FOLDING KEYBOARD HEIGHT EXTENDER

Abstract

A folding keyboard height extender with a top plate, a bottom plate, and a right and left side hinged side arrangements. Each hinged side arrangements has an upper plate and a lower plate that are hinged to each other and between the left and right side edges of the top and bottom plates. An inner folding wall is hingeably attached to an underside of the top plate. In a first extended state, the right and left side hinged side arrangements form tall and straight walls, and the inner folding wall is swung down perpendicular to the top bottom plates and to the right and side hinged side arrangements. In a second lowered state, the upper and lower plates of the right and left side hinged side arrangements lay flat against each other, and the inner folding wall is folded up and is sandwiched between the top plate and bottom plate.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of keyboard stands and accessories therefore, and more particularly to folding keyboard height extended that can be mounted between a keyboard stand and a keyboard stand support.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As the use of computers becomes more pervasive in all aspects of work and play, people are tending to spend more and more time at their desks while seated in front of computer keyboard. Studies have shown that from an ergonometric standpoint, and from a general health maintenance perspective, that it is beneficial that the height of the keyboard be perfectly adjusted to a user's needs so that excess strain on his or her body is prevented. To meet these well know needs, numerous keyboard and mouse stands are available that mount under a desk at one end, have an extension arm extending away from the desk, and have at an opposite end with a keyboard and mouse platform(s), herein generally referred to as “keyboard platforms.” Many of these prior keyboard platform designs have features to allow users to adjust the keyboard platform, such as by sliding the keyboard platform from side to side, tiling it, and/or moving it up and down.

Recent studies have shown that there are health advantages to users when they spend at least a portion of the workday standing up rather than just sitting down. Indeed, many luminaries in history preferred to use stand up or standing desks, including Benjamin Franklin, Ernest Hemingway, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Winston Churchill. For whatever the reason, there has been a renewed interest in standup desks and desk stands. Some are touting the benefits of desks and stands that allow users to walk on treadmills. While stand up desks are gaining in popularity, most users still like the option of being able to sit at least part of the day, particularly when they start using stand up desks. To address these needs, companies are offering desks that switch between a user seated mode and a user standing mode. Unfortunately, these desks are still relatively costly and not widely available. Therefore, for users who wish to use computer keyboard at desks designed for sitting have difficult in transitioning to a standing position because the keyboard level is incapability of being changed from a first lower position, set for a seated user, to a second higher position, set for a standing user. In these common situations, the user must physically move the computer keyboard (and computer and monitor if a laptop is not being used) between two surfaces.

It would accordingly be beneficial if there were a keyboard height extended available for mounted between a keyboard stand and a keyboard stand support.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a folding keyboard height extender, comprising:

a top plate with a left side edge and a right side edge;

a bottom plate with a left side edge and a right side edge;

a right side hinged side arrangement and a left side hinged side arrangement, each right and left side hinged side arrangement comprising a upper plate and a lower plate, the upper plate having an upper edge and a lower edge, the lower plate having an upper edge and a lower edge, wherein each upper plate is hingeably attached at its upper edges to one of the left and right side edges of the top plate, wherein the lower edges of the upper plates are hingeably attached to the upper edges of the lower plates, and wherein the lower edges of each lower plates is hingeably attached to one of the left and right side edges of the bottom plate; and

an inner folding wall hingeably attached to an underside of the top plate generally perpendicularly to the right side hinged side arrangement and the left side hinged side arrangement;

wherein in a first extended state, the upper plate and a lower plate of the right side hinged side arrangement and the left side hinged side arrangement extend generally end to end to form tall and straight walls, and the inner folding wall extends generally perpendicularly to the top plate and bottom plate and generally perpendicularly to the right side hinged side arrangement and a left side hinged side arrangement, wherein in a second lowered state, the upper and lower plates of the right side hinged side arrangement and the left side hinged side arrangement are laid generally flat against each other, and the inner folding wall extends generally parallel and sandwiched between the top plate and bottom plate.

In another embodiment the invention provides a folding keyboard height extender, comprising:

a top plate with and left and right side edges;

a bottom plate with a left and right side edges;

a right side hinged side arrangement and a left side hinged side arrangement, each right and left side hinged side arrangement comprising a upper plate and a lower plate, the upper plates and lower plates being hinged together and also being hinged between the left and right side edges of the top plate and the bottom plate; and

an inner folding wall hingeably attached to an underside of the top plate generally perpendicularly to the right side hinged side arrangement and the left side hinged side arrangement;

wherein in a first extended state, the upper plate and a lower plate of the right side hinged side arrangement and the left side hinged side arrangement extend generally end to end to form tall and straight walls, and the inner folding wall extends generally perpendicularly to the top plate and bottom plate and generally perpendicularly to the right side hinged side arrangement and a left side hinged side arrangement, wherein in a second lowered state, the upper and lower plates of the right side hinged side arrangement and the left side hinged side arrangement are laid generally flat against each other, and the inner folding wall extends generally parallel and sandwiched between the top plate and bottom plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front right isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a folding keyboard height extender of the invention in its extended state, showing an exemplary keyboard platform and an exemplary extender arm for user thereof in phantom lines.

FIG. 2 is an upper front left isometric view of the folding keyboard height extended of

FIG. 1, showing the extender arm in phantom lines.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the folding keyboard height extender of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the folding keyboard height extender of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the folding keyboard height extender of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a right side view of the folding keyboard height extender of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a section view through view lines 7-7 of FIG. 3 of the folding keyboard height extender.

FIG. 8 is an upper front left isometric view of the folding keyboard height extender of FIG. 2, with its supporting wall partially swung upwardly.

FIG. 9 is an upper front left isometric view of the folding keyboard height extender of

FIG. 8, with its supporting wall completed swung upwardly.

FIG. 10 is an upper front left isometric view of the folding keyboard height extender of FIG. 9, with its side walls partially folded outwardly to partially lower the top plate.

FIG. 11 is a lower front left isometric view of the folding keyboard height extender of FIG. 10, with its side walls completely folded outwardly to completely lower the top plate.

FIG. 12 is a front view of the folding keyboard height extender of FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning to FIGS. 1-7, there are shown various views of an exemplary folding keyboard height extender 10 of the invention in its fully raised position, wherein FIG. 1 is a front right isometric view showing the keyboard height extender 10 with a keyboard platform 12 and an exemplary extender arm device 14 for user therewith shown in phantom lines. FIG. 2 is an upper front left isometric view of the folding keyboard height extended 10 of FIG. 1, showing a keyboard bracket portion 72 of the extender arm in phantom lines but not the keyboard platform 12. FIG. 3 is a front view, FIG. 4 is a top view, FIG. 5 is a bottom view, and FIG. 6 is a right side view of the folding keyboard height extender 10 and the exemplary extender arm bracket portion 14. FIG. 7 is a section view through view lines 7-7 of FIG. 3 of the folding keyboard height extender 10 and extender arm bracket portion 14. The folding keyboard height extender 10 has a top plate 16, a bottom plate 18, a left side hinged side arrangement 20A, and a right side hinged side arrangement 20B. The left side hinged side arrangement 20A is made up of an upper plate 22A and a lower plate 24A. The top plate 16 and the bottom plate 18 are generally rectangular in shape. The folding keyboard height extender 10 can be made of high strength material, such as metal, plastic, composites, wood, strong glass, and the like. The upper plate 16 is hinged along a top edge 28A via one or more hinges 30A to a left side edge 32A of the upper plate 16. A lower edge 34A of the upper plate 22A is hinged with one or more hinges 36A to an upper edge 38A to the lower plate 24A. Lastly, a lower edge 40A is hinged with one or more hinges 42A to a left side edge 44A of the lower plate 18. The right side hinged side arrangement 24B is similar to that of the left side hinged arrangement 24A, and is made up of made up of an upper plate 22B and a lower plate 24B. The upper plate 16 is hinged along a top edge 28B via one or more hinges 30B to a right side edge 32B of the upper plate 16. A lower edge 34B of the upper plate 22B is hinged with one or more hinges 36B to an upper edge 38B to the lower plate 24B. Lastly, a lower edge 40B is hinged with one or more hinges 42B to a right side edge 44B of the lower plate 18. The folding keyboard height extender 10 further includes an inner folding wall 50 with an upper edge 52, a lower edge 54, and a left side edge 56A and a right side edge 56B. The left side edge 56A and a right side edge 56B can include cutouts 58 designed to clear the hinges 36A and 36B when the inner folding wall 50 is in its lowered position, as shown in FIGS. 1-3 and 7. The cutouts 58 can be generally rectangular. The inner folding wall 50 is preferably hingeably attached to an underside 60 of the upper plate 16 with at least one hinge 62. The inner folding wall 50 may additional include a lower cutout 64. The lower cutout 64 is include for user to grasp the inner folding wall 50 and also provides a space for clearance for an swing arm 70 of the extender arm device 14 in case the user wishes to swing the folding keyboard height extender 10 downwardly, where the swing arm 70 might otherwise impact on lower edge 54 of the inner folding wall 50 when the folding keyboard height extender 10 is folded flat as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. The lower cutout 64 can be generally rectangular. The bottom plate 18 preferably also have a cutout 96 formed along a front edge 98 thereof, which cutout 96 will likewise be available to clear the swing arm 70. The cutout 96 is preferably generally rectangular in shape. When in the extended state of the folding keyboard height extender 10, the upper plates 22A&B and lower plates 24A&B of the right side hinged side arrangement 20A and the left side hinged side arrangement 20B extend generally end to end to form tall walls.

Referring to FIG. 1, the extender arm device 14 includes a swing arm 70, a keyboard bracket portion 72 pivotally attached to a distal end 74 of the swing arm 70, and a desk bracket 76 pivotally mounted to a proximal end 78 of the end of the swing arm 70. A swivel mount 80 on the desk bracket 76 permits the swing arm 70 to also be swung from side to side relative to a desk or other object the extender arm device The keyboard bracket portion 72 would normally be mounted (e.g. screwed) to the underside of the keyboard platform but for the use of the folding keyboard height extender 10 interposed therebetween.

Turning back to FIGS. 1-3 and 7, stops 66 extend upwardly from an upper surface 68 of the bottom plate 18. The stops 66 are used to prevent the inner folding wall 50 from being moved beyond the point of the stops 66, and will retain the inner folding wall 50 perpendicular relative to the top plate 16 and bottom plate 18. Thus, the inner folding wall 50 will help support the top plate 16 when the folding keyboard height extender 10 is in its extended state. The left side edge 56A and right side edge 56B of the inner folding wall 50 will preferably engage with the upper plates 22A&B and lower plates 22A&B of the left side hinged side arrangement 20A and right side hinged side arrangement 20B, respectively, and help retain the inner folding wall 50 in place, and will likewise pull up on the left side hinged side arrangement 20A and right side hinged side arrangement 20B so that their upper and lower walls remain aligned in a flat plane. In this state, the space between the top plate 16 and bottom plate 18 will be a first larger predetermined distance D₁, and any keyboard platform and items, such as a computer keyboard and mouse (not shown) will be raised relative to the keyboard bracket portion 72 and extender arm device 14.

Again, the cutouts 58 in the inner folding wall 50 are to clear the hinges 36A and 36B during movement of the inner folding wall 50 from it extended state as shown, to its folded flat state of FIGS. 8-12. In cases where the hinges are flat with or recessed into the upper plate 22A&B and lower plate 24A&B, then the cutouts 58 are not necessary.

FIG. 8 is an upper front left isometric view of the folding keyboard height extender 10 of FIG. 2, with its supporting wall 50 partially swung upwardly on its hinges 62 up towards the top plate 16, and FIG. 9 is an upper front left isometric view of the folding keyboard height extender 10 with its supporting wall 50 completed swung upwardly close to the underside 60 of the top plate 16.

FIG. 10 is an upper front left isometric view of the folding keyboard height extender of FIG. 9, with its left side hinged side arrangement 20A and right side hinged side arrangement 20B partially folded outwardly to start to lower the top plate 16 closer to the bottom plate 18. This is accomplished with the upper plate 22A&B and lower plate 24A&B being hinged out relative to each on the hinges 30A&B, 36A&B, and 42A&B. FIG. 11 is a lower front left isometric view of the folding keyboard height extender 10, with its left side hinged side arrangement 20A and right side hinged side arrangement 20B completely folded outwardly so that the upper plate 22A&B and lower plate 24A&B, respectively are laid flat on each other to completely lower the top plate 16 onto to the bottom plate 18. FIG. 12 is a front view of the folding keyboard height extender 10 in its fold flat state. In this state, the space between the top plate 16 and bottom plate 18 will be a second smaller predetermined distance D₂, and any keyboard platform and items, such as a computer keyboard and mouse (not shown) will be lowered relative to the keyboard bracket portion 72 and extender arm device (not shown.)

If desired, features can be included to retain the inner folding wall 50 up against underside 60 of the top plate 16, such as one or more magnets 90 positioned on a front side 92 of the inner folding wall 50, which magnet(s) 90 will magnetically attract to the top plate 16 when it is made of steel. The position of the magnet(s) 90 can be switched to be placed on the underside 60 of the top plate 16 when the inner folding wall 50 is made of steel. In cases where the wall opposite the magnet(s) are not made or steel or other ferrous metals, a steel place can be placed opposite the magnetic. Likewise, in lieu of magnetics, detachably attachment material, such as hook and loop or hook and hook material can be used if desired. It is also possible that the hinges be formed of plastics, so that there is some friction, such that a user will need to move the plates relative to each other to change their positions. While the hinges are shown as being mounted to one side or the other of the plates, it is possible that the hinges be countersunk into the plates, or even formed together with the plates

The preferred embodiments of this invention have been disclosed, however, so that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

Claims

1. A folding keyboard height extender, comprising:

a top plate with a left side edge and a right side edge;

a bottom plate with a left side edge and a right side edge;

a right side hinged side arrangement and a left side hinged side arrangement, each right and left side hinged side arrangement comprising a upper plate and a lower plate, the upper plate having an upper edge and a lower edge, the lower plate having an upper edge and a lower edge, wherein each upper plate is hingeably attached at its upper edges to one of the left and right side edges of the top plate, wherein the lower edges of the upper plates are hingeably attached to the upper edges of the lower plates, and wherein the lower edges of each lower plates is hingeably attached to one of the left and right side edges of the bottom plate; and

an inner folding wall hingeably attached to an underside of the top plate generally perpendicularly to the right side hinged side arrangement and the left side hinged side arrangement;

wherein in a first extended state, the upper plate and a lower plate of the right side hinged side arrangement and the left side hinged side arrangement extend generally end to end to form tall and straight walls, and the inner folding wall extends generally perpendicularly to the top plate and bottom plate and generally perpendicularly to the right side hinged side arrangement and a left side hinged side arrangement, wherein in a second lowered state, the upper and lower plates of the right side hinged side arrangement and the left side hinged side arrangement are laid generally flat against each other, and the inner folding wall extends generally parallel and sandwiched between the top plate and bottom plate.

2. The folding keyboard height extender of claim 1, wherein the inner folding wall has a top edge, a bottom edge, a left side edge, and a right side edge, and the left side edge and the right side edge will impinge on inside surfaces of the upper and lower plates of the right side hinged side arrangement and the left side hinged side arrangement to help retain it in place in the first extended state.

3. The folding keyboard height extender of claim 2, wherein a generally rectangular lower cutout is formed along a bottom edge of the inner folding wall, and generally rectangular cutouts are formed along the left side edge and right side edge of the inner folding wall.

4. The folding keyboard height extender of claim 1, further including a stop located on an upper surface of the bottom plate, the stop being positioned to prevent the inner folding wall from being moved beyond the stop when the inner folding wall is in its extended state.

5. The folding keyboard height extender of claim 1, wherein hinges are provided to hingeably attach the upper and lower plates to each other and to the top plate and bottom plate, and hinges are provided to attach the inner folding wall to the top plate.

6. The folding keyboard height extender of claim 1, wherein the bottom plate is adapted to attach to an extender arm bracket for mounting.

7. The folding keyboard height extender of claim 1, wherein the top plate is adapted to attach to a keyboard platform.

8. The folding keyboard height extender of claim 1, wherein a generally rectangular cutout is formed along a front edge of the bottom plate.

9. A folding keyboard height extender, comprising:

a top plate with and left and right side edges;

a bottom plate with a left and right side edges;

a right side hinged side arrangement and a left side hinged side arrangement, each right and left side hinged side arrangement comprising a upper plate and a lower plate, the upper plates and lower plates being hinged together and also being hinged between the left and right side edges of the top plate and the bottom plate; and

an inner folding wall hingeably attached to an underside of the top plate generally perpendicularly to the right side hinged side arrangement and the left side hinged side arrangement;

wherein in a first extended state, the upper plate and a lower plate of the right side hinged side arrangement and the left side hinged side arrangement extend generally end to end to form tall and straight walls, and the inner folding wall extends generally perpendicularly to the top plate and bottom plate and generally perpendicularly to the right side hinged side arrangement and a left side hinged side arrangement, wherein in a second lowered state, the upper and lower plates of the right side hinged side arrangement and the left side hinged side arrangement are laid generally flat against each other, and the inner folding wall extends generally parallel and sandwiched between the top plate and bottom plate.

10. The folding keyboard height extender of claim 9, wherein the inner folding wall has a top edge, a bottom edge, a left side edge, and a right side edge, and the left side edge and the right side edge will impinge on inside surfaces of the upper and lower plates of the right side hinged side arrangement and the left side hinged side arrangement to retain it in place in the first extended state.

11. The folding keyboard height extender of claim 9, further including a stop located on an upper surface of the bottom plate, the stop being positioned to prevent the inner folding wall from being moved beyond the stop when the inner folding wall is in its extended state.

12. The folding keyboard height extender of claim 9, wherein a generally rectangular lower cutout is formed along a bottom edge of the inner folding wall, and generally rectangular cutouts are formed along the left side edge and right side edge of the inner folding wall.

13. The folding keyboard height extender of claim 9, wherein the bottom plate is adapted to attach to an extender arm bracket for mounting.

14. The folding keyboard height extender of claim 9, wherein the top plate is adapted to attach to a keyboard platform.

15. The folding keyboard height extender of claim 9, wherein a generally rectangular cutout is formed along a front edge of the bottom plate.