Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display peripheral interface input device – Cursor mark position control device
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-17
2001-08-14
Hjerpe, Richard (Department: 2674)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display peripheral interface input device
Cursor mark position control device
Reexamination Certificate
active
06275215
ABSTRACT:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from an application for A MOUSE DEVICE earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on the 16
th
of Aug. 1997 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 22268/1997.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mouse, and more particularly to a mouse having a structure for enabling the switch operating levers or buttons thereof to be operated in both vertical and horizontal directions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, mice have been used as spatial information input devices for personal computers. The movement of the mouse determines the position of a cursor on screen of a display connected to its computer host. Further, one or more buttons of the mouse enables the user to indicate what he wants to do. With the use of the mouse, the personal computer became more accessible.
An earlier mouse included upper and lower cases of a plastic material which were united together by screws. Formed in the upper case were two mouse buttons or operating levers. A cord connected the mouse to a computer.
Normally, the mouse had pushbutton switches located insider the casing to effect various control operations when activated. The pushbutton switches were disposed on a circuit board with their operating portions facing upward. The operating levers had push pins each extending vertically from a center portion of the lower surface thereof to compress the operating portions of the pushbutton switches.
Such a mouse was usually designed for users to operate the operating levers with the index and middle fingers so that the levers were moved in the downward direction. As personal computers moved into the graphic user interface environment, the user of the mouse had increased and thus the frequent compressing of the operating levers had occurred.
The following patents each discloses features in common with the present invention: U.S. Pat. No. 5,646,821 to Sun, entitled
Portable Computer With Trackball Keys Mounted On An Edge Of A Computer Housing,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,289 to Jasinski et al, entitled
Combined Mouse And Trackball,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,051 to Liao, entitled
Multidimensional Mouse For Use With Computers,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,733 to Lo, entitled
Ergonomic Computer Mouse,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,674 to Howard et al., entitled
Mechanically Latching Mouser Button,
and U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,894 to Doyama et al, entitled
Force Sensation Exhibiting Device, Data Input Device And Data Input Equipment.
A difference between the present invention and the Sun '821 patent lies in the fact that the formation of the ribs (
33
,
34
, and
35
) of the Sun '821 and the push member
36
of the present invention are different. The push member of the present invention has at its bottom portion a first contact portion and a second contact portion formed laterally adjacent the switch. This enables the mouse button itself to actuate the switch in both vertical and horizontal directions. On the other hand, the rib of the Sun '821 patent has a cam follower face to be operated with a cam face formed on an end of the edge of another structure. Thus, the button structure of the present invention is simpler and suitable for use with ordinary mice.
Furthermore, the structure of the separately movable part between the two cases, such as the rotary member
50
of the present invention, is not taught nor suggested by the Jasinski '289 patent, for example. Note that the rotary member is essential to returning the coordinate of the ball rotation detector to its original position when the gripping angle is changed to press the left mouse button with the thumb. The structure of button and rotary member of the present invention permits any user to readily change the button compressing fingers, and thereby allowing the continual use of the mouse.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is intended to solve the prior art problems, and it is therefore an object of the invention to provide a mouse which facilitates any user to readily compress the mouse buttons by using any of his fingers.
In accordance with the invention, there is provided a mouse which comprises: an upper case; an operating lever provided at a side portion of the upper case and having a push member integrally formed at lower surface of the operating lever such that at the bottom side thereof a first contact portion and a second contact portion are formed laterally to have a stepwise shape and movable in the vertical and horizontal directions; a lower case having an aperture formed in a central portion thereof and a wall extending from the circumference of the bottom portion thereof, in which an elongated guide hole is formed in a side portion of the circumferential wall; a rotary member having a ring shape plate being rotatably supported around the aperture of the lower case and provided with a mouse movement detector; a pushbutton switch mounted in a bottom portion of the lower case having an operating portion thereof being operated by the first and second contact portions of the push member; a lever extending from a periphery of the rotary member and having at one end thereof an operating knob being inserted in the guide hole of the circumferential wall of the lower case to rotate the rotary member along the guide hole; a means for positioning the rotary member within the rotating range set by the guide hole.
In the preferred form of the present invention, the first contact portion is in contact with the operating portion of the pushbutton switch, in the assembled state, and the second contact portion include a slanted portion extending downwardly from the first contact portion.
Further, the rotary member support means includes a pair of hook pieces formed integrally in the periphery of the ring plate in opposite directions and a pair of support members extending along the periphery of the aperture of the lower case and having an elongated hole being fitted by the hook pieces.
Preferably, the extension lever is located at a position perpendicular to a line crossing a pair of hook pieces. Also, the extension lever has at an end portion thereof a resilient L-shaped leg member in which the operating knob is formed.
Advantageously, the rotary member positioning means includes a projection formed adjacent the operating knob in the leg member and a toothed portion formed in a portion of the inner surface of the circumferential wall corresponding to the length of the guide hole, thereby engaging the projection of the leg member with the toothed portion of the circumferential wall in the assembled state.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5063289 (1991-11-01), Jasinski et al.
patent: 5268674 (1993-12-01), Howard et al.
patent: 5555894 (1996-09-01), Doyama et al.
patent: 5576733 (1996-11-01), Lo
patent: 5646821 (1997-07-01), Sun
patent: 5657051 (1997-08-01), Liao
patent: 5870081 (1999-02-01), Wu
patent: 5880715 (1999-03-01), Garrett
patent: 6022471 (2000-06-01), Lo
patent: 6069614 (2000-05-01), Singhai
patent: 6097371 (2000-08-01), Siddiqui et al.
Bushnell , Esq. Robert E.
Hjerpe Richard
Nguyen Francis
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
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