JPH10289059A - Pointing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily input double crick signals to various information units by outputting a single crick signal when only a key top is depressed and outputting the double crick signal when the key top and a depression part are simultaneously depressed. SOLUTION: The key top 8 which is installed on a through hole 76 and which can independently be depressed and plural depression key switches 91 and 92 which are installed in a lower cover 61 and face a depression part 71a or the key top 8 are provided. When the key top 8 is depressed, the depression key switch 91 positioned just below through a depression rib is depressed, the depression key switch 91 positioned just below when a depression part 71b is depressed and the depression key switch 92 when the depression part 71a is depressed. When only the depression key switch 91 is depressed through the key top 8, the single crick signal corresponding to the depression key switch 91 is outputted and the double crick signal when the depression key switches 91 and 92 are simultaneously depressed through the depression part 71a and the key top 8.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pointing device for inputting coordinate information to various information devices such as a personal computer, and more particularly to a pointing device capable of easily inputting a double-click signal to various information devices.

In a current information device such as a personal computer, a pointing device called a mouse is widely used together with a keyboard. When an icon or the like is selected on a screen of a display device, a double click signal is input from the pointing device.

However, input of a double-click signal by a pointing device is not recognized as a double-click signal if the speed and timing of operating the press lever are different from the conditions set in advance in the information device, making it difficult for a beginner to operate. ing.

Therefore, there is a demand for the development of a pointing device capable of easily inputting a double-click signal to various information devices.

[0005]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a conventional pointing device. In FIG. 5, the mouse-type pointing device includes a housing 1, a ball 3, a rotation detecting mechanism 4, and a signal input unit 5, and the housing 1 is a lower cover formed by molding a resin as shown in FIG. It is composed of 11, a holder 12 and an upper cover 13.

The lower cover 11 and the upper cover 13 arranged so that the openings face each other are fitted so that the edges of the openings abut against each other, and the lower cover 11 is supported by a plurality of spacers 14 formed on a flat lower surface and operated. It can move freely on the surface 2.

The ball 3 is inserted into a space formed by a lower cover 11 having an opening at the center and a holder 12 and a part thereof projects from the opening. The ball 3 moves as the lower cover 11 moves. It is held so as to freely roll on the operation surface 2 in the direction in which it moves.

As shown in FIG. 5B, the lower cover 11 is provided with a rotation detecting mechanism 4 for detecting the rotation angle of the ball 3 in the X-axis / Y-axis directions.
And a rotation angle detecting element 43 opposed to the rotation body 42.

The rotating shaft 41 to which the rotating body 42 is fixed is rotatably supported at both ends by, for example, a bearing arm integrally formed with the holder 12, and the ball 3 moves on the operation surface 2 as the lower cover 11 moves. A rotating shaft that contacts the ball 3 when it rolls
The rotating body 41 and the rotating body 42 rotate.

The pointing device is a rotation detecting mechanism 4
In addition, a signal input unit 5 including a plurality of push button switches 51 and a push lever 52 is provided.
As shown in (a), it is mounted on a printed circuit board 53 mounted inside the lower cover 11.

The pressing lever 52 has a pressing portion 54 exposed above the upper cover 13 and an arm portion 55 for locking the pressing portion 54 to the upper cover 13.
When pressed, the pressing rib 56 on the lower surface of the pressing lever 52 is located above the push button switch 51.

When the pointing device is operated, the palm of the operator holds the upper cover and a finger is hung on the pressing portion. When a finger (not shown) presses the pressing portion 54, the arm portion 55 is bent and the push button switch immediately below is pressed. 51 is pushed down via the pushing rib 56.

When such a pointing device moves a cursor on a screen of a display device in an arbitrary direction, for example, the ball 3 is rolled in the moving direction, so that the rotation detecting mechanism 4 rotates the X-axis / Y-axis direction. A signal corresponding to the corner is output.

When selecting an icon or the like on the screen of the display device, for example, after moving the cursor to the position of the icon or the like, one of the push button switches 51 is depressed once or twice via the depressing lever 52. By doing so, an icon or the like on the screen is selected.

When the push button switch 51 is pressed once, a click signal (hereinafter referred to as a single click signal) is output from the pointing device, and the push button switch 51
When pressed twice, a double click signal is output from the pointing device.

Whether a single click signal or a double click signal to be output when selecting an icon or the like is determined for each application, and conditions such as the pressing speed and timing when the double click signal is recognized are determined in advance. The information device is set.

[0017]

However, the speed and timing of pressing the pressing portion of the pointing device are different between a beginner and a skilled person. It is determined as two single click signals without being recognized.

That is, in the conventional pointing device, if the speed or timing of operating the push lever is different from a preset condition, the operation is not recognized as a double-click signal, so that it becomes extremely difficult for a novice to operate the information device. was there.

An object of the present invention is to provide a pointing device that can easily input a double-click signal to various information devices.

[0020]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a pointing device according to the present invention. The same object is denoted by the same symbol throughout the drawings.

The above-mentioned problem is caused by a lower cover 61 and an upper cover 62 whose edges are in contact with each other, a pressing lever 7 having a pressing portion 71a provided with a through hole 76 to be locked to the upper cover 62 through an arm 72, It has a key top 8 which is mounted in the through hole 76 and can be pressed independently, and a plurality of push button switches 91 and 92 which are mounted in the lower cover 61 and face the pressing portion 71a or the key top 8, and only the key top is pressed. This is achieved by the pointing device of the present invention in which a single click signal is output when the button is pressed, and a double click signal is output when the keytop and the pressing unit are pressed simultaneously.

As described above, the pressing portion provided with the through-hole is locked by the upper cover via the arm portion, the key top mounted on the through-hole and capable of being pressed independently, and the key-top mounted in the lower cover and pressed. Unit or a plurality of push button switches facing the key top, a single click signal is output when only the key top is pressed, and a double click signal is output when the key top and the pressing lever are simultaneously pressed. The output pointing device of the present invention can be easily operated even by a beginner without worrying about the speed and timing of operating the push lever.

Furthermore, for example, by mounting a microcomputer for determination in a pointing device, the present invention can be applied to various information devices, and the key top can be pressed alone without moving the finger on the key top and the pressing lever. Since the keytop and the pressing lever can be pressed simultaneously, operability is not reduced even if a pushbutton switch is added so that a double-click signal can be easily output.

That is, it is possible to realize a pointing device that can easily input a double-click signal to various information devices.

[0025]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 2 is a diagram showing details of an upper cover in the embodiment, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing details of a pressing lever in the embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing details of a key top in the embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b), the pointing device according to the present invention has a housing having a lower cover 61 and an upper cover 62, and a lower cover 61 and an upper cover 62 arranged so that the openings face each other. Are fitted so that the edges of the openings abut each other.

As shown in FIG. 2 (b), the upper cover 62 has step portions 63 corresponding to the stroke of the pressing portion in the mounting region of the pressing lever. A long hole 65 and a square hole 66 are provided in the upper cover 62.

The upper cover 62 is provided as shown in FIG.
As shown in (c), a screw boss 67 is provided on the lower surface for screwing to the lower cover 61, and a plurality of hooks 68 and projections 69 respectively corresponding to the square hole and the long hole of the arm portion for locking the pressing lever. Is provided.

The push lever 7 has push portions 71a and 71b and an arm portion 72 connecting the push portions inside the upper cover as shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b). A square hole 73 for locking the lever 7 to the upper cover and a positioning long hole 74 are provided.

A through hole 76 is formed near the center of the pressing portion 71a so as to slidably hold a key top inserted from below. A pressing rib 75a having a cross-shaped cross section or an elliptical cross section is provided below.

The other pressing portion 71b is connected to the pressing portion 71a.
Unlike the through hole 76, which can slidably hold the key top
And a pressing rib 75b having a cross-shaped or elliptical cross-section hanging down from the vicinity of the center on the lower surface at a position corresponding to the through hole 76.

The square hole 73 and the long hole 74 of the arm 72 penetrating the slit 64 of the upper cover 62 are fitted to and engaged with the hook 68 and the projection 69, as shown in FIG.
The pressing portions 71a and 71b exposed on the upper portion 62 are locked to the upper cover 62 via the arm portion 72.

As shown in FIG. 4, the key top 8 inserted into the through hole 76 of the pressing portion 71a has a flange 81 and a pressing rib 82 at the center of the lower surface, and the key top 8 is inserted into the through hole 76. In this case, as shown in FIG. 4D, a cushioning material 83 is interposed between the pressing portion 71 and the flange 81.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the printed circuit board 9 mounted on the lower cover 61 has two push button switches 91 and one push button switch 92, and the push button switch 91 includes a push rib 75b and a push rib 82. The push button switch 92 is located immediately below and has a push rib.
Located below 75a.

Therefore, when the key top 8 is pressed down, the push button switch 91 located immediately below via the pressing rib is pressed by the pressing portion.
When 71b is pressed, the push button switch 91 located immediately below via the pressing rib is pressed, and when the pressing section 71a is pressed, the push button switch 92 is pressed via the pressing rib.

The key top 8 inserted into the through hole 76 has at least a stroke corresponding to the stroke of the push button switch 91 protruding from the upper surface of the pressing portion 71. By pressing only the key top 8, the pressing portion 71a is not pressed. The push button switch 91 is pressed via the pressing rib 82.

When the pressing portion 71a is pressed down, the push button switch 92 located immediately below the pressing rib 75a is pressed via the pressing rib.
Push button switch by the action of cushioning material 83 interposed between 81
91 is never pressed.

Moreover, a push button switch via the key top 8
Pressing the button 91 and pressing the push button switch 92 via the pressing section 71a
Is pressed, no excessive pressing force is applied to the push button switch 91 by the action of the cushioning material 83 interposed between the pressing portion 71a and the flange 81.

Although not shown, a microcomputer for discriminating the push-button switches is mounted on the printed circuit board 9 mounted on the lower cover 61, and the microcomputer determines the timing of the pushed push-button switches and clicks the button corresponding to each push-button switch. A signal is output.

That is, a push button switch via the key top 8
A single click signal corresponding to the push button switch 91 is output when only the button 91 is pressed, and a double click signal is output when the push button switches 91 and 92 are simultaneously pressed via the pressing unit 71a and the key top 8.

As described above, the pressing portion provided with the through hole is locked by the upper cover via the arm portion, the key top which is mounted in the through hole and can be pressed independently, and the pressing portion which is mounted in the lower cover and is pressed. Unit or a plurality of push button switches facing the key top, a single click signal is output when only the key top is pressed, and a double click signal is output when the key top and the pressing lever are simultaneously pressed. The output pointing device of the present invention can be easily operated even by a beginner without worrying about the speed and timing of operating the push lever.

Furthermore, for example, by mounting a microcomputer for determination on a pointing device, the present invention can be applied to various information devices, and the key top can be pressed alone without moving the finger on the key top and the pressing lever, or Since the keytop and the pressing lever can be pressed simultaneously, operability is not reduced even if a pushbutton switch is added so that a double-click signal can be easily output.

That is, it is possible to realize a pointing device that can easily input a double-click signal to various information devices.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a pointing device that can easily input a double-click signal to various information devices.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a pointing device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing details of an upper cover in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing details of a push lever in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing details of a key top in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a conventional pointing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 7 Press lever 8 Key top 9 Printed circuit board 61 Lower cover 62 Upper cover 63 Step 64 Slit 65 Long hole 66 Square hole 67 Screw boss 68 Hook 69 Projection 71a, 71b Press down portion 72 Arm 73 Square hole 74 Long hole 75a, 75b Press down Rib 76 Through hole 81 Flange 82 Push-down rib 83 Buffer material 91, 92 Push-button switch

Claims (1)

[Claims] An upper cover and a lower cover in which the edges of the opening abut against each other; a pressing lever provided with a through-hole, the pressing lever being locked to the upper cover via an arm; A key top that can be pressed down, and a plurality of push button switches mounted inside the lower cover and facing the pressing lever or the key top. When only the key top is pressed down, a single click signal is output. A double-click signal is output when the key top and the pressing lever are simultaneously pressed.