Keyboard tray and attached mouse platform having multiple degrees of movement

Abstract

A computer peripheral support system includes a keyboard tray having a top surface, a left edge, a right edge, and a front edge, and is configured to retain a keyboard on the top surface thereof. A mouse platform is operatively coupled to the keyboard tray by a parallelogram arm, which includes a first end and a second end, and is configured to permit vertical elevation of the mouse platform relative to the keyboard tray. A locking mount is releasably attached to the keyboard tray and has an attachment portion coupled to the first end of the parallelogram arm. A ball pivot housing is operatively coupled to the mouse platform and includes an attachment portion operatively coupled to the second end of the scissor arm. A palm support is rotatably coupled to a circumferential portion of the mouse platform.

1 . A computer peripheral support system, comprising:
 a keyboard tray having a top surface, a left edge, a right edge, and a front edge, the keyboard tray configured to retain a keyboard on the top surface thereof;   a mouse platform operatively coupled to the keyboard tray by a parallelogram arm, the parallelogram arm having a first end and a second end, and configured to permit vertical elevation of the mouse platform relative to the keyboard tray;   a locking mount configured to releasably attach to the keyboard tray and having an attachment portion coupled to the first end of the parallelogram arm;   a ball pivot housing operatively coupled to the mouse platform and having an attachment portion operatively coupled to the second end of the parallelogram arm; and   a palm support rotatably coupled to a circumferential portion of the mouse platform.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking mount is configured to permit the mouse platform to be continuously positionable along the right edge, the front edge, and the left edge of the keyboard tray, respectively, when the locking mount is in an unlocked configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking mount, when in an unlocked position, is configured to permit the parallelogram arm and attached mouse platform to rotate in a plane of the keyboard tray, and configured to move along the front edge of the keyboard tray, to permit continuous positioning of the mouse platform along the right edge, the front edge, and the left edge of the keyboard tray, respectively. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , including a channel or track disposed along a forward portion of the keyboard tray and configured to secure the locking mount to the keyboard tray. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 4 , wherein the locking mount is lockingly slidable within the channel or track to permit continuous positioning of the mouse platform along a longitudinal axis of the keyboard tray. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the ball pivot housing is operatively coupled to a bottom surface of the mouse platform and configured to permit the mouse platform to pivot relative to a plane of the keyboard tray. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the ball pivot housing is configured to permit the mouse platform to pivot relative to a plane of the keyboard tray, and configured to permit the mouse platform to rotate along an axis perpendicular to the surface of the mouse platform. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein when the mouse platform is elevated above or below the surface of the keyboard tray, and wherein rotation of the mouse platform about the axis perpendicular to the surface of the mouse platform permits a plane of the mouse platform to overlap a plane of the keyboard tray and assume an over-ten position. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the palm support includes a palm edge surface configured to slope downwardly from a top surface of the mouse platform so as to support a palm or wrist of a user. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the palm support has a circular inner peripheral wall and an oblong outer peripheral wall, the circular inner peripheral wall of the palm support configured to form a frictional or snap fit with a corresponding circular outer peripheral wall of the mouse platform, and to permit the palm support to concentrically rotate about the mouse platform. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the palm edge surface is oblong in shape so that the outer peripheral wall of the palm support is oblong in shape. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein a highest elevation of the palm surface is level with or below a top surface of the mouse support. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the parallelogram arm includes two parallel arms pivotingly coupled at the first end and at the second end, respectively, so as to form as a parallelogram. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 13 , further including an adjustment screw fixedly mounted to one of the two parallel arms and slidingly mounted to the other of the two parallel arms. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the keyboard tray includes plurality of apertures to permit airflow therethrough to dissipate heat when the keyboard tray is positioned on a lap of a user. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the keyboard tray includes a bottom surface having a plurality of bosses formed therein, the bosses configured to attach to a first end of an extendable arm, the extendable arm having a second end configured to mount to an underside of a work surface. 
     
     
         17 . A keyboard tray and mouse platform, comprising:
 a keyboard tray configured to retain a keyboard peripheral on the top surface thereof;   a mouse platform operatively coupled to the keyboard tray by an adjustable arm, the adjustable arm configured to permit vertical elevation of the mouse platform relative to the keyboard tray;   a locking mount configured to attach to the keyboard tray to a first end of the adjustment arm;   a pivot assembly operatively coupled to the mouse platform and to a second end of the adjustable arm; and   a palm support rotatably coupled to the mouse platform.   
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 17 , wherein when the mouse platform is elevated above or below the surface of the keyboard tray, and wherein rotation of the mouse platform about an axis perpendicular to the surface of the mouse platform permits a plane of the mouse platform to overlap a plane of the keyboard tray and assume an over-ten position. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 17 , wherein the palm support includes a palm edge surface configured to slope downwardly from a surface of the mouse platform so as to support a palm or wrist of a user. 
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 17 , wherein the palm support has a circular inner peripheral wall and an oblong outer peripheral wall, the circular inner peripheral wall of the palm support configured to form a frictional or snap fit with a corresponding circular outer peripheral wall of the mouse platform, to permit the palm support to rotate about the mouse platform and in a plane of the mouse platform. 
     
     
         21 . An arm configured couple a keyboard tray to a mouse platform, comprising:
 first and second parallel arms having a first ends and second ends, respectively, and having a longitudinal axis;   a left-side vertical sidewall pivotingly coupled to the first ends of the first and second parallel arms, respectively;   a right-side vertical sidewall pivotingly coupled to the second end of the first and second parallel arms, respectively;   the first and second parallel arms, the left-side and right-side vertical sidewalls forming a parallelogram-shaped arm, the parallelogram-shaped arm operatively coupling the keyboard tray to the mouse platform and permitting a change in elevation between the keyboard tray and the mouse platform;   an adjustment screw fixedly mounted to one of the two parallel arms and extending through an elongated slot in another of the two parallel arms;   an adjustment knob configured to cooperate with the adjustment screw to reciprocally increase and decrease force applied to the two parallel arms in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;   wherein the reciprocally applied force causes the first parallel arm to slide relative to the second parallel arm in a direction of the longitudinal axis, and causes supplementary angles to change between the parallel arms and the corresponding adjacent vertical sidewalls, respectively; and   wherein the change in the supplementary angles causes the mouse platform to move in elevation relative to the keyboard tray.   
     
     
         22 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein a ratio of a length of the parallel arms to a height of the vertical sidewalls is about between 3:1 and 7:1, and preferable is about 5:1. 
     
     
         23 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein the change of the supplementary angles is continuous from a minimum supplementary angle difference to maximum supplementary angle difference. 
     
     
         24 . The system according to  claim 23 , wherein the minimum supplementary angle difference is about 20 degrees, and the maximum supplementary angle difference is about 160 degrees. 
     
     
         25 . The system according to  claim 23 , wherein the minimum supplementary angle difference of about twenty degrees corresponds to supplementary angles of 80 degrees and 100 degrees, respectively, and wherein the maximum supplementary angle difference of about 160 degrees corresponds to supplementary angles of 10 degrees and 170 degrees, respectively. 
     
     
         26 . The system according to  claim 23 , wherein adjustment screw and elongated slot are disposed at about a midpoint along a length of the first and second parallel arms.