Ergonomic keyboard and operator's chair

摘要

A combination ergonomic chair and bifurcated QWERTY apparatus integrally defined in the armrests of the chair. The combination apparatus includes a pair of adjustable arms for selectively orienting the armrests with respect to the operator. A standard QWERTY keyboard is bifurcated such that each half of the keyboard is defined on each of separate respective armrests. Each keyboard unit is attached to the armrests via a ball-in-socket arrangement and includes half of a QWERTY keyboard on one side, and a ten key numerical pad on the opposite side. A unique arrangement reduces stress, fatigue and injury associated with data entry work by facilitating proper postures to reduce upper extremity cumulative trauma. Each keyboard unit has a curve surface for provided palmar support to the hand while accessing the keypad. The chair and keyboard apparatus also includes a pair of rotary encoders integrally defined in the keyboard support structure to simulate a mouse. The backrest of the chair includes an elbow switch which intermittently disables the keyboard units which requires the operator to extend the elbows rearward to access the switch and reset the keyboard thus causing the operator to stretch periodically. The keyboard support structure is adaptable to most any standard ergonomic chair.