JPH05189145A - Pointing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize the pointing device which can control the position decision of a cursor and the tracking operation by pressure to a ball. CONSTITUTION:This pointing device is provided with two orthogonal shafts 3 and 4, one roller 5, ball 2 supported so as to be rotated in any arbitrary direction while touching the shafts 3 and 4 and the roller 5 to the outer periphery, and a means to detect the rotating amounts of the two shafts 3 and 4, and can move the cursor or a pointer on the display of a computer to any arbitrary position. At such a device, a pressure transmitting mechanism and a pressure sensitive rubber 11 are used as a means to detect that the roller 5 is pressed by the ball 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to pointing devices. More particularly, it relates to a pointing device for moving a pointer or cursor on a CRT display of a computer to various positions on the CRT display.

In recent years, in the fields of data processing and OA, OSes and application software that perform interactive operations that require the use of pointing devices in addition to keyboards as data input / output devices have increased due to their good operability. I am doing it. On the other hand, in a computer device, a computer body, a keyboard, and a CRT display are independent desktop type computers that are integrated into a laptop type computer,
Notebook type and palmtop type tend to be lightweight and compact, which is convenient to carry. In the pointing device, the use environment is expanded, and it is required that the pointing device can be used not only for operation by a conventional desktop device but also for portable use while the computer is on the knee or on the palm. For this reason, the pointing device does not require an installation area unlike a conventional mouse, digitizer, etc., and is preferably incorporated in a computer device. Further, even in the conventional desktop computer, there is a tendency for space saving, and it is desirable to incorporate it in the keyboard.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art As a pointing device for moving a cursor on a CRT to an arbitrary position, there are a mouse, a digitizer, a trackball and the like. The mouse and digitizer require a wide operation space in order to move the device itself to move the cursor on the CRT. In contrast, the trackball moves the surface of the device,
Since the cursor on the CRT is moved, the space for the device itself can be saved in the operation space.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a conventional trackball.
(A) is a top view, (b) is sectional drawing in the bb line of (a) figure. This is accommodated in a housing 1 with a ball 2 exposed at the top, and the ball 2 is supported by two orthogonal shafts 3 and 4 and one roller 5. An encoder disk 6 is attached to each of the shafts 3 and 4, and the rotation of the encoder disk 6 can be detected by a detector 7. Then, by rotating the ball 2 with the palm, the two axes 3 and 4 orthogonal to each other are rotated, and the rotation is detected by the detector 7
Detects and sends a signal to move the cursor or pointer.

[0005]

In the above-mentioned conventional trackball, it is necessary to equip a switch in order to have a function similar to that of a mouse, and it is necessary to improve operability. In addition, the switch in the conventional pointing device can only be used to determine the position of the cursor, and when trying to perform a racking operation, it was very difficult to move the device while pressing other switches. ..

The present invention is intended to realize a pointing device in which the determination of the position of the cursor and the docking operation can be controlled by the pressing force on the ball.

[0007]

In the pointing device of the present invention, two shafts 3 and 4 which are orthogonal to each other, one roller 5, and the outer periphery of the shafts 3 and 4 and the roller 5 are brought into contact with each other. A ball 2 rotatably supported in any direction, and means for detecting the amount of rotation of the two shafts 3 and 4,
In a pointing device capable of moving a cursor or a pointer on a display of a computer to an arbitrary position, a pressing force transmission mechanism and a pressure sensitive rubber 11 are used as means for detecting that the roller 5 is pressed by the ball 2. It is characterized by

In addition to this, a resistor 14 is connected in series to the pressure sensitive rubber 11 and a voltage is applied to both ends of the resistor 14 so that the voltage appearing at both ends of the resistor when the pressure sensitive rubber 11 is pressed. It is characterized in that it is taken out in a plurality of stages and a plurality of switches are operated.

In addition to the above, as the pressing force transmitting mechanism, a mechanism in which the roller 5 slides when the ball 2 is pressed is used. Also, in addition to that,
As the pressing force transmission mechanism, a mechanism is used in which the roller 5 rotates the lever 15 in the same direction as the pressing direction of the ball 2 by pressing the ball 2.

In addition to the above, as the pressing force transmitting mechanism, a mechanism is used in which the roller 5 rotates the lever 17 in a direction perpendicular to the pressing direction of the ball 2 by pressing the ball 2. By adopting this configuration, it is possible to obtain a pointing device in which the determination of the position of the cursor and the docking operation can be controlled by the pressing force on the ball.

[0011]

The pressure-sensitive rubber 11 is used as a sensor for detecting the pressing force of the ball 2, and the resistance of the pressure-sensitive rubber changes according to the pressure, and the pressing force of the ball 2 is extracted as a voltage change in a plurality of steps. You can Thereby, it is possible to perform a plurality of switch operations to determine the position of the cursor and perform a docking operation.

[0012]

1A and 1B are views showing a first embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 1A is a plan view and FIG. 1B is a sectional view taken along line bb in FIG. In this embodiment, the ball 2 is provided in the housing 1.
Is housed with its upper part exposed, and the ball 2
Is supported by two orthogonal shafts 3 and 4 and one roller 5, and an encoder disk 6 is attached to each of the shafts 3 and 4, and the rotation thereof can be detected by a detector 7. Is the same as the conventional example described in FIG. The point of this embodiment is that the roller 5 is attached to the slider 9 by the pin 8.
Is rotatably attached to the slider 9, and the slider 9 is slidably supported by a recess-shaped guide 10.
That is, the pressure sensitive rubber 11 is disposed at a position where it can be pressed by. Reference numeral 12 is a bearing that supports the shafts 3 and 4, and 13 is a printed circuit board that supports the bearing 12, the detector 7, the guide 10, and the like.

In the present embodiment thus constructed, the shafts 3, 4 and the encode disk 6 attached to the tips of the shafts 3, 4 are rotated by rotating the ball 2 with the palm. This rotation can be detected by the detector 7 and an encode signal can be generated to control the movement of the pointer or cursor on the computer display.

By pressing the ball in the direction of arrow A, the slider 9 supporting the roller 5 moves in the direction of arrow B and presses the pressure sensitive rubber 11. If the pressure sensitive rubber 11 is connected in series with the resistor 14 as shown in FIG. 2A and a voltage is applied to both ends of the resistor 14, the relationship between the voltage output to both ends of the resistor 14 and the pressing force applied to the ball 2 will be described. Is as shown in FIG. Therefore, the output voltage A'when the pressing force of the ball 2 is at the point A serves as a switch for determining the position of the cursor, and the switch for entering the docking operation at the output voltage B'when the pressing force of the ball 2 is at the point B If so, the position of the cursor and the docking operation can be performed by adjusting the pressing force of the ball 2. When releasing the operation, the pressing force on the ball may be removed. Note that the racking operation is an operation in which a menu or the like on a display of a computer or a screen in which the menu or the like is opened can be pointed to by a cursor and moved to an arbitrary position.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing an essential part of the second embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals. This embodiment is basically the same as the first embodiment, except that the slider is used as the pressing force transmission mechanism in the previous embodiment, whereas the direction in which the ball 2 is pressed in this embodiment is different. That is, the lever 15 that moves in the same direction as (arrow A) is provided. The lever 15 is rotatably attached to one end of the lever 5 by a pin 8, and the other end is rotatably supported by a support member 16.
The pressure sensitive rubber 11 can be pressed at the intermediate portion of the.

In this embodiment having such a structure, when the ball 2 is pressed in the direction of arrow A, the lever 15 is pressed by the roller 5 so as to rotate in the direction of arrow C and presses the pressure sensitive rubber 11. To do. As a result, the pressure sensitive rubber 11 has the same function as that described in the previous embodiment, and the cursor position determination and the docking operation can be performed.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an essential part of the third embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals. This embodiment is basically the same as the second embodiment, and is different from the second embodiment as a pressing force transmission mechanism.
While the lever 15 that rotates in the same direction as the ball 2 is used in this embodiment, the lever 17 that rotates in the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the ball 2 is pressed is used in this embodiment. That is. The center of the lever 17 is rotatably supported by a shaft 18 provided perpendicularly to the printed circuit board 13. One end of the lever 17 supports the roller 5 by a pin 19 and the other end thereof supports the printed circuit board 13. The pressure-sensitive rubber 11 fixed to the can is pressed.

In this embodiment having such a structure, when the ball 2 is pressed in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface, the roller 5 is pressed in the direction of arrow D, the lever 17 is rotated, and the pressure sensitive rubber 11 is further pressed. Will be done. This makes the pressure sensitive rubber 1
1 has the same operation as described in the first embodiment, and can perform the cursor position determination and the docking operation.

[0019]

According to the present invention, in the trackball, the pressing force of the ball can be detected by the pressure sensitive rubber, so that a plurality of steps of switch operation can be performed, and the cursor position determination and the docking operation can be performed. Can be easily performed by changing the pressing force on the ball.
The operability can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

1A and 1B are views showing a first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a plan view and FIG. 1B is a sectional view taken along line bb in FIG.

2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining the operation of the present invention, in which FIG. 2A is a circuit diagram and FIG. 2B is a diagram showing a relationship between a pressing force on a ball and an output.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a main part of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a main part of a third embodiment of the present invention.

5A and 5B are views showing a conventional trackball, in which FIG. 5A is a plan view and FIG. 5B is a sectional view taken along line bb in FIG. 5A.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Housing 2 ... Ball 3, 4 ... Shaft 5 ... Roller 6 ... Encode disk 7 ... Detector 8, 19 ... Pin 9 ... Slider 10 ... Guide 11 ... Pressure-sensitive rubber 12 ... Bearing 13 ... Printed circuit board 14 ... Resistance 15 , 17 ... Lever 16 ... Supporting member 18 ... Shaft

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. Two orthogonal shafts (3, 4), one roller (5), and the shaft (3, 4) and the roller (5) are brought into contact with their outer circumferences to rotate in arbitrary directions. It comprises a ball (2) which is movably supported and means for detecting the amount of rotation of the two shafts (3, 4), and is capable of moving a cursor or pointer on a computer display to any position. In a pointing device that can be used, as a means for detecting that the roller (5) is pressed by the ball (2), a pressing force transmission mechanism and a pressure sensitive rubber (11) are used.
A pointing device characterized by using. 2. A resistance (14) is connected in series to the pressure-sensitive rubber (11), and a voltage is applied to both ends of the resistance (14). 2. The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the voltage appearing at both ends is taken out in a plurality of stages to cause a plurality of switching actions. 3. The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the pressing force transmitting mechanism is a mechanism in which a roller (5) slides by pressing a ball (2). 4. A mechanism for rotating the lever (15) in the same direction as the pressing direction of the ball (2) by the roller (5) when the ball (2) is pressed, as the pressing force transmitting mechanism. The pointing device according to claim 1. 5. A mechanism for rotating the lever (17) in a direction perpendicular to the pressing direction of the ball (2) by the roller (5) by pressing the ball (2) is used as the pressing force transmission mechanism. The pointing device of claim 1, wherein the pointing device is a device.