Ergonomic keyboard

• US 6,386,773 B1
• Filed: 03/10/2000
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph Mathias
• Original Assignee: Joseph Mathias
• Inventors: Mathias, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirshfeld, Andrew H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Anthony H.
• Application Number:
  US09/523,528
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 400/485, 400/472, 400/489, 400/480, 341/21, 341/22, 200/5.R, 200/52.R
• US Class Current: 400/485
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions

Abstract

The present invention an ergonomic keyboard designed for inputting data wherein said keyboard comprises; a keyboard housing; a plurality of four position finger boxes mounted in said housing and arranged conformably to receive finger tips of a users hand, wherein said finger boxes are responsive to no movement, depression, contraction and extension of said fingertips corresponding to at least 4 distinct finger box positions namely: neutral, downward, backward, and forward respectively. The keyboard further has a processor for assigning letters, numerals, symbols and functions to each of said positions of said finger boxes; and contacts at each of the positions of each of said finger boxes such that a unique signal is produced for each position of said finger boxes.

Claims

1. An ergonomic keyboard for inputting data, said keyboard comprising;

a) a keyboard housing;

b) a plurality of four position finger boxes mounted in said housing and arranged conformably to receive finger tips of a users hand, wherein said finger boxes are responsive to depression, contraction and extension of said fingertips including at least 4 distinct finger box positions namely;

neural, downward backward, and forward respectively;

c) means for assigning letters, numerals, symbols and functions to each of said positions of said finger boxes,

d) means for sensory of each of the positions of each of said finger boxes such that a unique signal is produced for each position of said finger boxes,

e) wherein said finger boxes include a vertical key with cooperating first contacts, and at least two horizontal lever means each with cooperating second contacts, said vertical key responsive to depression of said fingertip for closing of said first set of contacts, said horizontal lever means responsive to horizontal contraction or extension of said fingertip for closing said second contacts of contacts, and,

f) wherein said horizontal lever means includes at least two horizontal levers operably connected to said second contacts, each lever pivotally attached to said keyboard housing with a slot joint such that said horizontal levers pivot about said slot joint when horizontally urged by a finger tip operably converting lever horizontal motion to lever vertical motion for closing said second contacts; and

g) further comprising at least one palm/wrist pad elevated above said keyboard top for placement of palm or wrist thereon such that when a users palm or wrist rests on said palm/wrist pad a users finger tips fall namely into said finger boxes, wherein said palm/wrist pad including a three position pad normally positioned in a neutral position, and moveable into a forward position and rearward position; and

further including a means sensory of each of the positions of each of said palm/wrist pads, such that a unique signal is produced for each position of said finger boxes corresponding to each position of the palm/wrist pad thereby tripling the number of unique signals obtainable from each finger box.

5. The keyboard claimed in claim 1 wherein said finger boxes are six position finger boxes adapted to be responsive to 6 distinct finger tip positions, namely:

neutral, downward, backward, and forward and in addition, said finger boxes being responsive to sequential movement of the fingertip namely forward then downward movement of said fingertips being the fifth position and backward then downward movement of the fingertip being the sixth position.

6. The keyboard claimed in claim 5 wherein said finger boxes are eight position finger boxes adapted to be responsive to 8 distinct finger tip positions, namely:

neutral, downward, backward, and forward, forward then downward, backward then downward, said finger boxes being responsive to further sequential movements of the fingertip namely downward then forward being the seventh position, and downward then backward being the eighth position.

7. The keyboard claimed in claim 1 wherein said keyboard includes at least five finger boxes, one for each finger and thumb.

8. The keyboard claimed in claim 1, wherein said keyboard includes two palm/wrist pads and at least ten finger boxes;

one pad for each hand and one finger box for each finger and thumb.

9. The keyboard claimed in claim 1, wherein said keyboard includes two palm/wrist pads and at least fourteen finger boxes;

one pad for each hand and one finger box for each finger and thumb, two finger boxes for the index and little fingers of both hands.

10. The keyboard claimed in claim 1, wherein

a) said palm/wrist pad is a five position pad movable into a neutral position, forward position, rearward position, left position and right position; and

b) further including a means sensory of each of the positions of each of said palm/wrist pads such that a unique signal is produced for each position of said finger boxes corresponding to each position of the palm/wrist pad, thereby increasing five fold the number of unique signals available from each finger box.

11. The keyboard claimed in claim 1 wherein said palm/wrist pad comprises:

a) a hand rest adapted for receiving the palm of a hand thereon;

b) a moveable control stick attached at one end to said hand rest and at the other end connected to said keyboard housing with a ball and socket joint, such that said control stick pivots about said ball and socket joint when actuated,

c) said control stick further operably connected to at least one palm horizontal lever means for operably closing palm contacts, such that pivoting said control stick against said horizontal lever means operably closes a set of palm contacts, and

d) further including a means sensory of each of the positions of each of said palm/wrist pads.

12. The ergonomic keyboard claimed in claim 11, wherein said palm horizontal lever means includes at least one palm horizontal lever operably connected to said palm contacts, each palm horizontal lever pivotally attached to said keyboard housing with a slot joint such that said palm horizontal levers pivot about said slot joint when horizontally urged by said control stick, and further including palm lever keys slideably housed within key guides, said palm lever keys cooperatively operable with said palm horizontal levers, such that horizontally urging said palm horizontal lever in turn urges vertically said palm lever key slidably within said key guide thereby converting palm horizontal lever motion to palm lever key vertical motion for actuating vertically said second contacts.

13. The ergonomic keyboard claimed in claim 12, wherein said palm horizontal lever includes an L shaped palm lever, wherein an upstanding portion of said palm lever is for receiving control stick urging and a horizontal portion of said L shaped palm lever is for contacting said palm lever key at a lever contact, such that actuating said palm horizontal lever inturn urges vertically said palm lever key thereby operably closing said palm contacts.

14. The ergonomic keyboard claimed in claim 13, wherein said L shaped palm lever includes a slot joint proximate the intersection of the upstanding portion and the horizontal portion such that said L shaped palm lever pivots about said slot joint.

2. The ergonomic keyboard claimed in claim 2, wherein said horizontal lever means includes lever keys slideably housed within key guides, said lever keys cooperatively operable with said horizontal levers, such that horizontally urging said horizontal lever in turn urges vertically said lever key slidably within said key guide thereby converting horizontal lever horizontal motion to lever key vertical motion for actuating vertically said second contacts.

3. The ergonomic keyboard claimed in claim 2, wherein said horizontal lever includes an L shaped lever, wherein an upstanding portion of said lever is for receiving finger pressure and a horizontal portion of said L shaped lever is for contacting said lever key at a lever contact such that actuating said horizontal lever horizontally, urges vertically said lever key thereby operably closing said second contacts.

4. The ergonomic keyboard claimed in claim 3, wherein said L shaped lever includes a slot joint proximate the intersection of the upstanding portion and the horizontal portion such that said L shaped lever pivots about said slot joint.