GB2388417A

GB2388417A - A cover for a computer mouse

Info

Publication number: GB2388417A
Application number: GB0204851A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John D Wilson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-03-01
Filing date: 2002-03-01
Publication date: 2003-11-12
Also published as: GB0204851D0

Abstract

A mouse cover or top 10 is adapted to fit or sit on a computer mouse 9 and comprises a portion 11, which may be separated into a body 12 and a head 13. The portion has an outer layer provided with features eg. eyes 15 and a decorative design eg. animal, human or cartoon, motif or logo 16. An outer layer 14 has openings 17 adapted for items eg. doll (not shown), clock mechanisms 18 etc, with adjacent indentations 19 for the removal of the items. A gap 20 for data cable 21 or wheel button is provided. A soft toy filling 22 is located between the portion 11 and outer layer 14. The portion has a recess 23 to accommodate a mouse 9. The recess 23 has attachments, gripper pads 24 and/or elasticated strips or tags (not shown) for securing the cover 10 to the mouse 9 when in use. The cover or top may emit a sound when activated by the user.

Description

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Title: A SOFT TOY MOUSE COVER OR TOP FOR A COMPUTER MOUSE Description of invention

This invention relates to a mouse cover or top that fits on or sits on a computer pointing device known as a mouse.

A common form of computer pointing device commonly known as a mouse is usually made of a material such as plastic, and connects from a port on the back of a computer by a cable to the device which the user operates with his or her fingers of one hand to move a pointer on a computer screen to activate programmer.

The device consists of two portions, a top portion that usually has two or three buttons located at the front of the device, a bottom portion that has a ball located m the underside. The two portions, are held together by a screw on the bottom of the device (hereafter being referred to as a mouse) The mouse suffers from venous problems, having a rough and hard surface, this is hard to the touch Where more computers are installed in homes and computer users get younger, where a mouse is a plain standard design and can be found boring and can feel unfriendly to a user like a child, the mouse only performs a limited function. Where to change the Image of the mouse Is costly, where the user cannot purchase or put their own identity or design on their mouse. With the advent of the Internet and users spending a lot ot time at their computers and having their hand in the same position this can cause cramp, numb fingers, straining of finger Joints, and other problems.

It Is the aim of this invention to address the problems above

rim According to the first aspect of the present invention provides a mouse cover or top for use with a computer pointing device, commonly known as a mouse.

The cover or top being adapted to fit or sit on a mouse, wherein in use the cover or top conceals all or part or considerably all of a mouse. The cover or top comprising a portion which maybe separated into a body and a head. The portion being sponge.

The portion maybe provided with a recess. The recess being shaped such as to accommodate a mouse, the recess may take the entire height of the mouse or part, further the recess maybe provided with attachments for securing the cover or top to a mouse, the attaclunents being tags elasticated strips or grip pads or any known attachment. The portion may also be provided with an outer layer. The outer layer maybe a soft toy material or a combination of materials. The cover or top maybe provided with a son toy filling to create a soft toy like cover or top, means to provide the outerlayer with features.

The mouse cover or top according to the invention provides the advantage that it has a more softer feel than an existing mouse, or a more softer feel in parts than an existing mouse. An outer layer that maybe made of or out of a material such as a soft toy material such as fun fur or a combination of materials such as plastic, wood, pot, glass, or one of the combination. Thus provides entertainment value for children of all ages to help develop a childs imagination and creativity to improve the image of a mouse by making it more soR cuddly user-

friendly providing a more cost effective easy to install and safe to use mouse cover or top, a mouse cover or top that a user can easily remove and play with as a soft toy the cover or top may have a filling. The filling being of a soft toy material, making it possible to produce various shapes and sizes of cover or top. The filling maybe located between the portion and the outer layer to create a cover like a soft toy.

The cover or top may further comprise attachments means for securing the cover or top to a standard bottom of a mouse. The mouse cover or top maybe shaped such as to fit a standard bottom of a mouse. In this example the circuit board is adapted by way of wires the wires being soldered ? the wires may lead through the cover or top to buttons, the buttons maybe eyes.

Preferably, the cover or top being provided with items, mechanisms, the items, mechanisms being attached to the cover or top. The attachment being velcro or attachment that allows the user to easily remove items, mechanisms.

The invention a mouse cover or top that a user such as a person with a hobby is permitted to put their own design on their cover, or top in this case a person would purchase a particular cover or top and a particular design and apply it to the cover or top or purchase a cover or top with a particular design such as a fishing boat,when the hobby is fishing. When the portion is flat it maybe material in this case the method for attaching the outer layer to the portion maybe sewing and the filling a soft toy material, the cover or top then sits on the mouse and is attached by elasticated strips.

According to the second aspect of the present invention both the portion and the outer layer maybe provided with openings, the openings being adapted to accommodate one or more items, mechanisms, such as a clock, doll. Further the portion and outer layer maybe provided with indentations for the removal by the user of items such as a clock,doll. There being means to provide both the portion and outer layer with gaps for allowing the entry of wheel button, data cable, as most common forms of mouse are of this type, also to accommodate futuristic mice. The portion or outer layer being provided with a device or mechanism that emits a sound, the sound being emitted when activated by the user.The outer layer may have

- 4 - a design, the design maybe animal, human, cartoon, motif, logo or determined by the users wherein the user purchases different features or designs attaches them to the cover, or top thus makings by his or her own imagination different designs and characters. Method for installing, when the cover or top is adapted to sit on a mouse the user removes the original screw on the bottom of a standard mouse and threads the front and back of the top portion of the standard mouse, avoiding the active and working parts of the standard mouse such as ball and button activated elements.An embodiment of a mouse cover or top according to the invetion will now be described by the way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- figure 1. a cut away illustration of a mouse cover or top showing items and their location.

figure 2. a top view of a mouse cover or top.

figure 3. a bottom view of a mouse cover or top of fig 2 Referring now to figure 1 to 3 a mouse cover or toplO is designed for use with a computer pointing device known as a mouse 9 as best seen in fig. I. The cover or top comprising of a portion 11, the portion 11 being separated into a body 12 and a head 13 as seen in fig.1 and fig.2. The cover or top 10 maybe adapted to fit a standard computer mouse bottom, wherein in this case the customer may purchase a cover and the appropriate bottom of a standard mouse. To provide the desired features of a mouse and subsequently assemble them. Thus the invention enables a range of mouse to be provided with only a single additional item to be made. The portion having a recess 23. As best seen in figure 2 shaped to accommodate a mouse as shown in figure 1. Within the recess 23 are attachments, in this example in the form of elasticated strips, tags ( not shown) and griper pads 24 as best seen in fig. 1 and fig.3. both attachments are deemed necessary to

(' - 5 - accommodate various shapes and designs of mouse. The attachments inside recess 23 may take other forms, tags being sewn into the cover, the tags having velcro for attaching the cover to a mouse so the cover can easily be remove by the user. An outerlayer 14 may have a design, motif, logo 16.as best seen in fig.1. maybe animal, human' cartoon or determined by the user. Features 15 eyes maybe purchased separately. A soft toy filling 22 located between the portion 1 land outerlayer 14 to produce a cover or top like a soft toy the cover or top having a gap 20 as seen in fig.3 for allowing entry to the mouse of the data cable 21 t as best seen in fig 3. and wheel botton (not shown) The cover or top can also comprises openings 17 as best seen in fig.2. to accommodate items, mechanisms, clock 18, doll (not shown) indentations 19 as seen in fig.2. adjacent to openings 17 for the removal of items, mechanisms.

Claims

( - 6 Claims

1 A cover or top being adapted to fit or sit on a mouse wherein in use the cover conceals all or part or considerably all of a mouse. The cover or top comprising a portion which maybe separated into a body and a head, the portion maybe provided with a recess, the recess being shaped such as to accommodate a mouse, the recess may take the entire height of the mouse or part The portion being provided with an outer layer a decorative design. The outer layer containing features eyes, or the like.

There being a gap for data cable or wheel button. between the portion and the outer layer, there maybe provided a soft toy filling to give the cover or top a soft feel. The cover or top having openings for mechanisms, items. Adjacent to the openings indentations for the removal by the user of items, mechanisms. Within the recess attachment means for securing the cover or top to a mouse. A cover or top which contains a mechanism that omits a sound when activated by the user.

2 A mouse cover or top as claimed in claim 1 wherein the portion being sponge or a fabric material or a material that maybe adapted or moulded to have a recess, such as plastic, pot' glass, rubber or the like.

3 A mouse cover or top as claimed in claim I or claim 2 wherein the portion maybe flat or any shape or size.

4 A mouse cover or top as claimed in claim 3 wherein the portion when sponge being cut or moulded into animal form, cartoon, human, design, motif, logo.

5 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein the portion being separated or giving the appearance of separation.

6 A mouse cover or top as claimed in claim 5 wherein the recess being any shape or depth to accomodate a mouse.

7 A mouse cover or top as claimed in claim 6 wherein the recess maybe provided with attachments for securing the cover or top to a mouse. The attachments being in the form of elasticated strips, some forth of tags that incorporates velcro or the like, or gripper pads or a combination or any known attachment.

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8 A mouse cover or top as claimed in claim 7 wherein the attachments maybe in or on or near the recess.

9 A mouse cover or top as claimed in claim 8 or any previous claim wherein the attachments on or in or near the recess maybe any shape or size.

10 A mouse cover or top as claimed in claim 9 wherein the portion being provided with an outer layer. The outer layer being a soft toy material or a combination of materials.

11 A mouse cover or top as claimed in claim 10 wherein between the portion and the outer layer there maybe provided a son toy filling, to give the cover or top a soft toy feel.

12 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein means to provide the outer layer with features such as eyes, legs, or maybe omitted.

13 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein the outer layer maybe provided with a design feature. The design feature being human, animal, cartoon motif, logo.

t4 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein method for installing, when the cover or top is adapted to sit on a mouse the user removes the original screw on the bottom of the standard mouse and threads the front and back of the top portion of the standard mouse, avoiding the active and working parts of the standard mouse such as ball and button activated elements.

15 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein means to provide both the portion and outer layer with at least one or more openings. The openings being shaped such as to accomodate items, mechanisms.

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16 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein the openings being any depth to accommodate items, mechanisms.

17 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein means to provide both the portion and outer layer with at least one or more indentation for the removal of items, mechanisms, or maybe omitted.

18 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein both the portion and outer layer having indentations. The indentations being of any shape or size for the removal of items, mechanisms.

19 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein the circuit board of an original mouse maybe adapted by the way of wires being soldered onto activating elements, button terminals.

20 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein the wires may pass through or over the cover to activating element, buttons, eyes or the like, that maybe activated by the user.

21 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein the method for attaching the wires to the exsisting circuit board maybe solder or the like.

22 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein the wires soldered to the circuit board maybe some form that carries a signal from the circuit board to the bunons, eyes.

23 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein the cover maybe provided with a device mechanism that omits a sound when activated by the user.

24 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein the sound maybe a character of the cover or any known sound.

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25 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein the portion may have a recess being shaped such as to accommodate a mouse.

26 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein the outer layer maybe attached to the portion by sewing or any method for attaching the outer layer to the portion.

27 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein the cover or top maybe constructed like a soft toy.

28 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein the gap for data cable maybe at the front head or back body.

29 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein the cover or top being adapted to fit or sit on a mouse wherein in use the cover or top conceals all or part or considerably all of a mouse.

30 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein the attachments being any shape or size.

31 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein the mouse cover or top that a user can easily remove and play with as a soft toy.

32 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein the cover or top is shaped such as to fit a standard bottom of a mouse.

33 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein a mouse cover or top that a user such as a person with a hobby is permitted to put their own design on their cover, or top.

34 A mouse cover or top as claimed in any of the previous claim wherein velcro or attachment that allows the user to easily remove items, mechanisms.

A mouse cover or top substantially as described herein with reference to Figure 1-3 of the accompanying drawings.