Abstract:
The present teachings describe an adjustable keyboard stand comprising a keyboard platform, which receives a keyboard instrument, and a mounting assembly which mounts to a piece of furniture, such as a computer table or desk. The mounting assembly includes a mounting component having two sidewalls and a rear wall joined together so as to define a recess that extends in a first direction. The adjustable keyboard stand may further comprise a support member having a first and a second end, wherein the first end of the support member is attached to the keyboard platform, and wherein the second end of the support member is positioned within the recess in the mounting component so as to be slidably and pivotally movable therein. In one aspect, the weight of the support member and the keyboard platform pivots the second end of the support member in a first direction within the recess such that the second end of the support member engages with the rear wall of the recess to maintain the support member at a first vertical location. The vertical location of the support member can be changed by exerting force on the keyboard platform that induces the support member to pivot in a second direction so as to disengage the second end of the support member from the rear wall of the recess to thereby permit free sliding motion of the second end of the support member in the recess.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/405,199, filed Apr. 1, 2003, entitled “ADJUSTABLE KEYBOARD STAND”, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to support assemblies and, in particular, relates to an adjustable keyboard stand.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     In an office environment, computers are typically used for everyday office tasks, such as word processing. Data entry involves the use of a keyboard to enter information into a computer. Conventional desks or tables are often too high for ergonomic placement of keyboards. Some offices tend to purchase specially designed desks or tables for computers, which can increase overhead costs associated with running a business. Keyboard trays or stands are a desirable low cost alternative. Some keyboard stands are adjustable in height so as to accommodate different users.  
         [0006]     Some prior art adjustable keyboard stands are adjustable on discrete components. In one instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,712 illustrates an adjustable keyboard platform attached to a relatively large mounting post having rigid corners with serrated teeth that are discretely positioned along the length of the mounting post. The platform armature locks into the serrated teeth for vertical height adjustment. Unfortunately, this particular prior art mounting post can be inconvenient to operate and difficult to manipulate for level height adjustment. For example, the platform armature can easily become cockeyed during manipulation where one side of the platform armature is positioned on a higher serrated tooth than the other side. This promotes a lopsided keyboard platform and discomfort for the user. Also, vertical height adjustment can be inconvenient in that some users may have a hard time trying to level out the platform during manipulation and lining up of the serrated teeth.  
         [0007]     Other prior art keyboard stands have a variety of different attachment mechanisms, such screws and bolts, which often have to be manipulated in order to adjust the stand to a desired vertical height above the ground and also to adjust the tilt angle of the keyboard for the preferences of an individual user. Often times, these fasteners may become difficult to manipulate which makes the adjustment process more cumbersome. U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,367 illustrates this cumbersome task of keyboard platform adjustment. As illustrated, the platform armature has many joints with each having a plurality of locking members that have to be disengaged from underneath the table prior to adjusting the height or orientation of the keyboard tray. Unfortunately, this particular adjustable keyboard tray is inconvenient to use or operate because a user has to crawl underneath the table disengage the locking members, then sit back down while holding the keyboard tray so as to adjust it to the appropriate height or orientation, and then crawl back underneath the table to re-engage the locking members while holding the keyboard tray in the appropriate position. As a result, this adjustable keyboard tray is inconvenient to operate or use for most people.  
         [0008]     Therefore, from the foregoing, there currently exists a need for an improved keyboard stand that is readily adjustable and convenient to operate. To this end, there also currently exists a need for a more convenient height adjustment mechanism for a keyboard platform that is easily manipulated by users.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     The aforementioned needs may be satisfied by an adjustable keyboard device comprising a keyboard platform which receives a keyboard and a mounting assembly which mounts to a piece of furniture, the mounting assembly including a mounting component having two sidewalls and a rear wall that defines a recess that extends in a first direction having a vertical component wherein the mounting component defines an opening positioned between the sidewalls opposite the rear wall that extends in the first direction.  
         [0010]     In one embodiment, the adjustable keyboard device may further comprise a support member having a first and a second end, wherein the first end of the support member is attached to the keyboard platform, and wherein the second end of the support member is positioned within the recess in the mounting component so as to be slidably and pivotally movable therein. In one aspect, the weight of the support member and the keyboard platform pivots the second end of the support member in a first direction within the recess such that the second end of the support member engages with the rear wall of the recess to maintain the support member at a first vertical location, and wherein the vertical location of the support member can be changed by exerting force on the keyboard platform that induces the support member to pivot in a second direction so as to disengage the second end of the support member from the rear wall of the recess to thereby permit free sliding motion of the second end of the support member in the recess.  
         [0011]     In another embodiment, the sidewalls of the mounting component further comprise a pair of channels, and wherein the support member includes a plurality of protrusions that are spaced from the second end such that the protrusions are positioned within the channels so as to define a pivot axis of the support member with respect to the recess. The adjustable keyboard device may further comprise a tilt adjustment assembly that permits adjustment of a tilt angle of the keyboard platform, wherein the tilt adjustment assembly comprises a shaft and a spring that are interposedly attached between the keyboard platform and the support member so as to define the tilt angle. In one aspect, the tilt adjustment assembly further comprises a knob that is threadably attached to the shaft, and wherein the knob can be actuated to increase or decrease the tilt angle of the keyboard platform. In another aspect, the spring produces a biased tension between the keyboard platform and the support member, and wherein the tension can be increased or decreased depending on the position of the knob with respect to the shaft.  
         [0012]     The aforementioned needs may also be satisfied by an adjustable stand comprising a mounting bracket attached to a structure and a securing member having an upper section that is rotatably attached to the mounting bracket so as to allow the securing member to rotate with respect to the structure, the securing member having first and second sidewalls and a rear wall that are joined together so as to form an opening with an interior recessed region, wherein the first and second sidewalls each comprise an interior surface having at least one channel formed thereon. In one embodiment, the adjustable stand may comprise a platform having an upper surface adapted to receive a keyboard instrument and a lower surface. In addition, the adjustable stand may comprise a support armature having a first end adapted to be pivotally mounted on the lower surface of the platform and a second end having a plurality of protrusions extending therefrom and stop member attached thereto, wherein the second end is adapted to be positioned within the interior recessed region of the securing member adjacent the interior surface of the sidewalls so that the plurality of protrusions pivotally and slidably communicate with the channels to thereby allow the support armature to pivot about the protrusions and vertically move along the length of the channels, and wherein the stop member inhibits vertical movement of the support armature when engaged with the rear wall of the securing member, and wherein the stop member allows vertical movement of the support armature when disengaged from the rear wall of the securing member. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of an adjustable keyboard stand.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  illustrates an expanded view of the adjustable keyboard stand of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0015]      FIGS. 3, 4  illustrate a side view of the adjustable keyboard stand of  FIGS. 1, 2 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0016]     Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. An improved keyboard stand that is readily adjustable by a user will be described in greater detail herein below with reference to the drawings.  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of an adjustable keyboard stand  100  having a platform member  102 , a support member  104 , a tilt member  106 , a securing member  108  with a main body  155  and an upper head structure  157 , and a mounting member  110 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the adjustable keyboard stand  100  is adapted to be fixedly attached to the underside of the piece of furniture  115 , such as a table or desk, which will be described in greater detail herein below. Also, the platform member  102  including the support member  104  are continuously adjustable along the length of the securing member in a manner as will be described in greater detail herein below.  
         [0018]     In one embodiment, the platform member  102  comprises a substantially rectangular shape with flat upper and lower surfaces  120   a,    120   b.  The lower surface  120   b  of the platform member  102  is pivotally attached to the support member  104  via a u-shaped bracket  124  and one or more bolts  126 . The u-shaped bracket  124  is securely attached to the lower surface  120   b  of the platform member  102  using fasteners (not shown), such as screws, in a generally known manner. In addition, the u-shaped bracket  124  is pivotally attached to a first end  130   a  of the support member  104  using one or more bolts  126  that function as a pivot juncture such that the platform member  102  readily rotates about the one or more bolts  126  with respect to the support member  104 .  
         [0019]     It should be appreciated that the platform member  102  can be adapted to receive a keyboard or keyboard instrument  117 , such as those used with various types of computers, musical instruments, etc. In one aspect, the platform member  102  comprises a strong rigid material, such as wood, plastic, metal, etc., so as to provide a firm platform surface that can support the weight of the keyboard or keyboard instrument  117 .  
         [0020]     In one embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the tilt member  106  comprises a shaft  140  and a spring  142  that are interconnected between a rear portion  128  of the platform member  102  and a mid-portion  130   c  of the support member  104 . The shaft  140  is positioned central to the spring  142  such that the spring  142 , in one aspect, winds around the exterior of the shaft  142 . In addition, the shaft  140  is adapted to be connected to the platform member  102  in a generally known manner such that the spring  142  abuts the lower surface  120   b  of the platform member  102 . Also, the shaft  140  extends through the support member  106  such that the spring  142  abuts an upper surface  132   a  of the support member  104 . In one aspect, the tilt member  106  is spring biased so as to provide tension between the rear portion  128  of the platform member  102  and the mid-portion  130   c  of the support member  104 .  
         [0021]     As further illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the tilt member  106  further comprises a knob  144  that is threadably attached to the post  140  such that the knob  128  can be screwed upward or downward so as to abut a lower surface  132   b  of the support member  104  and to adjust the tilt angle  146  of the platform member  102  against the tension of the spring  142 . The spring produces a biased tension between the platform member  102  and the support member  104 , wherein the tension can be increased or decreased depending on the position of the knob  144  with respect to the shaft  140 . The tilt member  106  provides adjustment to a tilt angle  146  of the platform member  102 . In one aspect, the tilt angle  146  is defined between the platform member  102  and the support member  104  with the vertex of the tilt angle  146  defined at the pivot juncture between the platform member  102  and the support member  104 . Advantageously, the tilt angle  146  of the platform member  102  can be adjusted in relation to the support member  104  by readily twisting the knob  128 .  
         [0022]     In one embodiment, the support member  104  is adapted to be slidably attached to the securing member  108  in a manner that will be described in greater detail herein below. In addition, the securing member  108  is adapted to be slidably and rotatably attached to the mounting member  110  in a manner that will be described in greater detail herein below. Also, the mounting member  110  is adapted to be fixedly attached to the underside of the piece of furniture  115 , such as a table or desk. It should be appreciated that the scope and functionality of the securing member  108  and the mounting member  110  will be described in greater detail herein below with reference to  FIG. 2 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 2  illustrates an expanded view of the adjustable keyboard stand  100  of  FIG. 1 . In one embodiment, the support member  104  comprises first and second protrusions  134   a,    134   b  that extend outward from a second end  130   b  of the support member  104  in a substantially perpendicular manner so as to define a pivot axis. In one aspect, the pivot axis allows the support member  104  to pivot with respect to the securing member  108  in a manner that will be described in greater detail herein below.  
         [0024]     Also, the support member  104  further comprises a stop member  136  that is attached to the second end  130   b  of the support member  104  so as to be adjacent the protrusions  134   a,    134   b.  The stop member  136  comprises first and second apertures  138   a,    138   b  that are adapted to receive the first and second protrusions  134   a,    134   b,  respectively, and allow the stop member  136  to be attached to the second end  130   b  of the support member  104 . Also, the stop member  136  still further comprises an inclined end  148  that is adapted to engage with the securing member  108  in a manner as will be described herein below.  
         [0025]     It should be appreciated that, even though the stop member  136  is illustrated in  FIG. 2  as a separate part, the stop member  136  may be formed as an integral part of the support member  104  without departing from the scope of the present invention. Alternately, it should also be appreciated that the stop member  136  may be formed separately from the support member  104  and comprise a pliable material, such as rubber, having a high frictional coefficient for reasons that will be described in greater detail herein below. In addition, in one aspect, the stop member  136  may be permanently attached to the second end  130   b  of the support member  104  using various types of generally known adhesives, such as epoxy or glue, or fasteners, such as screws or bolts. Moreover, in another aspect, the stop member  136  may be slidably attached to the second end  130   b  of the support member  104  so as to be readily removable therefrom.  
         [0026]     Moreover, the securing member  108  comprises first and second sidewalls  170   a,    170   b  and a rear wall  172  that are joined together in a manner so as to define the main body  155  of the support structure  108  and a recess  160  formed therein that extends in a first direction  174   a.  The securing member  108  further defines first and second interior channels  162   a,    162   b  within the recess  160  that extend along the length of the securing member  108 . The securing member  108  further defines an opening  176  opposite the rear wall  170  that permits access to the recess  160 . In one aspect, the second end  130   b  of the support member  104  is positioned within the recess  160  via the opening  176  formed in the securing member  108 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , so that the first and second protrusions  134   a,    134   b  of the support member  104  slidably engage the first and second interior channels  162   a,    162   b,  respectively.  
         [0027]     Advantageously, the support member  104  vertically slides along the length of the securing member  108  via the interior channels so as to provide vertical movement for the platform member  102  with respect to the piece of furniture  115  that the adjustable keyboard stand  100  is mounted thereto. Also, the support member  104  is continuously adjustable along a vertical range of motion with respect to the interior channels  162   a,    162   b.    
         [0028]     Additionally, the rounded or cylindrical shape of the protrusions  134   a,    134   b  allow the support member  104  to pivot in a first pivotal direction  180  or in a second pivotal direction  182  that is opposite the first pivotal direction  180 . The first and second protrusions  134   a,    134   b,  when positioned with the first and second interior channels  162   a,    162   b,  respectively, define the pivot axis. When the support member  104  is positioned within the recess  160  of the securing member  108 , the support member  104  can be pivoted about the pivot axis in the first pivotal direction  180  so that the inclined end  148  of the stop member  136  abuts a back wall  172  of the securing member  108 . Similarly, the support member  104  can be pivoted about the pivot axis in the second pivotal direction  182  so that the stop member  136  moves away from the back wall  172  of the securing member  108 .  
         [0029]     In one embodiment, the securing member  108  further comprises a lower end cap structure  164  that is adapted to be positioned in a lower opening  166  of the securing member  108 . Advantageously, the lower end cap structure  164  is attached to the securing member  108  so as to retain the second end  130   b  of the support structure  104  in the recess  160  of the securing member  108  to thereby inhibit the support structure  104  from falling away from the securing member  108 . Also, the lower end cap structure  164  comprises a lip  168  that extends within at least a portion of the opening  176  formed in the support structure  108 .  
         [0030]     In one embodiment, the mounting member  110  is adapted to be mounted on the underside of the piece of furniture  115  via fasteners  152 , such as screws or bolts, through apertures  150  formed in the mounting member  110 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the mounting member  110  comprises lip structures  154  that define interior slotted regions  156  along the length of the mounting member  110 . A first rectangular plate  158   a  having an extension nut  178   a  attached thereto is adapted to be slidably positioned within the slotted regions  156 . In one aspect, the first rectangular plate  158   a,  when positioned within the slotted regions  156  of the mounting member  110 , is slidable along the length of the mounting member  110  in the first direction  174   a  or a second direction that is opposite the first direction  174   b.  A second rectangular plate  158   b  is attached to the extension nut  178   a  with a fastening washer  178   b  in a generally known manner. The second rectangular plate  158   b  is positioned exterior to the slotted regions  156  of the mounting member  110  so as to provide a mounting surface  186  for the securing member to be mounted thereto.  
         [0031]     Additionally, the upper head structure  157  of the securing member  108  is adapted to be mounted to the mounting surface  186  of the second rectangular plate  186  via fasteners  196 , such as nuts and bolts. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the positional orientation of the upper head structure  157  is slanted with respect to the main body  155  of the support structure  108 . In addition, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the positional orientation of the upper head structure  157  is aligned with the second rectangular plate  186 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the support structure  108  attaches to the mounting member  110  so that the upper head structure  157  is aligned with the mounting member  110  and the main body  155  slants away from the platform member  102 . Advantageously, the positional orientation of the main body  155  with respect to upper head structure  157  and the mounting member  110  allows for more leg room for a seated individual using the adjustable keyboard stand  100 . For this reason, the present teachings of the adjustable keyboard stand provide greater comfort for a user.  
         [0032]     Advantageously, the securing member  108 , when attached to the first rectangular plate  158   a  via the second rectangular plate  158   b  and the extension nut  178   a,  slides along the length of the mounting member  110  via the slotted regions  156 . This allows the platform member  102 , when attached to the mounting member  110  via the support member  104  and the securing member  108 , to move towards and away from the piece of furniture  115  in the first and second directions  174   a,    174   b,  respectively, when the mounting member  110  is attached to the piece of furniture. Moreover, this allows the platform member  102  to comprise more freedom of movement with respect to the piece of furniture.  
         [0033]     In one aspect, the extension nut  178   a  is rotatable about the first or second rectangular plates  158   a,    158   b  so that the securing member  108 , when mounted to the mounting member  110 , can readily rotate thereabout in a first rotational direction  198   a  or a second rotational direction that is opposite the first rotational direction  198   a.  Advantageously, this allows the platform member  102 , when interconnected to the securing member  108  via the support member  104 , to comprise more freedom of movement.  
         [0034]      FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate a side view of the adjustable keyboard stand  100  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In operation, the first and second protrusions  134   a,    134   b  of the support member  104  are positioned within the first and second channels  162   a,    162   b  of the securing member  108  so that the support member  104  can be vertically adjusted along the length or vertical component of the securing member  108 . In one embodiment, the weight of the platform member  102 , including the weight of the keyboard  117  positioned on the platform member  102 , induces the stop member  136  to engage with the back wall  172  of the recess  160  formed in the securing member  108 .  
         [0035]     As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the weight of the platform member  102  including, in one aspect, the weight of the keyboard  117  induces the support member  104  to rotate in the first pivotal direction  180  thereby urging the stop member  136  against the back wall  172  of the recess  160  so as to inhibit the platform member  102  from moving in a first vertical direction  190 . Advantageously, the stop member  136  comprises a highly frictional material that inhibits slippage of the support member  104  when the stop member  136  abuts the rear wall of the securing member  108 .  
         [0036]     Conversely, to move the platform member  102  in the first vertical direction  190  or a second vertical direction  192  that is opposite the first vertical direction  190  as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , a user simply moves the platform member  102  so as to pivot the support member  104  in the second pivotal direction  182  to thereby disengage the stop member  136  from the back wall  172  of the securing member  108 . Advantageously, this pivotal actuation enables the platform member  102  to be readily lifted or lowered to one of a plurality of desirable positions along the length of the securing member  104 .  
         [0037]     Advantageously, the improved keyboard stand  100  is continuously adjustable along a vertical range of motion  190 ,  192 . Readily adjusting the improved keyboard stand  100  to an appropriate height for use results in greater comfort and convenience for an individual using the stand  100  in combination with various keyboard instruments. In addition, the improved keyboard stand  100  of the present teachings can be easily and readily adjusted vertically  190 ,  192  without the manipulation of a rigid fastener or mounting bracket. Thus, in a manner as previously described and illustrated, the improved adjustable keyboard stand  100  of the present teachings is easier to manipulate than many prior art devices. Furthermore, the improved keyboard stand  100  of the present teachings comprises an adjustable tilt angle  146  for the platform member  102  through the use of the spring biased tilt member  106 , which further increases the comfort and convenience for the user.  
         [0038]     Although the foregoing description has shown, described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form of the detail of the apparatus as illustrated, as well as the uses thereof, may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Consequently, the scope of the invention should not be limited to the foregoing discussion, but should be defined by the appended claims.