Keyboard tray

Abstract

A keyboard tray includes a chamber accessed through opposite side slots through which slides a slidable mouse tray. The slidable mouse tray and a lower keyboard body include groups of one of guide and reinforcing ribs and guide and reinforcing slots. A mouse cord supporting member can be utilized with either of opposite exposed side portions of the slidable mouse tray. The keyboard try is also preferably constructed of two bodies having alignment pins and openings for accurate registration incident to assembly of the keyboard tray.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to a keyboard tray, particularly adapted for supporting any one of a variety of conventional keyboards and a mouse associated therewith.

The keyboard tray is preferably rigidly secured to a keyboard tray supporting arm which is articulately mounted relative to a desk upon which is supported a conventional personal computer (PC). The keyboard tray houses a relatively flat mouse tray in slidable relationship thereto. The keyboard tray is preferably constructed from two pieces of compression-molded, injection-molded, vacuum-molded or like formed polymeric/copolymeric synthetic plastic material which when united along a periphery thereof define a bottom wall or surface, an upper supporting wall or surface, and a peripheral wall therebetween. The peripheral wall includes spaced opposite side wall portions which each include a slot through which the mouse tray can slide between operative and inoperative positions.

A keyboard tray as just described is fully disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,743 in the name of Charles A. Gillis which issued on Aug. 12, 1997. The present invention constitutes an improvement over the invention of the latter patent and the prior art patents listed therein which are incorporated hereat by reference, along with U.S. Pat. No. 6,694,895 granted on Feb. 24, 2004, also in the name of Charles A. Gillis.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention improves prior art keyboard trays and particularly the keyboard tray of U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,743 by (1) constructing the slidable tray and a chamber in which the slidable tray slides with cooperative substantially parallel guiding ribs and guiding grooves arranged in at least two spaced substantially parallel groups with at least two guiding ribs per group which define a guiding surface curved in a direction transverse to the direction of sliding movement of the slidable tray, (2) providing a removable mouse cord supporting member having a U-shaped slot in which a mouse cord can be secured and (3) constructing the keyboard tray from two members each including a peripheral wall and having a plurality of inter-engaged registration pins and openings for aligning the individual keyboard members incident to permanently securing the same to each other.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a novel keyboard tray of the present invention, and illustrates in phantom outline a conventional keyboard associated therewith and also in phantom outline a conventional mouse associated with a slidable mouse tray in its right-hand position of use, but slidable to a left-hand position of use shown in phantom outline.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the keyboard tray, and illustrates upper and lower keyboard bodies, the slidable mouse tray and a mouse cord securing member.

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the keyboard tray, and illustrates the slidable mouse tray housed within an interior chamber of the keyboard tray and a generally narrow polygonal opening or slot in a side wall thereof.

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of an interior of a lower keyboard body of the keyboard tray, and illustrates a plurality of substantially parallel spaced reinforcing ribs for reinforcing the lower keyboard body with the ribs being arranged in a groups with each group defining a substantially curved guiding surface, as viewed in transverse cross-section to the direction of sliding movement of the slidable mouse tray.

FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the slidable mouse tray, and illustrates a plurality of reinforcing ribs for reinforcing the slidable mouse tray and being each defined by a plurality of substantially parallel spaced ribs with each group of ribs defining a curved guiding surface matching the curved guiding surface of the grooves of the lower keyboard body of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken generally along line 6-6 of FIG. 3, and illustrates four groups of guiding grooves and four guiding ribs with each of the latter being defined by a plurality of generally spaced parallel ribs and one of a plurality of interlocked alignment pins and openings for aligning the keyboard bodies during assembly thereof.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged transverse cross-sectional view taken generally along line 7-7 of FIG. 3, and illustrates details of four groups of guide grooves or slots of the lower keyboard body and the generally transverse curvature thereof matching each group of guiding grooves of the slidable mouse tray.

FIG. 8, which appears on the sheet of drawings containing FIG. 3, is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the left-hand corner of the upper and lower keyboard bodies of FIG. 2, and illustrates respective alignment openings and pins for effecting alignment between the keyboard bodies incident to permanently adhesively or otherwise securing the same to each other.

FIG. 9, which appears on the sheet of drawings containing FIG. 3, is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken generally along line 9-9 of FIG. 3, and illustrates one of the four alignment pins registered with its associated alignment opening or bore.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A novel keyboard tray constructed in accordance with this invention is fully illustrated in the drawings and is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 which supports any one of a variety of a conventional keyboards K (FIG. 1) having a power cord C.

The keyboard tray 10 includes a slidable mouse tray 15 which can be housed substantially entirely within the keyboard 10 (FIG. 3) or can be slid to the right or left, as shown respectively in solid and phantom outline in FIG. 1. A conventional mouse M (FIG. 1) having a power cord C1 can be supported by the mouse tray 15 at either side of the keyboard tray 10 depending upon the location of the mouse tray 15.

The keyboard tray 10 is preferably injection-molded, compression-molded or otherwise molded from polymeric/copolymeric synthetic plastic material and has two separate individual keyboard bodies or keyboard members, namely, an upper keyboard body 21 and a lower keyboard body 22.

The upper keyboard body 21 (FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 7) includes an upper relatively flat surface or wall 30 of a generally polygonal or rectangular configuration set-off by a depending rear wall portion 31, a curved depending front wall portion 32, and opposite substantially parallel depending side wall portions 33, 34 with the latter depending wall portions 31 through 34 collectively defining a depending peripheral wall 35 terminating in a peripheral edge 36. An underside of the upper wall 30 is provided with a plurality of substantially parallel spaced longitudinal reinforcing ribs 37 extending between the side wall portions 33, 34 which are in crossing relationship to a plurality of substantially parallel transverse reinforcing ribs 38 (FIGS. 6, 7 and 8) extending between the rear and front wall portions 31, 32, respectively. The upper wall 30 includes substantially shallow polygonal or rectangular recesses R1, R2 (FIGS. 3 and 7) in which are housed and adhesively secured thereto respective pads P1, P2 of high coefficient of friction material which functions to prevent the keyboard K from sliding along the surface 30, as is most evident from FIG. 1 of the drawings.

A peripheral reinforcing rib 64 projects upwardly from the upper wall surface 30 of the upper keyboard body 21 along the rear peripheral wall 31 and the side peripheral walls 33, 34, and includes upwardly opening slots S into either of which can be located the power cord C of the keyboard K (FIG. 1).

At each corner (unnumbered) of the upper keyboard body 21 and midway of the rear and front walls 31, 32, respectively, there is provided a downwardly opening generally cylindrical alignment bore or opening 58 (FIGS. 6, 8 and 9) which receives an upwardly projecting cylindrical alignment pin 59 (FIGS. 6, 8 and 9) of the lower keyboard body 22 which are utilized to align the keyboard bodies 21, 22 incident to permanently assembling the same utilizing conventional adhesive, sonic welding, or the like along the mating/contacting peripheries thereof.

The mouse slide tray 15 is of a generally polygonal or rectangular configuration and includes two relatively large shallow substantially rectangular mouse-receiving recesses R3, R4 (FIGS. 1, 2 6 and 7) located symmetrically with respect to rear and front edges 24, 25, respectively, and opposite side edges 26, 27. As is best illustrated in FIG. 5, four groups 41 through 44 of three ribs 45 through 47 each which terminate in respective terminal or end faces or surfaces 55 through 57, respectively, project downwardly from a lower surface 28 of the slidable mouse tray 15. Each of the groups 41 through 44 of three ribs 45 through 47 are reinforced by a plurality of longitudinally spaced depending projections 48 of a generally arcuate configuration as defined by an arcuate or curved terminal or end face 49 which, as viewed in transverse cross-section (FIGS. 6 and 7), imparts a generally curved transverse configuration defined by a transverse curved plane passing through the end or terminal faces 55 through 57 of the ribs 45 through 47, respectively, of each of the groups 41 through 44. The transverse curvature or arc is identified by the reference character A in FIG. 6 and 7 of the drawings.

The slidable mouse tray 15 is further reinforced along the peripheral side walls 26, 27 by a plurality of downwardly projecting spaced reinforcing ribs 63 (FIG. 5) which foreshorten the length of the groups 42, 43 of ribs 45 through 47 as compared to the groups 41, 44 of ribs 45 through 47. The latter foreshortening provides finger access areas FA (FIG. 5) contiguous the side walls 26, 27 for gripping the mouse slide tray 15, particularly when completely housed within a chamber Cs (FIGS. 6 and 7) set off between the keyboard bodies 21, 22 in which the mouse slide tray 15 can be substantially fully housed.

The lower keyboard body 22 includes a lower wall 70 (FIG. 4) of a substantially polygonal or rectangular configuration substantially matching the configuration of the upper wall 30 of the keyboard body 21 and projecting upwardly therefrom is a rear peripheral wall 71, a slightly curved front peripheral wall 72 matching the curvature of the front wall 32 of the upper keyboard body 21, and side peripheral walls 73, 74 collectively defining a peripheral wall 75.

The side peripheral walls 73, 74 of the lower keyboard body 22 are each shorter in height than the sidewalls 33, 34, respectively, of the upper keyboard body 21 and therewith define respective generally rectangular side openings or slots 76 (FIGS. 1 and 3) through which the mouse slide tray 15 can enter or exit the chamber Cs.

The lower keyboard body 22 is reinforced by four groups 81 through 84 (FIG. 4) of four ribs 85 through 88 each which impart a mirror image transverse curved configuration A (FIGS. 6 and 7) to the respective longitudinally extending groups 41 through 44 of the mouse slide tray guide ribs 45 through 47, it being noted that the curvature and structural relationship and orientation of the individual ribs 85 through 88 both define the rib groups 81 through 84 and the guide slots 81 through 84 defined thereby.

When assembled in the manner best illustrated in FIGS. 1, 6 and 7 of the drawings, the groups 41 through 44 of guide ribs 45 through 47 of the slidable mouse try 15 slide in the guide grooves 81 through 84, respectively, of the lower keyboard body 22 each define by the four ribs 85 through 88 along the substantially matching arcuate guide surfaces A (FIGS. 6 and 7) which are defined by upper surfaces (unnumbered) of the ribs 85 through 88 and corresponding curved surfaces 91 (FIG. 4) of a plurality of transverse reinforcing ribs 92 (FIG. 4). In this manner, the ribs 45 through 47 and 85 through 88 of the respective mouse slide tray 15 and the lower keyboard body 22 define smooth substantially arcuate surfaces A which not only provide guiding functions but reinforcing functions contemporaneously therewith.

A mouse cord member 100 (FIGS. 1 and 2) includes upper and lower substantially parallel walls 101, 102 defining a channel 103 therebetween which has a vertical height slightly less than the thickness of the slidable mouse tray 15 along the rear edge 24 thereof. The mouse cord member 100 is preferably constructed from synthetic polymeric/copolymeric plastic material and can be snap-secured to the slidable mouse tray 15 at either exposed side thereof in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings. An upwardly projecting rib 105 includes an upwardly opening slot 106 for snugly snap-receiving therein the cord C1 of the mouse M in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1.

The bottom wall 70 (FIGS. 2, 4 and 6) is provided with a polygonal or rectangular recess Rr (FIGS. 2 and 4) in which is housed a block of wood B secured to the wall 70 by screws (unnumbered) for the purpose of securing thereto a keyboard support arm (such as the support arm A of FIG. 5 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,743).

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that minor variations may be made in the article without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A keyboard tray particularly adapted for supporting any one of a variety of keyboards and an associated mouse comprising upper and lower walls and a peripheral wall therebetween, said peripheral wall including opposite spaced front and rear wall portions and opposite spaced side wall portions, a slot in each side wall portion opening into a chamber defined by said upper, lower and peripheral walls, a slidable tray housed generally within said chamber and having opposite side edges each substantially adjacent one of said side wall portions, said slidable tray being slidable relative to said chamber such that the opposite side edges of said slidable tray can alternatively project beyond an associated side wall portion of said peripheral wall to adapt the tray for selective right hand and left hand utilization of a mouse selectively upon either of said slidable tray side edge portions, said lower wall including one of a plurality of spaced substantially parallel guiding ribs and guiding grooves, said slidable tray including the other of the plurality of spaced substantially parallel guiding ribs and guiding grooves, and said guiding ribs and guiding grooves being in substantially complementary engaged sliding relationship with each other for guiding side-to-side sliding movement of said slidable tray between the right and left hand positions of mouse utilization.

2. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 wherein the plurality of parallel guiding ribs are arranged in at least two spaced substantially parallel groups with at least two guiding ribs per group.

3. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 wherein the plurality of parallel guiding ribs are arranged in at least three spaced substantially parallel groups with at least two guiding ribs per group.

4. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 wherein the plurality of parallel guiding ribs are arranged in at least three spaced substantially parallel groups with at least three guiding ribs per group.

5. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 wherein the guiding ribs include a guiding surface which is curved in a direction transverse to the direction of sliding movement of slidable tray.

6. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 wherein the guiding grooves include a guiding surface which is curved in a direction transverse to the direction of sliding movement of the slidable tray.

7. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 wherein the guiding ribs include a guiding surface which is curved in a direction transverse to the direction of sliding movement of slidable tray, and the guiding grooves include a guiding surface which is curved in a direction transverse to the direction of sliding movement of the slidable tray.

8. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 2 wherein the guiding ribs include a guiding surface which is curved in a direction transverse to the direction of sliding movement of slidable tray.

9. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 2 wherein the guiding grooves include a guiding surface which is curved in a direction transverse to the direction of sliding movement of the slidable tray.

10. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 2 wherein the guiding ribs include a guiding surface which is curved in a direction transverse to the direction of sliding movement of slidable tray, and the guiding grooves include a guiding surface which is curved in a direction transverse to the direction of sliding movement of the slidable tray.

11. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 including a mouse cord member, said mouse cord member including means for securing a mouse cord thereto, and said mouse cord member including means for removably securing said mouse cord member to said slidable tray when positioned for either right hand or left hand mouse utilization.

12. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 including a mouse cord member, said mouse cord member including means for securing a mouse cord thereto, said mouse cord member including means for removably securing said mouse cord member to said slidable tray when positioned for either right hand or left hand mouse utilization, and said mouse cord securing means is a substantially U-shaped slot.

13. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 including a mouse cord member, said mouse cord member including means for securing a mouse cord thereto, said mouse cord member including means for removably securing said mouse cord member to said slidable tray when positioned for either right hand or left hand mouse utilization, and said removable securing means is defined by forming said mouse cord member of a generally C-shaped transverse cross-section defined by a bight and a pair of legs sized to frictionally clamp upon a peripheral edge portion of said slidable tray.

14. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 including a mouse cord member, said mouse cord member including means for securing a mouse cord thereto, said mouse cord member including means for removably securing said mouse cord member to said slidable tray when positioned for either right hand or left hand mouse utilization, said mouse cord securing means is a substantially U-shaped slot, and said removable securing means is defined by forming said mouse cord member of a generally C-shaped transverse cross-section defined by a bight and a pair of legs sized to frictionally clamp upon a peripheral edge portion of said slidable tray.

15. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 1 wherein said upper and lower wall are individual members peripherally united to each other, and said upper and lower walls include a plurality of inter-engaged registration pins and opening for aligning said individual members incident to securing the same to each other.

16. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 2 wherein said at least two guiding ribs per group each define a guiding surface of an imaginary surface curved in a direction transverse to the direction of sliding movement of the slidable tray.

17. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 16 including a mouse cord member, said mouse cord member including means for securing a mouse cord thereto, and said mouse cord member including means for removably securing said mouse cord member to said slidable tray when positioned for either right hand or left hand mouse utilization.

18. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 16 wherein said upper and lower wall are individual members peripherally united to each other, and said upper and lower walls include a plurality of inter-engaged registration pins and opening for aligning said individual members incident to securing the same to each other.

19. A keyboard tray particularly adapted for supporting any one of a variety of keyboards and an associated mouse comprising upper and lower walls and a peripheral wall therebetween, said peripheral wall including opposite spaced front and rear wall portions and opposite spaced side wall portions, a slot in each side wall portions opening into a chamber defined by said upper, lower and peripheral walls, a slidable tray housed generally within said chamber and having opposite side edges each substantially adjacent one of said side wall portions, said slidable tray being slidable relative to said chamber such that the opposite side edges of said slidable tray can alternatively project beyond an associated side wall portion of said peripheral wall to adapt the tray for selective right hand and left hand utilization of a mouse selectively upon either of said slidable tray side edge portions, a mouse cord member, said mouse cord member including means for securing a mouse cord thereto, and said mouse cord member including means for removably securing said mouse cord member to said slidable tray when positioned for either right hand or left hand mouse utilization.

20. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 19 including a mouse cord member, said mouse cord member including means for securing a mouse cord thereto, said mouse cord member including means for removably securing said mouse cord member to said slidable tray when positioned for either right hand or left hand mouse utilization, and said mouse cord securing means is a substantially U-shaped slot.

21. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 19 including a mouse cord member, said mouse cord member including means for securing a mouse cord thereto, said mouse cord member including means for removably securing said mouse cord member to said slidable tray when positioned for either right hand or left hand mouse utilization, and said removable securing means is defined by forming said mouse cord member of a generally C-shaped transverse cross-section defined by a bight and a pair of legs sized to frictionally clamp upon a peripheral edge portion of said slidable tray.

22. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 19 including a mouse cord member, said mouse cord member including means for securing a mouse cord thereto, said mouse cord member including means for removably securing said mouse cord member to said slidable tray when positioned for either right hand or left hand mouse utilization, said mouse cord securing means is a substantially U-shaped slot, and said removable securing means is defined by forming said mouse cord member of a generally C-shaped transverse cross-section defined by a bight and a pair of legs sized to frictionally clamp upon a peripheral edge portion of said slidable tray.

23. The keyboard tray as defined in claim 19 wherein said upper and lower wall are individual members peripherally united to each other, and said upper and lower walls include a plurality of inter-engaged registration pins and opening for aligning said individual members incident to securing the same to each other.