Adjustable keyboard
First Claim
1. An adjustable data input control mechanism including in combination:
- a housing having a base portion and a top portion overlying and attached to said base portion, said top portion having an aperture in it;
a raised, substantially convex central portion on said top portion of said housing adapted to underlie and support the palm of a hand of an operator in a natural, relaxed, concave position;
so that the fingertips of each finger extend substantially vertically downwardly from said central portion through the aperture in said top portion;
a data input key support member located in said housing beneath the aperture in said top portion and having a plurality of groups of data input keys arranged in three-dimensional patterns thereon at each of the fingertip positions of the hand of such operator, with each group of keys operated by different fingertips; and
an actuator coupled between said housing and said key support member for adjusting the position of said key support member, and said groups of keys arranged thereon, in at least two substantially perpendicular directions relative to said aperture in said top portion.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An ergometrically improved keyboard data input device particularly suited for computers includes a housing adapted to underlie the palm of the hand of an operator in a relaxed, natural, concave position; so that the fingertips of each finger extend substantially vertically downward through an aperture in the top of the housing. Data input keys are mounted on a data input key support member located inside the housing, beneath the aperture. The keys are arranged in groups of data input keys in three dimensional patterns at each of the fingertip positions of the hand of the operator. The device includes a provision for raising and lowering the key support member within the housing, relative to the aperture. Actuators also independently move the opposite ends of the key support member back and forth within the housing, relative to the aperture, to adjust the locations of the groups of keys relative to the portion underlying the palm of the hand of a user to compensate for hands of different sizes.
34 Citations
13 Claims
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1. An adjustable data input control mechanism including in combination:
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a housing having a base portion and a top portion overlying and attached to said base portion, said top portion having an aperture in it; a raised, substantially convex central portion on said top portion of said housing adapted to underlie and support the palm of a hand of an operator in a natural, relaxed, concave position;
so that the fingertips of each finger extend substantially vertically downwardly from said central portion through the aperture in said top portion;a data input key support member located in said housing beneath the aperture in said top portion and having a plurality of groups of data input keys arranged in three-dimensional patterns thereon at each of the fingertip positions of the hand of such operator, with each group of keys operated by different fingertips; and an actuator coupled between said housing and said key support member for adjusting the position of said key support member, and said groups of keys arranged thereon, in at least two substantially perpendicular directions relative to said aperture in said top portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification