Computer mouse cradle

Abstract

A mouse cradle that provides a computer user with the optimal position for operating a computer mouse. The mouse cradle allows for ergonomic placement of the mouse near the thigh of the user by attaching the mouse cradle to the user's chair. The present mouse cradle can be used on chairs with, and without, arm-rests. A vertical support allows for height adjustment and rotation in one plane, and a horizontal support allows for sideways adjustment and rotation in a second plane. A planar surface on top of the vertical support provides an operating area for the mouse, and the planar surface can be angled by the user to an optimal position.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention was originally disclosed in U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/403,842 filed on Sep. 22, 2010, and priority is claimed to the provisional patent application.

The present invention relates to the field of computer accessories, and more specifically to an ergonomically positioned mouse cradle. In particular, the cradle is adjustable to numerous positions relative to the user, in order to provide a generally planar working surface to support a computer mouse in a position that will mitigate the stresses on the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder of the user.

2. Description of the Related Art

Desktop computer systems are operated by a keyboard and a mouse which in combination are used to input data to the computer system. The mouse typically rests on a mouse pad that provides a softer working surface than a desktop or a cradle attached to the keyboard tray. Some mouse pads provide a support for the wrist in an effort to reduce physical stress on the hand and wrist. It is known that reaching for a keyboard or mouse, and operating the same, can induce physical stress in the back, shoulder and the entire arm and hand of the user. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a well-known result of the stresses caused by keyboard and mouse usage and in many cases surgery is required to relieve the condition. Ergonomic mouse designs, and wrist supports that strap to the wrist, are attempts to alleviate these stresses but they do not take into consideration the stresses caused by the position of the mouse relative to the user's body. Also, users with certain physical handicaps, such as shoulder injuries, may not be able to reach comfortably to operate a mouse.

The inventor was suffering from wrist, elbow and shoulder pain and, on the advice of his chiropractor, looked for a way to move the mouse closer to his body and at a more comfortable position than was then achievable. The first attempted solution was to attach a small mouse tray to the side of the sliding keyboard tray. A tray attached to the keyboard can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,432. Attaching the tray to the keyboard provided a modicum of relief when compared to operating the mouse on the desk top but did not relieve enough stresses to prevent the onset of pain after extended use.

It became apparent that locating the mouse near the users thigh provided a more natural position for the hand operating the mouse. One solution was to place a tray to hold the mouse on the thigh of the user as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,207,539. The tray on the thigh provided the relief of the hand, arm and shoulder stresses but was awkward for the user when having to get out of the chair to perform other functions. The ideal solution seemed to be to attach the mouse cradle to the office chair in a way that would bring it close to the users thigh and still allow ease of movement to and from the chair. It was relatively easy to attach the mouse cradle to an office chair without arms. However, since many users prefer chairs with arms, a design was needed to accommodate chairs with or without arms and still provide a natural, stress-reducing position for the hand and arm. An arm-rest mounted mouse tray is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,216,930. This is again a partial solution because it does not allow the mouse tray to be adjusted up or down relative to the arm-rest thus inhibiting the user from achieving the position that would provide maximum comfort. Prior art attempts to design a mouse cradle that is easy to manufacture, easy to adjust to a limitless number of positions, and easy for the user to install have not satisfied the need. Through several trial versions this present design has evolved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A mouse cradle that is adapted for attachment to a chair, with or without arm-rests. The mouse cradle is designed to provide a user with an optimal ergonomic position for continuous operation of the mouse. The mouse cradle comprises: a horizontal support, a vertical support, an adjuster block, and a planar surface on top of the vertical support. The horizontal support has a near end and a far end, the near end being adapted for attachment to the bottom of the seat of a chair. The adjuster block is mechanically attached to the far end of the horizontal support. The vertical support has a bottom portion and a top portion, wherein the bottom portion of the vertical support is mechanically attached to the adjuster block. The planar surface is mechanically and moveably attached to the top portion of the vertical support. The planar surface provides a flat area on which the user can easily operate the mouse.

In the preferred embodiment, the near end of the horizontal support is release-ably attached to the bottom of the seat, and the near end of the horizontal support is attached to the bottom of the seat by one or more screws. The adjuster block includes a circular horizontal tunnel and the far end of the horizontal support passes through the horizontal tunnel. The adjuster block is able to rotate around the horizontal support and, be release-ably attached to the horizontal support at any location. The adjuster block includes a circular vertical tunnel and the bottom portion of the vertical support passes through the vertical tunnel so that the vertical support is able to rotate within the vertical tunnel. Thus the vertical support can be release-ably attached to the adjuster block at any location. The planar surface includes a barrier that at least partially extends around a border of the planar surface. The barrier includes at least one notch that allows for passage of a cord of the mouse. The top portion of the vertical support is made of flexible, tubular metal that allows for movement of the planar surface, wherein the planar surface is able to remain in a position after it has been moved to that position.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a user with the optimal ergonomic position for continuous operation of a computer mouse.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention of the present application will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, given only by way of example, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the perspective is from the rear of a chair;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the invention; and,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention achieves its design purpose by providing a mouse cradle that can be mounted to the user's chair for left or right hand use, and that can be moved in many directions relative to the chair seat and to the user's body placement. The invention is easily mounted to the bottom of the chair seat and provides an almost limitless range of adjustment in order to obtain a position that will provide optimum ease of use and comfort to the user. Its unique design allows it to be attached to chairs without arms and to chairs that have arms of practically any design. Support of the mouse cradle is provided by three major components. Namely, a horizontal support, a vertical support, and an adjuster block. The design of the components supporting the cradle allows for a sideways movement closer to or away from the chair, and an up or down movement to accommodate both the physical size of the user and different configurations of chair arms or lack thereof. It also allows the mouse cradle to be rotated 360 degrees on a horizontal plane around the vertical axis of the vertical support. In addition, the vertical support component allows the mouse cradle to be tilted up or down in any direction for maximum user comfort.

FIG. 1 provides a view of the preferred embodiment from the rear of the user's chair. The mouse cradle 10 includes a flat area with a barrier 12 around the border of the flat area. In one embodiment, a notch 14 is provided in the front of the barrier 12 to provide for passage of the cord of a mouse. The invention is preferably mounted to the bottom of the user's chair by mounting screws placed through the two pre-drilled holes 34 in the near end of horizontal support 30. The horizontal support 30 is preferably formed from a rigid or semi-rigid round tube that provides the structural base for the present adjustable mouse cradle. The end of the horizontal support 30 is closed by an end cap 32 for decorative purposes. The adjuster block 40 has a close tolerance hole drilled completely through the block 40 that allows the adjuster block 40 to slide along the length of the horizontal support 30. At least one hand twisted adjuster screw also allows the block 40 to be fixed in place anywhere around the circumference of the horizontal support 30. This wide range of movement allows the user to select from a great number of positions in order to achieve maximum comfort of the arm and hand. In the preferred embodiment, the adjuster block 40 is locked into the selected position by the two hand twisted screws 42 and 44.

The vertical support 20 is also preferably formed from a round tube that slides through a second close tolerance hole in the adjuster block 40, in a same manner as the horizontal support 30. This configuration allows the user to slide the vertical support 20 up and down, relative to the horizontal support and adjuster block. This adjusting allows the user to position the height of the mouse cradle 10 to the optimal height for the user. The vertical support 20 is locked into the selected position by the two vertical support lock screws 46 and 48 on either side of the adjuster block 40 which are shown in FIG. 2. Close to the upper part of the vertical support 20 is a short flexible section 22, which allows the mouse cradle 10 to be tilted into an infinite number of useful positions in order to provide maximum comfort to the user. The flexible section 22 is preferably made of circular metal tubing, which allows the section to remember and maintain the position to which it is moved. The preferred tubing is commonly found in the necks of flexible lamps, including the commercially available Snake Light®. Other embodiments allow for the use of other flexible sections, including a ball and socket joint.

The mouse cradle 10, which provides the planar surface upon which the computer mouse is operated, is attached to, or made an integral part of, the cradle mount 16. The cradle mount 16 has a hole in its center, which provides a close tolerance fit for the insertion and retention of the flexible section 22 of the vertical support 20. The function of the retaining barrier 12 is to prevent the computer mouse from inadvertently sliding off the planar surface of the cradle. The retaining barrier begins on each side of the cradle a short distance from its rear edge and goes forward to completely enclose the front portion of the cradle. The notch 14 in the front portion of the retaining barrier serves as a guide for the cord that connects a corded mouse to the operating computer. Of course, if a wireless mouse is being used, then the notch 14 is not needed.

FIG. 2 is a view of the preferred embodiment with the perspective of looking at the chair (not shown) from the side. This view of the preferred embodiment clearly shows where the retaining barrier 12 begins near the rear of the mouse cradle 10. This unrestrained space allows for additional freedom of movement of the user's hand. It also allows for the use of differently configured mouse pads and wrist rests. This view also shows clearly the position of the vertical support lock screws 46 and 48 on opposite sides of the adjuster block 40, as well as the horizontal support lock screws 42 and 44.

Allowing the adjuster block 40 to rotate around both the horizontal support 30 and the vertical support 20 provides the invention with the ability to work on chairs with arm-rests. The flat area of the mouse cradle can be positioned inside the arm-rest, or outside the arm-rest, depending on the positioning of the arm-rests and the user's preference. Rotational placement of the adjuster block 40 on the horizontal support 30 provides the user with one angle of placement of the cradle, and rotational placement of the adjuster block 40 on the vertical support 20 provides the user with a second angle for placement of the cradle. Proper placement on the bottom of the seat of the chair, together with the above two angles and a flat area that can be adjusted in multiple planes, allows any user to find an optimal ergonomic position in any chair.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention. The perspective view shows the transition of the round configuration of the horizontal support 30 to a flat configuration at its mounting end. The horizontal support 30 which attaches to the chair allows for the adjuster block 40 to slide from side to side relative to the chair, and be locked in the selected position, which is one factor in the user's ability to achieve maximum comfort. The adjuster block also provides a means to contain the vertical support 20 which is allowed to slide up or down in the adjuster block and be secured in the selected position. The range of up or down movement of the vertical support 20 is such as to accommodate practically any configuration of office-type arm chairs and aids in positioning the mouse cradle 10 for maximum user comfort. The adjuster block 40 is made so that it can be easily removed from the horizontal support 30, turned 180 degrees on the horizontal plane, and repositioned onto the horizontal support 30. This action moves the vertical support 20, and the mouse cradle 10, forward or aft relative to the horizontal support thereby moving it closer to, or further from, the user. This provides an additional range of adjustment which aids the user in finding the position that provides maximum comfort and ease of operation of the mouse.

The mouse cradle contains a retaining barrier around the forward end and partially around both sides. This retaining barrier prevents the mouse from inadvertently sliding off the cradle. The retaining barrier has a relatively small notch in its front portion which acts as a guide for the wire of a mouse which uses a wire connection to the computer. It also allows users to install a mouse pad of their own preference upon which to operate the mouse and provides a means of holding the pad in place. Since the retaining barrier is not present at the back end, as well as the rear-most portion of the sides of the cradle, it allows for maximum movement and comfort of the hand, wrist and arm of the user, and the installation of various sizes and shapes of mouse pads.

Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown, additional variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as described herein. Therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology of terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Claims

1. A mouse cradle that is adapted for attachment to a chair, wherein the chair can be with or without arm-rests, the mouse cradle being designed to provide a user with an optimal ergonomic position for continuous operation of a mouse, the mouse cradle comprising:

a) a horizontal support having a near end and a far end, the near end being adapted for attachment to a bottom of a seat of the chair;

b) an adjuster block that is mechanically attached to the far end of the horizontal support;

c) a vertical support having a bottom portion and a top portion, wherein the bottom portion of the vertical support is mechanically attached to the adjuster block; and,

d) a planar surface that is mechanically and moveably attached to the top portion of the vertical support, the planar surface providing a flat area on which the user can operate the mouse.

2. The mouse cradle of claim 1, wherein the near end of the horizontal support is release-ably attached to the bottom of the seat.

3. The mouse cradle of claim 1, wherein the near end of the horizontal support is attached to the bottom of the seat by one or more screws.

4. The mouse cradle of claim 1, wherein the adjuster block includes a circular horizontal tunnel and the far end of the horizontal support passes through the horizontal tunnel, the adjuster block being able to rotate around the horizontal support and, be release-ably attached to the horizontal support at any location.

5. The mouse cradle of claim 1, wherein the adjuster block includes a circular vertical tunnel and the bottom portion of the vertical support passes through the vertical tunnel so that the vertical support is able to rotate within the vertical tunnel and, be release-ably attached to the adjuster block at any location.

6. The mouse cradle of claim 1, wherein the planar surface includes a barrier that at least partially extends around a border of the planar surface.

7. The mouse cradle of claim 6, wherein the barrier includes at least one notch that allows for passage of a cord of the mouse.

8. The mouse cradle of claim 1, wherein the top portion of the vertical support is made of flexible, tubular metal that allows for movement of the planar surface, wherein the planar surface is able to remain in a position after it has been moved to that position.

9. The mouse cradle of claim 1, wherein the adjuster block can be completely removed from the horizontal support, rotated 180 degrees and replaced back on to the horizontal support.

10. A method of providing the optimal position of a mouse for continued use by a computer user, the method including the use of a mouse cradle, the mouse cradle comprising: a horizontal support having a near end and a far end, the near end being adapted for attachment to a bottom of a seat of a chair; an adjuster block that is mechanically attached to the far end of the horizontal support; a vertical support having a bottom portion and a top portion, wherein the bottom portion is mechanically attached to the adjuster block; and, a planar surface that is mechanically and moveably attached to the top portion of the vertical support, the planar surface providing a flat area on which the user can operate the mouse, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning the adjuster block on the horizontal support so that the planar surface is an optimal distance from the user for maneuvering the mouse;

positioning the vertical support within the adjuster block so that the planar surface is an optimal height for the user to maneuver the mouse; and,

adjusting a tilt of the planar surface so that the flat area is at an optimal angle for the user to maneuver the mouse.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one hand screw is used to position the adjuster block on the horizontal support.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one hand screw is used to position the vertical support within the adjuster block.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the planar surface further comprises a barrier that extends at least partially around a border of the flat area.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the barrier comprises at least one notch that allows for passage of a cord of the mouse.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the near end of the horizontal support is attached to the bottom of the seat by one or more screws.

16. The mouse cradle of claim 10, wherein the adjuster block can be completely removed from the horizontal support, rotated 180 degrees and replaced back on to the horizontal support.