US 6,189,849 · Granted 2001-02-20
The Monitor Lift That Revolutionized Space-Saving Desk Design
Imagine a desk setup where your monitor and keyboard can rise up from inside a cabinet and lock into place when you need them, then disappear back down when you're done. This patent covers the mechanical lift system that makes that magic happen—gears, hinges, and linkages working together so your entire workstation takes up almost zero space when it's tucked away.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a vertical lift assembly where a flat panel monitor and keyboard tray are mounted together and can be raised or lowered using a linkage system that keeps everything aligned and stable. What's protected here is the specific mechanical arrangement—how the transport assembly moves vertically, how the monitor and keyboard stay connected during that movement, and how the linkage system prevents wobbling or misalignment. Anyone making an unauthorized motorized or manual lift that combines a monitor and keyboard tray in this low-profile, vertically-sliding configuration would infringe.
Why it matters
This patent matters because it solved a real workplace problem: offices and medical facilities often have cramped spaces where a traditional desk setup is impossible. By allowing a monitor and keyboard to rise from storage, the design lets people work in tight hallways, small rooms, or shared spaces without sacrificing desk real estate when not in use. Ergotron became a leader in ergonomic workspace solutions partly by owning this category of height-adjustable, space-efficient display technology.
Real-world use
A nurse's station in a hospital corridor where the computer monitor and keyboard pop up from a wall-mounted cabinet when needed, then retract to keep the hallway clear for emergency equipment and patient movement.
Original USPTO abstract
Low side profile flat panel monitor/keyboard lift system for the storage of and the display of a flat panel monitor and keyboard in space restricted rooms or passageways. The flat panel monitor and keyboard tray are mounted in common to a vertically aligned transport assembly which is influenced by a linkage assembly.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 6,189,849
- Filing date
- 1998-05-06
- Grant date
- 2001-02-20
- Assignee
- Ergotron, Inc.
- Inventor(s)
- SWEERE HARRY C., SHOWALTER MATTHEW J.
- CPC class
- F16M11/30
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