Ergonomic keyboard apparatus
First Claim
1. A keyboard for interfacing the fingers of an operator'"'"'s hand with a data processing device comprising:
- first and second laterally spaced apart alphanumeric key arrays having a plurality of alphanumeric key means for identifying alphanumeric characters to the data processing device by a non-pivoting, linear movement in a direction of actuation, said key means including a home row having home keys wherein the home keys have keycaps oriented to be manipulated by the fingers of the operator, said home key keycaps defining a reference surface substantially perpendicular to the direction of actuation of said home keys, said alphanumeric key array having a first end and a second opposed end positioned on opposite sides of said reference surface wherein said first end is closer to the operator when the keyboard is being used than the second end a hand of the operator defining a reference position when the fingers of said hand of the operator are adjacent the reference surface; and
first and second laterally spaced apart function key arrays each having a plurality of function key means for identifying functions to be performed by the data processing device, said first and second laterally spaced apart function key arrays being substantially aligned, respectively, with said first and second spaced apart alphanumeric key arrays, said plurality of function key means being farther from said operator than said second end of the alphanumeric key array, said function keys having function key keycaps for manipulation by the fingers of the operator, vertically displaced above said reference surface, said plurality of function key means accessible to the fingers of the operator without moving the hand of the operator a substantial distance from the reference position.
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Abstract
A keyboard for use with a standard personal computer includes an alphanumeric key array having a plurality of alphanumeric keys arranged in a generally orthogonal, concave array. A home row of keys defines a reference position for the fingers of the operator. A linear array of function keys is provided and positioned above the reference position and tilted toward the operator. A generally orthogonal array of auxiliary keys is also positioned above the reference position. The array of auxiliary keys is rotated with respect to the reference position to accommodate the natural angle of the thumb of the operator to the index finger. A palm rest is provided for receiving the palm of the operator while the operator is manipulating the plurality of alphanumeric keys. The palm rest is positioned above the reference position defined by the home row so that during operation of the alphanumeric keys, the fingers of the operator extend downward from the palm rest in a natural curved manner. Further, during operation of the auxiliary keys, the thumbs of the operator are generally coplanar with the palm of the operator and are naturally angled therefrom.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A keyboard for interfacing the fingers of an operator'"'"'s hand with a data processing device comprising:
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first and second laterally spaced apart alphanumeric key arrays having a plurality of alphanumeric key means for identifying alphanumeric characters to the data processing device by a non-pivoting, linear movement in a direction of actuation, said key means including a home row having home keys wherein the home keys have keycaps oriented to be manipulated by the fingers of the operator, said home key keycaps defining a reference surface substantially perpendicular to the direction of actuation of said home keys, said alphanumeric key array having a first end and a second opposed end positioned on opposite sides of said reference surface wherein said first end is closer to the operator when the keyboard is being used than the second end a hand of the operator defining a reference position when the fingers of said hand of the operator are adjacent the reference surface; and first and second laterally spaced apart function key arrays each having a plurality of function key means for identifying functions to be performed by the data processing device, said first and second laterally spaced apart function key arrays being substantially aligned, respectively, with said first and second spaced apart alphanumeric key arrays, said plurality of function key means being farther from said operator than said second end of the alphanumeric key array, said function keys having function key keycaps for manipulation by the fingers of the operator, vertically displaced above said reference surface, said plurality of function key means accessible to the fingers of the operator without moving the hand of the operator a substantial distance from the reference position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 21, 22, 23)
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10. Data input apparatus for interfacing the fingers of the hand of an operator with a data processing device comprising:
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first and second key arrays having a plurality of key means constructed for manipulation by the fingers of the operator for providing input to the data processing device, said plurality of key means including home keys having surfaces that define a reference surface, said home keys further defining a reference position for a hand of the operator wherein the index finger of the operator defines a reference line when said hand of the operator is positioned in the reference position; first and second auxiliary key arrays including a plurality of auxiliary key means constructed for manipulation by the thumb of said hand of the operator for providing input to the data processing device by depressing said auxiliary key means and with no substantial lateral movement of said auxiliary key means, said auxiliary key means being vertically displaced from the reference surface defined by said home keys and positioned so that the fingers of the operator extend downward from the thumb when said hand of the operator is in the reference position, each of said first and second auxiliary key arrays including first and second elongated keys positioned at an angle with respect to the reference line so that the thumb of the operator may be positioned along the surface of said elongated keys; and palm rest means for receiving the palm of the operator. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A data input device for interfacing the hands of an operator with a data processing device comprising:
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first and second pall rests configured to support the palms of the operator; and first and second key arrays each including at least two elongated keys positioned to be aligned along the thumb of the operator when the palms of the operator are supported by said palm rests during operation of the keyboard, first and second keys in each of said first and second key arrays being constructed to move between first remote and second proximate positions remote from and proximate to the data input device, respectively, said first key being positioned so that its surface is vertically displaced from the surface of said second key when said first key is in said second proximate position and said second key is in said first remote position.
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29. A method for data input, comprising:
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providing a data input device having first and second laterally spaced apart alphanumeric key arrays and first and second laterally spaced apart function key arrays, said first and second function key arrays being substantially aligned with said first and second alphanumeric key arrays, said alphanumeric key arrays comprising home keys, said function key arrays having a plurality of function keys aligned in a substantially linear row, each having a keycap; actuating said home keys by movement in a non-pivoting fashion in a first linear direction of actuation, said first linear direction of actuation defining a reference surface perpendicular thereto; and actuating said function keys by moving the surface of said functional keycaps in a direction different from said first linear direction. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. Data input apparatus for interfacing the fingers of the hand of an operator with a data processing device comprising:
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a first key array having a plurality of key means constructed for manipulation of the fingers of the operator for providing input to the data processing device, said plurality of key means including home keys having surfaces that define a reference position for a hand of the operator, wherein the index finger of the operator defines a reference line when said hand of the operator is positioned in the reference position; and an auxiliary key array including a plurality of auxiliary key means constructed for manipulation by the thumb of said hand of the operator for providing input to the data processing device by depressing said auxiliary key means with no substantial lateral movement of said auxiliary key means, said auxiliary key means including at least first and second auxiliary keys which are elongated along first and second axes. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. A data input device for interfacing the hands of an operator with a data processing device comprising:
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palm rest means for receiving the palms of the hands of the operator during operation of the data input device; and a key array including key means for providing input to the data processing device, said key means including first and second keys positioned to be aligned along the thumb of the operator, said first and second keys being constructed to move between first remote and second proximate positions remote from and proximate to the data input device, respectively, said first key being positioned so that its surface is vertically displaced from the surface of said second key when said first key is in said second proximate position and said second key is in said first remote position.
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36. A keyboard for interfacing the fingers of an operator'"'"'s hand with a data processing device, comprising:
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an alphanumeric key array having a plurality of alphanumeric keys for identifying alphanumeric characters to the data processing device, said alphanumeric keys movable in a non-pivoting fashion in a linear direction of actuation, said alphanumeric keys including a home row having home keys wherein the home keys have keycaps, said home key keycaps defining a reference surface substantially perpendicular to the direction of activation of said home keys, said alphanumeric key array having an operator end and a distal end positioned on opposite sides of said reference surface wherein said operator end is proximate the operator when the keyboard is being used, a hand of the operator defining a reference position when the fingers of said hand of the operator are proximate the reference surface; and a function key array having a plurality of function keys for identifying functions to be performed by the data processing device, said plurality of function keys being distal said distal end of the alphanumeric key array, said function keys having function key keycaps, all of said function keys keycaps aligned in a substantially linear row and vertically displaced from said reference surface a distance of between about 3 cm and about 5 cm, all of said function key keycaps oriented at substantially the same angle, different from the orientation of the home key keycaps, and angled toward the hand of the operator.
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37. Data input apparatus for interfacing the fingers of the hand of the operator with a data processing device comprising:
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a key array having a plurality of keys, said plurality of keys including home keys having surfaces that define a reference surface, said home keys further defining a reference position for a hand of the operator wherein the index finger of the operator defines a reference line when said hand of the operator is positioned in the reference position; an auxiliary key array including a plurality of auxiliary keys, activatable by depression with no substantial lateral movement of said auxiliary keys, said auxiliary keys being vertically displaced above the reference surface defined by said home keys and positioned so that the fingers of the operator extend downward from the thumb when the hand of the operator is in the reference position, said auxiliary keys including an elongated key positioned at an angle with respect to the reference line so that the thumb of the operator may be positioned along the surface of said elongate key; and palm rest means for receiving the palm of the operator generally coplanar with said auxiliary key means.
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38. A method for data input, comprising:
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providing a data input device having first and second palm rests and a key array with first and second keys constructed to move between first remote and second proximate positions remote from and proximate to the data input device, respectively; supporting the hands of an operator with said lust and second pall rests; and moving said first key, with the thumb of the operator, to said second proximate position while contacting the second key with the thumb of the operator and maintaining said second key in said first remote position, said first key being vertically displaced above said second key.
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Specification