Patent ID: 7198239

Claim:
An improved auxiliary shelf mechanism for vertically and horizontally positioning an auxiliary shelf, including a means for attaching the auxiliary shelf to a desk so that the auxiliary shelf may be movably positioned relative to the desk, wherein the improvement comprises: an articulating arm mechanism comprising: (a) a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket having a front end and a back end, the front end being closer to the front of the desk than the back end; (b) an upper arm having a rear end and a front end, the upper arm being pivotally connected to the mounting bracket at a first point, the rear end of the upper arm being defined as the end of the upper arm closest to the mounting bracket and the front end being defined as the end opposite the first point; (c) a shelf bracket pivotally connected to the upper arm at a second point; (d) a side arm having a front end and a rear end, the side arm being pivotally connected to the shelf bracket at a third point; the side arm being further attached to the mounting bracket at a fourth point; the side arm having within it a first opening such that the side arm can be pivoted relative to the mounting bracket about the fourth point and can be reciprocatingly moved relative to the fourth point; the front end of the side arm being defined as the end closest to the third point, and the rear end of the side arm being defined as the end opposite from the front end; (e) a stopping means, the stopping means having a first side facing towards the rear end of the side arm, such that when the side arm moves laterally relative to the fourth point, the rear end of the side arm can contact the first side of the stopping means; wherein the side arm and the upper arm are not substantially parallel to each other, wherein the articulating arm mechanism further comprises a lower arm, the lower arm being pivotally attached to the upper arm at a fifth point, the fifth point being disposed between the first and second points, the lower arm being further attached to the mounting bracket at the fourth point, the lower arm further having within it a second opening, such that the lower arm can pivot about the fourth point and can be reciprocatingly moved relative to the fourth point; and (f) means for rotating the articulating arm mechanism about a vertical axis.