Mouse interface assembly

• US 4,788,537 A
• Filed: 09/17/1987
• Issued: 11/29/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lowell A. Potiker
• Original Assignee: Lowell A. Potiker
• Inventors: Potiker, Lowell A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brigance, Gerald L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Application Number:
  US07/097,872
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 340/706, 340/709, 340/710, 273/148 B, 74/471 R, 74/471 XY, 434/32, 434/45, 178/18
• US Class Current: 345/165
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/039 Accessories therefor, e.g. mouse pads

Abstract

An assembly (10) for interfacing with a mouse (12) including a transducer (13) which controls movement of a cursor on a computer display is disclosed as including a base (14), a first member (16) having a peripheral surface (18) for interfacing with the mouse (12) mounted on the base (14) for rotary and axial movement and a second member (20) connected to the first member (16) and manually actuable for actuating driving movement of the first member (16) to thereby allow an operator to simulate control wheel movement associated with playing video games.

Claims

1. An assembly (10) for interfacing with a mouse (12) including a transducer (13) which controls movement of a cursor on a computer display, the assembly comprising:

a base (14);

a first member (16) having a peripheral surface (18) mounted on the base (14) for rotary and axial movement thereon;

said base (14) also adapted to receive and retain said mouse (12) thereon with the transducer (13) interfacing with the peripheral surface (18); and

a second member (20) connected to the first member (16) and manually actuable for actuating driving movement of the first member (16).

2. An assembly (10) as in claim 1 wherein said first member (16) is a cylindrical member (22) having a longitudinal axis (L).

3. An assembly (1) as in claim 2 wherein said cylindrical member (22) is elongated.

4. An assembly (10) as in claim (3) wherein said peripheral surface (18) of the elongated cylindrical member (22) is in operational contact with the transducer (13) for mechanical operation of the mouse (12).

5. An assembly (10) as in claim 3 wherein said elongated cylindrical member (22) has a grid (36) about its peripheral surface (18) optically readable by the mouse (12).

6. An assembly (10) as in claim 2 further including an axle (26) having opposed ends (28, 30) for fixedly mounting said first member (16) thereon.

7. An assembly (10) as in claim 6 wherein said axle (26) extends outwardly from the cylindrical member (22) and beyond the base (14) and mounts the cylindrical member (22) thereon the base (14).

8. An assembly (10) as in claim 7 further including a control wheel (32) mounted on one end of the axle (26) for manual actuation of the first member.

9. An assembly (10) as in claim 7 further including supports (34) for mounting the axle (26) on the base (14).

10. An assembly (10) as in claim 9 wherein said supports (34) are bearings (35) mounted thereon the base (14).

11. An assembly (10) as in claim 1 wherein said base (14) envelopes the first member (16).

12. An assembly (10) as in claim 11 wherein said base (14) includes an aperture (24) therein for receiving the mouse (12) and stationarily mounting the mouse (12).

13. An assembly (10) as in claim 12 further including a retaining band (38) for securing the mouse (12) therein the aperture (24).

14. An assembly (10) for interfacing with a mouse (12) including a transducer (13) which controls movement of a cursor on a computer display, the assembly (10) comprising:

a base (14) having an aperture (24) therein for stationarily mounting the mouse (12);

an elongated cylindrical member (22) having a peripheral surface (18) mounted on the base (14) for rotary and axial movement thereon;

said base (14) also for mounting said mouse (12) thereon with the transducer (13) in operational contact with the peripheral surface;

an axle (26) having opposed ends for fixedly mounting the cylindrical member (22) thereon;

said axle (26) extending outwardly from the cylindrical member (22) and beyond the base (14); and

a control wheel (32) mounted on one end (28) of the axle (26) for manual actuation of the cylindrical member (22) to thereby activate said mouse (12) and also to simulate control wheel movement.

15. An assembly (10) for interfacing with a mouse (12) including a transducer (13) which controls movement of a cursor on a computer display, the assembly (10) comprising:

a base (14) having an aperture (24) therein for stationarily mounting the mouse (12);

an elongated cylindrical member (22) having a peripheral surface (18) mounted on the base (14) for rotary and axial movement thereon;

said cylindrical member (22) having a grid about its peripheral surface (18) optically readable by the mouse (12);

an axle (26) having opposed ends for fixedly mounting the cylindrical member (22) thereon;

said axle (26) extending outwardly from the cylindrical member (22) and beyond the base (14); and

a control wheel (32) mounted on one end (28) of the axle (26) for manual actuation of the cylindrical member (22) to thereby activate said mouse (12) and also to simulate control wheel movement.