Abstract:
Keyboards comprise mechanisms to raise a portion of the keyboard to angle the keyboard for more ergonomically efficient usage. A first embodiment includes a system of gears that rotates cylindrical feet out of the bottom of the keyboard. The gear system transforms a small amount of user input into a relatively large height extension. Another embodiment includes a plinth of the keyboard housing that rests on the table while the upper portion of the keyboard is raised or lowered to the desired height.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/870,564 filed Dec. 18, 2006 and is incorporated in its entirety by reference as if fully set forth herein. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present application is related to keyboards and adjustment of the height and angle of the keyboards. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Fatigue and other problems such as carpal tunnel are associated with extended usage of a computer keyboards. Ergonomic keyboard design minimizes such problems. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIGS. 1A ,  1 B, and  1 C are different views of keyboard  100 . 
       FIGS. 2A ,  2 B, and  2 C are perspective illustrations of foot extension system  120  of keyboard  100 . 
       FIG. 2D  is a plan view of a member of foot extension system  120 . 
       FIGS. 3A ,  3 B, and  3 C are different view of keyboard  300 . 
       FIGS. 4A ,  4 B, and  4 C are different views of keyboard  400 . 
       FIGS. 5A ,  5 B, and  5 C are different views of keyboard  500 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1A ,  1 B, and  1 C are different views of keyboard  100 . Generally speaking, the keyboards described in the present application comprise a front portion nearest the user&#39;s body, and a rear portion, farther from the user&#39;s body. The function keys and other computer controls are often located at the rear portion, whereas the space bar is typically located at the front portion. A wrist rest is often provided as an integral or removable part of the keyboards, and if present is located at the front of the keyboard. 
   It is desirable to raise a portion of the keyboard relative to another portion. The majority of keyboard users appear to prefer to raise the back or rear of a keyboard, however there may be a benefit with prolonged touch typing to raise the front relative to the rear to achieve a slight ‘negative angle’ of the typing keys. Therefore, while the figures illustrate various embodiments of keyboards raised at the rear, the present invention encompasses raising the front of the keyboard relative to the rear as well. The techniques to raise one portion of the keyboard relative to another may be employed to raise any portion relative to another, and should not be limited to the embodiments described. 
   Keyboard  100  comprises a foot  108  at each of the rear corners of the keyboard that will raise the rear portion of the keyboard off of the upper surface of a desk or table  112 . A user manipulable lever  104  is positioned at each of the rear corners of the keyboard and protrudes some distance from the keyboard so a user can rotate it along an arcuate path  106  and change the height of the keyboard. A plurality of discrete positions or detents  105  allow the user to position the legs and keyboard at various pre-selected heights. Positions  105 A,  105 B, and  105 C are shown as an example, and correspond to extension distances of legs  108 . For example, position  105 C may correspond to a fully extended position, whereas positions  105 A and  105 B may correspond to a less than fully extended position. Lever  104  can be described as a toggle that is “toggled” between different height settings. 
   As seen in  FIG. 1B , in one preferred embodiment, a small rotation of lever  104  is all that is necessary to fully extend feet  108 . For example, a rotation of 90 degrees or less about an axis may fully extend feet  108 . The amount of rotation may of course vary, and in place of a lever, a rotating wheel may also be employed to deploy feet  108 . The wheel may be accessed from the side, top, or bottom of the keyboard. The portion of foot  108  that makes contact with desk  112  is preferably domed or otherwise tapered away from the center in order to ensure contact of all of the feet with the desk at all times. Foot  108  preferably comprises a rubber tip to maintain contact with the surface and to avoid scratching the work surface. 
     FIGS. 2A ,  2 B, and  2 C are perspective illustrations of foot extension system  120 . System  120  translates a relatively small movement of lever  104  into a relatively large extension distance of feet  108 . A foot extension system  120  is located within each of the rear corners of keyboard  100  described earlier. Lever  104  seen earlier is attached to or integrally formed with gear  122 . Gear  122  is preferably a sector gear, the teeth of which mesh with those of driven gear  128 . Driven gear  128  is driven by the rotation of lever  104  and sector gear  122 , and is on the same shaft as central gear  126 . Central gear  126 , in turn, rotates pinion gear  130 . Pinion gear  130  rotates a shaft  138  (not shown) within tube  136  of a threaded system and the rotating action of the threaded system forces feet  108  out of tubes  136 . An example of a threaded shaft  138  is shown in  FIG. 2D . Any male/female interlocking combination may be used to drive shaft  138  out from tube  136 . For example a protrusion on tube  136  may slide within a groove within shaft  138  or vice versa, similar to the system used to force lipstick out of a lipstick case. 
   As best seen in  FIG. 2C , toggle member  124  is located under and moves with sector gear  122 . Toggle member  124  comprises a plurality of indentations  124 A, B, C. etc. corresponding to the number of height settings of feet  108 . As toggle member  124  rotates, flexible shaft  132  slides along the radius of the member and into the indentations  124 A, B, C . . . etc. This serves to hold each lever  104  and foot  108  in place at a given height setting. 
     FIGS. 3A ,  3 B, and  3 C are different views of keyboard  300 . Keyboard  300  comprises spring loaded feet  308  that flip down at the push of button  304 . Similar to the previously discussed keyboard there is a foot  308  at each rear corner of keyboard  300 . The mechanism of the spring loaded feet is similar to that of a spring loaded flash on some single lens reflex cameras. When button  304  is pushed, feet  308  are released and the spring forces them to be deployed. When the feet  308  are pushed back against the body of keyboard  300  they latch in place. Another push of the button and they release. In certain embodiments of keyboard  300  and feet  308 , each foot  308  comprises legs of different sizes. For example, 2 legs are shown in  FIGS. 3A-3C , a small leg  308 A and a large leg  308 B. The small leg  308 A will raise the rear of the keyboard less than large leg  308 B. Although a different button can be employed to release each leg  308 A or  308 B, it is preferable that the same button  304  be capable of releasing the legs, with one push releasing the smaller of the legs and another push releasing the larger of the legs. As can be seen in the figures, leg  308 A fits within leg  308 B. Although there is one button  304  used for each foot  308 , in other embodiments a single button could deploy both the right and left rear feet  308 . 
     FIGS. 4A ,  4 B, and  4 C are different views of keyboard  400 . In keyboard  400 , a spring loaded plinth  410  remains on the surface of desk  112  while the bulk or upper portion  418  of keyboard  400  is rotated to the required height. In order to do this a latch or button  414  is pulled or depressed in order to release the plinth and raise the rear of the keyboard relative to the front of the keyboard. In certain embodiments, keyboard  400  comprises one or more pivots  420  at the front of the keyboard, and upper portion  418  rotates about pivots  420  as it is raised to the desired height. 
     FIGS. 5A ,  5 B, and  5 C are different views of keyboard  500 . The rear of keyboard  500  is raised from desk  112  with legs  510  that rotate about an angled pivot axis  512 . Axis  512  is angled some amount from vertical such that it is not perpendicular with the bottom of keyboard  500 . While any angle less than 90 degrees relative to the base of the keyboard may be employed, the axis is preferably between 30-60 degrees from the plane of the base. When lever  504  is rotated along path  506  and toggled between positions, feet  510  rotate about axis  512  and out of pockets  514 . As in keyboard  100 , multiple height settings can be achieved with this system. 
   While the preferred embodiments have been described with regard to the aforementioned figures, it will be understood that the present invention is entitled to protection within the full scope of the appended claims. As mentioned previously, while the figures illustrate various embodiments of keyboards raised at the rear, the present invention encompasses raising the front of the keyboard relative to the rear as well. The techniques to raise one portion of the keyboard relative to another may be employed to raise any portion relative to another, and should not be limited to the embodiments described.