Ergonomic pointing device
DCFirst Claim
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1. A pointing device for inputting commands into a computer comprising:
- a body;
a key coupled to the body; and
wherein the body is 4.25 to 4.5 inches long as measured along a bottom surface from a front end to a back end, the key being coupled to the body such that it forms a portion of the front end and of a top surface, the top surface sloping upwards from the front end to a high point, the top surface sloping downwards from the high point to the back end, the high point being 2.65 to 2.75 inches from the front end and a height of the back end being 0.0 to 0.5 inch, as measured from a back edge to the bottom surface, whereby the height of the back end allows a user to position a lower palm of the user'"'"'s right hand or left hand on a work surface, a size of the user'"'"'s right hand or left hand falling within a range of a 5th percentile female to a 95th percentile male of North American adults, and the top surface of the pointing device provides a support for the hand plane of the user'"'"'s right hand or left hand, the hand plane being a region defined by the second to fifth metacarpals, the metacarpals being numbered 1-5, beginning with the thumb, and allows a finger of the user'"'"'s right hand or left hand to rest in a neutral posture along the top surface of the pointing device such that the keys may be activated by the finger of the user, thereby allowing the user to grasp and actuate the pointing device with either the right hand or the left hand in a biomechanically neutral position.
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Abstract
An ergonomic pointing device is disclosed and described. Specific criteria, for example height, length, curvature, and relative positions of device elements, such as keys and a high point, define a configuration of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. These criteria work together to provide an ergonomic pointing device which supports a user'"'"'s hand plane while allowing the hand to rest in a biomechanically neutral position, while maintaining the accuracy with which the pointing device may be controlled and actuated.
170 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A pointing device for inputting commands into a computer comprising:
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a body; a key coupled to the body; and wherein the body is 4.25 to 4.5 inches long as measured along a bottom surface from a front end to a back end, the key being coupled to the body such that it forms a portion of the front end and of a top surface, the top surface sloping upwards from the front end to a high point, the top surface sloping downwards from the high point to the back end, the high point being 2.65 to 2.75 inches from the front end and a height of the back end being 0.0 to 0.5 inch, as measured from a back edge to the bottom surface, whereby the height of the back end allows a user to position a lower palm of the user'"'"'s right hand or left hand on a work surface, a size of the user'"'"'s right hand or left hand falling within a range of a 5th percentile female to a 95th percentile male of North American adults, and the top surface of the pointing device provides a support for the hand plane of the user'"'"'s right hand or left hand, the hand plane being a region defined by the second to fifth metacarpals, the metacarpals being numbered 1-5, beginning with the thumb, and allows a finger of the user'"'"'s right hand or left hand to rest in a neutral posture along the top surface of the pointing device such that the keys may be activated by the finger of the user, thereby allowing the user to grasp and actuate the pointing device with either the right hand or the left hand in a biomechanically neutral position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A pointing device provided with means for communicating with a computer comprising:
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a housing having a front end, a top surface which slopes upward from the front end to a high point and which slopes downward from the high point to a back end, a side which extends from the top surface to a bottom surface, and an edge defined by a perimeter of the top surface, a portion of the edge forming a front edge where the front end and top surface meet and a portion of the edge forming a rear edge where the top surface and back end meet; wherein a portion of the top surface at the front end of the housing comprises a key; a length of the housing measured along the bottom surface is 4.25 to 4.5 inches; the high point is 1.5 to 1.6 inches from the bottom surface as measured along a line perpendicular to the bottom surface; the high point is 2.65 to 2.75 inches from the front edge; the height of the back end is 0.0 to 0.5 inch as measured from a center point of the back edge to the bottom surface; the sides of the housing are at least 0.9 inch high as measured from the top surface to the bottom surface in a region from 0.8 inch rearward of the front end to at least 3.5 inches rearward of the front end; the edge is curved thereby minimizing user contact with sharp edges; the top surface slopes gradually downward from the high point to the center point of the back end; the keys are at least 0.7 inch wide and 1.0 inch long; a width of the pointing device measured along an arc of the top surface corresponding to a typical placement of a metacarpal-phalangeal joint ridge of a user is 2.7 to 3.8 inches; a lateral pinch width of the housing measured along the bottom surface near the front end perpendicular to the two sides is 2.15 to 2.25 inches; and wherein the overall configuration of the pointing device supports a hand plane of a user'"'"'s right hand or left hand, the hand plane being a region defined by the second to fifth metacarpals, the metacarpals being numbered 1-5, beginning with the thumb, a size of the user'"'"'s hand filling within a range of a 5th percentile female to a 95th percentile male of North American adults, while allowing fingers of the user'"'"'s right hand or left hand to rest in a neutral posture to reach and activate the keys, a lower palm of the user'"'"'s right hand or left hand may be positioned on a work surface and a thumb of the user'"'"'s right hand or left hand is fully supported by a side of the housing such that the user may move and operate the pointing device while keeping the hand in a biomechanically neutral position, the pointing device allows a user to grasp it in a variety of ways, depending on the physical size of the user'"'"'s hand, and the pointing device may be accurately moved and operated while providing a sense of control and responsiveness to the user. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A pointing device for inputting commands into a computer comprising:
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a body; and a key coupled to the body wherein the pointing device is provided with a smoothly sloping upper surface, the upper surface sloping upwards from a front end to a high point and sloping downwards from the high point to a back end, the upper surface having a sufficient width to support an index, middle and ring finger of either a right hand or left hand of a user in a biomechanically neutral position, a size of the user'"'"'s hand falling within a range of a 5th percentile female to a 95th percentile male of North American adults, and wherein the pointing device is shaped to allow a wrist of the user to be in a biomechanically neutral position, while maintaining an ability to be moved and operated accurately by the user. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A pointing device for inputting commands into a computer comprising:
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a body; and a key coupled to the body wherein the pointing device is provided with a sloping upper surface, the upper surface sloping upwards from a front end to a high point and sloping downwards from the high point to a back end, the upper surface having a sufficient width such that the high point and surrounding curvature of the top surface supports a metacarpal-phalangeal joint ridge of a user'"'"'s right hand or left hand, a size of the user'"'"'s hand falling within a range of a 5th percentile female to a 95th percentile male of North American adults, a back end of the pointing device having a sufficiently low height such that the user may position a lower palm of the user'"'"'s right hand or left hand on a work surface, and a width of a front end of the pointing device is dimensioned such that the user may grasp the pointing device in a biomechanically neutral position, while maintaining an ability to move and operate the pointing device with precision.
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Specification