GB2307540A - A cursor control device - Google Patents

A cursor control device Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2307540A
GB2307540A GB9524008A GB9524008A GB2307540A GB 2307540 A GB2307540 A GB 2307540A GB 9524008 A GB9524008 A GB 9524008A GB 9524008 A GB9524008 A GB 9524008A GB 2307540 A GB2307540 A GB 2307540A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
securing seat
wheel
circuit board
ball
lugs
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status 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 status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB9524008A
Other versions
GB9524008D0 (en
Inventor
Shun-Jung Lo
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Abeam Technology Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Abeam Technology Co Ltd
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 Abeam Technology Co Ltd filed Critical Abeam Technology Co Ltd
Priority to GB9524008A priority Critical patent/GB2307540A/en
Priority to US08/564,392 priority patent/US5699083A/en
Priority claimed from US08/564,392 external-priority patent/US5699083A/en
Priority to FR9515034A priority patent/FR2742562A3/en
Priority to CA002167643A priority patent/CA2167643A1/en
Publication of GB9524008D0 publication Critical patent/GB9524008D0/en
Publication of GB2307540A publication Critical patent/GB2307540A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

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
    • G06F3/0304—Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means
    • G06F3/0312—Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels
    • 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
    • G06F3/03543—Mice or pucks

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Position Input By Displaying (AREA)

Abstract

A cursor control device includes a body accommodating a circuit board 13 and having a bottom circular hole 14 for accommodating a ball 15. The body further has a pair of encoders 16, each including a wheel 17 with a spindle which engages the ball so that the wheel may synchronously rotate with the ball, a light source 29, and a sensor 30. The wheel and spindle are mounted on a first securing seat 20 and the light source and the sensor are mounted on a second securing seat 31. The securing seats have lugs 25, 34 and pins 41, 36 for easy mounting on the circuit board.

Description

CURSOR CONTROL DEVICE The present invention relates to cursor control devices.
Conventional cursor control devices (such as, for example, the devices sometimes referred to as "mice") generally fall into three main types, nameiy, mechanical, optical and semi-optical. In semi-optical cursor control devices, the structure generally includes a body containing a circuit board therein and having a hole in a bottom side thereof for mounting of a ball which may roll freely therein. The body aiso accommodates a couple or encoders, each including a wheel which has a spindle extenå ng in the direction of the ball and being in a frictional relationship therewith, such that the wheel may rotate synchronously with the ball.
On both sides of the wheel are respectively provided a light source and sensor. The light emitted by the light source ;s just perpendcuiar to the spindle and the sensor i disposed in the proximity of the periphery or the wheel so as to receive light passing via the periphery of the wheel. When the wheel rotates, the light emitted by the light source will be partly blocked by the wheel and will partly pass via the periphery of the wheel.These two conditions may be respectively represented by 0 and 1. ashen the wheel performs continuous rotation (whether clockwisely or counter-clockwisely) , the foilowing four signals will be obtained: (1, 1), (0, 1) , (0, 0) and (1, O). After undergoing conversion by means of the circuit board, these signals may control a cursor to move across the screen of a display. The encoders are provided to respectively control the cursor to move across the screen horizontally and vertically, or in any other direction.
However, in the conventional cursor control devices, the relative position among the wheel, light source and sensor greatly affects the precision of the reading of the signals, hence the control of the cursor.
It is also well known that the wheel, light source and sensor are directly planted on the circuit board.
Mounting and positioning of these components directly on the circuit board is very inconvenient and timeconsuming, and production speed is slow as well.
This invention provides a cursor control device comprising: a body having a cap with a plurality of push buttons, said body accommodating a circuit board therein and having a circular hole in a bottom side thereof for mounting a ball, said body further accommodating a plurality of encoders, each of said encoders including a wheel with a spindle extending towards said ball such that said spindle rubs against said ball when said ball rolls within said circular hole, wherein a first securing seat is provided below said wheel, said first securing seat being provided with a plurality of recesses for pivotally supporting said spindle of said wheel and having hook-like lugs and a positioning pin projecting from a bottom side thereof, said lugs and said positioning pin being respectively inserted into first insert holes and a first positioning hole correspondingly formed in said circuit board such that said wheel may be positioned properly on said circuit board, and a second securing seat having positioning slots is provided so that a light source and a sensor may be respectively positioned in said positioning slots thereof, said second securing seat having hook-like lugs and a positioning pin projecting from a bottom side thereof, which may be respectively inserted into second insert holes and a second positioning hole correspondingly formed in said circuit board such that said light source and said sensor may be positioned properly on said circuit board and such that light emitted by said light source may pass via a periphery of said wheel to be received by said sensor.
Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention provide a cursor control device in which wheels, light sources and sensors may be conveniently and speedily assembled to a circuit board without any need for adjustment of their positions.
Embodiments of the cursor control device comprise a couple of encoders, each of which is provided with a first securing seat and a second securing seat, the second securing seat having two positioning slots for receiving a light source and a sensor respectively, the first securing seat having a couple of recesses for installation of a wheel, both securing seats further having lugs at a bottom side thereof, which may be conveniently and firmly connected to a circuit board.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which like parts are referred to by like references, and in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cursor control device in an assembled state; Fig. 2 is a perspective exploded view of the device; and Fig. 3 is a top view of the encoders and a ball of the cursor control device.
With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, a cursor control device essentially comprises a body 10, a cap 11 provided with a plurality of push buttons 12 for covering an upper side of the body 10 to conceal the interior thereof, and a circuit board 13 within the body 10. The body 10 has a circular hole 1 in a bottom Side thereof for accommodating a ball i5, which may move freely within the hole 14.
The cursor control device further comprises a couple of encoders 15. Each encoder 1 includes a wheel 17 with a spindle 18 extending i.n the direction of the ball D. he spindle 18 has one end thereof fIxedly provided with a roller 19 which rubs against the ball 15, such that when the ball i5 rotates, the wheel 1 7 i 5 caused to rotate synchronous'y therewith.
As shown in Fig. 2, a first securing seat 20 is disposed below the wheel 17 and has a couple of recesses 23, 24 with notches 21, 22 provided on an upper side thereof The spindle 13 supporting the wheel 17 is pivotally mounted on the first securing seat 20, with the wheel 17 and the roller 19 respectively located intermediate the recesses 23, 24. The first securing seat 20 has at least two projecting hook-like lugs 25 and a positioning pin 41 on a bottom side thereof, and a raised portion 27 at a corner of the upper side thereof.
The raised portion 27 has a projection 26 projecting from a lower side therefor for matching a slot 44 of a second securing seat 31.
A light source 29 (such as an LED) and a sensor 30 are respectively provided on both sides of the wheel 17.
The light source 29 and .he sensor 30 are positioned on the second securing seat 31, which has two positioning slots 32 and 33 in an upper side thereof for receiving the light source 29 and the sensor 30 respectively.
After the light source 29 and che sensor 30 are firmly secured within the positioning slots 32 and 33, guide legs 38 and 39 may pass through corresponding through holes (not shown) in the bottom side of the second securing seat 31 to be welded onto the circuit board 13.
In addition, two through holes 40 are formed in a side wall of the positioning slot 33 to allow entrance of light passing via the wheel 17. The second securing seat 31 has at least two hook-like lugs 34 and a positioning pin 36 at a bottom side thereof.
After the light source 29 and the sensor 30 are respectively mounted on the second securing seat 31, the lugs 34 and positioning pin 36 thereof may be directly inserted into matching insert holes 35 and a positioning hole 43 in the circuit board 13, so that the light source 29 and the sensor 30 may be positioned properly on the circuit board 13. After the second securing seat 31 is positioned on the circuit board 13, the first securing seat 20 may be directly inserted into corresponding insert holes 28 and a positioning hole 42 n the circuit board 13 so that the wheel 17 may be properly positioned thereon.
The second securing seat 31 has an extended portion 37 having the slot LN for receiving the projection 26 of the raised portion 27 when the first securing seat 20 is positioned on the second securing seat 31.
The light source 29 is disposed such that the light emitted thereby is just perpendIcular to the wheel 17, and the sensor 30 is located near the periphery of the wheel 17 so as to receive the light passing via the perIphery of the wheel 17. When the wheel 17 rotates, che light emitted by the light source 29 will be partly blocked by the wheel 17 and will partly pass via the periphery of the wheel 17; these two conditions may be rospectively represented by 1 and 0. Therefore, when he wheel 17 performs continuous rotation, whether clockwisely or counter-clockwisely, four signals may be ootained: (1, 1), (0, 1), (0, 0) and (1, O). > .These signals are converted via the circuit board 13 so that they may control the cursor to move across the screen.
The two encoders 16 are provided to respectively control the vertical and horizontal movements of the cursor so that the cursor may move in any direction on the screen.
In the present embodiment, since the light sources 29, the sensors 30 and the wheels 17 may be respectively pre-mounted on the first securing seat 20 and the second securing seat 31, and since lugs 25 and 3L may be directly fitted into the circuit board 13 to facilitate assembly of the cursor control device, the trouble of adjusting and positioning the light sources, the sensor, and the wheel on the circuit board as in the prior art is eliminated.
Although the present invention has been illustrated and described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it shouid be understood that it is in no way limited to the details of such embodiment but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (4)

1. A cursor control device comprising: a body having a cap with a plurality of push buttons, said body accommodating a circuit board therein and having a circular hole in a bottom side thereof for mounting a ball, said body further accommodating a plurality of encoders, each of said encoders including a wheel with a spindle extending towards said ball such that said spindle rubs against said ball when said ball rolls within said circular hole, wherein a first securing seat is provided below said wheel, said first securing seat being provided with a plurality of recesses for pivotally supporting said spindle of said wheel and having hook-like lugs and a positioning pin projecting from a bottom side thereof, said lugs and said positioning pin being respectively inserted into first insert holes and a first positioning hole correspondingly formed in said circuit board such that said wheel may be positioned properly on said circuit board, and a second securing seat having positioning slots is provided so that a light source and a sensor may be respectively positioned in said positioning slots thereof, said second securing seat having hook-like lugs and a positioning pin projecting from a bottom side thereof, which may be respectively inserted into second insert holes and a second positioning hole correspondingly formed in said circuit board such that said light source and said sensor may be positioned properly on said circuit board and such that light emitted by said light source may pass via a periphery of said wheel to be received by said sensor.
2. A cursor control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said securing seat has an extended portion provided with a slot and said first securing seat has a raised portion on an upper side thereof for matching said extended portion, said raised portion having a projection at a bottom side thereof for fitting into said slot of said second securing seat so that said first securing seat may be connected to said second securing seat.
3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which: the device comprises two encoders; the first securing seat has two hook-like lugs; the circuit board has a pair of the first insert holes; the second securing seat has two positioning slots; the second securing seat has two hook-like lugs; and the circuit board has a pair of the second insert holes.
4. A cursor control device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB9524008A 1995-11-23 1995-11-23 A cursor control device Withdrawn GB2307540A (en)

Priority Applications (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9524008A GB2307540A (en) 1995-11-23 1995-11-23 A cursor control device
US08/564,392 US5699083A (en) 1995-11-23 1995-11-29 Cursor control device
FR9515034A FR2742562A3 (en) 1995-11-23 1995-12-19 CURSOR CONTROL DEVICE
CA002167643A CA2167643A1 (en) 1995-11-23 1996-01-19 Cursor control device

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9524008A GB2307540A (en) 1995-11-23 1995-11-23 A cursor control device
US08/564,392 US5699083A (en) 1995-11-23 1995-11-29 Cursor control device
FR9515034A FR2742562A3 (en) 1995-11-23 1995-12-19 CURSOR CONTROL DEVICE
CA002167643A CA2167643A1 (en) 1995-11-23 1996-01-19 Cursor control device

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9524008D0 GB9524008D0 (en) 1996-01-24
GB2307540A true GB2307540A (en) 1997-05-28

Family

ID=27427266

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9524008A Withdrawn GB2307540A (en) 1995-11-23 1995-11-23 A cursor control device

Country Status (2)

Country Link
FR (1) FR2742562A3 (en)
GB (1) GB2307540A (en)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4623787A (en) * 1983-12-05 1986-11-18 Wico Corporation Ball and transducer mounting arrangement for mouse
GB2192045A (en) * 1986-06-25 1987-12-31 Depraz Sa Device for the input of graphic analog data into a computer
US5171978A (en) * 1991-11-22 1992-12-15 Lexmark International, Inc. Trackball assembly including a loosely mounted ball support

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4623787A (en) * 1983-12-05 1986-11-18 Wico Corporation Ball and transducer mounting arrangement for mouse
GB2192045A (en) * 1986-06-25 1987-12-31 Depraz Sa Device for the input of graphic analog data into a computer
US5171978A (en) * 1991-11-22 1992-12-15 Lexmark International, Inc. Trackball assembly including a loosely mounted ball support

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9524008D0 (en) 1996-01-24
FR2742562A3 (en) 1997-06-20

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)