Spittable keyboard for word processing, typing and other information input systems

A communication system allowing the exchange of information between a human operator and a responsive information processing machine, the communication system comprising:

• input keyboard means having first and second keyboard sections each having a plurality of actuators arranged thereon, said input keyboard means being positionally adjustable in space by the human operator to achieve an orientation which requires minimum muscular pretension on the part of the human operator while actuating said input actuators, said first and second keyboard sections being removably adjacently arrangeable together in a first arrangement so as to form a conventional keyboard arrangement when arranged adjacently together such that the spacing between adjacent actuators on different keyboard sections is substantially the same as the spacing between actuators on the same keyboard section, said keyboard sections being displaceable so that when displaced, said keyboard sections form a split keyboard, said first and second keyboard sections being adjustable in a plurality of positions selectable by the operator, said positions defined by lateral movement of said keyboard sections at least in part relatively toward and away from each other in a first plane, rotation about a line along the direction of such lateral movement and rotation about a line in the first plane perpendicular to such lateral movement, whereby the operator can select an optimum operating position and can adjust said first and second keyboard sections over time gradually toward said optimum position thereby gradually to become accustomed to said optimum position, the keyboard sections being rearrangeable in said first arrangement comprising a conventional keyboard arrangement when the operator so desires;
• and
• output display means for providing responsive information to the human operator, said output display means being positionable intermediate of said first and second keyboard sections when said keyboard sections are displaced from one another.

A keyboard arrangement having a plurality of actuatable keys, each key being associated with a respective predeterminable symbol, the actuatable keys being distributed over the keyboard arrangement in accordance with a predetermined distribution having preselected numbers of rows and columns of the actuatable keys, the keyboard arrangement further comprising first and second keyboard sections, each keyboard section holding respective ones of the actuatable keys arranged in respective portions of the predetermined distribution, said first and second keyboard sections being arrangeable adjacent each other whereby when said first and second keyboard sections are arranged adjacent to one another, the predetermined distribution of the actuatable keys formed of said respective portions forms a continuous sequence of the rows and columns, the spacing between the rows and columns being substantially the same throughout said continuous sequence, said keyboard sections being removably displaceable so that when said keyboard sections are displaced from one another, said keyboard sections form a split keyboard, said keyboard arrangement including mounting means for adjustably securing said keyboard sections in a plurality of orientations and locations determined by operator preference, whereby an operator can adjust said first and second keyboard sections over time gradually toward an optimum one of said plurality of orientations and locations thereby gradually to become accustomed to said optimum one of said plurality of orientations and locations, said plurality of orientations and locations defined by lateral movement of said keyboard sections at least in part relatively toward and away from each other in a first plane, rotation about a line along the direction of such lateral movement and rotation about a line in the first plane perpendicular to such lateral movement.

A keyboard arrangement of an information processing machine, the keyboard arrangement comprising:

• first and second keyboard portions each having a plurality of keys thereon in a predetermined configuration, each such key corresponding to an associated one of the letters of the alphabet, numbers, elements of punctuation, and keyboard functions, said predetermined configuration of keys being arranged such that ones of the keys which are conventionally operated with the left-hand of an operator are arranged on said first keyboard portion and ones of said keys which are conventionally operated with the right hand of said operator are arranged on said second keyboard portion, said first and second keyboard portions being arrangeable adjacent to one another to produce a continuous arrangement of said plurality of keys, said first and second keyboard portions being removably displaceable with respect to each other, said keyboard portions forming a continuous conventional keyboard arrangement when arranged adjacently together such that the spacing between adjacent actuators on different keyboard portions is substantially the same as the spacing between actuators on the same keyboard portions, and forming a split keyboard when displaced from one another, said keyboard portions being arrangeable in a plurality of orientations and locations when displaced from one another depending on operator preference and being adjustable over time gradually by an operator toward an optimum orientation and location, thereby gradually to allow an operator to become accustomed to said optimum one of said plurality of orientations and locations, said keyboard arrangement including adjustable mounting means for supporting and holding said keyboard portions in said optimum orientation and location, said plurality of orientations and locations defined by lateral movement of said keyboard sections at least in part relatively toward and away from each other in a first plane, rotation about a line along the direction of such lateral movement and rotation about a line in the first plane perpendicular to such lateral movement;
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• third keyboard means having a plurality of keys thereon, said plurality of keys on said third keyboard means corresponding to an associated one of a keyboard function, computer control function, and a function which is determined by said operator.

An information processing arrangement of the type having a display means for displaying the information being processed, the display means having a generally planar viewing surface, the information processing arrangement further comprising:

• a housing for containing the display means, said housing having a lower-most surface arranged at an angle with respect to the generally planar viewing surface of the display means, said angle being less than 90.degree.;
• storage compartment means removably coupled to said lower-most surface of said housing, said storage compartment means having a respective bottom-most surface forming an angle with respect to the generally planar viewing surface of the display means which is greater than said angle formed between the generally planar viewing surface and said lower-most surface of said housing, said storage compartment means comprising a substantially triangular shaped member, said housing and triangular shaped member, when coupled together, forming a substantially rectangular housing member;
• and
• keyboard means having a plurality of actuators thereon arranged in a predetermined sequence for facilitating communication between an operator and the information processing arrangement, said keyboard means being removably coupled to said information processing arrangement, said keyboard means being separable into two sections, said two sections being disposable in said storage compartment means when said storage compartment means is attached to said housing.