By Tilting Typewriter (e.g., Via Collapsible Legs, Etc.) Patents (Class 400/681)
  • Patent number: 11122890
    Abstract: Embodiments of a system for reducing injury from pinch zones in adjustable-height work surface assemblies are shown, the system including a desk surface; one or more adjustable-height legs, a controller for the adjustable-height legs; a Hall-effect sensor providing a signal to the system corresponding to a current draw of a motor in the adjustable height leg and wherein the system disables the motor if the current draw of the motor exceeds a fixed set point; and a proximity detection sensor being a strip of conducting material disposed adjacent to a perimeter of the desk surface and in electrical connection with an LC tank circuit, wherein the LC tank circuit is configured to exhibit a change in state when an object is in close proximity to the strip of conducting material and wherein the system disables the motor when the LC tank circuit exhibits the change in state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Inventor: Ole Falk Smed
  • Patent number: 10617201
    Abstract: Embodiments of a system for reducing injury from pinch zones in adjustable-height work surface assemblies are shown, the system including a desk surface; one or more adjustable-height legs, a controller for the adjustable-height legs; a Hall-effect sensor providing a signal to the system corresponding to a current draw of a motor in the adjustable height leg and wherein the system disables the motor if the current draw of the motor exceeds a fixed set point; and a proximity detection sensor being a strip of conducting material disposed adjacent to a perimeter of the desk surface and in electrical connection with an LC tank circuit, wherein the LC tank circuit is configured to exhibit a change in state when an object is in close proximity to the strip of conducting material and wherein the system disables the motor when the LC tank circuit exhibits the change in state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Inventor: Ole Falk Smed
  • Patent number: 8531836
    Abstract: The position of an electronic apparatus can be stabilized. At least one of foot portions of a notebook computer includes a height adjustment mechanism consisting of a ground contact member, a height adjustment member, and a screw. Thus, even if a variation in height dimension among the foot portions, deformation of a first housing, or the like causes the first housing to become unsteady, the unsteadiness of the first housing can be cancelled by adjusting the height of the foot portion to any height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Iwamoto, Masaru Furujiku, Yoshinari Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 8348530
    Abstract: A keyboard includes a main body and a support in the main body. The main body includes a bottom defining two slots and two opposite sidewalls each defining a receiving hole. The slots communicate with the receiving holes, respectively. The support includes a rotation member, two driving members and two connecting members received in the two slots, respectively. Each connecting member includes a first arm and a second arm, wherein two ends of the first arm are rotatably connected to the rotation member and the second arm, respectively, the second arm is further rotatably connected to one of the driving members, and the second arm moves together with the one of the two driving members, causing the connecting ends of the first arm and the second arm to extend out of one of the two slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Feng-Xiang Tang, Xian-Wei Ma
  • Patent number: 8305753
    Abstract: An electronic device includes an adjustable mechanism disposed at a front end of a housing body thereof. The adjustable mechanism includes a foot pad extending through the housing body, and movable relative thereto between a retracted position, where a bottom of the foot pad is higher than that of a docking station, and an extended position, where the bottom of the foot pad is at a same level as that of the docking station. A movable engaging hook is mounted slidably on an inner side of the housing body, and is partially exposed from the housing body. The engaging hook engages the foot pad when the engaging hook is at a limiting position and when the foot pad is at the retracted or extended position, and disengages the foot pad to enable the foot pad to move between the retracted and extended positions when at a free position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventor: Fang-Ta Chang
  • Patent number: 8139357
    Abstract: A laptop elevation device (1) that attaches to a bottom surface (13) of a laptop (12). Each laptop elevation device has a fold-up leg (2) pivotally or hingedly attached to a base (3). An arm (5) is pivotally attached to the base. When the laptop elevation device is in an open position, the arm may be folded downward to engage one of a plurality of holes (9) located on the leg, thereby locking the laptop elevation device at a desired height. The base may be built into a laptop or attached to the underside of an existing laptop using an attachment means (14). The leg may also have a layer of rubber (11) to prevent the leg from slipping while in use. A clip (11) located on the base locks the leg and arm in place while the laptop elevation device is in folded position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Inventor: Brian T. Trang
  • Patent number: 8050032
    Abstract: A laptop elevation device (1) that attaches to a bottom surface (13) of a laptop (12). Each laptop elevation device has a fold-up leg (2) pivotally or hingedly attached to a base (3). An arm (5) is pivotally attached to the base. When the laptop elevation device is in an open position, the arm may be folded downward to engage one of a plurality of holes (9) located on the leg, thereby locking the laptop elevation device at a desired height. The base may be built into a laptop or attached to the underside of an existing laptop using an attachment means (14). The leg may also have a layer of rubber (11) to prevent the leg from slipping while in use. A clip (11) located on the base locks the leg and arm in place while the laptop elevation device is in folded position. An alternative embodiment of the laptop elevation device provides a handle (17) for carrying the laptop computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Inventor: Brian T. Trang
  • Patent number: 8050031
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a main body, a cover, and two supports. The main body defines two receiving slots. The cover is hinged on the main body. Each support includes a supporting member and a driving member hinged on each other. The driving member is hinged on the main body, so that the supporting member of each support is capable of being fully received in the receiving slots or pushed out of the main body, in response of the positions of the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wei-Jun Wang
  • Patent number: 7001088
    Abstract: A keyboard stand-up angle adjustor structure consisting of a recess in the back surface of a keyboard as well as a leading hole mount, a center hole mount, and a trailing hole mount sequentially disposed on two sides at the front, middle, and rear portions of the recess that provide for first movably coupling and unitarily integrating a positioning block and a support block. The positioning block has a male hinge end and a female hinge end respectively disposed at its anterior and posterior extremities. The male hinge end is first aligned with and then inserted into the trailing hole mount near the keyboard rear section and thereby coupled to the back surface of the keyboard. The positioning block female hinge end has two aligned and, furthermore, hollow elements with axial holes that provide for spreading apart the support block pivot posts and inserting them into the positioning block axial holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Inventor: Liang Hui-hu
  • Patent number: 6839226
    Abstract: A keyboard with adjustable support devices for supporting the keyboard at several levels is provided. Each support device includes a leg able to rotate along the bottom of the keyboard. The angle between the axis of rotation and the bottom plane of the keyboard has a value other than 90 degrees. The leg is selectively posed at the first or second state. When the leg is at the first state, the tilt angle between the keyboard and a desk is smaller. When the leg is at a second state, the tilt angle between the keyboard and a desk is larger. There are multiple support devices provided on the bottom plane of the keyboard. Therefore, the keyboard provides multiple variations in angle and height by adjusting the positions of the legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Darfon Electronics Corp.
    Inventor: Jihuang Chen
  • Patent number: 6623195
    Abstract: A collapsible keyboard comprises at least one keyboard module, and each keyboard module has a plurality of keyswitches arranged in array pattern. At least one membrane circuit is provided to connect the plurality of keyswitches. When the keyboard is in an operation state, each keyswitch having a predetermined separation with adjacent keyswitch, and the separation is the same as that in a standard keyboard. To shrink the keyboard, the plurality of keyswitches can be arranged in a collapsed state to reduce the transverse size of the keyboard, the lengthwise size of the keyboard, or both sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Silitek Corporation
    Inventor: Winky Lin
  • Patent number: 6585440
    Abstract: A folding keyboard includes a fixed key module and one or more mobile key modules. The key modules are joined together by links between them. Two ends of the links between the key modules are joined at asymmetric positions. The mobile key module can turn 180 degrees to lie against the fixed key module. The folding keyboard is capable of being frontally folded, showing the whole arrangement of keys after unfolding, and being used immediately after unfolded. Moreover, the folding keyboard can be relatively shrunk by way of compression of the key units to reduce the thickness, and can be designed to be a triply-folded or quadruply-folded structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Silitek Corporation
    Inventor: Winky Lin
  • Patent number: 6579022
    Abstract: A keyboard support platform includes a keyboard support plate hingedly attached to a base. A motorized drive assembly or an inflatable bladder urges the keyboard support plate to move from a position below horizontal, through a horizontal position, to a position above horizontal. A computer keyboard may be placed on the keyboard support plate. Accordingly, as the keyboard support plate moves the keyboard will also move. While a user is typing, he or she will have to follow the motion of the keyboard thereby causing the position of his or her wrist to continuously change. As such, the risk of developing computer-related hand and wrist injuries such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, tendinitis, and static muscle fatigue from keeping the wrist motionless while typing for extending periods of time is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Active Input Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Glenn Hogle, Michael Roeder, Sherri Hogle
  • Patent number: 6485209
    Abstract: In order to perform a stable key inputting operation even if the keyboard device is installed at an inclined surface, a rear surface of a main body is formed with a notch, and the notch is provided with an adjuster member. A turning centerline of the adjuster member is in an inclined angle in respect to the rear surface. The notch has a depth size from the rear surface at the rotatable supporting side of the adjuster member deeper and its depth size becomes smaller as it is farther from the rotatable supporting side. The adjuster member is turned to cause the adjuster member to be changed over between one attitude in which it is protruded out of the notch and the other attitude in which it is stored in the notch. In addition, the adjuster member is formed with a shaft, there is provided a resilient member for resiliently pressing the outer circumference of the shaft and the resilient member is fitted to a sliding notch formed at the outer circumference of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Oura, Akio Nishijima
  • Patent number: 6296408
    Abstract: A work station includes a work table and chair defining a work station geometry. A plurality of adjustable elements are utilized within the work station to facilitate the variation of the work station geometry. A controller is coupled to the adjustable elements of the work station to apply gradual long term motion profile signals to the adjustable elements of the work station. The work station geometry is varied in response to the imposition of the motion profile signals upon the adjustable elements of the work station to provide substantially imperceptible changes of the work station operator's physical position to avoid or minimize the many maladies associated with restricted or limited motion operation within work stations. Further, a continuous passive motion keyboard is provided to change the keyboard positioning relative to the keyboard user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Inventors: Stephen F. Larkin, Alan Booth
  • Patent number: 6290411
    Abstract: The present invention enables the efficient use of desktop space and the efficient input operation of a keyboard by realizing space-savings for the keyboard by a simple and economical means that does not involve reducing the size of the keyboard. The keyboard occupies the keyboard space on the desktop when it is being used in an input operation and thereby maintains the efficiency of its input operation, and the keyboard is placed in a standing position when additional space on the desktop is required by utilizing the stand gear of the present invention. In addition to the above, the present invention facilitates entry of data from reference materials during the input operation, as well as proofreading the input result against the reference material after the input operation, by positioning the reference material on a paper stand mechanism which is positioned on the stand gear further utilizing “dead” desktop space efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Propri Limited
    Inventor: Toshihiko Shirai
  • Patent number: 5917995
    Abstract: A printer for printing image on a paper according to the print data output from a notebook computer. The printer has a paper-feed unit including a paper holding section for holding the paper to be printed on and a table on which the notebook computer can be placed; a print unit including a print section for printing image according to the print data on a paper supplied from the paper-feed unit and a receiving section for receiving a printed paper; and a joint mechanism for rotatably fitting the print unit on the paper-feed unit. The joint mechanism includes a shaft on which said print unit is carried so as to be turned with respect to the paper-feed unit, and the print unit has an open state in which the print unit is remote from said table of the paper-feed unit and a closed state in which the print unit folds flat on the table of the paper-feed unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Yukio Ota
  • Patent number: 5732928
    Abstract: A computer keyboard stand includes a base and a support. The base is coupled to a bottom of a computer keyboard by a screw. The base has two side walls each having a plurality of apertures laterally defined in a greater portion of its length from a first end of an inner face thereof and a bore defined adjacent to a second end of the inner face. The support includes a first wing and a second wing hinged to the first wing. The first wing has a pair of arms laterally extending out from opposite sides of a free end thereof to pivotally extend into the bores of the base. The second wing has a pair of limbs laterally protruding out from a free end thereof to retainably engage with one pair of the plurality of apertures. The computer keyboard stand provide an incremental, multi-level angle adjusting function to the computer keyboard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Behavior Tech Computer Corporation
    Inventor: Joe Chang
  • Patent number: 5574446
    Abstract: In a keyboard housing a housing top with a key pad and a housing bottom with support legs wherein the housing includes a support mat and a multi-layer contact foil set arranged underneath the key pad to be actuated thereby, a metal plate is embedded in a recess formed in the housing bottom below the contact foil set so as to increase weight and rigidity of the housing without the need for special molded housing reinforcement structures, the housing bottom, however, having U-shaped reinforcement web structures with bearing studs at their base areas near the housing bottom and housing legs with bearing holes receiving the bearing studs so as to be pivotally supported thereby, the housing legs having locking grooves and the housing bottom having, between the web structures, engagement tongues with locking ribs for engagement with the locking grooves in the housing legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Assignee: Cherry Mikroschalter GmbH
    Inventors: Jorg Dittrich, Gunter Greiner, Karl-Heinz Muller, Klaus Schuster, Gunter Murmann, Kurt Michel
  • Patent number: 5546271
    Abstract: An adjustable keyboard support device is provided having a tubular bearing element (1), secured to a housing bottom (5) of a keyboard. A generally L-shaped stand (2) is provided with two bearing pins (3, 4) which fit respectively into tube ends of the bearing element. The stand includes two U-brackets (6, 7) placed perpendicularly to one another. The two jointly pivotable U-brackets (6, 7) of different lengths. A locking element (8) extends from one of the U-brackets, engaging in the bearing element (1) for fixing the position in one of the two inclination angle settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: Siemens Nixdorf Informationssysteme Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Bernhard Gut, Franz Wandinger
  • Patent number: 5534891
    Abstract: Electronic equipment has a display unit and an operation input unit. The display unit is arranged to be pivotal between a state wherein it obliquely stands on an electronic equipment main body (tilt state), and a state wherein it is folded on the equipment main body (close state), and the operation input unit is arranged to be pivotal between a state wherein it is inclined with respect to the electronic equipment main body, and a horizontal state. The operation input unit is interlocked with the pivotal movement of the display unit. When the display unit is pivoted to the tilt state, the operation input unit is pivoted to the inclined state. When the display unit is pivoted to the close state, the operation input unit is pivoted to the horizontal state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirokuni Takano
  • Patent number: 5297003
    Abstract: In a computer comprising a computer body for supporting a keyboard and enclosing electronic circuits, several elements are provided including recesses provided on the bottom side of the computer body, leg members for tilting the computer body, the leg members being positioned in the recesses and being rotatable around a supporting shaft of the leg members and slidable along the direction of the axis of the supporting shaft, a spring for forcing the leg members to rotate so as to open from the recesses and to slide in one direction along the supporting shaft, and engagement apparatus for engaging the leg members with the recesses in spite of the force caused by the spring to rotate the leg members, handling portions for facilitating the slide manipulation of the leg members along the supporting shaft are provided on the exposed surface of the leg members while in the recesses, so that it becomes unnecessary to provide additional members for manipulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1994
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Nomura, Yoshiharu Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 5107401
    Abstract: A lap top computer with a tilting mechanism attached is disclosed, and a battery pack is used for inclinedly supporting the computer body. The mechanism for connecting the computer body to the battery pack includes a pair of first guide members, a pair of second guide members, and a hinge. Each first guide member is provided with a guide slot, and the guide slot is formed in an elongate and arcuate shape concentrically around the shaft of the hinge. Each first guide member is further constituted such that one end thereof is fixedly installed within the rear portion of the computer body, and the other end thereof is projected through a hole of the rear portion of the computer body to the outside. One end of each second guide member is provided with a protuberance for being inserted into the guide slot of the first guide member, and the other end of each second guide member is fixedly installed within the battery pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1992
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jaesam Youn
  • Patent number: 4915518
    Abstract: Printer for data processing system, the printer being for installation on a working desk, and comprising a multifunctional stand having a generic handle-form member hinged to the printer body near the edge defined by the base and the rear wall, the stand being pivotable to take a non operative position close to the base or the rear wall and at least one an operative position in which the stand is positioned below and apart from the base and supports the rear portion of the printer in a position spaced apart from the working desk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1990
    Assignee: Bull HN Information Systems Italia S.p.A.
    Inventor: Paolo Urso
  • Patent number: 4856748
    Abstract: A leg assembly for a keyboard is described in which the leg operates, without the use of an actuating mechanism or direct hand intervention, to be movable between two stable positions; the first being a retracted position, the second being a deployed position. The leg assembly is of simple construction, comprised of a leg pivotally mounted to a keyboard or the like by means of a pin. Simplicity of use is inherent in the design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1989
    Assignee: Northern Telecom Limited
    Inventor: Mark W. Obermeyer
  • Patent number: 4773783
    Abstract: A keyboard has an attitude adjusting mechanism with a shaft extending lengthwise along the rear inside of the case. The shaft allows the legs to be adjusted remotely from the adjusting mechanism. Two legs are mounted on the shaft and extend through holes in the bottom rear of the case to raise and lower the rear of the case as the shaft is rotated. The adjusting mechanism is indexed by rotatable flats on the shaft which mate with complementary flats in the case to lock the mechanism in its index positions. A holder for a flexible strip label on the keyboard has a finger slot for access to the label so that it can be removed from its holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1988
    Assignee: Northern Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert G. Dickie
  • Patent number: 4658124
    Abstract: A contact keyboard comprising a plurality of modular keys individually insertable in a base frame having feet adjustable in height in order to permit a variable inclination of the key plane. The back feet are pivoted on a shaft internally to lateral sides of the base frame and are provided with edges engaging the support plane for the base frame. The edges have extensive planar portions lying at different distances from the shaft for regulating the inclination of the key plane. The angular position of each back foot is stabilized by a corresponding spring supported by the pivoting shaft and which urges the foot against an associated lateral side of the base frame and causes one of a plurality of notches of the foot to be engaged by a tooth of the associated lateral side of the base frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1987
    Assignee: Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.p.A.
    Inventor: Domenico Bertina
  • Patent number: 4562482
    Abstract: A computerized executive work station takes the form of an executive-type desk into whose surface a computer display screen and keyboard have been recessed. The screen is disposed at an acute angle to the desk surface and is so positioned with respect to the keyboard that both the keyboard and the screen are concurrently within the field of vision of the near portion of bifocal eyeglasses worn by a person seated at the desk, and at approximately the same distance from that person's eyes. The screen and keyboard are offset from the center of the desk's knee opening so as to preserve a maximum of desk top space within the reach of the person's writing hand. Infrequently used controls, disk drive slots, and the like are mounted on vertical surfaces of the desk so as not to occupy any desk top space; and the screen may optionally be arranged to swing entirely below the desk top so that the screen and keyboard may be covered over for utilization of the entire desk top as a writing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1985
    Inventor: Robert L. Brown
  • Patent number: 4402624
    Abstract: The inclination angle of a keyboard is made infinitely adjustable between preset maximum and minimum angles to suit individual operator and work place needs by means of an adjustment assembly. The assembly calls for selectably setting cam plate housing seats located at one end of the keyboard to increase or lower the angle of inclination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1983
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Horst Stahl, Walter Wachs