JPH08106357A - Cord type mouse - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To improve the operability of the mouse by enabling a mouse body to be operated without paying attention to an external connecting cord even unless a system body is present in front of the mouse body. CONSTITUTION: A front connecting terminal 16 in the front of the mouse body 10 can connected the mouse body 10 to the external connecting cord 20. Further, a rear connecting terminal 17 at the rear of the mouse body 10 can connect the mouse body 10 to the external connecting cord 20 as well. An internal connecting line 15 transmits the same information (movement information generated by a movement information generation part 11, etc.) to both the front connecting terminal 16 and rear connecting terminal 17.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system main unit (CPU (Central Process) of a personal computer or a workstation) by an external connection cord.
ng Unit) and a casing part having a memory and the like), the present invention relates to a code type mouse which is a type of mouse input device (hereinafter, simply referred to as a mouse).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a mouse is widely used as a pointing device in a computer system or the like.

The mouse is of a type that is connected to the system body by an external connection cord (cord type mouse) and the type of mouse that can communicate with the system body without a cord by using infrared rays (cordless). There are two types: type mouse).

Of these, the present invention is directed to a cord type mouse.

Conventionally, this type of cord-type mouse had the appearance and configuration as shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b). That is, the external connection cord and the mouse body are connected only at one connection terminal (input terminal),
The connection terminal and the external connection cord could not be removed (usually, there is a connection terminal on the front part of the mouse body (see FIG. 5 for the front part / rear part of the mouse body), and the connection There is an external connection cord from the terminal to the system body).

[0006]

In the above-mentioned conventional cord type mouse, the external connection cord and the mouse body are
Since it is connected only at the connection terminal at the location (usually the location on the front of the mouse body), if the system body to be connected is on the front of the mouse body (as in Figure 3 (a)), the mouse The external connection cord does not get in the way while operating the main unit, but if the system main unit is under the desk or workbench (as in Fig. 3 (b)) or the system main body is a desk or workbench. When the mouse is located next to the mouse (as shown in FIG. 3C), the external connection cord may be entangled during the operation of the mouse body, which may be an obstacle.
That is, the conventional cord-type mouse has a drawback that the operability is deteriorated when the system main body to be connected exists on a surface other than the front surface of the mouse main body.

In view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to enable the mouse body to be operated without worrying about the external connection cord even when the system body is not present on the front surface of the mouse body, thereby improving the operability. To provide a chord type mouse.

As a conventional technique for improving the operability of a mouse, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-55622 (mouse input device) is disclosed. However, the conventional technique according to this publication is "in a mouse input device used by connecting to a personal computer or a workstation,
The height of the main body can be changed "(refer to page 125, upper left column, lines 5 to 7 of the publication) to improve the operability of the mouse, and the system main body exists on the front surface of the mouse main body. Even if it is not, the configuration is different from that of the present invention in which the mouse main body can be operated without worrying about the external connection cord to improve the operability of the mouse.

[0009]

The cord-type mouse of the present invention is a cord-type mouse which is used by being connected to a system body by an external connection cord, which is present at the front part of the mouse body and the external body. A front connecting terminal capable of connecting a connecting cord, a rear connecting terminal existing at a rear portion of the mouse main body and capable of connecting the mouse main body and the external connecting cord, the front connecting terminal and the rear connecting terminal And an internal connecting line for transmitting the same information.

[0010]

In the cord type mouse of the present invention, the front connecting terminal existing on the front part of the mouse main body can connect the mouse main body and the external connecting cord, and the rear connecting terminal existing on the rear part of the mouse main body. It is also possible to connect the mouse body to the external connection cord, and the internal connection line transmits the same information (movement information from the movement information generation unit) to the front connection terminal and the rear connection terminal.

[0011]

The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

1 (a) to 1 (d) are views showing the appearance and configuration of a cord type mouse according to an embodiment of the present invention. That is, FIG. 1A is a view (front view) showing the front part of the mouse body 10 of the cord-type mouse of this embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a view showing the rear part of the mouse body 10 (back view). 1 (c) is a diagram showing the external connection cord 20 of the cord type mouse of this embodiment, and FIG. 1 (d) is a diagram showing the configuration of the cord type mouse of this embodiment (of the mouse body 10). It is a bottom view of the cord type mouse of the present embodiment when the bottom plate is removed. In FIG. 1D, the external connection cord 20 extends from both the front connection terminal 16 and the rear connection terminal 17, but at some point, one of the connection terminals (the front connection terminal 16 or the rear connection terminal 16 or The external connection cord 20 is output only from the terminal 17).

The code type mouse of this embodiment generates data (input data of the system main body) given to the system main body when the user (operator) moves the mouse main body 10 itself or clicks (presses) the click button 8. The mouse main body 10 and the external connection cord 20 connecting the mouse main body 10 and the system main body are included.

The mouse body 10 includes a movement information generation unit 11
The internal connection line 15, the front connection terminal 16, the rear connection terminal 17, and the click button 18 are included. Although not shown, the internal connection line 15 also transmits the pressing information from the click button 18. In addition, there are holes near each of the front connecting terminal 16 and the rear connecting terminal 17 for passing the connecting terminal portion 22 in the external connecting cord 20 (see FIGS. 1A and 1B). .

The movement information generation unit 11 is configured to include an X-direction encoder 12, a Y-direction encoder 13, and a ball 14 (this configuration is similar to that of the prior art, and will be referred to in the following description of operation). do not do). It is needless to say that the present invention can be applied even if the movement information generation unit 11 is a code type mouse having a configuration other than the configuration shown in FIG. 1D (for example, movement information generation using a light emitting diode). The present invention can also be applied to a cord type mouse including a section).

The external connection cord 20 has a cord portion 21.
And a connection terminal portion 22. Due to the presence of a bulge at the center (bulge formed by an elastic body such as rubber), the connecting terminal portion 22 can be inserted into a hole in the vicinity of the front connecting terminal 16 and the rear connecting terminal 17 in the mouse body 10. It is made so that it is possible and does not easily escape from the hole. Further, the front connecting terminal 1 is provided at the tip of the connecting terminal portion 22.
6 and a hole for allowing the conductor portion of the rear connection terminal 17 and the conductor portion of the cord portion 21 to contact each other.

A protective cap (for example, like the connection terminal portion 22) formed of an elastic material such as rubber is used to cover the connection terminals (the front connection terminal 16 or the rear connection terminal 17) which are not used at this time. By providing a cap), it is possible to prevent dust from entering the inside of the mouse body 10 and prevent foreign substances from adhering to the front connecting terminals 16 or the rear connecting terminals 17 and inducing malfunction (the invention according to claim 3). reference).

FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining the operation of the cord type mouse of this embodiment. FIG. 2A is a diagram showing a state in which the external connection cord 20 is connected to the front connection terminal 16 in the mouse body 10,
FIG. 2B is a diagram showing a state in which the external connection cord 20 is connected to the rear connection terminal 17.

3A to 3C are views showing a concrete example of an environment in which the cord type mouse of this embodiment is actually used. 3A shows a case where the system main body exists on the front surface of the mouse main body 10, and FIG. 3B shows a case where the system main body exists under a desk or a work table. FIG. 3C shows the case where the system main body exists next to the desk or workbench (in the case shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C, “when the mouse main body 10 is not present on the front surface of the system main body”). Applicable).

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the flow of processing relating to the code type mouse of this embodiment. This process is performed by the mouse body / system body positional relationship determination step 401.
And external connection cord / front connection terminal connection step 402
And external connection cord / rear connection terminal connection step 403
And a movement information and pressing information input step 404.

Next, the operation of the cord type mouse of this embodiment constructed as described above will be described.

First, the operation when the code type mouse of this embodiment is used under the environment shown in FIG. 3A will be described.

In this case, the user determines in step 401 in FIG. 4 that "the mouse body 10 exists on the front surface of the system body", and the external connection cord 20 is connected to the front portion of the mouse body 10. Connect to terminal 16 (step 4)
02). FIG. 2A is a diagram showing the cord type mouse of this embodiment used in such a state.

Such a state (state shown in FIG. 2A)
In, the movement information generated by the movement information generation unit 11 and the pressing information instructed by pressing the click button 18 are input to the system main body via the internal connecting line 15, the front connecting terminal 16 and the external connecting cord 20. (Step 404).

Secondly, the operation when the code type mouse of this embodiment is used under the environment shown in FIG. 3B or 3C will be described.

In this case, the user determines in step 401 in FIG. 4 that "the mouse body 10 does not exist on the front surface of the system body" and sets the external connection cord 20 to the rear connection terminal in the mouse body 10. 17 (step 403). FIG. 2B is a diagram showing the cord-type mouse of this embodiment used in such a state.

As described above, in this embodiment, and further in the present invention, the external connection cord 20 can be detached from the mouse body 10, and the external connection cord 20 is connected to two connection terminals (the front connection terminal 16 and the front connection terminal 16). The rear connection terminal 17) is configured to be selectively connectable to the mouse body 10 (see FIG. 1 (d) etc.). Therefore, it is possible to change (connect) the connection mode shown in step 402 / step 403.

Such a state (state shown in FIG. 2B)
2, the movement information generated by the movement information generation unit 11 and the pressing information instructed by pressing the click button 18 are input to the system main body via the internal connection line 15, the rear connection terminal 17, and the external connection cord 20. (Step 404).

Here, the movement information generated by the movement information generation unit 11 and the pressing information based on the pressing of the click button 18 are the same as those shown in FIG. 2A if the movement of the mouse body 10 is the same. There is no difference from the case shown in FIG. Therefore, as long as the movement of the mouse body 10 is the same, the use mode shown in FIG.
Even in the use mode shown in (b), the same input data can be given to the system body. That is, there is no possibility that wrong input data will be given to the system main body due to reconnection of the external connection cord 20 (either to the front connection terminal 16 or the rear connection terminal 17 via the internal connection line 15). Is also given the same information).

Under the environment shown in FIGS. 3 (b) and 3 (c), in the case of the conventional cord type mouse, the external connection cord 20 comes to be covered by the user's hand (operating hand), which is an obstacle. Was becoming. However, in this embodiment,
Consequently, according to the present invention, the external connection cord 20 is connected to the rear part of the mouse body 10, so that the external connection cord 20
Is under the user's hand and is not covered by that hand. In this way, the troublesome operation caused by the presence of the external connection cord 20 is eliminated, and the operability is improved.

[0031]

As described above, according to the present invention, the external connection cord for connecting the mouse body and the system body is made detachable from the mouse body, and the external connection cord is provided on both the front part and the rear part of the mouse body. By making it possible to connect selectively, much of the annoyance due to the presence of the external connection code when moving the mouse body (such as the external connection code becoming an obstacle when moving the mouse body) And the operability of the cord type mouse can be improved.

By covering the connection terminals that are not used at this time with the protective cap, the harmful effects (such as dust entering the inside of the mouse body) that may be caused by installing the connection terminals before and after are prevented in advance. There is an effect that can be done.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an appearance and a configuration of a cord type mouse according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the chord type mouse shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a specific example of an environment in which the cord type mouse shown in FIG. 1 is used.

4 is a flow chart showing a flow of processing relating to the code type mouse shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the appearance and configuration of an example of a conventional cord type mouse.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Mouse body 20 External connection code 11 Movement information generation unit 12 X direction encoder 13 Y direction encoder 14 Ball 15 Internal connection line 16 Front connection terminal 17 Rear connection terminal 18 Click button 21 Code part 22 Connection terminal part

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A cord type mouse which is used by being connected to a system main body by an external connection cord, which comprises a front connecting terminal which is present at a front portion of the mouse main body and which can connect the mouse main body and the external connection cord. A rear connection terminal that is present at the rear of the mouse body and that can connect the mouse body and the external connection cord, and an internal connection line that transmits the same information to the front connection terminal and the rear connection terminal. A cord-type mouse having. 2. A movement information generation unit including an X-direction encoder, a Y-direction encoder, and a ball, wherein the front connection terminal and the rear connection terminal are connected to the movement information generation unit by an internal connection line. Claim 1 characterized by
Code type mouse described. 3. A protective cap for covering connection terminals not currently used.
Alternatively, the cord-type mouse according to claim 2.