JPH05250070A - Input device with track ball - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate adverse operability for a track ball to enter the vision and to be an obstacle when erroneous operations are generated by touching the track ball on a keyboard with a hand, and to reduce a flat area when folding a display and making it into a portable box shape. CONSTITUTION:A recessed part 1a which shape is the same as a track ball unit 5 is provided at a main body case 1 on the downside of a keyboard 2 and at this recessed part, the track ball unit 5 is fitted so as to be housed there and to be pulled out to the front side of the keyboard 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an input device with a trackball in which an electronic device such as a computer is provided with a trackball (pointing device) together with an input means such as a keyboard for inputting information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a central processing unit such as a computer, especially a display for displaying an input has been integrated.
This display is laid down on the keyboard, and in a thin box-type personal computer called a laptop type or notebook type that is convenient to carry, along with input means such as a keyboard for inputting, input according to the operation When the trackball to be performed is installed, the trackball is usually installed on the same plane as the input means such as a keyboard and in the vicinity of the input means.

[0003]

However, in such an input device with a trackball, since the trackball and the input means such as a keyboard are located close to each other on the same plane, the input means is mistakenly operated during the operation of the input means. There is a drawback that the trackball is touched by the hand, moved, and its output is input, resulting in an erroneous operation.

Further, since the trackball is in the field of view during the operation of the input means such as the keyboard, there is a drawback that the operation is difficult to perform, and furthermore, a display such as a liquid crystal is placed on the input means. In the case of a thin box type that is laid down, since the input means surface becomes large due to the trackball, the plane area of the box type also becomes large, and there is a disadvantage that it is inconvenient to carry.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of the conventional input device with trackball, and when the input means such as the keyboard is operated, the trackball is erroneously touched by the hand and the rotation thereof causes the erroneous operation. In addition to preventing the trackball from entering the field of view and making it difficult to operate the input means that is annoying, the display is folded down and folded to reduce the flat area of the box when carrying. It is an object of the present invention to provide an input device with a trackball that can be a personal computer that is easy to carry.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a trackball-equipped input device for achieving the above object, which is a trackball-equipped input device comprising input means such as a keyboard and a trackball. A feature of the present invention is that a trackball unit provided with a trackball is attached to the lower side of the input means such as a keyboard, and the trackball unit is attached so that the input means can be pulled out to the front surface.

[0007]

According to the input device with trackball of the present invention, when the trackball is used, the trackball is pulled out from the lower side of the input means such as a keyboard to the front surface of the input means to operate the trackball and input its output. be able to.

When the trackball is not used,
By storing the trackball unit in the lower side of the input means such as a keyboard, the inconvenience of the operation in which the trackball comes into the field of view during the operation of the input means such as the keyboard and the operation of the input means. It is possible to eliminate an erroneous operation in which the movement of the trackball is accidentally touched and the movement is input.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with respect to a notebook type personal computer shown in the drawings. A keyboard 2 is provided on the upper front surface of a main body case 1 of the personal computer, and a liquid crystal display 3 is pivotally attached to the rear surface side of the main body case 2 so that the display 3 can be raised and lowered. The display surface can be seen from the bottom, and the display 3 and the main body case 1 can be folded into a thin box-like shape by lying down to a position close to the keyboard 2.

Below the keyboard 2 of the main body case 1, a recess 1 having the same shape as a trackball unit 5 in which a trackball (pointing device) 4 is housed.
a is provided, and the trackball unit 5 and the main body case 1 are rotatably pivoted by a shaft 8 between the front upper part of the trackball unit 5 and the front upper part of the recess 1a, and in the recess 1a. The trackball unit 5 is housed so that the trackball 4 faces downward.

A lid 6 is provided below the trackball unit 5 housed and stored in the recess 1a so as to be slidable forward with respect to the body case 1.
The trackball unit 5 stored in the recess 1a is covered by the lid 6, and the trackball unit 5 cannot rotate.

Further, on the upper surface of the rear end of the lid 6, a locking projection 6a is formed.
Is protruded and engages with the locking recess 1b formed on the lower surface of the main body case 1, so that the lid 6 cannot be slid unintentionally. However, if the lid 6 is strongly pulled, the lid 6 Can be pulled out to the front side of the main body case 1.

When the lid 6 is pulled out to the front of the main body case 1, the trackball unit 5 becomes rotatable about its pivot point in the direction of arrow A in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, the trackball 4 is rotated so as to be directed upward, and the lid 6 is pushed in the lower side in the direction of arrow B in FIG.
When the top surface 6b of the lid 6 is engaged with a and the movement of the lid 6 and the rotation of the trackball unit 5 are blocked, the trackball unit 5 is fixed at that position.

Therefore, as described above, when the trackball unit 5 is stored under the keyboard 2, it is possible to prevent accidental touching of the trackball 4 by hand while the keyboard 2 is being operated. It is easy to operate the keyboard because the trackball 4 is within the field of view and the trackball unit 5 is pulled out in front of the keyboard 2 so that the trackball 4 is located in front of the keyboard 2. Brings advantages.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, but includes the following modifications. In the above embodiment, the trackball unit 5 is rotatable in the main body case 1 and is housed in the recess 1a and is covered with the lid 6. However, as a method of housing the trackball unit 5,
A pull-out type or other storing method can be used, and the effect thereof is not different from that of the present embodiment. The present invention is not limited to the notebook personal computer, but can be widely applied to small electronic devices such as word processors (word processors).

[0016]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the trackball unit can be stored under the input means such as the keyboard when the trackball is not used, the input surface of the conventional keyboard or the like can hold the trackball. As compared with the case where the display is installed in the above, the area can be made smaller, and the flat area of the box shape when the display such as a liquid crystal is laid down on the input surface and carried can be made smaller, and the carrying can be facilitated. Further, there is an advantage that the erroneous operation of touching the trackball by mistake and rotating it, and the poor operability that causes the trackball to enter the field of view and disturb the eyes can be eliminated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a cross section of a main part of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the above trackball unit is pulled out to the front.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 main body case 1a recess 2 keyboard 3 display 4 trackball (pointing device) 5 trackball unit 6 lid

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An input device with a trackball, which comprises an input means such as a keyboard and a trackball, and stores a trackball unit in which the trackball is provided below the input means such as the keyboard. An input device with a trackball, wherein a trackball unit is attached so that the input means can be pulled out to the front surface.