Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

3m Innovative Properties Company

Kenneth J Kirchhoff

Robert J Wolf

Casey L Carlson

Perry S Dotterman

Lawrence J Fenske

Wayne K Darvell

Thomas J Barnidge

Manfred W Suhr

Bruce W Carlson

James E Nash

David C Windorski

Michael J Brock

Bruce E Nelson

Joel K Hagglund

Lynette M Miles

Jason R Jacobson

Mary K Miller-Bruns

Tanya M Laine

Steven C Suchanek

Clinton W Lightfoot

Tanya L Beckwith

James J Frater

Edwin T Chen

Warren J Wasescha

The inventive adjustable keyboard support assembly includes a mounting unit and an adjustable keyboard tray. The mounting unit has an elongated track having opposing first and second ends and opposing top and bottom surfaces; and (b) first means and second means for attaching the mounting unit to the work surface. The first means includes a generally c-shaped clamp having opposing first and second ends, a first substantially horizontal region adjoining a second substantially vertical region, a side flange extending from the second region at the first end of the clamp, and a center flange extending from the second region between the first and second ends of the clamp. The center flange is attached to the first end of the track. The adjustable keyboard tray can be attached to the mounting unit by slidingly engaging it to the bottom surface of the track.

Adjustable keyboard support assembly

The invention is a method for adjusting a keyboard support assembly from a storage position under a support surface to a use position. A keyboard tray is extended in a direction generally parallel to and past the support surface. A first side arm is translated in a direction generally parallel to the support surface. A front portion of the first side arm is attached to the keyboard tray at a front attachment point. A front sliding member portion of the first side arm and a rear sliding member portion of the first side arm is slid along a rail. The rail is fixably mounted to a mounting surface. A positioning surface of the first side arm is engaged with a positioning mechanism fixed to the mounting surface. The front portion of the first side arm is forced to rotate the first side arm about a pivot point in the rear sliding member due to the engagement of the positioning surface with the positioning mechanism. The keyboard tray is translated in an upward direction.

An adjustable keyboard tray has a top and a bottom plate made of a polymeric material that are bonded together, preferably by ultrasonic welding. A cavity exists between the top and the bottom plates wherein a pocket can be formed to receive and secure a bracket for a mousing platform. The top and the bottom plates can also be formed with recessed areas to flush-mount brackets and maintain a generally overall smooth outer surface to the adjustable keyboard tray. A slidable mounting plate secures the adjustable keyboard tray to a bracketing mechanism mounted to a horizontal surface. The slidable mounting plate allows the adjustable keyboard tray to move in a lateral direction substantially perpendicular to the bracketing mechanism for repositioning the adjustable keyboard tray with respect to the horizontal surface.

Adjustable keyboard tray

Adjustable keyboard support assembly method of use

A wrist rest assembly for use along the front edge of a device to be operated by a person's hands or fingers, such as in front of a computer keyboard, including an elongate base on which is supported an elongate pad comprising a layer of gel within the covering. The pad has sufficient thickness between its top and bottom surfaces and width between its edges to afford supporting a users wrists on said top surface with a portion of the layer of gel beneath and conforming to the supported wrists and to afford significant motion of the top surface of the pad with the supported wrists relative to the bottom surface in a plane generally parallel to the upper surface of the base. The base has a top portion supporting the pad, a bottom portion adapted to be supported on a horizontal surface; and structure that allows the top portion to be supported on the bottom portion with the top surface of the pad at a predetermined one of several different distances above that horizontal surface.

Method of assembling a wrist rest

A wrist rest assembly for use along the front edge of a device to be operated by a person's hands or fingers, such as in front of a computer keyboard, including an elongate base on which is supported an elongate pad comprising a layer of gel within the covering. The pad has sufficient thickness between its top and bottom surfaces and width between its edges to afford supporting a users wrists on the top surface with a portion of the layer of gel beneath and conforming to the supported wrists and to afford significant motion of the top surface of the pad with the supported wrists relative to the bottom surface in a plane generally parallel to the upper surface of the base. The base has a top portion supporting the pad, a bottom portion adapted to be supported on a horizontal surface; and structure that allows the top portion to be supported on the bottom portion with the top surface of the pad at a predetermined one of several different distances above that horizontal surface.

Wrist rest assembly

An adjustable keyboard support assembly, which generally includes a housing comprising a first side panel having a first guide rail system and a second side panel spaced from the first side panel and having a second guide rail system. The assembly further includes a generally U-shaped member comprising a support member with first and second ends, a first side arm attached to the first guide rail system and extending from the first end of the support member, wherein the first side arm comprises at least one notch, and a second side arm attached to the second guide rail system and extending from the second end of the support member, wherein the second side arm comprises at least one notch. The first and second side arms have rotatable and slideable connections with the guide rail system of their respective side panels. A keyboard platform is rotatably attached to the support member of the U-shaped member. A first latching member extends from the first side panel for engagement with the at least one notch of the first side arm, and a second latching member extends from the second side panel for engagement with the at least one notch of the second side arm.

A wrist rest assembly for use along the front edge of a device to be operated by a person's hands or fingers, such as in front of a computer keyboard, including an elongate base on which is supported an elongate pad comprising a layer of gel within the covering. The pad has sufficient thickness between its top and bottom surfaces and width between its edges to afford supporting a users wrists on top surface with a portion of the layer of gel beneath and conforming to the supported wrists and to afford significant motion of the top surface of the pad with the supported wrists relative to the bottom surface in a plane generally parallel to the upper surface of the base. The base has a top portion supporting the pad, a bottom portion adapted to be supported on a horizontal surface; and structure that allows the top portion to be supported on the bottom portion with the top surface of the pad at a predetermined one of several different distances above that horizontal surface.

Task light

Keyboard support assembly

An articulated support assembly for a computer keyboard. The assembly includes a generally U shaped rigid support member, and a platform for supporting the keyboard pivotably mounted on a central portion of the support member. Projecting end portions of the support member are pivotably mounted on attachment members fixed to the bottom of a table or desk top. A releasable friction clutch restricts pivotal movement of the platform around the central portion of the support member. A releasable ratchet assembly prevents revolving movement of the central portion toward a lowered position relative to the attachment members. A switching mechanism can be manually activated to release the ratchet assemblies and the friction clutch so that the position and orientation of the platform relative to the table or desk top can be adjusted.

A notice assembly comprising a support portion including a base part adapted to be supported on a horizontal surface, a vertical wall part having a lower edge attached to the base part and a hollow tubular part fixed along an upper edge of the wall part with an axially extending through opening in the tubular part facing the same direction as the front surface of the wall part. A display member has a portion rotatably mounted in the tubular part. That portion of the display member has a peripheral surface bearing a plurality of set of graphic symbols providing information about the location of the person (e.g., AT LUNCH, OUT OF OFFICE, RETURN SOON, IN MEETING). By manual rotation of the display member, any of the sets of graphic symbols can be positioned in the opening of the tubular part where they will be observed by a person looking at the notice assembly. Graphic symbols are provided on the front surface of the wall part that provide incomplete information about one or more of a) the location of the person, b) the time of return for the person, c) the normal work hours for the person, and c) an alternate person to contact when the person is absent; together with ink receptive means that afford application of indicia with quick drying ink from a quick drying ink applying implement or pen to complete the information, and afford subsequent removal of the ink.

Growing community of inventors

Gem Lake, MN, United States of America

Kenneth J Kirchhoff