Ergonomic forearm rest for use with keyboards

Abstract

An ergonomic forearm rest for supporting the forearms of workers engaged in high intensity keying tasks to alleviate tension and stress in the upper arms and shoulders which comprises support means for attaching the rest to a work surface supporting a keyboard, such as a base plate adapted to have the keyboard sit upon the rear portion thereof support a keyboard when being used, cushion means adapted to support the forearms of workers using said keyboard, means for securing the cushion means to a forward edge of the support means including spring-loaded hinge means normally maintaining the cushion means in a horizontal position, means for adjusting the position of the cushion means on the support means to vary the distance between the cushion means and the keyboard, and means for limiting the angle of tilt of the cushion means. The support means, e.g. base plate, preferably includes stop means. e.g. a flange abutting the work surface upon which the keyboard rests, to prevent sliding movement of the forearm rest upon the work surface and assist in maintaining the position of the cushion means relative to the keyboard. The upper surface of the cushion means has a raised center plateau, and two outer side sections that are connected to the center plateau by sloping side sections. The surface of the sloping side sections begins at either side of the center plateau and extends forward at an outward angle to the centerline of the cushion means and the surface of the sloping side sections has a larger surface area at the forward portion thereof than at the rear portion.