Abstract:
This invention is about a keyboard with pockets to help keep thumb positions. Specially designed pockets to make it sure to keep thumbs always stay on a space bar-cap of a QWERTY keyboard or on a 0 key-cap of a numeric keyboard.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO PELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/546,359, filed Feb. 20, 2004. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention is about a keyboard that makes it easier to keep base positioning of fingers at a time of touch-typing or typing and helps key-input more comfortably than by any traditional keyboard of this kind as far as QWERTY keyboards for computers, word processors, etc., and numeric keyboard for calculators, cash registers, etc. are concerned. Precedent technique concerning this invention is a ridge on a cap of ‘5’ key of a numeric keyboard and that on both ‘J’ and ‘F’ keys of a QWERTY keyboard. These ridges are base points where all fingers are surely invited back to base positioning.  
         [0003]     This precedent technique, however, required people to find ridges with an index or a middle finger of both hands every time they come back to base positioning while touch typing.  
         [0004]     There are also some typists that feel uncomfortable at physically touching on ridges each time they type on the ‘J’, ‘F’ and ‘5’ keys.  
         [0005]     Furthermore, as long as a traditional QWERTY keyboard is concerned, people shift their index fingers of both hands, the base points, only to leave the base positioning for such keys as Esc, Functions, Delete, etc., that are in a top row, and such keys as Back Space, Enter, etc. on the right end of a keyboard.  
         [0006]     In other words, people have to move whole hands away from the base positions.  
         [0007]     In order to come back to base positions, they need to find ridges first on the ‘J’ and ‘F’ keys with index fingers, which means it is not possible to make an instant return to base positions.  
         [0008]     Base positioning based on index fingers is a main cause of this problem.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     The first object we aimed in this invention is to provide a keyboard that realizes easier base positioning than traditional ones at a time of touch typing.  
         [0010]     The second object is to provide a keyboard that does not require any ridges.  
         [0011]     The third object is to provide a keyboard that does not require people specifically find the ‘J’ key and the ‘F’ key out of many keys, or find ridges on them every time they come back to base positions while touch typing or typing.  
         [0012]     Further object is put on providing a QWERTY keyboard that enables people to type any key with any finger without shifting their hands away from home positions. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing base positioning with a traditional QWERTY keyboard in a full size.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a first QWERTY keyboard with thumb positions of this invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing base positioning with the first QWERTY keyboard with thumb positions of this invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of a space bar-cap along with a right-hand thumb taken at line IV--IV in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing a typist is working on the first QWERTY keyboard with pockets of this invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view a second QWERTY keyboard with thumb positions of this invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing base positioning with the second QWERTY keyboard with thumb positions of this invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing base positioning with a numeric keypad.  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a numeric keyboard with thumb position of this invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view showing base positioning with the numeric keyboard with thumb position of this invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a modification to the first QWERTY keyboard with thumb positions of this invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view of a space bar-cap along with a right-hand thumb taken at line XII--XII in  FIG. 11 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0025]      FIG. 1  shows base positioning with a traditional QWERTY keyboard  50  in a full size.  
         [0026]     A right-hand index  22 A is put on a ‘J’ key  3  and a left-hand index  22 B on an ‘F’ key  4 . Thumbs  21  are lightly touching on a space bar-cap  30 , while other fingers are respectively positioned. Typists must importantly keep an accurate picture of base positioning in mind.  
         [0027]      FIG. 2  shows the first QWERTY keyboard with thumb positions  51  as explained in claim  1 . This is a further development after the QWERTY keyboard  50  per  FIG. 1  having a right-side pocket  1 A on a right side  9 A of the space bar-cap  30  where a right-hand thumb  21 A is expected to come and a left-side pocket  1 B on a left side  9 B where a left-hand thumb  21 B is expected to come.  
         [0028]     The right side-pocket  1 A is for base positioning with the right-hand thumb  21 A and the left side-pocket  1 B with the left-hand thumb  21 B. No ridges  40 C are provided with the QWERTY keyboard  51  in this invention and regardless of whether it has or not, it is not functionally affected.  
         [0029]      FIG. 3  shows base positioning for the first QWERTY keyboard  51  in this invention. This image gives you an idea about how thumbs  21  are positioned for base positioning.  
         [0030]     Start with finding the right-side pocket  1 A with the right-hand thumb  21 A and the left-side pocket  1 B with the left-hand thumb  21 B at a time of touch typing. Put thumbs on the pockets  1  respectively.  
         [0031]     Instant the fingers are put on the pockets  1 , the right-hand index  22 A is automatically invited to a ‘J’ key  3 A and the left-hand index  22 B to an ‘F’ key  4 A.  
         [0032]     Base positioning is possible in a blink of time only by putting thumbs  21  on pockets  1 . Typists in general remember base positioning almost very accurately.  
         [0033]     Since the pockets  1  are larger than the ridges  40 , it is easier to find the pockets  1  with both thumbs  21  than to find the ridges  40  with both index fingers  22 .  
         [0034]      FIG. 4  shows a cross-sectional view of a space bar-cap  31  along with a right-hand taken on IV--IV in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0035]     Instant the right-hand thumb  21 A is put on the right-side pocket  1 A, base positioning is possible as shown on  FIG. 4 .  
         [0036]     Same procedure for the left-hand thumb  21 B follows to complete base positioning per  FIG. 3 . Of course thumbs  21  must be pressed down to input on a space bar  90 .  
         [0037]      FIG. 5  shows a view on which a typist is working on the first QWERTY keyboard  51  with pockets  1  as explained in claim  1  for this invention. It explains how a right-hand little finger  25  goes for a Delete key  5 A and how the left-hand index  22 B goes for a ‘F6’ key  6 A.  
         [0038]     With a traditional base positioning per  FIG. 1 , the right-hand index  22 A leaves from the ‘J’ key  3  when trying to reach a Delete key  5  with the right-hand little finger  25 , and the left-hand index  22 B leaves from the ‘F’ key  4  to reach ‘F6’ key  6  with the left-hand index  22 B.  
         [0039]     Consequently people tried to find ridges  40  on the ‘J’ key  3  and the ‘F’ key  4  at the time of touch typing and the ‘J’ key  3  and the ‘F’ key  4  at a time of typing.  
         [0040]     However, in this invention it is now possible to make the right-hand index  22 A instantly return to the ‘J’ key  3 A after in-putting on the Delete key  5 A with the right-hand index  22 A, and also the left-hand index  22 B back to the ‘F’ key  4 A after the ‘F6’ key  6 A with the left-hand index  22 B.  
         [0041]     The first QWERTY keyboard  51  of this invention realizes any fingers possible to reach any keys as they keep both thumbs  21  on pockets  1  that are base points for base positioning.  
         [0042]     Since typists remember base positioning, they know where to return quite instantly.  
         [0043]     It has been troublesome with the traditional QWERTY keyboard  50  to find ridges  40  on the ‘J’ key  3  and the ‘F’ key  4  with index fingers  22  at a time of touch typing every time they return to base positioning.  
         [0044]     Same thing is said about typing. However, the first QWERTY keyboard  51  of this invention made free from these troubles.  
         [0045]     Once thumbs  21  are put on pockets, typists reasonably no longer have to shift thumbs  21  that are the base points for base positioning until typing is finished.  
         [0046]      FIG. 6  shows the second QWERTY keyboard with thumb positions  52  as explained in claim  2 . The second QWERTY keyboard  52  is further developed after the first QWERTY keyboard  51  explained in claim  1 . The right-side pocket  1 A and the left-side pocket  1 B on the space bar-cap  31  are connected into one pocket  1 C.  
         [0047]      FIG. 7  shows base positioning with the second QWERTY keyboard  52 .  
         [0048]     At the same time the right-hand thumb  21 A is put on a right side  2 A and the left-hand thumb  21 B on a left side  2 B of the pocket  1 C, base positioning is ready.  
         [0049]     Effect of this invention, in addition to the one in claim  1 , is it is easier to find the pocket  1 C.  
         [0050]      FIG. 8  shows base positioning with a numeric keypad.  
         [0051]     A right-hand thumb  21 A is put on a ‘0’ key  70 , while a right-hand middle finger  23  are lightly touching on a ‘5’ key  7 . Typists must importantly keep an accurate picture of base positioning in mind.  
         [0052]      FIG. 9  shows a numeric keyboard with thumb position  61  as explained in claim  3 . This is a further development after the numeric keypad  60  per  FIG. 8  having a pocket  1 D on a ‘0’ key-cap  71  where a right-hand thumb  21 A is expected to come.  
         [0053]     The pocket  1 D is for base positioning with the right-hand thumb  21 A.  
         [0054]     No ridges  40 E are provided with the numeric keyboard  61  in this invention and regardless of whether it has or not, it is not functionally affected.  
         [0055]      FIG. 10  shows base positioning for the numeric keyboard  61  in this invention. This image gives you an idea about how the right-hand thumb  21 A is positioned for base positioning.  
         [0056]     Start with finding the pocket  1 D with the right-hand thumb  21 A at a time of touch typing. Put the right-hand thumb  21 A on the pocket  1 D. Instant the fingers are put on the pockets  1 , the right-hand middle finger  23  is automatically invited to a ‘5’ key  7 A.  
         [0057]     Base positioning is possible in a blink of time only by putting the right-hand thumb  21 A on the pocket  1 . Typists in general remember base positioning almost very accurately.  
         [0058]     Since the pockets  1  are larger than the ridge  40 E, it is easier to find the pocket  1 D with the right-hand thumb  21 A than to find the ridges  40 D with the right-hand middle finger  23 .  
         [0059]     It goes without saying further development and other various modifications are possibly made to this keyboard.  
         [0060]     For example,  FIG. 11  shows a third QWERTY keyboard with thumb positions  53  which a modification to the first QWERTY keyboard  51  in this invention per claim  1 .  
         [0061]      FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view of a space bar-cap  33  along with a right-hand thumb  21 A taken on XII-XII in  FIG. 11 .  
         [0062]     Although a bottom  86 B of a pocket  1 F and a top surface  82 B of the third QWERTY keyboard  53  casing is not horizontally on the same level as seen on  FIG. 2 , a modification is made to have both on the same level using a key switch system of pantograph mechanism  81  that is used for many QWERTY keyboards for lap-top computers.  
         [0063]     One of the characteristics of this modification is: thumbs  21  are more comfortable at a time of typing than with the first QWERTY keyboard in claim  1  per  FIG. 2  because thumbs can rest on a casing.  
         [0064]     Like this modification suggests, depth of pocket for a space bar-cap as explained in claim  1  and  2  of this invention for a QWERTY keyboard and a ‘0’ key-cap of a numeric keyboard in claim  3  can be freely designed according to a type of key switch.  
         [0065]     This invention of QWERTY keyboard with pockets for thumbs positioning includes QWERTY keyboard for word processors, typewriters and so on not limited to that for computers only. Also numeric keyboard for calculators, cash registers and etc. not limited to numeric keypad for computers.  
         [0066]     Summing up effects of the keyboard in this invention;  
         [0067]     First:  
         [0068]     Moment thumbs are put on pockets, base positioning is formed. In other words there is little trouble finding a ridge on a ‘J’ key or an ‘F’ key, or that on a ‘5’ key, neither a letter on each of them.  
         [0069]     Secondly:  
         [0070]     The keyboard of this invention requires no ridges; therefore, such typists as feel uncomfortable touching a ridge on the ‘J’ key or the ‘F’ key, or on a ‘5’ key with their index fingers or a middle finger may choose to use a keyboard of non-ridge type.  
         [0071]     Thirdly:  
         [0072]     With this QWERTY keyboard invention, typists do not have to leave their thumbs from the pockets, the base points for base positioning, until typing is finished once they put both thumbs there.