Locating key for a keyboard or keypad
First Claim
1. A keyboard or keypad including at least three rows of keys including a top row which is remote from the user, a middle row, and a bottom row which is adjacent to the user, each row having at least three keys including a left and a right end key, each key having a finger engaged surface of with a central axis perpendicular to said finger engaged surface, said surface having arcuate top and bottom edge portions extending angularly about said axis and arcuate left and right edge portions also extending angularly about said axis, and wherein the keys include:
- (i) a ridge on the top left end key adjacent to the upper edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows,(ii) a ridge on the top left end key adjacent to the left edge portion thereof extending generally in a direction transverse to the rows,(iii) a ridge on the bottom left end key adjacent to the left edge portion thereof extending generally in a direction to the rows,(iv) a ridge on the bottom left end key adjacent to the bottom edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows,(v) a ridge on the bottom right end key adjacent to the bottom edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows,(vi) a ridge on the bottom right end key adjacent to the right edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction transverse to the rows,(vii) a ridge on the top right end key adjacent to the right edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction transverse to the rows, and(viii) a ridge on the top right end key adjacent to the upper edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A key (21) for a keyboard or keypad, the key (21) having an upper finger engaged surface (2) defining a generally top edge portion (3) remote from the user, a generally bottom edge portion (4) adjacent to the user, a generally left edge portion (5) and a generally right edge portion (6), the key (21) further having a ridge (22) adjacent to the top edge portion (3), the bottom edge portion (4), the left edge portion (5) and/or the right edge portion (6).
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A keyboard or keypad including at least three rows of keys including a top row which is remote from the user, a middle row, and a bottom row which is adjacent to the user, each row having at least three keys including a left and a right end key, each key having a finger engaged surface of with a central axis perpendicular to said finger engaged surface, said surface having arcuate top and bottom edge portions extending angularly about said axis and arcuate left and right edge portions also extending angularly about said axis, and wherein the keys include:
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(i) a ridge on the top left end key adjacent to the upper edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows, (ii) a ridge on the top left end key adjacent to the left edge portion thereof extending generally in a direction transverse to the rows, (iii) a ridge on the bottom left end key adjacent to the left edge portion thereof extending generally in a direction to the rows, (iv) a ridge on the bottom left end key adjacent to the bottom edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows, (v) a ridge on the bottom right end key adjacent to the bottom edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows, (vi) a ridge on the bottom right end key adjacent to the right edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction transverse to the rows, (vii) a ridge on the top right end key adjacent to the right edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction transverse to the rows, and (viii) a ridge on the top right end key adjacent to the upper edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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2. A QWERTY keyboard having a plurality of alphanumeric keys arranged in three linear rows including a top row which is remote from the user, a middle row, and a bottom row which is adjacent to the user, each row having a left and a right end key, each key having a finger engaged surface with a central axis perpendicular to said finger engaged surface, said surface having arcuate top and bottom edge portions extending angularly about said axis and arcuate left and right side edge portions also extending angularly about said axis, the keys being positioned in a left first set and a right second set, the first set including the three left end keys and at least the next two or three adjacent keys of each row, the second set including the three right end keys and the next adjacent two or three keys spaced toward the first set so that the two sets are spaced by two, three or four keys, and wherein the keys of said first set include:
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(i) a ridge on the top left end key adjacent to the upper edge portion thereof extending generally in a direction of the rows, (ii) a ridge on the top left end key adjacent to the left edge portion thereof extending generally in a direction transverse to the rows, (ii) a ridge on the middle left end key adjacent to the left edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction transverse to the rows, (iv) a ridge on the bottom left end key adjacent to the left edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction transverse to the rows, (v) a ridge on the bottom left end key adjacent to the bottom edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows, (vi) a ridge on the next adjacent or next two adjacent keys to said bottom left end key of the bottom row adjacent to the bottom edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows, (vii) a ridge on the next adjacent bottom key adjacent to the bottom edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows, (viii) a ridge on said last mentioned key adjacent to the right edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction transverse to the rows, (ix) a ridge on the middle key next adjacent to said last mentioned key adjacent to the right edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction transverse to the rows, (x) a ridge on the top key next adjacent to said last mentioned key adjacent to the right edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction transverse to the rows, (xi) a ridge on said last mentioned key adjacent to the top edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows, (xii) a ridge on the or each top key between said last mentioned key and said top left end key adjacent to the top edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows, and the keys of said second set include; (i) a ridge on the top right end key adjacent to the upper edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows, (ii) a ridge on the top right end key adjacent to the right edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction transverse to the rows, (iii) a ridge on the middle key adjacent to said top right key adjacent to the right edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction transverse to the rows, (iv) a ridge on the bottom right end key adjacent to the right edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction transverse to the rows, (v) a ridge on the bottom right end key adjacent to the bottom edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows, (vi) a ridge on the next adjacent or next two adjacent keys to said bottom right end key of the bottom row adjacent to the bottom edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows, (vii) a ridge on the next adjacent bottom key adjacent to the bottom edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows, (viii) a ridge on said last mentioned key adjacent to the left edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction transverse to the rows, (ix) a ridge on the middle key next adjacent to said last mentioned key adjacent to the left edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction transverse to the rows (x) a ridge on the top key next adjacent to said last mentioned key adjacent to the left edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction transverse to the rows, (xi) a ridge on said last mentioned key adjacent to the top edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows, (xii) a ridge on the or each top key between said last mentioned key and said top right end key adjacent to the top edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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Specification