In the comments of my
Model M15 review, I discovered that Lexmark had licensed much of its technology and designs to Maxi-Switch.
I did some digging/Googling, and things got interesting.
According to an
Infoworld magazine announcement dated December 13, 1993: "An ergonomic keyboard from Maxi Switch features 72 keys, a 30-key numeric keypad, and an adjustable design that allows the user to split the keyboard in half." The keyboard was to be called the "Ergo Max."
Webwit
brought this model up before, but he was mistaken as to its timing.
A version of the Typing Injury FAQ, dated October 17, 1995, reports that Maxi-Switch "decided not to manufacture this keyboard."
Hmm, I wonder why...
The
M15 patent was filed January 5, 1993. Then the
Apple Adjustable Keyboard patent was filed less than a week later! Patent applications are published only after a delay, and there's no way Maxi-Switch could have known that both IBM and Apple had ergonomic keyboards in the works with patents pending. Oops.
After their announcement, Maxi-Switch probably got some strongly-worded letters from IBM and Apple's lawyers. This eventually led to negotiations (this is common in the computer industry) and
Maxi-Switch ended up acquiring "certain tools, molds, patents, copyright licenses, manufacturing information and the Select-Ease trademark." The deal was announced on November 15, 1995--
after Maxi-Switch had "decided not to manufacture" the Ergo Max.
itlnstln asserts that Maxi-Switch "walked away with the patent," but can anyone confirm that? And there are two patents on the M15: the design patent and the utility patent.
Even if Maxi-Touch got the design patent, the actual utility patent (for the invention) was licensed to Lexmark from Mark Goldstein, who went on the start Goldtouch. Thus, it doesn't seem like the license was exclusive.
In any event, the design patent has expired and the utility patent is up in 2012. There's hope for a return.