JPH10177452A - Pointing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pointing device in which dusts on a plane are picked up by a sphere and prevented from being attached to the sphere. SOLUTION: Relating to a pointing device 1 which can move on a flat surface, a sphere 2 whose one part is projected and arranged from the opening of the lower surface of the device 1 can move by sliding or rotating on the flat surface when the device 1 moves, and a pointer mark on the screen of a display device attached to a computer or the like can move according to the rotation of the sphere 2. In this case, an area sufficient for preventing the intrusion of dusts or the like into the opening is occupied at the peripheral part of the opening of the lower surface of the device 1 so that a dust absorbing sheet 6 is attached.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pointing device, and more particularly, to a pointer mark on a screen of a display device attached to a computer or the like by moving on a flat surface such as a desk or a cushion pad. More particularly, the present invention relates to a pointing device having a dust removal function, which can move the camera to a desired position.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a pointing device is used along with a keyboard as a device for designating and inputting a coordinate position to a computer or the like.
The pointing device is usually called "mouse" (registered trademark) because of its shape, and this name is also used in this specification.

When a general mouse is moved on a flat surface such as a desk or the like, a sphere arranged so as to partially project from a circular opening on a lower surface of the mouse (in this field, "mouse ball" Or "trackball") is slidable and rotatable on said flat surface. When the sphere rotates, the two rollers disposed inside the mouse in contact with the sphere can rotate in conjunction with each other. Here, the two rollers in the mouse are connected to a sensor that converts the amount of rotation into an electric signal, and the rollers are usually arranged so that they are at right angles to each other. It rotates according to the movement of the sphere, and can divide the movement of the sphere into rectangular coordinate parts. The rotation amount of the roller is read as an electric signal by a sensor, and is linked to a coordinate position of a computer or the like. As a result, the pointer mark (usually represented by an "arrow") on the screen of a display device attached to a computer or the like can be moved to a desired position according to the rotation amount of the sphere.

However, in the conventional mouse, when it is moved on a plane such as a desk, it is often the case that dust on the plane is picked up and adhered to the sphere, and the amount of rotation of the sphere is smoothly and accurately adjusted. There is a problem in that the position cannot be transmitted to the roller, and accurate position input becomes impossible. In order to avoid this problem, in the conventional technology, the mouse is not moved directly on a flat surface such as a desk, and a cushioning pad called a mouse pad is used, or a cleaning brush is used around the sphere. Frequent cleaning is done.

Further, as a further solution to the above-mentioned problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 1-94421 is characterized in that a means for eliminating dust at least in the peripheral portion of a sphere, specifically, a brush is provided. A pointing device is disclosed. As shown in a perspective view of the lower surface in FIG. 1, the pointing device 1 can output an electric signal from the pointing device 1 to a computer or the like (not shown) via a cable 3. In the device 1, the brush 11 is arranged so as to surround the sphere 2 arranged so as to be partially exposed on the lower surface 10, or along the periphery of the lower surface 10 (not shown). By arranging the brush 11, it is possible to prevent dust such as scraps of eraser and paper debris from reaching and adhering to the periphery of the sphere, and to clean the scanning portion of the mouse. However, since the brush as the dust removing means is for removing dust, it is not enough to completely prevent dust from adhering to the sphere. In addition, this pointing device often has the disadvantage that the brush itself often picks up dust during use, and the brush must be cleaned frequently. If the brush is saturated with dust, the dust cannot be removed from the sphere, and the brush cannot be replaced when the brush is contaminated so that it cannot be used. doing. Further, in this device, there is a problem that the sphere is not smoothly slid and rotated on a plane because the dust removing means attached to the lower surface of the device has a thickness.

Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-13692 discloses that
Disclosed is a position input device provided with an annular dust removing means, specifically, a brush, a felt, etc., which is in contact with the sphere around the exposed part of the sphere. As shown in FIG. 2, the position input device 1 comes into contact with an inner edge of an opening for the sphere 2 provided on the lower surface 10, from the portion toward the inside, and the tip thereof contacts the surface of the sphere 2. Thus, the brush 12 is attached. Although not shown, dust removing means such as felt may be provided instead of the brush. Further, in the drawing, reference numeral 4 denotes a roller that can rotate in accordance with the rotation of the sphere 2, and reference numeral 5 denotes a rotation sensor that detects the rotation amount of the roller 4 and outputs an electric signal indicating the rotation amount. In this position input device, unlike the above-mentioned pointing device, a sphere itself is provided with dust removing means such as a brush and felt, so that dust on a plane is effectively prevented from adhering to the sphere and the roller in contact with the sphere. Can be prevented. However, in this device, since the removal of the dust is left only to the dust removing means that is in contact with the sphere, the attachment of the dust to the sphere cannot be completely eliminated, and, similarly to the above-mentioned pointing device, The problem of garbage saturation of the garbage removing means and the problem of replacement of the means cannot be solved.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve many of the problems of the prior art as described above, and the attached sphere picks up dust on a flat surface such as eraser dust and paper waste. An object of the present invention is to provide an improved pointing device that does not adhere to the sphere. It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved pointing device which, when used, does not involve the problem of dust saturation of the dust removal means, such as a brush, or the problem of replacement of the means.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a pointing device movable on a flat surface, wherein when the device is moved, an opening in a lower surface of the device is partially opened. A sphere arranged so as to protrude can slide on the flat surface and move under rotation, and can move a pointer mark on a screen of a display device attached to a computer or the like according to the rotation of the sphere. In a pointing device, a dust adsorbing sheet is attached to a peripheral portion of an opening on a lower surface of the device so as to occupy an area sufficient to prevent intrusion of dust and the like into the opening. Can be achieved by:

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A pointing device according to the present invention can be basically configured similarly to a position input device generally called a "mouse".
Therefore, although not described in detail in the specification of the present application, the pointing device according to the present invention can have the same configuration and perform the same function as the conventional one, unless otherwise specified. .

The pointing device of the present invention is therefore movable on a flat surface such as a table (desk or the like), a mouse pad or the like, and is provided on the lower surface of the device when the device is moved for position input. A sphere arranged so as to protrude partly from the normal circular opening provided is slidable on the flat surface and movable under rotation, and a display attached to a computer or the like according to the rotation of the sphere. The pointer mark on the screen of the device can be moved.

[0011] In the pointing device of the present invention, in particular, the peripheral edge of the opening on the lower surface of the device occupies a sufficient area to prevent dust and the like from entering the opening.
It is characterized in that a dust adsorption sheet is attached. That is, in the pointing device of the present invention,
It is characterized in that a dust absorbing sheet having a dust removing function is attached around a sphere exposed on the lower surface of the device.

The dust-absorbing sheet used in the present invention has a unique surface layer, and can capture and adsorb dust and the like by its texture. The material used for the dust adsorbing sheet is not particularly limited as long as the texture of the surface of the material exhibits the intended dust capturing and adsorbing function, but is preferably formed from a natural or synthetic material, a non-woven fabric,
Woven, knitted or a combination thereof. Preferred examples of these sheet materials include, but are not limited to, those listed below, for example, polyolefin resins,
Polyvinyl resin, polyamide resin, polyester resin,
Polyurethane resins, fluorocarbon resins (eg, Teflon ^™ resin), other synthetic resins, cotton, silk, wool, cellulose, other natural fibers, semi-synthetic fibers such as acetate fibers, and others. In particular, polypropylene, polyolefin resins such as polyethylene and polyamide resins,
Polyester resin and the like are inexpensive and easy to process and process, and thus are suitable as the sheet material of the present invention.

When the sheet material as described above is used for the dust-absorbing sheet of the present invention, not only the excellent dust-absorbing effect as described above can be exhibited, but also
Due to the appropriate thickness and characteristics of the material, the pointing device can function as a cushioning material when sliding on a flat surface, and can prevent smooth sliding and generation of unpleasant noise during sliding. The thickness of the sheet material is arbitrary as long as the above-mentioned effects are not adversely affected, but it is necessary that the thickness is at least sufficient to ensure normal sliding of the device on a flat surface. .

The above-described sheet material may be used as it is, or may be used after being subjected to any processing or treatment for improving its performance and the like, if necessary. For example, in order to efficiently capture and adsorb finer dust and the like than dust such as the above-mentioned eraser waste and paper waste, the surface of the sheet material is subjected to coral discharge treatment or the like by corona discharge treatment or the like. Similar processing may be performed. In addition, when the pointing device is slid on a flat surface such as a desk, the surface of the sheet material may be coated or impregnated with a processing agent such as a lubricant or a back surface release agent to smooth the movement. . Further, the sheet material may be colored with an appropriate coloring agent to facilitate identification of the attached dust and the like,
When the pointing device of the present invention is used,
Although sliding on a flat surface can be performed quietly as compared with a conventional device, a friction-reducing paint or a vibration-proof and sound-proof paint may be applied to the sheet material to further suppress noise during sliding. Furthermore, after attaching a sheet material to the lower surface of the device to form a dust-absorbing sheet, the sheet is heat-sealed at the edge of the sheet to prevent the sheet from turning up from the edge during use and fraying. The sheet may be treated with an ultrasonic seal or the like and bonded, or a binder, for example, a thin paste, may be applied to the edge of the sheet.

[0015] Other improvements may be made to the sheet material. For example, a dust adsorbing sheet is formed by laminating two or more sheet materials, and when a large amount of dust adheres, the outermost layer of the sheet material can be peeled off in order, thereby reducing the time required to replace the dust adsorbing sheet. Can also be omitted. Also, at the end of the sheet material, a tab (knob) having a shape and a size that does not hinder the sliding of the device on a flat surface is provided in order to improve workability when replacing the sheet material with a new sheet material. It is also recommended to provide.

When the sheet material as described above is used as a dust adsorbing sheet, it is not attached to a narrow band in a linear pattern like a dust removing means in a conventional device, but an opening on the lower surface of a pointing device. It is indispensable to occupy an area sufficient to prevent intrusion of dust or the like into the opening at the peripheral portion of the device. According to the findings of the present inventors, it is preferable that the zone where the sheet material is attached covers at least a substantial portion of the peripheral portion of the opening, that is, a portion corresponding to the area of the opening. Therefore, it is preferable that the sheet material is usually mounted so as to occupy almost half to almost the entire lower surface of the device. Here, the occupation pattern of the sheet material can be variously changed depending on the shape of the unevenness of the lower surface of the device and other factors, but is preferably circular or rectangular (square, rectangular, etc.).

More specifically, the sheet material attached to the periphery of the opening on the lower surface of the pointing device is defined by the outer periphery of the sheet material, and is a generally circular opening substantially at the center of the sheet material. It is preferable that the shortest distance from the inner edge portion to the outer circumference is at least 5 mm, and the longest distance is not particularly limited, but is generally preferably about 50 mm. If the width of the sheet material surrounding the opening on the lower surface of the device is smaller than 5 mm, the effect of adsorbing dust is weakened, and it is difficult to stabilize the device when placed on a flat surface. Conversely, if the area surrounding the opening on the underside of the device exceeds 50 mm,
Depending on the size of the device, some of the sheet material may protrude from the underside of the device.

As described above, the sheet material attached to the periphery of the opening on the lower surface of the pointing device preferably has a circular opening substantially at the center of the sheet material. The position of the opening in the sheet material must, of course, correspond to the position of the sphere exposed on the underside of the device. Also, the shape of the opening of this sheet material is
In consideration of the design of the device and the like, the shape may be other than a circle as necessary.

The sphere of the device and the inner edge of the opening of the sheet material may not be in contact with each other. However, preferably, in order to remove dust or the like adhering to the surface of the sphere in some cases, the sphere of the sheet material is preferably Preferably, the inner edge of the opening is at least partially, preferably entirely, in contact with the surface of the sphere. Since the sheet material used in the present invention is excellent in strength such as toughness, it does not suffer damage such as breakage even if it is constantly brought into contact with a sphere.

The dust absorbing sheet of the present invention can be attached to the lower surface of the pointing device using various techniques. In particular, it is preferable that an adhesive is applied to the lower surface of the sheet material, and the dust adsorption sheet is adhered to the lower surface of the device via the adhesive layer. The pressure-sensitive adhesive may be applied to the entire lower surface of the sheet material, or if necessary, a satisfactory effect can be obtained even partially, and if there is no adverse effect, the adhesive is partially or entirely applied to the lower surface of the sheet material. It may be selectively applied. The pressure-sensitive adhesive used here can be a pressure-sensitive adhesive well-known in bonding chemistry, and those known pressure-sensitive adhesives may be used alone, or two or more types of pressure-sensitive adhesives may be used. They may be used in combination. Examples of suitable adhesives include, but are not limited to, those listed below, synthetic rubber-based adhesives, acrylic adhesives, natural rubber-based adhesives, silicone-based adhesives,
It includes urethane-based adhesives and the like. In particular, the synthetic rubber-based and acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesives are inexpensive and, when applied, can exhibit appropriate adhesive strength, holding power, and peeling strength to the lower surface of the device, so that the pressure-sensitive adhesive in the practice of the present invention It is suitable as.

The pressure-sensitive adhesive layer may be formed by applying a solution of the pressure-sensitive adhesive to the lower surface of the sheet material. Alternatively, as is often used for bonding a sheet material or the like, an existing pressure-sensitive adhesive tape may be formed on a sheet. It may be used by bonding to a material. Further, the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer may have a single-layer structure, or a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer having good adhesion to the lower surface of the sheet material and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer having good adhesion to the lower surface of the device. It may be a combined two-layer or more multilayer structure.

As described above, the pointing device
Attach the dust absorbing sheet to the bottom of the
Can be advantageously implemented by intervening
You. Also, in selecting the adhesive to be used at that time,
Make that choice so that the dust absorption sheet is replaceable
It is preferred to do so. For example, as an adhesive, Scotch
B ^TM(3M) or Scotch^TMMending
(Such as those used in 3M)
By using, dirt is conspicuous on the dust adsorption sheet
Each time it comes, the sheet becomes a new dust-absorbing sheet
Can be replaced to avoid position input malfunction etc.
You.

In practicing the present invention, the attachment of the dust absorbing sheet to the lower surface of the pointing device can be performed using means other than the adhesive layer. For example, as a means that can be simply and reliably performed without causing any trouble or the like, there is a mechanical fastening system (usually, mechanical fastening is enabled by entanglement of a hook and a loop). The use of this system can further enhance the cushioning of the device, which is enhanced by the use of the dust-absorbing sheet of the present invention, in addition to the strong fastening and the ease of re-peeling.
The shape and size of the hook and loop can be arbitrarily changed according to the configuration and material of the dust absorbing sheet and other factors, respectively. For details of the mechanical fastening system, refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-509991 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 8-17793.

Although the present invention has been described in the context of a pointing device in particular, the technical concept of dust suction of the present invention can be advantageously applied to other position input devices using a sphere (trackball). This technical concept is particularly applied to a trackball that is widespread in a notebook computer, that is, a dust-absorbing sheet of the present invention is adhered around the trackball, and the trackball is exposed to dust or the like during use. Contamination can be prevented.

[0025]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following drawings, it is to be understood in advance that the respective components of the pointing device are not drawn to an accurate scale for easy understanding. For example, a significant portion of the sphere protrudes from the underside of the device, but in practice only a small amount of the sphere is exposed. Further, although the internal structure of the device is not shown in these drawings, it should be understood that the internal structure may be similar to that of a conventional device.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show a preferred example of the pointing device according to the present invention. By moving the pointing device 1 on a flat surface such as a desk, the pointing device 1 can slidably rotate a sphere 2 built therein and partially exposed from the lower surface 10 of the device. When the sphere 2 rotates, two rollers (not shown) arranged inside the device 1 in contact with the sphere can rotate in conjunction with each other. The two rollers in the device 1 are connected to a sensor (not shown) that converts the amount of rotation into an electric signal, and the respective rollers are usually arranged so that they are at right angles to each other. It rotates according to the movement of the sphere, and the movement of the sphere can be divided into rectangular coordinate parts. The amount of rotation of the roller is read as an electric signal by a sensor and linked with the coordinate position of a computer or the like. Therefore, a pointer mark (usually an "arrow") on the screen of a display device attached to the computer or the like
) Can be moved to a desired position according to the amount of rotation of the sphere.

Here, since the dust adsorbing sheet 6 is attached to the lower surface 10 of the pointing device 1 of the present invention so as to surround the sphere 2, there is a possibility that the dust adsorption sheet 6 will adhere to the sphere 2 during use of the device 1. Certain types of dust can be captured by the sheet 6 and prevented from adhering to a sphere.
In addition, since the dust adsorption sheet 6 has an appropriate cushioning property, the device 1 can run smoothly, and at the same time, unpleasant noise can be prevented from being generated.

In the example shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the dust suction sheet 6 is attached to almost the entire area of the lower surface 10 of the pointing device 1. As shown in a cross section in FIG. 4, the dust adsorption sheet 6 includes a sheet material 7 and an adhesive layer 8 on the lower surface thereof, and is adhered to the lower surface 10 of the device 1 via the adhesive layer 8. ing. The pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 8 used here enables the dust-absorbing sheet 6 to be firmly bonded to the device 1, while the dust-absorbing sheet 6 having conspicuous dirt is replaced with a new one when the dust-absorbing sheet 6 is replaced with a new sheet. Can be easily peeled off from the lower surface 10.

The pattern of the dust absorbing sheet 6 on the lower surface 10 of the pointing device 1 can be of various shapes. For example, in addition to a rectangular shape as shown in FIG. 5, a square shape as shown in FIG. 6 or a circular shape as shown in FIG. Here, the circular opening formed substantially at the center of each dust adsorption sheet 6 corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the sphere. In the illustrated example, the distance between the inner edge of the opening of the sheet 6 and the surface of the sphere is considerably large,
Actually, the interval may be further reduced to be negligible, and this is preferable in terms of dust adsorption. More preferably, as shown in FIG.
Is brought into contact with the surface of the spherical body 2 so that dust and the like adhering to the spherical body 2 can be efficiently removed. The contact of the end of the dust adsorption sheet 6 with the sphere 2 may be performed on the entire end or on a part of the end.

The attachment of the dust absorbing sheet 6 to the lower surface 10 of the pointing device 1 can be performed in various preferable forms. For example, even when the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 8 is used, as shown in FIG. 9, the first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 18 having excellent adhesion to the device 1 and the sheet material 7 are used.
And a second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 19 having an excellent adhesion to the second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. Further, instead of using the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, a mechanical fastening system 20 may be used as shown in FIG. In the illustrated example, a loop member 21 is attached to the lower surface 10 of the device 1, and a hook member 22 is attached to the lower surface of the sheet material 7. The entanglement of the loop member 21 and the hook member 22 allows the dust adsorption sheet 6 to be firmly attached to the device 1 and can be easily peeled when the sheet 6 is replaced. Further, the attachment of the sheet material using the same mechanical fastening system can also be performed by a method as shown in FIG. In the illustrated example, a hook member 9 is attached to the lower surface 10 of the device 1, and a sheet material 7 having a function as a loop material is attached to the hook surface of the hook member. The function of the sheet material as a loop material may depend on the nature or structure of the sheet material itself, or another loop member may be combined with the sheet material. Also in the case of this example, the dust adsorbing sheet 6 is firmly attached to the device 1 by the entanglement of the sheet material 7 and the hook member 9 and can be easily peeled when the sheet 6 is replaced.

[0031]

As described above, when the pointing device according to the present invention is used, the attached sphere does not pick up dust on a flat surface such as eraser dust or paper waste and adhere to the sphere. When inputting location information to a computer, etc., if work is not interrupted,
There is no erroneous input. Also, this remarkable effect can be achieved without using the mouse pad as in the usual example.
In other words, the same can be achieved when the pointing device of the present invention is slid directly on a plane such as a desk. With this pointing device, not only can the device be smoothly slid when sliding on a flat surface, but also the occurrence of unpleasant noise during the sliding can be suppressed. Further, since only the dust adsorption sheet can be easily replaced, the workability can be improved and the cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lower surface of a conventional pointing device showing the arrangement of dust removing means in the device.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration inside a device and an arrangement of dust removing means in a conventional position input device.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a preferred example of a pointing device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an attached state of a dust adsorption sheet of the pointing device shown in FIG. 3;

5 is a bottom view showing an attachment pattern of a dust suction sheet on a lower surface of the pointing device shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view showing a modification of the attachment pattern of the dust suction sheet shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a bottom view showing another modification of the attachment pattern of the dust suction sheet shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of an attached state of the dust adsorption sheet shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the method for attaching the dust suction sheet of the pointing device of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing still another embodiment of a method for attaching a dust adsorption sheet to a pointing device of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing still another embodiment of a method for attaching a dust adsorption sheet to a pointing device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Pointing device 2 ... Sphere 3 ... Cable 6 ... Dust adsorption sheet 7 ... Sheet material 8 ... Adhesive layer 9 ... Hook member 10 ... Device bottom surface 18 ... 1st adhesive layer 19 ... 2nd adhesive layer 20 ... Mechanical fastening System 21: Loop member 22: Hook member

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A pointing device movable on a flat surface, wherein when the device is moved, a sphere arranged so as to partially protrude from an opening on a lower surface of the device is arranged on the flat surface. A pointing device that can move the pointer mark on the screen of a display device attached to a computer or the like in accordance with the rotation of the sphere, and can move the pointer mark on the screen of a display device attached to a computer or the like according to the rotation of the sphere A dust adsorbing sheet attached to the opening so as to occupy a sufficient area for preventing dust and the like from entering the opening. 2. The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein a dust or the like can be captured and sucked by a texture provided on a surface of the dust suction sheet. 3. The non-woven fabric, the woven fabric,
The pointing device according to claim 2, wherein the pointing device is made of a sheet material of a knitted fabric or a combination thereof. 4. An opening corresponding to an opening on a lower surface of the device is provided at a substantially central portion of the dust absorbing sheet, and an inner edge of the sheet opening is at least partially in contact with the sphere. Claims 1-3 characterized by the above-mentioned.
The pointing device according to any one of the above items. 5. The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the dust adsorption sheet is attached to a lower surface of the device via an adhesive layer. 6. The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the dust adsorption sheet is replaceable.