Patent ID: 7324019

Claim:
A keyboard with a keypad mounted thereupon, wherein the keypad is comprised of a plurality of finger key arrays adjacent to one another on the keyboard, wherein the fingers are identified as the index, long, ring and short fingers of a hand with a palm and wherein each finger key array has associated with it specific keys and wherein each finger key array has a different curvature to accommodate the range of motion of that finger to actuate the respective keys when the wrist and palm are in a stationary position and wherein the keys of each key array are positioned along an arc located between the maximum and the minimum range of flexion of finger motion through the metacarpophalangeal, proximal interphalangeal and distal interphalangeal joints without any wrist motion; wherein at least one key in each array is defined by the location of a finger tip when the metacarpophalangeal, proximal interphalangeal and distal interphalangeal joints for that finger are all in flexion and wherein the keyboard further includes a palm support adapted to support the palm in a stationary position relative to the keyboard while permitting free motion of the metacarpophalangeal joint and wherein each key has a top surface and wherein a projection perpendicular to the key top surface of at least one key in a finger key array will intersect within the bounds of the arc of that finger key array.