Keyboard

• US 7,131,780 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2003
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steven B. Hirsch
• Original Assignee: Steven B. Hirsch
• Inventors: Hirsch, Steven B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Colilla, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Kevin D.
• Application Number:
  US10/650,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20050058492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 400/485, 400/486, 400/480, 400/489, 400/472, 200/5.A, 200/5.B, 200/5.C, 341/22, 345/168
• US Class Current: 400/485
• 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 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0234 using switches operable in different directions

Abstract

A keyboard has a single row of eight multi-position keys with the letters arranged in a standard QWERTY keyboard configuration. The eight keys correspond to the eight fingers used when touch typing; each finger operates one key, and that key contains all the letters that the finger normally accesses when touch typing on a standard QWERTY keyboard. With this design, no finger has to move to a different key while typing. When depressed at different locations on its key face, each key either moves straight down, or down while tilting slightly about one of a plurality of axes. Three-position keys have two tilt axes and six-position keys have five tilt axes. The switches utilize contacts located on the bottom of the switches which may be conductive or nonconductive.

Claims

1. A reduced size keyboard for touch typing letters, the reduced size keyboard comprising:

eight keys which collectively include letters A through Z thereon to permit all of the letters to be accessed by eight fingers of a user without having to operate more than one of the keys with any one finger;

a predetermined standard QWERTY arrangement of the letters on the eight keys with the letters generally assigned to three rows across the eight keys and predetermined ones of the keys having multiple letters arranged in a generally columnar arrangement thereon; and

a distinct activation position for each letter arranged consistently with the predetermined standard QWERTY arrangement so that the keys including multiple letters thereon allow the user'"'"'s fingers to move or direct an actuation force on the multiple letter keys in a manner generally corresponding to finger movements used for touch typing with standard QWERTY keyboards without requiring that any one of the user'"'"'s fingers operate more than one of the keys for touch typing of the letters with the eight keys, wherein at least one of the eight keys has at least six of the distinct activation positions.

2. The reduced size keyboard of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the eight keys includes a pair of centrally disposed, generally adjacent keys with each key in the pair having six letters thereon and six corresponding distinct activation positions so that the user'"'"'s index fingers each can type six letters via the corresponding one of the pair of six-letter keys without having to operate another key.

3. The reduced size keyboard of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the eight keys includes a pair of centrally disposed, generally adjacent keys that are of a different size than a plurality of the other of the eight keys.

4. The reduced size keyboard of claim 3 wherein the pair of keys are each wider in a lateral direction to have a larger number of letters and corresponding distinct activation positions than the plurality of the other of the eight keys.

5. The reduced size keyboard of claim 1 wherein the predetermined ones of the keys each have opposite ends thereof, an intermediate recessed surface, and raised surfaces extending between the recessed surface and the opposite key ends to provide a tactile indication to the user that the fingers that operate the predetermined ones of the keys are in a touch typing home position when engaged on the recessed surfaces of the keys.

6. The reduced size keyboard of claim 5 wherein the recessed surfaces arid raised surfaces of the predetermined ones of the keys have a substantially flat configuration.

7. The reduced size keyboard of claim 1 wherein the eight keys each include at least one adjacent key, and

a standard interkey spacing between centers of the adjacent keys to allow touch typing with the eight keys without the fingers interfering with one another or any one finger pressing two keys simultaneously.

8. The reduced size keyboard of claim 7 wherein the standard interkey spacing is approximately ¾

of an inch.

9. The reduced size keyboard of claim 1 wherein the keys include structure for providing the distinct activation positions to allow unambiguous input of a single letter via a single keystroke with any one of the eight keys.

10. The reduced size keyboard of claim 9 wherein the key structure includes multiple pivot axes about which the keys are pivotal so that pivoting one of the keys in one direction about one pivot axis inputs one of the key'"'"'s letters and not any other letter or letters of the key, and pivoting in another direction about another one of the pivot axes inputs another one of the key'"'"'s letters and not any other letter or letters of the key.

11. The reduced size keyboard of claim 1 wherein the keys include structure so that the distinct activation positions are mutually exclusive to preclude input of multiple letters via a single keystroke with any one of the eight keys.

12. The reduced size keyboard of claim 1 wherein the eight keys have a linear, side-by- side arrangement thereof.

13. The reduced size keyboard of claim 1 wherein the general assignment of letters to three rows comprises three single rows of letters so that each of the linear rows contain letters in a side-by-side arrangement thereof.

15. The reduced size keyboard of claim 13 wherein the predetermined key from each group has six letters thereon and six corresponding distinct activation positions so that the user'"'"'s fingers on their left and right hands operating the six-letter keys can touch type the six letters therewith without having to operate another key.

16. The reduced size keyboard of claim 13 wherein the four keys of the first group are laterally adjacent and are spaced by a standard interkey spacing between centers thereof that does not have to be traversed by any one of the four fingers on the user'"'"'s left hand during touch typing, and the four keys of the second group are laterally adjacent and are spaced by the standard interkey spacing between centers thereof that does not have to be traversed by any one of the four fingers on the user'"'"'s right hand during touch typing.

17. The reduced size keyboard of claim 15 wherein the distinct activation position for each letter is spaced on the multiple letter keys so that adjacent activation positions on any one of the multiple letter keys are spaced closer to each other than the standard interkey spacing.

18. The reduced size keyboard of claim 16 wherein the standard interkey spacing is approximately ¾

of an inch.

19. The reduced size keyboard of claim 13 wherein the predetermined key from the first group is laterally adjacent to the predetermined key from the second group.

20. The reduced size keyboard of claim 13 wherein the respective rows for the first and second groups of keys extend linearly in one generally continuous row.

14. A reduced size keyboard for touch typing letters, the reduced size keyboard comprising:

eight keys which collectively include letters A through Z thereon;

a first group of four of the eight keys arranged in a row for being operated by four fingers on a left hand of a user without having to operate more than one of the keys with any one finger;

a second group of four of the eight keys arranged in a row for being operated by four fingers on a right hand of a user without having to operate more than one of the keys with any one finger;

a predetermined standard QWERTY arrangement of the letters on the eight keys so that a plurality of the keys in both groups have multiple letters in a generally columnar arrangement thereon and the plurality of keys include a predetermined key from each group that also has letters arranged laterally adjacent to each other thereon; and

a distinct activation position for each letter arranged consistently with the predetermined standard QWERTY arrangement so that the plurality of keys including multiple letters thereon allow the user'"'"'s fingers on both the left and right hands to move or direct an actuation force on the multiple letter keys in a manner generally corresponding to finger movements used for touch typing with standard QWERTY keyboards without requiring that any one of the user'"'"'s fingers on either hand operate more than one of the keys for touch typing of the letters with the eight keys, wherein at least one of the predetermined keys has at least six of the distinct activation positions.