JPH0665925U - Keyboard device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Object] The present invention provides a keyboard device that allows a user to place a trackball on a convenient position on the keyboard body. [Structure] A plurality of recesses (4) and (5) formed in a keyboard body (1) and a trackball unit having a trackball function and having a detachable shape in any one of the recesses.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a keyboard device.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 At present, in the computer field, a character-oriented operating environment centered on keyboard input has been shifting to an operating environment called GUI (Graphical User Interface). The GUI operation environment is a form in which a pointing device represented by a mouse is used to specify an icon or the like that is schematically displayed on the screen in accordance with human senses.

Mouse is overwhelmingly large as this pointing device, but the mouse needs a flat surface of a certain size for its operation, and in recent years, it has taken up a small space due to the downsizing of personal computers. Since no device is required, a track ball that can be integrated with equipment instead of a mouse and does not require a special flat surface during operation is drawing attention (for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-135423). (See Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-305727). In general, the trackball can move an index such as a cursor on the screen by rotating the sphere with, for example, an index finger, and by pressing the sphere, an icon or the like where the index is located can be selected and executed.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 When the trackball is integrated with the keyboard, its position is necessarily fixed, but the fixed position is not always convenient for the user. Generally, it is preferable for left-handed users to operate the trackball with their left hands, so it is preferable to place the trackball on the left-hand side of the keyboard. It is preferable to place the trackball on the right hand side of the keyboard because it is easy.

Therefore, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-62113 proposes a configuration in which the trackball is arranged on either side of the keyboard.

According to this proposed method, a keyboard portion and a trackball portion, each of which is composed of a plurality of keys for inputting alphanumeric characters and the like, are unitized, and the unitized keyboard portion and trackball portion are arranged in a keyboard housing. By arranging them arbitrarily, the trackball can be placed on either side of the keyboard.

However, in such a method, since the rearrangement target includes not only the trackball portion but also the keyboard portion, the rearrangement becomes complicated. Also, since the keyboard is unitized, there is a danger that the structure will be enlarged.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The present invention has been made in view of the above point, and the first feature is that a keyboard body having a plurality of keys arranged on the upper surface and first and second keyboard bodies formed at the left and right ends of the keyboard body, respectively. The present invention is provided with a recess and a trackball unit that can be selectively attached to and detached from the first and second recesses.

A second feature is that the keyboard main body has a plurality of keys arranged on the upper surface thereof, at least one mounting portion formed on the keyboard main body, and a plurality of unitized functional units. However, the functional unit is configured to be selectively attachable to and detachable from the mounting portion.

A third feature is that the functional unit is a unit of a trackball.

[0011]

According to the first and third characteristics, the trackball unit can be arranged at an arbitrary position with respect to the array key.

According to the second feature, a functional unit having a desired function for mounting can be mounted.

[0013]

【Example】

 FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a notebook computer to which the present invention is applied. In the figure, (1) is a keyboard main body having a plurality of keys (2) arranged on the upper surface, and inside the main body. The main control circuit and power supply circuit for realizing the PC function are built in. Reference numeral (3) is a display unit composed of a flat display such as LCD, and the display unit is rotatably attached to the rear end of the keyboard body (1). (4) and (5) are first and second recesses, which are respectively formed at the left and right ends near the rear end of the keyboard body (1). (6) is a unitized trackball unit, and the trackball unit is attachable to and detachable from the first and second recesses (4) and (5). Reference numeral (7) is a cover, and the cover is mounted in the recess so as to cover the recess in which the trackball unit (6) is not mounted.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view when the cover (7) is mounted in the first recess (4) and the track ball unit (6) is mounted in the second recess (5), and FIG. FIG. 7 is an external perspective view when the trackball unit (6) and the cover (7) are mounted in the second recesses (4) and (5) respectively.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of an essential part for explaining the second recess (5) and the trackball unit (6). As is apparent from FIG. 4, the second recess (5) is the keyboard body (1). The left wall side of (1) is open, and a connector (9) for electrical connection is arranged on the inner wall facing the opening surface (8). Further, claws (12), (12), (12) and (12) are formed on the front and rear inner walls (10) and (11) that directly intersect with the opening surface (8).

A part of the trackball (13) to be rotated is projected in the approximate center of the upper surface of the trackball unit (6). A connector (14), which is connected to the connector (9) in the recess when mounted in the recess, is provided in the recess (16) of the first side wall (15) and is orthogonal to the first side wall (15). The second side wall (17) and the third side wall (18) are hooked grooves (19) (19) (19) (19) (19), which engage with the claws (12) (12) (12) (12) in the recess, respectively. 19) is formed.

Although the second recess (5) and the trackball unit (6) are described with reference to FIG. 4, the first recess (4) has a configuration in a mirror image relationship with the second recess, and the cover is also provided. Since the external appearance of (7) has a flat top surface of the trackball unit (6), detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Next, mounting of the trackball unit (6) in the second recess (5) will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 10.

First, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the vertical groove portions of the groove portions (19) of the trackball unit (6) are fitted to the claws (12) in the second recess (5) so that the trackball The unit (6) is fitted into the recess (5) from above the second recess (5). At this time, the claw (12) and the groove (19) are formed so that the connector (9) of the second recess (5) and the connector (14) of the trackball unit (6) do not come into contact with each other. There is.

After that, the track ball unit (6) is pushed in the left direction in FIG. 6 so as to fit the respective claws (12) and the horizontal groove portions of the respective groove portions (19). As a result, as shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, the connectors (9) and (14) are connected, and the tabs (12) are located at the deepest portion (right end in FIG. 10) of the groove portions (19). Become. The removal of the track ball unit (6) may be performed by performing the opposite operation to the above mounting.

The attachment and detachment of the cover (7) to and from the second recess (5) can be performed by the same method as the attachment and detachment of the trackball unit (6), and the trackball unit (6) and the cover (7) can be attached and removed. The attachment / detachment to / from the first recess (4) can be performed by the same operation.

In the present embodiment, the mounting of the first and second recesses (4) and (5) is limited to the trackball unit (6) and the cover (7), but the same appearance and shape are obtained. It is also possible to mount the speaker unit (20) having the speaker and having a built-in speaker in place of the cover (7) in the recess where the trackball unit (6) is not mounted (see FIG. 11). In addition, a desired function can be easily expanded by preparing a large number of functional units including, for example, a joystick, and selectively mounting the functional units in the recesses.

12 to 18 show a second embodiment relating to attachment / detachment of the functional unit and the recess.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, first and second rails (21) and (22) extending horizontally are provided on the front and rear inner walls (10) and (11) of the recess (5), respectively. ing. Further, as shown in FIG. 15, conductive paths (23) and (24) for electrically connecting with the functional units are formed on the upper surfaces of the first and second rails (21) and (22). . Further, the second rail (22) is integrally formed with first and second locking pieces (25) (25) projecting inwardly of the recess. As is apparent from FIG. 13, the first locking piece (25) is a so-called mountain in which both the surface facing the opening surface (8) and the surface opposite thereto are inclined at an angle of more than 90 degrees with respect to the second rail (22). The second locking piece (26) has a cross-sectional shape of a mold, the surface facing the opening is inclined at an angle of more than 90 degrees with respect to the second rail (26), and the opposite surface is approximately 90 degrees. It has a shape to stand upright.

A light receiving portion (27) and a stopper (28) for receiving the signal light from the functional unit are formed on the surface corresponding to the opening surface of the second recess (5).

On the other hand, as the functional unit, the trackball unit (6) is shown as an example, and the first and second rails (21) and (22) are provided on the second and third side walls (17) and (18), respectively. First and second horizontal grooves (29) and (30) for fitting are formed. Conductive parts (31) and (32) are formed on the upper surfaces of the horizontal grooves (29) and (30) as shown in FIG. 15, and the horizontal grooves (29) and (30) are fitted to the rails (21) and (22). When matched, the conductive parts (31) and (32) are electrically connected to the conductive paths (23) and (24) to supply a drive current from the keyboard body (1) side to the functional unit. The functional unit also has a claw member (33) whose head projects into the second horizontal groove (30), as clearly shown in FIG. The claw member (33) is always urged by a spring (34) so that its head protrudes into the second horizontal groove (30), and the head is moved inside the unit against the urging force. In order to pull it back, the slide lever (35) arranged on the upper surface of the unit is operated. Further, in the functional unit, a light emitting portion (36) is formed on a surface facing the light receiving portion (27) when the unit is mounted in the second recess. The light emitting unit (36) sends the signal from the functional unit to the above light receiving unit (27) as signal light.

In the present embodiment, the unit (6) is mounted in the second recess (5) simply by inserting the first and second rails (21) (22) from the opening surface (8) side of the second recess (5). This can be done by pushing the unit (6) with the first and second horizontal grooves (29) and (30) fitted. At this time, since the surfaces of the first and second locking pieces (25) and (26) contacting the claw member (33) are inclined as described above, the claw member (33) is sprung (34). Since it acts so as to be pushed into the unit (6) against the urging force of the unit (6), the unit (6) can be smoothly attached to the second recess (5).

14 to 16 show a state in which the unit (6) is mounted in the second recess (5). As is clear from FIG. 16, when the unit (6) is completely mounted in the second recess (5), the claw member (33) and the first locking piece (25) are locked and slightly The unit (6) does not fall out of the second recess (5) at the vibration degree of.

Next, a method of removing the unit (6) from such a state will be described with reference to FIGS. 17 to 19.

When the unit (6) is pulled by hand from the state shown in FIGS. 14 to 16 toward the opening surface (8) of the second recess (5), the claw member (33) of the first locking piece (25) is pulled. ) Is inclined, the claw member (33) is pushed back inward of the unit (6) along the inclination, and the first locking piece (25) and the claw member (33) are separated from each other. The locked state is released. Therefore, the unit (6) can be smoothly pulled out up to the position where the claw member (33) comes into contact with the second locking piece (26) without operating the sliding lever (35).

When the claw member (33) contacts the second locking piece (26), the surface of the second locking piece (26) facing the light receiving portion (27) is erected, so that the slide lever Unless the (35) is operated, the contact of the claw member (33) with the second locking piece (26) prevents the unit (6) from being pulled out, as shown in FIG.

When the slide lever (35) is operated in such a state, the locking between the second locking piece (26) and the claw member (33) is released as shown in FIG. It can be completely extracted from the second recess (5).

[0033]

[Effect of device]

 According to the present invention, by moving only the trackball unit having the trackball function, the trackball unit can be easily arranged at a desired position with respect to the keys on the keyboard body.

Further, by unitizing necessary functions in advance, the unit can be mounted in the concave portion when necessary, so that the function can be easily expanded.

Further, since the above-mentioned function expansion is to mount the functional unit in the recess formed in advance on the keyboard body, it can be applied to a small device such as a notebook type.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an external perspective view showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a partial top view of the first embodiment.

7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a partial top view of the first embodiment.

10 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG.

FIG. 11 is an external perspective view showing a modification of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a partial top view of the second embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a partial top view of the second embodiment.

15 is a sectional view taken along the line DD of FIG.

FIG. 16 is a partial top sectional view of the second embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the second embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a partial cross-sectional top view of the second embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a partial cross-sectional top view of the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 keyboard body 2 key 4 first recess 5 second recess 6 trackball unit 7 cover 20 speaker unit

Claims (3)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A keyboard body in which a plurality of keys are arranged on the upper surface, first and second recesses formed respectively at left and right ends of the keyboard body, and selectively attached to and detached from the first and second recesses. A keyboard device comprising a possible trackball unit. 2. A keyboard body having a plurality of keys arranged on an upper surface thereof, and at least one formed on the keyboard body.
A keyboard device comprising one mounting portion and a plurality of unitized functional units, wherein the functional unit is configured to be selectively attachable to and detachable from the mounting portion. 3. The keyboard device according to claim 2, wherein the functional unit is a trackball unitized.