Keyboard to prevent erroneous simultaneous activation of keys

• US 4,859,100 A
• Filed: 01/04/1988
• Issued: 08/22/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kadomiya, Ronald H., Carlson, Vincent, Fenlon, Michael N., Mansur, Robert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Jr., Archie E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/140,775
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 400/480, 400/483, 400/486, 400/472, 400/489, 400/715, 340/365 E, 340/365 R, 340/709, 340/711, 273/148 B, 273/DIG. 28, 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 341/22, 341/24
• US Class Current: 400/715
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting

Abstract

An improved keyboard assembly is provided wherein a partition is positioned between adjacent keys and prevents an inadvertent simultaneous operation of two or more keys. The paartition can be advantageously utilized to control the cursor moving keys on a word processor keyboard thereby permitting the keys to be closely positioned adjacent each other while insuring only the desired key will be activated.

Claims

1. A keyboard comprising;

a plurality of keys each of which is able to be depressed from an upper resting position to a lower operational position for executing a selected operation, and

a partition extending between adjacent ones of at least some of keys for preventing two or more of said adjacent keys from being simultaneously and inadvertently depressed to their respective operational positions, said partition being dimensioned so that the top of each said adjacent key is positioned above the top of said partition when each said adjacent key is not depressed from its respective resting position and below the top of said partition when each said adjacent key is depressed to its respective operational position.

2. A keyboard according to claim 1, wherein said adjacent keys are each uniquely shaped so as to represent the operation executed when each said adjacent key is depressed to its respective operational position.

3. A keyboard according to claim 1, wherein said adjacent keys are adapted to be used as cursor keys for moving a cursor on a display device when said keyboard is used in combination with said display device, and each said adjacent key includes a tapered point representative of the direction of movement of said cursor on said display device when the respective key is depressed to its operational position.

4. A keyboard according to claim 1, wherein said adjacent keys are able to be used as cursor keys for moving a cursor on a display device when said keyboard is used in combination with said display device, and each of said adjacent keys has a pentagonal shape with a vertex which is faced in the direction of movement of said cursor on said display device when the respective key is depressed to its operational position.

5. A keyboard comprising:

a keyboard body;

a plurality of keys located on said keyboard body, each of said keys protruding to a height, h₁, above the surface of the keyboard body when not depressed and to protrude to a height, h₃, above the surface of the keyboard body when depressed, and

a partition wall mounted on said keyboard body and extending between adjacent ones of at least some of keys and protruding to a height, h₂, above the surface of the keyboard body, the height, h₂, being substantially intermediate between the heights h₁ and h₃ for preventing two or more of said adjacent keys from being simultaneously and inadvertently depressed.

6. In an improved keyboard having a plurality of movable keys that have an upper rest position and a depressed lower operative position, adjacent keys being dedicated to the activation of separate function, the improvement comprising:

a barrier means extending between at least some of the adjacent keys at a position between the upper rest position and the depressed lower operative position, for preventing the inadvertent activation of a pair or more keys with a single finger stroke of an operator.

7. The keyboard of claim 6 wherein the keys are positioned in an array extending in directions that are traverse to each other and the barrier means, extending between adjacent keys, is also extending in direction that are traverse to each other.

8. The keyboard of claim 7 wherein the barrier means is a partition member that forms an approximate H configuration in a plan view of the keyboard.

9. In an improved keyboard for use with a computer terminal and the like wherein video display symbols, such as cursors, can be moved on the terminal display, the improvement comprising:

a series of movable key members having an upper rest position and a lower operative position, the key members are capable of moving a video display in different directions, each key member providing a separate movement, and

a non-movable partition member positioned between the upper rest position and the lower operative position of at least two adjacent keys whereby lateral movement of the operator'"'"'s finger is not restrained between the keys but a downward stroke movement of the operator'"'"'s finger is prevented from depressing both keys to operative positions whereby an inadvertent activation of both keys with the same operator finger stroke is prevented.

10. The keyboard of claim 9 wherein at least four keys are positioned in a closely positioned array extending in a pair of directions that are approximately traverse to each other, to respectively move a cursor in a right, left, up and down direction, the partition member extends between each adjacent side of the keys that are contiguous to each other.

11. The keyboard of claim 10, wherein the partition member forms an approximately H configuration in a plan view of the keyboard.