FR2746952A3 - Computer mouse mat arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

A mouse mat or pad including a substrate (14) provided with an upper layer (13) having a transparent window zone (16), and where the substrate and the upper covering layer (13) in common define a pocket (19) behind the window zone (16) for receiving a flat indicating object (18), in which access to the pocket (19) was gained via the rear face or one edge (20) of the mat. The pocket (19) extends to the edge (20) of the substrate in order to allow the indicating object (18) to be taken in by the edge of the mat or removed by it

Description

i

COMPUTER MOUSE PAD

  The present invention relates to a mouse pad, that is to say a pointing device for controlling a computer. A mouse pad is usually used for

  provide a good operating surface for a computer mouse

  Roller type originator. Typically, a mouse pad includes an upper layer of a smooth, durable material such as a polycarbonate sheet on a rubber or foam substrate such as

  neoprene. Commonly, mats for mice carry a design.

  This design is generally printed (for example by screen printing) on the lower surface of the upper layer of the carpet, this upper layer being transparent. The top layer is then glued to the carpet substrate (the adhesive can

  convenient also be applied by screen printing on the underside

  upper layer). The fact of placing the design on the lower face of the upper layer 1 'prevents wear during the sliding of the mouse on the carpet. However, when using a mouse pad of this type, the design carried by the

carpet cannot be changed.

  Another commonly used input device for a computer is a graphics tablet that detects the position of the tip of a pencil-shaped pointer on a flat, tablet-like work surface. Graphics tablets commonly use printed sheets that are placed on the tablet's work surface to identify particular areas associated with particular functions; clicking a button mounted on the pointer when the

  pointer is positioned on a particular area causes ac-

  activation of the corresponding function. It is known to place such printed sheets behind a smooth transparent sheet which can be lifted to replace the printed sheet. Such a sheet with a transparent and liftable front face, however, is not suitable for use for mouse pads because it is generally necessary to provide physical limits for holding the front sheet, which is undesirable for mouse pads. Otherwise, the edges of the transparent sheet are exposed and liable to be lifted by entrainment by the support pads which are typically provided.

  around the periphery of the underside of a mouse.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a mouse pad in which a displayed drawing or other element

visible can be changed.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a mouse pad comprising a substrate covered with an upper layer which comprises a transparent window area, the substrate and the lower layer together defining a pocket behind the window area for receiving an element of flat display, access to the pocket via the back or side

mouse pad.

  In one embodiment, the pocket extends toward the edge of the substrate to allow insertion of a display element and removal from the pocket by the edge of the mouse pad. In an alternative embodiment, a portion of substrate can be removed to provide access to the bag; in this case, the removable part of the substrate may not be fixed to the rest of the mouse pad, this part being held captive by the mat when the latter is in its normal working position on a support surface. Preferably, the edges of the pocket are in

  outside the transparent window area of the upper layer

  better. The transparent window area can be obtained by using an upper layer of the mat made of transparent material and then coating the lower layer of the upper layer with a

  opaque coating except in the window area.

  Embodiments of the present invention will

  be described, by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to

  Reference to the accompanying figures, among which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first mouse pad implementing the invention;

  FIG. 2 is an exploded view illustrating the construction

  tution of the mouse pad of Figure 1; and

  FIG. 3 is an exploded view illustrating the construction

  tution of a second embodiment of a mouse pad

implementing the invention.

  The purpose of the mouse pad 10 shown in FIG. 1 is to provide a good actuation surface 11 for a mouse

  12. The mouse pad has an upper layer

  13 constituting the actuating surface 11 and a substrate

  14. The upper layer is for example a sheet of poly-

  transparent carbonate while the substrate 14 may be in

neoprene.

  An opaque frame 15 is printed (for example by serial

  written) or otherwise formed on the underside of the top layer 13 so as to leave a rectangular window

  central 16. In this window 16 are visible markers

  ted by a flat display card 18, these markers constituting for example a drawing, an image or a text. In the example considered, the references are the three symbols "X X X". The card 18 is located in a pocket formed between the upper layer 13

  and the substrate 14. The limits of this pocket 19 are shown

  dotted lines in Figure 1 but are better seen in the

exploded view of figure 2.

  The thickness of the card 18 corresponds approximately to the depth of the pocket 19 and the size and shape of the card 18 adapt to the size and shape of the pocket 19. Consequently, there is no noticeable surface ripple

actuation 11.

  The pocket 19 is preferably slightly larger than the window 16 so that the edges of the pocket are hidden

through the opaque frame 15.

  The upper layer 13 and the substrate 14 are bonded

  to each other outside the limits of pocket 19.

  In the embodiment of the mouse pad of FIGS. 1 and 2, the pocket 19 extends towards the upper edge 20 of the carpet to allow access from the outside to the pocket so that the card 18 can be changed. To facilitate the removal of a card 18 from the pocket 19, a cutout 21 is formed in the substrate 14. Once the card has been removed,

  a new card can easily be slipped into your pocket.

  Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. The mouse pad of Figure 3 is similar to that of Figures 1 and 2 but, in the case of the carpet of Figure 3, access to the pocket 19 is provided by providing that a portion 30 of the substrate 14 forming the back of the pocket can be removed backwards. The pocket 19 of the carpet of Figure 3

  should therefore not extend to one of the edges of the carpet.

  The removable substrate part 30 has the same dimension

  and the same shape as the display board 18. The subs-

  trat 30 is not attached to the rest of the mat since, when the mat is used, it will be locked in position by the rest of the mat

  and the support surface on which the mat is placed.

  To remove a card 18 from the mat 19, it suffices

  remove the rear part of the substrate and take out the card.

  A new card can then be inserted.

  Canne in the case of the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, in the embodiment of Figure 3, the edges of the pocket 19 are preferably located behind the opaque frame 15 and are hidden by it. The marks carried by the card 18 are visible through the window 16 of the upper layer 13. In the two embodiments described above, access to the pocket 16 does not require any action on the upper surface 11 of the carpet so that there are no discontinuities

  that could affect the effectiveness of the carpet.

  It will be noted that various variants of the described embodiments of the invention can be produced. In addition, although a display card has been mentioned, other types of display elements can be placed in the pocket 19. It would for example be possible to provide a display element in the form of an optical disc. provided that the pocket is shaped

appropriately.

Claims (6)

  1. Mouse pad (10) comprising a substrate (14) covered with an upper layer (13) which includes a transparent window area (16), the substrate and the upper layer together defining a pocket behind the window area for receive a flat display element (18), access to the pocket is   by the back or the edge of the mouse pad.   2. The mouse pad of claim 1, wherein the pocket extends toward an edge of the substrate to allow a display element to be inserted and removed from the pocket by the edge of the mouse pad.   3. Mouse pad according to claim 1, in which a part (30) of the substrate is removable to allow a access to the pocket.   4. Mouse pad according to claim 3, wherein the removable part of the substrate is not fixed to the rest of the mouse pad but held captive by it when the pad is in its normal operating position on a support surface.   5. Mouse pad according to claim 1, in which the edges of the pocket project beyond the area of   transparent window of the upper layer.   6. A mouse pad according to claim 1, in which the upper layer is made of a transparent material coated on its lower surface with an opaque coating except in said window area.