Abstract:
An adjustable keyboard podium including a portable and collapsible table for computer keyboard, mouse pad, and document holder. The podium also includes a telescopic stand with a slotted bracket attached to the bottom surface of the table are means to adjust the vertical height, horizontal position and angle of the work surface to meet criteria of ergonomic considerations.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/021,353, filed Jul. 8, 1996. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is directed to an ergonomic computer console podium. More specifically, the present invention pertains to an adjustable keyboard podium having a rollable stand and collapsible table for a computer keyboard, mouse pad, and document holder. In addition, the work surface of the podium features ergonomic wrist pads armrests and is vertically and angularly adjustable for optimum ergonomic considerations. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The invention is an adjustable keyboard podium as a versatile ergonomic platform for computer keyboard and mouse pad which may be adjusted to any height and several angles, so it may be used by either a sitting or standing operator, and stored under the computer table or desk when not in use. 
     The following U.S. and foreign patents are relevant to the invention of adjustable keyboard stands. In particular, the U.S. patent numbers and respective inventors are U.S. Design Pat. No. D 306,943, issued Apr. 3, 1990 to Hodge et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,561, issued Dec. 28,1982 to Tellier et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,380, issued Sep. 13, 1988 to Eason et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,073, issued Apr. 14, 1992 to VanBeek et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,414, issued May 9, 1995 to Bauer; U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,036, issued Nov. 28, 1995 to Vu et al. In addition, relevant foreign patents include 171,770 of Sweden published Jun. 21, 1960; 366,364 of Switzerland published Feb. 15, 1963; 10,491 of the European Patent Office published Apr. 30, 1980, 2,120,315(A) of Great Britain published Nov. 30, 1983; and 93/21,019 of the World Intellectual Property Organization published Oct. 28, 1993. 
     The above patent references disclose that keyboard supports have been the subject of earlier patents. Of particular interest is the patent to Eason et al., which discloses a collapsible stand for music keyboards. Furthermore, the patent to VanBeek et al. discloses an arm and hand rest for a keyboard, with means to adjust the vertical height, a platform for the keyboard and ergonomic wrist pads. In addition, the patent to Tellier et al. discloses a support for input devices, such as a keyboard or a mouse with a mouse pad. The support incorporates means to adjust its vertical height and a stand with a flat base. Hodge is a patent on the design of a keyboard stand which mimics the utility patent of Eason. Bauer describes an insert in telescoping cylinders which facilitates the length adjustment. Vu describes an ergonomic wrist and hand support. The above-listed patents were selected to illustrate patents in the field of keyboard supports. The foreign patents are merely cumulative of the U.S. patents. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus an adjustable keyboard podium solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Ergonomics is the science of positioning one&#39;s body to allow for proper man-machine interaction while reducing the stress on the body while working. Ergonomics has become a major concept in work place safety, injury, and efficiency considerations. The positioning of the body while at the computer keyboard and mouse pad is crucial to avoiding fatigue so as to minimize consequential errors and injury. A major injury is REPETITIVE STRESS INJURY (RSI), which can result from cumulative stress of repetitive hand motions on the computer. Some computer users experience neck and back pain, headaches, wrist discomforts as well as eye strain. Sometimes, a radical change in the users position, like going from a sitting to standing position, can result in relief from the discomforts of RSI. Extensive studies have generated ergonomic considerations of importance, and these may be found in the literature. 
     These ergonomic considerations indicate that certain human body to machine configurations are optimum. Such considerations can be met by adjusting the positions of the material to be transcribed, the location of the keyboard and mouse and pad on the podium work surface as well as setting the work surface at appropriate height and angle to accommodate the height, arm and wrist of the computer operator. Two of these considerations recommend that the monitor and document to be transcribed should be 18 to 30 inches from the eyes and that the elbow should be horizontal to the center of the keyboard with the wrist straight. Though some of these goals can be achieved with furniture designed for office use, the major concern now is the proliferation of computers in the home, positioned on tables and other home furniture, and used by a variety of people in the family, from children to grandparents. Although ergonomic design may be either a statutory requirement or an economic necessity in the work place, it receives minimal consideration in the home; yet, the consequences of fatigue and RSI are still present. 
     Primarily for the home, a computer keyboard and mouse pad podium is desired which is fully and easily adjustable in height to accommodate children to tall people, either sitting or standing. It is also important that podium be portable, mobile and storable, say under the work table. To assure personal comfort and other ergonomic considerations, the podium top should have an angular adjustment and a raised periphery as a wrist rest as well as an appendage to comfortably cradle the operator&#39;s arm. 
     The present invention is such an adjustable keyboard podium, which includes a portable and collapsible table for computer keyboard, mouse pad, and document holder. The present podium further includes means to adjust the vertical height, horizontal position and angle of the work surface to meet the criteria of ergonomic considerations. The working surface features ergonomic wrist pads and armrests, and is set to a stand having lockable casters. 
     Accordingly, it is a principal objective of the invention to achieve ergonomic criteria in a portable versatile and adjustable computer keyboard and mouse pad podium. 
     It is a further objective of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an adjustable keyboard podium for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes. 
     These and other objectives of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an perspective lower surface view of an adjustable keyboard podium according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective upper surface view of a adjustable, keyboard podium according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective side view of a ratchet podium hinge according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective side view of a swing arc podium hinge according to the present invention. 
     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention for a versatile computer keyboard podium comprises two major sections. The first section is the podium table, having A) ancillary right and left armrests, B) holding means for keyboard, mouse pad and document, C) wrist rest, and D) podium hinge means. The second section is the podium stand means, with its adjustable height and pedestal. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective lower surface view of the podium table 10 for an adjustable keyboard podium showing the detail of the connection of the stand means 30 to the lower surface of the podium table 10 by a podium hinge means 16. On the front of the table protrudes the right armrest 12 and the left armrest 14. To make the position of each of these armrests adjustable,. for back and forth displacement, there is a b/f slot 52 cut through each armrest section that goes under the podium table so that the armrest may be moved back and forth to the desired comfortable length in accord with ergonomic considerations. In a cooperative function, cut from the lower surface of the podium table 10 for right and left placement, there is a blind r/l slot 50 positioned at right angles to the b/f slot 52. Through the intersection of the two slots is a captive fastener 100 engaged in a sliding fit in the r/l slot 50 which may be cinched by a armrest clamp 18 which can be a threaded knob to tighten down on a threaded portion of the captive fastener shaft. A generic captive fastener with a broad head for engaging the r/l slot 50 is of the stove bolt type. 
     On the left edge of the podium table is the document holder 22. The document holder 22 has an &#34;L&#34; shaped frame with a document clip 90 and document support 92 to grasp and support the document. The document holder 22 is held to the podium table 10 by a document holder clamp 94 which may be a &#34;UU&#34; strap held to the table through a pair of captive fasteners 100 in an elongated blind b/f slot 52 in the lower surface of the podium table 10. The document holder clamp 94 is secured with nuts or threaded knobs. The document holder 22 may be positioned at any comfortable distance in accord with ergonomic considerations along the side of the table by cinching down on the holder clamp 94 at a selected spot in the elongated slot 52 in the lower surface of the podium table 10. The document holder clamp 94 is adjustabilty attached to the horizontal frame segment of the document holder 22 is a friction fit, permitting the holder to be pivoted to assure a comfortable viewing angle. If the upper longer segment of the &#34;L&#34; shaped document holder 22 is of square bar stock with a threaded cylindrical end to penetrate the shorter lower segment of the document holder, and assembled to the lower segment with a nut, the upper segment of square bar stock may be rotated transversely to the lower segment to assure a comfortable sweep angle for viewing. 
     The podium table 10 is preferably provided without the armrests 12 and 14, and document holder 22. These features are optionally added by the user for his further comfort and convenience. In addition, the user has the ability to add or remove the armrests 12 and 14, and document holder 22 at his discretion. 
     Also illustrated in FIG. 1 is the podium hinge means 16 which is attached to the podium table 10 and adjusts the position and angle of the podium table 10 by cinching of the podium clamp 20. One such podium hinge means is an angle bracket with a pair of slots through it. It is attached to the lower surface of the podium table 10 by fixed place fasteners 110. The lower hinge slot 60 is straight and the upper slot is a hooked slot 62. This hooked slot 62 has a arc segment and a contingent straight segment. The straight segment is collaterally parallel to the lower hinge slot 60. The arc segment describes an approximate 90° circumferential sector about an end of the lower slot. Captive fasteners not shown from the stand means 30 go through respective slots and are cinched down by the podium clamp 20 which may be threaded knobs. The slope, i.e., the difference in diameter of the fasteners and the width of the slot, determines the horizontal angle the podium table may be set at any position. The length of the slot pairs determining the back and forward position attitude of the podium table relative to the stand means 30. The angle of the arc in the hooked slot 62 is to permit the podium table 10 to be folded against the stand means 30 for storage. 
     A podium hinge means which would be more rigid is illustrated in FIG. 3 as a perspective side view of a ratchet podium hinge 70. It is also attached to the lower surface of the podium table 10 by fixed place fasteners 110. The additional rigidity of the set angle of the podium table 10 to the stand means 30 is obtained by the rachet action in a ratchet podium hinge 70. The ratchet action is obtained through serrations, or saw-like teeth, cut into the top half of the slot. The lower toothed slot 72 is straight and the upper slot is a hooked toothed slot 74 with teeth along its straight sector. Again, the straight sector of the hooked tooth slot 74 is parallel and collateral with the lower toothed slot 72. The captive fastener used in this configuration has a machined segment cog shaft 76 which penetrates from the stand means 30 through respective slots engaging the valley between the teeth and cinched down by the podium clamp 20, which may be a threaded knob. Here the position and angular attitudes of the table in respect to the stand is set in increments determined by the fineness of the teeth. However, the courser the teeth, the more secure the ratchet. The arc sector of the hooked toothed slot 74 remains smooth. 
     Another podium hinge means is shown in FIG. 4 is a swing arc podium hinge 80. This is also an angle bracket but it is joined to the podium table 10 along another blind b/f slot 52 which holds captive fasteners 100 and cinched by also using a podium clamp 20, similar to armrest clamp 18. The position attitude of the stand means 30 in respect to the podium table 10 is set by locating the swing arc podium hinge 80 along the b/f slot 52 and cinching down on the captive fasteners 100. The angular attitude of the podium table 10 is adjusted by rotation about the stand/table pivot 82 and locked by cinching down the podium clamp 20 on a captive fastener 100 from the stand means 30 through the arc slot 84. The arc slot describes a circumferential arc about the stand/table pivot 82 of about 105°, so the podium table may be set at any angle. The mechanical configuration of the swing arc podium hinge 80 assures greater position security because of the restricted degrees of freedom associated with a fixed pivot versus dual slots. 
     The podium hinges, as described with respect to FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, set forth an extensive angle range with which to position the podium table 10. In the preferred arrangement, the podium table is horizontally set for a sitting person. Whereas, a forward sloping angle of 17° is preferred for a standing person. The standing person would have the 17° angle of the podium table 10 downwardly inclined so as to allow his arms and hands to address the keyboard and mouse in a natural, comfortable, and convenient position. 
     The stand means 30 may be adjusted in height through the height adjusting means such as the sliding engagement of cooperating telescoping cylindrical tubes. This is also illustrated in FIG. 1. The top part of the inner tube 32 engages the podium hinge means 16 with one or more captive fasteners secured by a podium clamp 20. The lower end of the inner tube 32 slides into the mating outer tube 34. The height of the podium table may be set by varisus height adjustment means. 
     One such height adjustment means may be a hydraulic system (not shown) joined to the inner and outer tubes. Hydraulic actuators are commercially available as a complete system of a cylinder and piston with associated compatible hydraulic pump and reservoir for a variety of lift specifications. Preferably, for example, the height adjustment means is an actuator for a gas spring type pneumatic cylinder, located internally of outer tube 34. The gas spring type pneumatic cylinder is conventionally available in various extension lengths. In the preferred embodiment, a five or eight inch extension has a greater useability for the keyboard podium. 
     Another height adjusting means (not shown) can be made with a male threaded locking collar turning on the outer tube 34 which rides on a jack screw set into the inner tube 32, permitting the height to be set by a screwing action of a threaded collar on the jack screw. Illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a telescoping outer tube 34 having a stand clamp 36 which can cinch down on the inner tube 32. For additional security there can be indents in the sliding inner tube 32 to assure a positive locking in increments. The clamp may then be a threaded shaft set into a hand knob. The bottom of the outer tube 34 is joined to the base 40. The base has three or more legs 46 to assure stability. Although four legs 46 are shown, it is a conventional preference to include five such legs. At the extremities of the legs 46 are casters 42 and caster locks 44. The use of casters 42 make the table mobile and the caster locks 44 assure position permanence. 
     The upper surface of the podium table 10 is shown in FIG. 2. New items shown in this Figure include the mouse pad holder means 24, the keyboard holder means 26 and the wrist rest 28. In addition, armrest padding 64 is apparent. The wrist rest 28 and armrest padding 64 is shaped and padded with resilient material, say foam of appropriate elasticity, to assure comfortable intimate contact with the arm and wrist of the computer operator. The means to position and secure the mouse pad and keyboard may be mechanical stops, fasteners, or hook and loop fabric fasteners. Also, the podium upper surface, in cooperation with the wrist pads, may include a recess for holding and positioning the keyboard and mouse pad, further facilitating the security of such. 
     Achieved in the above invention is versatility in adjustments of podium height, angular attitude, and position attitude. In addition personal comfort is assured by permitting optimum placement of the documents to be transcribed, armrests, keyboard and mouse pad. The podium table may be folded to the podium stand for out of the way storage under a table or against a wall. 
     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.