KR20050043955A - Trackball device for controlling an electronic apparatus, and production process - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention proposes a device (20) of the type comprising a generator of control signals which comprises a mobile contact rod (70T) which is elastically restored by a spiral torsion spring (50T) whose cylindrical body (48T) is accommodated in the housing and whose second axial end (54T) is immobilized, characterized in that the span of second axial end of the spring is accommodated in a duct (46L, 46T) of the housing with at least one turn of this span which is thermowelded into the concave wall (47L, 47T) of the duct so as to immobilize it in rotation. According to the process, the thermowelding is carried out by heating by Joule effect of the turns by means of two electrodes (E1, E2).

Description

Trackball device and electronic manufacturing method for controlling electronic device {TRACKBALL DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRONIC APPARATUS, AND PRODUCTION PROCESS}

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to control devices for use in electronic devices, and more particularly to devices of the type widely known as "trackballs."

Accordingly, the present invention is a type comprising a plastic housing in which two orthogonally rotating coding shafts, each of which is rotationally driven in both directions by a spherical ball type control member rotatably mounted in the housing, are installed. And a control device of the type in which each shaft is rotatably coupled to a movable element which forms part of a control signal generator for displacement of the cursor, in particular on the screen of the electronic device.

A mobile contact rod, in which the lower span of the rod is spaced between two opposing lateral lower contact elements in a stationary position in which the rod is elastically restored towards that position. A movable contact rod placed along a substantially vertical direction received with respect to and mounted inclined entirely about a horizontal axis parallel to the axis of the associated coding shaft;

Causing tilting of the contact rod in one or the other direction when the associated coding shaft is rotationally driven such that electrical contact is made between one or the other of the two fixed contact lugs and the lower span. In a manner and in such a way as to cause an automatic escape of the upper span from the space defined by the two successive teeth over a certain rotational angle of the associated coding shaft. A toothed pinion rotatably coupled with the associated coding shaft between two consecutive teeth received.

According to the known structure of a device of this type and described and exemplified in French Patent Application No. 01.03579 (FR-A-2,822,271) filed by the applicant and shown in the last drawing of the accompanying drawings, a movable contact rod Is constrained with respect to the last winding of the first axial end of the helical torsion spring consisting of a metal wire and a horizontal axis, the cylindrical body of the spring received in the housing, and the second axial end of the spring Is rotatably fixed such that the movable contact rod is mounted inclined in its entirety about a horizontal axis parallel to the axis of the associated coding shaft.

According to the structure disclosed in the patent, the upper span of the movable contact rod connects the movable contact rod to the last winding of the first axial end of the spring and is substantially tangential to the outer circumference of the spring body while being parallel to the axis of the helical spring. It is a 180 ° refracted span lying in the vertical plane.

The second end of the spring has a semi-circular free end strand lying in a vertical plane facing downwards in such a way as to be received vertically in a complementary slot formed in the lower portion of the housing and opened vertically upwardly. The rotation is interrupted by the last winding of the spring extending through the strand in the axial orientation through which it extends.

Each lateral bottom contact element is a fixed contact projection in a vertical orientation.

The contact protrusion may consist of a conductive protrusion belonging to a span of flat cable lying along a block of insulating material of the housing.

The contact protrusion may also consist of a fixed contact of metal in which a block of insulating material is covered and molded around it.

1 is a top view showing the control device according to the teachings of the present invention with a combined "flex" of the control device and a perspective view showing the outside of the front right of the three quadrants,

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an enlarged view of various components of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

3 is an enlarged plan view of the lower portion of the exposed housing of the device of FIGS. 1 and 2;

4-6, 7A, 7B and 8 show that the contact rods are in their stable vertical stop positions, except in FIGS. 7A and 7B where the contact rods are shown in two opposing contact positions. 3 are cross-sectional views of the device according to the invention showing a vertical cross section taken along lines 4-4 to 8-8 shown in FIG.

9 is an enlarged plan view of the various conducting contact projections of the end span of the "flex" housed at the bottom of the housing,

10-13 are plan views similar to FIG. 3 showing the various steps of placing parts in the lower portion of the housing,

14 to 16 are perspective views consistent with the drawings shown in FIGS. 10, 11, and 13,

FIG. 17 is a rear perspective view of the three quadrants showing the right side of the housing when viewed from above;

18 is a perspective view from below of an upper portion forming a cover of the housing,

19 is an enlarged perspective view of a coding spring according to the present invention;

20 is an enlarged perspective view of the fixed contact rod according to the present invention;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view similar to the diagram of FIG. 1 showing various embodiments of the present invention in which the joining “flex” is replaced with connecting tabs in which the lower part of the housing is covered and molded around it;

FIG. 22 is a plan view similar to the view of FIG. 3 showing the lower portion of the housing of the device of FIG. 21;

23 and 24 are views similar to those of FIGS. 3 and 4 showing the device according to the technical level at some point shown in the aforementioned French patent application.

Since the ball-type coding apparatus is compact and has excellent performance, an object of the present invention is to further improve these advantages.

Since the structure of each coding spring, which provides several functions, is actually complex, good parallelism between the plane of the fixed loop which prevents the spring from rotating and the plane of the movable loop including the movable contact rod. This requires a relatively long molding cycle time.

More specifically, in a known solution of the technical level at some point, any deficiency of parallelism between the fixed loop and the plane of the movable loop is located in the stationary state of the movable contact rod with respect to the vertical plane of the housing. Causing a defect in the housing, the recess of the housing accommodates a fixed loop.

It is an object of the present invention, in particular, to propose a new structure which prevents the spring from rotating about the axis of the coding spring.

To achieve this object, the invention provides that the movable contact rod is rotatably coupled to the last winding of the first axial end of the helical torsion spring consisting of a metal wire and a horizontal axis, wherein the cylindrical body of the spring A control device of the type described above wherein the second axial end of the spring is prevented from rotating such that the movable contact rod is tilted in its entirety about a horizontal axis parallel to the axis of the associated coding shaft. And wherein the span of the second axial end of the spring is received in the duct of the housing with one or more windings of the span thermally welded to the concave wall of the duct of the housing to prevent it from rotating.

Other features of the device according to the invention are as follows:

The thermal welding operation is performed by heating the winding;

The windings are heated by the Joule effect by passing an electrical current through the windings;

The duct is generally semi-cylindrical in shape, the open face of the duct being vertically oriented upwards, and a vertical load oriented downwards during the heat welding operation to the windings of the spring;

The load is applied by two electrodes for heating the windings applied to the windings of the axial end of the group of windings hot welded to the concave wall of the duct;

The device comprises a fixed conducting contact projection installed on a part of the concave wall of the duct opposite the at least one of the heat welding windings;

The fixed conductive contact protrusion belongs to the upper surface of the end of the flat cable received in the housing;

Each of the two opposing lateral lower contact elements is a straight rod that is assembled into the housing while lying horizontally parallel to the inclined axis of the movable contact rod, the free end span of which is the lower span of the movable contact rod. Lying opposite to and resiliently deforming in a horizontal plane;

The lower span of the movable contact rod and the free end span of the fixed contact rod are two spans of the cylindrical rod;

The end of each fixed contact rod opposite the free end span of the contact rod is a joining strand in contact with a fixed conducting contact projection installed on the wall of the housing;

The fixed conductive contact protrusion belongs to the upper surface of the end of the flat cable received in the housing;

The movable contact rod consists of one part with a helical spring;

The signal generator being in one or the other direction when the associated coding shaft is rotationally driven such that electrical contact is made between the lower span of the movable contact rod and one or the other of two opposing lateral lower contact elements. In a stationary position in such a way as to cause an inclination of the contact rod and in a way to cause an automatic escape of the upper span from the space defined by the two successive teeth over a particular angle of rotation of the coding shaft. A toothed pinion rotatably coupled with said associated coding shaft between two successive teeth in which an upper span of a movable contact rod is received;

Further comprising two orthogonally rotating coding shafts each rotationally driven in both directions by a trackball rotatably mounted in the housing, each shaft rotatably coupled to a movable coding element belonging to the control signal generator; ;

Said torsion spring consists of a wire, the outer diameter of which is equal to the diameter of the wire to constitute a rod-shaped torsion spring.

The invention also relates to a method for fixing a metal element of conductive material to a plastic body of an electrical and / or electronic component, wherein at least one span of the metal element is received in a duct of the body. And the at least one span is fixed by thermal welding to the concave wall of the duct.

Other features of the method are as follows:

The thermal welding operation is performed by heating the span of a metal element;

The span of the metal element is heated by the joule effect by passing an electrical current through the span;

An open face with the duct vertically oriented upwards, wherein a vertical load oriented downward during the heat welding operation is applied to the span of the metal element;

The load is applied by two electrodes for heating the span which are applied to the ends of the span of the metal element fixed by thermal welding to the concave wall of the duct.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are provided for clarity of understanding.

The present invention will be described in a non-limiting way employing vertical and longitudinal orientations according to the V, L, and T reference frames shown in FIG.

Also, for convenience, the terms lower side, upper side, front side, rear side and left side will be used with reference to FIG. 1.

In the following description of the invention, the same, similar or similar elements belonging to the embodiments according to the invention or to the embodiments according to the technical level at any point in time use the same numbers or letters and numbers of figures assembled together. Will be displayed.

The first half of the description will usually describe elements that are common to the technical level and embodiments of the present invention at some point in time.

The device 20 comprises a substantially rectangular parallelepiped housing 22 consisting of two parts, the two parts being the lower part 24 and the main part of the device 20. It consists of an upper portion 26 which forms a cover covering the lower portion for receiving the parts.

The apparatus 20 essentially comprises a central trackball or sphere 30 which rotatably drives two orthogonal coding shafts, each coupled to a signal generator, in this embodiment by friction.

The two shafts and the signal generator are generally symmetrical and are arranged symmetrically with respect to the vertical symmetry plane coinciding with the S-S lines of FIGS. 3 and 24 where the center C of the ball 30 lies.

The same, similar and similar components, thus associated with the longitudinal and the transverse coding shafts, will be denoted using the same reference numerals with the subscripts "L" and "T" appended after the numeral, respectively.

Each coding shaft 32L, 32T thus comprises a staged cylindrical body 34L, 34T, with two opposing free ends 36L, 36T of small diameter and a free end 38L, of large diameter. 38T is mounted so as to rotate in both directions in the housing 22 about the rotation shafts 40L and 40T.

Each of the main bodies 34L and 34T has drive drums or rollers 42L and 42T whose peripheral surfaces cooperate with the peripheral surfaces of the ball 30 by friction, and the main bodies 34L and 34T to which they are rotatably coupled. And toothed pinions 44L and 44T provided along the axial direction.

Under each coding shaft 32L, 32T, the lower portion 24 of the housing 22 includes semi-cylindrical general duct-shaped recesses 46L, 46T that are open upwards (Fig. 17 and FIG. 18).

Each recess 46L, 46T houses a cylindrical main body 48L, 48T of helical torsion springs 50L, 50T composed of a metal wound around the axes 52L, 52T.

According to the technical level at some point, the last winding 54L, 54T of each spring is perpendicular to the complementary slots 62L, 62T formed in the lower part 24 of the housing and open vertically upwards. It extends through the axially oriented strands 56L, 56T along its own extending axis 52L, 52T through semicircular free end strands extending downward in the vertical plane in such a way as to be received.

Strands 58L, 58T located in the associated slots 62L, 62T are vertically supported downwards against the opposed projections P4L, P4T of the flex.

The first windings 64L, 64T of the springs 50L, 50T, which are axially opposed to the last windings 54L, 54T, are vertically movable contact rods (180L, 68T) by the 180 ° refracted upper strands 68L, 68T. It extends upwards by vertical strands 66L, 66T connecting the first winding to 70L, 70T.

Thus, the shape of the end of each spring is such that the connecting strands 66L, 66T, i.e., the contact rods 70L, 70T and the deflected strands 68L, 68T, which constitute the upper end span of the contact rods, have a spring 50L, 50T) is made to lie on a vertical plane substantially tangential to the outer circumferences of the cylindrical bodies 48L and 48T.

According to the technical level at some point, the vertical orientation of the contact rods 70L, 70T in the rest position is each spring with the contact rods 70L, 70T of the spring and the deflected strands 58L, 58T of the spring. Due to (50L, 50T), the deflected strands angularly position the springs 50L, 50T and in the vertical direction within the slots 62L, 62T to prevent their ends with windings 54L, 54T from rotating. You are guided.

The lower portion 24 of the housing 22 is a general shape of a hollow rectangular parallelepiped, in particular bounded by a bottom 72 with a top surface 74 of the horizontal plane.

The height of each vertical contact rod 70L, 70T is such that the free ends 76L, 76T of its lower contact spans 78L, 78T extend with a gap over the portion overlooking the top surface 74. .

According to the technical level at some point, each lower contact span 78L, 78T also forms part of the blocks of material 81L, 81T and 83L, 83T integrally formed by molding together with the bottom 72. It is accommodated in a state having a lateral gap between the two vertical joining surfaces (80L, 80T) and 82L, 82T while projecting vertically upward.

Depending on the rotational function of the ball 30, each control rod 70L, 70T is subject to its corresponding displacement of the lower contact spans 78L, 78T towards the mating surfaces 80L-82L, 80T-82T. Can be tilted with respect to the vertical position.

For rotational mounting of each of the coding shafts 32L, 32T, the lower portion 24 of the housing 22 is close to its horizontal top surface 25, with the upper portions 84L, 84T, and 86L, Openings in the vertical direction toward 86T and receiving recesses 36L, 36T, 38L, 38T respectively of the free ends 36L, 34T of the main bodies 34L, 34T of the respective coding shafts 32L, 32T.

The horizontal widths of the recesses 84L and 84T are substantially the same as the diameters of the end pivots 36L and 36T, while the recesses 86L and 86T are laterally open toward the inside of the housing, Each recess is adapted to elastically force the corresponding pivots 38L, 38T to the free ends upper branches 92L, 92T of the fins facing inwardly of the housing against the rollers 30L, 32T against the ball 30. It is supplemented with an elastic pin in the shape of a hairpin 90L, 90T mounted in the vertical direction in the complementary recesses 88L, 88T in such a way as to be supported.

The apparatus 20 also includes an input signal switch substantially consisting of a resilient triggering member of a monolithic type 94 of a known general structure of a star shape with four branches.

The triggering member 94 comprises a central portion 96 comprising a dish in the shape of a spherical cap 98 having an upwardly oriented recess where the trackball 30 will be supported thereon, and distributed at 90 °. It comprises two pairs of radial branches (00L, 100T), each of which has its own within the supporting and contacting edges of the lower arc in the form of a circle (102L, 102T) with its downwardly oriented convex portions. The extension is terminated.

Each position of the triggering member 94 in the lower portion 24 of the housing is received by a pair of recesses 104T that receive two end edges 102T and which receives one of the two end edges 102L. Secured by a third recess 104L, the edge 102L of the other of the end edges is received in the last recess 104L formed in the cover (see FIG. 18).

As can be particularly appreciated from FIG. 17, the lower portion 24 of the housing 22 is a rear transverse wall oriented laterally left and right and laterally by two parallel and opposing side walls 106L. Delimited by 106T, the front transverse wall 106T includes an opening 108 that spans its entire height and extends to the top surface 74 of the bottom 72. The opening will be described in detail below.

In particular, as shown in FIG. 18, the cover 26 consists of a substantially horizontal plate, the lower surface 27 of which is configured to be supported on the upper surface 25 of the lower portion 24. .

The lower surface 27 includes cylindrical arc-shaped depressions to allow free passage while at the same time allowing rotation of the rollers 42L and 42T and rotation of the pinions 44L and 44T.

The cover 26 also includes a vertical partition wall 110 that is complementary to the opening 108 of the lower portion 24, with the opening 26 extending below the lower portion 24 along the vertical edge thereof. And two ribs 112 corresponding to the grooves 114 formed in the edges of the opening 108 in a manner that allows it to be slidably mounted vertically.

Thus, in the assembled position, and as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1 and 23, the cover 26 is complete and completely covers the housing 22.

The electrical connection of the control device 20 is ensured by a flat cord or cable 28, the design and technique of which are known and also called "flex."

The height of the partition wall 110 bounded in the vertical direction towards the base by the horizontal edge 111 is slightly lower than the height of the opening 108 to allow passage of the body 29 of the flex 28. have.

In all of the above figures except FIG. 9, the top surface of the flex is shown with the insulating top layer applied to the conducting track of the flex connecting the projection Pi and the terminal Bi. This layer, or “cover layer,” ensures electrical isolation between the tracks and eliminates the risk of short circuits during input signal transmission due to deflection of the dome 94.

Therefore, the flex 28 includes a main body formed in the shape of a band 29 having a small thickness of 0.12 mm, and conductive wires or conductors are formed inside the main body.

For example, referring to FIG. 9, the rear free end span on the right side comprises a series of conductive pads or protrusions Pi, which are integrally manufactured and connected to a wire Fi, each of which has various operating elements. Constitute a stationary contact intended to cooperate with the field.

The contour of this rear span 120 represents a partially cut profile that allows movement inside the lower portion 24 to be supported horizontally on the top surface 74 of the bottom 72.

In order to make an input signal switch in co-operation with the triggering member 94, the upper surface 122 of the rear span 120 is coupled to the wire F1 while being positioned vertically with respect to the central portion 98. The lower contact edge of the triggering member 94 on each top, while being longitudinally on one side of the central projection P1 at the same time as and coupled to and with the wire F2 and the central conduction projection P1 in the form of It includes two projections P2 supporting 102L.

Conduction protrusions are also provided for the transmission of the coded signals generated by the signal generators associated with the contact shafts 32L, 32T.

Thus, according to the technical level at some point, the body of each spring 50L, 50T is coupled to the wires F4L, F4T by the projections P4L, P4T, and the corresponding articulated arm 58L on the projections. , 58T) of free ends 60L, 60T are elastically supported.

Thus each movable contact rod 70L, 70T is coupled to the corresponding wires F4L, F4T by way of the conducting lugs P4L, P4T via the bodies 48L, 48T of the springs 50L, 50T.

The contact spans 78L, 78T at the bottom of each movable contact rod 70L, 70T are fabricated by cutting from the span 120 of the flex 28 and after mounting the corresponding contacts 80L, 80T and It is held between two opposing contact projections P5L and P5T and P6L and P6T that are supported against the vertical surfaces of 82L and 82T and are standing upright in the vertical plane.

By placing the span 120 of the flex 28 in a predetermined position on the bottoms 72, 74 of the lower portion 24 of the housing 22, several fixed contacts constituting the conduction protrusion Pi are made while In turn, some of the flexes 28, 29 exiting the housing 22 through the opening 108 are engaged by the lower edge 111 of the partition wall 110.

The operation of the signal generator according to the technical level at some point will be described below.

This description will be given with reference to the coding shaft 32L and the operation of the other shaft if its components are identical except for the spring 50T which is symmetrical with respect to the vertical plane SS to balance the load. The approach is similar.

In the stationary position shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the movable contact rod 70L is vertical and its articulated upper span 68L is the opposite side of two consecutive teeth of the coding pinion 44L ( 45L) are received with lateral clearance along the direction T.

By rotating the ball 30 about its center C, about the horizontal axis of the longitudinal orientation in the case of this embodiment, the rotation of the shaft 32L occurs about its axis of rotation 40L. .

This rotation causes contact of the side 45L of the right tooth, which causes the upper span 68L to be pushed transversely from right to left.

Due to the possibility of torsionally elastic deformation of the body 48L of the spring 50L which serves to engage the rod 70L and at the same time serves as a restoring spring for restoring the rod 70L to its rest position, Is tilted about axis 52L as a whole until its lower contact span 78L is in electrical contact against projection P5L and across the flex against contact surface 80L. An electrical connection is formed between the projections P4L and P5L.

The clockwise rotation of the roller 32L continues and this rotation causes an automatic escape of the upper span 68L in a mechanism manner of the "Maltese Cross" type, which, together with the contact rod 70L, its stable vertical Continue its tilt motion for subsequent automatic return to the stop position.

If the rotational movement of the ball 30 continues in the same direction, the rod 70L is shown in FIG. 7B to cause the generation of a new signal by electrical contact again achieved between the projections P5L, P4L. It will tilt back in the same direction.

On the contrary, when the ball 30 is driven to rotate in the other direction, the teeth 45L are brought into contact with the lower contact span 78 thereof against the conduction protrusion P6L and against the vertical surface 82L. This results in inclination of the contact rod 70L until it is brought into the state.

This is then brought into contact to form an electrical contact between the projections P6L and P4L to generate a signal different from the signal resulting from the connection across the spring 50L of the projections P5L and P4L.

The difference between the two types of signals generated between the projections P4L, P5L or P4L, P6L makes it possible to distinguish between the relative direction of rotation of the coding shaft and even the direction of ball rotation. With a single movable contact rod 70L or 70T.

Of course, depending on the type of manipulation applied to the ball 30 by the user, the ball allows simultaneous rotation of both coding shafts 32L and 32T to occur in one or the other of their two rotational directions.

The ball is always rotated about a substantially horizontal axis and in accordance with the orientation function of the ball's plane of rotation, and a number of pulses generated by the two generators are proportional to the X and Y components of the cursor trace on the screen, respectively.

The driving of the rollers 42L and 42T supported by the shafts 32L and 32T is made sure by the friction with the outer surface of the track ball 30.

The shafts together with the rollers are forced under elastic bearings against the ball by hairpin springs 90L-92L and 90T-92T.

The input signal is transmitted by applying to the ball 30 a load F in the vertical direction which is generally directed in a direction parallel to the direction V. FIG.

This action causes the effect of causing vertical downward displacement with respect to the lower portion 24 of the housing, and until the central portion 98 of the monostable triggering member 94 is in contact with the conduction projection P1. This has the effect of causing a change in state, thereby resulting in an electrical connection between the projections P1 and P2 and further the wires F1 and F2 while providing the user with a tactile feel of the operation of the input signal switch.

Due to the positioning of the center of the ball 30 C below the 0.1 mm dimension in the plane of the axes 40L and 40T, the input signal transfer action tends to separate the ball 30 from the rollers 42L and 42T. Thus, it does not cause a detrimental effect on the rollers 42L and 42T or on the coded signal generators that remain in agreement with their respective positions obtained at the moment of input signal transmission.

Several steps of assembling the components of the device 20 prior to mounting of the cover 26 are shown in succession in FIGS. 3 and 10-16.

Maintaining the position of the span 120 of the flex 28 at the bottoms 72, 74 of the lower portion 24 of the housing 22 depends on the technical level at some point in the four edges 142L of the triggering member 94. , 142T and the contact pressures of the strands 58L, 58T of the springs 50L, 50T. Moreover, the lower side 148 of the central foot portion 149 of the cover 26 mounts and secures the cover 26 on the lower portion 24 after hot-crimping of the stud 152. To the exterior of the flex.

This engagement is the lower magnetic field of the partition 110 of the cover, which can be completed with a complementary shape (not shown) such as bumps and / or complementary hollows formed in the sheathing portion of the edge 111 and / or the sheathing bottom 74. It is combined with the engagement made by the seat 11.

Several embodiments of the invention will be described below, particularly in comparison with the technical level at some point.

Overall, each spring 50, 50T is a loop-shaped free end strand that was previously used for each positioning of the movable contact rods 70L, 70T and for the electrical connection of the springs to prevent it from rotating. 58L, 58T) is simplified.

The lower portion 24 is also simplified to this same degree.

According to the invention, the second axial end of the spring 50L, 50T, which includes the final windings 54L, 54T, has a relative winding in order to impart the functions previously made by the loops 58L, 58T. In the corresponding opposing portions 47L, 47T of the opposing ducts 46L, 46T, they are fixed by thermal welding of the continuous winding of the span.

For example, when considering FIG. 16 it is possible to heat weld 8 to 9 end windings of the spring on the right side.

The thermal welding operation shown schematically in FIG. 8 is achieved by heating the corresponding span of the spring by the joule effect by two electrodes E1 and E2 applied to the corresponding end windings of the span to be fixed by thermal welding. Is executed.

Current conduction between the electrodes E1, E2 through the windings causes simultaneous heating of the corresponding wound metal wire spans of the springs constituting the windings by the Joule effect.

Moreover, the two electrodes E1 and E2 exert a bearing force directed vertically downward on the span of the spring.

The heating obtained by the Joule effect then causes localized melting of the concave walls 47L, 47T of the ducts 46L, 46T.

Moreover, a "suction" and / or capillary phenomenon occurs, whereby the forming group of the concave surfaces 47L, 47T of the plastic ducts 46L, 46T lies between the heated windings and the heated winding group. Cling to the surface around its outer perimeter.

After stopping the energization of the current, the cooling proceeds quickly and the already molten plastic solidifies and sticks to the outer circumference of the winding group, which provides good bonding.

The strength of the current and the time the current passes are selected as a function of the ohmic resistance function of the wires that will make up the springs 50L and 50T and the melting temperature of the constituent plastics of the lower part 24 of the housing.

For example, the current strength is 1A to 2A, and the heating time is several tenths of seconds.

Due to the elastic deformation characteristics of each of the windings in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axes 52L, 52T of the bodies 48L, 48T, the application of the electrode slightly deforms the windings so that they are elliptical in shape.

This variant is advantageous because it increases the penetration of the corresponding part of the winding into the locally melted concave surfaces 47L and 47T of the duct.

In order to provide electrical connection of the bodies 48L, 48T of the springs 50L, 50T, the flex 29 is of the lower part 24, which is located below the level of the concave bottom of the duct and the heat-welded winding group. And conduction protrusions P4L, P4T that lie vertically above the plane of the bottom of the lower portion 24 so as to face the surfaces 130L, 130T of the raised portion.

During the thermal welding operation, the bearing force exerted vertically by the two electrodes E1 and E2 is applied to the corresponding part of the periphery of the winding as opposed to the conduction projections P4L and P4T.

Due to the elastic nature of the winding in the vertical plane perpendicular to the axes 52L, 52T, the bearing force of the winding group on the conducting protrusions P4L, P4T, which is itself supported on the surfaces 130L, 130T, is thermally welded. After the end of, in other words, it continues until the electrode no longer applies any load to the spring.

In order to ensure good positioning of the projections P4L and P4T under the corresponding winding group to be thermally welded, the flex is positioned to insert the studs 132L and 132T integrally molded with the lower part 24 of the housing. It may include a hole.

The studs 132L and 132T may also be hot crimped to further improve the positional retention of the tags of the flex 29 including the projections P4L and P4T.

Multiple thermal welding windings provide the desired mechanical strength for holding and fixing the thermal welding spans of the springs 50L, 50T as well as the function of restoring the movable contact rods 70L, 70T to their vertical stop position. It depends on the value that you want to achieve the robustness associated with the torsional spring coupling.

The vertical angular orientation of the movable contact rods 70L, 70T of the spring is obtained by a jig (not shown) constituting part of the tool used for the thermal welding operation.

Each duct-shaped recess 46L, 46T is designed to avoid any radial clamping of the winding of the corresponding spring and to avoid the risk of causing torsional stress in the winding during the displacement and fixation of the spring by thermal welding. It is.

Thus, after the fixing operation of the spring, there is no risk of generating a false angular displacement of the movable loop including the movable contact rod when the jig is removed.

In particular, at the technical level at any point shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, the lower ends 76L, 76T of the movable rods 70L, 70T on the fixed conduction protrusions P5L, P5T and P6L, P6T. Direct electrical contact is achieved between) in order to ensure good electrical performance and to avoid excessive large changes in snap fastening forces that fit loops 68L and 68T into pinions 44L and 44T. Cause.

It is particularly necessary to ensure high accuracy in the rods 70L and 70T of the predetermined length and a complete section free of rough portions of the lower free ends 76L and 76T.

Furthermore, repeated hundreds to thousands of electrical contacts between the compartmentalized edges of the lower end and the sheathing surface of the conducting protrusion may cause permanent wear of the expensive metal layer covering the portions of these protrusions.

To alleviate this drawback, the present invention devised a new design which is provided for the purpose of making a fixed electrical contact which is elastically deformable.

To this end, the lower spans 78L, 78T of the movable contact rods 70L, 70T are received between two parallel and opposing fixed horizontal contact rods 134L, 134T.

The two fixed contact rods 134L or 134T of the contact pair associated with the movable rod 70L or 70T are identical.

The invention is therefore advantageous in that it requires four identical rods.

As shown in Fig. 20, each of the fixed contact rods 134L and 134T is made of a bent metal wire, one end in the axial direction of which ends in the free end contact spans 140L and 140T and the other end is It consists of a generally straight main body 138L, 138T which terminates its extension in the hairpin loops 142L, 142T that lie in a vertical plane and are elastically deformable within that plane.

 The straight main bodies 138L, 138T and the loops 142L, 142T are corresponding vertical slots 144L, 144T of the lower portion 240 of the housing 22 lying in a vertical plane parallel to the axis of the corresponding contact spring. Is accommodated in).

Thus each fixed contact rod 134L, 134T is built in a beam manner except for its free end contact spans 140L, 140T, which are freely laid on one side of the vertical movable contact rods 70L, 70T, respectively. -in)

Thus each free end span 140L, 140T is freely deformed laterally elastically in the horizontal plane, and the two parallel and opposing rods of the fixed contact pair are preferably aligned within the same horizontal plane.

Each vertical loop 142L, 142T is arranged opposite the bottom 74 of the lower portion 24 that forms part of a pair of conduction projections P5L-P6L or P5T-P6T of the tag of the flex 28. At the same time it provides an electrical connection of the fixed contact rods 134L, 134T with the associated fixed conduction protrusions.

In order to immobilize the fixed contact rods 134L, 134T, respectively, in the corresponding vertical slots 144L, 144T of the housing, it is housed in the slot with a little laterally fixed between the opposing walls of the slot. Can be.

In the same way as the winding of the spring, each fixing the fixed contact rod is achieved by thermal welding operation by local heating of the span of the straight bodies 138L, 138T with the aid of two electrodes which achieve the above object. Can be improved.

In the same way as the spring, the bearing force exerted by the electrode during the energization of the current then applies a predetermined bearing force to the loops 142L and 142T on the associated fixed conduction protrusion that persists after application of the electrode.

The electrical contact (see FIGS. 7A and 7B) achieved between one or the other of the two spans 140L, 140T and the lower spans 78L, 78T of the movable contact rods 70L, 70T is in contact with the vertical axes. Consistent with the contact of the two cylindrical surfaces, this is the so-called "crossed rollers" contact, which is the best form of semi-permanent electrical contact.

Moreover, each free end span 140L, 140T exhibits the ability to elastic deformation to allow "accompaniment" of the free end spans 78L, 78T.

This phenomenon with respect to the additive action makes it possible to absorb any dimensional change of the coding spring, thus avoiding large changes in the snapping load.

Moreover, it dampens the mechanical impact between spans 78L and 78T and spans 140L and 140T.

In the case where the ball 30 rotates rapidly, as long as the time between the two impacts is less than 2 ms, the risk of the occurrence of fake bounds is reduced.

Moreover, the addition action by the elastic deformation results in a self-cleaning effect between the busbars at the contact portion.

The movable contact rods and the fixed contact rods may be manufactured from a copper alloy previously plated with gold or silver or from a metal wire composed of steel.

The electrical contact no longer depends on the exact length of the movable contact rods 70, 70T as well as the quality of the compartment of its free ends 78L, 78T.

The volume of the new fixed contacts is particularly reduced for the solution according to the technical level at some point, which allows a large increase in the total number of windings of each spring, thus connecting the loops 68L, 68T to the pinions 44L, 44T. This results in a proportional reduction in snap fit engagement.

Thus, it is possible to reduce the risk of slipping between the diameters of the rollers 42L and 42T, and further, the surfaces of the respective elastomer rollers 42L and 42T and the track ball 30, without changing the frictional force.

According to the technical level at some point, the diameter of each roller is reduced, for example by one third. This reduction makes it possible to increase the number of pulses per revolution of the ball at a rate of 3/2.

It is also possible to reduce the eccentricity of the ball with respect to the center of the upper surface of the device.

The total height of the housing is reduced without changing the total height of the device, ie, the height between the lower surface of the lower portion 24 of the housing and the vertex of the trackball 30.

Therefore, it is possible to increase the height of the ball portion appearing beyond the upper surface 144 of the housing 22, thereby allowing the device to be installed in a facility where the wall of the housing is large.

According to a variant (not shown), the number of fixed contacts for each coding spring is provided by providing two intermediate contact rods of slightly different height, one on top of the other in the same slot, and supporting them on separate conducting projections. It is also possible to double.

This solution allows independently doubling the output of the device providing the simultaneous signal.

Finally, the reduction in ball eccentricity allows for better placement of the internal components of the device, in particular the light emitting diodes 150L and 150T, in which two adjacent diodes are simultaneously used to obtain a third color. It may be advantageous to be placed in close proximity to each other to get a better mixing of the collar when excited with.

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 21 and 22 includes a lower portion 24 of the housing, the bottom of the housing being oriented in the transverse direction and with three equally distributed connecting tabs or outputs over the two sides of the housing. It is covered and molded around a fixed contact portion extending outwardly through the lens. The coplanar tabs protruding from the housing correspond to the terminals of the flex 28, which are fixed contacts Pi arranged on the bottoms 72, 74 by bands Fi embedded in the insulating molding material of the lower part. Is connected to.

The protrusions P4L, P4T are bow-shaped protrusions of an electrical connection "grid" in place of the flex 29.

As described above and disclosed in International Patent Publication No. 02/075641, the contact springs and rods 50L, 50T-70L, 70T can be realized in the form of a single symmetrical element, and also in the longitudinal or transverse direction. It can be used as any of the contact spring and rod (50L, T-58L, T-68L, T-70L, T).

Depending on the size of the housing, the general length of the spring-loaded element may be of some importance. When the ratio between this length and the diameter of the wire exceeds 75, the helical torsion springs 50L, 50T are replaced by a torsional spring, i.e. a torsion spring composed of wire and whose outer diameter is the same as the diameter of the wire. It is possible.

The elastic moment or torque caused by the cooperation between the loops 68L, 68T and the associated pinions 44L, 44T remains less than the drive moment or torque of the trackball on the rolls 42L, 42T.

Thus, the spring as well as the corresponding receiving portion of the lower portion is considerably simpler, and its overall length is reduced as can be seen from those shown in FIGS. 23-29 herein.

In this case it becomes the corresponding span of the second axial end of the rod-shaped torsion spring which is thermally welded to the complementary concave wall of the housing.

According to another solution, the above-described wire or rod-shaped springs, particularly when the guided length of the "bar" span is very short and close to the oscillating or inclined loops 68L, 68T, Patents disclosed in French Patent Application No. 03.06970 filed on Jun. 1, 2003, in the name of the applicant).

Claims (20)

One or more revolving coding shafts 32L, 32T, which are rotationally driven in both directions by a control member 30 rotatably mounted within the housing, including plastic housings 22, 24, 26. Type, With the movable contact rod, in the rest position where the rod is elastically restored toward its position, the lower spans 78L, 78T of the rod have a gap between two opposing lateral lower contact elements 134L, 134T. The respective shafts are rotatable to mobile coding elements 44L and 44T which form part of a control signal generator comprising movable contact rods 70L and 70T which are placed along a substantially vertical direction V received therein. The respective shaft is rotatable to the final windings 64L, 64T of the first axial end of the helical torsion springs 50L, 50T of the horizontal axes 52L, 52T, which are coupled and composed of metal wires. As a control device 20 of the combined type, Cylindrical bodies 48L, 48T of the spring are housed in a housing, and the second axial ends 54L, 54T of the spring have the movable contact rods with shafts 40L, 40T of the revolving coding shafts 32L, 32T. In the control apparatus 20 which is made impossible to mount inclined as a whole about the horizontal axis 52L 52T parallel to (), The span of the second axial end of the spring is received in the ducts 46L, 46T of the housing with one or more windings of the span thermally welded to the concave walls of the ducts 47L, 47T of the housing such that it does not rotate. Device characterized in that. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the thermal welding operation is performed by heating the windings. The device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the windings are heated by the Joule effect by passing an electrical current through the windings. 4. The ducts 46L, 46T are generally semi-cylindrical in shape, the open face of the ducts being oriented vertically upwards and down during the thermal welding operation. An oriented vertical load is applied to the windings of the spring. The load according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the load is applied to the windings of the axial end of the group of windings that are thermally welded to the concave walls 47L, 47T of the ducts 46L, 46T. The device is applied by two electrodes for heating the windings. The fixed conducting contact projections (P4L, P4T) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which are provided on the portions (130L, 130T) of the concave walls of the duct on opposite sides of at least one of the thermal welding windings. Apparatus comprising a. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fixed conducting contact projections (P4L, P4T) belong to the upper surface of the end (120) of the flat cable (29) housed in the housing. . 8. A straight line according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the two opposing lateral lower contact elements are assembled into the housing while lying horizontally parallel to the inclined axes of the movable contact rods 70L and 70T. Rods 134L and 134T, the free end spans 140L and 140T of the rods being opposed to the lower spans 78L and 78T of the movable contact rod and resiliently deformable in a horizontal plane. Device. The lower end spans 78L and 78T of the movable contact rods and the free end spans 140L and 140T of the fixed contact rods 134L and 134T are two spans of cylindrical rods. Device characterized in that. 10. The fixed conducting contact projection of claim 8 or 9, wherein the ends 142L, 142T of each of the fixed contact rods opposite the free end spans 140L, 140T of the contact rod are mounted on a wall of the housing. And a coupling strand in contact with (P5L, P6L, P5T, P6T). The fixed conducting contact projections P5L, P6L, P5T, P6T belong to the upper surface of the end 120 of the flat cable 29 housed in the housing. Device. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movable contact rod (70L, 70T) consists of one member together with the helical spring (50L, 50T). 13. The signal generator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the signal generator is one or the other of the two opposite lateral lower contact elements 134L, 134T with the lower spans 78L, 78T of the movable contact rod. In such a way as to cause inclination of the contact rods 70L, 70T in one or the other direction when the associated coding shafts 32L, 32T are rotationally driven such that electrical contact is made between them, and the coding shaft 32L The movable contact in the stationary position in such a way as to cause an automatic escape of the upper span 68L, 68T from the space defined by the two successive teeth 45L, 45T over a specific rotational angle of 32T). Serrated pinions 44L, 44T rotatably coupled with the associated coding shaft between two successive teeth 45L, 45T in which the upper spans 68L, 68T of rods 70L, 70T are housed. Containing Device characterized in that. 14. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13, further comprising two orthogonally rotating coding shafts 32L and 32T, each driven in rotation in both directions by a trackball 30 rotatably mounted within the housing, Wherein each shaft is rotatably coupled to a movable coding element (44L, 44T) belonging to a control signal generator. 15. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the torsion spring is comprised of a wire, the outer diameter of which is equal to the diameter of the wire to constitute a rod-shaped torsion spring. A method for securing a metal element of conductive material to a plastic body 24 of at least one of an electrical component or an electronic component 50L, 50T, wherein at least one span of the metal element is formed in the ducts 46L, 46T of the body. In the method of the type accommodated in And said at least one span is fixed by thermal welding to concave walls (47L, 47T) of the duct. The method of claim 16, wherein the thermal welding operation is performed by heating the span of a metal element. 18. The method of claim 16 or 17, wherein the span of metal is heated by the joule effect by passing an electrical current through the span. 19. The duct 46L, 46T of claim 16, wherein the ducts 46L, 46T include an open face that is oriented vertically upwards and wherein a vertical load oriented downwards during the heat welding operation is performed. Applied to the span. 19. The two electrodes according to any one of the preceding claims, in combination with 18, for heating the span which is applied to the ends of the span of the metal element fixed by thermal welding to the concave wall of the duct. And (E1, E2).