JP2002091698A - Mouse with storage part for cords - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mouse in which the length of a cord can be freely controlled and which is superior in portability, in which the cord does not become an obstacle at the time of an operation and is clear-cut in appearance. SOLUTION: A storage part 3 having a space where a connection part 7 or a connector part 8 at the tip of the cord 6 can be stored is arranged in a mouse main body. An opening/closing cover 9 which can freely be opened/ closed is fitted to the storage part 3. The storage part 3 is arranged at the side part of the mouse main body and the side board of the mouse main body forms the opening/closing cover 9 which can freely be opened/closed or the storage part 3 is arranged at the side part of the mouse main body and the side board or the base board of the mouse main body forms the opening/closing cover 9 which can freely be opened/closed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mouse equipped with a cord storage unit that can store a leading end member of a cord in a storage unit in a space provided in the mouse.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A mouse, which is one of input devices for computer equipment, usually has a ball at the bottom and a click button at the top, and when the mouse is moved on a plane, the amount of movement detected by the rotation of the ball By moving the cursor displayed on the screen of the display in conjunction with the movement of the mouse, the user can easily select the displayed menu or icon and proofread the table or text. By moving the mouse by hand, the cursor displayed on the screen can be quickly moved to the desired position, and it has the advantages of relatively high accuracy and relatively low price. Widely used as.

[0003] The connection between a computer device and a mouse is established by joining a connector provided at the tip of a cord extending from the mouse to a predetermined connector provided on the device body. There are various lengths of cords that can be extended from the mouse, but in general, it is sufficient to take into account that the computer itself is installed under or beside the work desk and that it does not hinder the operability of the mouse. It is necessary to secure a sufficient length, and it has a length of about 60 to 1500 mm.

[0004] In recent years, notebook-type devices that are convenient to carry have been widely used, and the size of the devices has been becoming smaller and thinner. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the portability of the mouse, but in the case of a conventional mouse, it is necessary to wrap a long cord around the body of the mouse or to bundle the cord and fix it with a rubber band to prevent the cord from being scattered. It was inconvenient to carry. Many proposals have been made as a mouse or a cordless mouse for storing such a cord. In the case of all those with a cord, the connection part and connector part at the tip of the cord have a width and are large compared to the cord, so they can not be stored, only the tip part is out of the mouse body, Sometimes I felt inconvenient. In addition, the cordless type has a large mouse shape, requires a power source, and is inconvenient. Furthermore,
The signal was confused and there was a problem with stability.

Therefore, many inventions have been proposed as means for solving these problems.
JP-A-9-81315, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 3-90
No. 36 and Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 3-1480 are known. JP-A-8-303836a
The publication discloses a storage reel having a rotating shaft for winding a cord, a member for preventing the rotation of the storage reel is arranged, and the cord is put in and out by operating the member. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-81315 discloses a technique in which a switch for controlling the rotation of a cord winding section is switched to operate the winding of the cord. Further, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 3-9036 discloses a mouse provided with a cord winding portion inside the mouse. In the device described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 3-1480, a ratchet wheel is fixed to a shaft of a cord take-up member, only one of the wheels is rotatable, and the latch claw of the ratchet wheel is opened to enable reverse rotation. The cord is stored.

The present applicant has previously filed Japanese Patent Application No. 11-130509.
A mouse different from that disclosed in the above-mentioned known document was proposed as the specification and Japanese Patent Application No. 11-21892, but the thick portion such as the connector at the tip of the cord cannot be stored, and the mouse is also carried. At that time, the tip of the cord was sticking out and was in the way.

[0007]

Although the length of the cord of the mouse can be freely adjusted so that the cord does not become a hindrance at the time of operation, the connector portion is exposed to the outside, which is inconvenient to carry. The cord-equipped mouse of the present invention includes
It is an object of the present invention to provide a mouse with a storage portion for cords in which a connector portion and a connection portion can be stored particularly in a small mouse.

[0008]

The above object can be achieved by a mouse with a cord storage portion according to the first aspect of the present invention. A cord folding / rewinding mechanism between these input means and the mouse is provided inside an external mouse connected to the input panel or the like of the main body, and a storage room for this connection cord is provided. A mouse with a storage portion for cords that can be stored in the mouse body, wherein a storage portion having a space for storing a connection portion or a connector portion at the end of the cord is disposed in the mouse body, and the storage portion is openable and closable. It is a configuration with a lid attached.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a configuration in which the storage portion is provided on a side portion of a mouse main body, and a side plate or a bottom plate forms an openable and closable lid, and a connector for a cord stored in the storage portion. Alternatively, this can be achieved by a configuration in which a cord connected to the connector portion is automatically or manually wound on a rotating member and stored in the mouse body, and the length of the pulled-out cord can be freely adjusted. Furthermore,
An opening / closing lid of the cord stored in the storage portion is formed so as to be connected to a part of the mouse body, and the opening / closing lid is openable and closable, and a locking mechanism capable of locking the opening / closing lid in a closed position is provided. This can be achieved by a configuration and a configuration in which an opening / closing lid provided with an outlet for a cord stored in the storage section can operate the locking mechanism by an operation member provided on the surface of the mouse body.

Further, when the open / close lid is opened to take out the connector part housed in the storage part, the connector part is protruded from the storage part with the opening of the open / close lid, or the connector part is disposed in the cord storage part. This can be achieved by a configuration in which the cord can be stored manually or automatically in the storage section by the returning action of the urging force of the applying member, and a configuration in which the cord is provided with a reinforcing member for increasing the strength of the cord.

The cord-equipped mouse according to the present invention can store cords in the accommodating part in the mouse body, including the connector at the tip of the mouse body, so that it is convenient for carrying. is there. In addition, a lid that can be opened and closed with a simple operation of the tip connector section of the cord stored in the storage section by a simple operation can be used. Further, in the mouse body according to the present invention, since the entrance of the pulled-out cord is the thickness of the cord, the appearance of the mouse is not uncomfortable.

In the mouse with a cord storage section according to the present invention, since the open / close lid is disposed on the side of the mouse main body, the operability of the lock mechanism (engagement mechanism) of the open / close lid is excellent, and when the lid is closed. Can also be easily closed with the thumb. Thus, handling of the open / close lid is simple. The storage part is arranged on one of the left and right side parts by the working arm, and the opening and closing lid is opened and closed by the operation of the thumb.

When the opening / closing lid is integrally formed with the storage part provided in a part of the mouse body of the mouse with the storage part for cords of the present invention, the number of parts is small in manufacturing and the mouse is inexpensive. Can be manufactured. In addition, a protrusion or a recess made of a synthetic resin is formed on the periphery of the opening / closing lid or the opening periphery of the mouse body as the engagement mechanism of the opening / closing lid, so that the opening / closing engagement mechanism having a simple configuration is provided to provide excellent operability. Can be manufactured. With the opening / closing of the opening / closing lid, it is possible to have a structure in which the connector at the tip of the cord automatically pops out when the lid is opened. For example, an elastic member may be used as a pedestal in the storage section, and when storing the storage section, the connector section or the like is pressed by the opening / closing lid and stored. The elastic member may be a rubber plate or a sponge plate, or may have a built-in spring.

When storing cords in the mouse body,
Since the rotating body for winding the cord is automatically or manually arranged in the main body, it is convenient to handle the cord. For example, the connection portion and the connector portion of the cord stored in the storage portion in the mouse body are taken out, and the cord is pulled out, so that the urging force applying member of the cord winding portion is activated by the cord drawing action. And the resilience is accumulated. At this time, the return force of the cord is blocked by the stopper, and the stopper is released depending on whether the cord is loosened or the stopper is released by an external operation, and the cord portion is reversely driven by the restoring force of the cord to be driven in the storage portion. Can be accommodated, and the cord rotates in the direction opposite to the direction in which the cord is pulled out, and the cord is wound up by the spool of the winding section and automatically stored in the mouse. At that time, the connector part at the tip of the cord is also stored in the storage part, the opening and closing lid is closed, and the appearance becomes only the mouse body.

By pulling out the cord, the force stored in the elastic member is prevented by the stopper from rotating the spool of the winding section, and the cord is not drawn into the mouse even if the cord is loosened. . When the stopper is released, the rotation of the spool becomes free, so that the force stored in the elastic member is released and the spool rotates in the direction opposite to the direction in which the cord is pulled out, and the cord is spun. The cord is wound up and automatically stored in the mouse. The tip of the cord is stored in the storage part, and the opening / closing lid is fitted to store the cords in the mouse body.

By providing the cord with a reinforcing member for increasing the strength of the cord, durability can be imparted due to expansion and contraction or curl of the cord. As the cord becomes thinner, the strength decreases proportionately, and in addition, there is a possibility that disconnection may occur inside the cord. Therefore, a reinforcing member may be provided to maintain sufficient strength even with a thin cord.

[0017]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A mouse with a cord storage section according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to a preferred embodiment shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view showing a state in which an open / close lid is opened in an embodiment of a mouse with a cord storage unit according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an internal mechanism of FIG. 1, and FIG. 1 is a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which an opening / closing lid of FIG. 1 is opened, and FIG. 5 is a side view of a winding unit employed in a mouse with a cord storage unit of the present invention. It is sectional drawing. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the cord winding section shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a mouse provided with an opening / closing lid according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a top view showing the internal layout of the mouse according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention with the top wall removed. FIG. 10 is an explanatory bottom view of FIG. 9 from which the bottom plate is removed. FIG. 11 is a front view showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

First, the mouse 1 with a cord storage section shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is roughly composed of a main body case 2, a cord storage section 3, a bottom plate 4, and a ball 5. Note that the configuration other than the storage unit 3 is almost the same as that of a conventional pointing device (hereinafter, referred to as a mouse), and thus will be briefly described. The main body case 2 has a curved surface configuration such that the main body case 2 fits in the hand when wrapped in the palm and is easy to operate. The housing portion 3 is arranged in the space of the side surface portion of the main body case 2, and has a space capable of housing the connecting portion 7 and the connector portion 8 at the end of the cord 6. The material of the main body case 2 is not particularly limited, but is generally formed of a synthetic resin such as an ABS resin. An opening / closing lid 9 is connected to the storage section 3 by a connecting member 10 so as to be freely opened and closed.

In this embodiment, the arrangement of the bottom plate 4 and the storage section 3 is not limited to that shown in the drawings, and the storage section 3 may be formed on the opposite side surface or upper space. When the position of the storage section 3 is changed in this way, the storage position of the cord 6 connected to the connector section 8 and the connection section 7 is of course changed, and the opening / closing lid 9 is not limited to the side face. A part of the bottom plate 4 as shown in FIG. 9 may be detached and opened and closed.

A ball 5 is arranged near the bottom plate 4. The ball 5 is arranged so that a part thereof protrudes from the bottom of the main body case 2. When the mouse 1 is moved on a plane, the ball 5 rotates with the movement of the mouse 1. The amount of movement of the ball 5 is detected and processed by an electronic circuit provided on the bottom plate 4. A plurality of guide rollers are disposed on the left side of the main body case 2 to smoothly pull out or store the cord 6.

The housing 3 is provided with an openable / closable lid 9 which may be pivotally supported by a hinge or the like, or may be of a simple fitting type. When the cord 6 is pulled out together with the connector portion 8 and the connection portion 7 on the wall of the opening / closing lid 9 or the mouse 1, a through hole 11 through which the cord 6 is inserted is formed. It is located in. The opening / closing lid 9 is provided with a projection 12 serving as an engagement mechanism, and is adapted to engage with an engagement claw 13 provided on a side surface of the opening of the main body case 2. The engaging claw 13 is lowered by the operation button 14 and the engagement with the projection 12 of the opening / closing lid 9 is released. Reference numeral 16 denotes a click provided at the front of the mouse 1. 17 is a guide roller for the cord 6.

Next, the cord winding section 15 is shown in FIGS.
Can be employed. As an outline, a case 20, a spool 21, a mainspring 22,
It is composed of a cover 25.

The case 20 has a spool 21 therein.
It is formed in a minimum size that can accommodate the mainspring 22 and the locking mechanism 23. The case 20 is provided with a center shaft 20a serving as a rotation center of the spool 21. The center shaft 20a is used to insert and fix an end of the mainspring 22 to an upper side thereof. A locking mechanism 23 for restricting rotation of the spool 21 is provided on the inner wall surface of the cover 25 of the case 20. The material of the case 20 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use a synthetic resin, for example, an ABS resin from the viewpoint of the manufacturing process and cost.

The spool 21 has a bobbin shape having a substantially H-shaped longitudinal section, and the cord 6 is wound and stored in a recess formed in the spool 21. Spool 21
A cylindrical hole is formed at the center of the case 20 and is inserted through the center shaft 20 a of the case 20. Several narrow conductive plates 24 are fixed to the center shaft 20a, and terminal plates 24a that come into contact with the conductive plates 24 are fitted. A plurality of terminal plates 24a that contact the conductive plate 24 are arranged. 4 divided from the end of the cord 6
The lead wires penetrate the spool 21 from below and are respectively connected to the upper surface thereof.

Each terminal plate 24a, which is provided with a locking piece that is engaged with a stopper 21a on the outer peripheral surface of the disk-shaped upper surface of the spool 21, is provided with a locking mechanism 23 when the cord 6 is pulled out and rotated. Is not engaged with the stopper 23a, but is engaged with the stopper 23a when rotated in the opposite direction.

The cord 6 transmits information on the direction of movement of the mouse 1 and the amount of movement to the computer device main body. A connector 8 for connecting to the computer device main body is provided at the tip of the code 6 via a connection portion 7. Attached. The length of the cord 6 is preferably about 60 mm to 1500 mm in consideration of the distance to the computer device main body and the operation place where the input operation is performed, workability, and the like. It is necessary to consider the balance with the thickness because the volume occupied by the space becomes large. In a conventional mouse, the diameter of the cord is about 3 to 5 mm, and with this size, while securing a sufficient length,
In addition, it is difficult to house all of them in the case 20. Thus, smaller diameters, e.g.
It is preferably 2.5 mm. However, if the thickness of the cord is reduced, the strength decreases, so it is necessary to secure the strength.

That is, the cord 6 is formed by binding four to six lead wires, and its outer periphery is covered with a synthetic resin sheath. Each lead wire is formed by twisting and knitting a large number of thin copper wires into a reinforcing member formed by twisting a large number of aramid fibers having high strength and excellent cut resistance. The reinforcement of the cord 6 is not limited to this, and an appropriate method can be used. For example, a method may be used in which the cord 6 is covered with a net-like reinforcing member made of a copper stranded wire between lead wires of an outer cover made of a synthetic resin.

A mainspring 22 is provided between the case 20 and the spool 21. The mainspring 22 is made of SUS, and has one end fixed to the case 20 and the other end fixed to the spool 21.

A base is arranged on the upper surface side of the spool 21. The board sends an electric signal to the main board by making contact with a terminal attached to the spool 21. A plurality of screw holes are formed in the outer periphery of the base, and the base is fixed to the case 20 with screws. A screw hole for attaching the spool 21 to the center shaft 20a is formed in the center of the base. A ring-shaped copper plate is mounted on the surface of the base on the spool 21 side according to the concentric circle drawn by the terminal as the spool 21 rotates. With this structure, even if the spool 21 rotates, the connection with the main base is ensured.

The case 20 is provided with a locking mechanism 23, and a stopper 23a is attached via a spring 23b. The stopper 23a has a claw pressed against the inner wall surface of the bottom plate 22a by a spring 23b. When the cord 6 is pulled out and rotated, the stopper 23a does not engage with the notch, but is opposed thereto by the force of the mainspring 22. When rotated in the direction, the claw of the stopper 23a engages with the notch of the bottom plate 22a to prevent the spool 21 from rotating.

The cord winding section 15 thus configured
The mouse 1 having an opening is opened by pressing the operation button 14 provided on the upper part to release the engagement between the engagement claw 13 as the engagement mechanism and the projection 12 to open the opening / closing lid 9. The connector portion 8 and the connection portion 7 are taken out, the opening / closing lid 9 is closed, and the cord 6 is inserted into the through hole 11. When the cord 6 is pulled out, the spool 21 rotates, the mainspring 22 is wound, and the power is stored. At this time, the rotation of the spool 21 is prevented at the position where the stopper 23a engages with the cutout portion of the bottom plate 22a, so that even if the cord 6 is loosened, it is not pulled into the case 20 and is held as it is. When the stopper 23a is pressed, the engagement between the stopper 23a and the notch is released, the rotation of the spool 21 is free, and the spool 6 is rotated in the direction opposite to the direction in which the cord 6 is pulled out by the force of the mainspring 22, and the cord 6 is wound around the spool 21. It is taken and automatically stored in the case 20.

After the cord 6 is automatically wound up, the operation button 14 is operated to open the opening / closing lid 9, the connector section 8 and the like are stored in the storage section 3, and the opening / closing lid 9 is closed. In this case, the winding unit 15 may be manually wound around the spool 21 by rotating the spool 21.

FIG. 7 shows the second embodiment, in which the opening / closing lid 9 is fitted into the storage section 3. In FIG. In this case, the operation button 14 may be omitted and a hook portion 9a may be provided so that the opening / closing lid 9 can be easily removed. Although the embodiment in which the open / close lid 9 is disposed on the left side of the mouse 1 is shown in the drawings, the present invention is not limited to this, and the open / close lid 9 may be provided on the bottom plate 4 side. Alternatively, the storage section 3 may be formed on the right side of the mouse 1 and the opening / closing lid 9 may be arranged on the side.

The third embodiment shown in FIG.
A hinge is provided at the rear of the car so that it can be opened and closed. The fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 9 and FIG.
Is provided on the bottom plate 4, and the open / close lid 9 is removed from the mouse 1, and the connector section 8 and the like in the storage room 3 are taken out.
The opening / closing lid 9 is fitted into the storage chamber 3 and closed to use the mouse. In the fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the outlet of the cord 6 is provided at the center of the front of the mouse 1. In this case,
A plurality of guide rollers can be arranged in the passage portion of the cord 6 so that the cord 6 can be smoothly pulled out, or a synthetic resin plate having a smooth surface can be arranged to guide the extension and contraction of the cord 6.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the storage portion for storing the connection portion and the connector portion of the cords is provided inside the mouse, the connector portion and the connection portion at the distal end portion of the cord can be stored. Therefore, it can be carried in a pocket or the like without being bulky, and the connector portion does not interfere,
Damage to the cord can also be prevented. Moreover, not only the cord portion but also the whole can be stored, so that the appearance of the mouse is elegant.

Further, since the cord storage portion is provided with an elastic member, the cord can be automatically wound into and stored in the mouse. Further, since the cord is thin, a practical length can be ensured. The cord and the connector portion at the tip can be stored inside, so that there is an effect that it is possible to provide a mouse which is excellent in portability and does not need to bundle the cord when carrying.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a state in which an opening / closing lid is opened in an embodiment of a mouse with a cord storage section according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an internal mechanism of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing one embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state where an opening / closing lid of FIG. 1 is opened.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a winding unit used in the mouse with a cord storage unit of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the cord winding section shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a top view showing the internal layout of a mouse according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention by removing a top wall.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory bottom view of FIG. 9 from which a bottom plate is removed.

FIG. 11 is a front view showing a fifth embodiment of the mouse of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Mouse 2 Main body case 3 Storage part 4 Bottom plate 5 Ball 6 Cord 7 Connection part 8 Connector part 9 Opening / closing lid 10 Connection part 11 Through hole 12 Projection 13 Engagement claw 14 Operation button 15 Winding part 16 Click 17 Guide roller 20 Case 20a Central shaft 20b Groove 21 Spool 21a Central shaft 22 Spring 22a Bottom plate 23 Locking mechanism 23a Stopper 24 Conductive plate 25 Cover

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An external mouse connected to an input panel or the like of a main body has a mechanism for folding or winding up a cord between these input means and the mouse, and a storage room for the cord is provided so that the cord is connected to the mouse. A mouse with a storage part for cords that can be stored inside, a storage part having a space that can store a connection part or a connector part at the tip of the cord is disposed in the mouse body, and the storage part is openable and closable. A mouse with a storage section for cords, which has an open / close lid. 2. The cord storage section according to claim 1, wherein the storage section is provided on a side surface of the mouse body, and a side plate or a bottom plate of the mouse body forms an openable / closable lid. With mouse. 3. A cord connected to the connector or connector part stored in the storage part is wound up automatically or manually by a rotating member and stored in the mouse body, and the connector part at the end of the code is connected to the mouse body. 3. The length of the cord can be freely adjusted after taking out the cord from the storage part, closing the open / close lid of the storage part, and then pulling out the cord. Mouse with storage section for codes described in. 4. The opening / closing lid of the storage section is formed so as to be connected to a part of the mouse body, and the opening / closing lid is freely openable and closable. 4. The mouse with a cord storage section according to claim 1, further comprising an engagement mechanism capable of locking. 5. When the opening / closing lid is opened to take out the connector part or connection part housed in the housing part, the connector part pops out of the housing part with the opening of the opening / closing lid. A mouse with a cord storage unit according to claim 1. 6. The mouse according to claim 1, wherein a reinforcing member for increasing the strength of the cord is attached to the cord.