JPH03268017A - Computer input device of pen type - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make the whole structure extremely small by transferring the rotational direction and the moving amount of a ball to a rotation of an outer ring of a ball bearing, and detecting the rotational quantity and the moving direction of the ball from its rotation. CONSTITUTION:A ball 11 is integrated into the tip on a pen-holder 10, and the ball 11 is held by a holding body 14, supported by ball bearings 16-X, 16-Y and rotates in the arbitrary direction. As for the ball bearings 16-X, 16-Y, both the bearings are provided orthogonally, and on the peripheral surface of both end parts of the respective outer rings, patterns 17-A, 17-B on which a light reflecting part and a light absorbing part are formed alternately so as to divide equally the periphery are provided, respectively. In such a state, the moving amounts of the patterns 17-A, 17-B are detected by optical fibers 18-A, 18-B and light emitting and receiving elements 19, 20. In such a way, a computer input device of a micro-structure and a pen type is obtained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pen-type computer input device for moving a cursor and inputting figures in a computer system.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, input devices for computers and the like include keyboards, mice, digitizers, light benders, tablet terminals, and the like. Among these, a mouse is a device that relatively moves a cursor displayed on a CRT, and can be moved at high speed and can be operated relatively easily, such as freely drawing figures. There are two main types of mice depending on the method of detecting the amount of movement. One is a mouse that holds a ball inside the mouse and detects the amount of movement by the rotation of the ball when it is moved, and the other is an optical sensor that moves the ball on a board with lines drawn in a grid pattern vertically and horizontally. There is a method that detects the amount of movement.

How to use it varies depending on the software of the computer system, but when inputting shapes using a mouse, if you want to draw a line freely, you can do so by moving the mouse to move the cursor on the screen in the direction you want to draw. Can be entered into a computer.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, with the above configuration, a device called a mouse is used to move the cursor, so there is a problem that it is not possible to accurately draw detailed expressions.

This is because it is difficult to make minute movements of the mouse itself due to its size and structure, and also because its movements cannot be directly monitored. Therefore, there has been a problem in that it is extremely difficult to input characters and the like into a computer.

The present invention is intended to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a device that inputs figures into a computer accurately as drawn.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has a ball at the tip of a pen shaft, and a rotation mechanism that can freely rotate in any direction by contacting the ball, and a rotating mechanism for rotating the ball in any direction. A ball bearing outer ring that receives rotation and transmits it in the directions of two orthogonal axes and rotates around the outer periphery of a fixed shaft, and light reflecting parts and light absorbing parts are formed alternately on the outer peripheral surface of the bearing outer ring so as to equally divide the circumference. An optical fiber detector having a function of projecting and receiving light is provided on the pattern.

Function The present invention uses the above structure to transmit the amount of movement in the direction of rotation of the eaves ball to the rotation of the outer ring of the ball bearing, and from that rotation, detects the amount of rotation and the direction of movement of the ball. It can be made extremely small and can detect minute amounts of movement. Therefore, it can be configured to be miniaturized at the tip of the pen shaft, and it can be used to display figures and characters just like using a regular pen. etc. can be input into the computer.

Embodiment Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing how to use the pen-type computer input device of the present invention. 1st
The figure shows a computer 2 connected to a pen-shaped computer input device 1, and a free curve 4 drawn on a recording paper 3 being displayed 5 on a screen.

Next, FIG. 2 shows the external appearance of the pen-shaped computer input device 1. As shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, a ball 11 is installed at the tip of a pen shaft 10, and by moving the ball 11 while pressing against it, the ball 11 rotates and outputs the direction and distance of movement. Two switches 12 and 13 for input control are provided on the pen barrel 10 at positions that can be operated with a fingertip. Next, FIG. 3 shows a configuration diagram of the holding section for the ball 11. In FIG. 3, the ball 11 is attached to the holder 14.
and is supported by ball bearings 16-X and 16-Y to rotate in any direction. Next, the ball bearings 16-X and 16-Y are provided with both bearings orthogonal to each other, and a light reflecting part and a light absorbing part are arranged on the circumferential surface of both ends of each outer ring so that the circumference is equally divided. Patterns 17-A and 17-B are provided alternately. 18A
, 18-B are optical fibers provided corresponding to patterns 17-A and 17-B for detecting the movement amount of patterns 17-A and 17-H, and optical fibers <18-A, 1
8-B includes a light emitting element 19 for irradiating light onto the patterns 17-A and 17-B, as well as a turn 8-B.
A light-receiving element side for receiving the reflected light from -B is provided respectively.

The operation of the above configuration will be explained below.

A ball 11 provided at the tip of the pen shaft 10 is incorporated into the tip of the holder 14 and rotates around the fixed shafts 15-X and 15-Y as a pole bearing 16-X.

16-Y and rotates in any direction within it. The fixed axes 15-X and 15-Y are provided orthogonally to each other, and the rotation direction of the ball 110 can be divided into two axes of vectors. Next, the amount of rotation of the ball bearings 16-X, 16Y that rotate in response to the rotation of the ball 11 is determined by the rotation amount of the ball bearings 17-A, 17-B provided on the circumference of the ball bearings 16-X, 16-Y. irradiate light from the light emitting element 19 through the optical fiber <ts-A, 18-B,
The reflected light is detected by the light receiving element, and the measurement is performed by counting the change in the amount of light.

At this time, patterns 17-A and 17-B are each 1/4
By forming the pitch so that the phase is shifted,
The moving direction of the ball 11 can be detected. The ball bearings 16 -
It becomes possible to reduce the number to 1E1 or less.

Furthermore, although this embodiment has been described by forming a pattern directly on the outer ring of the ball bearing, a member with a pattern formed thereon may be provided on the outer ring of the ball bearing.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention provides a ball at the tip of a pen shaft, a ball bearing that contacts the ball and rotates around two orthogonal fixed axes, and a pattern is formed on the surface of the ball bearing. By forming a pattern and detecting the amount of movement of the pattern using an optical fiber and a light emitting/receiving element, an ultra-compact, pen-shaped computer input device can be obtained.
Since the rotation of the ball is directly transmitted to the two ball bearings, the number of parts can be reduced, and the tip of the pen shaft can be made smaller.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 3 relate to a pen-shaped computer device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram illustrating how to use the pen-shaped computer input device, and FIG. 2 is a pen-shaped computer device. FIG. 3, a plan view of the input device, is a configuration diagram of a ball holding portion of the pen-type computer input device. 1... Pen-type computer input device, 10...
Pen shaft, 11... Ball, 14... Holder, 15-
X, 15-Y...Fixed axis, 16-X, 16-y...
・Ball bearing, 17-A, 17-B... pattern, 18-A, 18-B... optical fiber, 19...
Light emitting element, nod...light receiving element.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A holding mechanism that brings the balls into contact and rotates the balls freely in any direction; a ball bearing that receives the rotation of the balls and transmits the rotation in two orthogonal axes directions and rotates about a fixed axis; It is characterized by comprising a pattern in which light reflecting parts and light absorbing parts are alternately formed so as to equally divide the circumference on the outer circumferential surface of the bearing, and an optical fiber detector having a function of projecting and receiving light on the pattern. A pen-shaped computer input device. (2) The pen-shaped computer input device according to claim 1, wherein the pattern provided on the outer periphery of the ball bearing is provided directly or indirectly on the ball bearing.