Keyboard Device and Keyboard Cover

• US 20090122013A1
• Filed: 10/31/2005
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshihiko Kondo
• Original Assignee: Toshihiko Kondo
• Inventors: Kondo, Toshihiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,384,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0224 Key guide holders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 13/02 Dummy practice keyboard apparatus for teaching music G09B15/08
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/00 Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means medals or badges A44C3/00; making labels B31D1/02; sheets temporarily attached together B42F; labelling B65C; labels on record carriers G11B23/38, G11B23/40; Seals; Postage or like stamps

Abstract

A label having an identifier 41L is applied to the upper left corner of the key top of each character key in a left hand region of a keyboard device. A label having an identifier 41R is applied to the upper right corner of the key top of each character key in a right hand region. The identifier 41L is a mark of a reversed L shape and the identifier 41R is a mark of a mirror image pattern of the identifier 41L. Further, different colors are applied to the identifiers 41L and 41R depending on regions for individual fingers. As a consequence, the identifiers 41L and 41R have a function to visually display information representing which hand is to be used to press a key and information representing which finger is to be used to press the key. The keyboard device enables a user to naturally understand the arrangement of the keys and the use of the fingers.

Claims

1-4. -4. (canceled)

5. A keyboard device comprising a plurality of character keys having identical shapes, each of the character keys including a finger identifier identifying a kind of a finger with which each of the character keys is to be pressed, the finger identifier being a planar mark;

wherein the finger identifier is arranged at a key top of each of the characters keys such that the finger identifier is provided on a left side of a character key among the character keys which is to be pressed by the left hand and on a right side of a character key which is to be pressed by the right hand.

8. The keyboard device according to claim 5, wherein the finger identifier is detachably provided.

13. The keyboard device according to claim 5, wherein the finger identifier is a same mark for the plurality of character keys;

and

the mark is colored differently depending on the kind of the finger with which each of the character keys is to be pressed.

17. The keyboard device according to claim 5, wherein the finger identifier is a pattern having an upturned L-shape or a pattern obtained by inverting the upturned L-shape along a upper left corner portion or a upper right corner portion of each of the character keys, depending on the left or right hand by which each of the character keys is to be pressed, the pattern being colored differently depending on the kind of the finger with which each of the character keys is to be pressed.

6. A keyboard device comprising a plurality of character keys having identical shapes, each of the character keys including a finger identifier identifying a kind of a finger with which each of the character keys is to be pressed;

wherein the finger identifier is provided on each of the characters keys such that the finger identifier is arranged at a left side surface of a character key among the character keys which is to be pressed by the left hand and at a right side surface of a character key which is to be pressed by the right hand.

14. The keyboard device according to claim 6, wherein the finger identifier is constructed of a pattern including a plurality of marks, and the pattern differs for each finger.

15. The keyboard device according to claim 6, wherein the finger identifier is constructed of a pattern including a plurality of marks;

the pattern differs for each finger; and

the finger identifier is provided on each of the characters keys such that the finger identifier provided on a character key among the character keys which is to be pressed by the left hand is mirror symmetric with respect to the finger identifier provided on a character key which is to be pressed by the right hand.

16. The keyboard device according to claim 6, wherein the finger identifier is constructed of a pattern of a single mark or of a plurality of marks;

and

a number of mark differs for each finger.

19. The keyboard device according to claim 6, wherein the finger identifier is detachably provided.

20. The keyboard device according to claim 6, wherein the finger identifier is a same mark for the plurality of character keys;

and

the mark is colored differently depending on the kind of the finger with which each of the character keys is to be pressed.

7. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. A keyboard cover comprising key cover cells which cover a plurality of character keys of a keyboard device respectively, the character keys having identical shapes, each of the key cover cells including a finger identifier identifying a kind of a finger with which each of the character keys is to be pressed, the finger identifier being a planar mark;

wherein the finger identifier is provided on each of the key cover cells such that the finger identifier is provided on a left side of a key cover cell among the key cover cells for a character key among the character keys which is to be pressed by the left hand and on a right side of a key cover cell for a character key which is to be pressed by the right hand.

18. The keyboard cover according to claim 10, wherein the finger identifier is a same mark for the plurality of character keys;

and

the mark is colored differently depending on the kind of the finger with which each of the character keys is to be pressed.

11-12. -12. (canceled)