Abstract:
This invention relates to ergonomic hand rests for computers and other electronic devices. In particular, the invention relates to soft, conforming hand pads constructed integrally with the keyboard body of portable laptop or notebook computers.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This U.S. Patent Application is based upon U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/119,796, filed Feb. 11, 1999, and entitled “COMPUTER HAND PAD”. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to ergonomic hand rests for computers and other electronic devices. These rests support the user&#39;s wrist, palm, fingers and possibly forearm. In particular, the invention relates to soft, conforming hand pads constructed integrally with the keyboard body of portable laptop or notebook computers. While the present hand pads were developed with the portable computer in mind, the pads may be used in various other keyboard applications, including desktop computer keyboards, typewriters, calculators, and other equipment including a keyboard. 
     2. Background of the Invention 
     The use of computer input devices such as computer keyboards, mice, tracking pads and other similar devices is becoming increasingly prevalent in modern computing. However, continuous use of these input devices is often uncomfortable, and sometimes hazardous to the user. For example, use of keyboards, mice and tracking pads requires positioning the user&#39;s hand in a generally horizontal position which can cause the tendons in the hand to lie in a strained position, often resulting in discomfort. 
     Simple flat pads are currently available for supporting a user&#39;s hand as he or she manipulates the input devices. Such pads have been further refined to provide contoured surfaces on which to support the user&#39;s hand. 
     Unfortunately, these prior attempts have been met with only limited success, since they often fail to conform to a specific user&#39;s hands and, therefore, only offer limited relief from the pressures being applied as the user manipulates his or her input device. A need, therefore, exists for a computer pad offering users a soft and individually conforming hand surface. The present invention provides such a computer hand pad. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a computer pad for use in supporting the hand of a user as he or she manipulates a computer input device. The pad includes a body member shaped and dimensioned for positioning adjacent the computer input device. The body member includes a viscoelastic material adapted to conform to the shape of the hand of a user. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide a pad wherein the body member is a viscoelastic solid-phase material. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a pad wherein the viscoelastic solid-phase material is a styrenic thermoplastic elastomer. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pad wherein the viscoelastic material is a viscous liquid material contained within an elastomeric bag. 
     It is also another object of the present invention to provide a pad wherein the viscous liquid material is a silicone gel or thermoplastic elastomer. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a laptop computer including a keyboard housing and a monitor. The keyboard housing supports a plurality of keys for manipulation by a user of the computer. The computer also includes at least one hand pad formed in the keyboard housing at a position adjacent the plurality of keys for supporting the hand of a user as the user manipulates the plurality of keys and rests the hand on the keyboard housing. 
     It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a laptop computer wherein the keyboard housing includes at least one recess in which the at least one hand pad is positioned. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide a laptop computer wherein the keyboard housing includes first and second recesses on opposite sides of the keyboard housing, and first and second hand pads are respectively positioned within the first and second recesses. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a laptop computer including a tracking pad formed within the keyboard housing and an additional hand pad formed in the keyboard housing at a position adjacent the tracking pad for supporting the hand of a user as the user manipulates the tracking pad and rests the hand on the keyboard housing. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a laptop computer wherein the keyboard housing includes a recess in which the additional hand pad is positioned. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which set forth certain embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is top view of a keyboard pad constructed from a solid, soft, viscoelastic material. 
     FIG. 2 is a top view of a mouse pad constructed from a solid, soft, viscoelastic material. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a solid keyboard pad as seen from line  3 — 3  in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a solid mouse pad as seen from line  4 — 4  in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a keyboard pad comprising a gelatinous material interposed within a more resilient material. 
     FIG. 6 is a top view of hand rests attached to the top surface of a laptop computer keyboard. 
     FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a hand rest shown attached to a computer keyboard in FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the keyboard and hand rest assembly shown in FIG. 6, as seen along line  8 — 8 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. It should be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, the details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limited, but merely as the basis for the claims and as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention. 
     With reference to FIGS. 1,  2 ,  3 ,  4  and  5 , the various embodiments of the present invention are disclosed. FIG. 1 shows a top view of a responsive, viscoelastic solid keyboard pad  10 , while FIG. 2 shows a top view of a responsive, viscoelastic solid mouse pad  20 . FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a responsive, viscoelastic solid keyboard pad  10 , and FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a responsive, viscoelastic solid mouse pad  20 . Finally, FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a viscoelastic, gelatinous keyboard pad  30  comprising a gelatinous material  32  interposed within an elastomeric bag  34 . 
     Functionally, the various embodiments perform similarly, providing a soft, conforming surface on which the user may rest his or her hands while typing or operating a mouse, or similar tracking device. The materials used for the hand pads provide a soft and smooth surface for the user&#39;s hands. Preferably, the hardness of the materials used for the hand pads, as measured by a Shore A Durometer, is less than 50. 
     Referring again to FIG. 1, a flat, rectangular solid keyboard pad  10  is shown. The solid keyboard pad has a first long side  12 , a second long side  14 , a first short side  16  and a second short side  18 . The first long side  12  and the second long side  14 , generally equal in length, range from approximately five inches to approximately twenty inches in length. The first short side  16  and the second short side  18 , generally equal in length, are shorter in length than the first long side  12  and the second long side  14 . The exact dimensions of the solid keyboard pad  10  depend on the specific application and the size of the keyboard with which the solid keyboard pad  10  is used. 
     FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the solid keyboard pad  10  shown in FIG.  1 . The solid keyboard  10  includes a bottom surface  22  and a top surface  24 . The bottom surface is generally flat, such that the solid keyboard pad  10  rests firmly on a flat support surface. The top surface  24  is contoured to comfortably match the surface of a user&#39;s hand which will rest on the top surface  24  while the user types or operates a mouse. 
     In accordance with the embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 1,  2  and  3 , the viscoelastic solid keyboard pad  10  and viscoelastic solid mouse pad  20  are preferably a viscoelastic solid-phase polymer material  8 . The viscoelastic solid-phase polymer material  8  is preferably a styrenic thermoplastic elastomer containing, for example, KRATON, which is manufactured by Shell Chemical Company. It should be appreciated that the styrenic thermoplastic elastomer containing, for example, KRATON, may be altered via chemical and manufacturing processes. This alteration would likely include the softening of the thermoplastic elastomer. Also other treatments may be used without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Where the viscoelastic solid keyboard pad  10  is formed from a responsive, and relatively viscoelastic solid-phase polymer material  8 , the outer surfaces  22 ,  24  of the viscoelastic solid keyboard pad  10  are formed from the same viscoelastic material as the remainder of the viscoelastic solid keyboard pad  10 . 
     Similarly, as seen in FIG. 4, where the viscoelastic solid mouse pad  20  is formed from a responsive, and relatively viscoelastic solid-phase polymer material, the outer surfaces  26 ,  28  of the viscoelastic solid mouse pad  20  is formed from the same viscoelastic material as the remainder of the viscoelastic solid mouse pad  20 . FIG. 2 shows a top view of a viscoelastic solid mouse pad  20 . The mouse pad  20 , like the keyboard pad  10 , is generally rectangular. The dimensions of the mouse pad sides  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52  range from approximately  2  inches to approximately 8 inches. 
     Another alternate embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in FIG.  5 . The alternate embodiment is substantially similar to the embodiments described above with reference to FIGS. 1,  2 ,  3  and  4 , but replaces the viscoelastic solid-phase polymer construction with a viscous liquid material  32  contained in an elastomeric bag  34 . 
     In accordance with the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 5, the viscoelastic gelatinous keyboard pad  30  is a viscous liquid material  32  contained in an elastomeric bag  34 . The viscous liquid  32  is preferably a silicone gel or oil and the elastomeric bag  34  is preferably a silicone sheet or a thermoplastic elastomer. While preferred materials are disclosed above, other materials exhibiting similar properties may be used without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 shows two viscoelastic solid keyboard pads  10 ,  10 ′ used in conjunction with a laptop computer  35  having a keyboard housing  36  and a monitor  37 . First and second keyboard pads  10 ,  10 ′ are strategically positioned on the top of a keyboard housing  36  of the laptop computer  35 , adjacent the side of the keyboard housing  36  where the user is positioned to type. In the preferred embodiment, one viscoelastic solid keyboard pad is located on each side of a tracking pad  38  located on the top of the keyboard housing  36  adjacent the user. The viscoelastic solid keyboard pads  10 ,  10 ′ are positioned adjacent the lowest row of keys  40  on the keyboard housing  36 . The strategic placement of the viscoelastic solid keyboard pads  10 ,  10 ′ enables a user to rest his or her hands on the keyboard pads while typing and using the tracking pad  38 . An additional mouse pad  20 ′ is also positioned in front of the tracking pad  38 . 
     FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the viscoelastic solid keyboard pad  10  attached to the keyboard housing  36 . In the preferred embodiment, each keyboard pad  10 ,  10 ′ is respectively molded into first and second recesses  42 ,  44  in the surface of the keyboard housing  36 . As those of ordinary skill in the art will certainly appreciate, other methods for securing the viscoelastic solid keyboard pads in the recesses  42 ,  44  of the keyboard housing  36  may be employed without departing from the spirit of present invention. Although the top surface  24  of the keyboard pads  10 ,  10 ′ are shown to be in approximately the same plane as the surface of the keyboard housing  36 , the thickness of the keyboard pads may vary, thereby offsetting the top surface  24  of the keyboard pads  10 ,  10 ′ and the surface of the keyboard housing  36 . 
     The preferred embodiment shows the keyboard pads  10 ,  10 ′ molded into recesses  42 ,  44  in the surface of the keyboard housing  36 . The keyboard pads  10 ,  10 ′ may be used, however, with a keyboard housing  36  having no recesses. In alternate embodiments, the keyboard pad  10 ,  10 ′ could be formed and simply placed over the top surface of the keyboard housing  36 , adjacent the side where the user is positioned. Similarly, the keyboard pad  10  may be adhered to the top surface of the keyboard housing  36  using an adhesive or other method well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     While the embodiment disclosed above relates to the use of a viscoelastic solid-phase material in the construction of the pads  10 ,  10 ′,  20 ′, the pads  10 ,  10 ′,  20 ′ may certainly be constructed in the manner discussed above with reference to FIG. 5 without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Similarly, the positioning of the pads  10 ,  10 ′ is merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art will appreciate the various locations at which the pads may be positioned without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
     In addition to providing support for the user&#39;s hands while they rest upon the keyboard housing, it is also contemplated that the keyboard pads will provide insulation helping to maintain the laptop computer at a desired temperature. 
     While various preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood that there is no intent to limit the invention by such disclosure, but rather, is intended to cover all modifications and alternate constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.