Wrist rest assembly

A wrist rest assembly comprising:

• a stable elastomeric block polymer gel layer, the gel layer being elongated longitudinally and having opposite longitudinally extending edges, opposite longitudinally spaced ends, a top surface for supporting a user's wrists, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and a thickness between the top surface and the bottom surface, the gel layer extending between ends for a gel length and between edges for a gel width;
• a rigid base having a generally flat support surface extending the gel length and the gel width for supporting the gel layer, the base having longitudinally extending edge supports projecting upwardly from the support surface to a common height along the entire extent of each edge support, the edge supports extending adjacent the edges of the gel layer;
• a support layer extending between the bottom surface of the gel layer and the support surface of the base;
• a flexible cover layer extending over the gel layer and secured to the support layer, with the cover layer and support layer sealed together adjacent the ends of the gel layer;
• and
• an outer layer secured to the support layer to flexibly cover the top surface of the gel layer,
• wherein the top surface of the gel layer and the cover layer thereon extend above the height of the edge supports, and the gel layer has a sufficient thickness between the top and bottom surfaces thereof and a sufficient width between the edges thereof to have a portion of the gel layer beneath and conforming to the wrists supported on the top surface thereof and to afford significant motion of the top surface of the gel layer with the supported wrists relative to the bottom surface of the gel layer in a horizontal plane, and wherein such motion allows the user's wrists to move in any direction in a generally circular area having a diameter of at least one-half inch.

A wrist rest assembly comprising:

• a stable elastomeric block polymer gel layer, the gel layer being elongated longitudinally and having opposite longitudinally extending edges, opposite longitudinally spaced ends, a top surface for supporting a user's wrists, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and a thickness between the top surface and the bottom surface, the gel layer extending between ends for a gel length and between edges for a gel width;
• a rigid base having a generally flat support surface extending the gel length and the gel width for supporting the gel layer, the base having longitudinally extending edge supports projecting upwardly from the support surface to a common height along the entire extent of each edge support, the edge supports extending adjacent the edges of the gel layer, and the base having a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion including the support surface and edge supports thereon, and further comprising:
• a pair of longitudinally extending rails on the top portion;
• and
• a pair of upwardly projecting support portions on the bottom portion, the upwardly projecting support portions having a plurality of vertically spaced sets of grooves thereon, and each set of grooves being adapted to slidably receive the rails therein;
• a support layer extending between the bottom surface of the gel layer and the support surface of the base;
• and
• a flexible cover layer extending over the gel layer and secured to the support layer, with the cover layer and support layer sealed together adjacent the ends of the gel layer;
• wherein the top surface of the gel layer and the cover layer thereon extend above the height of the edge supports, and the gel layer has a sufficient thickness between the top and bottom surfaces thereof and a sufficient width between the edges thereof to have a portion of the gel layer beneath and conforming to the wrists supported on the top surface thereof and to afford significant motion of the top surface of the gel layer with the supported wrists relative to the bottom surface of the gel layer in a horizontal plane, and wherein such motion allows the user's wrists to move in any direction in a generally circular area having a diameter of at least one-half inch.

A wrist rest assembly comprising:

• an elastomeric polymer gel layer, the gel layer being elongated longitudinally and having longitudinally extending edges, a top surface for supporting a user's wrists, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, and a thickness between the top surface and the bottom surface, the gel layer extending between the edges for a gel width;
• a base having a generally flat support surface for supporting the gel layer along the bottom surface thereof, and the base having a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion including the support surface, and the base further comprises:
• a pair of longitudinally extending rails on the top portion;
• and
• a pair of upwardly projecting support portions on the bottom portion, the upwardly projecting support portions having a plurality of vertically spaced sets of grooves thereon, and each set of grooves being adapted to slidably receive the rails therein;
• a support layer extending between the bottom surface of the gel layer and the support surface of the base;
• and
• a flexible cover layer extending over the gel layer and secured to the support layer to retain the gel layer therein,
• wherein the gel layer has a sufficient thickness between the top and bottom surfaces thereof and a sufficient width between the edges thereof to have a portion of the gel layer beneath and conforming to the user's wrist supported on the top surface thereof and to afford motion of the top surface of the gel layer with the user's supported wrist relative to the bottom surface of the gel layer in a plane generally parallel to the support surface, and wherein such motion allows the user's supported wrist to move in any direction in a generally circular area having a diameter of at least one half inch.

A wrist rest comprising:

• a non-liquid elastomeric polymer gel layer, the gel layer being elongated longitudinally and having opposed, spaced apart side edges to define a gel layer width therebetween, a top surface for supporting a user's wrist, and a bottom surface spaced from the top surface to define a gel layer thickness therebetween, wherein the width and thickness of the gel layer are sufficient to have a portion of the gel layer beneath and conforming to the user's wrist supported on the top surface thereof and to afford motion of the top surface of the gel layer with the user's supported wrist relative to the bottom surface of the gel layer in a plane generally parallel to the support surface, and wherein such motion allows the user's supported wrist to move in any direction in a generally circular area having a diameter of at least one-half inch;
• and
• a base for supporting the gel layer along the bottom surface thereof, the base having a top portion and a bottom portion, and further comprising:
• a generally flat support surface on the top portion of the base for supporting the gel layer along the bottom surface of the gel layer;
• a pair of longitudinally extending rails on the top portion;
• and
• a pair of upwardly projecting support portions on the bottom portion, the upwardly projecting support portions having a plurality of vertically spaced sets of grooves thereon, and each set of grooves being adapted to slidably receive the rails therein.

A wrist rest assembly comprising:

• a pad assembly having an upper portion and a lower portion,
• the upper portion including a non-liquid elastomeric polymer gel layer, the gel layer being elongated longitudinally and having longitudinally extending side edges, laterally extending end edges, a top surface for supporting a user's wrist and a bottom surface, the gel layer extending between the longitudinal edges for a gel width, extending between the lateral edges for a gel length, and having a sufficient thickness between its top and bottom surfaces and a sufficient gel width to have a portion of the gel layer beneath and conforming to the user's wrist supported on the top surface thereof, and the gel layer affording motion of the top surface of the gel layer with the user's supported wrist relative to the bottom surface of the gel layer in a plane generally parallel to the bottom surface, wherein such motion allows the user's supported wrist to move in any direction in a generally circular area having a diameter of at least one-half inch, and
• the lower portion having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of the lower portion supporting the bottom surface of the gel layer and the bottom surface of the lower portion being the bottom surface of the pad assembly, the lower portion having a width and a length generally conforming with the gel width and the gel length, respectively, the lower portion of the pad assembly being less compressible than the upper portion thereof, and the lower portion having edge sections extending along the bottom surface thereof laterally beyond the longitudinally extending side edges of the gel layer;
• and
• a base having a generally flat support surface for supporting the pad assembly along the bottom surface of the lower portion thereof and longitudinally extending edge supports projecting upwardly from the support surface to a common height along and above the entire extent of each edge section of the lower portion of the pad assembly.

In a wrist rest assembly of the type having an elongated resilient pad which has a cover thereon and which is supported by and separable from an elongated pad mounting structure, the improvement which comprises:

• the resilient pad having an upper pad portion and a lower pad support portion,
• the upper pad portion including a non-liquid elastomeric polymer gel layer, the gel layer being elongated longitudinally and having longitudinally extending side edges and laterally extending end edges, a top surface for supporting a user's wrist and a bottom surface, the gel layer extending between the longitudinal edges to define a gel width, extending between the lateral edges to define a gel length, and having a sufficient thickness between its top and bottom surfaces and a sufficient gel width to have a portion of the gel layer beneath and conforming to the user's wrist supported on the top surface thereof, and the gel layer affording motion of the top surface of the gel layer with the user's supported wrist relative to the bottom surface of the gel layer in a plane generally parallel to the bottom surface, wherein such motion allows the user's supported wrist to move in any direction in a generally circular area having a diameter of at least onehalf inch, and
• the lower pad support portion having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of the lower pad support portion supporting the bottom surface of the gel layer and the bottom surface of the lower pad support portion being the bottom surface of the resilient pad, the lower pad support portion having a width and a length generally conforming with the gel width and the gel length, respectively, and the lower pad support portion having edge sections extending laterally beyond the longitudinally extending side edges of the gel layer;
• and
• the elongated pad mounting structure having a support surface for supporting the resilient pad along the bottom surface of the lower pad support portion thereof and longitudinally extending edge supports projecting upwardly from the support surface to a common height along and higher than the entire extent of each edge section of the lower pad support portion of the resilient pad, and the elongated pad mounting structure being in engagement with only the lower pad support portion of the resilient pad.

In a wrist rest assembly of the type having an elongated resilient pad which has a cover thereon and which is supported by and separable from an elongated pad mounting structure, the improvement which comprises:

• the resilient pad having an upper pad portion and a lower pad support portion,
• the upper pad portion including a non-liquid elastomeric polymer gel layer, the gel layer being elongated longitudinally and having longitudinally extending side edges and laterally extending end edges, a top surface for supporting a user's wrist and a bottom surface, the gel layer extending between the longitudinal edges to define a gel width, extending between the lateral edges to define a gel length, and having a sufficient thickness between its top and bottom surfaces and a sufficient gel width to have a portion of the gel layer beneath and conforming to the user's wrist supported on the top surface thereof, and the gel layer affording motion of the top surface of the gel layer with the user's supported wrist relative to the bottom surface of the gel layer in a plane generally parallel to the bottom surface, wherein such motion allows the user's supported wrist to move in any direction in a generally circular area having a diameter of at least one-half inch, and
• the lower pad support portion having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of the lower pad support portion supporting the bottom surface of the gel layer and the bottom surface of the lower pad support portion being the bottom surface of the resilient pad, the lower pad support portion having a width and a length generally conforming with the gel width and the gel length, respectively, and the lower pad support portion having edge sections extending laterally beyond the longitudinally extending side edges of the gel layer;
• and
• the elongated pad mounting structure having a support surface for supporting the resilient pad along the bottom surface of the lower pad support portion thereof, longitudinally extending edge supports projecting upwardly from the support surface to a common height along and higher than the entire extent of each edge section of the lower pad support portion of the resilient pad, and laterally extending ends aligned to extend above the support surface adjacent the end edges of the upper pad portion, with each end having no portion thereof extending over any part of the upper pad portion of the resilient pad and the cover thereon, and the elongated pad mounting structure being in engagement with only the lower pad support portion of the resilient pad.

In a wrist rest of the type having an elongated resilient pad, wherein the resilient pad includes a layer of cushioning material with a cover thereover, and wherein the resilient pad is placed on a horizontal surface adjacent an input device to be operated by a person's hand or fingers, the improvement which comprises:

• the resilient pad having an upper pad portion and a lower pad support portion,
• the upper pad portion including the cover and the cushioning material is defined as a non-liquid elastomeric polymer gel layer, the gel layer being elongated longitudinally and having longitudinally extending side edges and laterally extending end edges, a top surface for supporting the cover which engages a user's wrist and a bottom surface, the gel layer extending between the longitudinal edges to define a gel width, extending between the lateral edges to define a gel length, and having a sufficient thickness between its top and bottom surfaces and a sufficient gel width to have a portion of the gel layer beneath and conforming to the user's wrist supported by the cover on the top surface thereof, and the gel layer affording motion of the top, surface of the gel layer with the user's supported wrist relative to the bottom surface of the gel layer in a plane generally parallel to the bottom surface, wherein such motion allows the user's supported wrist to move in any direction in a generally circular area having a diameter of at least one-half inch, and
• the lower pad support portion having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of the lower pad support portion supporting the bottom surface of the gel layer and the bottom surface of the lower pad support portion being the bottom surface of the resilient pad, the lower pad support portion having a width and a length generally conforming with the gel width and the gel length, respectively, and the lower pad support portion having edge sections extending laterally beyond the longitudinally extending side edges of the gel layer.

In a wrist rest of the type having an elongated resilient pad, wherein the resilient pad includes a layer of cushioning material with a cover thereover, and wherein the resilient pad is placed on a horizontal surface adjacent an input device to be operated by a person's hand or fingers, the improvement which comprises:

• the resilient pad having an upper pad portion and a lower pad support portion,
• the upper pad portion including the cover and the cushioning material is defined as a non-liquid elastomeric polymer gel layer, the gel layer being elongated longitudinally and having longitudinally extending side edges and laterally extending end edges, a top surface for supporting the cover which engages a user's wrist and a bottom surface, the gel layer extending between the longitudinal edges to define a gel width, extending between the lateral edges to define a gel length, and having a sufficient thickness between its top and bottom surfaces and a sufficient gel width to have a portion of the gel layer beneath and conforming to the user's wrist supported by the cover on the top surface thereof, and the gel layer affording motion of the top surface of the gel layer with the user's supported wrist relative to the bottom surface of the gel layer in a plane generally parallel to the bottom surface, wherein such motion allows the user's supported wrist to move in any direction in a generally circular area having a diameter of at least one-half inch, and
• the lower pad support portion having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of the lower pad support portion supporting the bottom surface of the gel layer and the bottom surface of the lower pad support portion being the bottom surface of the resilient pad, the lower pad support portion having a width and a length generally conforming with the gel width and the gel length, respectively, the lower pad support portion of the resilient pad being less compressible than the upper pad portion thereof, and the lower pad support portion having edge sections extending laterally beyond the longitudinally extending side edges of the gel layer.