Ergonomic keyboard with divided keys

• US 8,226,308 B1
• Filed: 05/04/2008
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alfred Saviour Borg
• Original Assignee: Alfred Saviour Borg
• Inventors: Borg, Alfred Saviour
• Primary Examiner(s): Marini, Matthew G
• Application Number:
  US12/114,802
• Time in Patent Office: 1,542 Days
• Field of Search: 400/486, 400/489, 341/229
• US Class Current: 400/486
• 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

Abstract

The keyboard of the present invention provides an ergonomic layout having a configuration divided into two halves, with half the standard keys normally associated with a user'"'"'s left hand positioned on the left side of the board while the other keys normally associated with a user'"'"'s right hand are positioned on the right side of the board, the centers being shoulder width apart. The spacing enables users to type comfortably with keystrokes that feel natural and correct. For example, the left parenthesis button may be positioned on the left side while the right parenthesis may be positioned on the right side.

Claims

1. A keyboard, comprising:

a single frame having left and right portions;

a left set of keys disposed on the left portion; and

a right set of keys disposed on the right portion;

a center set of keys disposed between the left and right sets, comprising a numeric keypad;

wherein the left set of keys comprises a left half of a QWERTY keyboard configuration and the right set of keys comprises a right half of the QWERTY keyboard configuration;

the left set of keys comprises at least three rows and five columns of keys and the right set of keys comprises at least three rows and five columns of keys, and the keys having indicia printed thereon corresponding to a character generated by the keyboard when the corresponding key is depressed;

wherein the keys in the left, right, and center sets have a first spacing between the keys within the sets and the center set of keys is spaced a distance a part from the left and right sets greater than the first spacing between the keys of the sets;

two sets of three keys clustered together and arranged with two keys in a row and a third key above the two keys, a cluster of three keys positioned between the center keys and left keys and a cluster of three keys positioned between the center keys and the right keys and both clusters in line with the bottom two rows of the right and left keys, the clusters spaced apart from the left and right sets;

wherein centers of the left and right sets of keys are positioned to be spaced apart the shoulder width of a typical user;

a beta set of keys comprising;

a CAPS LOCK key;

an ENTER key;

a NEW LINE key; and

a FORWARD TAB key configured to only generate a FORWARD TAB function;

wherein the CAPS LOCK key, ENTER key, and NEW LINE key are disposed in a first top row and the top row contains exactly three keys comprising the CAPS LOCK key, ENTER key, and NEW LINE and the FORWARD TAB key is disposed below the first top row;

wherein the beta set is disposed adjacent to and above the left set.

2. The keyboard of claim 1, further comprising a gamma set of keys comprising:

a BACKSPACE key;

an ENTER key;

a NEW LINE key; and

a BACKWARD TAB key configured to only generate the backward tab function;

wherein the a BACKSPACE key, ENTER key, and NEW LINE key are disposed in a second top row and the second top row contains exactly three keys comprising the BACKSPACE key, ENTER key, and NEW LINE key and the BACKWARD TAB key is disposed below the second top row;

wherein the gamma set is disposed adjacent to and above the right set of keys.

3. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the bottom rows of the left and right sets of keys contain exactly one key, and each bottom row comprises a SPACE BAR key.

4. The keyboard of claim 1, further comprising two sets of modifier keys comprising:

a SHIFT key;

a CTRL key; and

an ALT key;

wherein the SHIFT, CTRL and ALT keys are arranged adjacent to one another and the SHIFT key is disposed above both the CTRL and ALT keys and the CTRL and ALT keys are disposed lateral to each other in a row.

5. A keyboard, comprising:

a single rigid frame having left and right portions;

a left set of keys disposed on the left portion, the left set comprising;

a top row having precisely a CAPS LOCK key, an ENTER key, and a NEW LINE key and no other keys;

middle rows containing keys arranged in a left half of a QWERTY keyboard arrangement;

a FORWARD TAB key configured to only generate a forward tab function;

a set of left character keys; and

a bottom row having precisely a SPACE BAR key and no other keys;

a right set of keys disposed on the right portion, the right set comprising;

a row having a BACKSPACE key, an ENTER key, and a NEW LINE key;

middle rows containing keys arranged in a right half of a QWERTY keyboard arrangement;

a BACKWARD TAB key configured to only generate a backward tab function;

a set of right character keys; and

a bottom row having precisely a SPACE BAR key and no other keys; and

a center set of keys disposed between the left and right sets of keys;

wherein centers of the left and right sets of keys are positioned to be spaced apart the shoulder width of a typical user.

6. The keyboard of claim 5, wherein the keyboard comprises:

two sets of;

a SHIFT key;

a CTRL key; and

an ALT key;

wherein the SHIFT, CTRL, and ALT keys are disposed adjacent one another;

wherein the two sets are disposed on either side of the center set of keys.