Abstract:
A computer keyboard with palm support surfaces, and controls providing mouse functions, added to each side of the keyboard. The palm support surfaces are downward sloping, and/or downward curved convex surfaces, on either side of the keyboard, descending from peaks near each top rear corner of the keyboard, laterally away from the keyboard, and towards the front of the keyboard. Outside edges of the palm support surfaces may narrow and curve inward toward the front of the keyboard to allow a more natural hand position. The controls include selection buttons, normally located on a mouse, to the left of the keyboard, and a positioning device normally located on a mouse, to the right of the keyboard, and are generally embedded to the rear of each palm support surface. The controls and palm support surfaces allow a more natural hand placement and avoid pressure on the carpal tunnel area.

Description:
[0001]    The present application is a Continuation In Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/069,689 filed Feb. 28, 2005, which application is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Aspects of the invention described in the present application are described in Disclosure Document No. 538798 titled “Integrated Computer Input Device,” received by the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Sep. 22, 2003. 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to computer keyboards and in particular to an improved keyboard which reallocates mouse functions to the sides of the keyboard and provides palm support to reduce the occurrence of carpal tunnel injury. 
         [0004]    Modern society has replaced many of the physically demanding and often dangerous tasks common in the past, with relatively safe and much less physically demanding office jobs. While many serious injuries and possibly fatalities are now avoided, certain tasks associated with office jobs have resulted in a new types of injury, for example, repetitive motion injuries and repetitive strain injuries. 
         [0005]    A common form of repetitive strain injury is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). CTS is a condition affecting the median nerve of the wrist. The median nerve passes through the carpal tunnel and CTS results from the median nerve being compressed within the carpal tunnel. Such compression of the median nerve may result in pain, numbness, and/or tingling in the fingers, hand, or wrist. The median nerve provides most of the feeling to the hand and in particular to the thumb, the index finger, the middle fingers, the thumb half of the palm, and the outer side of the hand. 
         [0006]    CTS results in more than 2 million visits to physician&#39;s offices each year and is one of the most common job related injuries. Over one quarter of a million carpal tunnel surgeries are performed each year in the United States, and 47% of the surgeries are considered to be work-related. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that in 1994, CTS accounted for 1.7% of workplace related injuries causing work loss. Nearly half of the CTS cases result in 31 days or more work loss, and if not treated properly, CTS may cause irreversible nerve damage and permanent disability. 
         [0007]    Although disagreement exists as to the cause of CTS, some physicians believe that an unnatural bending and prolonged over use of the wrist inflames a protective layer over tendons in the wrist. The protective layer, called the synovial sheath, may swell and thereby place pressure on the median nerve in the carpal tunnel. The long-term use of a computer is an often cited example of such unnatural bending and prolonged over use of the wrist. Specifically, repetitive use of a computer mouse may result in asymmetrical tension across the upper back (e.g., the trapezium major and minor rhomboids, latissimus dorsi, etc.) caused by repeated movement of the shoulder and the arm controlling the mouse and by the position of the user&#39;s wrists while using the mouse. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing a computer keyboard with palm support surfaces, and controls providing mouse functions, added to each side of the keyboard. The palm support surfaces are downward sloping and/or downward curved convex surfaces on either side of the keyboard, descending from peaks near each top rear corner of the keyboard, laterally away from the keyboard, and towards the front of the keyboard (i.e., towards the user). Outside edges of the palm support surfaces may narrow and curve inward toward the front of the keyboard to allow a more natural hand position. The controls include selection buttons, normally located on a mouse, to the left of the keyboard, and a positioning device normally located on a mouse, to the right of the keyboard, and are generally embedded to the rear of the palm support surfaces. The controls are positioned on the palm support surfaces so as to allow the user to change the operating position of the forearms, wrists and hands from the standard computer user&#39;s position of pronated palms (palms down, facing the keyboard) and wrists in extension (bent upward) to a position where the arms, wrists and hands are in neutral (wrists neither flexed nor extended) alignment and the point of contact with the work surface is changed from the carpal tunnel area to the outside edge of the palms (i.e., the side of the hand between the small singer and the wrist). The controls and palm support surfaces may be integrated into a new keyboard, provided by a keyboard dock which the keyboard rests on, a “U” shaped collar surrounding the keyboard, or provided by a separate right member and left member which may be used with a standard keyboard or laptop computer. 
         [0009]    In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an improved keyboard comprising a Personal Computer (PC) keyboard, palm support surface on each side of the keyboard, a pointing device, and selection buttons. The pointing device preferably resides at the rear right end (but may be on the rear left for a left handed user) of the keyboard and may be a track ball, a touch sensitive area, or a joy stick. The selection buttons preferably reside at the rear left end (but may be on the rear right for a left handed user) of the keyboard and comprising a left selection button, a wheel, and right selection button and a wheel. The augmented keyboard, seen from above, is symmetrical on the left and right sides of the PC keyboard. The right palm support surface curves downward and away from the PC keyboard at the rear and curves inward from the rear of the keyboard to the front. The pointing device is embedded in the downward curving surface of the right rear of the palm support surface. The palm support surface narrows and curves inward from the rear to the front and provides a surface for the right hand palm to lean against while avoiding contact with the base of the palm and the carpal tunnel area. The left palm support surface curves downward and away from the PC keyboard at the rear and curves inward from the rear of the PC keyboard to the front. The selection device is embedded in the downward curving surface of the left rear of the palm support surface. The palm support surface narrows and curves inward from the rear to the front and provides a surface for the left hand palm to lean against while avoiding contact with the base of the palm and the carpal tunnel area. The pointing device and the selection buttons replace functions of a mouse and the controls are positioned in the palm support surfaces so as to require the user to change the position of the forearms, wrists and hands from the standard computer user&#39;s position of pronated palms (palms facing the keyboard) and wrists in extension (bent upward) to a position where the arms, wrists and hands are in neutral alignment (i.e., the forearm, wrist, and hand in a straight line) and the area of contact is changed from the carpal tunnel area to the outside edge of the palms and allow the user to go from mouse functions to keyboard by moving the arms closer together or further apart without requiring the shoulders to move backwards or forwards. To operate the controls, the user positions the arms, wrist and hands in a neutral position over the ends of the PC keyboard, supinates (rotates outward) the forearms, wrists and hands outward at approximately 45 degrees and then lowers the forearms, wrists and hands to the work surface. The forearm, wrist and hand supination brings the outside edge of the hands (the Hypothenar muscle group) into contact with the surface on which the PC keyboard rests. The neutral alignment of the forearms, wrists and hands reduces the pressure on the wrists, thereby reducing repetitive strain injuries to the wrist, for example, reducing CTS. 
         [0010]    In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided an augmented keyboard comprising a PC keyboard, a right palm support surface, a left palm support surface, a pointing device residing at the rear of the right palm support surface, and selection buttons residing at the rear of the left palm support surface. The left palm support surface curves down and to the left of the keyboard and curves inward from the rear of the keyboard to the front. The selection device is positioned in the downward curving surface near the rear of the palm support, the user rotates the left forearm, wrist and hand until the palm of the hand is perpendicular to the plane of the keyboard and places the hand parallel to the outside left edge of the left palm support. The left hand is then rotated inward until at least one finger rest on one of the selection buttons and the palm of the hand comes to rest against the downward curved augmentation surface. The right palm support surface curves down and to the right of the PC keyboard and curves inward from the rear to the front. The pointing device is positioned in the downward curving surface at the rear of the right palm support surface. To position the right hand to control the selection device, the user rotates the right forearm, wrist and hand until the palm of the right hand is perpendicular to the plane of the keyboard and places the hand parallel to the right edge of the right palm support surface. The right hand is then rotated inward until at least one finger rests on the pointing device and the palm of the hand comes to rest against the downward sloping augmentation surface. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0011]    The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a prior art personal computer system. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a prior art mouse use with the prior art computer system. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a computer system including keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3A  is a detailed view of a first embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4A  is a top view of a second embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4B  is a left side view of the second embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4C  is a right side view of the second embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4D  is a front view of the second embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5A  is a top view of a third embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5B  is a left side view of the third embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5C  is a right side view of the third embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 5D  is a front view of the third embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 6A  is a top view of a left augmenting member of a fifth embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 6B  is a left side view of the left augmenting member of the fifth embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 6C  is a right side view of the left augmenting member of the fifth embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0027]      FIG. 6D  is a front view of the left augmenting member of the fifth embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0028]      FIG. 7A  is a top view of a right augmenting member of the fifth embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0029]      FIG. 7B  is a left side view of the right augmenting member of the fifth embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0030]      FIG. 7C  is a right side view of the right augmenting member of the fifth embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0031]      FIG. 7D  is a front view of the right augmenting member of the fifth embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0032]      FIG. 8  is a sixth embodiment of the keyboard augmentation of the present invention adapted for left-handed use. 
           [0033]      FIG. 9A  is a button module according to the present invention. 
           [0034]      FIG. 9B  is a pointing device module according to the present invention. 
           [0035]      FIG. 10  is a seventh embodiment of a keyboard augmentation including module ports according to the present invention. 
           [0036]      FIG. 11A  is a pointing device comprising a track ball according to the present invention. 
           [0037]      FIG. 11B  is a pointing device comprising a touch sensitive pad according to the present invention. 
           [0038]      FIG. 11C  is a pointing device comprising a joystick according to the present invention. 
           [0039]      FIG. 12A  is a top view of an eighth embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0040]      FIG. 12B  is a left side view of the eighth embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0041]      FIG. 12C  is a right side view of the eighth embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0042]      FIG. 12D  is a front view of the eighth embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0043]      FIG. 13A  is a top view of a ninth embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0044]      FIG. 13B  is a left side view of the ninth embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0045]      FIG. 13C  is a right side view of the ninth embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0046]      FIG. 13D  is a front view of the ninth embodiment of the keyboard augmentation according to the present invention. 
           [0047]      FIG. 14A  is a cross-sectional view of the left palm support and controls taken along like  14 A- 14 A of  FIG. 13B . 
           [0048]      FIG. 14B  is a cross-sectional view of the right palm support and controls taken along like  14 B- 14 B of  FIG. 13C . 
           [0049]      FIG. 15  is a method for using left and right palm supports according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0050]    Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0051]    The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims. 
         [0052]    A prior art Personal Computer (PC) system  10  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The PC system  10  includes a monitor  12 , a keyboard  14 , a mouse  16 , cables  20 , and a Central Processing Unit (CPU)  18 . A detailed view of the mouse  16  is shown in  FIG. 2 . The mouse  16  includes selection buttons  22 , wheel  24 , and either a ball  26  or a laser residing on the bottom of the mouse  16 . Many computer application programs, for example drawing programs, rely heavily on use of the mouse  16 . Often such use of the mouse  16  results in a user resting their hand, wrists in extension (flexed upward), on a desk or table surface in front of the mouse  16 . Such resting of the hand may result in a light but long-term pressure on the wrist which has been identified as a possible cause of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). 
         [0053]    A PC system  10   a  including an augmented keyboard  28  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 3  and a detailed view of a first embodiment of an augmented keyboard  28   a  is shown in  FIG. 3A . The augmented keyboard  28   a  is an integrated keyboard including known keyboard functions and palm supports  34  and  36 , including additional controls, on right and left sides. The augmented keyboard  28   a  includes keyboard keys  15 , at least one selection button and preferably at least two selection buttons comprising right and left buttons  22  and a wheel  24 , residing on the left palm support  36  to the left of the keys  15 , and a pointing device  32  residing on the right palm support  34  to the right of the keys  15 , all residing in a keyboard housing  14   a . The selection buttons are integrated near the rear of the left palm support surface  36  and are positioned along the downward sloping surface such that the user may rest the outside edge of the hand upon the work surface to left of the left palm support  36  and then lean the left hand inward until the first two fingers of the left hand are in contact with the selection buttons and the palm of the hand is in contact with the sloping and curved augmentation surface. 
         [0054]    Continuing with  FIGS. 3 and 3A , the pointing device is integrated into the right palm support surface  34  at the right rear of the keys  15  and is positioned along the downward sloping surface of the right palm support surface  34  such that the user may rest the outside edge of the hand upon the work surface and then leans the right hand inward until the first two fingers of the left hand are in contact with the pointing device and the palm of the hand is in contact with the sloping right palm support surface  34 . The palm support surfaces  34  and  36  are preferably surface portions of the keyboard housing  14   a . The augmented keyboard  28   a  may be connected to the CPU  18  by standard cables  20  (see  FIG. 3 ) or a receiver  29  may be connected to the CPU  18  by a second cable  20   a , and the augmented keyboard  28   a  may wirelessly communicate with the receiver  29 . Alternatively, a receiver may be built into the CPU  18  to provide a wireless connection between the augmented keyboard  28   a  and the CPU  18 . 
         [0055]    A second embodiment of an augmented keyboard  28   b  comprising an augmentation dock is shown in top view  FIG. 4A , in left side view in  FIG. 4B , in right side view in  FIG. 4C , and in front view in  FIG. 4D . The augmented keyboard  28   b  includes a keyboard cavity  30 , wherein a standard keyboard  14  (see  FIG. 1 ) may reside. The palm support surfaces  34  and  36  curve down and away from the keyboard at an angle  38 . The palm support surfaces  34  and  36  provide support for the inside of the user&#39;s palms which rest edge-wise on the work surface and lean into the augmentation surfaces when the user rotates the forearms inward. The angle  38  is preferably between 25 degrees and 60 degrees, and more preferably between 30 degrees and 45 degrees, and most preferably approximately 35 degrees. Outside and inside edges  39   a  and  39   b  between a center portion  41  of the keyboard augmentation  28   b  and the palm rest surfaces  34  and  36 , along right and left sides of the augmented keyboard  28   b , and along a front edge of the keyboard augmentation  28   b  are preferably rounded edges. More preferably, all edges which a user&#39;s hands, palms, wrists, or forearms come in contact with during use of the keyboard, are rounded, and more preferably rounded and/or cushioned. The outside edges  39   a  are preferably parallel to the inside edges  39   b , and/or the outside edges  39   a  are preferably perpendicular to the front edge  37 . 
         [0056]    A third embodiment of an augmented keyboard  28   c  is shown in top view in  FIG. 5A , in left side view in  FIG. 5B , in right side view in  FIG. 5C , and in front view in  FIG. 5D . The augmented keyboard  28   c  comprises a “U” shaped collar and fits around a base and sides of the keyboard  14  (see  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0057]    A fourth embodiment of the augmented keyboard comprises a left palm support member  28   d  and a right palm support member  28   e . The left palm support member  28   d  is shown in top view in  FIG. 6A , in left side view in  FIG. 6B , in right side view in  FIG. 6C , and in front view in  FIG. 6D . The right palm support member  28   e  is shown in top view in  FIG. 7A , in left side view in  FIG. 7B , in right side view in  FIG. 7C , and in front view in  FIG. 7D . The left palm support member  28   d  is adapted to reside on the left side of a keyboard or a laptop computer, and the right palm support member  28   e  is adapted to reside on the right side of the keyboard or laptop computer. 
         [0058]    A fifth augmented keyboard  28   f  adapted for left-hand users is shown in  FIG. 8 . In the case of the augmented keyboard  28   f , the pointing device  32  is positioned at the left end of the keyword, and the selection buttons  22  and the wheel  24  are positioned on the right side of the keyboard. 
         [0059]    A button module  42  is shown in  FIG. 9A  and a pointing module  44  is shown in  FIG. 9B . The modules  42  and  44  are adapted to be removably insertable into module ports  46  in a sixth keyboard augmentation  28   g  shown in  FIG. 10 . The modules  42  and  44  share a common interface, and thus may be interchangeably inserted into ports  46  on the right and left side of the augmentation  20   g . For example, the modules  42  and  44  may have electrical plugs which cooperate with mating plugs in the ports  46 , or the modules  42  and  44  may have fixed wiring which remains attached when the modules  42  are  44  are switched between the ports  46 , or the modules  42  and  44  may be wirelessly connected. Thus, the keyboard augmentation  28   g  may be adapted for a right handed user or a left handed user. 
         [0060]    A pointing device  32  comprising a trackball  48  is shown in  FIG. 11A , a pointing device  32  comprising a touchpad  50  is shown in  FIG. 11B , and a pointing device  32  comprising a joystick  52  is shown in  FIG. 11C . Other pointing devices are known, and a keyboard augmentation according to the present invention including any pointing device positioned as described herein is intended to come within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0061]    An eighth embodiment of an augmented keyboard  28   f  is shown in top view in  FIG. 12A , in left side view in  FIG. 12B , in right side view in  FIG. 12C , and in front view in  FIG. 12D . The augmented keyboard  28   f  is similar to the augmented keyboard  28   a  (see  FIG. 3A ) except that outside edges  39   c  are angled in (i. e., narrowed) towards the front of the augmented keyboard  38   f ). 
         [0062]    A ninth embodiment of an augmented keyboard  28   g  is shown in top view in  FIG. 13A , in left side view in  FIG. 13B , in right side view in  FIG. 13C , and in front view in  FIG. 13D . The augmented keyboard  28   g  is similar to the augmented keyboard  28   a  (see  FIG. 3A ) except that outside edges  39   d  and angled in (i. e., narrowed) towards the front of the augmented keyboard  38   f ). 
         [0063]    A cross-sectional view of the left palm support  36  and controls taken along like  14 A- 14 A of  FIG. 13B  is shown in  FIG. 14A  and cross-sectional view of the right palm support  34  and controls taken along like  14 B- 14 B of  FIG. 13C  is shown in  FIG. 14B . The controls  22  and  24  are preferably angularly spaced above the work surface by angle A 1 , which is preferably between about  25  degrees and about 60 degrees. The pointing device  32  is preferably angularly spaced above the work surface by angle A 2 , which is preferably between about 25 degrees and about 60 degrees. The cross-sections of the palm supports  34  and  36  are approximately a quarter circle shape, and as the palm supports  34  and  36  taper smaller towards the front of the keyboard, the palm supports  34  and  36  form surfaces with substantially quarter cone shapes (i.e., the surfaces may have some curvature, but overall have the shape is of a quarter of a cone). An additional control  22  may be positioned on the right palm support  34  to allow single hand use. 
         [0064]    A method according to the present invention for using the left and right palm supports is described in  FIG. 15 . The method includes rotating a left forearm, left wrist, and left hand until a left palm of the left hand is approximately perpendicular to a plane of an augmented keyboard having a left palm support surface curving down and to the left and curving inward to narrow from the rear of the keyboard to the front, the left palm support surface having selection buttons residing at the rear of the left palm support surface at step  100 , placing the left hand parallel to and next to an outside left edge of the left palm support at step  102 , rotating the left hand clockwise inward and downward until the left palm comes to rest against the downward sloping palm support at step  104 , rotating a right forearm, right wrist, and right hand until a right palm of the right hand is approximately perpendicular to the plane of the augmented keyboard having a right palm support surface curving down and to the right and curving inward to narrow from the rear of the keyboard to the front, the right palm support surface having a pointing device residing at the rear of the right palm support surface at step  106 , placing the right hand parallel to and next to an outside right edge of the right palm support at step  108  and rotating the right hand counter-clockwise inward and downward until right palm comes to rest against the downward sloping palm support at step  110 . The method may further include rotating the left palm clockwise inward and downward until at least one finger of the left hand rests on the selection device and/or rotating the right palm counter-clockwise inward and downward until at least one finger of the right hand rests on the pointing device. 
         [0065]    While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.