Patent ID: 6991390

Claim:
A keyboard or keypad including at least three rows of keys including a top row which is remote from the user, a middle row, and a bottom row which is adjacent to the user, each row having at least three keys including a left and a right end key, each key having a finger engaged surface of with a central axis perpendicular to said finger engaged surface, said surface having arcuate top and bottom edge portions extending angularly about said axis and arcuate left and right edge portions also extending angularly about said axis, and wherein the keys include: (i) a ridge on the top left end key adjacent to the upper edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows, (ii) a ridge on the top left end key adjacent to the left edge portion thereof extending generally in a direction transverse to the rows, (iii) a ridge on the bottom left end key adjacent to the left edge portion thereof extending generally in a direction to the rows, (iv) a ridge on the bottom left end key adjacent to the bottom edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows, (v) a ridge on the bottom right end key adjacent to the bottom edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows, (vi) a ridge on the bottom right end key adjacent to the right edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction transverse to the rows, (vii) a ridge on the top right end key adjacent to the right edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction transverse to the rows, and (viii) a ridge on the top right end key adjacent to the upper edge portion thereof extending generally in the direction of the rows.