Impact absorbing keyboard, contoured to the natural shape of the hand

• US 6,183,149 B1
• Filed: 01/13/1999
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leslie Caplan
• Original Assignee: Prosper Street Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Caplan, Leslie S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Funk, Stephen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EVANISKO, LESLIE J
• Application Number:
  US09/229,649
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 400/488, 400/489, 400/490, 400/491, 400/491.3, 400/495.1, 400/714, 400/715, 150/154, 150/165, 200/302.2, 200/512, 206/320
• US Class Current: 400/489
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1664 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0216 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of a keyboard for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1664
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/006 Different feeling for different switch sites
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/034 Support for hands or arms
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/044 Repetitive strain injury [RSI] considerations
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/082 Superimposed actuators
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/084 made at least partly of elastic foam

Abstract

An attachment to or a keyboard itself or other devices which require extending the fingers and hands so as to reach keys of the device. The invention includes at least one key pillow. The key pillow either replaces or fits over at least one key of a keyboard or other such device to advantageously alter the consistency, texture, shape, or height of the traditional key to which the key pillow corresponds. The key pillow is shaped so as to extend into the comfort zone of a user to thereby minimize the stretching and twisting required of the user'"'"'s fingers, hands, wrists, and arms. The key pillow may be applied to a keyboard of a portable computer, where the at least one key pillow is inflatable. The at least one key pillow may also be applied to devices such as a computer mouse. The key pillow must extend into a comfort zone of the user. Also, a palm rest is designed so as to maintain the user'"'"'s hands at a certain height above the lip of the keyboard, which may or may not include key pillows. The palm rests have a height which reduces the introduction of tension into the user'"'"'s arms and upper body and thus, are suitable for reducing the occurrence of carpal tunnel syndrome and other RSIs. The palm rest may be formed in combination with the keyboard or totally separate therefrom.

Claims

1. A keyboard comprising a plurality of keys, each key having a key pillow with a striking face shaped such that:

said striking faces of the key pillows are disposed at varying heights such that the striking face of a key pillow, in a home row, typically struck with a middle finger is lower than the striking face of a key pillow in said home row typically struck with a pinky finger of a user;

orientation of the striking face of a key pillow, with respect to a horizontal plane, varies with the location of each key in the keyboard; and

the planar projection of the striking face of each of a plurality of key pillows comprising said keyboard is irregular and not rectilinear in shape.

2. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the planar projection of the striking faces of a plurality of key pillows comprising said keyboard are substantially ovoid.

3. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein said keyboard includes a row of keys, said row of keys includino three or more letter keys wherein the striking faces of the key pillows of three or more letter keys in said row have different lateral offsets.

4. The keyboard of claim 1 wherein said keyboard includes a row of keys, said row of keys including three or more letter keys wherein the striking faces of key pillows of said three or more letter keys in said row have different forward offsets.

5. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said keyboard comprises a row of keys wherein the orientation of the striking faces of key pillows of said keys varies along said row.

6. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the plurality of keys form a continuous alphanumeric keypad.

7. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said plurality of keys include letter keys and said keyboard comprises a “

K”

key and a “

D”

key and the striking faces of the key pillows of the “

K” and

“

D”

keys are the lowest striking faces of all of the letter keys.

8. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said keyboard comprises a row of keys, wherein the orientation of a major principal axis of the striking face of each of the key pillows in said row varies with the position of the keys in said row.

9. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the striking faces of said key pillows are made from a soft, shock absorbant material.

10. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said keyboard comprises at least one key pillow having two striking faces.

11. The keyboard of claim 5, wherein the key pillows in the row above the home row have surfaces angled downward toward the home row so as to physically position the striking faces of the keys closer to the pinky and ring fingers.