JP3021339B2 - mouse - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mouse as a pointing device used as an input device of an information processing apparatus such as a computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, a mouse is frequently used as an input device for a computer. The mouse rotates the ball provided on the bottom surface by moving the mouse, detects the amount of movement and the direction of movement based on the amount of rotation, thereby moving the pointer (cursor) on the display screen of the computer display, and clicking the click button. This is for inputting an instruction at an arbitrary position on the display screen by performing an operation (click). Normally, two click buttons are provided, each of which is supported on a compression coil spring. When pressed, the compression coil spring is compressed and lowered, and when released, the click button is raised by the urging force of the compression coil spring and returns to the original position. It has become.

[0003]

As with other devices, there is a demand for a mouse to always reduce the number of parts and cost. Therefore, considering the click button rotation, two click buttons and two compression coil springs are provided, and four parts are used, so there is room for improvement. It is an object of the present invention to reduce the number of parts around a mouse click button and reduce costs.

[0004]

According to the present invention, there is provided a mouse having a body accommodating an internal mechanism of the mouse, and a click button for input operation. the configured as elastic plate-like member which is a body in cantilevered support, which is shiftable in the vertical direction by elastic deformation, the play
An eccentric cam is provided near the lower surface of the intermediate portion of the
The middle part of the plate-like member is biased depending on the direction of the core cam.
By changing the contact position with the center cam,
A configuration in which the elasticity of the member can be adjusted is adopted.

According to such a configuration, the compression coil spring conventionally used for elastically supporting the click button can be omitted, and the number of components can be reduced.

[0006]

[0007]

Further, since it is possible to adjust the elasticity of Plate-like member by the orientation of the eccentric cam, Ru <br/> can improve the operability.

In addition, since the body and the plate-shaped member are made of wood, the appearance can be made soft and high-grade by selecting the wood, and the plate-shaped member can have appropriate elasticity.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of a mouse according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, the left side is the front end side, and the right side is the rear end side.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a body for housing the internal mechanism of the mouse, which is shown in a partially transparent state. An opening 1a for exposing a button top of a click button described below is formed on the upper end of the body 1, and a cutout for passing a cable for connecting to a computer (not shown) is formed in a lower part of the tip. 1b
Are formed. Screw holes 1c are formed at four corners of the lower surface of the rectangle.

The body 1 is preferably integrally formed as a whole, and may be formed of plastic or the like. However, it is particularly preferable to form a wooden body by hollowing out the wood, since the appearance becomes soft and high-grade. . Among the woods, karin is particularly preferred because of its good appearance and hardness.

Next, reference numeral 2 denotes a button plate formed by integrating two click buttons. The button plate 2 is integrally formed as a flat and substantially rectangular plate except for the tip portion, and is bisected from the tip portion to the middle portion by a groove 2d formed along the longitudinal direction from the center of the tip portion. Each of the bisected tip portions bulges upward to form button tops 2a and 2b. Button top 2
The switches 4a, 4b, which will be described later,
A projection 2c for pressing the operation unit 4b is formed. On the lower surface of the intermediate portion of the button plate 2, a plurality of shallow cut grooves 2e for making the intermediate portion elastic are formed in parallel along the width direction. Instead of this narrow cut groove 2e, a wide concave portion may be formed to reduce the thickness of the intermediate portion of the button plate 2. Also, a hole may be formed in the middle part.

The button plate 2 includes button tops 2a,
The base 2b faces the opening 1a of the body 1 and the base end is fixed to the flat ceiling surface 1d of the body 1 by bonding or the like, thereby being cantilevered by the body 1 and elastically deforming the intermediate portion. Makes it possible to be displaced in the vertical direction.

The button plate 2 which is integrally formed as a whole may be made of plastic or the like. In particular, if the button plate 2 is made of wood, the appearance of the button plate 2 can be soft and high-grade depending on the selection of the wood. Elasticity is obtained, which is preferable. For example, a walnut is good.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a circuit board, on which a circular hole 3a for loosely fitting the mouse ball 5 is formed. Near the hole 3a on the upper surface of the circuit board 3, an encoder (not shown) for detecting the rotation of the ball 5 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is provided. Further, switches 4a and 4b which are operated by pressing the button tops 2a and 2b, respectively, are provided at the top end of the upper surface.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a bottom plate, which has a circular hole for exposing the ball 5 and a circular hole 7a for preventing the ball 4 from coming off. The circular plate 7 on which is formed is fitted. Also, ridges 6a, 6b having steps are formed along the front edge and the rear edge of the upper surface of the bottom plate 6, and these ridges 6a, 6b are formed.
Screw holes 6c are formed at both ends of b. The bottom plate 6 may also be integrally formed of plastic or the like, but is preferably made of wood. When the body 1 is made of wood, the bottom plate 6 is preferably formed of the same wood as the body 1.

Next, the assembly of each of the above members will be described.
First, as described above, button top 2 of button plate 2
The button plate 2 is attached to the body 1 with the bases a and 2b facing the opening 1a of the body 1 and the base end of the button plate 2 fixed to the ceiling surface 1d of the body 1 by bonding or the like.
Then, after the circuit board 3 is fitted into the step portions of the ridges 6a and 6b of the bottom plate 6 and fixed by bonding or the like, the button plate 2 is attached from above with the ball 5 fitted into the hole 3a of the circuit board 3. 1 and screw 8 into the screw hole 6 in the bottom plate 6.
c, and is screwed into each of the screw holes 1c of the body 1 to fix the body 1 and the bottom plate 6.

By moving the mouse having the above structure by hand on a desk or the like, the ball 5 is rotated, and its rotation in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is performed by two encoders (not shown) on the circuit board 3. The detected signal is input to a computer connected via a cable (not shown), and the pointer on the screen of the computer display can be moved to a desired position by moving the mouse.
When the button tops 2a and 2b are pressed with a finger, the intermediate portion of the button plate 2 is elastically deformed and
a, 2b are lowered, and the projections 2c on the lower surfaces respectively press the switches 4a, 4b, and the switches 4a, 4b are turned on, the signals are input to the computer, and the pointer is moved to a desired position on the screen by the pointer. Instruction input can be performed. When the finger is released from the button tops 2a and 2b, the intermediate portion of the button plate 2 that has been elastically deformed returns to its original shape, and the button tops 2a and 2b rise and return to their original positions.

According to the above embodiment, the conventional 2
The four parts of one click button and two return compression coil springs are replaced with one part of the button plate 2 to reduce the number of parts by three, simplify the assembling process, and reduce costs.

[Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the embodiment of the mouse shown in FIG. 2, an eccentric cam 9 is provided as a means for adjusting the elasticity of the button plate 2 in addition to the same structure as the embodiment of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the eccentric cam 9 is formed by a cylindrical shaft portion 9a and a rectangular cam portion 9b being continuous, and the cam portion 9b is positioned eccentrically from the center of the shaft portion 9a. At the shaft portion 9a. A groove 9 for engaging the tip of a flathead screwdriver is formed on the tip end surface of the shaft portion 9a.
e is formed. Two eccentric cams 9 are provided, each of which is rotatably mounted by inserting a shaft portion 9a into a bearing hole (not shown) formed on each of the left and right walls of the body 1. It is arranged so as to be located near the lower surface of each of the divided intermediate parts. The tip surface of the shaft portion 9a provided with the respective grooves 9e of the eccentric cam 9 is exposed to the bearing hole portion of the body 1, and the tip of a minus driver is engaged with the groove 9e to rotate the driver, thereby rotating the eccentric cam 9a. Can be rotated.

When the eccentric cam 9 is rotated in the direction shown in FIG. 3, the upper cam surface 9c faces the lower surface of the button plate 2 at a position relatively separated from the lower surface of the intermediate portion of the button plate 2. . In this case, button top 2
Even if the button plate 2 is bent downward until the convex portions 2c are pressed down by pressing the switches a and 2b and the switches 4a and 4b are pressed down, the lower surface of the button plate 2 does not contact the cam surface 9c. For this reason, the elastic force of the button plate 2 becomes weak, and the button tops 2a and 2b can be pressed with a light touch.

When the eccentric cam 9 is rotated in the direction opposite to the direction shown in FIG. 3, the upper cam surface 9d at that time is rotated.
Is in contact with the lower surface of the intermediate portion of the button plate 2, or approaches at a very short distance. In this case, the button tops 2a,
The lower surface of the intermediate portion of the button plate 2 comes into contact with the cam surface 9d at the start of or immediately after the pressing of the button 2b, and the button plate 2 can bend only at the tip side of the cam surface 9d with the cam surface 9d as a fulcrum. Can not. For this reason, the elastic force of the button plate becomes strong, and the button tops 2a, 2b
Touch becomes hard.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the elasticity of the button plate 2 can be adjusted in two levels of strength, and the user can adjust the elasticity of the button plate 2 according to his / her preference.
Touch of the button tops 2a and 2b can be selected, and operability can be improved.

The shape of the cam portion 9b of the eccentric cam 9 is not limited to the rectangular shape shown in FIG. In addition, the length of the cam portion 9b is increased to cover the entire width of the bisected middle portion of the button plate 2, and the left and right sides are supported so that the elasticity of the bisected middle portion can be adjusted by one eccentric cam. It may be performed.

[0029]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, in the mouse, the click button is formed as an elastic plate-like member which is cantilevered by the body of the mouse, and the click button is vertically moved by elastic deformation. Since the configuration that can be displaced is adopted, the number of parts around the click button can be reduced, the assembling process can be simplified, and the cost can be reduced. In addition, operability can be improved by allowing the elasticity of the plate-shaped member as a click button to be adjusted by the eccentric cam. Furthermore, if the body and the plate-shaped member are made of wood, the selection of the wood makes the appearance soft and luxurious, and provides the plate-shaped member with an excellent effect of obtaining an appropriate elasticity.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of a first embodiment of a mouse according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the structure of a second embodiment of the mouse.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a structure of an eccentric cam in FIG. 2;

[Description of Signs] 1 Body 2 Button plate 2a, 2b Button top 3 Circuit board 4a, 4b Switch 5 Ball 6 Bottom plate 7 Circular plate 8 Screw 9 Eccentric cam

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A body for accommodating an internal mechanism of a mouse, and a click button for input operation, wherein the click button is configured as an elastic plate-shaped member that is cantilevered by the body, and is elastically deformed. vertically are capable displaced, eccentric cam in the vicinity of the middle lower surface of the plate-like member is provided by
Depending on the direction of the eccentric cam,
By changing the position where the middle part contacts the eccentric cam,
A mouse characterized in that the elasticity of a plate-like member can be adjusted . 2. The mouse according to claim 1 , wherein the body and the plate-like member are made of wood.