Single arm articulated keyboard support

Claim 2

An adjustable keyboard support for attachment to a worksurface having an underside and a front edge, comprising: a single rigid support arm having forward and rearward portions; a mounting bracket adapted for attachment to the underside of an associated worksurface; means for pivotably connecting the rearward portion of said support arm with said mounting bracket, said means for pivotably connecting defining a vertical axis of rotation and a horizontal axis of rotation; means for releasably locking said support arm at a selected position; a keyboard support portion configured to securely support a computer keyboard or the like thereon; a continuously repositionable ball joint pivotally and rotatably connecting said keyboard support portion with the forward portion of said support arm so that said keyboard support portion can be squared with the front edge of the associated worksurface to facilitate use of a keyboard placed thereon, said joint including a retainer with means for resisting rotation of said keyboard support portion with respect to said support arm during keyboard manipulation, yet permitting manual rotation of said keyboard support portion with respect to said support arm to facilitate vertically angularly and rotatably adjusting said keyboard support portion; lift assist means associated with said support arm for assisting in lifting said keyboard support portion, said lift assist means including a gas strut; and pivotable bracket means for adjusting the amount of lifting force generated by said lift assist means.

Claim 3

An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pivotable bracket means for adjusting the amount of lifting force generated by said lift assist means includes a lift assist adjuster bracket operably pivotally connected to said mounting bracket, said gas strut being operably attached to said lift force adjuster bracket so as to define a moment arm for said gas strut around the axis of rotation defined by said means for pivotably connecting said support arm and said mounting bracket, said lift assist adjuster bracket being pivotally movable so as to change the length of said moment arm to control the lifting force generated by said gas strut.

Claim 4

An articulated arm arrangement for adjustably supporting keyboards and the like adjacent an associated worksurface, the worksurface having an underside and a front edge, comprising: an elongated, rigid support arm having forward and rearward portions; a mounting bracket having means for attaching the same to an underside of the worksurface; means for pivotably connecting the rearward portion of said support arm with said mounting bracket, so as to permit said support arm to pivot about a horizontally oriented arm pivot axis between a raised position and a lowered position adjacent to the worksurface, and also so as to permit said support arm to pivot about a vertically oriented arm pivot axis from side to side; means for locking said support arm at a selected height between said raised and lowered positions; a keyboard support portion configured to support a computer keyboard or the like thereon; a continuously repositionable swivel joint connecting said keyboard support portion with the forward portion of said support arm in a manner which permits said keyboard to both pivot and rotate with respect to said support arm about both a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, said swivel joint including an adjustable friction retainer which normally resists rotation of said keyboard support portion with respect to said support arm during keyboard manipulation, yet permits selected rotation of said keyboard support portion with respect to said support arm for adjustment so that said keyboard support portion can be squared with the front edge of the associated worksurface, whereby said keyboard support portion is shifted to a selected vertical position by grasping the same, and manually rotating said arm about said arm pivot axis, while maintaining said keyboard support portion in a substantially horizontal orientation, said locking means being adapted to retain said support arm in the selected vertical position, such that upon manual release of said keyboard support portion, said friction retainer automatically prevents inadvertent movement of said keyboard support portion from the set orientation of said keyboard support portion during normal manipulation of the keyboard; lift assist means associated with said support arm for assisting in lifting said keyboard support portion, said lift assist means including a gas strut; and pivotable bracket means for adjusting the amount of lifting force generated by said lift assist means, said pivotable bracket means for adjusting including a lift assist adjuster bracket that can be moved between first and second positions to change the lifting force generated by said lift assist means.

Claim 5

An articulated arm arrangement for adjustably supporting keyboards and the like adjacent an associated worksurface, the worksurface having an underside and a front edge, comprising: an elongated, rigid support arm having forward and rearward portions; a mounting bracket having means for attaching the same to an underside of the worksurface; means for pivotably connecting the rearward portion of said support arm with said mounting bracket, so as to permit said support arm to pivot about a horizontally oriented arm pivot axis between a raised position and a lowered position adjacent to the worksurface, and also so as to permit said support arm to pivot about a vertically oriented arm pivot axis from side to side; means for locking said support arm at a selected height between said raised and lowered positions; a keyboard support portion configured to support a computer keyboard or the like thereon; a continuously repositionable swivel joint connecting said keyboard support portion with the forward portion of said support arm in a manner which permits said keyboard to both pivot and rotate with respect to said support arm about both a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, said swivel joint including an adjustable friction retainer which normally resists rotation of said keyboard support portion with respect to said support arm during keyboard manipulation, yet permits selected rotation of said keyboard support portion with respect to said support arm for adjustment so that said keyboard support portion can be squared with the front edge of the associated worksurface, whereby said keyboard support portion is shifted to a selected vertical position by grasping the same, and manually rotating said arm about said arm pivot axis, while maintaining said keyboard support portion in a substantially horizontal orientation, said locking means being adapted to retain said support arm in the selected vertical position, such that upon manual release of said keyboard support portion, said friction retainer automatically prevents inadvertent movement of said keyboard support portion from the set orientation of said keyboard support portion during normal manipulation of the keyboard; lift assist means associated with said support arm for assisting in lifting said keyboard support portion, said lift assist means including a gas strut; and pivotable bracket means for adjusting the amount of lifting force generated by said lift assist means, said pivotable bracket means for adjusting including a lift assist adjuster bracket that can be moved between first and second positions to change the lifting force generated by said lift assist means.

Claim 6

An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said gas strut is operably attached to said lift assist adjuster bracket so as to define a moment arm for said gas strut around the axis of rotation defined by said means for pivotably connecting said support arm and said mounting bracket, said lift assist adjuster bracket being pivotally movable so as to change the length of said moment arm to control the lifting force generated by said gas strut.