Patent Publication Number: US-6338302-B1

Title: Arm support element for writing desks

Description:
The invention concerns a support element for the arms, in particular for the forearms, of the user of a writing desk. 
     The invention is particularly useful for persons who use computers and the support element is particularly useful to rest the forearms when the hands are busy typing on the computer keyboard. 
     As already known, nowadays office writing desks of the so-called “operational” type are standardised even in their dimensions and the most common depth for this kind of writing desks is approximately 80 cm. This is due to obvious reasons of space, especially when the writing desks are located in the so-called “open offices” or in conditions in which space economy is indispensable. 
     It is also known that computers are rather cumbersome, especially the personal computers positioned on 80 cm deep writing desks, and that the operators have little space to find an ergonomic position, that is, to find the optimal position for their body. 
     It is also important to point out that according to the latest regulations computer operators must be seated at a certain distance from the screen, so that the radiations cannot affect their health and their sight can be sufficiently protected. 
     It is clear that a writing desk that is not sufficiently deep, as mentioned above, and the considerable dimensions of the computer and the keyboard do not allow the operator to find the optimal working position. The operator, in fact, should move backwards with respect to the writing desk and be positioned quite uncomfortably, with suspended forearms. This is obviously an uncomfortable position and over time it may cause sore arms or other troubles. 
     According to the German utility implement DE-G 93 17 629.5, a support element is prescribed for the pointer mouse of a computer to be connected to the top of a writing desk by means of a clamp belonging to the support element and whose screw locks against the lower surface of the writing desk. It is clear that to apply the support element or remove it from the writing desk the clamp&#39;s screw has to be turned. This creates the inconvenience that it may be troublesome and even strenuous to turn the screw because of its location. What&#39;s more, if this operation is repeated several times it will also lead to ruining the lower surface of the writing desk where the screw is locked. 
     The aim of the invention is to eliminate the above mentioned inconveniences. 
     One of the main goals of the invention is the implementation of a forearm support element that must be easy and quick to apply to the writing desk when necessary and also easy and quick to remove and to store, for example under the desk or in any other place, so that it is not a hindrance. 
     Another scope to achieve is that the support element can be used indifferently on any writing desks having tops of different thickness. 
     The intention is also to make the support element, after a first, sole adjustment, remain attached to the writing desk without the aid of fastening devices that have to be locked against the writing desk. 
     An additional aim to achieve is to be able to remove the support element from the writing desk without having to operate any collapsing elements, but by simply pulling said support element away from the writing desk with a substantially sliding movement. 
     Another aim of the invention is to implement a support that allows the operators to respect the safety distance prescribed by the regulations in force with no need to change the writing desks they presently use. 
     Last but not least, an aim to achieve is that the support element, after having been removed from the writing desk, takes up the minimum space possible so that it can even be stored in a drawer. All the aims mentioned above and others that will be described in greater detail below have been achieved through the implementation of an arm support element, for connecting to a writing desk, which, according to the main claim, comprises: 
     a substantially flat body, shaped so that the forearms can comfortably rest on it and suitable for being positioned partially overlapping the writing desk top; 
     at least one stay element attached to said body and pressing against said top of said writing desk, and wherein 
     said at least one stay element consists of a body with a shaped linear construction having a first end fixed to said body in correspondence with the surface resting on the writing desk and a second free end, whose distance from the surface of said body to which the first end is fixed is substantially equal to the thickness of the writing desk top, said second end pressing against the top of said writing desk in correspondence with the surface on the other side of the top. 
     To advantage, according to the invention the support element does not require any locking element, like clamps or screws, to be fixed to the writing desk, but it remains fastened to the writing desk by the resistance due to the counter force that, through the free end, or through the compensation element, acts against the surface of the writing desk on the opposite side of the top due to the pressure exerted by the arms resting on the support element invention. 
     What&#39;s more the existence of a fixed or even adjustable compensation element on the free end of the stay element, allows the same support element to be used in combination with writing desks having tops of different thickness. 
     The support element will preferably have a very flat shape with two protrusions joined by a central recess, protrusions on which the computer operator can rest his/her forearms. 
     At the end of the work with the computer the operator can easily remove the support element, in fact it is sufficient to lift it from the writing desk and put it where desired. 
    
    
     Further characteristics and particulars of the invention will be highlighted in greater detail in the description of some, among many, possible applications of the invention in question, given as a guideline but not limitation and illustrated in the attached drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a prospect view of the support element object of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the support element object of the invention applied to a writing desk; 
     FIG. 3 shows a section of the support element object of the invention applied to the top of the writing desk; 
     FIGS. 4 and 5 show two support elements with different compensation elements; 
     FIG. 6 shows a cross section of a variant in execution of the invention with adjustment of the stay element with respect to the top of the writing desk top; 
     FIG. 7 shows another variant of the invention; 
     FIG. 8 shows a cross section of another variant of the invention; 
     FIG. 9 shows details of the connection between the support element in FIG.  8  and the stay elements. 
    
    
     With reference to the mentioned figures and in particular to FIG. 1, it can be observed that the support element, indicated as a whole by  1 , is provided with a body  2  with substantially symmetrical shape having two lobeshaped protrusions  21  and  22  joined by a central recess  23 . Said body is preferably made of wood or equivalent material or even plastic and is rather thin, for example its thickness can be approximately 8-16 mm. As can be seen in FIG. 3, two properly shaped stay elements having a body with a linear construction, indicated by  3 , are fixed with screws in correspondence with the lower surface  24  of said body. More particularly, the stay element  3  is provided with a substantially flat first end  31  with holes  32  through which the screws for the fastening to the lower surface  24  of the body  2  are introduced. The flat end  31  is joined to a central part  33  that is substantially orthogonal with respect to the end  31  and continues with a curve part  34  terminating with an end  35  on which a terminal compensation element  4  is applied. This compensation element  4 , which, for example, can be made of plastic or equivalent material and in this example has the shape of plug, is fitted in correspondence with the free end  35 , so that he distance between top end  41  of said compensation element and the surface  24  is substantially equal to the thickness S of the writing desk top. 
     Obviously, when the operator rests his/her forearms on the support, he/she applies a load P, as shown in FIG. 3, but nevertheless the support element I cannot rotate, or move, or overturn with respect to the top, since it is caught between section  25  of the surface  24  and the end  41  of the compensation element  4 . 
     In order to make it possible to use the same support element on writing desks whose tops have different thicknesses, the invention, according to the illustrations in FIG.  4  and FIG. 5, prescribes that the difference in thickness can be compensated by changing the height of the compensation element. 
     FIG. 4 shows how the top  6  with thickness  61  works with the stay element  3  whose free end is provided with the compensation element  42 , said compensation element  42  having an height that allows it to rest against the lower surface of the top  6 . The same can be observed in FIG. 5, where the top  7  has a thickness  71  inferior to the thickness  61  of the top  6 . In this case the same stay element  3  is provided with a compensation element  43  with increased height, so that its upper part can in any case rest against the lower surface of the writing desk top. 
     As it can be observed, by simply changing the compensation elements it is possible to apply a single support element to writing desk tops with different thickness. 
     FIG. 6 shows another system to adjust the distance between the support element and the top of the writing desk. In this case the stay element, indicated as a whole by  5 , is provided with a first part  51  that is fixed to the body  2  of the support element using, for instance, screws. This part  51  is L-shaped and, as shown in the example, is provided with two holes  52  through which the screws  8  pass. The second part of the compensation element consists of the substantially U-shaped iron part indicated by  53  and provided with two slots  54  that permit the adjustment of the distance between the top end  56  of the compensation element  4 . 
     As it can be observed, even the stay element  5  can be adjusted as effectively as the compensation element present in the examples of FIGS. 4 and 5. 
     FIG. 7 shows another variant of the support element, indicated as a whole by  9 , provided with a single stay element  10  made with a single sheet or moulded plastic part having substantially the same shape as the iron elements  3  and fixed with screws to the lower surface of the body of said support element  9 . 
     Even in this case the height of the free end  93  of the stay element  92  must be lower than the height of the surface where the first end of the stay element is fixed and the difference in height must be substantially equal to the thickness of the writing desk top onto which the support element is applied. 
     Another example of compensation in order to use the same support element on writing desks with different thicknesses is shown in FIG.  8 . In this case the support element  100  has at least one stay element  101  that has a threaded hole  103  in its free end  102  which holds a screw  104  with a substantially cylindrical head  105  suited to being turned by hand. This screw  104  functions as an adjustable compensation element. 
     For the support element invention to work well, in the example given in FIG. 8, it is sufficient that on its first use, in other words when the support element  100  is attached to the desk top  110  for the first time, screw  104  is adjusted so that its head  105  only just rests, without locking, against the lower surface  111 . Basically, the screw  104  does not act as a clamp that would lock the stay element to the top, but solely acts as a free adjustable support. In this way the support  100  can be removed from the top by simply moving said support in the direction of arrow A without touching the screw  104 . In the same way, to return the support element to the desk top, it is enough to fit the support element by moving it with a substantially horizontal sliding movement in the opposite direction to the arrow A. 
     FIG. 9 shows how the stay elements  101  are fixed to the lower surface of the support element  100  by screws  106  that work with slots  107  found on the ends of the stay elements  101 . The slots  107  are provided to make it extremely easy to separate the stay elements  101  from the support element  100 , it being sufficient to slacken the screws  106  without unscrewing them completely from their holes. This is especially useful when the support element is not used for long periods of time and has to be stored for instance in a drawer, without taking up too much space.