Ergonomic keyboard

• US 7,507,043 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2004
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metamorfyx LLC
• Original Assignee: Metamorfyx LLC
• Inventors: Camacho, Herman, Granadino, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): COLILLA, DANIEL JAMES
• Application Number:
  US10/983,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20050063760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,597 Days
• Field of Search: 400/486, 400/488, 400/489, 400/490, 400/492, 400/715, D14/115
• US Class Current: 400/489
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 5/10 Arrangements of keyboards , e.g. key button disposition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0208 Arrangements for adjusting the tilt angle of a keyboard, e.g. pivoting legs for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1667
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/807 characterised by the spatial arrangement of the contact sites, e.g. superimposed sites
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/028 on planes with different or alterable inclination, e.g. convex plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/034 Support for hands or arms
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/022 other then row-column disposition

Abstract

An ergonomic keyboard having a mount and a plurality of keys arranged in a plurality of unbroken adjacent rows is provided. Each row is comprised of an arcuate portion, a left portion, and a right portion. The left and right portions extend tangentially from the left and right sides of the arcuate portion, respectively. The arcuate portion, of each row is convex to the user side of the keyboard, and at least two keys in each arcuate portion are elongated. Alphanumeric indicia on the keys can be arranged in the QWERTY pattern.

Claims

1. An ergonomic keyboard supportable on an underlying support surface, said keyboard comprising:

at least one support leg attached to and extendable from said keyboard to said support surface for elevating said front edge relative to said support surface;

a mount having an arcuate front edge corresponding to a vertical edge of the keyboard closest to a user, said front edge being convex to the user and having a sustained lateral curvature; and

a plurality of keys supported on said mount arranged in multiple rows, said rows having an arcuate portion following the lateral curvature of said front edge.

2. The ergonomic keyboard of claim 1 further comprising:

a wrist support attached to said front edge of said mount, said wrist support having an arcuate portion closest to the user and following the lateral curvature of said front edge.

3. The ergonomic keyboard of claims 1 or 2 wherein said lateral curvature has a degree of curvature between 1 and 50 degrees.

4. The ergonomic keyboard of claim 3 wherein said lateral curvature has a degree of curvature of 35 degrees.

5. The ergonomic keyboard of claim 1 wherein said keys having a top key surface being sloped generally downward towards said front edge.

6. The ergonomic keyboard of claim 1 wherein said keys having a concave striking surface whereby said surface of the keys within at least one row lie in a common oblique plane that slopes from a horizontal axis upwardly away from said front edge.

7. The ergonomic keyboard of claim 1 further comprising:

at least two elongated keys located in an arcuate portion of each row.

8. An ergonomic keyboard supportable on an underlying support surface, said keyboard comprising:

at least one support leg attached to and extendable from said keyboard to said support surface for elevating said front edge relative to said support surface;

a mount having an arcuate front edge corresponding to a vertical edge of the keyboard closest to a user, said front edge being convex to the user and having a sustained lateral curvature;

a plurality of keys supported on said mount arranged in multiple rows, said rows having an arcuate portion following the lateral curvature of said front edge; and

a wrist support attached to said front edge of said mount, said wrist support having an arcuate portion closest to the user and following the lateral curvature of said front edge.

9. The ergonomic keyboard of claim 8 wherein said lateral curvature has a degree of curvature between 1 and 50 degrees.

10. The ergonomic keyboard of claim 9 wherein said lateral curvature has a degree of curvature of 35 degrees.

11. The ergonomic keyboard of claim 8 wherein said keys having a top key surface being sloped generally downward towards said front edge.

12. The ergonomic keyboard of claim 8 wherein said keys having a concave striking surface whereby said surface of the keys within at least one row lie in a common oblique plane that slopes from a horizontal axis upwardly away from said front edge.