JP2004259013A - Trackball device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a trackball device which cleans dirt and dust off the surface of a trackball and makes the transmission of the driving force of a drive source to the trackball appropriate. <P>SOLUTION: The trakball device is provided with a cleanup member (9) which abuts on the outer circumference of the rotative trackball 3 and cleans the dirt and dust off the surface of the trackball 3, and contacting-and-separating mechanisms (12 and 14) which make the cleanup member (9) abut on and separate from the trackball 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a trackball device that moves a designated point on a display screen to an arbitrary position on the display screen by manually rotating a trackball held in a housing.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as a coordinate input device that controls a designated point such as a cursor on a display screen, by manually rotating a trackball that is rotatably held by a housing and partially protrudes from an opening above the housing. The pointing point can be moved on the display screen in conjunction with this rotation.
[0003]
In recent years, in such a trackball device, a driving force of a driving source such as a motor is transmitted to a trackball so that an operation target at which a cursor point is located on a display screen is fed back as a tactile sensation. Also, a configuration for feeding back an erroneous operation of the trackball or the like to the operator as a tactile sensation has been adopted.
[0004]
For example, a roller disposed at a position in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the trackball is rotationally driven by the driving force of the driving source in a direction opposite to the current rotation direction of the trackball to apply a braking force to the trackball. This allows the operator to grasp through a tactile sensation that the current moving direction of the cursor is incorrect, and conversely, stops the rotation of the roller by the driving force of the driving source to allow free rotation of the trackball. By doing so, a configuration has been proposed that allows the operator to know that the moving direction of the cursor is correct.
[0005]
Here, if the configuration of the trackball device is briefly described, this type of trackball device is roughly composed of trackball support means and rotation amount detection means.
[0006]
The trackball support means is constituted by a trackball container which rotatably holds a trackball and partially projects the trackball from an opening formed above the housing.
[0007]
Further, the rotation amount detecting means has a rotation axis in a direction parallel to a radial direction perpendicular to the trackball, and is arranged so as to abut on the trackball and rotate individually according to the rotation of the trackball. And a position sensor having an optical encoder that detects the amount of rotation of the trackball.
[0008]
Further, the trackball device includes, as an external related device, an enter button having a function as a manual operation unit together with the trackball device, and a pointing operation for positioning a cursor at a desired position on a display screen using the trackball device. A display device for visually displaying the result; a horizontal direction (X-axis direction) of the trackball and another horizontal direction (Y-axis direction) orthogonal to the X-axis direction based on the rotation amount of each roller detected by the position sensor. And an external control unit such as a computer that performs a command control for detecting the amount of rotation of the cursor and moving the designated point of the cursor on the screen of the display device in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.
[0009]
The control unit detects the amount of rotation of the trackball in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction from the amount of rotation of each roller member detected by the position sensor of the trackball device, and the pointing on the display device. Command control for moving the position in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is performed, and a cursor or the like on the screen of the display of the display device is moved.
[0010]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-8-305490
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The track ball device configured and operated as described above is configured such that, when dust such as dust adheres to the outer peripheral surface of the track ball, the roller contacting the track ball slips, and the driving of the drive source is performed. There is a problem that force is not transmitted to the trackball reliably.
[0012]
The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and performs cleaning for removing dust and dirt attached to the surface of a trackball, transmitting the driving force of a driving source to the trackball, and rotating the trackball. It is an object of the present invention to provide a trackball device capable of properly detecting a trackball.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The trackball device of the present invention includes a cleaning member that contacts an outer peripheral surface of a rotating trackball and removes dust attached to a surface of the trackball, and a contact and separation unit that moves the cleaning member toward and away from the trackball. And a mechanism.
[0014]
In the trackball apparatus of the present invention thus configured, when cleaning the trackball, the cleaning member is brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the trackball by the contact / separation mechanism, and in this state, the trackball is completely removed. The cleaning member removes dust adhering to the surface of the trackball by rotating in the direction, and when the trackball is not cleaned, the contacting / separating mechanism causes the cleaning member to contact the outer peripheral surface of the trackball. The contact can be released and normal trackball operation can be performed.
[0015]
Further, in the trackball device of the present invention, the cleaning member is formed with a circular fitting portion that fits into the trackball at a center portion, and is rotatable by a rotating shaft provided at an end portion. Further, the contact / separation mechanism includes an urging member for urging the plate-shaped member so that the circular fitting portion is fitted to the trackball, and an abutting member that contacts the plate-shaped member. A convex portion for supporting the plate-like member in a state where the fitting of the circular fitting portion to the trackball is released, and a state in which the circular fitting portion is fitted to the trackball in contact with the plate-like member. A flat portion for supporting the plate-shaped member is formed on the outer peripheral surface, and is provided with a cam rotatably supported.
[0016]
When cleaning the trackball, the trackball device configured as described above rotates the cam to bring the flat portion of the outer peripheral surface of the cam into contact with the plate-like member, and the biasing member By utilizing the urging force, the plate-shaped member is supported in a state where the circular fitting portion is fitted to the trackball, and the trackball is rotated in all directions in this state, whereby the urging member In order to remove dust adhering to the outer surface of the trackball, the circular fitting portion is urged so as to fit to the trackball by being scraped off at the periphery of the circular fitting portion of the plate-like member. When the trackball is not cleaned, the cam is rotated to bring the convex portion on the outer peripheral surface of the cam into contact with the plate-like member, and the urging force of the urging member is resisted. The tiger of the circular fitting portion It said plate-like member is supported in a state of releasing the engagement against Kuboru, in this state, operating the conventional trackball.
[0017]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of a trackball device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0018]
The trackball device 1 according to the present embodiment has a trackball 3 rotatably supported in all directions of 360 ° inside a housing 2. The upper part is exposed to the outside of the housing through a circular hole (not shown) formed above.
[0019]
Then, the operator can manually turn the trackball 3 through an exposed portion of the trackball 3 from the housing 2, whereby a support point on a display screen (not shown) can be moved. It can be moved to any position on the screen.
[0020]
Further, in the housing 2, a fine pattern formed on the outer peripheral surface of the trackball 3 is observed, and the rotation amount in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is detected. No position sensor is provided.
[0021]
Further, a substantially cylindrical shape having a rotation axis around the trackball 3 in a direction parallel to a radial direction orthogonal to the trackball 3 and rotatably supported on the trackball 3 while being in contact with the trackball 3. The X-axis direction roller member (hereinafter, X-axis roller) 4 and the Y-axis direction roller member (hereinafter, Y-axis roller) 5 are disposed.
[0022]
In the vicinity of the X-axis roller 4 and the Y-axis roller 5, driving sources 6, 7 such as motors for rotating the rollers 4, 5 are provided, respectively. The force is transmitted to the trackball 3 via the rollers 4 and 5.
[0023]
A plate-like member (hereinafter, referred to as an annular plate) having a substantially circular outer shape in which a circular fitting portion 8 that fits into a part of the trackball 3 is formed at the center above the housing 2. 9), at one end of which is disposed a cleaning member which is rotatable by a rotation shaft 10 which is disposed substantially parallel to the bottom wall upper surface 2A of the housing 2. .
[0024]
One end of a spring member 12 having an automatic retracting rod is attached to a surface 9A of the annular plate 9 facing the bottom wall upper surface 2A. The other end of the spring member 12 is attached to the bottom wall upper surface 2A of the housing 2, and the spring member 12 is disposed between the annular plate 9 and the bottom wall upper surface 2A of the housing 2. Thus, the annular plate 9 is configured to function as an urging member for urging the circular fitting portion 8 to fit the trackball 3.
[0025]
Further, a part of the outer peripheral surface is brought into contact with the space between the annular plate 9 and the bottom wall upper surface 2A of the housing 2 so that the annular plate 9 is brought into contact with the bottom wall of the housing 2. The cam 14 is rotatably provided by a rotating shaft 15 provided substantially parallel to the bottom wall upper surface 2A of the housing 2. In the present embodiment, on the outer peripheral surface of the cam 14, a convex portion that supports the annular plate 9 in a state where the circular fitting portion 8 is released from the engagement with the trackball 3 while being in contact with the annular plate 9. 14A, and a flat portion 14B that supports the annular plate 9 in a state where the circular fitting portion 8 is fitted to the trackball 3 in contact with the annular plate 9 is formed.
[0026]
In the present embodiment, when the flat portion 14B of the cam 14 is brought into contact with the annular plate 9 to support the annular plate 9, as shown in FIG. It is configured to be positioned substantially in parallel with the bottom wall upper surface 2A.
[0027]
At a position near the cam 14, a drive source 16 such as a motor for rotating the cam 14 is provided. In the trackball device of the present embodiment, the spring member 12, the cam 14, and the drive source 16 constitute a contact / separation mechanism that causes the cleaning member 11 to contact / separate from the trackball 3.
[0028]
Further, the trackball device 1 of the present embodiment is provided as an external related device with an enter button having a function as coordinate input means together with the trackball 3, at a desired position on a screen of a display using the trackball 3. A display screen for visually displaying the result of a pointing operation for aligning a cursor, and detecting the amount of rotation of the trackball 3 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction from the amount of rotation of each of the rollers 4 and 5 detected by the position sensor. And an external control unit (not shown) such as a computer for performing command control for moving a designated point such as a cursor on the display screen in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.
[0029]
Next, an operation related to cleaning of the trackball 3 in the trackball device 1 of the present embodiment will be described.
[0030]
When cleaning the trackball 3, as shown in FIG. 1, the driving source 16 of the cam 14 is driven to rotate the cam 14, and the flat portion 14 </ b> B formed on the outer peripheral surface is attached to the annular plate 9. Abut. At this time, the annular plate 9 is urged by the urging force of the spring member 12 while rotating toward the bottom wall side of the housing 2 with the pivot shaft 10 as a fulcrum. The upper portion of the trackball 3 is fitted into the housing 2 and is positioned substantially parallel to the upper surface of the bottom wall portion in the housing 2.
[0031]
Then, the drive sources 6 and 7 are driven in a state where the circular fitting portion 8 is fitted to the trackball 3 to transmit the driving force via the X-axis roller 4 and the Y-axis roller 5. Thereby, the trackball 3 is randomly rotated in all directions of 360 °. Alternatively, the portion projecting upward of the housing 2 is manually rotated.
[0032]
By rotating the trackball 3 in this manner, the outer surface of the trackball 3 comes into sliding contact with the peripheral edge of the circular fitting portion 8 of the biased annular plate 9, and the outer surface of the trackball 3 The dust adhering to the surface can be scraped off and removed.
[0033]
Further, when the normal operation of the trackball 3 is performed, the driving source of the cam 14 is driven to rotate the cam 14, and the convex portion 14 </ b> A formed on the outer peripheral surface is brought into contact with the annular plate 9. .
[0034]
At this time, the annular plate 9 is pushed up by the convex portion 14A so as to resist the urging force of the spring member 12 as shown in FIG. By rotating toward the wall, a gap is formed between the circular fitting portion 8 and the trackball 3, and the fitting of the circular fitting portion 8 to the trackball 3 is released. At this time, the annular plate 9 is held in the housing 2 with the end on the side opposite to the rotation shaft positioned above the rotation shaft 10.
[0035]
Then, in the state where the fitting of the circular fitting portion 8 to the trackball 3 is released, the portion projecting upward of the housing 2 is manually rotated, or the driving sources 6 and 7 are driven. Then, the driving force is transmitted through the X-axis roller 4 and the Y-axis roller 5 to rotate the trackball 3, so that a normal operation of the trackball can be performed.
[0036]
As for the timing of cleaning the trackball, the external control unit in the trackball device can control the cleaning to be performed periodically at regular time intervals, or a slip of the trackball is detected. It is also possible to perform control in such a case. Further, when the user observes dust adhering to the trackball, the user instructs to perform cleaning of the trackball at any time, and controls the external control unit of the trackball device to perform a cleaning process. Is also good. When command control is performed via the external control unit as described above, the driving of the driving sources 6, 7, 16 is configured to be controllable by the external control unit.
[0037]
Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made as necessary.
[0038]
For example, in the above-described embodiment, the drive sources 6, 7, and 16 are provided so that the trackball can be automatically cleaned. For example, the drive sources 6, 7, and 16 are provided. Instead of providing them, the rotation of the trackball and the rotation of the cam may all be manually performed.
[0039]
Further, the cleaning member need not be a plate-like member having a circular fitting portion. For example, it may be a plate-like member having an arc-shaped side abutting on the outer peripheral surface of the trackball (hereinafter, referred to as an arc-shaped plate). In this case, the contact / separation mechanism is not a mechanism having the configuration of the present embodiment, but may be a mechanism using an urging member for urging the arc-shaped plate toward the outer peripheral surface of the trackball.
[0040]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, cleaning for removing dust and dirt attached to the surface of a trackball can be performed with a simple configuration. The driving force can be transmitted properly.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a contact state between a cleaning member and a track ball when cleaning is performed in an embodiment of a track ball apparatus of the present invention. FIG. Schematic diagram showing the state of separation between the cleaning member and the trackball when cleaning is not performed.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Trackball device 2 Case 3 Trackball 4 X-axis roller 5 Y-axis roller 6 Drive source (for X-axis roller) 7 Drive source 8 (for Y-axis roller) 8 Circular fitting section 9 Plate member (annular plate)
Reference Signs 10 Rotating shaft 12 Spring member 14 Cam 14A Convex portion 14B Flat portion 15 Rotation shaft 16 (cam) drive source

Claims (3)

In the housing, a trackball held so that at least a part thereof is exposed to the outside, and the trackball is at least manually rotatable in all directions manually through an exposed portion from the housing. Trackball device,
A cleaning member that contacts the outer peripheral surface of the rotating trackball and removes dust attached to the surface of the trackball;
A contact / separation mechanism for bringing the cleaning member into contact with / separating from the trackball,
A trackball device comprising: The cleaning member is a plate-shaped member having a circular fitting portion formed at the center thereof for fitting to the trackball, and being rotatable by a rotating shaft provided at an end portion. The trackball device according to claim 1. An urging member that urges the plate-like member so that the circular fitting portion fits on the trackball,
Abutting against the plate-like member, a convex portion supporting the plate-like member in a state where the fitting of the circular fitting portion to the trackball is released, and abutting against the plate-like member, and A flat portion that supports the plate-like member in a state fitted to a trackball is formed on the outer peripheral surface, and a rotatably supported cam,
The trackball device according to claim 2, comprising:

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