JPH10293645A - Mouse - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mouse which can be used even in an environment where a conventional mouse is not available. SOLUTION: The spherical casings 2, 3 and 14 contain a weight 10 having its centroid displaced toward a lower hemisphere, and a detection means 9 which detects the tilting direction and value of the weight 10. Then a press type manipulator 4 is attached to the casings and these casings are entirely covered with the waterproof and dustproof shielding members 13a and 13b and the flexible cushion members 1 and 11. When an entire mouse is rolled, the weight 10 is tilted and the coordinate value is decided based on the output of the means 9. Then the manipulator 4 is pressed and clicked when the members 1 and 11 are compressed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mouse which is a kind of input device to a computer, and more particularly to a mouse which can be used in an environment which is not suitable for a conventional mouse.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a general-purpose computer or a dedicated device using a computer (for example, a CAD), the position indicated by a pointer on a display screen is moved, and a command (click) for deciding at a specific indicated position is made. A mouse is widely used as an input device for performing the operation.

The basic structure of a conventional mouse is shown in
As disclosed in JP-B-138244, a rotating member (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
No. 83 discloses a track ball as a rotating body) and is mounted so as to be rotatable in all directions, and two rollers are provided inside the casing, respectively. Are rotatably mounted on two axes orthogonal to each other in a state of contact with the shaft.

In use, the casing is slid over a sufficiently flat place such as a pad to transmit rotation from the rotating body to these rollers. Is determined, and the coordinate value on the Y-axis is determined based on the rotation amount of the other roller.

[0005]

However, such a conventional mouse has the following disadvantages. (1) On a place that is not flat (a place with irregularities), even if the casing is slid, the body to be rotated does not rotate well, so that it is not suitable for use.

(2) Since the object to be rotated is exposed to the outside, water, dust, oil and dirt on the surface of the hand in devices installed around water or outdoors, such as kitchens, washrooms, and bathrooms. May enter the gap between the rotating body and the roller, and the rotation of the rotating body may not be transmitted to the roller accurately. Therefore, such devices were not suitable for use.

(3) Since the casing is generally formed of plastic or the like, it is easily broken or injured immediately in a device that is handled in a rough manner or places importance on safety, such as a learning device for infants. Or cause it. Therefore, such a device was not suitable for use.

As described above, the conventional mouse has a disadvantage that an environment suitable for use is limited. The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has as its object to provide a mouse with an expanded usable environment.

[0009]

The mouse according to the present invention comprises:
The spherical casing includes a weight and detecting means for detecting the direction and amount of tilt of the weight. The weight is tilted by rolling the casing, and the coordinate value is determined based on the output of the detecting means. Is determined.

According to this mouse, when the spherical casing is rolled in a desired direction by a desired amount, the tilt direction and the tilt amount of the weight in the casing change accordingly. Then, this change is detected by the detecting means, and the coordinate value is determined based on the detected output.

Rolling the spherical casing and tilting the weight in this way is different from rotating the rotating body by sliding the casing as in a conventional mouse, and is easy to perform even on an uneven surface. Can be. Therefore,
Also suitable for use on uneven surfaces. Moreover,
It is not necessary to use a pad like a conventional mouse.

Since the weight is not exposed to the outside unlike the conventional rotating object of the mouse, it is hardly affected by water, dust, oil or dirt on the surface of the hand. Therefore, it is also suitable for use in devices installed around water or outdoors such as kitchens, washrooms, and bathrooms.

As an example, it is preferable to make the center of gravity of the weight eccentric to the lower hemisphere in the casing. This makes it easy to roll this mouse, as if rolling a "Dharma".

It is also preferable that the casing is covered with a shield member for waterproofing and dustproofing, and the operator is pressed via the shield member. As a result, it is almost completely unaffected by water, dust, oil and dirt on the surface of the hand,
It will be more suitable for use in equipment around water and outdoors such as kitchens, washrooms and bathrooms.

For example, it is also preferable to attach a pressing operation device for clicking on the outer wall of the casing, cover the casing with a flexible cushion member, and press the operation member by compressing the cushion member. (The method of covering the entire casing with the cushion member in this manner cannot be adopted in a conventional structure in which the rotating body is exposed such as a mouse, because the rotating body cannot rotate.) This makes the mouse less fragile and safer, making it suitable for use in devices that are particularly messed up or where safety is important, such as learning devices for infants.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a mouse according to the present invention. For example, in a hemispherical hollow dome (lower dome) 14 made of plastic or the like,
A hemispherical weight (weight) 10 is provided.

On the bottom surface inside the lower dome 14, a projection PR for supporting the weight of the weight 10 is provided. Two pairs of load cells 9 (9x1 and 9x2 and 9y1 and 9y2) are provided in two axes (X axis and Y axis) orthogonal to each other on the inner side surface of the lower dome 14. The position of the weight 10 in the lower dome 14 is fixed by being sandwiched between the projection PR and the load cell 9.

When the lower dome 14 is not tilted at all, the entire weight of the weight 10 is supported by the bottom surface of the lower dome 14, so that no load is applied to the load cell 9. On the other hand, when the lower dome 14 is tilted, the load cell 9x1 or 9x2, and the load cell 9y1 or 9y2, depending on the amount of tilt in the X-axis and Y-axis directions.
, And an electric signal corresponding to the pressure is output from the load cell.

On the lower dome 14, a bracket 7 supporting the substrate 6 is mounted. The output signal of the load cell 9 is supplied to the substrate 6 via the wiring 8. Substrate 6
In the above circuit, the X-axis coordinate value is determined based on the signals from the load cells 9x1 and 9x2, and the Y-axis coordinate value is determined based on the signals from the load cells 9y1 and 9y2. (For example, as the signal from the load cell 9x1 located on the right side of the figure in the X-axis direction increases, the value increases, and conversely, the signal from the load cell 9x2 located on the left side of the figure in the X-axis direction increases. As the signal from the load cell 9y1 located at the back of the figure in the Y-axis direction increases, the value increases, and conversely, in the Y-axis direction, the X-axis coordinate value decreases. The Y-axis coordinate value, whose value decreases as the signal from the load cell 9y2 located in the front increases, is determined.) A signal indicating this coordinate value is transmitted through the code 12 to a computer (not shown) connected to the mouse. Sent to

A hemispherical dome (upper dome (inside)) 2 is superposed on the lower dome 14 from above with the bracket 7 interposed therebetween. The upper dome (inside) 2 is covered with a hemispherical hollow dome (upper dome (outside)) 3 having a larger diameter.

A weight 10 having a center of gravity eccentric to the lower hemisphere and a load cell 9 for detecting the inclination direction and the amount of inclination of the weight 10 are provided in the spherical casing formed by the domes 2, 3, and 14 in this manner. It is included.

A compression spring 5 for absorbing shock is attached between the outer side surface of the dome 2 and the inner side surface of the dome 3, and a gap between the outer upper surface of the dome 2 and the inner upper surface of the dome 3 is provided. Is provided with a tact switch 4 for clicking.

When the upper dome (outside) 3 is pressed from above, the compression spring 5 absorbs the impact of the pressing,
The tact switch 4 is pressed to conduct. When the tact switch 4 is turned on, a click signal (decision command) is sent from a circuit on the board 6 through the code 12 to the computer.

The lower dome 14 is fitted inside a hemispherical hollow shield 13a having a larger diameter, and the upper dome (outer side) 3 also has a hemispherical hollow shield 13b having a larger diameter. It is fitted inside. The shields 13a and 13b are each made of a waterproof and dustproof material, and both are fixed to each other with an adhesive or the like to form a sealed spherical waterproof and dustproof shield. As a result, the tact switch 4, the compression spring 5, the substrate 6, the bracket 7, the wiring 8, the load cell 9, the weight 10, the domes 2, 3, and 14 are almost free from the influence of water, dust, oil or dirt on the surface of the hand. I have completely stopped receiving it.

The shield 13a is a hemispherical hollow cushion (lower cushion) 1 having a larger diameter.
The shield 13b is also fitted inside a hemispherical hollow cushion (upper cushion) 1 having a larger diameter. Cushion 1,
11 is made of a soft material such as a sponge, and both are fixed with an adhesive or the like to form a spherical cushion. This makes the mouse less fragile and safe.

In FIG. 1, the domes 2, 3, 14, the weight 10, the shields 13a, 13b, the cushions 1, 1
1 are shown as hemispherical shapes of perfect circles, however, in order to make it easier for the user to distinguish between the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, these are set to have a minor axis in either the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction. It is more preferable that the other side has an elliptical hemispherical shape having a major axis. FIG. 2 shows an example of the appearance of the mouse in the case where the short axis is in the X-axis direction and the long axis is in the Y-axis direction. On the upper surface of the upper cushion 1, a cross mark MR indicating the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is provided. (Contrary to the example of FIG. 2,
Needless to say, the major axis may be in the X-axis direction and the minor axis may be in the Y-axis direction. )

Next, the mode of use of this mouse will be described.
If the user wants to move the pointer position on the screen (not shown) of the computer connected to the mouse to the right in the horizontal direction (X-axis direction) of the screen, as shown in FIG. The whole is rolled rightward in the minor axis direction (X-axis direction).

Then, the lower dome 1 as shown in FIG.
4B, the weight 10 continuously changes from a state in which the weight 10 is not inclined at all (that is, a state in which no pressure is applied to the load cell 9) to a state in which the weight 10 is inclined as shown in FIG. When the pressure applied to the load cell 9x1 continuously increases, a signal indicating a continuously increasing X-axis coordinate value is sent to the computer, and the position indicated by the pointer on the display screen is changed. Moves right in the horizontal direction.

Thereafter, when the mouse is returned from the rolled state as shown in FIG. 3A to the original state, FIG. 4B
4A continuously changes from the state shown in FIG. 4A to the state shown in FIG. 4A, so that a signal indicating a continuously decreasing X-axis coordinate value is sent to the computer when the pressure applied to the load cell 9x1 continuously decreases. Thus, the position indicated by the pointer on the display screen moves leftward in the horizontal direction.

When it is desired to first move the pointer position to the left in the horizontal direction of the screen, the entire mouse is rolled to the left in the short diameter direction, and the pressure applied to the load cell 9x2 continuously increases. By doing so, a signal indicating a continuously decreasing X-axis coordinate value is sent to the computer, and the position indicated by the pointer on the display screen moves leftward in the horizontal direction.

On the other hand, when it is desired to move the pointing position of the pointer upward in the vertical direction (Y-axis direction) of the screen, as shown in FIG. 3B, the whole mouse is moved backward in the major axis direction (Y-axis direction). Roll in the direction.

Then, the state shown in FIG. 4A is again changed from the state shown in FIG. 4A to the state shown in FIG. 4B (however, a state tilted in the Y-axis direction).
Since the pressure applied to the load cell 9y1 continuously increases, a signal indicating the continuously increasing Y-axis coordinate value is sent to the computer, and the pointer on the display screen is moved. The indicated position moves up in the vertical direction.

Thereafter, when the mouse is returned from the rolled state as shown in FIG. 3B to the original state, the state also changes continuously from the state shown in FIG. 4B to the state shown in FIG. 4A. When the pressure applied to the load cell 9y1 continuously decreases, a signal indicating the continuously decreasing Y-axis coordinate value is sent to the computer, and the position indicated by the pointer on the display screen moves downward in the vertical direction. Moving.

When it is desired to first move the pointer position downward in the vertical direction of the screen, the entire mouse is rolled forward in the major axis direction, and the pressure applied to the load cell 9y2 continuously increases. By doing so, a signal indicating a continuously decreasing Y-axis coordinate value is sent to the computer,
The position indicated by the pointer on the display screen moves vertically downward.

If the entire mouse is simultaneously rolled in both the short diameter direction and the long diameter direction (that is, in a diagonal direction), the pointing position of the pointer on the display screen can be moved diagonally.

Rolling the mouse by a desired amount in a desired direction in this manner is because the center of gravity of the weight 10 is eccentric to the lower hemisphere in the spherical casing (domes 2, 3, and 14) as described above. It can be easily performed as if rolling the "Dharma".

When it is desired to issue an instruction for determination at a specific position indicated by the pointer on the display screen, the cushions 1 and 11 on the mouse surface are compressed from above as shown in FIGS. 3C and 4C. Then, tact switch 4
Is pressed, a click signal is sent to the computer.

As described above, according to this mouse, the pointing position of the pointer on the display screen can be moved by rolling the entire mouse and tilting the weight 10, but rolling the mouse is as shown in FIG. As can be seen from the figure, the operation can be easily performed even on a place having irregularities. Therefore, this mouse is also suitable for use on uneven places. Moreover, there is no need to use a pad.

Further, as described above, the shields 13a, 1
3b makes it almost completely immune to the effects of water, dust, hand oil and dirt, etc., so it is suitable for use in kitchens, washrooms, bathrooms, and other places around water or outdoors. ing.

Further, since the cushions 1 and 11 make it hard to break and secure, it is also suitable for use in a device that is particularly handled in a rough manner or where safety is emphasized, such as a learning device for infants. ing. In addition, since it has the appearance of a spherical cushion, a familiar impression can be given even though it is a peripheral device of a computer.

Next, FIGS. 5 and 6 show a modified example of the configuration of the mouse and the manner of use of the mouse. In this modification, instead of fixing the position of the weight 10 in the lower dome 14 by the protrusion PR and the load cell 9 as shown in FIG. 1, a hemispherical weight 15 having a diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the dome 14 is used. The contact point between the weight 15 and the inner surface of the dome 14 changes according to the inclination direction and the amount of inclination of the weight 15. Then, the coordinate values on the X axis and the Y axis are determined based on the detection of the contact point.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, a pressure-sensitive sheet 16 made of a piezoelectric substance is attached to the inner surface of the lower dome 14 for detecting a contact portion. In a state where the mouse is not rolled, as shown in FIG. 5A, the weight 15 contacts the bottom surface of the lower dome 14, and the portion of the pressure-sensitive sheet 16 directly above the bottom surface is the highest pressing point. In contrast,
When the mouse is rolled, as shown in FIG.
The contact point between the pressure-sensitive sheet 16 and the lower dome 14 changes, so that the position of the highest pressure point of the pressure-sensitive sheet 16 changes. In the circuit on the substrate 6, the coordinate value is determined based on the position of the maximum pressure point.

On the other hand, the example of FIG.
A weak current flows from the power supply on the substrate 6 to the weight 15 and the lower dome 14, respectively. In a state in which the mouse is not rolled, the weight 15 contacts a location on the bottom surface of the lower dome 14, as shown in FIG. 6A, and this location becomes a conduction point between the weight 15 and the lower dome 14. On the other hand, when the mouse is rolled, the contact point between the weight 15 and the lower dome 14 changes as shown in FIG. 6B, so that the position of the conduction point changes. In the circuit on the substrate 6, the coordinate value is determined based on the position of the conduction point.

In the above embodiment, a code for connecting to a computer is provided on the mouse. However, such a code is eliminated, and a signal indicating a coordinate value or a click signal is transmitted to, for example, a predetermined frequency band (for example, a far infrared band). And transmitted from the mouse to the computer. By doing so, the mouse will have a more spherical impression, giving a more familiar impression. In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and may take various other configurations without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0045]

As described above, according to the mouse according to the present invention, it can be used in an uneven place, or used in a device installed around water or outdoors such as a kitchen, a washroom, and a bathroom. ,
It is also suitable for use in devices that are particularly messy or safety-conscious, such as learning devices for infants, so that the environment where the mouse can be used can be expanded more than before. can get. Further, there is an effect that it is not necessary to use a pad.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a mouse according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the appearance of the mouse of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a use mode of the mouse of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing a use mode of the mouse of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing a modified example of the configuration of the mouse of FIG. 1 and a usage mode thereof.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view showing a modified example of the configuration of the mouse in FIG. 1 and a usage mode thereof.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 upper cushion, 2 upper dome (inside), 3
Upper dome (outside), 4 tact switches, 5
Compression spring, 6 board, 7 bracket, 8 wiring,
9 load cell, 10,15 weight, 11 lower cushion, 12 cord, 13a, 13b shield, 14 lower dome, 16 pressure sensitive sheet, P
R protrusion, MR mark

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A weight in a spherical casing, and a detecting means for detecting a tilt direction and a tilt amount of the weight are included. The weight is tilted by rolling the casing, and an output of the detecting means is provided. A mouse characterized in that coordinate values are determined based on the mouse. 2. The mouse according to claim 1, wherein the weight has a center of gravity eccentric to a lower hemisphere in the casing. 3. The mouse according to claim 1, wherein the entire casing is covered with a waterproof / dustproof shield member. 4. The mouse according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a click-type pressing operation element is attached to the casing, and the entire casing is covered with a flexible cushion member. A mouse characterized in that the operating member is pressed by compressing a cushion member. 5. The mouse according to claim 1, wherein the detection means comprises two pairs of pressure detection means provided on two axes orthogonal to each other on an inner side surface of the casing, A mouse, which detects a pressure from the weight that changes according to a tilt direction and a tilt amount of the weight. 6. The mouse according to claim 1, wherein the weight has a hemispherical shape having a diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the casing, and the weight of the casing is changed according to a tilt direction and a tilt amount. A mouse, wherein a contact point with the inner surface of the lower hemisphere changes, and said detecting means comprises means for detecting a contact point between said weight and said casing.