WO1993016620A1

WO1993016620A1 - Supporting plate

Info

Publication number: WO1993016620A1
Application number: PCT/NO1993/000032
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vidar BRÅTEN; Kåre Anker BØHLER
Original assignee: Practicon As
Priority date: 1992-02-27
Filing date: 1993-02-26
Publication date: 1993-09-02
Also published as: NO175612B; NO175612C; NO920778D0; NO920778L

Abstract

The present invention relates to a supporting plate or combiplate (1) which preferably is used as an extended keyboard support (6), especially for mouse operations, and with a view to provide a supporting plate (1) which is made of simple and inexpensive parts, but giving a combined support for both the mouse to be operated, as well as for the forearm and the wrist of the user, it is suggested according to the present invention that the supporting plate or combiplate (1) comprises a base plate (2) which completely or partly is covered with a layer (3) for favouring mouse operation, and which comprises means (4) for detachably affixing the base plate (2) to a working desk or a working plate (6).

Description

SUPPORTING PLATE

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to an arrangement in a supporting plate or combiplate which preferably is usable as an extended keyboard support, especially for mouse operations.

Background of the invention

By the introduction of mouse in addition to keyboard as operating means for computers for use in office automation and engineering computer-aided design and drafting, there have developed certain problems due to repetitive or maintained contraction of the musculature needed to operate a mouse. The keyboard part of the terminal table is usually too small for giving ample room for the mouse operation, which entails that the mouse is operated on a support which is casually positioned in relation to the body of the operator, which in turn causes sustained and undue stress on the arm muscles of the mouse operator. Even if the key board support should be broad enough for placing the mouse thereon, the operation thereof without any appropriate forearm support of the operator will sooner of later cause undue stresses not only of the forearm of the mouse operator, but also of the muscles of the neck and upper shoulder girdle. Further, any mouse pad being used for mouse operation of today is encumbered with the problem of too easily being displaced along the supporting desk or table. In addition, such mouse pads will easily be frayed around the edges, since the material thereof usually comprises porous foamed rubber.

Prior art

From US 4.966.421 (Mengel) there are known rigid parts such as panels or the like, which are joined by utilizing hook and loop coupling material to detachably secure the parts together, but no hints are given therein as regards providing a supporting plate which should be used for mouse operation without introducing undue stresses for the mouse operator.

US 5.058.840 (Moss et al.) discloses an arm rest assembly usable with a mouse pad or keyboard and providing vertical support for a user's arm to avoid fatigue and injury. The prior art assembly comprises at least one forearm cradle which is mounted on a projecting shank, which allows for simple rotational adjustment of the cradle to accommodate the orientation of the user's arm when using the arm rest assembly. This rotational adjustment of the cradle involves a plurality of additional parts making the prior art assembly complicated and expensive, and excluding the use of the main platen thereof as a combined mouse pad and arm rest.

UK 2.227.408 (Harper) discloses a computer work-station incorporating a keyboard for operation by a user, in which the keyboard is supported at a height corresponding to that of the user's pelvis or thighs, such that the arms of the user fall naturally towards the keyboard. With the keyboard in this position, only the tips of the fingers engage the keys of the keyboard, and there is no part of the keyboard or supporting structure thereof which is able to be engaged by the forearms or wrists of the user. However, this keyboard position does not pave the way for a mouse supporting plate which can be used as an extension for the keyboard support, so as to combine the operation of a keyboard and the operation of a mouse substantially at the same level of a working desk or a working plate.

WO 81/02248 (Erlich) relates to a knockdown furniture construction including separable fasteners for connecting the members thereof, but no instructions are given therein regarding a supporting plate which preferably is useably as an extended keyboard support, especially for mouse opera¬ tion.

Objects of the invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a "mouse trap" which combines the mouse operation and forearm support in one single unit.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combiplate which can be adjusted as to its tilting position, and which also comprises a permanently recessed mouse pad.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a combiplate which can easily be affixed to the working desk or working plate in question independent of the marginal shape thereof.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a combiplate including affixing means adapted to the surface of the working desk or working plate in question, said affixing means being arranged for hinge-like operation for allowing varying inclinations of said combiplate.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a combiplate which can easily be parked in any appropriate position including positions for use and stowed away positions on the working desk in question, and with arbitrary overhang in relation to the edge portions of the working desk.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mouse pad combiplate having a shape which combines the operation of a mouse and the support of the forearm and wrist of the user, and which is shaped so as to not constituting an obstacle for the arm rests of the chair in which the user is sitting in front of the working desk in question. Brief disclosure of the invention

The above objects are in connection with an arrangement as stated in the preamble achieved

accordance with the present invention, in that the supporting plate or combi¬ plate comprises a base plate which completely of partly is covered with a layer for favouring mouse operation, and which comprises means for detachably affixing the base plate to a working desk or a working plate.

Said layer may appropriately cover a certain portion of said base plate, said layer preferably being recessed a short distance below the upper main plane of said plate.

In order to affix the base plate to a working desk said affixing means could appropriately comprise locking means being positioned preferably at or along the "rear" bottom portion of the plate, as well as possibly a "counter"- holding means to be detachably attached to the working desk in question. Further, the combiplate should comprise adjustment means which are adapted to be detachably attached to the bottom side of said combiplate for allowing angular adjustment thereof in relation to the supporting surface of the working plate, said affixing means being arranged so as to operate as hinging means.

Said adjustment means could then appropriately comprise a wedge-like means or elongated means having a substantially triangular cross section, and in an appropriate embodiment this. edge-like means could in its central area carry a detachable holding means co-operating with a counter-holding means on the bottom surface of the base plate.

Said adjustment means could then easily be displaced forth and back for adjusting the angular slanting of said base plate, said affixing means still at the same time operating as hinging means. By such an arrangement and by further embodiments which will be further discussed in the following, the supporting plate can be adapted for being parked or affixed to a working desk or working plate in any position. said supporting plate being adapted for being parked in line with or out of line in relation to any edge portion of a working desk or working plate, and with arbitrary overhang in relation thereto, and said supporting plate being adapted for having its angular inclination adjusted substantially around the central area thereof.

Further features and advantages of the arrangement according to the present invention will be further disclosed in the following, reference being had to the attached drawings.

Brief disclosure of the drawings

Figures 1 , 2 and 3 represent top view, side view and front view, respectively, of a first embodiment of a supporting plate or combiplate according to the present invention.

Fig. 4 is on a larger scale a section taken along the lines A-A and B-B, respectively, in the plate illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a side view of a supporting plate including adjustment means which are adapted to render the supporting plate various slanted positions in relation to a working table or a working plate.

Fig. 6 is a segment of a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a supporting plate according to the present invention arranged on the same working plate or working disk as the keyboard of a data terminal, said supporting plate being illustrated in use position, but allowing for a non- protruding opposite stowed away position. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a well terminal table, in which the supporting plate is affixed to the well plate which also carries the keyboard.

Fig. 8 illustrates the positioning of a supporting plate according to the present invention similarly to what is illustrated in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 illustrates the positioning of a supporting plate according to the present invention on another type of working table or auxiliary table placed beside a supporting plate for a keyboard.

Fig. 0 illustrates a solution for locating a supporting plate according to the present invention in connection with a square table solution.

Figures 11, 12 and 13 illustrate an embodiment similar to Fig. 6, and discloses a straight right position, a skew right position, as well as a skew left position; respective¬ ly, of a supporting plate according to the present inven¬ tion.

Detailed description of embodiments of the invention

In Figures 1-5 which illustrate a first embodiment of the arrangement according to the present invention, this arrangement has to do with a supporting plate or combiplate which preferably is useable as an extended keyboard support, especially for mouse operation.

In Figures 1-5 the supporting plate or combiplate according to the present invention is designated by reference numeral 1 , said supporting plate or combiplate 1 comprising a base plate or main plate 2 which completely or partly is covered by a layer 3 for favouring mouse operation, and which comprises attaching means for detachably affixing the base plate 2 to a working desk or a working plate. It is to be understood that the layer 3 which favours mouse operation may cover a certain portion of said base plate 2, and most appropriately said layer 3 is recessed a short distance L-_j below the upper main plane 2a of the base plate 2, as this is most apparent from Fig. 4.

Further, it is to be understood that the base plate could be made of wood, plastic or similar, and that the layer could be relatively soft, as well as smooth and slightly resili¬ ent, for example made of rubber, silicone rubber, plastic or similar, possibly with a not illustrated fabric woven surface.

As appearing from Fig. 1 the base plate 2 takes a substanti¬ ally elongated rectangular flat shape, and in the illustra¬ ted embodiment approximately 3/5 of the base plate 2 is covered by the layer 3 of softer material, namely at the "rear" portion of the plate 2. The "forward" edge 2b of the plate 2 is provided with a slanted camfered portion, especially on the side which faces the user's mouse- operating arm, which could be the left arm or the right arm, depending on the user.

The slanted camfered portion 2b of the plate 2 comprises a main curvature 2c having a radius R1 which is somewhat larger than the thickness T of the plate 2, for example approximately 20 mm, whereas the finishing curvature 2d has a radius of curvature R2 of approximately 3 mm.

The affixing means 4 may comprise a velcro band locking means, a fibre locking means or hook and loop material, possibly sucking discs or similar, or alternatively a magnet list, and any of such affixing means 4 should be appropri- ately be positioned at or along the "rear" bottom portion 2e of the plate 2, as well as possibly a "counter"-holding means 5 to be detachably attached to the working desk or working plate 6 in question, see especially Fig. 5. It is to be understood that the above discussed locking means could also comprise detachable clamping means allowing for attachment of the plate 2 at the rear bottom portion 2e thereof.

As is illustrated in Fig. 5 the combiplate 1 also comprises adjustment means 7 which are adapted to be detachably attached to the bottom side of said combiplate 1 , 2 for allowing angular adjustment thereof in relation to the supporting surface of the working plate 6, said affixing means 4 at the same time being used as hinging means.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 5 the attachment means take the form of a wedge-like means 7 or elongated means having a substantially triangular cross section 7a, said wedge-like means 7 at its central area 7b carrying a further detachable holding means co-operating with a counter-holding means 8 on the bottom surface 2f of the base plate 2.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-5 said further detachable holding means 7b may appropriately comprise velcro locking means, a fibre locking means or hook and loop material or similar, and said corresponding counter-holding means 8 on the bottom surface 2f of the base plate 2 may appropriately be of the same type.

Possibly, such detachable holding means and corresponding counter-holding means could comprise rail-like means for allowing said adjustment means 7 to be displaced forth and back therein or therealong for adjusting the angular slanting α of said base plate 2.

By the above arrangement the supporting plate.1 according t the present invention is adapted for being parked or affixe to a working desk 6 as this is illustrated not only in Fig. 5, but also in Fig. 6, in which latter Figure the supportin plate 1 has been attached to the working desk 6 with a certain overhang beyond the front edge 6a of said working desk 6, and is in this instance constituting an extended support for a keyboard 9 which together with a mouse 10 positioned on said supporting piite 1 , are used as input operating means to a computer terminal, of which a monitor screen 11 is positioned on the same working table 6.

With the arrangement according to the present invention the supporting plate 1, as illustrated in Fig. 6, could be parked in any position, not only in the overhanging position as illustrated therein, but possibly in 180° opposite position when not in use.

In Fig. 7 which is a perspective view of a data terminal table or well, the supporting plate 1 according to the present invention is still located on the same working table 6' as the keyboard 9' , but here with overhang not only beyond the front edge 6a of the working table 6' , but also with overhang beyond the side edge 6b of the same working table 9.

It is to be understood that also in the arrangement illustrated in Fig. , the supporting plate 1 could be turned 180° in opposite position to be parked in a possible out of service position.

It is to be understood that the angular position α of the supporting plate 1 can be adjusted by the operator within the angular range given by the adjustment means 7 in question.

In Fig. 8 there is illustrated an arrangement according to the present invention in which the supporting plate 1 has been given a use position similar to what is illustrated in Fig. 7.

In Fig. 9 there is illustrated a position of a supporting plate 1 according to the present invention in connection with a working table or auxiliary table 12 located adjacent a keyboard supporting plate 6' ' .

Fig. 10 illustrates a solution for parking a supporting plate 1 according to the present invention in connection with a right-angled table solution 13, said supporting plate 1 still being adjustable as regards inclination in relation to the table surface as well as in relation to its skew or straight position in relation to the front edges of the tables involved.

Figures 11, 12 and 13 illustrate embodiments similar to what is illustrated in Fig. 6, in which Fig. 11 illustrates a straight right position, Fig. 12 illustrates a skew right position, whereas Fig. 13 illustrates a skew left position related to the position of the user and the front edge of the table 6.

It is to be understood that the supporting plate 1 is adapted not only for having its angular inclination α adjusted substantially around the central area thereof, especially in 180° opposite positions, but is also adapted for being parked in line with or out of line in relation to any edge portion of a working desk or working plate, and with arbitrary overhang in relation to said edge portions.

Claims

P a t e n t c l a i m s

1. Arrangement in a supporting plate or combiplate (1 ) which preferably is used as an extended keyboard support (6), especially for mouse operations, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the supporting plate or combiplate (1) comprises a base plate (2) which complete¬ ly or partly is covered with a layer (3) for favouring mouse operation, and which comprises means (4) for detachably affixing the base plate (2) to a working desk or a working plate (6) .

2. Arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said layer (3) covers a certain portion of said base plate (2), and that said layer (3) is preferably recessed a short distance (L-| ) below the upper main plane (2a) of said base plate (2).

3. Arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the base plate (2) is made of wood, plastic or similar, and that the layer (3) is relatively soft, as well as smooth and slightly resilient, for example rubber, silicone rubber, plastic or similar, possibly with a fabric woven surface.

4. Arrangement as claimed in any of the claims 1-3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the base plate (2) takes a substantially elongated rectangular flat shape, 3/5 of the plate (2) being covered by a softer material (3) at the "rear" portion of the plate (2), whereas the "forward" edge (2b) is provided with a slanted camfered portion (2c), especially on that side which faces the user's mouse operating arm (left or right arm).

5. Arrangement as claimed in claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that slanted camfered portion (2c) comprises a main curvature having a radius (R1 ) which is somewhat larger than the thickness (T) of the plate (2), for example approximately 22 mm, and that the finishing curvature (2d) has a radius of curvature (R2) of approxi¬ mately 3 mm.

6. Arrangement as claimed ir any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the affixing means (4) comprises velcro band locking means, fibre locking means, hook and loop material or sucking discs or similar, for example magnet list, possibly detachable clamping means, any of which means being positioned preferably at or along the "rear" bottom portion (2e) of the base plate (2), as well as possibly a "counter"-holding means (5) to be detachably attached to the working desk or working plate (6).

7. Arrangement as claimed in any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said combiplate (1 ) further comprises adjustment means (7) which are adapted to be detachably attached to the bottom side (2f) of said base plate (2) for allowing angular adjustment (α) thereof in relation to the supporting surface of a working plate (6), said affixing means (4) at the same time being used as hinging means.

8. Arrangement as claimed in claim 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said adjustment means (7) comprises a wedge-like means or an elongated means having a substantially triangular cross section (7a), and said wedge-like means (7) at its central area carrying a further detachable holding means (7b) co-operating with a counter-holding means (8) on the bottom surface (2f) of the base plate (2) .

9. Arrangement as claimed in claim 8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said further detachable holding means (7b) comprises a velcro locking means, a fibre locking means or similar, and that said corresponding counter-holding means (8) are of the same type, possibly comprising rail-like means for allowing said adjustment means (7) to be displaced forth and back for adjusting the angular slanting ( 't ) of said base plate (2).

10. Arrangement as claimed in claim 9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that said supporting plate (1 ) is adapted for being parked on or affixed to a working desk or working plate (6, 6') in any position, that said supporting plate (1 ) is adapted for being parked in line with or out of line in relation to any edge portion (6a, 6b) of a working desk or working plate (6, 6'), and with arbitrary overhang in relation thereto, especially in 180° opposite positions representing working position and stowed away position, respectively.