WO2004024423A2 - Dispositif a boule roulante permettant de commander un appareil electronique, et procede de production associe - Google Patents

Dispositif a boule roulante permettant de commander un appareil electronique, et procede de production associe Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2004024423A2
WO2004024423A2 PCT/EP2003/050605 EP0350605W WO2004024423A2 WO 2004024423 A2 WO2004024423 A2 WO 2004024423A2 EP 0350605 W EP0350605 W EP 0350605W WO 2004024423 A2 WO2004024423 A2 WO 2004024423A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
span
housing
rotation
contact
spring
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2003/050605
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO2004024423A3 (fr
Inventor
Hervé Bricaud
David Ferraton
Yves Pizard
Original Assignee
Itt Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Itt Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. filed Critical Itt Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
Priority to CA002494610A priority Critical patent/CA2494610A1/fr
Priority to JP2004535532A priority patent/JP2005538461A/ja
Priority to AU2003274107A priority patent/AU2003274107A1/en
Priority to EP03758092A priority patent/EP1542856A2/fr
Publication of WO2004024423A2 publication Critical patent/WO2004024423A2/fr
Publication of WO2004024423A3 publication Critical patent/WO2004024423A3/fr
Priority to US11/076,678 priority patent/US20050184957A1/en

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
    • G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
    • G06F3/033—Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor
    • G06F3/0354—Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
    • G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
    • G06F3/033—Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor
    • G06F3/0354—Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
    • G06F3/03549—Trackballs
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/02—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure
    • B29C65/44—Joining a heated non plastics element to a plastics element
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/50—General aspects of joining tubular articles; General aspects of joining long products, i.e. bars or profiled elements; General aspects of joining single elements to tubular articles, hollow articles or bars; General aspects of joining several hollow-preforms to form hollow or tubular articles
    • B29C66/51—Joining tubular articles, profiled elements or bars; Joining single elements to tubular articles, hollow articles or bars; Joining several hollow-preforms to form hollow or tubular articles
    • B29C66/52—Joining tubular articles, bars or profiled elements
    • B29C66/522—Joining tubular articles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/50—General aspects of joining tubular articles; General aspects of joining long products, i.e. bars or profiled elements; General aspects of joining single elements to tubular articles, hollow articles or bars; General aspects of joining several hollow-preforms to form hollow or tubular articles
    • B29C66/51—Joining tubular articles, profiled elements or bars; Joining single elements to tubular articles, hollow articles or bars; Joining several hollow-preforms to form hollow or tubular articles
    • B29C66/54—Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/02—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor by heating, with or without pressure
    • B29C65/44—Joining a heated non plastics element to a plastics element
    • B29C65/46—Joining a heated non plastics element to a plastics element heated by induction
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/74—Joining plastics material to non-plastics material
    • B29C66/742—Joining plastics material to non-plastics material to metals or their alloys
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
    • B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
    • B29L2031/34—Electrical apparatus, e.g. sparking plugs or parts thereof
    • B29L2031/345—Accessories for radios, record players or the like

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a control device for an electronic apparatus, in particular a device of the type commonly referred to as a "trackball".
  • the invention thus relates to a control device of the type comprising a plastic housing in which are arranged two orthogonal revolving coding shafts driven in rotation, each in both directions, by a control member in the form of a spherical ball mounted rotatably in the housing , and of the type in which each shaft is tied in rotation to a mobile element belonging to a generator of control signals, in particular for the displacement of a cursor over a screen of an electronic apparatus of the type in which the generator of control signals comprises: - a mobile contact rod which, in its rest position towards which it is elastically restored , lies along a substantially vertical direction in which a lower span of the rod is received with play between two opposed lateral lower contact elements, and which is mounted tilting globally about a horizontal axis parallel to the axis of the associated coding shaft;
  • the mobile contact rod is tied in rotation to the last turn of a first axial end of a spiral torsion spring, made of metal wire and of horizontal axis, the cylindrical body of which is accommodated in the housing and the second axial end of which is immobilized in rotation in such a way that the mobile contact rod is mounted tilting globally about a horizontal axis parallel to the axis of the associated coding shaft.
  • the upper span of the mobile contact rod is a 180° bent span which joins the mobile contact rod to the last turn of the first axial end of the spring and which lies in a vertical plane parallel to the axis of the spiral spring and substantially tangential to the periphery of the body of the spring.
  • the second end of the spring is blocked i n rotation by its last turn which extends via a strand of axial orientation which itself extends via a free end strand which is of semicircular shape lying in a downwards vertical plane in such a way as to be received vertically in a complementary slot which is formed in the lower part of the housing and open vertical towards the top.
  • Each lateral lower contact element is a fixed contact lug of vertical orientation.
  • the contact lug can consist of a conducting lug belonging to a span of a flat cable which lies along a block of insulating material of the housing.
  • It can also consist of a metal fixed contact around which the insulating material block is overmoulded .
  • Ball-type coding devices such as th is are particularly compact and high-performance, and the present invention is aimed at improving certain aspects thereof.
  • each coding spring affording several functions is indeed com plex, thereby entailing a relatively lengthy forming cycle time, in particular so as to guarantee good parallelism between the plane of the fixed loop for rotationally immobilizing the spring and the plane of the mobile loop comprising the mobile contact rod.
  • any defect of parallelism between the planes of the fixed and mobile loops gives rise to a defect of positioning in the rest state of the mobile contact rod with respect to a vertical plane of the housing, a recess of which receives the fixed loop.
  • the invention is aimed in particular at proposing a new design for the rotational immobilizing of the coding spring about its axis.
  • the invention proposes a control device of the abovementioned type in which the mobile contact rod is tied in rotation to the last turn of a first axial end of a torsional spiral spring, made of metal wire and of horizontal axis, the cylindrical body of which is accommodated in the housing and the second axial end of which is immobilized in rotation in such a way that the mobile contact rod is mounted tilting globally about a horizontal axis parallel to the axis of the associated coding shaft, characterized in that the span of second axial end of the spring is accommodated in a duct of the housing with at least one tu rn of this span which is thermowelded into the concave wall of the duct so as to immobilize it in rotation.
  • thermowelding operation is carried out by heating the said turns
  • the duct is of globally semicylindrical shape, the open face of which is oriented vertically upwards, and in the course of the thermowelding operation, a downwardly oriented vertical load is applied to the turns of the spring;
  • the load is applied to the turns to be welded by means of two electrodes for heating the said turns which are applied to the axial end turns of the group of thermowelded turns in the concave wall of the duct;
  • the device comprises a fixed conducting contact lug which is arranged in a portion of the concave wall of the duct, opposite at least one of the said thermowelded tu rns;
  • this fixed conducting contact lug belongs to the upper face of an end of a flat cable received in the housing;
  • each of the two opposed lateral lower contact elements is a straight rod which lies horizontally parallel to the axis of tilting of the mobile contact rod, which is built into the housing, and a free end span of which lies opposite the lower span of the mobile contact rod and is elastically deformable in the horizontal plane;
  • each fixed contact rod opposite its free contact end span is a linking strand which is in contact with a fixed conducting contact lug arranged in a wall of the housing;
  • the said fixed conducting contact lug belongs to the upper face of an end of a flat cable received in the housing ;
  • the mobile contact rod is made in one piece with the spiral spring;
  • the signals generator comprises a toothed pinion, tied in rotation to the associated coding shaft, between two consecutive teeth of which is received an upper span of the mobile contact rod in the rest position, in such a way as to cause the tilting of the contact rod , in one direction or the other, when the associated coding shaft is driven in rotation so as to establish electrical contact between the lower span of the mobile contact rod and one or other of the two opposed lateral lower contact elements, and cause the automatic escapement of the upper span from the space delimited by the two consecutive teeth beyond a specified angle of rotation of the coding shaft;
  • the torsion spring is made of wire and in its external d iameter is equal to the diameter of the wire, so as to constitute a torsion bar spring.
  • the invention also proposes a process for fixing a metal element, made of a conducting material, in a plastic body of an electrical and/or electronic component of the type in which at least one span of the metal element is accommodated in a duct of the body, characterized in that the said at least one span is fixed by thermowelding into the concave wall of the duct.
  • thermowelding operation is carried out by heating the said span of the metal element
  • the duct comprises an open face which is oriented vertically upwards, and, in the course of the thermowelding operation, a downwardly oriented vertical load is applied to the said span of the metal element; - the said load is applied by means of two electrodes for heating the said span which are applied to the ends of the said span of the metal element fixed by thermowelding into the concave wall of the d uct.
  • FIG. 1 is a plan and three-quarter front right external perspective view, which represents a control device in accordance with the teachings of the invention with its connection "flex";
  • FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view on a larger scale of the various components of the device of Figure 1 ;
  • FIG. 3 is a plan view on a large scale of the lower part of the bare housing of the device of Figures 1 and 2;
  • FIGS. 4 to 6, 7A, 7B and 8 are sectional views of the device according to the invention, through the vertical sectional planes 4-4 to 8-8 indicated in Figure 3 and in which the contact rods are represented in their stable vertical rest position, except in Figures 7A and 7B in which the contact rod is represented in the two opposed contact positions;
  • FIG. 9 is a plan view on a large scale which illustrates the various conducting contact lugs of the end span of the "flex" which is received in the bottom of the housing;
  • FIG. 10 to 1 3 are views similar to that of Figure 3 which illustrates various steps of placing the components in the lower part of the housing;
  • FIGS 14 to 16 are perspective views corresponding to the views of Figures 1 0, 1 1 and 1 3;
  • FIG. 17 is a three-quarter rear perspective view from above and the right of the lower part of the housing;
  • FIG. 1 8 is a perspective view from beneath of the upper part forming a cover of the housing
  • FIG. 9 is a perspective view on a large scale, which illustrates a coding spring according to the invention.
  • - Figure 20 is a perspective view on a large scale, which illustrates a fixed contact rod according to the invention ;
  • - Figure 21 is a perspective view similar to that of Figure 1 wh ich illustrates a variant embodiment of the invention in which the linking "flex" is replaced by connection tabs around which the lower part of the housing is overmoulded ;
  • - Figure 22 is a view similar to that of Figure 3 which illustrates the lower part of the housing of the device of Figure 21 ;
  • Figures 23 and 24 are views similar to those of Figures 3 and 4 and which represent a device according to the state of the art illustrated in the abovementioned French patent application .
  • the device 20 comprises a housing 22 of substantially right-angled parallelepipedal general shape made of two parts, the main lower part 24 and the upper part 26 forming a cover for closing the lower part which accommodates the main components of the device 20.
  • the device essentially comprises a central trackball or sphere 30 which drives in rotation, here by friction , two orthogonal coding shafts, each of which is associated with a signal generator.
  • the two shafts and the signal generators are of overall symmetric design , and arranged symmetrically, with respect to a vertical plane of symmetry corresponding to the line S-S of Figures 3 and 24 and in which the centre C of the ball 30 lies.
  • Each coding shaft 32L, 32T thus comprises a stepped cylindrical body 34L, 34T whose two opposite free ends 36L, 36T of small diameter and 38L, 38T of large diameter are mounted so as to rotate in both directions in the housing 22 about an axis
  • Each body 34L, 34T comprises a drive drum or roller 42L,
  • the lower part 24 of the housing 22 comprises a recess of semicylindrical general duct shape 46L, 46T open towards the top (see Figures 17 and 18).
  • Each recess 46L, 46T receives the cylindrical main body 48L, 48T of a torsional spiral spring 50L, 50T made of metallic wire wound around an axis 52L, 52T.
  • the last turn 54L, 54T of each spring is extended by a strand 56L, 56T of axial orientation, along the axis 52L, 52T, which is itself extended by a free end strand 58L, 58T which is of semicircular shape extending downwards in a vertical plane in such a way as to be received vertically in a complementary slot 62L, 62T which is formed in the lower part 24 of the housing and open vertically towards the top.
  • the first turn 64L, 64T of the spring 50L, 50T, axially opposite the last turn 54L, 54T, is extended upwards by a vertical strand 66L, 66T which joins the first turn to a vertical mobile contact rod 70L, 70T by way of a 180° bent upper strand 68L,
  • the shaping of this end of each spring is such that the joining strand 66L, 66T, the contact rod 70L, 70T and the bent strand 68L, 68T (which constitutes the upper end span of the contact rod) lie in a vertical plane substantially tangential to the periphery of the cylindrical body 48L, 48T of the spring 50L, 50T.
  • the vertical orientation of the contact rod 70L, 70T, in the rest position results from the design of each spring 50L, 50T with its contact rod 70L, 70T and its bent strand 58L, 58T, the latter being gu ided vertically in the slot 62L, 62T in such a way as to position the spring 50L, 50T angularly and to rotationally immobilize its end comprising the turn 54L, 54T.
  • the lower part 24 of the housing 22 is of hollow right- angled parallelepipedal general shape and it is delimited in particular by a bottom 72 with a horizontal plane upper face 74.
  • each vertical contact rod 70L, 70T is such that the free end 76L, 76T of its lower contact span 78L, 78T extends with play above the portion overlooking the upper face 74. According to the state of the art, each lower contact span
  • each control rod is also received with lateral play between two vertical abutment surfaces 80L, 80T and 82L, 82T which belong to blocks of material 81 L, 81 T and 83L, 83T made integrally by moulding with the bottom 72 and which project vertically upwards.
  • each control rod is also received with lateral play between two vertical abutment surfaces 80L, 80T and 82L, 82T which belong to blocks of material 81 L, 81 T and 83L, 83T made integrally by moulding with the bottom 72 and which project vertically upwards.
  • 70L, 70T is capable of tilting with respect to its vertical position with a corresponding displacement of the lower contact span 78L, 78T towards the abutment faces 80L-82L, 80T-82T.
  • the lower part 24 of the housing 22 comprises, in proximity to its horizontal upper face 25, recesses open vertically towards the top, 84L, 84T and 86L, 86T, which respectively receive the free ends 36L, 36T and 38L, 38T of the body 34L, 34T of each coding shaft 32L, 32T.
  • the horizontal width of the recesses 84L, 84T is substantially equal to the diameter of the end pivots 36L, 36T while the recesses 86L, 86T are open laterally towards the inside of the housing, each recess being supplemented with an elastic pin in the shape of a hairpin 90L, 90T which is mounted vertically in a complementary recess 88L, 88T in such a way that the free end upper branch 92L, 92T of the pin pointing towards the inside of the housing urges the corresponding pivot 38L, 38T elastically so as to push the roller 32L, 32T bearing against the ball 30.
  • the device 20 also comprises an entry switch which consists in essence of an elastic triggering member of the monostable type 94, of known general design in the shape of a star with four branches.
  • the triggering member 94 comprises a central part 96 comprising a dish in the shape of a spherical cap 98 with its concavity oriented upwards on which the trackball 30 bears, and comprises two pairs of radial branches 100L, 100T, distributed at 90°, each of which terminates in a lower bearing and contact edge in the form of an arc of a circle 102L, 102T with its convexity oriented downwards.
  • the angular positioning of the triggering member 94 in the lower part 24 of the housing is ensured by means of the pair of recesses 104T which receive the two end edges 102T, and by means of a third recess 104L which receives one of the two end edges 102L, while the other edge 102L is received in a last recess 104L formed in the cover (see Figure 18).
  • the lower part 24 of the housing 22 is delimited laterally by two parallel and opposite lateral walls 106L, left and right, and by a rear transverse wall 106T of transverse orientation, while the front transverse wall 106T comprises, over its entire height and as far as the upper face 74 of the bottom 72, an opening 108 whose function will be explained subsequently.
  • the cover 26, illustrated in particular in Figure 18, consists in essence of a horizontal board whose lower face 27 is designed to bear on the upper face 25 of the lower part 24.
  • the lower face 27 comprises cylindrical arc-shaped indentations to allow free passage and rotation of the rollers 42L,
  • the cover 26 also comprises a vertical partition 1 10 complementary to the opening 108 of the lower part 24 wh ich comprises, along its vertical edges, two ribs 1 12 complementary to the grooves 1 14 formed in the edges of the opening 1 08 in such a way as to allow the cover 26 to be mounted slidably, vertically downwards, on the lower part 24. In the assembled position, and as will be seen for example in Figures 1 and 23, the cover 26 thus completes and fully closes the housing 22.
  • the electrical linking of the control device 20 is ensu red by means of a flat cord or cable 28, also known as a "flex", whose design and technology are known.
  • the height of the partition 1 1 0, delimited vertically towards the base by its horizontal edge 1 1 1 , is slightly less than the height of the opening 108 in such a way as to allow the passage of the body 29 of the flex 28.
  • the upper face of the flex is represented without the insulating upper layer applied to the conducting tracks of the flex joining the lugs Pi and the terminals Bi .
  • This layer, or "cover layer” makes it possible to guarantee electrical insulation between the tracks and to eliminate the risks of short-circuits during entry via deflection of the dome 94.
  • the flex 28 thus comprises a body in the shape of a band 29 of small thickness, of the order of 0.12 mm, inside which are made conducting wires or lines.
  • the rear free end span 120 on the right when considering for example Figu re 9, comprises, made integrally, a series of conducting pads or lugs Pi joined to the wires Fi each of which constitutes a fixed contact intended to cooperate with the various active elements.
  • this rear span 120 exhibits a cutaway profile allowing its placement inside the lower part 24 so as to bear horizontally on the upper face 74 of the bottom 72.
  • the upper face 122 of the rear span 120 comprises a central conducting lug P1 in the form of an inset, joined to a wire F1 , which is situated vertically plumb with the central part 98, and two lugs P2, joined together and to a wire F2, which are situated longitud inally on either side of the central lug P1 and on each of which bears a lower contact edge 102L of the triggering member 94.
  • Conducting lugs are also provided for the transmission of the coding signals produced by the signal generators associated with the contact shafts 32L and 32T.
  • each spring 50L, 50T is joined to a wire F4L, F4T, by way of a lug P4L, P4T, on which the free end 60L, 60T of the corresponding bent arm 58L, 58T bears elastically.
  • each mobile contact rod 70L, 70T is joined , via the body 48L, 48T of the spring 50L, 50T, to a conducting lug P4L, P4T, and hence to a corresponding wire F4L, F4T.
  • the lower contact span 78L, 78T of each mobile contact rod 70L, 70T is received between two opposite contact lugs P5L, P5T and P6L, P6T of vertical orientation which are made by cutting out from the span 120 of the flex 28 and which, after mounting, are stood upright in vertical planes while bearing against the vertical surfaces of corresponding abutments 80L, 80T and 82L, 82T.
  • the mobile contact rod 70L is vertical and its bent upper span 68L is received , with lateral play along the direction T, between the opposing flanks 45L of two consecutive teeth of the coding pinion 44L.
  • the bal l practically always revolves about a horizontal axis, and , as a function of the orientation of the plane of rotation of the ball , the numbers of pulses generated by the two generators are respectively proportional to the X and Y components of investigation of the cursor on the screen.
  • the driving of the rollers 42L, 42T carried by the shafts 32L, 32T is ensured by friction with the outer surface of the trackball 30.
  • the shafts together with the rollers are urged under elastic bearing against the ball by the hairpin springs 90L-92L and 90T-92T. Entry is effected by applying to the trackball 30 a vertical load F oriented globally in the direction parallel to the direction V.
  • This action has the effect of causing its downwards vertical displacement with respect to the lower part 24 of the housing and of causing a change of state of the monostable triggering member 94 until its central part 98 comes into contact with the conducting lug P1 , thus causing electrical linking between the lugs P1 and P2 and hence between the wires F1 and F2, while affording the user a tactile sensation of actuation of the entry switch.
  • the positional holding of the span 120 of the flex 28 in the bottom 72, 74 of the lower part 24 of the housing 22 is ensu red through the contact pressure of the four edges 142L and 142T of the member 94 and , according to the state of the art, of the , strands 58L and 58T of the springs 50L and 50T.
  • the lower face 148 of a central foot 149 of the cover 26 pinches a facing part of the flex after hot-crimping of the studs 152 for mounting and fixing the cover 26 onto the part 24.
  • each spring 50, 50T is simplified by eliminating the loop-shaped free end strand 58L, 58T which served previously for its rotational immobilization, for the angu lar positioning of the mobile contact rod 70L, 70T and for the electrical linking of the spring.
  • the lower part 24 is simplified to the same extent.
  • the second axial end of the spring 50L, 50T, comprising the last turn 54L, 54T is fixed by thermowelding of consecutive turns of this span , in the correspond ing facing portions 47L, 47T of the duct 46L, 46T opposite which the relevant tu rns lie.
  • thermoweld the eight or nine end turns, on the right when considering Figure 1 6, of the spring is carried out by heating by Joule effect the corresponding span of the spring by means of two electrodes E1 and E2 which are applied to the correspond ing end turns of the span to be fixed by thermowelding.
  • the passing of the cu rrent between the electrodes E 1 , E2 through the turns causes, by Joule effect, instantaneous heating of the correspond ing wound metal wire span of the spring that constitutes the turns.
  • the two electrodes E 1 and E2 moreover exert a bearing force directed vertically downwards on the span of the spring.
  • the heating obtained by Joule effect then causes localized melting of the concave wall 47L, 47T of the duct 46L, 46T. Moreover, a "suction" and/or capillarity phenomenon occurs, by virtue of which the mou lding skin of the concave surface 47L, 47T of the plastic duct 46L, 46T hugs the entire external peripheral surface of the group of heated turns, while also lying between the heated turns. After halting the passage of the current, cooling is rapid and the plastic, which has previously been melted, freezes and hugs the periphery of the group of turns, with moreover excellent adherence.
  • the intensity of the current and the time for which it passes are chosen as a function of the ohmic resistance of the wire from which the spring 50L, 50T is made and of the melting temperature of the constituent plastic of the lower part 24 of the housing.
  • the intensity is between 1 A and 2A
  • the heating time is of the order of a few tenths of a second .
  • the application of the electrodes may cause a slight deformation of the turns, giving them an elliptical shape.
  • This deformation is advantageous since it increases the penetration of the corresponding parts of the turns into the locally molten concave surface 47L, 47T of the d uct.
  • the flex 29 comprises a conducting lug P4L, P4T which lies vertically above the plane of the bottom of the lower part 24 so as to be positioned opposite the surface 130L, 1 30T of a raised portion of the lower part 24 which is situated at the level of the concave bottom of the duct, and beneath the group of thermowelded turns.
  • the bearing force exerted vertically downwards by the two electrodes E1 and E2 applies the corresponding portions of the periphery of the turns against the conducting lug P4L, P4T.
  • the flex can comprise a positioning hole in which is inserted a stud 132L, 132T moulded integrally with the lower part 24 of the housing .
  • the stud 1 32L, 132T can also be hot crimped so as to further improve the positional holding of the tag of the flex 29 which comprises the lug P4L, P4T.
  • thermowelded turns depends on the value that one wishes to obtain for the stiffness of the torsional couple of the spring affording the function of restoring the mobile contact rod 70L, 70T to its vertical rest position , as well as the mechanical strength desired for the holding and the fixing of the thermowelded span of the spring 50L, 50T.
  • 70L, 70T of the spring is obtained by means of a jig, not represented , belonging to the tooling used for the thermowelding operation.
  • Each duct-shaped recess 46L, 46T is designed in such a way as to avoid any radial clamping of the turns of the correspond ing spring and there is thus no risk of inducing torsional stresses in the tu rns during the operations of placement and fixing of the spring by thermowelding .
  • the spring there are no risks of spurious angular displacement of the mobile loop comprising the mobile contact rod when the jig is removed.
  • the invention proposes a new design aimed at producing a fixed electrical contact which is elastically deformable.
  • the lower span 78L, 78T of the mobile contact rod 70L, 70T is received between two parallel and opposed fixed horizontal contact rods 134L, 134T.
  • the two fixed contact rods 134L or 134T of a contact pair associated with a mobile rod 70L or 70T are identical .
  • each fixed contact rod 1 34L As may be seen in Figure 20 , each fixed contact rod 1 34L,
  • 1 34T is made of bent metal wire and consists chiefly of a straig ht main body 1 38L, 138T which, at an axial end , terminates in a free end contact span 140L, 140T and , at its other end , in a hairpin loop 142L, 142T that lies in a vertical plane in which it is elastically deformable.
  • the body 1 38L, 138T and the loop 142L, 142T are received in corresponding vertical slots 144L, 144T of the lower part 240 of the housing 22 which lie in vertical planes parallel to the axis of the corresponding contact spring .
  • each fixed contact rod 134L, 134T is built-in in the manner of a beam, with the exception of its free end contact span
  • Each free end span 140L, 140T is thus free to deform elastically laterally in a horizontal plane, the two parallel and opposed rods of a fixed contact pair preferably being aligned in the same horizontal plane.
  • Each vertical loop 142L, 142T affords electrical linking of the fixed contact rod 1 34L, 134T with an associated fixed conducting lug arranged opposite in the bottom 74 of the lower part 24, belonging to a pair of conducting lugs P5L-P6L or P5T-
  • each fixed contact rod can be improved through an operation of thermoweld ing by localized heating of a span of the straight body 138L, 138T with the aid of two electrodes that come to bear for this purpose.
  • the bearing force exerted by the electrodes d uring the passage of the current then applies a bearing force to the loop 142L, 142T, on the associated fixed conducting lug, which is maintained after the application of the electrodes.
  • the electrical contact established (see Figure 7A and 7B) between a lower span 78L, 78T of the mobile contact rod 70L, 70T with one or other of the two spans 140L, 140T corresponds to the coming into contact of two cylindrical surfaces with perpendicular axes, that is to say a so-called "crossed rollers" contact which is the best type of semi-permanent electrical contact.
  • each free end span 140L, 140T exhibits a capacity for elastic deformation allowing "accompaniment" of the free end span 78L, 78T.
  • This phenomenon of accompaniment makes it possible to absorb any dimensional variations of the coding springs, thereby avoiding large variations of the snap-fastening loads.
  • the accompan iment by elastic deformation achieves a self-cleaning effect between the generatrices in contact.
  • the mobile and fixed contact rods may be produced from a metal wire made of steel or of copper alloy previously plated with gold or silver.
  • the electrical contact no longer depends on an accurate length of the mobile contact rod 70L, 70T, nor on the quality of the section ing of its free end 78L, 78T.
  • the bulkiness of the new fixed contacts is particularly reduced with respect to the solution according to the state of the art, this allowing a very large increase in the total number of tu rns of each spring, and hence a proportional reduction in the snap- fastening couple when fitting the loop 68L, 68T into the pinion 44L, 44T.
  • the diameter of each roller is for example reduced by 1 /3. This reduction makes it possible to increase the number of pulses per revolution of the ball in a ratio of 3/2.
  • the total height of the housing is reduced without modifying the total height of the device, that is to say the height between the lower face of the lower part 24 of the housing and the apex of the trackball 30. It is thus possible to increase the height of the part of the ball that emerges beyond the upper face 144 of the housing 22, thereby making it possible to install the device in equipment whose housing walls are larger.
  • the reduction in the eccentricity of the ball allows a better arrangement of the internal components of the device and in particular of the light-emitting diodes 1 50L, 150T that may advantageously be placed close to one another in order to obtain , as appropriate, better mixing of the colours when two adjacent diodes are energized simultaneously to obtain a third colour.
  • the embod iment represented in Figures 21 and 22 comprises a housing lower part 24 whose bottom is overmoulded around fixed contacts which are extended outside via linking tabs or outputs which here are of transverse orientation and distributed equally in threes over the two opposite sides of the housing.
  • the coplanar tabs which project from the housing are equivalent to the terminals of the flex 28 and they are joined to the fixed contacts Pi, arranged in the bottom 72, 74, by bands Fi embedded in the insulating moulding material of the lower part.
  • the lugs P4L and P4T are bowed lugs of the electrical linking "grid" which replaces the flex 29.
  • the contact springs and rods 50L,50T-70L,70T can be realized in the form of a single element perfectly symmetrical and which can be used either as a longitudinal or transverse one 50L,T-58L,T-68L_,T-70L,T.
  • the general length of the spring-rod element might be more or less important.
  • the spring is thus greatly simplified , as well as the correspond ing receiving portions of the lower part, and its overall length is reduced as can be seen in figures 23 to 29 of this document.
  • it is a corresponding span of the second axial end of the torsion bar spring which is thermowelded into a complementary concave wall of the hou sing .
  • such a wire or bar spring can be a torsion and flexion spring (such as the one disclosed in French patent application n°03.06970 filed on June 1 1 , 2003 in the name of the applicant) especially when the guided length of the "bar" span is very short and close to the oscillating or tilting loop 68L, 68T.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Position Input By Displaying (AREA)
  • Switches With Compound Operations (AREA)
  • A Measuring Device Byusing Mechanical Method (AREA)
  • Media Introduction/Drainage Providing Device (AREA)
  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention se rapporte à un dispositif (20) du type comportant un générateur de signaux de commande pourvu d'une tige de contact mobile (70T) qui est ramenée à son état initial de manière élastique par un ressort de torsion en spirale (50T) dont le corps cylindrique (48T) est reçu dans un logement et dont la seconde extrémité axiale (54T) est immobilisée. Ce dispositif se caractérise en ce que, lors de l'extension du ressort, la seconde extrémité axiale du ressort est logée dans un conduit (46L, 46T) du logement avec au moins une spire de la longueur de ressort qui est thermosoudée dans la paroi concave (47L, 47T) du conduit afin d'immobiliser ce dernier vis à vis d'une rotation. Conformément au procédé, le thermosoudage est effectué par chauffage ohmique des spires au moyen de deux électrodes (E1, E2).
PCT/EP2003/050605 2002-09-13 2003-09-02 Dispositif a boule roulante permettant de commander un appareil electronique, et procede de production associe WO2004024423A2 (fr)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA002494610A CA2494610A1 (fr) 2002-09-13 2003-09-02 Dispositif a boule roulante permettant de commander un appareil electronique, et procede de production associe
JP2004535532A JP2005538461A (ja) 2002-09-13 2003-09-02 電子装置を制御するためのトラック装置および製造方法
AU2003274107A AU2003274107A1 (en) 2002-09-13 2003-09-02 Trackball device for controlling an electronic apparatus, and production process
EP03758092A EP1542856A2 (fr) 2002-09-13 2003-09-02 Dispositif a boule roulante permettant de commander un appareil electronique, et procede de production associe
US11/076,678 US20050184957A1 (en) 2002-09-13 2005-03-10 Trackball control device

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR0211394A FR2844619B1 (fr) 2002-09-13 2002-09-13 Dispositif a boule de commande d'un appareil electronique, et procede de realisation
FR0211394 2002-09-13

Related Child Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US11/076,678 Continuation-In-Part US20050184957A1 (en) 2002-09-13 2005-03-10 Trackball control device

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2004024423A2 true WO2004024423A2 (fr) 2004-03-25
WO2004024423A3 WO2004024423A3 (fr) 2005-02-03

Family

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PCT/EP2003/050605 WO2004024423A2 (fr) 2002-09-13 2003-09-02 Dispositif a boule roulante permettant de commander un appareil electronique, et procede de production associe

Country Status (9)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1542856A2 (fr)
JP (1) JP2005538461A (fr)
KR (1) KR20050043955A (fr)
CN (1) CN1305660C (fr)
AU (1) AU2003274107A1 (fr)
CA (1) CA2494610A1 (fr)
FR (1) FR2844619B1 (fr)
TW (1) TW200414060A (fr)
WO (1) WO2004024423A2 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1632968A1 (fr) * 2004-09-01 2006-03-08 Itt Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. Dispositif perfectionné de commande à tambour et à voies de commutation multiples
EP3112994A1 (fr) 2015-07-01 2017-01-04 RAFI GmbH & Co. KG Dispositif de saisie

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
KR101716969B1 (ko) * 2015-11-13 2017-03-16 현대다이모스(주) 프로브 장치

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB762906A (en) * 1954-07-19 1956-12-05 Birmingham Small Arms Co Ltd Improvements in or relating to composite articles including porous members
GB887956A (en) * 1957-01-02 1962-01-24 E P S Res & Dev Ltd A new or improved flexible material, particularly suitable for use as a protective covering material for packaging and preservation purposes
US4251310A (en) * 1977-11-25 1981-02-17 Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc. Method for rebonding tubing elements used in needle assemblies
FR2822271A1 (fr) * 2001-03-16 2002-09-20 Itt Mfg Enterprises Inc Dispositif a boule de commande des deplacements d'un curseur sur un ecran d'appareil electronique

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6002351A (en) * 1995-11-10 1999-12-14 Nintendo Co., Ltd. Joystick device

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB762906A (en) * 1954-07-19 1956-12-05 Birmingham Small Arms Co Ltd Improvements in or relating to composite articles including porous members
GB887956A (en) * 1957-01-02 1962-01-24 E P S Res & Dev Ltd A new or improved flexible material, particularly suitable for use as a protective covering material for packaging and preservation purposes
US4251310A (en) * 1977-11-25 1981-02-17 Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc. Method for rebonding tubing elements used in needle assemblies
FR2822271A1 (fr) * 2001-03-16 2002-09-20 Itt Mfg Enterprises Inc Dispositif a boule de commande des deplacements d'un curseur sur un ecran d'appareil electronique

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1632968A1 (fr) * 2004-09-01 2006-03-08 Itt Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. Dispositif perfectionné de commande à tambour et à voies de commutation multiples
EP3112994A1 (fr) 2015-07-01 2017-01-04 RAFI GmbH & Co. KG Dispositif de saisie

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2003274107A8 (en) 2004-04-30
CA2494610A1 (fr) 2004-03-25
TW200414060A (en) 2004-08-01
AU2003274107A1 (en) 2004-04-30
FR2844619A1 (fr) 2004-03-19
CN1681640A (zh) 2005-10-12
CN1305660C (zh) 2007-03-21
WO2004024423A3 (fr) 2005-02-03
EP1542856A2 (fr) 2005-06-22
JP2005538461A (ja) 2005-12-15
FR2844619B1 (fr) 2004-12-10
KR20050043955A (ko) 2005-05-11

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