X-Y position controller having axially-inclined transducer members
First Claim
1. In an X-Y position controller--i.e., a "mouse" (10)--having orthogonal transducer assemblies (13X, 13Y), each assembly sensing a component of mouse motion over a substantially planar surface (16), the assemblies being suitably supported on the mouse and each comprising a shaft (12) rotatable within a journal bearing (28), the shaft having affixed thereon a drive element (26) and a transducer element (14) with transducing indicia (18) located at a particular radial distance (r) from the shaft, the drive element being adapted to contact (36) the planar surface (16) and through an effective radius (R) to rotate the shaft upon a motion of the mouse having a component sensed by that assembly;
- the improvement comprising combination therewith of an inclined support (29) for at least one said bearing in said mouse, said support holding said bearing at a predetermined angle less than 90°
yet non-parallel relative to said planar surface, resultant inclination of the transducer shaft thereby permitting said particular radial distance (r) of the transducing indicia to be at least as great as said effective radius (R) of the drive element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mouse (X-Y position controller) having axially-inclined transducer assemblies--preferably almost perpendicular to the surface on which the mouse is operated--for a compact, greatly simplified structure. The drive wheel of such an assembly can then be small relative to the transducer disk of that assembly, with considerably reduced precision requirements for location of indicia on the disk. Moreover, by use of a pair of spaced ring magnets urging the drive wheel toward the operational surface for the mouse, significant contact force against the operating surface is provided while eliminating substantially all of the friction attendant upon use of even a so-called antifriction thrust bearing. Due to the magnitude of the available contact force, the drive wheel can be of a hard and durable material rather than an elastomer and still provide improved tractional characteristics even on such a difficult operating surface as, for example, oiled teflon. Lastly, the arrangement precludes possible contamination of interacting moving components, partly because there are no interacting moving members but mostly because nothing that touches the potentially dirty operating surface ever enters the mouse assembly.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. In an X-Y position controller--i.e., a "mouse" (10)--having orthogonal transducer assemblies (13X, 13Y), each assembly sensing a component of mouse motion over a substantially planar surface (16), the assemblies being suitably supported on the mouse and each comprising a shaft (12) rotatable within a journal bearing (28), the shaft having affixed thereon a drive element (26) and a transducer element (14) with transducing indicia (18) located at a particular radial distance (r) from the shaft, the drive element being adapted to contact (36) the planar surface (16) and through an effective radius (R) to rotate the shaft upon a motion of the mouse having a component sensed by that assembly;
- the improvement comprising combination therewith of an inclined support (29) for at least one said bearing in said mouse, said support holding said bearing at a predetermined angle less than 90°
yet non-parallel relative to said planar surface, resultant inclination of the transducer shaft thereby permitting said particular radial distance (r) of the transducing indicia to be at least as great as said effective radius (R) of the drive element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- the improvement comprising combination therewith of an inclined support (29) for at least one said bearing in said mouse, said support holding said bearing at a predetermined angle less than 90°
Specification