JP2002023949A - Computer operation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a more compact computer operation device which can be easily operated and simplified in its structure and can replace a mouse or a joy stick. SOLUTION: A spherical magnet supported by a sphere receiver is provided with an operation stick which is engaged with an operation board held so as to be moved in a horizontal plane. A magnetic sensor arranged close to the surface of the spherical magnet detects the change in the magnetic pole direction of the magnet and outputs an operation signal. A pressure sensitive switch is arranged under the operation board to perform clicking operations by depression of the operation board.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a computer operating device of the same kind as a mouse or a joystick. Here, the operation device of the computer is a device that performs a click operation at an arbitrary position by moving a cursor or the like on a display screen of the computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional computer operating devices include:
A mouse, a joystick, a four-part push button for instructing movement in the positive and negative X and Y directions, and the like have been used. Among these various devices, a mouse rolls a ball on a desk, and transmits the rotation to a rotary encoder to move the ball to X, X.
It is a cursor drive signal in the Y direction, is structurally complicated and large, consisting of a ball, a rotary encoder and an interlocking mechanism of both, and has a low position resolution because the drive signal is pulsed by the rotary encoder, Since small movements of the mouse cannot be transmitted to the cursor in an enlarged manner, the range in which the mouse is moved is widened, and a large table is required. Since the joystick is not a mobile type, it does not require as much space as a mouse. The direction of the stick tilt corresponds to the direction of the cursor movement, and the magnitude of the tilt corresponds to the cursor movement speed, so the cursor can be moved quickly. Although it is good, the miniaturization has been achieved due to the complicated structure of supporting the lever with a universal joint in two-dimensional tilting freedom and the principle that the lever moves the sliding resistance of the X and Y direction potentiometers. It is difficult and wear resistance of sliding resistance becomes a problem, and there is a drawback that durability is poor, and applicable models are limited. The four-part push-button type takes up little space and can be fixed and relatively small, so it is used for portable computers and game consoles.
The operation itself does not couple with the movement of the cursor sensuously like a mouse or a joystick, and the finger moves frequently, so that the user is easily tired.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a computer operating device which has a simple structure, can be made compact, does not require a large space for operation, and is easy to operate.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A spherical magnet magnetized in one diameter direction is rotatably supported by a concave sphere, and is brought close to the surface of the magnet on the equator of the concave sphere so that two magnets in the X and Y directions are provided. A magnetic sensor is arranged at a location, and an operation rod is projected on a diameter connecting both poles of the magnet, and a ball attached to an upper end of the rod is fitted into a recess on a lower surface of an operation plate that can be guided and moved on a horizontal plane. Then, the horizontal motion of the operation plate is transmitted to the spherical magnet through the rod, and the magnet is tilted. The change in the output of the magnetic sensor due to the tilt is set as an operation signal in the X and Y directions. In addition, a switch arranged on a horizontal member for guiding the operation plate outputs a click signal in response to pressing of the operation plate.

When a magnetic sphere is magnetized in one diameter direction, the magnetic field on the surface of the spherical magnet becomes as shown in FIG.
The magnetic field component perpendicular to the sphere surface is maximum at both poles and zero at the equator,
Given by the sine function sinθ for the latitude θ. Since a magnetic sensor such as a Hall element responds to a magnetic field component perpendicular to itself, when the magnetic sensor is fixed and the spherical magnet is tilted, a signal corresponding to the tilt angle θ is obtained from the magnetic sensor. Therefore, the moving speed of the cursor can be controlled by the signal corresponding to this sin θ, and the forward / backward movement of the cursor can be controlled by the sign of the signal. By arranging the magnetic sensors in two directions perpendicular to the center of the spherical magnet, an X-direction operation signal and a Y-direction operation signal can be obtained.

[0006]

1 and 2 show an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a circuit board of the device. Reference numeral 2 denotes a concave sphere which supports the spherical magnet 3. The concave sphere 2 is formed by recessing the center of the disk 4, and the disk 4 is attached to the substrate 1. The spherical magnet 3 has a central hole penetrated, and a shaft 5 made of a nonmagnetic material is inserted. This shaft is not for rotating the magnet 3 but for fixing and holding the sphere 6 at the upper end of the shaft. On the disc 4, bearing balls 7 are loosely fitted in three through holes 21 concentrically with the concave sphere outside the concave sphere 2, and the balls support the operation plate 8. With this structure, the operation plate 8 can be freely slid in parallel to the disk 4, that is, horizontally in all directions. The operation plate 8 has a bulge at the center of the upper surface, and serves as a clue when pushed with a finger. At the center of the lower surface of the operation plate 8, there is formed a circular hole-shaped recess 81 which is compatible with the spherical body 6 attached to the upper end of the shaft 5 inserted into the spherical magnet 3, and the spherical body 6 is fitted therein. On the side surface of the spherical magnet 3, a magnetic sensor (hole element) 11 is embedded in the concave spherical body 2 in close proximity to the surface.

According to the above-described structure, by moving the operation plate horizontally, the shaft 5 holding the sphere 6 serves as a joint for connecting the operation plate 8 and the spherical magnet 3, and the inclination of the spherical magnet 3 can be freely adjusted. Can be changed.

Each of the three balls 7 is mounted on a base 11 on the substrate 1 with a small snap switch 9 interposed therebetween, and the rolling range is regulated by a through hole 21 of the disk 2. When performing a click operation with this device, the operation plate 8 may be pressed at any position on the operation plate 8. At this time, any or all of the three switches 9 perform an inverting operation.
A click signal is formed by a logical sum (OR) of the ON states of these switches. The switch 9 is a commercially available snap switch using a small disc-shaped leaf spring, and a square switch having a side of about 5 mm is used. Although the stroke is small, there is a feeling of sufficient snapping action. The number of switches 9 is not limited to three, but may be any one. However, the pressing force required for clicking varies depending on the position of the operation plate.

In the above embodiment, the diameter of the spherical magnet 3 is 6
mm, the thickness of the device is 12 mm, the outer diameter is 54 mm, and the operation range of the operation plate 8 is 5 mm in one direction, and the inclination angle of the spherical magnet 3 at this time is 4 mm.
0 °. In this example, the ball 7 is used. However, the ball 7 is mainly used for transmitting the pressing force of the operation plate at the time of the click operation to the switch, rather than for the purpose of smoothing the movement of the operation plate 8. It is not necessary. In this example, since the operation plate 8 does not automatically return to the center position, a person returns to the center position. However, if the person does not return to the center position accurately, a weak movement signal in a certain direction is continuously output. To prevent this,
When the output of the magnetic sensor is lower than a certain level, a circuit may be made so that the movement signal is set to 0. In addition, a circumferential line concentric with the center is drawn in the flange portion of the operation plate 8, and by matching this with the inner periphery of the operation plate retainer 10, it is possible to visually recognize that the operation plate has been returned to the center position. You may keep it.

[0010]

According to the computer operating device of the present invention, the ball bearing itself that freely supports the operating rod serves as a means for detecting the inclination of the operating rod. Since it is not used, it can be made small and has high durability. In addition, since the operating plate 8 engaged with the operating rod is moved horizontally without directly operating the operating rod, the operation can be performed with only a fingertip, and a click switch is provided below the operating plate. It is structurally simpler than the one in which the operation rod penetrating the spherical magnet is movable with respect to the spherical magnet to perform the click operation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional side view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the above.

FIG. 3 illustrates the principle of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Circuit board 2 Concave sphere 3 Spherical magnet 4 Disk 5 Shaft (operation stick) 6 Sphere 7 Ball 8 Operation plate 9 Snap switch 10 Operation plate holder 11 Magnetic sensor

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A spherical magnet magnetized in one diameter direction is rotatably supported by a ball receiver, and a magnetic sensor is arranged in close proximity to the surface of the spherical magnet, and moves horizontally on the magnet. An operation plate constrained as possible is arranged, this operation plate is engaged with an operation rod attached to the magnet, a pressure-sensitive switch is arranged below the operation plate, and the output of the magnetic sensor is operated by a computer. A computer operating device as a signal, wherein a click signal is transmitted by pressing the operation plate.