GB2288223A

GB2288223A - Mouse Mat

Info

Publication number: GB2288223A
Application number: GB9406923A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John William Shaw
Original assignee: SYSTEMCARE 2000 Ltd
Current assignee: SYSTEMCARE 2000 Ltd
Priority date: 1994-04-07
Filing date: 1994-04-07
Publication date: 1995-10-11
Also published as: GB9406923D0

Abstract

A mat for use with mouse-type computer control devices has an area of its upper surface composed of pile, looped, hooked or woven material to provide a cleaning action on the ball periphery when tracked thereover in use. A solvent or other cleaning liquid can be applied to the area for extra cleaning effect.

Description

MOUSE MAT This invention relates to mouse mats for use with control devices of the mouse type, as commonly used for cursor movement and the like in computing, which include a rolling ball manoeuvred manually on a convenient surface.

To improve control a mouse mat is commonly provided having a soft non-slip backing, typically a soft foamed plastics material, so that the mat remains stationary on a desk or table surface or the like, and an upper facing of a smoother material which will enable the ball to track easily without skidding so that the mouse is fully responsive.

The working surface of the mat is commonly left exposed and tends to collect dirt and grease which is transferred to the ball periphery and hence to the rollers or other transducer components within the mouse acted on by the ball. Accumulated dirt will make operation unreliable and necessitate dismantling for cleaning.

It has been realised that harmful build-up of dirt could be avoided or minimised if the ball periphery was subjected to regular cleaning during use, preferably without having to dismantle the mouse and one proposal to this end is described in GB 2265441A where a mouse mat has a cleaning portion or portions formed from a tacky or sticky material which the mouse can be run over from time to time in use. However, the tacky or sticky material will only collect loose dirt such as specks of dust from the ball periphery. Deposits of grease and ingrained or adhering dirt may not be removed, indeed there is a danger that the tacky material may add such contamination to the periphery rather than removing it, particularly as the sticky or tacky surface will pick up and retain atmospheric dust, fluff off user's clothing, e.g. if the user's sleeve should contact the sticky surface, and other debris and the cleaning pad itself will be difficult if not impossible to clean, thus after a short while it may make matters worse not better.

Another proposal described in U.S. 4760618 involves dismantling the mouse for cleaning, at least by removing the ball therefrom, and substituting a scrubbing ball formed from "Velcro" material which is then used in conjunction with a cleaning pad (not forming part of a normal mouse mat) also having a "Velcro" surface. This device may be used in conjunction with solvent for scrubbing the interior of the mouse. This proposal does not avoid or reduce the build-up of dirt in the mouse interior in the first place and is inconvenient for regular use because of the need to get out the special pad (and solvent) and partly dismantle the mouse.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, and readily used mouse mat incorporating a cleaning facility so that build-up of dirt of all kinds on the ball periphery and its consequent transfer to the interior of the mouse is avoided or very substantially reduced.

According to the invention there is provided a mouse mat having a cleaning zone or area of its operative upper surface composed of a pile, looped, hooked or woven material providing a scouring or scrubbing action on a mouse ball periphery when a mouse is tracked thereover.

It is contemplated that the cleaning area may be used dry and/or a suitable solvent may be applied thereto from time to time to facilitate removal of grease and adherent dirt.

An example of the invention is now more particularly described.

A mouse mat, conveniently having similar dimensions to a conventional mat, includes an overall backing layer of soft non-slip material e.g. nitrile foam or other similar plastics.

A major area of the operatively upper surface consists of a sheet or coating of smooth material, e.g. a polycarbonate or PVC flexible sheet, which the mouse ball will track on reliably without skidding.

As so far described the mat is of conventional form.

However, the remaining area of the upper surface, for example forming a border along one end or possibly along one side, consists of a cleaning strip of a looped or hooked material such as that sold under the trade mark or trade name "Velcro" or some other pile, looped or woven material, typically of synthetic plastics fibres.

In use the mouse can be tracked over this cleaning area from time-to-time during normal use to provide a scrubbing or scouring action keeping the ball periphery clean by removing not only loose dirt and dust but also grease and the like. This regular use will keep the ball periphery de-contaminated and will therefore avoid or much reduce transfer of accumulated dirt to the rollers and other components of the mouse interior.

Occasional more thorough cleaning may be effected in a particularly convenient manner and without dismantling the mouse by applying a suitable solvent or other cleaning liquid to the cleaning area and rolling the ball thereon. The solvent or other fluid may also be used to wash the cleaning area itself and clean the rest of the upper surface of the mat.

A typical mat may be rectangular in shape with a size of about 290 x 200mm overall, the cleaning portion being a margin at one end about 45mm in width leaving a conventional upper working surface of about 240 x 200mm.

Claims

1. A mouse mat having a cleaning zone or area of its operative upper surface composed of a pile, looped, hooked or woven material providing a scouring or scrubbing action on a mouse ball periphery when a mouse is tracked thereover.

2. A mat as in Claim 1 wherein said zone or area forms a border along one end or side of said upper surface.

3. A mat as in Claim 1 or 2 wherein said material is formed of synthetic plastics fibres.

4. A mouse mat substantially as hereinbefore described.

5. A method of cleaning the ball periphery of a mousetype control device including the steps of providing a mouse mat as in any preceding claim and periodically tracking the device over the cleaning zone or area thereof during use.

6. A method as in Claim 5 including the further step of applying a solvent or other cleaning liquid to the cleaning zone or area of the mat before tracking the mouse thereover.

7. A method of cleaning the ball periphery of a mousetype control device substantially as hereinbefore described.