Lexmark International, Inc.

Maxi Switch, Inc.

Charles H Lingle

Kenneth H Mimlitch

Edward E Pollard

John M Huellemeier

Raymond H Reichenbach, Jr

Peter J Mendel

Joseph E Jasinski

David Carl Bishop

Steven A Silverstein

Richard F Pollitt

William A Abell, Jr

David William Shuman

Edwin T Coleman, Iii

A keyboard has two segments connected to each other at their rear ends by a connector. The two segments can be pivoted about the connector through 90.degree. in the plane of a support surface for the keyboard. In one embodiment, each keyboard segment may be disposed at a maximum angle of 45.degree. to its support surface in a plane perpendicular to its support surface. Thus, the two segments may be tilted 90.degree. with respect to each other. The two segments may be separated and supported individually through three pivotally mounted supports on its bottom surface. Two of the supports are disposed adjacent the rear corners and pivot on the same axis while the third support is disposed adjacent a lower inner corner of the segment and pivots on an axis perpendicular to the pivot axis of the other two supports. Each of the supports has two legs of different lengths to permit various tilting configurations of each segment with one of the legs having an adjustable length in one embodiment.

Adjustable keyboard

Adjustable keyboard for a personal computer

A combined mouse and trackball having its control ball (15) extend past cover 1. Cover 1 has neck hinges (5) so that it pivots in relations to opposing cover (17). A cable (33) at the front communicates with the computer receiving the control signals from the ball. A switch (43) reverses the significance of front-to-back signals from the ball depending on whether an actuator (45) integral with cover 1 engages the switch. In the closed position of cover 1 the bottom of the devise is flat and the ball is upward for use as a trackball. In the open position of cover 1 the device is formed into a mouse with front and rear surfaces (67, 69) to support the ball for frictional movement on a table (71). Latch surfaces ((25, 57 and 25, 65) hold the covers in the two positions until they are manually released.

Combined mouse and trackball

Growing community of inventors

Nicholasville, KY, United States of America

Charles H Lingle