Ergonomic keyboard

• US 6,860,661 B1
• Filed: 01/07/2002
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Deeb Daoud
• Original Assignee: Deeb Daoud
• Inventors: Daoud, Deeb
• Primary Examiner(s): COLILLA, DANIEL JAMES
• Application Number:
  US10/041,824
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• Field of Search: 400/486, 400/487, 400/488, 400/489, 400/82
• US Class Current: 400/488
• 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

Abstract

An ergonomic keyboard providing support for the palms and fingers of a user. The ergonomic keyboard comprises a plurality of surfaces of different elevations, the surface of highest elevation adapted to support the palms so that the thumbs are separated from the rest of the fingers that are positioned on a distal side of the ergonomic keyboard. At least one surface of the plurality of surfaces is located on the distal side and at least one surface of the plurality of surfaces is located on the side where the thumbs are positioned, at least one of the plurality of surfaces is provided with at least one key.

Claims

1. An ergonomic keyboard providing support for the both palms and their fingers of a user, said ergonomic keyboard comprising a plurality of surfaces of different elevations, the surface of highest elevation, forming an elongated ridge, separating between a distal side and a proximal side of the keyboard, providing support across the palms, substantially below a fold line of the palms, which is defined when the fingers are flexed together towards the palms, so that when the palms are positioned over the keyboard the thumbs are separated by the elongated ridge from the rest of the fingers that are positioned over the distal side of said ergonomic keyboard, at least one surface of said plurality of surfaces being located on said distal side and at least one surface of said plurality of surfaces being located on the side where the thumbs are positioned, and at least one of said plurality of surfaces is provided with at least one key, wherein surfaces are located on said distal side, which are elongated and are arranged in rows.

2. The ergonomic keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein said three surfaces are divided into two parts, each of the two parts being designated for the fingers of each palm.

3. The ergonomic keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein said three of said plurality of surfaces are provided with alphanumeric keys, said alphanumeric keys being arranged in a standard keyboard layout.

4. The ergonomic keyboard as claimed in claim 3, wherein said standard keyboard layout is a QWERTY layout.

5. The ergonomic keyboard as claimed in claim 3, wherein said standard keyboard layout is a MALTRON layout.

6. The ergonomic keyboard as claimed in claim 3, wherein said standard keyboard layout is a DVORAK layout.

7. The ergonomic keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface of lowest elevation is the most distal row, wherein a middle row is raised by a riser above said distal row and wherein an upper row is adjacent to said middle row.

8. The ergonomic keyboard as claimed in claim 7, wherein the most distal row is inclined with a slope facing said middle row.

9. The ergonomic keyboard as claimed in claim 7, wherein said riser and said middle row are inclined with a slope opposite to the slope of said most distal row, wherein the slope of said riser, which is adapted to provide a resting area for the user'"'"'s fingers, is steeper than the slope of said middle row and wherein the slope of said upper row is steeper than the slope of said middle row.

10. The ergonomic keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface of highest elevation is divided into two portions, each of the two portions being adapted to underpin the corresponding palm of the user.

11. The ergonomic keyboard as claimed in claim 10, wherein a detachable bridge is provided, facilitating, when removed, a gap between the two portions, the gap adapted to accommodate the thumbs.

12. The ergonomic keyboard as claimed in claim 11, wherein said bridge is provided with a screen.

13. The ergonomic keyboard as claimed in claim 11, wherein surfaces defining said gap are provided with at least one key.

14. The ergonomic keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one surface from said plurality of surfaces is adapted to move horizontally and wherein a leverage system is connected to said at least one surface from said plurality of surfaces, said leverage system being adapted to adjust the distance between said plurality of surfaces.

15. The ergonomic keyboard as claimed in claim 14, wherein the surface of lowest elevation is the most distal row, wherein a middle row is raised by a riser above said distal row and wherein an upper row is adjacent to said middle row, and wherein at least one lever from said leverage system is connected to said most distal row, wherein at least one lever from said leverage system is connected to said middle row, wherein at least one lever from said leverage system is connected to said riser and wherein at least one lever from said leverage system is connected to said upper lever.

16. The ergonomic keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein a leverage system is connected to one of the surfaces, said leverage system being adapted to adjust the distance between surfaces.