locating mechanism to slide in two curved slots61formed at the front ends of the elevating member60and thereby adjust an inclination of the inclining member70relative to the desk.

The link mechanism formed from the links50and the elevating member60to also function as an elevation adjusting mechanism and the inclining member70that forms an inclination adjusting mechanism are elastically returnable to their respective original positions under a restoring force separately provided by a first and a second elastic element40,41, as in the keyboard carrier disclosed in Taiwanese New Utility Model Patent Application No. 093206862.

The keyboard carrier of the present invention is characterized in the locating mechanism that replaces the quick-detachable mechanism in the above-mentioned Taiwanese New Utility Model Patent Application No. 093206862.

As can be most clearly seen fromFIG. 1, the locating mechanism of the present invention mainly includes an outer sleeve81, a braking block82received in the outer sleeve81, a screw rod83perpendicularly extended through the outer sleeve81and the braking block82, a handle84, a pivoting mechanism85, and an elastically movable end shaft86.

The screw rod83is pivotally connected at an end to an underside of the elevating member60via a pivoting support87, as can be seen fromFIGS. 3 and 6, to perpendicularly extend an opposite end through the outer sleeve81and the braking block82. It is noted a round hole on the braking block82for the screw rod83to extend therethrough is provided at one side of an inner wall closer to the end shaft86with a threaded section821(seeFIG. 6).

The outer sleeve81is disposed between the two curved slots61formed at two front ends of the elevating member60. The braking block82has a length slightly smaller than that of the outer sleeve81and is therefore axially movable in the outer sleeve81. The handle84is located at one outer side of the elevating member60to be manually operated for turning the pivoting mechanism85.

The pivoting mechanism85includes a U-shaped seat851having a top and two sidewalls. The handle84is screwed at an inner end to the top of the U-shaped seat851, a pivot shaft852perpendicularly extends through the two sidewalls of the U-shaped seat851, and a screw bolt853radially and perpendicularly extends through the pivot shaft852. A washer854is disposed between the U-shaped seat851of the pivoting mechanism85and the curved slot61of the elevating member60. The screw bolt853extends through the washer854and the curved slot61to screw into a central axis of the braking block82via an end thereof. The elastically movable end shaft86is screwed into the central axis of the braking block82via the other end thereof.

Please refer toFIGS. 6 and 7. When it is desired to adjust the elevation and the inclination of a keyboard on the keyboard carrier of the present invention, first pull the handle84to a position parallel to the elevating member60as shown inFIG. 6. At this point, the screw bolt853of the pivoting mechanism85pushes the braking block82toward the elastically movable end shaft86to separate from the links50and the elevating member60, so that the elevation adjusting mechanism formed from the elevating member60and the links50is pivotally turnable about a rear end thereof relative to the bracket mount30, as indicated by the arrow G1inFIG. 4, and the inclining member70is movable in the curved slots61to different inclined positions, as indicated by the arrow G2inFIG. 4.

When the keyboard carrier has been adjusted to desired elevation and inclination, the handle84is turned to a position perpendicular to the elevating member60as shown inFIG. 7, and the pivoting mechanism85is pivotally turned at the same time. At this point, the U-shaped seat851is pivotally turned on the washer854to cause the screw bolt853to pull the braking block82away from tile elastically movable end shaft86, as indicated by the arrow G4, to tightly press against the washer854, so that all pivoting points on the elevation adjusting mechanism formed from the elevating member60and the links50and the inclination adjusting mechanism formed from the inclining member70and the curved slots61are immovable.

Meanwhile, when the braking block82is moved to tightly press against the washer854, the threaded section821on one side of the round hole on the braking block82engages with threads on the screw rod83, preventing the screw rod83from axially moving relative to the braking block82and the outer sleeve81. Please refer toFIG. 5. The screw rod83locked to the braking block82further provides the elevating member60and the inclining member70with a supporting force to largely enhance a locating ability of the locating mechanism. In other words, the keyboard carrier of the present invention with the screw rod83has a largely upgraded supporting ability after the keyboard carrier has been adjusted to a desired working position.

Mechanically speaking, the screw rod83fixedly located between the two links50as well as two sides of the elevating member60enables the locating mechanism of the present invention to have an upgraded supporting ability.

Reversely, when it is desired to adjust the elevating member60and the inclining member70again, simply turn the handle84in a direction as indicated by the arrow G3inFIG. 7, so that the handle84is returned to the position as shown inFIG. 6. At this point, the braking block82is moved toward the elastically movable end shaft86and no longer pressed against the washer854, and the threaded section821on the round hole of the braking block82disengages from the screw rod83to release the latter, allowing the elevating member60and the inclining member70to be adjusted again.

The screw rod83obviously enables the locating mechanism of the present invention to have a largely enhanced supporting ability after the keyboard carrier has been locked to the adjusted position, making the adjusted keyboard carrier more stable without the risk of moving any further.