Captive digit input device

In a manual digit data input device, including a set of cups configured to captivate the distal phalanges of a human hand; a housing; apparatus resiliently mounting the cups in the housing for mutually orthogonal transverse movements of the cups; and control apparatus actuated in response to movement of the cups.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to the field of data input devices for operation by 
the manual digits of human operators. A typical exemplar of previous such 
devices is the typewriter keyboard now used to provide alphanumerical 
inputs for word processors, computers, etc., in response to digital 
manipulation by a human operator. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
In known devices of this sort, the various alpha-numeric and other symbols 
to be used are visibly displayed on the tops of keys which are arranged in 
prescribed order in a matrix of rows of ten or more keys each. The key 
tops are kept horizontal, and the rows further from the operator are at 
successively higher levels. The operator's hands are suspended over the 
matrix or keyboard so that the fingertips rest lightly on a set of "home" 
keys which are aligned in a central row or tier in the matrix. Keys are 
operated by downward movement of particular fingers individually in a 
learned procedure. To operate keys on other rows, the entire hand is moved 
to learned alternate positions, so that the specified fingers are over 
intended alternate keys. If the hand is not moved correctly, however, the 
fingers may not in fact be positioned over the desired alternate keys, so 
that when a finger is moved, an entry error is caused. Similarly, upon 
return to the home keys, if the hand motion is slightly in error, the 
fingers may not be positioned over the home keys in the proper fashion, so 
that successive entries may also be in error. To verify finger and key 
relationships, many operators resort to watching their fingers over the 
keys, so as to assure correct entry. This hand movement to operate other 
keys and return to the home key position, and this tendency to observe the 
keys as well as the material to be entered, slow the entry of data or 
signals into the device. 
A similar problem exists with numerical keyboards which consist of ten 
digital entry keys and function control keys. With these devices, home 
keys are not used and different keys are frequently operated by the same 
finger, which is guided visually. The operator must constantly observe the 
keyboard to assure correct entry. Eye movement between the data to be 
entered and the digital keyboard, and use of only a few fingers, slow the 
entry process, and inattention to finger placement causes entry errors. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention comprises an input device in which the ten manual 
digits of an operator are resiliently captivated, allowing each digit 
three or four distinguishable motions to cause any of 36 distinguishable 
switch operations as inputs to a utilization system, while the operator's 
hands remain in the same position. The digit motions are familiar ones, 
and can be learned as expeditously as the motions for conventional 
keyboard operation, while the additional constraint of captivation 
prevents most of the errors which arise from the conventional procedure, 
and the operator's visual attention may be directed solely to the material 
to be entered. 
A particular feature of the invention lies in the provision of means for 
preventing finger motions which would result in two simultaneous inputs to 
the utilization system. 
Various advantages and features of novelty which characterize the invention 
are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and 
forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the 
invention, its advantages, and objects attained by its use, reference 
should be had to the drawing which forms a further part hereof, and to the 
accompanying descriptive matter, in which there is illustrated and 
described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
In FIG. 1, an input device according to the invention is shown somewhat 
schematically to comprise a base 10 supporting a left hand unit 11 and a 
right unit 12. The device is to provide switching signals on a cable 13 to 
a microprocessor 14, by which they may be converted in well known fashion 
to alphanumerical and other inputs on a cable 15 and cable 16, to a 
printer 17 and a display unit 18 respectively. 
Unit 11 comprises housing means 20 having a base 21, formed with a thumb 
hole 22, and a cover 23, formed with an index finger hole 24, a middle 
finger hole 25, a ring finger hole 26, and a little finger hole 27. 
Unit 12 comprises housing means 30 having a base 31, formed with a thumb 
hole 32, and a cover 33, formed with an index finger hole 34, a middle 
finger hole 35, a ring finger hole 36, and a little finger hole 37. It 
will be evident that the axes of the finger holes are generally parallel 
and vertical, and that the axes of the thumb holes are generally 
orthogonal thereto. 
Because of the considerable variation in dimensions of human hands and 
fingers, it may be desirable to provide units 11 and 12 in various sizes. 
Signals from units 11 and 12 are supplied by the operation of electrical 
switches. Each of the finger and thumb holes contains a rigid "cup" 
resiliently mounted in the housing means to enable the selective operation 
of one of plurality of switches according to the finger or thumb movement 
of the operator, as will now be described. 
As pointed out above, the invention contemplates "captivating" the 
operator's digits in the cups from which they are not to be 
unintentionally removed during operation of the apparatus. The cups are 
resiliently mounted so that each digit may selectively perform three or 
four distinguishable functions, rather than the single function performed 
by each digit on a single key of the usual typewriter, for example. In 
FIG. 2, the "normal" position of each cup is indicated by the heavy circle 
A in which axial movement of the digit produces a first function. 
Alternate functions are obtainable when the cups are moved forward into 
the positions B, and again when the cups are moved backward into the 
positions C. The index finger cup can be moved into a further alternate 
position D, and the little finger cup can be moved into a further 
alternate position E. By way of illustration the figure shows a cup 
diameter of 11/16 inches and a movement in each direction of 3/16 inch. 
Attention is now directed to FIG. 3, where housing means 31 is shown to 
comprise a chamber 40 into which middle finger hole 35 of cover 33 opens. 
In the chamber there is resiliently mounted a cup 41 to captivate the 
distal phalanx of the operator's right middle finger, suggested at 42. The 
bottom 43 of cup 41 is closed, and is provided outwardly with a peg 44 
extending along the axis 45 of the cup. Chamber 40 has a socket 46 in its 
bottom coaxial with peg 44 and sized to receive the peg. The bottom of the 
cup rests on a compression spring 47 which affords the cup resilient 
movement along axis 45, and which also enables generally pivotal movement 
of the cup transverse to the axis, as suggested by the arrow 48. 
Cup 41 has a protruding rim 50, the upper surface 51 of which may be of 
spherical configuration to act as a dust shield against a similar surface 
52 the lower rim of hole 35, in the normal and transversely displaced 
positions of the cup. At sites spaced by 180 degrees around axis 45, 
housing means 12 has a pair of ledges 53 and 54 on which are mounted 
electrical switches 55 and 56 respectively, for actuation by surfaces 57 
and 58 of cup rim 50 at the extremes of its transverse motion. A further 
switch 59 is mounted at the bottom of socket 46 for actuation by peg 44 
upon axial movement of cup 41. The contacts of switches 53, 54, and 59 are 
connected to conductors in cable 13. 
The structure just described is provided for all the finger holes of both 
units 11 and 12. 
FIG. 4 shows that the wall of a chamber 60 accessible through little finger 
hole 37 in cover 33 is provided with a further inward ledge 61 carrying a 
further switch 62 actuable by a surface 63 of rim 50' angularly 
equidistant about the axis 45' of the cup 42' from the two switches 
previously described, for pivotal actuation by sideways movement of the 
operator's little finger, as suggested by arrow 64. The same extra 
structure is provided for index finger hole 34, the new available motion 
being in the opposite direction from that shown in FIG. 4. Thus holes 35 
and 36 enable three switching functions, and holes 33 and 37 enable four 
switching functions. The same arrangement is provided in essentially 
mirror image fashion for unit 11, so that from finger movements of both 
the operator's hands there are possible 28 different switch actions. 
Inspection of FIG. 3 will make it clear that upon axial movement of the cup 
to compress its spring, peg 44 enters socket 46 and prevents any 
transverse movement of the cup, while upon transverse movement of the cup, 
peg 44 moves out of alignment with socket 46, and prevents axial cup 
movement. The drawing shows the transverse movement of the cup to be 
preferably a tilting motion, but will be readily apparent that a sliding 
motion is also possible. Switches 54, 55, etc. are spaced around rim 50 
sufficiently to prevent any two of them from being closed at the same 
time. 
FIG. 5 shows the preferred shapes of the chambers 40a in body 21 to enable 
free cup movement. Since these chambers must be close together, to comport 
with the anatomy of a user's hand, the rims 50a a of the several cups must 
be of restricted area, as suggested in FIG. 6. If desired, the under 
surface of cap 23 may be provided with concavities 69, of parti-spherical 
surface, to engage the spherical rim surfaces, as suggessted in FIG. 7. 
As shown in FIG. 8, housing means 30 is formed with a further chamber 70 
accessible from thumb hole 32 and resiliently mounting a "cup" 71 to 
captivate the operator's right thumb. Cup 71 is resiliently mounted in 
housing means 30 on a plurality of compression springs 72, 73, 74, and 75 
for resilient centering with respect to the cup axis, and is provided with 
a plurality of outward projections 76, 77, 78, and 79 equally spaced about 
the axis. Housing means 30 is provided with sockets 81, 82, 83, and 84 
aligned with the cup projections, and in these sockets are mounted further 
electrical switches 85, 86, 87, and 88, all respectively, which are also 
connected to wires of cable 13. 
A similar arrangement is provided at thumb hole 21 of housing 20. By this 
means eight further switch operations are made available to the operator, 
giving a total of 36, as suggested by the small squares in FIG. 9. Note 
that in this embodiment the mechanical arrangement everywhere is such that 
it is not possible for any operator's digit in any cup to operate more 
than one switch at a time. 
OPERATION OF THE INVENTION 
The operation of the system is almost self-evident. The operator's hands 
are positioned with the thumbs in the cups of the thumb holes, and with 
the fingers inserted in the cups of the finger holes. The operator has 
learned which digital movements result in which inputs, and accordingly 
moves the appropriate digits laterally or axially, to accomplish the 
desired results. This can be made an entirely learned procedure, if 
desired, by omitting from the housings any display of what symbols are 
available by operation of the various digits, so that no visual 
observation of the "keyboard" is possible, and the operators attention may 
remain entirely on the material to be entered. 
Many ways of setting up the system are possible: one is suggested in the 
following tables. Six conditions of operation are established arbitrarily, 
by the operators thumb manipulations, and in each condition the finger 
motions produce individual inputs as shown in Tables I to III which 
follow: 
TABLE I 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
LEFT HAND UNIT RIGHT HAND UNIT 
FINGER HOLES FINGER HOLES 
Little Ring 
Long 
Index 
Index 
Long 
Ring 
Little 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
CONDITION 1 - Both thumbs at rest 
Sideward 
CR q z SE 
Forward 
x j p r d g m v 
Downward 
b c a e i o u y 
Palmward 
k w l t s h n f 
CONDITION 2 - Either thumb downward 
Sideward Q Z 
Forward 
X J P R D G M V 
Downward 
B C A E I O U Y 
Palmward 
K W L T S H N F 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
(CR = Carriage Return and Line Feed) 
TABLE II 
______________________________________ 
CONDITION 3 - 
Right thumb palmward 
Sideward CLEAR EN- 
TER 
Forward 6 7 8 9 
Downward 3 4 5 
Palmward 0 1 2 . 
CONDITION 4 - 
Right thumb upward 
Sideward 
Forward $ .cent. @ # 
Downward + - .times. 
.div. 
Palmward = % - .sqroot. 
______________________________________ 
TABLE III 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
LEFT HAND UNIT RIGHT HAND UNIT 
FINGER HOLES FINGER HOLES 
Little Ring 
Long 
Index 
Index 
Long 
Ring 
Little 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
CONDITION 5 - Left thumb palmward 
Sideward 
BACK 
SE 
Forward 
: ; 
accent 
dash 
Downward 
/ ! ? . 
Palmward 
##STR1## 
' " , 
CONDITION 6 - Left thumb upward 
Sideward 
Forward 
} { & * 
Downward 
[ ] ( ) 
Palmward 
&gt; &lt; 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
From the above it will be evident that the invention comprises a ne 
arrangement for supplying alphanumeric and like inputs derived from the 
digital movements of an operator, wherein the digits are captivated and 
errors due to misposition of individual digits are presented. 
Numerous characteristics and advantages of the invention have been set 
forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure 
and function of the invention, and the novel features thereof are pointed 
out in the appended claims. The disclosure, however, is illustrative only, 
and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, 
and arrangement of parts, within the principle of the invention, to the 
full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which 
the appended claims are expressed.