Abstract:
A latching mechanism for latching a wrist rest to a keyboard defining two latching holes, includes an actuating member slidably coupled to the wrist rest, and two hook members rotatably coupled to the wrist rest. The actuating member includes an abutting post, sliding between an unlatching position extending out of the wrist rest and a latching position hidden in the wrist rest. When the wrist rest contacts the front sidewall, the actuating member slides to the latching position, the hook members extend out of the wrist rest; when the actuating member returns to the unlatching position, the hook members disengage from the latching hole to retract into the wrist rest. A wrist rest and a keyboard assembly having the latching mechanism are also provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates to keyboard assembly, and particularly to a keyboard assembly having a wrist rest, a keyboard and a latching mechanism for latching the wrist rest to the keyboard. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Desktop computer generally has a keyboard for receiving inputs from a user. A wrist rest corresponding to the keyboard is provided to comfortably support the wrist of a user. The wrist rest is secured to the keyboard with screws, which is inconvenient when being assembled to and disassembled from the keyboard. 
         [0005]    Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the six views. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a keyboard assembly including a keyboard and a wrist rest latched to the keyboard in accordance with an embodiment. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the keyboard assembly of  FIG. 1  with the wrist rest disengaging from the keyboard. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 2 , but viewed from another aspect. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a disassembled view of the wrist rest in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the partially assembled wrist rest being latched to the keyboard of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
         [0013]      FIGS. 1-3 , is a perspective view of a keyboard assembly  100  in accordance with an embodiment. The keyboard assembly  100  includes a keyboard  10 , a wrist rest  20  and a latching mechanism  30  for latching the wrist rest  20  to the keyboard  10 . The wrist rest  20  is secured to the keyboard  10  to support the wrist of the user during operation of the keyboard  10 . The wrist rest  20  is designed in accordance with rules of ergonomics, being more comfortable for the users when operating the keyboard  10 . 
         [0014]    The keyboard  10  is applied to desktop computers in the embodiment. The keyboard  10  is substantially rectangular, and includes four sidewalls. One of the sidewalls facing the user is referred herein as the front sidewall  110 . The front sidewall  110  defines two latching holes  112 . The latching holes  112  are evenly spaced from each other. 
         [0015]      FIG. 4 , illustrates the wrist rest  20  including a top wall  201 , a bottom wall  202  and a plurality of end portions. One of the end portions corresponding to front sidewall  110  is referred herein as the front end portion  204 . The top wall  201 , the bottom wall  202  and the end portions cooperatively form a housing  210  of the wrist rest  20 . The housing  210  defines a receiving space  203  for receiving the latching mechanism  30 . 
         [0016]    The front end portion  204  defines two elongated holes  205  and a through hole  206 . The elongated hole  205  corresponds to the latching holes  112 . The through hole  206  is arranged between the elongated holes  205 . In the embodiment, the through hole  206  is collinear with the elongated holes  205 , and is located at the middle of a line connecting the elongated holes  205 . 
         [0017]    Two bearings  207  are secured to an inner surface of the top wall  201 . The vertical projections of the bearings  207  in the front end portion  204  are arranged at opposite sides of the through hole  206  and between the elongated holes  205 . A positioning member  208  is secured to the inner surface of the top wall  201 . The positioning member  208  is substantially parallel to the front end portion  204  and is arranged between the bearings  207 . The distance between the bearings  207  and the front end portion  204  is less than the distance between the positioning member  208  and the front end portion  204 . Two stoppers  2082  and a protrusion  2084  are arranged on a surface of the positioning member  208  facing the front end portion  204 . The stoppers  2082  perpendicularly bend from opposite ends of the positioning member  208  and extend toward the front end portion  204 . The protrusion  2084  is arranged at the middle of the positioning member  208  and is arranged between the stoppers  2082 . The protrusion  2084  cooperates with each stopper  2082  to define a receiving portion  2086 . The protrusion  2084  defines a receiving portion  2086  corresponding to the through hole  206 . The bottom wall  202  defines an aperture  209 . The vertical projection of the aperture  209  in the top wall  201  is collinear with the through hole  206  and the receiving hole  2088 . 
         [0018]    The latching mechanism  30  is housed in the receiving space  203 . The latching mechanism  30  is capable of being latched to the latching hole  112  to latch the wrist rest  20  to the keyboard  10 , and is capable of being unlatched from the latching hole  112  for allowing the wrist rest  20  to be disengaged from the keyboard  10 . The latching mechanism  30  includes an operating member  310 , an actuating member  320 , two hook members  330 , and three elastic members (hereinafter, a first elastic member  342  and two second elastic members  344 ). 
         [0019]    The operating member  310  is slidably received in the aperture  209 . An end of the operating member  310  defines a first inclined surface  312 . A protruding portion  314  protrudes from the operating member  310 . The size of the protruding portion  314  is greater than the size of the aperture  209 , to prevent the operating member  310  from moving away from the wrist rest  30 . 
         [0020]    The actuating member  320  includes an abutting post  322 , a first actuating portion  321  fixed to an end of the abutting post  322 , a tip  324  fixed to an end of the first actuating portion  321  opposite to the abutting post  322 , and a second actuating portion  323 . The second actuating portion  323  is located at a junction of the abutting post  322  and the first actuating portion  321 . The second actuating portion  323  defines a second inclined surface  326  corresponding to the first inclined surface  312  and opposite to the front end portion  204 . The cross-section of the first actuating portion  321  is substantially trapezoid, and the first actuating portion  321  defines two first slanted surface  325  opposite to the front end portion. 
         [0021]    The hook members  330  are rotatably coupled to the bearings  207  respectively. Each hook member  330  is substantially L-shaped, and includes a rotating arm  332  and a hook arm  333  bending from an end of the rotating arm  332 . Each rotating arm  332  defines a pivot hole  336  for receiving a fixing member  350 , such as a screw. An end of the rotating arm  332  away from the hook arm  333  defines a second slanted surface  335 . The second slanted surfaces  335  correspond to the first slanted surface  325  respectively. A projection  337  protrudes from an end of the rotating arm  332  adjacent to the second slanted surface  335 . The projection  337  and the hook arm  333  are arranged at opposite sides of the rotating arm  332 . A hook  334  is arranged at an inner side of the hook arms  333  adjacent to the second slanted surface  335 . The two hooks  334  face each other. 
         [0022]    In this embodiment, the first and second elastic members  342 ,  344  are springs. An end of the first elastic member  342  is received in the receiving hole  2088 , and the other end of the first elastic member  342  is secured to the tip  324 . Opposite ends of the second elastic members  344  are respectively secured to the projections  337  and the receiving portions  2086 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 5 , illustrates in assembly, first the hook members  330  are rotatably coupled to the bearings  207  with the fixing members  350  respectively. Second, the abutting post  322  is slidably received in the through hole  206 , and the first actuating portion  321  abuts ends of the hook member  330  with the first slanted surface  325  engaging with the second slanted surface  335 . Third, an end of the first elastic member  342  is received in the receiving hole  2088 , and the other end of the first elastic member  342  is secured to the tip  324 ; opposite ends of the second elastic members  344  are respectively secured to the projections  337  and the receiving portions  2086 . Finally, the operating member  310  is slidably received in the aperture  209  with the first inclined surface  312  abutting the second inclined surface  326 , and the bottom wall  202  is secured to the top wall  201 . 
         [0024]    After assembly, when the actuating member  322  is released, the first elastic member  342  drives the first actuating portion  321  to abut the inner surface of the front end portion  204 , and the second elastic members  344  drive the second slanted surfaces  335  to abut the corresponding first slanted surfaces  325 . At this time, the actuating member  322  is in an unlatching position, the actuating post  322  extends out of the through hole  206 , the operating member  310  is hidden in the aperture  209 , the hooks  334  retract into the elongated holes  205 , and the wrist rest  20  may be unlatched from the keyboard  10 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 5 , illustrates latching the wrist rest  20  to the keyboard  10 : the front end portion  204  of the wrist rest  20  is operated to contact the front sidewall  110  of the keyboard  10 , and the actuating post  322  of the actuating member  320  is pressed by the front sidewall  110  and is driven to retract into the through hole  206 . At the same time, the actuating member  320  slides to a latching position and deforms the first elastic member  342 ; the operating member  310  is driven by the actuating member  320  to extend out of the aperture  209 , and the hook members  330  are driven by the actuating member  320  to rotate relative to the bearings  207  with the projections  337  moving away from the front end portion  204  to deform the second elastic members  344 . As a result, the hooks  334  rotate to extend out of the elongated hole  205  latching to the latching holes  112 . 
         [0026]    To unlatch the wrist rest  20  from the keyboard  10 : the operating member  310  is pressed, and the actuating member  320  is driven, extending out of the through hole  206  via the first inclined surface  312  engaging with the second inclined surface  326 , at the same time, the second elastic members  344  drives the hook members  330  to rotate relative to the bearings  297  with the projections  337  moving toward the front end portion  204  and the hooks  334  disengaging from the latching holes  112  to further retract into the elongated holes  205 . As a result, the wrist rest  20  is unlatched from the keyboard  10 . 
         [0027]    It is to be understood, even though information as to, and advantages of, the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the present embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only; and that changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.