Ergonomic keyboard

• US 20020044413A1
• Filed: 10/11/2001
• Published: 04/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Acer, Inc., Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Acer, Inc., Wistron Corporation
• Inventors: Chu-Chia, Tsai
• Application Number:
  US09/973,910
• Publication Number:
  US 20020044413A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1664 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of the integrated keyboard

Abstract

An ergonomic keyboard includes a base and a plurality of keys that is further arranged into a plurality of adjacent key rows. The key rows having letter keys and numeral keys are equal-spaced arranged on the base to form adjacent concentric arcs with a concentric center located opposing to a user side of the keyboard. Further, the letter keys and the numeral keys are identically shaped and are evenly arranged into the adjacent key rows.

Claims

1. An ergonomic keyboard, comprising:

a base; and

a plurality of keys, located evenly on the base about a center line of the base and further arranged to form a plurality of arc key rows having a concentric center lying at the center line.

2. The ergonomic keyboard according to claim 1, wherein said keys are further arranged on said base in accordance with a “

QWERTY”

standard keyboard arrangement.

3. The ergonomic keyboard according to claim 1, wherein said concentric center is located at a side opposing to a user of said keyboard.

4. The ergonomic keyboard according to claim 1, wherein said arc key rows are equal-spaced arranged.

5. The ergonomic keyboard according to claim 1, wherein said base further includes a plurality of non-standard function keys located at an upper edge thereof.

6. The ergonomic keyboard according to claim 5, wherein said non-standard function key is used to macro a plurality of serial typing operations for reducing the typing of said keys.

7. The ergonomic keyboard according to claim 1 further includes a pair of fasteners for fixing said keyboard to a computer unit.

8. A notebook computer, comprising:

a host unit for storage and for processing digital data;

a display unit for displaying said digital data; and

an ergonomic keyboard, fixed on the host unit, further comprising;

a base; and

a plurality of keys, located evenly on the base about a center line of the base and further arranged to form a plurality of arc key rows having a concentric center lying at the center line.

9. The notebook computer according to claim 8, wherein said keys are further arranged on said base in accordance with a “

QWERTY”

standard keyboard arrangement.

10. The notebook computer according to claim 8, wherein said concentric center is located at a side opposing to a user of said keyboard.

11. The notebook computer according to claim 8, wherein said arc key rows are equal-spaced arranged.

12. The notebook computer according to claim 8, wherein said arc key rows include letter keys and numeral keys and each of the letter keys and the numeral keys has a size 0.85-0.98 times of a key of a keyboard for a desktop computer.

13. The notebook computer according to claim 8, wherein said arc key rows include standard function keys and each of the standard function keys has a size 0.6-0.8 times of a key of a keyboard for a desktop computer.

14. The notebook computer according to claim 8, wherein said base further includes a plurality of non-standard function keys located at an upper edge thereof.

15. The notebook computer according to claim 14, wherein said non-standard function key is used to macro a plurality of serial typing operations for reducing the typing of said keys.

16. The notebook computer according to claim 8, wherein said ergonomic keyboard further includes a pair of fasteners for fixing said keyboard to said computer unit.