Ergonomic keyboard apparatus and method of using same

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/576,776, filed Dec. 21, 1995, now abandoned.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates in general to a keyboard apparatus and a method of using it. The invention more particularly relates to keyboard apparatus and method for entering information to reduce or to eliminate repetitive motion injuries to the user.

BACKGROUND

Many improvements have been made in devices and machines for data and word processing. For example, many years ago, the manual typewriter was replaced with the electric typewriter, and the electric typewriter has been nearly replaced with more sophisticated, computer equipment. Yet, notwithstanding the enormous strides that have been made in improving such equipment, the keyboard, which is the basic interface between the machine and the user has remained relatively unchanged. The inconsistency between the vastly improved computer equipment, as compared to the keyboard itself, has been the result of keyboard designers ignoring the physiological structure of the typical user.

More particularly, users, independently of the information being entered via the keyboard, all enter information by manipulating the keyboard in substantially a similar manner. However, the configuration of the conventional keyboard is somewhat incompatible with the physiological structure of the hands, fingers and arms of the user.

This incompatibility causes the hand, finger and wrist movements of the user operator to be somewhat strained, slowed, and even sometimes misdirected, resulting in not only unwanted and undesired physical stress on the operator, but also in undesired fatigue with resulting entry errors. The results of such repetitive stress and errors can cause unwanted loss in time for correcting the errors, as well as a loss in productivity through stress related injuries suffered by the keyboard operator. Such injuries may be severe enough to render the individual unemployable.

With respect to stress injuries, repetitive stroking of an incompatible keyboard is well known to stress the wrists, elbows and shoulders of an operator. Such repetitive stress when continued over long periods of time, can lead to repetitive stress injuries, such as carnal tunnel syndrome, which is a painful and oftentimes a crippling ailment affecting the tendons and nerves in the person's wrist area. It should be understood that carnal tunnel syndrome is only one of several musculoskeletal injuries, frequently being identified variously as cumulative trauma disorder, repetitive strain injury, as well as repetitive motion disorder.

Thus, strained repetitive use of one's hands and fingers can result in swelling causing the tendons to press painfully on the nerves in the person's wrist area. Moreover, if the swelling continues over a protracted period of time, permanent damage to the nerves may result, thereby causing the afflicted person to lose or at least to reduce greatly, his or her ability to grip objects or even the use of their hands. Thus, such injuries not only can cause lost productivity, but also can cause an increase in worker compensation insurance rates, since such insurance is maintained by employers.

In the case where cumulative trauma disorder is caused by the use of a keyboard, the injury may be caused by the inwardly flexing of the wrists to enable the fingers to be positioned properly to reach the keys of the keyboard. Such flexion of the wrists can cause the unwanted, painful pressing of the tendons on the nerves. Through long periods of time of keyboard entry in such an awkward and stressful position, the dreadful malady can result.

Because of the debilitating effect of carpal tunnel syndrome and other such repetitive stress injuries, resulting from keyboard entry for extended periods of time, there has been a long felt need for a keyboard arrangement which would reduce, if not substantially eliminate, such serious physical impairments. Therefore, it would be highly desirable to have a new and improved keyboard arrangement for facilitating keyboard entry in a more relaxed, reduced-stress manner. Such an arrangement should substantially reduce, if not completely eliminate, excessive musculoskeletal fatigue and stress. Such an arrangement should eliminate or at least reduce greatly, cumulative trauma disorder, such as carpal tunnel syndrome and the like.

In view of this long felt need, there have been many attempts to improve and correct the deficiencies of well known keyboard arrangements. For example, reference may be made to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,824,268; 4,669,903; 4,509,873; 4,483,634; 4201,409; 4,081,068; 4,661,005; 4,597,681; 3,929,216; 2,218,519; 1,828,939; 1,687,904; and 1,089,689.

One such attempt at helping to reduce carpal tunnel syndrome is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,005 which shows a pair of keyboards mounted slidably on a stationary bar and separable into two spaced apart areas. Each keyboard is also mounted pivotally to permit a downward pivoting of the keyboards relative to a longitudinal plane.

From the foregoing it appears that it would be difficult, if not impossible, for an operator to pivot each section of the keyboard arrangement downwardly at precisely the same angle; thus, resulting in the wrists of the operator being flexed at different angles. Additionally, separating the keyboards at a sufficient distance to avoid flexure of a user's wrists and hands would substantially disrupt the normal hand to eye coordination facilities of the user which is absolutely necessary for rapid and accurate information entry operations via a keyboard terminal. Moreover, the above-mentioned adjustments would need to be made by each user of the keyboard resulting in reduced productivity as each user would take valuable production time to make his or her own personal adjustments to the keyboard arrangement. Finally, it should also be noted that while the separating and pivoting of the keyboard sections may help relieve a user's discomfort such adjustments may, in fact, be physically improper even though the keyboard placement may feel good to the user. Thus, the separate keyboards are less than satisfactory in substantially reducing cumulative trauma disorder.

Another attempt directed at reducing cumulative trauma disorder is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,681 which discloses an adjustable keyboard arrangement divided laterally into two sections. Each individual section is adjustable about each of two mutually angulated axes so as to change the planes of the sections relative to a support base, and to allow each section to be angularly shifted in its own plane. The keys in each section are also mounted for individual adjustment angularly, laterally and in height.

Thus, in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,681, the keyboard construction disclosed therein may lend itself to permitting individual adjustment for more comfortable use, by accommodating the arms, hands and fingers of an operator. However, the patented keyboard arrangement is very expensive to manufacture and awkward to use. In this regard, the axes of angular shift, make it difficult for an operator to visualize clearly each individual character key. Thus, while this keyboard arrangement may tend to help reduce physical stress, it would be a difficult and time consuming process to learn to use this type of keyboard arrangement. In this regard, before a skilled operator can attempt to input information at the same speed as a conventional keyboard, the unique and very different shape and configuration of the patented adjustable keyboard require new skills to be learned. In short, while the adjustable patented keyboard may be designed to overcome some physically disabling problems, a skilled use would require an undesirably long period of training, and may never be able to regain former speed and accuracy. Moreover, as this keyboard arrangement requires individual adjustments, all of the problems noted with respect to the other patents mentioned above would also apply to this keyboard arrangement.

Still yet another attempted solution is a shorthand typewriting machine keyboard disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,318,519 where the keys are divided into two groupings or sections disposed at an angle relative to one another to help orient the hands of an operator in proper alignment with the keys. While this arrangement is ideal for the proper orientation of the hands of a shorthand machine operator, the keyboard construction would not prove satisfactory for use in a modern keyboard, such as the ones used with computers, because the unconventional orientation of the individual keys make it difficult for a skilled keyboard entry person to use efficiently such a keyboard without additional expensive and time consuming training. In this regard, such a shorthand keyboard is, of course, totally different from a computer keyboard.

While each of the above mentioned keyboard arrangements may claim to reduce cumulative trauma disorder, each one would not be satisfactory for use by a highly skilled keyboard entry person. In this regard, many skilled persons earn their living by fast and accurate keyboard entry. Thus, if a keyboard does help in the prevention of repetitive injuries, such a keyboard would not at all be useful to a person who could not use it at a sufficiently high rate of speed to meet employment requirements. Also, long, arduous training is not at all desirable, and can totally preclude its use, even though the prior known keyboards may be useful in preventing injuries. In short; even though a keyboard may prevent injuries, it may not be useful at all, if it can not be operated quickly and easily, with little or no training. With such a keyboard entry method, the entry speed of the operator can be greatly improved over a “hunt and peck ” typing technique. However, mastering the touch typing technique, requires many hours of extensive training. While such training is relatively tedious and time consuming, trainees are willing to expend their time and efforts, because at higher entry or typing speeds, the greater the amount of income that can be earned by the operator at a place of employment.

Mastering the touch typing technique is time consuming, because the operator must first memorize the location of each of the keys and their associated control keys. Then, following this memorization, the operator must master complex key stroking patterns by repetitive practice.

In order to master touch typing, after the key locations are memorized, specific finger placements must be mastered. In this regard, the fingers of the right and left hands are placed on specific keys of a middle row of characters keys. The fingers of the left hand are positioned on the character keys A, S, D, and F, while the fingers of the right hand are placed on the character keys J, K, L and ;. The fingers of the right and left hands move from these “home or resting positions ” to strike the other keys. In this regard, the fingers on the left hand operate the following keys:

1

2

3

4

5

CHARACTERS

1

1

2

3

4

5

2

Q

W

E

R

T

3

A

S

D

F

G

4

Z

X

C

V

B

The fingers on the right hand operate the following keys:

COLUMNS

6

7

8

9

10

ROWS

CHARACTER

1

6

7

8

9

0

2

Y

U

I

O

P

3

H

J

K

L

;

4

N

M

,

.

?

The trainee must therefore learn, not only the location of each key, but also must learn the stroking technique for which each key is to be actuated on a finger by finger basis. In order to understand which finger is assigned which key, the finger to key relationship for the left hand is as follows:

LITTLE

THIRD

MIDDLE

INDEX

FINGER

FINGER

FINGER

FINGER

ROWS

(L)

(L)

(L)

(L)

1

1

2

3

4, 5

2

Q

W

E

R, T

3

A

S

D

F, G

4

Z

X

C

V, B

The finger to key relationship for the right hand is as follows:

INDEX

MIDDLE

THIRD

LITTLE

FINGER

FINGER

FINGER

FINGER

ROWS

(R)

(R)

(R)

(R)

1

6, 7

8

9

0

2

Y, U

I

O

P

3

H, J

K

L

;

4

N, M

,

.

?

Based on the foregoing, it is apparent that the individual fingers of a user start on different home keys and then travel quickly and instinctively to a plurality of different positions. For example, the index finger of each hand must travel from a rest position to seven different keys. Training the fingers to move from the home keys to the target keys, and then back again, requires practice repeatedly, until the fingers move instinctively from key to key in an extremely rapid and accurate manner.

Thus, the touch typing technique requires trainees to learn the complex stroking patterns associated with moving their fingers across the keyboard in a rapid accurate manner, until an acceptable level of entry speed can be achieved with few or no errors in an instinctive manner Unfortunately, because of musculoskeletal physical stress on the fingers, hands, waists, arms, neck, shoulders and back of the person executing the strokes, entry speed is generally limited to no more than three to five strokes a second, even after lengthy training.

Like riding a bicycle, once a person learns the complex keystroke patterns of touch typing, the patterns remain fixed in the reflex memory of the typist. Such a trained person can easily repeat the rapid fire finger movements in an instinctive manner, even after extended periods of not using the technique. In this regard, it should be recognized that since the fingers of a user are trained to move in unique patterns, the slightest deviation from that pattern of key strokes, will seriously degrade the training of the keyboard operator so that he or she may never be able to attain the same high rate of entry speed using conventional touch typing key strokes.

Therefore, it is absolutely clear that anyone who has mastered the art of touch typing, would have an extremely difficult, if not impossible time, in attempting to do keyboard entry on any one of the prior known stress-relieving keyboards, such as the aforementioned patented keyboards. In this regard, when positioning the fingers on the unfamiliar, distinctive prior known keyboards, the fingers would be unable to perform instinctively as previously trained, due to the different spatial arrangement of keys. Thus, the familiar ingrained training must be unlearned, and a whole new key stroke pattern would be required. Such an arduous and time consuming training process is unwanted and undesirable. Also, it may be completely impossible for a person to achieve his or her previous finger speed and accuracy.

Thus, if a person is unable to do keyboard entry at a sufficiently high rate of speed with acceptable accuracy, then the livelihood of such a person may be at risk. The employer normally demands a certain level of proficiency, before a keyboard entry person will be hired. Also, from the perspective of an employer, a keyboard will not be used if it slows down the operator to a point where productivity is not satisfactory. Thus, even if a keyboard may somehow reduce physical stress on the operator, it will not at all be useful or acceptable if the speed and accuracy of the operator is severely impaired.

Therefore, it would be highly desirable to have a new and improved keyboard arrangement that permits a user/operator to enter information rapidly and conveniently in an extremely fast and accurate manner. In this regard, the user/operator should be able to enter information as rapidly as when using a conventional keyboard arrangement, and should not be required to undergo extensive and time consuming training in order to use the keyboard arrangement in a rapid data entry manner.

An early design of a mechanical typewriter keyboard is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,138,474. In this patent, there is recognition of the stressful position that must be assumed by the forearms, wrists and hands of a keyboard operator. The patent therefore disclosed a keyboard that has separated groups of keys in an attempt to preclude the hands of the user being twisted. While a keyboard having this type arrangement would result in less strain upon the abducent muscles, it is also apparent that such a keyboard arrangement could not be used by a modern day word processing or data entry person in a rapid and efficient manner. In short, one could certainly not use familiar touch typing techniques on such a typewriter. In this regard, a data entry person has years of training so that finger to keypad movements are accomplished instinctively and accurately. Thus, if the fingers of the user are positioned in the usual four finger groupings as is well known in the touch typing technique, it is apparent numerous errors would occur. More particularly, as the fingers move from their rest position to designated target keys, the target key would be misplaced and thus, the key would either be completely missed, struck simultaneously with another key, or hit other than at its center pad location. Thus, in order for a skilled person to use such an arrangement, they would necessarily need to learn a substantially different typing technique with numerous modifications to the conventional finger to key stroking maneuvers executed according to conventional touch type techniques.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Therefore the principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved keyboard arrangement and method of using it, to not only relieve unwanted physical stress, but also to enable a skilled user to do keyboard entry at a high rate of speed with an acceptable degree of accuracy.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a new and improved keyboard arrangement and method of using it, so as to enable a touch typist to learn to use such a keyboard arrangement and method, with little or no training. Still another object of the present invention is to provide such a new and improved keyboard arrangement that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Briefly the above and other objects and features of the present invention are provided in a new and improved keyboard apparatus having two spaced apart clusters or groups of character keys. Each cluster or group is configured in an elongated rectangularly shaped arrangement. The clusters or groups are angularly displaced between their transverse dimensions by an angle &thgr; of about 31° to about 36°. Each group of character keys is arranged in a series of spaced apart staggered rows of discrete character keys and includes a common V-shaped space bar key bridging the two clusters. In order to facilitate easy recognition of the function of each of the character keys, character indica is disposed on the top surface of selected ones of the keys and is angularly displaced thereon by an angle of about &thgr;/2.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The above mentioned and other objects and features of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become apparent, and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of the embodiment of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1

is a top plan view of a keyboard apparatus which is constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing in phantom line the keyboard apparatus disposed at a different location on the supporting surface;

FIG. 2

is an enlarged side elevational view of the keyboard apparatus of

FIG. 1

;

FIG. 3

is a top plan view of another keyboard apparatus, which is also constructed in accordance with the present invention shown with a keyboard cradle also being constructed according to the present invention;

FIG. 4

is a sectional view of the keyboard apparatus and keyboard cradle unit of

FIG. 3

taken substantially on lines

4

—

4

thereof;

FIG. 5

is a diagrammatic view of the keyboard apparatus of

FIG. 1

showing the angular relationship between individual character keys and character key groupings; and

FIG. 6

is a top plan view of a keyboard apparatus which is constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing in phantom line the keyboard apparatus disposed at a different location on the supporting device.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to

FIGS. 1 and 2

thereof, there is shown an ergonomic keyboard apparatus

10

, which is constructed in accordance with the present invention and which is illustrated positioned on a stationary surface, such as a work station surface

12

.

The keyboard apparatus

10

generally comprises a housing unit

13

(

FIG. 2

) which is adapted for positioning on the surface

12

. The keyboard apparatus

10

also includes a set of character keys projecting upwardly from a face plate

18

.

The character keys are arranged in a pair of spaced apart character key groupings

14

and

16

where each grouping includes a large number of single discrete keys for producing and controlling the entry of alphanumeric characters into a computer or other such equipment (not shown). As will be explained hereinafter in greater detail, the two groupings

14

and

16

are disposed at an angle &thgr; relative to one another, as indicated-in

FIG. 5

, to relieve physical stress of the user.

As best seen in

FIGS. 1 and 2

, the key groupings

14

and

16

are coplanar and completely spaced apart by a space

15

having an irregular pentagular shape. The shape of the space

15

is so arranged to help an experienced touch typist utilize the keyboard apparatus

10

with substantially the same touch typing keystroke techniques as he or she would use on a conventional QWERTY type keyboard arrangement.

Considering now the operation of the keyboard apparatus

10

in greater detail, a user operates the apparatus

10

by the familiar touch typing technique, and thus can perform data and character entry operations in a fast and accurate manner. In this regard, the character keys in the left grouping

14

of keys are arranged to facilitate familiar touch typing techniques for the left hand. Similarly the keys of the right grouping

16

are arranged to facilitate touch typing techniques for the right hand. Because the character keys are arranged according to a key group to finger type arrangement, there is no need for a user to make keystrokes from one grouping of character keys to the other grouping of character keys.

In operation, a user commences using the keyboard apparatus

10

by placing his or her fingers in a manner similar to familiar touch typing techniques. The user then adjusts the keyboard housing

13

a sufficient distance from the edge of the work station

12

so that his or her wrists and hands are maintained in a straight and aligned relationship to one another to orient the keyboard in a position for comfortable and physiologically safe operation by the user. The user then presses the character keys in seriatim. In this regard, whenever the user depresses one of the character keys, an electrical signal is generated by the keyboard electronics (not shown) which is indicative of a character code that is based on the American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII). ASCII codes are well known to those skilled in the art and consist of 7-bit coded characters used for information exchange between data processing systems, data communication systems and associated equipment. More particularly, the ASCII set consists of control characters and alphanumeric characters for producing a written language.

Although in the preferred form of the present invention the depression of the individual character keys produces an ASCII code, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other codes or other means, such as mechanical linkages as used in mechanical typewriters could be utilized for causing a written language to be produced in response to a user depressing the character keys in seriatim.

Considering now the housing

13

in greater detail with reference to

FIGS. 1 and 5

, the housing

13

in generally V shaped, and includes a generally rectangular or elongated shaped left section

50

, and a generally rectangular or elongated shaped right section

51

. The character keys in the left section

50

are disposed at an angle &thgr; relative the right section

51

, where the angle &thgr; is between the transverse dimensions of the two groupings

14

and

16

. The angle &thgr; is at about 26° to 36°. A more preferred angle &thgr; is at about 31° to 36°; and the most preferred angle &thgr; is about 31°. The angle &thgr; between the groupings

14

and

16

enable the hands and wrists of the user to be aligned coextensively thus reducing, if not substantially eliminating physical stress on the hands, wrists, arms, shoulders and back muscles of the user.

As best seen in

FIG. 5

, the left grouping

14

generally comprises asset of character keys

100

-

126

(

FIG. 1

) that are mounted substantially within an area of the housing

13

defined by a left side transverse line

40

disposed parallel and spaced apart from the left edge

13

L portion of the housing

13

, a right side transverse line

42

disposed parallel and spaced apart from the line

40

and a pair of parallel spaced apart longitudinal line

44

,

46

extending perpendicularly between the lines

40

and

42

respectively.

In a similar manner, the right grouping

16

generally comprises a set of characters keys

127

-

158

that are mounted substantially within an area of the housing

13

defined by a right side transverse line

41

disposed parallel and spaced apart from the right edge

13

R portion of the housing

13

, a left side transverse line

43

disposed parallel and spaced apart from the line

41

, and a pair of parallel spaced apart longitudinal lines

45

and

47

extending perpendicularly between the lines

41

and

43

.

As best seen in

FIGS. 1 and 5

, the longitudinal lines

46

and

47

terminate at the transverse lines

42

and

43

respectively and are spaced apart from their terminal ends by about one-half the width of a character key, such as the character key

146

. In this regard, character key

146

is a standard width character key utilized for conventional QWERTY type square keys and is generally about three-fourths inches in width and three-fourths inches in length. From the foregoing it should be understood that lines

46

and

47

are spaced apart by about three-eighths of an inch.

As best illustrated in

FIG. 5

, the right side transverse line

42

and the left side transverse line

43

converge together to form the angle &thgr;.

As best seen in

FIG. 5

, selected ones of the character keys include character indica, such as a character indicia

146

and

203

to help facilitate easy recognition of the individual character keys. The character indica, such as indicia

146

is angularly disposed along the transverse dimension of the grouping rotated by a sufficient angle &thgr;/2 to facilitate easy recognition of the character indica. Thus, a user may quickly and easily place his or her fingers on the familiar keys utilized in touch typing techniques.

Considering now the left grouping

14

of the character keys

100

-

126

in greater detail, the character keys

100

-

123

are generally rectangular in shape and are arranged in four staggered rows A-D with a fifth row E dedicated to selected function keys

124

-

126

. A space bar key

159

is disposed intermediate the left grouping

14

and the right grouping

16

. The configuration or arrangement of the keys

100

-

123

are substantially similar to part of a conventional QWERTY keyboard layout as will be explained hereinafter in greater detail.

The character keys

100

,

106

,

112

,

118

and

124

are aligned along their left side edges in a transverse column along line

40

(FIG.

5

). Character key

100

is substantially similar in size and shape as keys

101

-

105

, where keys

100

-

105

are distinguishable from one another by character indicia, disposed on the top surface of each key such as a character indicia

202

disposed on key

112

.

As best seen in

FIG. 1

, character key

106

is approximately 20% wider than character key

100

, character key

112

is approximately 50% wider than character key

100

, and character key

118

is approximately twice the width of character key

106

. Due to the increasing size difference between character keys

100

,

106

,.

112

, and

118

, the character rows A, B, C and D are staggered from one another.

In order to permit a user to easily and conveniently read the character indicia disposed on each key, such as indicia

202

, the indicia disposed on the top surface of each of the character keys is canted or skewed at an angle &thgr;/2 along the transverse dimension of the grouping

14

. In this regard, the character indicia is disposed in more familiar touch typing orientation to facilitate easy recognition by a user of the keyboard. It should be understood that such canting or skewing is made possible by the rectangular shape of the individual keys. Stated otherwise, if the keys were circular in shape, it would not be possible to cant or skew the indicia in relationship to the keys.

The character keys

100

-

126

also contain character indicia including function indicia that corresponds to the characters produced by a user manipulating the left hand digits in a familiar touch typing technique.

Considering now the right grouping

16

of the character keys

127

-

158

in greater detail, the character keys

127

-

158

are arranged in four straight longitudinal rows A′ to D′ with a fifth row E′ dedicated to selected function keys

155

to

158

. The rows A′ to E′ correspond to rows A to E in the left grouping

14

. The character keys in grouping

16

are arranged in staggered rows and columns to enable a user to employ standard QWERTY keyboard touch typing keystrokes without the need of learning new key positions. In this regard, an experienced touch typist is able to maintain his or her typing speed.

The-character keys

134

,

142

,

149

,

155

.and

158

are aligned along their right side edges in a transverse column along phantom line

41

(FIG.

5

). The character keys in grouping

16

are also arranged in columns, with staggered rows. In this preferred form of the present invention, the character keys

127

-

158

include the character indicia including function indicia corresponding to the characters produced by the manipulation of the right hand digits of the user during touch typing techniques.

In order to permit a user to easily and conveniently read the character indicia disposed on the top surface of the character keys in the right grouping

16

, the character indicia thereon, such as indicia

204

is canted by an angle &thgr;/2 along the transverse dimension of the grouping

16

. Such canting or skewing is described in greater detail with reference to grouping

14

.

Although in the preferred form of the present invention, the numeric key

127

is shown in the right grouping

16

, it is contemplated within the scope of the present invention that key

127

may be placed in row A adjacent to key

105

. While this positioning of the key

130

in row A would result in a finger to grouping incongruity, one skilled in the art would understand that a person skilled in touch typing technique mould need only to learn one modified keystroke relative to standard touch typing techniques. Instead of reaching the index finger of the right hand to a numeric key such as the key

128

that is immediately adjacent to a numeric key

127

, the typist would need to extend his or her finger stretch with the right index finger for a numeric key adjacent to key

105

that is only a slightly further distance. In this regard, because the repositioned numeric key would be so closely positioned relative to the key

128

, the modified stroking motion would be substantially the same as used in familiar touch typing techniques. Thus, a skilled operator could easily master the keyboard apparatus

10

and secure the same or greater data entry speed with fewer errors due to relative positions of the grouping

12

and

14

which help aligning the hand and wrist disposed on each respective arm of a user.

Considering now the space bar key

159

in greater detail, the space bar

159

is generally V-shaped and extends between or bridges the two key grouping

14

and

16

. The space bar key

159

includes a left leg portion

159

L and a right leg portion

159

R. The left leg portion

159

L and the right leg portion

159

R are integrally joined together at a apex having an angle &ggr;. The angle &ggr; is about five times the angle &thgr;.

In this regard, the angle &ggr; is between about 154° and about 144°. A more preferred angle &ggr; is between about 149° and about 144°; and a most preferred angle &ggr; is about 149°. The left leg portion

159

L is directly below and adjacent to keys

121

to

123

, while the right leg portion

159

R is directly below and adjacent to keys

150

to

152

. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, key

159

function as a conventional single space bar key. In this regard, although only a single space bar is shown in the preferred embodiment, it should be understood by one skilled in the art that the space bar key

159

could be divided into two separate keys, one associated with the left grouping

14

and the other associated with the right grouping

16

.

Considering now the operation of the keyboard apparatus

10

in still greater detail, a skilled touch typist user (not shown) positions his or her hands in a normal touch typing position relative to the keyboard apparatus

10

for the purpose of entering character data. In this regard, the user positions his or her left hand in co-extending alignment with his or her left wrist and forearm allowing the forearm to rest on the support surface

12

. Depending on the weight of the user or the length of the users arms, the user adjusts the position of the keyboard apparatus

10

on the stationary surface

12

so that the fingers of the user rest comfortably on the normal starting position keys for a touch typist.

Once the user has adjusted the keyboard placement, the finger to key placement is made by the user so that the wrists of the user stay in co-extended alignment with the hands of the user relative to the starting position. Should the user require additional support for his or her arms and wrist, the user may position a supporting pad, not shown on the supporting surface

12

under the wrist and forearms of the user. Once the user has properly positioned his or her arms, wrists, hands and fingers, conventional touch typing strokes may be executed for producing written textual material.

Considering now row A of the left side grouping

14

in greater detail with reference to

FIG. 1

, row A consists of six (6) keys

100

-

105

which are equally spaced apart. Row A is disposed in a parallel spaced apart manner adjacent to a left top edge

13

A (

FIG. 5

) of the housing unit

13

. Each of the keys

100

-

105

in row A are substantially identical in size and shape and are distinguished from one another by the indicia which is disposed on the top surface of each key.

Key

100

has its left most edge aligned along the phantom line, shown as line

40

(

FIG. 5

) which defines the left peripheral edge of the grouping

14

. In this regard, the left most edge of keys

100

,

106

,

112

,

118

and

124

are aligned against this phantom line

40

.

Considering now row B of the left grouping

14

in greater detail with reference to

FIG. 1

, row B consist of six keys

106

-

111

. Keys

106

-

111

are equally spaced apart from one another and are substantially identical in size and shape except for key

106

. Key

106

is approximately the width of 1 ½ of the other standard size keys in row A and functions as a control key. Each of the keys

107

-

111

are distinguished one from another by the indicia which is disposed on the top surface of each key. Key

106

is disposed below keys

100

and

101

causing keys

107

to

111

to be staggered or shifted slightly to the right of keys

101

to

105

. In this regard, the relationship between keys

101

to

105

and keys

107

to

111

enables familiar touch typing techniques to be used.

Considering now row C of the left grouping

14

in greater detail with reference to

FIG. 1

, row C consists of six keys

112

to

117

. Keys

113

to

117

are spaced apart from one another and are substantially identical in size and shape. Key

112

is slightly larger than key

106

causing the keys

113

to

117

to be shifted or staggered slightly to the right of keys

107

to

111

. Keys

113

to

117

are distinguishable from one another by the indicia which it disposed on the top surface of each key.

Considering now row D of the left side group

14

in greater detail with reference to

FIG. 1

, row D consists of six keys,

118

-

123

which are equally spaced apart. Keys

119

through

123

are substantially identical in size and shape and are distinguishable from one another by the indicia which is disposed on the top surface of each key. Key

118

is approximately twice the width of the other keys in row D. Key

123

has its right most edge aligned substantially along the phantom line

42

, which defines the right peripheral edge of the grouping

14

as shown in FIG.

5

.

Considering now row E of the left grouping

14

in greater detail with reference to

FIG. 1

, row E consists of three keys

124

to

126

. Keys

124

and

126

are substantially identical in size and shape and key

125

is substantially similar in size and shape to key

100

. Each of the keys

125

and

127

is distinguishable from one another by the indicia which is disposed on the top surface of each key.

Considering now the right side grouping

16

of the character keys in greater detail with reference to

FIG. 1

, the right side grouping

16

consists of 32 character keys

127

-

158

which are arranged in five spaced apart horizontal rows A′ to E′. The configuration or arrangement of the keys

127

to

158

are substantially similar to part of a conventional QWERTY keyboard layout as will be explained hereinafter in greater detail. In this regard, the staggered rows and columns enable the user to employ standard QWERTY keyboard touch typing keystrokes without the need of learning new key positions. This arrangement helps a keyboardist maintain his or her touch typing speed with reduced stress. Thus, such an arrangement helps to facilitate greater typing efficiencies and more particularly typing speeds.

Considering now row A′ of the right side grouping

16

in greater detail with reference to

FIG. 1

, row A′ consists of eight (8) keys

127

to

134

which are equally spaced apart. Row A′ is disposed in a parallel spaced apart manner adjacent to a top right edge

13

B of the housing unit

13

. Each of the keys

127

-

134

in row A′ are substantially identical in size and shape with the exception of key

134

. Keys

127

to

133

are distinguished from one another by the indicia which is disposed on the top surface of each key. Key

134

which is disposed at the right end of row A′ and adjacent to key

133

, is approximately one and one half the width of any of the other keys in row A′, such as key

133

and substantially the same height. Key

134

has its upper most edge aligned along the phantom line shown as line

47

which defines the top peripheral edge of grouping

16

. Key

134

has its right edge aligned along the phantom line

41

. In this regard the right edge of keys

134

,

142

,

149

,

155

and

158

are all aligned against the phantom line

41

.

Considering now row B′ of the right side grouping

16

in greater detail to

FIG.1

, row B′ consists of eight keys

135

to

142

which are equally spaced apart. Keys

135

to

142

are substantially identical in size and shape. Each of the keys

135

to

142

are distinguishable one from another by the character indicia which is disposed on the top surface of each key. As key

134

is approximately one and one half times wider than any one of the keep in row A′, the character keep

135

-

142

in row B′ are staggered to the right of the character keys

127

-

133

in row A′.

Considering now row C′ of the grouping

16

in greater detail with reference to

FIG. 1

, row C′ consists of seven keys

143

to

148

and key

149

. Keys

143

to

148

are equally spaced apart and are substantially identical in size and shape and are distinguishable from one another by the indicia which is disposed on the top surface of each key. The key

149

is approximately the width of two of the character keys in row B′. In this regard, the keys

143

-

148

in row C′ are shifted or staggered to the right of keys

135

-

140

in row B′.

Considering now row D′ of the right side grouping

16

.in greater detail with reference to

FIG. 1

, row D′ consists of six keys

150

to

155

which are equally spaced apart. Keys

150

to

154

are substantially identical in size and shape and are distinguishable from one another by indicia which is disposed on the top surface of each key. Key

155

is elongated in shape and is slightly wider than key

149

. In this regard, the keys

150

-

154

in row D′ are shifted or stagger slightly to the right of keys

143

-

147

in Row C′.

Considering now row E′ of the right grouping

16

in greater detail with reference to

FIG. 1

, row E′ consists of three keys

156

to

158

. Keys

156

to

158

are equally spaced apart, and are substantially identical in size and shape. The keys

156

to

158

are distinguishable from one another by indicia which is disposed on the top surface of each key.

As best seen in

FIG. 5

, the housing

13

includes a left front edge portion

13

E and a right front edge portion

13

F. The left front edge portion

13

E and the right front edge portion

13

F converge together at an apex defined by an angle &phgr;, where the angle &phgr; is substantial identical to the angle &ggr;.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to

FIGS. 3 and 4

, there is shown another keyboard apparatus

300

which is constructed in accordance with the present invention and which is shown in operative position with a support unit

302

for helping to support the keyboard apparatus

300

as well as the wrists and arms of a user (not shown). The support unit

302

is also constructed according to the present invention.

Considering now the keyboard apparatus

300

in greater detail with reference to

FIGS. 3 and 4

, the apparatus

300

generally comprises a housing

313

which is adapted to be positioned on a generally flat stationary surface such as a surface

312

. The apparatus

300

includes a pair of angularly disposed, generally rectangular groupings of character keys shown generally at

317

, disposed intermediate a pair of left and right numerical keyboard pads

330

and

360

respectively. The grouping

317

is generally V-shaped and includes, a left side grouping and a right side grouping, shown generally at

314

and

316

respectively. The groupings

314

and

316

are configured and arranged in a similar manner to the groupings

14

and

16

of the keyboard apparatus

10

as shown in

FIG. 1

, and will not be further described. The apparatus

300

also includes a row of dedicated key

318

A,

318

B,

318

C and

318

D for causing dedicated functions codes to be produced, such as cursor movement functions as controlled by the cross-shaped key

318

C.

In operation, the keyboard apparatus

300

operates in a similar manner to the apparatus

10

as herein before described. Apparatus

300

includes the pads

330

and

360

which each include a group of special function keys such as key

330

-

1

and numeric keys, such as numeric key

360

-

1

respectively. In this regard, whenever a user depresses one of the special function keys, such as special function key

330

-

1

, an electrical signal is generated by the keyboard electronics (not shown), which signal is indicative of a character code based on the ASCII codes.

Considering now the housing

313

in greater detail with reference to

FIG. 3

, the housing

313