Number keypad corral

• US 20040022386A1
• Filed: 07/30/2002
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carl Robert Adams
• Original Assignee: Carl Robert Adams
• Inventors: Adams, John Elias
• Granted Patent: US 6,947,545 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/433.07
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2476 for a visually impaired user illuminating or arrangements for improving visibility of characters on dials H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72481 for visually impaired users

Abstract

A raised corral fence which surrounds a telephone number keypad using its sides with undercut openings and its corners to guide the fingers of the visually impaired to the desired number key.

Claims

1. ) A corral indicator system around the keypad number buttons of a touch tone telephone to direct by touch a visually handicapped person to the desired key.

2. ) A raised boundary fence or corral around the number buttons of a keypad, to define the exact button to the visually impaired person by sense of touch, guided by the corral'"'"'s corners and undercut openings in the corral'"'"'s sides of different widths.

3. ) The corral of claim 2 which has the narrowest opening in said corral at the 12 o'"'"'clock position, wider openings both the same at the 9 o'"'"'clock and the 3 o'"'"'clock position, and the widest at the 6 o'"'"'clock position, giving an opening to the zero key.

4. ) The corral of claim 2 in which said corral is square, surrounding nine number buttons of a number keypad, defining by its shape and undercuts the precise position of the dialing fingers of the visually impaired.

5. ) The corral of claim 2 which uses a membrane type number keypad switch with a raised perimeter corral boarder to direct the visually impaired by touch without the use of brail marked buttons.

6. ) A number keypad mounted in multi levels, such that the inner perimeter of the higher level surface forms a boundary corral around the number keypad on the lower level, while the shape of said higher level corral has brakes or openings to define position by touch to the visually impaired person.