Pointing device

• US 20020033798A1
• Filed: 09/20/2001
• Published: 03/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Component Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Takamisawa Component Limited
• Inventors: Nakamura, Shuji, Nishino, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 6,707,446 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4084 in the transform domain, e.g. fast Fourier transform [FFT] domain scaling
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2001/5888 Terminals of surface mounted devices [SMD]
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/024 with inductive switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/008 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being perpendicular to the axis of angular movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/041 having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/132 Sampling, masking or truncation of coding units, e.g. adaptive resampling, frame skipping, frame interpolation or high-frequency transform coefficient masking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/18 the unit being a set of transform coefficients
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/60 using transform coding

Abstract

A pointing device including: a base part; an operating part shiftably supported on the base part; a magnet carried on the operating part; magneto-electro transducers carried on the base part at a location close to the magnet; and a switch mechanism arranged between the base part and the operating part. The operating part includes a first member carrying the magnet and a second member connected to the first member in a mutually shiftable manner. The first member is provided with a rocking center and is rockably supported on the base part, so as to cause a relative displacement between the magnet and the magneto-electro transducers. The second member is capable of rocking together with the first member about the rocking center and of shifting relative to the first member in a motion different from a rocking motion, so as to actuate the switch mechanism.

Claims

1. A pointing device, comprising:

a base part;

an operating part shiftably supported on said base part;

a magnet carried on one of said base part and said operating part;

a magneto-electro transducer carried on the other of said base part and said operating part at a location close to said magnet; and

a switch mechanism arranged between said base part and said operating part;

wherein said operating part includes a first member carrying said magnet or said magneto-electro transducer and a second member connected to said first member in a mutually shiftable manner, said first member capable of shifting relative to said base part so as to cause a relative displacement between said magnet and said magneto-electro transducer, said second member capable of shifting relative to said first member so as to actuate said switch mechanism.

2. A pointing device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first member of said operating part is provided with a rocking center and is rockably supported on said base part, and wherein said second member of said operating part is capable of rocking together with said first member about said rocking center and of shifting relative to said first member in a motion different from a rocking motion.

3. A pointing device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said second member of said operating part is capable of linearly shifting along an axis extending through said rocking center relative to said first member.

4. A pointing device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said base part includes a base plate portion carrying said switch mechanism and a support portion fixedly joined to said base plate portion and rockably supporting said first member of said operating part above said switch mechanism, and wherein said second member of said operating part extends through said support portion to be capable of being abutted to said switch mechanism.

5. A pointing device as set forth in claim 4, wherein said second member of said operating part includes a plurality of wall portions extending through said support portion of said base part, said first member being slidably engaged internally with said wall portions.

6. A pointing device as set forth in claim 4, wherein said second member of said operating part includes one column portion extending through said support portion of said base part, said first member being slidably engaged externally with said column portion.

7. A pointing device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second member of said operating part is supported on said switch mechanism.

8. A pointing device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said base part includes a base plate portion connected respectively with said magneto-electro transducer and said switch mechanism and a connector for electrically connecting said magneto-electro transducer and said switch mechanism to an external circuit board, and wherein said connector includes an insulating member fixedly joined to an outer peripheral region of said base plate portion and a plurality of terminals supported on said insulating member in a mutually insulating arrangement in an array, each of said terminals being electrically connected at one end thereof with said magneto-electro transducer and said switch mechanism through said base plate portion, said one end of each terminal cooperating with said insulating member to hold therebetween said outer peripheral region of said base plate portion.

9. A pointing device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said base part includes a base plate portion connected respectively with said magneto-electro transducer and said switch mechanism and a fitting portion extending outward from said base plate portion, said base part capable of being fitted through said fitting portion to an external circuit board.

10. A pointing device as set forth in claim 9, further comprising an elastic member for elastically positioning said first member of said operating part at an initial balanced position on said base part, wherein said fitting portion of said base part is integrally joined to said elastic member.

11. A pointing device, comprising:

a base part;

an operating part shiftably supported on said base part;

a magnet carried on one of said base part and said operating part; and

a magneto-electro transducer carried on the other of said base part and said operating part at a location close to said magnet;

wherein said base part includes a base plate portion connected with said magneto-electro transducer and a connector for electrically connecting said magneto-electro transducer to an external circuit board; and

wherein said connector includes an insulating member fixedly joined to an outer peripheral region of said base plate portion and a plurality of terminals supported on said insulating member in a mutually insulating arrangement in an array, each of said terminals being electrically connected at one end thereof with said magneto-electro transducer through said base plate portion, said one end of each terminal cooperating with said insulating member to hold therebetween said outer peripheral region of said base plate portion.

13. A pointing device as set forth in claim 12, further comprising an elastic member for elastically positioning said operating part at an initial balanced position on said base part, wherein said fitting portion of said base part is integrally joined to said elastic member.

12. A pointing device, comprising:

a base part;

an operating part shiftably supported on said base part;

a magnet carried on one of said base part and said operating part; and

a magneto-electro transducer carried on the other of said base part and said operating part at a location close to said magnet;

wherein said base part includes a base plate portion connected with said magneto-electro transducer, a support portion fixedly joined to said base plate portion and shiftably supporting said operating part above said base plate portion, and a fitting portion extending outward from said base plate portion, said base part capable of being fitted through said fitting portion to an external circuit board.