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.

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.