Keyboard contoured to the natural shape of the hand

• US 7,182,533 B1
• Filed: 05/03/2000
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• 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): Evanisko; Leslie J.
• Application Number:
  US09/563,999
• Time in Patent Office: 2,491 Days
• Field of Search: 400/472, 400/488, 400/489, 400/490, 400/492, 400/491, 400/491.3, 400/714, 400/715, 235/145.R, 345/168, 345/169, 341/22, 341/21
• US Class Current: 400/489
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1664 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0333 Ergonomic shaped mouse for one hand
• 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 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/70 having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard mounting together a plurality of independent switches H02B
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/004 Larger or different actuating area
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/006 Different feeling for different switch sites
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/024 Profile on actuator
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/03 Concave plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/034 Support for hands or arms
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/042 Higher keytops
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/062 Maintenance or repair facilities

Abstract

This invention provides novel keyboards comprising keys disposed such that they minimize the distance a finger typically must travel to effect a keystroke and the force that is applied to effect a keystroke. Accordingly the keyboards require less arm and finger movement to and thereby reduce the likelihood of an operator developing a repetitive stress injury (RSI). In one embodiment the keyboards comprise a plurality of keys disposed such that the alphanumeric keys form a continuous key array defining a key array surface having at least two concave regions wherein a plurality of keys present irregular and/or non-rectilinear striking faces.

Claims

1. A keyboard comprising a plurality of keys including alphanumeric keys disposed such that the alphanumeric keys form a continuous key array defining a key array surface having at least two concave regions, wherein a plurality of keys comprising one of said at least two concave regions are non-rectilinear keys, at least two keys in a row are shaped differently from each other, wherein the orientation of the major principal axis of the striking faces of the keys in a row varies with the position of the keys in said row.

2. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the plurality of keys comprising at least one of said at least two concave regions in said key array are not stepped.

3. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein:

striking faces of the keys comprising said concave regions are disposed at varying heights such that the faces in a home row typically struck with a pinky finger of a user are higher than keys in a home row typically struck by the middle finger of a user;

the angle of the striking faces of the keys varies with the location of the keys in the keyboard; and

the planar projections of the striking faces of a plurality of keys comprising said concave regions are not rectilinear.

4. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the planar projection of the striking faces of a plurality of keys comprising at least one of said at least two concave regions are not rectangular, not circular, not square, and not L-shaped.

5. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the planar projection of the striking faces of the plurality of keys comprising at least one of said at least two concave regions are substantially ovoid.

6. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein a row of keys in the keyboard comprises three or more letter keys the striking faces of which have different lateral offsets.

7. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein a row of keys in the keyboard comprises three or more letter keys the striking faces of which have different forward offsets.

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

9. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said alphanumeric keys comprise “

K” and

“

D”

keys, and the striking faces of the “

K” and

“

D”

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

10. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of keys comprises two striking faces.

11. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the planar projection of the striking faces of a plurality of keys comprising one of said at least two concave regions are not square, not circular, not L-shaped, and not rectangular, and wherein the orientation of the striking faces of said keys varies along a row.

12. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein keys comprising a row above a home row have surfaces angled downward toward the home row so as to physically position the keys closer to a pinky and ring finger of a user.

13. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the keys comprising a row below a home row have surfaces angled upward toward the home row so as to physically position the keys closer to the pinky and ring fingers of a user.

14. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the vertical distance between the lower-most striking face of one of said plurality of keys comprising one of said concave regions and the uppermost striking face of a key on said keyboard is at least about 5 mm.

15. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the vertical distance between the lower-most striking face of one of said plurality of keys comprising one of said concave regions and the uppermost striking face of a key on said keyboard is at most about 10 mm.

16. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein a “

D”

key forms the lowest point of one of said concave regions.

17. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein a “

K”

key forms the lowest point of one of said concave regions.

18. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the keys comprising at least one of said concave regions in said key array have striking faces oriented such that lines normal to the striking faces at least four keys all point in different directions.

19. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of keys comprising one of said concave regions has a key face rotated to substantially align with said key array surface within one of said concave regions.

20. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said key array comprises at least two keys having different angles and slopes from each other.

21. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said key array comprises at least four keys having different angles and slopes from each other.

22. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said key array comprises a key having a striking face the planar projection of which describes an ellipse.

23. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said key array comprises a plurality of keys each having a striking face the planar projection of which describes an ellipse.

24. The keyboard of claim 23 wherein the major axis of the ellipses of a plurality of keys are directed diagonally generally toward the center of said keyboard.

25. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said key array comprises a key comprising a striking surface having an angle and a slope such that the surface of the striking face is not generally parallel to the keyboard surface, but is oriented generally perpendicular to the line of action of a finger striking said face when a users hands are positioned in home position and the finger used to strike said key is the finger used in a standard touch typing system.

26. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the keys comprising the key array have a center to center spacing less than 0.750 inches.

27. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the keys comprising the key array have a center to center spacing ranging from about 0.5 to about 1.0 inches.

28. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein letter or punctuation typically keys struck by the fifth finger of a user have a larger striking face than the striking face of keys typically struck by the first (index) finger of a user in a standard touch typing system.

29. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the distance between the edges of the striking faces of two adjacent keys varies along said edges.

30. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said key array comprises a row of keys in which each key in said row has a single topmost point.

31. The keyboard of claim 30, wherein the spacing between the topmost point of the keys in said row is not constant.

32. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said key array comprises a row of keys in which each key in said row has a single bottom-most point.

33. The keyboard of claim 32 wherein the spacing between the bottom-most point of the keys in said row is not constant.

34. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said key array comprises a row of keys in which different keys in said row have a different forward extent.

35. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said key array comprises a row of keys in which different keys in said row have a different side extent.

36. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein a plurality of keys comprising at least one of said at least two concave regions have an off-center axis.

37. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein said key array comprises keys having a round softer than 0.02 inch.

38. The keyboard of claim 37, wherein said key array comprises keys having a round ranging from 0.005 inch to 0.05 inch.

39. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein a plurality of keys comprising at least one of said at least two concave regions comprise key skirts that are not uniform.

40. A keyboard comprising a plurality of keys including alphanumeric keys disposed such that the alphanumeric keys form a continuous key array defining a key array surface having at least two concave regions, wherein a plurality of keys comprising one of said concave regions have a striking face that is substantially elliptical in shape, wherein the major axis of the ellipses of said keys are directed diagonally generally toward the center of each concave region of said keyboard.

41. The keyboard of claim 40, wherein said key array comprises keys having a round softer than 0.02 inch.

42. The keyboard of claim 41, wherein said key array comprises keys having a round ranging from about 0.005 inch to about 0.5 inch.

43. A keyboard comprising a plurality of keys including alphanumeric keys disposed such that the alphanumeric keys form a continuous key array defining a key array surface having at least two concave regions, wherein a plurality of keys comprising one of said at least two concave regions are non-rectilinear keys, at least two keys in a row are shaped differently from each other, wherein letter or punctuation typically keys struck by the fifth finger of a user have a larger striking face than the striking face of keys typically struck by the first (index) finger of a user in a standard touch typing system.

44. A keyboard comprising a plurality of keys including alphanumeric keys disposed such that the alphanumeric keys form a continuous key array defining a key array surface having at least two concave regions, wherein a plurality of keys comprising one of said at least two concave regions are non-rectilinear keys, at least two keys in a row are shaped differently from each other, wherein said key array comprises a row of keys in which each key in said row has a single topmost point.

45. The keyboard of claim 44, wherein the spacing between the topmost point of the keys in said row is not constant.

46. A keyboard comprising a plurality of keys including alphanumeric keys disposed such that the alphanumeric keys form a continuous key array defining a key array surface having at least two concave regions, wherein a plurality of keys comprising one of said at least two concave regions are non-rectilinear keys, at least two keys in a row are shaped differently from each other, wherein said key array comprises a row of keys in which each key in said row has a single bottom-most point.

47. The keyboard of claim 46, wherein the spacing between the bottom-most point of the keys in said row is not constant.