WO2001025021A1

WO2001025021A1 - A support device for a keyboard and a keyboard device

Info

Publication number: WO2001025021A1
Application number: PCT/SE2000/001888
Authority: WO
Inventors: Amir Sooratgar
Original assignee: Amir Sooratgar
Priority date: 1999-10-01
Filing date: 2000-09-29
Publication date: 2001-04-12
Also published as: SE514484C2; SE9903539D0; SE9903539L

Abstract

A support device (1) for a keyboard (2) for attaining an ergonomically advantageous working position for an operator of the keyboard. The support device (1) comprises a means (4) for holding the keyboard in such an inclined position that its back edge, which faces the operator, is located at a higher level than its front edge, and a member (9) for supporting the hands/wrists of the operator. The support member (9) is arranged in such a manner at the back edge of the keyboard that a surface of the support member intended for being in contact with the hands/wrists is positioned at a higher level than the keys of the keyboard when the keyboard is arranged in said inclined position. The support device comprises also mean (7) for holding a back edge (5) of the keyboard at a distance in the vertical direction from a support surface for the keyboard and said distance holding means is intended to rest on the support surface.

Description

A support device for a keyboard and a keyboard device

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART

The present invention concerns a support device for a keyboard for attaining an ergonomically advantageous working position for an operator of the keyboard, which device comprises means for holding the keyboard in such an inclined position that its back edge, which faces the operator, is located at a higher level than its front edge, and a member for supporting the hands/wrists of the operator, which member is arranged in such a manner at the back edge of the keyboard that a surface of the support member intended for being in contact with the hands/wrists is positioned at a higher level than the keys of the keyboard when the keyboard is arranged in said inclined position. by pressing down keys of the keyboard.

In conventional keyboards, the keys project out from openings in an essentially plane upper surface of the casing of the keyboard. This surface is usually tilted towards the operator when the keyboard is positioned on a table. In order to be able to work at such a keyboard it is necessary for the operator to incline the wrists upwards by a plurality of degrees, such that his palms face the upper surface of the keyboard. The operator must also hold up the weight of the forearms, which put a load on the arms. This is an unnatural positioning, which after a longer time of repetitive movements of fingers, hands and arms at the use of the keyboard may cause irritations in muscles, tendons, joints etc, which in its turn may lead to injuries caused by wear.

Attempts have been made to reduce the above-mentioned problems with irritations and injuries caused by wear of the operator. In the document WO 92/13722 a device for positioning a keyboard with a desired angle relative to a table surface is described. The position- ing device allows adjustment of the keyboard such that it is inclined downwards from the operator side of the keyboard and forwards by a desired angle. The device comprises also a support member for the hands/wrists at the operator side of the keyboard. The device also comprises a rack that connects the keyboard to the table. The rack is fixed by screws under the table. The keyboard rests in a frame of the rack. A disadvantage with this device is that a rela- tively difficult assembly is necessary for fastening the rack under the table. A further disadvantage is that the operator when using the keyboard will be located at a longer distance from the edge of the table than if the keyboard had been positioned on the table. This has as a consequence that it is more difficult for the operator to handle materials, write on documents etc. that are positioned on the table.

The present invention concerns also a keyboard device for attaining an ergonomically advantageous working position for an operator of a keyboard forming part of the device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A purpose with the invention is to achieve a device that eliminates or at least reduces the above-mentioned injury problems for an operator of the keyboard and that leads to a simpler use compared to the prior art.

This purpose is achieved in that the device comprises means for holding the back edge of the keyboard at a distance in the vertical direction from a support surface for the keyboard and said distance holding means is intended to rest on the support surface. Owing to this, the keyboard with the support device connected to the same may be positioned at a desired position on a table. Thanks to the fact that said distance holding means is intended to rest on the support surface, it is also possible to move the keyboard with the support device as desired on the table. The keyboard is suitably arranged such that its front edge abuts the table surface. Thanks to the fact that the keyboard and the support member are positioned onto the support surface, the operator may be located close to the edge of the table and thereby conditions are created such that he simply and comfortably may reach other surfaces on the table around the keyboard without having to stretch out.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said distance holding means comprises means for adjusting the distance between the back edge of the keyboard and the support surface. By this feature, the operator may arrange the keyboard with a desired inclination.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the device comprises means for adjusting the distance between said contact surface of the support member and the keys of the keyboard. By this feature, the operator may, according to the size of the hands, length of the fingers etc, position the support member at a suitable dis- tance from the keys.

According to another embodiment of the invention, said support member comprises at least one support element, which includes said contact surface, and an elongated carrying element, along which the support element is displaceably arranged. Though this feature, the operator does not need to lift a hand from the support member when he wants to move the hand along the support member.

Further preferred embodiments and advantages of the support device and the keyboard device appear from the following description and claims.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Below follows a detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, given as examples, with reference to the annexed drawings.

Fig. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the support device according to the invention applied to a conventional keyboard in a perspective view. Fig. 2 shows the support device according to Fig. 1. Parts of the support device are furthermore shown in an exploded view.

Fig. 3 illustrates a first preferred embodiment of the keyboard device in a perspective view.

Fig. 4 shows the keyboard device according to Fig. 3 in a side view.

Fig. 5 illustrates a second preferred embodiment of the keyboard device in a side view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Fig. 1 illustrates a support device 1 connected to a keyboard 2 with the purpose of attaining an ergonomically advantageous working position for an operator of the keyboard. The support device comprises means 3 for connecting the support device to the keyboard. The connecting means 3 will be explained in more detail in connection with Fig. 2. This support device further comprises means 4 for holding the keyboard 2 in such an inclined position that its back edge 5, which faces the operator, is located at a higher level than its front edge 6. Furthermore, the support device comprises means 7 for holding the back edge 5 of the keyboard 2 at a distance in the vertical direction from a support surface for the keyboard. Said distance holding means 7 constitutes here two legs 8, which extend from the keyboard 2 to the support surface. The legs 8 are intended to rest on the support surface. Also the front edge 6 of the keyboard is intended to rest on the support surface. In the embodiment of the support device shown in Fig. 1 , also said means 4 for holding the keyboard in an inclined position is formed by the legs 8.

The support device 1 comprises a member 9 for supporting the hands/wrists of the operator, which member is arranged in such a manner at the back edge 5 of the keyboard that a surface of the support member intended for being in contact with the hands/wrists is positioned at a higher level than the keys of the keyboard 2. The support device comprises two arms 10, which hold the support member 9 at a distance from the keyboard 2. The arms 10 are arranged on each side of the keyboard 2 in its cross-wise direction and the support member 9 extends between the arms. The support member 9 comprises a support element 11 and an elongated carrying element 12, along which the support element 1 1 is displace- ably arranged. One of the hands of the operator is intended to be positioned to rest on an upper surface of the support element 11. Because of the fact that the support element is displaceably arranged along the carrying element 12, an operator does not need to lift the hand from the support element 1 1 when he wants to move the hand in the cross-wise direction of the keyboard 2. The carrying element 12 has a slit 13 extending in its longitudinal direction, in which slit a protruding portion of the support element 1 1 is received. Through this feature the displacement of the support element 1 1 is simplified. The surfaces of the support element 1 1 and the carrying element 12 facing each other are shaped relative to each other for movement of the support element 1 1 with a low friction relative to the carrying element 12.

In Fig. 2 only the support device 1 is shown. The connecting means 3 are formed for a deformation free connection of the support device 1 to the keyboard 2. By this feature no deformation of the keyboard is necessary for achieving the connection. Conditions are thereby created for a simple and quick assembly. Furthermore, the connecting means 3 are preferable formed to allow the disconnec- tion of the support device 1 from the keyboard 2. When a keyboard for some reason has to be exchanged, the support device 1 may thereby be disconnected from the keyboard and applied to a new keyboard.

The connecting means 3 comprises a self-adhering surface 14 intended to be brought into contact with a lower side of the keyboard. A releasable protective layer is suitably arranged to cover the self- adhering surface 14 before the support device is applied to the keyboard. It is of course within the scope of the claims of the invention to form said connecting means in several different manners. One example that may be mentioned is that the connecting means in- stead are formed by clamping means, with which it is possible to brace the support device to the keyboard. Suitably a pressure is applied with the clamping means onto the keyboard from opposite directions in its cross-wise direction.

Said distance holding means 7 comprises means 15 for adjusting the distance between the back edge of the keyboard and the support surface. The adjusting means are arranged for adjusting said legs 8 into at least two different angles relative to the keyboard by pivoting the leg about an axis. In the embodiment of the adjusting means shown in Fig. 2, these means comprise elements 16 for stepwise adjustment of the respective leg 8. By this feature both legs 8 may easily be adjusted to have the same inclination in relation to the keyboard. The adjusting elements 16 constitute two structures, facing each other, of protrusions and depressions, wherein a first structure is arranged on the leg 8 and a second structure is arranged on another part of the support device. The two structures are formed with relative to each other complementary protrusions and depressions. Through these features, the surfaces may be brought to engage each other in a plurality of different posi- tions. The structures have a ring-shape around the axis of rotation for the leg 8. The structures have more precisely a configuration of ridges and valleys, which extend radially from the axis of rotation.

The support device 1 also comprises means 17 for adjusting the level of the support member 9 in relation to the keys of the keyboard. The adjusting means 17 comprise in the same manner as the adjusting means 15 adjusting elements 18 in the form of a structure of protrusions and depressions, which structure extends around the axis of rotation of the arm 10. The arm 10 and a part 3 of the sup- port device located inside of the arm are provided with said structures on the surfaces that face each other. In the embodiment of the support device shown in Fig. 2, the leg 8 and the arm 10 are pivo- table around one and the same axis. This should however only be seen as a preferred example. The leg 8, the arm 10 and the inner part 3 of the support device are provided with a hole that extends through the centre of the ring-shaped structures. Said adjusting means 15, 17 comprise also a screw 19, which extends through said hole. The inner part 3 is provided with a threaded hole intended to receive the threaded portion of the screw 19. In a screwed position the screw locks the leg 8 relative to the arm 10 and the arm 10 relative to the inner part 3. When the screw is un- screwed, the position of the leg 8 in relation to the arm 10 and the position of the arm 10 in relation to the inner part 3 may be adjusted.

The support device comprises means 20 for adjusting the distance between said contact surface of the support element 1 1 and the keys of the keyboard. The elongated carrying element 12 is movable between at least two different positions in relation to the arms 10. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the support element 12 is arranged to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the arm 10 between a plurality of different positions. One of the arm 10 and the carrying element 12 has a male member and the other of the arm 10 and the carrying element 12 has female members, which are intended to be brought into engagement with each other for holding the carrying element 12 in a specific position. The arm 10 for this purpose has a pin 21 projecting in the direction towards the carrying element 12. The carrying element 12 in its turn has a plurality of seats 22, each of which is intended to receive the pin 21 with the purpose of arranging the carrying element 12 in a specific position. Each of said seats 22 has a concave surface for this purpose. The arm 10 is also provided with a groove 23, which is intended to receive a pin 24 projecting from the carrying member towards the arm 10.

The carrying element 12 has a recess 25 facing the keyboard for facilitating the hand movements of the operator. The recess 25 is positioned in such a position along the carrying element that the operator in a simple manner reaches the space bar 26 of the keyboard 2, see Fig. 1 , with at least one of the thumbs.

The support element 1 1 shown in Fig. 1 and 2 is intended to sup- port the right hand of the operator. It is of course within the claims according to the invention that the support member 9 may comprise a further support element for supporting the left hand of the operator.

The support device 1 shown in Fig. 1 and 2 is suitably applied to a conventionally shaped keyboard.

In Fig. 3 a first embodiment of a keyboard device 26 is shown. The keyboard device comprises a keyboard 27, which is specifically shaped in order for an operator to be able to use the keyboard in an ergonomically advantageous working position. The keyboard 27 is for this purpose at a back part thereof provided with two connecting members 28 in the form of portions projecting downwards from the keyboard 27. At these projecting portions, said legs 8 as well as arms 10 are pivotably connected. Said connecting member 28 is preferable produced in one piece with the body of the keyboard 27. With body is here meant the casing, from which the keys project. It is of course also possible to provide the body with connecting members in the form of recesses. In general, the reference signs in Fig. 3 concern the same parts as the corresponding reference signs in Fig. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 4 a side view of the keyboard device is shown. Here also a hand 29 is illustrated in a for the use of the keyboard intended posi- tion resting against the support member 9.

In Fig. 5 a second embodiment of the keyboard device 30 is shown in a side view. The second embodiment of the keyboard device 30 differs from the device shown in Fig. 3 and 4 in that said distance holding means 7 is formed in one piece with the body of the keyboard. Through this feature conditions for a cost-effective production of the keyboard are created. Furthermore, the keys 31 are ar- ranged tilted in relation to the upper surface 32 of the keyboard. The keys are preferably arranged in such a manner in the keyboard that they extend essentially vertically when the keyboard is arranged in its intended, inclined position on the support surface. The keys are preferably arranged in such a manner that an upper surface 33 of the keys is essentially parallel to the horizontal plane. It is of course within the scope of the claims of the invention that the upper surface of the keys is somewhat inclined towards the operator. With the upper surface of the keyboard is meant the surface through which the keys project. With the upper surface of the keys is here meant the surface, which is intended to be affected by the fingers of the operator at the depression of the key.

By said inclination of the keys, a working position for an operator that is advantageous from an ergonomic point of view is achieved. The pressing of the keys may in fact be done in essentially vertical direction. Furthermore, the visual control of the operator of the signs on the keys is improved.

It is stressed that the above discussed embodiments illustrated on the drawings should only be considered as examples. The invention may thus be carried out in other ways while maintaining the basic concept of the invention. In particular it should be noted that persons skilled in the art, after having obtained knowledge of the solu- tion according to the invention, of course are capable to carry out different modifications of the exemplified embodiments without leaving the scope of the patent protection.

For example, said holding means 4 may comprise a frame, in which the keyboard is positioned. No means for a permanent connection between the support device and the keyboard is in this case necessary.

Claims

1. A support device for a keyboard (2) for attaining an ergonomi- cally advantageous working position for an operator of the keyboard, which device comprises means (4) for holding the keyboard (2) in such an inclined position that its back edge (5), which faces the operator, is located at a higher level than its front edge (6), and a member (9) for supporting the hands/wrists of the operator, which member is arranged in such a manner at the back edge of the keyboard that a surface of the support member (9) intended for being in contact with the hands/wrists is positioned at a higher level than the keys of the keyboard when the keyboard is arranged in said inclined position, characterised in that the device comprises means (7) for holding the back edge (5) of the keyboard (2) at a distance in the vertical direction from a support surface for the keyboard and that said distance holding means is intended to rest on the support surface.

2. A device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the device comprises means (3) for connecting the device to the keyboard.

3. A device according to claim 2, characterised in that the con- - necting means (3) is designed for deformation free connection of the device to the keyboard.

4. A keyboard device, for attaining an ergonomically advantageous working position for an operator of a keyboard (27) forming part of the device, which device comprises means (4) for holding the keyboard in such an inclined position that its back edge (5), which faces the operator, is located at a higher level than its front edge (6), and a member (9) for supporting the hands/wrists of the operator, which member is arranged in such a manner at the back edge of the keyboard that a surface of the support member (9) in- tended for being in contact with the hands/wrists is positioned at a higher level than the keys of the keyboard, characterised in that the device comprises means (7) for holding the back edge (5) of the 1 1

keyboard (2) at a distance in the vertical direction from a support surface for the keyboard, and that said distance holding means (7) is intended to rest on the support surface.

5. A device according to claim 4, characterised in that said distance holding means (7) is formed in one piece with a body of the keyboard.

6. A device according to claim 4, characterised in that the key- board at a back portion thereof has at least one connecting member

(28), with which said distance holding means (7) is connected.

7. A device according to any one of the claims 4-6, characterised in that the keyboard at a back portion thereof has at least one con- necting member (28), with which said support member (9) is connected.

8. A device according to any one of the claims 4-7, characterised In that the keys of the keyboard are arranged inclined relative to an upper surface of the keyboard in such a manner that the upper surface of the keys form a, relative to the upper surface of the keyboard, smaller angle to the horizontal plane.

9. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, char- acterised in that said distance holding means (7) comprises at least one leg (8), which extends essentially from the keyboard (2, 27) to the support surface.

10. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, char- acterised in that said distance holding means (7) comprises means

(15) for adjusting the distance between the back edge (5) of the keyboard (2, 27) and the support surface.

11. A device according to claim 9 and 10, characterised in that said adjusting means (15) are arranged for adjusting said leg into at least two different angles relative to the keyboard (2, 27) by pivoting the leg about an axis.

12. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the device comprises means (20) for adjusting the distance between said contact surface of the support member (9) and the keys of the keyboard (2, 27).

13. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the device comprises at least one arm (10), which extends from the support member (9) and essentially to the key- board (2, 27).

14. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the device comprises means (17) for adjusting the level of the support member (9) relative to the keys of the keyboard (2, 27) when the keyboard is positioned on the support surface.

15. A device according to claims 13 and 14, characterised in that the means (17) adjusting the level of the support member (9) is arranged for adjusting said arm (10) into at least two different angles relative to the keyboard by pivoting the arm about an axis.

16. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said support member (9) comprises at least one support element (11 ), which includes said contact surface, and an elongated carrying element (12), along which the support element (11 ) is displaceably arranged.

17. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the support member (9) has a recess (25) facing the keyboard (2, 27) for facilitating the hand movements of the operator.

18. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the support member (9) has a length that is essen- tially the same as the extension of the keyboard (2, 27) in its crosswise direction.