Ergonomic keyboard apparatus with left and right key section separated by an irregularly shaped space

• US 5,372,441 A
• Filed: 07/13/1993
• Issued: 12/13/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Typeright Keyboard Corporation
• Original Assignee: Typeright Keyboard Corporation
• Inventors: Louis, William M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bennett, Christopher A.
• Application Number:
  US08/091,811
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 400/472, 400/485, 400/486, 400/487, 400/488, 400/489, 400/715, 235/145 R, 235/145 A, 235/146, 340/711, 341/22, 345/168, 345/172
• US Class Current: 400/489
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 5/10 Arrangements of keyboards , e.g. key button disposition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/785 characterised by the material of the contacts, e.g. conductive polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/807 characterised by the spatial arrangement of the contact sites, e.g. superimposed sites
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/84 characterised by ergonomic functions, e.g. for miniature keyboards; characterised by operational sensory functions, e.g. sound feedback legends H01H13/83
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2201/036 Variable resistance
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/014 composed of different layers; Lubricant in between
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/028 alterable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/03 Sound
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/046 Inflatable bubble or cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/052 piezoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/012 Two keys simultaneous considerations
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/028 on planes with different or alterable inclination, e.g. convex plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/034 Support for hands or arms
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/05 composed of hingedly connected sections
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/052 reductible in size, e.g. for transportation
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/022 other then row-column disposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/03 Laminating
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/034 Positioning of layers

Abstract

A keyboard arrangement with a pair of angularly disposed, spaced apart groups of character keys dedicated for operating use respectively by the left hand and the right hand of a user. A space bar key is operable by either thumb of the user and bridges between the two groups of character keys. The rows of keys in each group are staggered, and each key bears character indicia disposed at an angle to the transverse direction of its group of keys.

Claims

1. A keyboard apparatus, comprising:

a mount;

a plurality of control key means on the mount arranged in a single substantially unbroken V-shaped row;

at least one control key means of the plurality of control key means having a base perimeter forming a chevron and lying wholly within said unbroken row and serving as a space bar;

a plurality of alpha-numeric key means mounted on the mount arranged in a plurality of broken V-shaped rows, the plurality of alpha-numeric key means being arranged in a QWERTY configuration with said unbroken row to facilitate the entry of keyboard information;

said plurality of alpha-numeric key means including a plurality of right QWERTY key means arranged in rows and staggered columns in a single common plane to facilitate their actuation in a rapid and accurate manner utilizing known and conventional QWERTY right hand digit keystrokes;

each one of said plurality of right QWERTY key means being square in shape;

said plurality of alpha-numeric key means further including a plurality of left QWERTY key means arranged in rows and staggered columns in said single common plane to facilitate their actuation in a rapid and accurate manner utilizing known and conventional QWERTY left hand digit keystrokes;

each one of said plurality of left QWERTY key means being square in shape;

means defining an irregularly shaped space disposed between said right QWERTY key means and said left QWERTY key means for completely separating them to help define said plurality of broken V-shaped rows;

said space being further disposed substantially above said plurality of control key means for helping to define a narrow planar angle θ

between said right QWERTY key means and said left QWERTY key means;

said angle θ

being sufficiently narrow to help cause the forearms of a user to assume a natural position in a non-parallel converging manner to cause the wrists of the user to be maintained in a substantially straight aligned position relative to the hands and forearms when the left hand and right hand digits are resting on the respective left and right QWERTY key means.

2. A keyboard apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

function key means for the entry of ASCII codes, said ASCII codes including dedicated function codes.

3. A keyboard according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of control key means includes a cap lock key and option key, and wherein said function key means includes a shift key, and a tab key for alpha-numeric entry control.

4. A keyboard apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said function key means includes:

a plurality of numeric keys on the mount, the plurality of numeric keys located to the right of said right QWERTY key means for numeric information entry purposes.

5. A keyboard apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said function key means, further includes:

a plurality of function keys on the mount for function control, said plurality of function keys being spaced apart from said plurality of numeric keys for facilitating user actuation.

6. A keyboard apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of function keys are disposed to the left of the plurality of left QWERTY key means.

7. A keyboard apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said function key means includes:

cursor control key means on the mount spaced from said control key means for controlling the movement of a cursor on a computer screen.

8. A keyboard apparatus according to claim 7, further including a plurality of dedicated key means disposed in a parallel spaced apart relationship relative to said cursor control key means.

9. A keyboard apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said plurality of dedicated key means includes at least two dedicated keys disposed in a spaced apart relationship relative to a top portion of the plurality of left QWERTY key means.

10. A keyboard apparats according to claim 8, wherein said plurality of dedicated key means includes at least one dedicated key disposed in a spaced apart relationship relative to a top portion of the plurality of right QWERTY key means.

11. A keyboard apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of control key means mounted on the housing arranged in a single substantially unbroken V-shaped row to facilitate the entry of control character codes;

a plurality of alpha-numeric key means mounted on the housing arranged in a plurality of broken V-shaped rows, the plurality of alpha-numeric key means being configured in a QWERTY configuration and arranged with said unbroken row to facilitate the entry of QWERTY alpha-numeric character codes;

said plurality of alpha-numeric key means including a right hand group of right QWERTY character key means mounted on said housing in rows and staggered columns;

said plurality of alpha-numeric key means further including a left hand group of left QWERTY character key means mounted on said housing in rows and staggered columns;

means defining a narrow angle θ

between said right and said left hand group of QWERTY character key means;

said narrow angle θ

being sufficiently narrow to help cause the forearms of a user to assume a natural position in a non-parallel converging manner to cause the wrists of the user to be maintained in a substantially straight aligned position relative to the hands and forearms when the left hand and right hand digits are resting on the respective left and right character key means;

said left and right hand groups of QWERTY character key means being separated by a relatively small space to further help the wrists, hands and forearms of the user to be maintained in a substantially straight aligned position relative to one another in a natural, relaxed manner, when the left and right hand digits are resting on the respective left and right character key means;

said plurality of control key means including elongated common key means configured generally in a V-shape to still further help both sets of the wrists, hands and forearms of the user to be maintained in substantially straight aligned positions when the thumbs of the user actuate said common key means;

said common key means having a right leg portion being at least partially disposed adjacent to a plurality of the staggered columns in said right hand group of QWERTY character key means to facilitate actuation of said common key means by the right hand thumb of said user;

said common key means having a left leg portion being partially disposed adjacent to a plurality of the staggered columns in said left hand group of QWERTY character key means to facilitate actuation of said common key means by the left hand thumb of said user;

said housing having a right hand front edge portion and a left hand front edge portion for facilitating user access to the respective said right hand and left hand groups of QWERTY character key means;

said right hand front edge portion extending substantially parallel to one imaginary longitudinal line defining the bottom peripheral boundary of said right leg portion of said common key means;

said left hand front edge portion extending substantially parallel to another imaginary longitudinal line defining the bottom peripheral boundary of said left leg portion of said common key means; and

said right hand and left hand front edge portions being angularly displaced relative to one another by about γ

degrees, where γ

is equal to 180°

-θ

, so the right and left wrists of the user may be disposed adjacent to said right and left groups of QWERTY character key means respectively when the fingers of the user engage them;

whereby known and conventional touch typing keystroke techniques can be utilized without causing substantial physiological stress to wrists and forearms of the user.

12. A keyboard apparatus according to claim 11, wherein γ

is about 5θ

.

13. A keyboard apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of control key means arranged in a single substantially unbroken row in a common plane to facilitate the entry of control character codes;

a plurality of alpha-numeric key means arranged in a plurality of broken V-shaped rows, the plurality of alpha-numeric key means being configured in a QWERTY configuration and arranged with said unbroken row to facilitate the entry of QWERTY alpha-numeric character codes;

said plurality of alpha-numeric key means including a right hand group of planar right QWERTY character key means;

said plurality of alpha-numeric key means further including a left hand group of planar left QWERTY character key means;

means defining a narrow planar angle θ

between said right hand group of QWERTY character key means and said left hand group of character key means;

said narrow angle θ

being sufficiently narrow to help cause the forearms of a user to assume a natural position in a non-parallel converging manner to cause the wrists of the user to be maintained in a substantially straight aligned position relative to the hands and the forearms when the left hand and right hand digits are resting on the respective left and right QWERTY character key means;

means defining a generally irregularly shaped space for separating completely said right hand group of character key means from said left hand group of character key means;

said space being configured to further help the wrists, hands and forearms of the user to be maintained in a substantially straight aligned position relative to one another in a natural, relaxed manner, when the left hand digits and right hand digits are resting on the respective left and right QWERTY character key means;

said left and right QWERTY character key means including a plurality of discrete actuation keys each being equally sized and generally rectangularly shaped;

means for mounting said right hand group of QWERTY character key means in columns and rows, said rows being staggered to one another to help facilitate the actuation of said right hand group of QWERTY character keys and a rapid and accurate manner utilizing known and conventional right hand digit touch typing keystroke techniques; and

means for mounting said left hand group of QWERTY character key means in columns and rows, said rows being staggered to one another to help facilitate the actuation of said left hand group of QWERTY character keys in a rapid and accurate manner utilizing known and conventional left hand digit touch typing keystroke techniques; and

whereby the left hand digits and right hand digits can rest on and stroke individual ones of said plurality of discrete actuation keys utilizing known and conventional touch typing keystroke techniques without causing substantial physiological stress to the fingers, wrists, hand and forearms of the user.