Keyboard arrangement

• US 4,244,659 A
• Filed: 05/31/1978
• Issued: 01/13/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lillian G. Malt
• Original Assignee: Lillian G. Malt
• Inventors: Malt, Lillian G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wright, Jr., Ernest T.
• Application Number:
  US05/911,251
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 400/472, 400/482, 400/486, 400/487, 400/488, 400/489
• US Class Current: 400/486
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 5/10 Arrangements of keyboards , e.g. key button disposition

Abstract

A typewriter keyboard arranged to take into account the frequency of occurrence of letters so that the keys for the most frequently occurring letters are positioned for easiest operation by the typist. Account is also taken of the frequency of occurrence of consecutive letters so that one finger or thumb will not have to operate different keys in rapid succession. The keyboard further includes keys to form letters or functional operations operable by the thumb. In one embodiment, two pluralities of keys are provided for operation by the fingers of the left and right hands, respectively, and two further pluralities of keys are provided for operation by the right and left thumbs, respectively.Each of the four pluralities of keys is arranged on a surface which is concave in two orthogonal directions.

Claims

1. An imput keyboard for the transfer of information to a machine by a human operator comprising:

a plurality of keys arranged for operation by the operator'"'"'s fingers on both hands in at least three rows,

the center of said three rows containing in order from the left as viewed by the operator keys to operate at least the letters A, N, I, S, F, D, T, H, O and R,

the upper row of said three rows containing in order from the left as viewed by the operator keys to operate at least the letters Q, P, Y, C, B, V, M, U, Z and X,

the lower of said three rows containing in in order from the left as viewed by the operator keys to operate at least the letters J, G, W, K, and L,

and a plurality of keys arranged for operation by the operator'"'"'s thumbs, keys for E and the full stop (period) symbol being arranged for operation by the operator'"'"'s left thumb and keys for the carriage return and spacing operations being arranged for operation by the operator'"'"'s right thumb.

2. A keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the keys for the full stop (period) and the carriage return operation are arranged on the sides of the keys for E and the spacing operation remote from the keys for operation by the operator'"'"'s fingers.

3. A keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least some of the keys for operation by the operator'"'"'s left hand are arranged over a first concave surface and at least some of the keys for operation by the operator'"'"'s right hand are arranged over a second, separate, concave surface.

4. A keyboard as claimed in claim 3, wherein for each hand the keys for operation by the thumb are arranged over a concave surface separate from that over which the keys for operation by the fingers are arranged.

5. A keyboard as claimed in claim 3, wherein said surfaces are concave in two directions.

6. An input keyboard for the transfer of information to a machine by a human operator comprising:

a plurality of keys arranged for operation by the operator'"'"'s fingers on one hand in at least five rows, and a second plurality of keys arranged for operation by the operator'"'"'s thumb of said one hand, so that the operator can arrange the fingers of said one hand on the keys of one of said rows and the thumb of said one hand on a key of said second plurality of keys,

the top row of said five rows containing in order from the side of the keyboard adjacent the little finger of said one hand when arranged as above at least keys to operate the letters B, P, M, G and X,

8. A keyboard as claimed in claim 6, wherein the keys to operate the letters I and U, and the carriage return operation are arranged to be operated by the thumb when extended further than when the thumb is positioned to operate the space key.

9. A keyboard as claimed in claim 6, wherein at least some of the keys are arranged over a concave surface.

10. A keyboard as claimed in claim 8, wherein said concave surface is concave in two directions.

11. A keyboard as claimed in claim 8, wherein the keys arranged for operation by the operator'"'"'s fingers are arranged on a first concave surface and the keys arranged for operation by the operator'"'"'s thumb are arranged on a second, separate, surface.

7. the next-to-top row of said five rows containing in order from the side of the keyboard adjacent the little finger of said one hand when arranged as above at least keys to operate the letters R, L, O, D, F and J,

the center row of said five rows containing in order from the side of the keyboard adjacent the little finger of said one hand when arranged as above at least keys to operate the letters N, H, E, T, A and S,

the next-to-bottom of said five rows containing in order from the side of the keyboard adjacent the little finger of said one hand when arranged as above at least keys to operate the letters V, K, C, Y and Z, and

the bottom of said five rows containing in order from the side of the keyboard adjacent the little finger of said one hand when arranged as above at least keys to operate the letters W and Q,

the second plurality of keys including keys to operate the letters U and I, and the spacing and carriage return operations.

12. An input keyboard for the transfer of information to a machine by a human operator comprising:

a plurality of keys arranged for operation by the operator'"'"'s fingers on both hands in a plurality of rows,

the central row of said rows containing in order from the left as viewed by the operator keys to operate at least the letters A, N, I, S, F, D, T, H, O and R, and

a plurality of keys including one for the letter E arranged for operation by the operator'"'"'s thumbs.

13. An input keyboard for the transfer of information to a machine by a human operator comprising:

a plurality of keys arranged for operation by the operator'"'"'s fingers on one hand in a plurality of rows, and a second plurality of keys arranged for operation by the operator'"'"'s thumb of said one hand, so that the operator can arrange the fingers of said one hand on the keys of one of said rows and the thumb of said one hand on a key of said second plurality of keys,

the central row of said rows containing in order from the side of the keyboard adjacent the little finger of said one hand when arranged as above at least keys to operate the letters N, H, E, T, A and S.

14. An input keyboard for the transfer of information to a machine by a human operator comprising:

first and second pluralities of keys each arranged in a plurality of rows for operation by the operator'"'"'s fingers on the right and left hands respectively

third and fourth pluralities of keys arranged for operation by the operator'"'"'s right and left thumbs, respectively, the keys in each of said first through fourth pluralities of keys being arranged on four separate surfaces each concave in two orthogonal directions.

15. An input keyboard for the transfer of information to a machine by a human operator comprising:

a first plurality of keys arranged in a plurality of rows for operation by the operator'"'"'s fingers on one hand, and a second plurality of keys arranged for operation by the operator'"'"'s thumb of said one hand, so that the operator can arrange the fingers of said one hand on the keys of one of said rows and the thumb of said one hand on a key of said second plurality of keys,

wherein the first plurality of keys is arranged on a surface concave in two orthogonal directions, and the second plurality of keys is arranged on a separate surface concave in two orthogonal directions.