Ergonomic mouse

Details Ergonomic mouse Ergonomic mouse

2000-04-25

2004-08-24

Eisen, Alexander (Department: 2774)

Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system

Display peripheral interface input device

Cursor mark position control device

C345S157000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06781573

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a computer mouse and, more particularly, to an ergonomically designed computer mouse intended to maximize productivity by reducing user fatigue and discomfort.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A peripheral input controller such as a mouse provides an essential key to the functioning and enjoyment of computer software programs by interpreting a user's physical actions and communicating them to the personal computer (PC) in the form of an electronic signal input. A mouse is a so-called relative movement controller. Such controllers generally sense the relative travel of the mouse over a flat surface such as a mouse pad by resolving its motion into a pair of orthogonal vertical and horizontal motion vectors. These vectors, in turn, cause a corresponding proportional relative movement of the screen cursor or object. The new location of the cursor is entirely a function of its old position and the relative movement of the mouse. When the mouse is at rest, so is the screen cursor or object being controlled. The mouse reports the relative distance traversed by it over the mouse pad to the PC in mickeys. Mice of this type are generally utilized by repeatedly stroking or moving the mouse across the mouse pad to move the cursor in the direction of the strokes or movement.
Mice commonly utilize small wheels or trackballs or similar friction devices, the frictional rotation of which on a mouse pad tracks the motion of the mouse. In this manner, relative motion may be detected on any desk, table, or other surface. The surface does not have to be specially treated or encoded and, consequently, mice of this construction have great flexibility by reason of this virtually limitless surface compatibility. And, because of their simple design, mice are generally inexpensive to manufacture.
One of the primary advantages of relative movement controllers is the capability for precise control of the screen cursor's movements. Precise control of the cursor is possible because the distance the cursor moves correspond directly to the distance the relative controller moves. Both the rate and direction of the cursor's movement are in direct correlation to the rate and direction of controller movement.
A drawback is the repetitive nature of the hand movement associated with mouse control—both the hand movement associated with the translation movement of the mouse and button actuation—is inefficient and often causes discomfort in the user's hands and, more particularly, the user's wrists.
FIG. 1
is a side view of a conventional mouse
10
. The mouse
10
includes a housing
12
that encloses the position tracking means such as the trackball discussed above and related electronics/optics (not shown). The position tracking means is well known by persons skilled in the art and will not be shown or described in detail herein.
The housing
12
has a top end
22
having a generally flat profile. A plurality of buttons including button
16
is placed side by side on the top end
22
. A switch
18
is positioned underneath each of the plurality of buttons such that a switch post
20
is aligned in a substantially vertical direction. The switch
18
is electrically coupled to the position tracking means as well as other electronics enclosed within the housing
12
that convert the user's selections into electronic signal input transmissible to the PC. A cable
14
extends from front end
26
electrically coupling the position tracking means to the PC. Alternatively, the position tracking means might be electrically coupled to the PC via wireless means such as infrared signaling. A flat bottom end
24
of mouse
12
rests on a flat surface such as a mouse pad (not shown).
The mouse
10
is used as follows. The user places his hand
30
on the top end
22
of the housing
12
. The user's thumb
38
rests on the side
29
in a substantially vertical orientation and the user's fingers
34
extend substantially horizontally over the top end
22
. The user's fingertip
36
is positioned above the button
16
. The user moves the mouse
10
from one position to another by gripping the mouse
10
between his thumb
38
and little finger (not shown) and pushing. The user actuates the button
16
by pressing the button
16
down using a substantially vertical force V. The vertical force V causes the button
16
to depress the switch post
20
actuating the switch
18
.
To exert a force V on the button
16
, the finger
34
must move in a substantially vertical direction. This vertical motion can strain the wrist and fatigue the user when the motion is repeated over time. Moreover, because the vertical finger motion is requires the user to lift the finger
34
off the button
16
, the mouse is inefficient to use reducing productivity.
Accordingly, a need remains for a computer mouse that is efficient and maximizes productivity by reducing user fatigue and discomfort.


REFERENCES:
patent: D281164 (1985-10-01), Kim
patent: D287725 (1987-01-01), Yoshihama
patent: D354746 (1995-01-01), Colani et al.
patent: D370219 (1996-05-01), Blumer et al.
patent: D373999 (1996-09-01), Staats
patent: 6064371 (2000-05-01), Bunke et al.
patent: D426546 (2000-06-01), Diee
patent: 6323843 (2001-11-01), Giles et al.
patent: 05027901 (1993-02-01), None

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