Abstract:
An electronic device support having an elongate member and a support arm including a band and at least one cantilever arm extending from the band, the band positioned around the elongate member, the band being slidable and rotatable relative to the elongate member.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to an electronic device support apparatus, and, more particularly, to electronic device supports that are used in conjunction with a worksurface such as a modular desk.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Electronic devices with manual entry of data or control, such as desktop and laptop computers, notebook computers, calculators, palm pilots, dictation machines and the like generally include some form of keyboard. The ergonomic principles of using a keyboard generally require that, when used with a desk, the keyboard be mounted on a different surface than the desktop to allow for the comfortable positioning of the keyboard operator&#39;s hands while operating the keyboard. A worksurface such as a desk generally has a fixed height which will not be a comfortable keyboard height for most people. In addition to being adjustable for ergonomic reasons, it may be convenient for the keyboard to be supported by another surface to allow an unencumbered worksurface for other purposes.  
         [0005]     One type of electronic device or keyboard platform can be mounted to the underside of a worksurface. This type of keyboard platform typically has mounting brackets, articulating apparatus which may allow translation and/or rotation of the platform, clamping mechanisms to lock the articulating apparatus in an appropriate position and the platform attached to the articulating apparatus. When not in use these platforms can typically be slid and/or rotated under the desk.  
         [0006]     One of the problems associated with this type of keyboard platform is the amount of time, effort and skill required to mount the keyboard platform. Keyboard platforms of this type are usually provided with a template which must be positioned under the worksurface to identify the correct location of a multitude of drill holes for the platform. Holes must then be drilled in the desktop from the underside without breaking through the desktop. The template is generally made of a large piece of paper which has been folded several times for shipping purposes and is therefore not particularly easy to position on the underside of a worsurface and, at the same time, maintain the correct relative positions of the drill holes. Misdrilled holes must be redrilled with the further risk of breaking through the worksurface. After mounting, clamping mechanisms hold the platform in place and must be loosened in order to correctly position the platform for keyboard use. The keyboard and platform are held in place by hand when positioning, and another hand must actuate the clamping mechanisms, which may be awkward. Actuating the clamping mechanisms generally apply torque to the platform which can cause the platform to move from the intended position. There may also be separate clamping mechanisms for linear and rotation adjustments which may further require an iterative adjustment procedure. These platforms are not easily portable, requiring dismounting and mounting if moved to another worksurface. As a minimum, a platform of this type will require at least one screwdriver, drill bits and a drill to install, and may require other tools such as wrenches to complete the installation.  
         [0007]     The problems associated with mounting keyboard platforms are exaggerated in a modular furniture environment. Modular furnitures, by their design nature, are meant to be easily configurable to accommodate a changing work environment. Modem modular furniture can be assembled with a minimum or complete absence of tools. Mounting a keyboard platform, in the manner described above, to a modular furniture worksurface makes the worksurface less configurable and also goes against the basic design objectives of the modular office furniture.  
         [0008]     Another type of electronic device or keyboard platform is a stand-alone platform. These stand-alone platforms may be supported on a frame with locking wheels to facilitate transportability and may also include other features such as wrist rests. A stand-alone platform typically can be rolled or carried to another workstation, if needed, without disassembly.  
         [0009]     While these stand-alone platforms do not require mounting to the desk surface, and the associated problems therewith, they take up additional floorspace, can be awkward to work around, are relatively expensive and may not be easily positionable with respect to the computer tower.  
         [0010]     What is needed in the art is an electronic device or keyboard support that is adjustable for keyboard operator&#39;s comfort, easily positioned, is easily moved out of the way when not in use, can easily be moved to another workstation and accomplishes such features with a simple and cost effective design.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     The present invention provides an electronic device support that is adjustable for operator&#39;s comfort, is easily positioned and locked in place, is easily moved out of the way when not in use, can easily be moved to another workstation and accomplishes such features with a simple and cost effective design.  
         [0012]     The invention comprises, in one form thereof, an elongate member and a support arm including a band and at least one cantilever arm extending from the band, the band positioned around the elongate member, the band being slidable and rotatable relative to the elongate member.  
         [0013]     An advantage of the present invention is the electronic device support is adjustable for keyboard operator&#39;s comfort.  
         [0014]     Another advantage is the electronic device support of the present invention is not required to be mounted to the worksurface.  
         [0015]     Yet another advantage is the electronic device support of the present invention can be positioned and locked in place with a single motion.  
         [0016]     A further advantage is the electronic device support of the present invention is easily moved out of the way when not in use.  
         [0017]     A yet further advantage is the electronic device support of the present invention can be easily removed from one workstation and placed in another workstation.  
         [0018]     An even yet further advantage is the electronic device support of the present invention can be positioned proximate to a worksurface without using tools.  
         [0019]     An even yet further advantage is the electronic device support of the present invention is a simple cost effective design. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]     The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention with a slidable platform mount and an electronic device or keyboard thereon and positioned on the underside of a worksurface;  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a perspective, partially fragmentary view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  of the present invention showing a rotational characteristic of the carriage and a post spring;  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view taken along section line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 2  showing carriage spring detail;  
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention with a slide track mounting configuration;  
         [0025]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along section line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 4  showing slide details;  
         [0026]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the support arm of the present invention with an extendable platform mount;  
         [0027]      FIG. 7  is a side view of an embodiment of the electronic device support of the present invention, with the elongate member fixedly attached to the worksurface, and the extendable platform mount of  FIG. 6 ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 8  is a sectional view taken along section line  8 - 8  in  FIG. 6  showing details of the extension slide;  
         [0029]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a self supporting work station embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0030]      FIG. 10  is another perspective view of the self supporting work station of the present invention shown;  
         [0031]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the monitor platform of the self supporting work station of the present invention;  
         [0032]      FIG. 12  is a side view of an embodiment of the flat screen monitor mount for the self supporting work station of the present invention; and  
         [0033]      FIGS. 13A and 13B  are perspective views of an embodiment of the storage area contained in the post of the self supporting work stations of the present invention.  
         [0034]      FIGS. 14A and 14B  are side views taken along section line  14 - 14  in  FIG. 9  showing the self supporting work station base in a stationary upright ( FIG. 14A ) position and a tilted movable ( FIG. 14B ) position.  
     
    
       [0035]     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0036]     Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown an electronic device or keyboard support  10  which generally includes elongate member  12 , support arm  14  and platform mount  16 . Keyboard support  10  is shown positioned under worksurface  18  with support arm  14  rotated from underneath worksurface  18  and with electronic device  20  positioned on platform mount  16 . Electronic device  20  is shown as a keyboard but can alternatively be a laptop or notebook computer, calculator, dictation machine, palm pilot and/or other electronic devices requiring manual manipulation.  
         [0037]     Elongate member  12  includes male member  24  partially inserted into female member  22 . Longitudinal first end  26  of female member  22  engages worksurface  18  and longitudinal second end  28  of male member  24  engages floor surface  30 . First end  26  and second end  28  may be made of a variety of materials such as plastic, wood, metal or rubber to facilitate a non-slipping engagement with worksurface  18  and floor surface  30 , respectively. The wide choice of materials for construction of first end  26  and second end  28  can therefore accommodate a wide range of materials found in worksurface  18  and floor surface  30 , respectively, which may be encountered in use. To further facilitate a non-slipping engagement between elongate member  12  and worksurface  18  and floor surface  30 , first end  26  and second end  28  may also have surface contouring such as serrations, knurling, rings, blocking, pyramids and the like.  
         [0038]     In an uncompressed state, elongate member  12  generally has an overall height greater than distance  60  between floor surface  30  and worksurface  18 . Biasing element  32  ( FIG. 2 ) is internal to elongate member  12  and engages female member  22  at one end of biasing element  32  and engages male member  24  at the other end of biasing element  32 . Biasing element  32  is shown in  FIG. 2  as a coil spring but can also be other spring types such as a leaf or spiral spring, or other biasing elements such as a compressible fluid filled container or a rubber or other resilient material elements. Biasing element  32  allows elongate member  12  to be compressed sufficiently to be positioned vertically between floor surface  30  and worksurface  18 , and at the same time, provide compressive force to facilitate a non-slipping engagement between elongate member  12  and worksurface  18  and floor surface  30  sufficient to maintain the vertical positioning of elongate member  12  when support arm  14  or platform mount  16  are loaded with a static loading of a keyboard, a dynamic loading of a keyboard operator&#39;s keystrokes and a dynamic loading of the partial support of an operator&#39;s hands, wrists and arms.  
         [0039]     Support arm  14  includes at least one cantilever arm  40 , with slot  42  therebetween, and attached to opening  45  at circumferential first end  43  and circumferential second end  47  in band  44 , and bushing  34  interposed between elongate member  12  and band  44  and also between elongate member  12  and cantilever arms  40 . Bushing  34  may be of rubber or other suitable material. Within at least one cantilever arm  40  ( FIG. 3 ) there is spring detent  36  with support arm biasing element  38  therein, which can be a spring. Biasing element  32  is shown in  FIG. 3  as a coil spring but can also be other spring types such as a leaf or spiral spring, or other biasing elements such as a compressible fluid filled container or a rubber or other resilient material elements. Bushing  34  allows support arm  14  to be tilted from an approximately orthogonal relationship with elongate member  12 . This tilting action releases some of the frictional holding force being applied between elongate member  12  and bushing  34  by support arm biasing element  38  and thereby allows support arm  14  to be translated along a longitudinal axis of elongate member  12  and/or support arm  14  can be rotated about a longitudinal axis of elongate member  12 .  
         [0040]     Platform mount  16  includes slide  46  and electronic device or keyboard platform  48 . Platform mount  16  may omit slide  46 , and in this embodiment, electronic device platform  48  can be used without slide  46  and can be fixedly attached to a distal end of support arm  14  of the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1, 2  and  4  using suitable fastening elements such as screws, nuts and bolts, rivets, welds and the like. Alternatively, platform mount  16  can be slidably attached to support arm  14  by slidably connecting slide  46  in slot  42  and to cantilever arms  40 . Platform mount  16  gives an additional degree of adjustment to keyboard support  10 , i.e. an additional translational adjustment approximately orthogonal to elongate member  12  longitudinal axis, and since keyboard  20  is ultimately positioned on platform mount  16 , an additional degree of adjustment to keyboard  20 .  
         [0041]     Keyboard  20  may also be mounted directly to support arm  14  through the use of suitable fastening elements.  
         [0042]     In an alternative embodiment ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ) keyboard support  10  includes elongate member  12 , support arm  14 , brace  50  and slide track  52 . Unlike the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , surface  56  of slide track  52  is fixedly attached to worksurface  18  with suitable fastening elements. Mounting and adjustment of support arm  14  to elongate member  12  is as previously discussed. Elongate member  12  includes, at a first longitudinal end, bearing  54  slidingly positioned proximate to slide track  52 . Brace  50  provides support for elongate member  12  and is connected at one end to elongate member  12  and at the other end to bearing  54 . Second longitudinal end  28  of elongate member  12  does not contact floor  30  in this embodiment.  
         [0043]     In use, elongate member  12  of  FIGS. 1 and 2  is compressed and positioned under worksurface  18 . Keyboard  20  is placed on electronic device platform  48 . As mentioned previously, keyboard platform  48  may be attached directly to support arm  14 , or alternatively; if slide  46  is connected to support arm  14 , to slide  46 . Biasing element  32  maintains a firm engagement between longitudinal first end  26  and worksurface  18  and between longitudinal second end  28  and floor surface  30 . Support arm  14  is adjusted longitudinally and rotationally for keyboard operator comfort, and if slide  46  is used, additional translational adjustment approximately orthogonal to elongate member  12  can be made. When not in use keyboard  20  can be rotated and translated under worksurface  18  if desired. Keyboard support  10  can easily be moved to another workstation (not shown) by dismounting keyboard  20 , compressing elongate member  12  and repositioning keyboard support  10  at another workstation.  
         [0044]     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 4 and 5 , surface  56  is attached to the underside of worksurface  18 . As mentioned previously, keyboard platform  48  may be attached directly to support arm.  14 , or alternatively, if slide  46  is connected to support arm  14 , to slide  46 . Support arm  14  is adjusted longitudinally along elongate member  12  and also along slide track  52 , and rotationally about elongate member  12  for keyboard operator comfort, and if slide  46  is used, additional translational adjustment can be made approximately orthogonal to elongate member  12 . When not in use keyboard  20  can be rotated and translated under worksurface  18  if desired. Keyboard support  10  can be moved to another workstation (not shown) by dismounting keyboard  20 , unattaching slide track  52  and repositioning and attaching keyboard support  10  at another workstation.  
         [0045]     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-5 , keyboard  20  may also be mounted directly to support arm  14  through the use of suitable fastening elements.  
         [0046]     Referring to  FIGS. 6-8 , there is shown an extendable platform mount  100  including extension slide blocks  102 , platform mount  104  and elongate member  106 . Extension slide blocks  102  are slidingly engaged with support arm  14  by way of slide block slide grooves  96  in slide blocks  102  and corresponding support arm slide grooves  98  in support arm  14 . Platform mount  104  is slidingly attached to slide blocks  102  by way of platform mount slide grooves  94  in both platform mount  104  and slide block slide grooves  96 . Extendable platform mount  100  can have indexing capability in extension slide blocks  102  and/or platform mount  104 . Elongate member  106  may be the same as that depicted in previously described embodiments or a part of a self supporting work station. In the embodiment of  FIG. 7 , elongate member  106  is shown fixedly attached to worksurface  18  by way of screws  108  or other suitable fastening elements. Platform mount  104  can have pivot attachment  92  to pivotally attach keyboard  20 .  
         [0047]     Self supporting work station  110  ( FIGS. 9-12 ) including base  112 , elongate member  114 , support arm  14  and monitor mount  116 . Base  112  has two wheels  118  on wheel side  136  of base  112  that are positioned to contact a floor when tilted. Tilting can be actuated by hand actuation of monitor mount  116  using handle recess  138 . Base  112  is attached to elongate member  114  and is shaped and positioned to provide stability to work station  110 . Computer  152  can be placed on base  112 .  
         [0048]     Elongate member  114  is hollow being attached to base  112  at one end and monitor mount  116  at another end. Elongate member  114  maybe telescopically adjustable in a vertical direction. Support arm  14  is slidingly disposed on elongate member  114 . Also attached to elongate member  114  is chair  120  by way of chair support arm  122 . Foot rests  126  are attached to either chair support arm  122  or elongate member  114 . Chair  120  and foot rests  126  are ergonomically positioned. Chair  120 , including seat  158  and backrest  160 , has an adjustable support post  128 , located on the floor side of seat  158 , which coacts with chair support arm  122  to alter the position of chair  120 .  
         [0049]     At one end of support arm  14  a keyboard is slidingly mounted. At another end of support arm  14 , proximate to elongate member  114  a utility distribution module  124  is attached. Utility distribution module  124  is in the form of a power strip which can also include communication terminals or receptacles.  
         [0050]     Referring to  FIGS. 11 and 12 , there is shown monitor platform  132 . Monitor platform  132  interacts with and is attached to elongate member  114 . Monitor platform  132  removably attaches to the end of elongate member  114 , thereby providing a shelf for placing and mounting a computer monitor  154 . Platform  132  includes storage areas  134  to place computer and office related items. An alternate flat panel monitor mount  146  is shown in  FIG. 12  for a flat screen monitor  156 . Elongate member  114  may have at first end  26  recess  148  for convenient storage of paperclips and other small office utility items.  
         [0051]     Storage area  140  ( FIGS. 13A and 13B ) in elongate member  114  including door  142  and pivoting storage units  144 . Storage units  144  advantageously uses hollow portion  150  within elongate member  114 . Alternatively, power and data connections and/or wiring may be routed through elongate member  114  and door  142  serves as an access to the routing.  
         [0052]     While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.