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Cursor device with zero-point resetting

  • US 5,252,952 A
  • Filed: 08/13/1991
  • Issued: 10/12/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An improved cursor control device of a type wherein a positioning element is moved from a zero rest position along coordinate axes of a base plate to define a relative change of position for the cursor of a display screen and wherein the control element is automatically returned to its zero rest position when an actuating force is removed, a coordinate generator for each axis of movement providing signals indicative of the position of the positioning element and the cursor in each axis of movement, the improvement comprising:

  • at least one stop element for each coordinate generator of the base plate having stop faces which define two stop positions between which the positioning element is disposed in said zero rest position;

    a plurality of webs, said webs being displaceable along each coordinate axis for engaging said stop faces associated with each of the stop positions, and said positioning element being disposed between said webs and including an actuating key means and an actuating pin for holding the actuating key means, the web spacing at the stop positions in the zero rest position being equal to the width of said positioning element;

    a cover means for defining an opening for the passage of said actuating pin which is smaller than the area of movement of the actuating pin;

    said cover means including a first cover arranged in a first top plane and having an opening which in a first coordinate axial direction has a size adequate to receive said actuating pin and in a second coordinate axial direction has a length which is shorter than the length of travel of the actuating pin;

    a second intermediate cover disposed in a second plane below the first plane with guides which permit movement of said first cover relative to the second intermediate cover in the second coordinate axial direction, the intermediate cover having an opening over which the first cover moves which in the first coordinate direction is smaller than the width of the first cover part and in the second coordinate direction is at least as long as the length of the full displacement of the actuating pin in said second direction but smaller than the length of the first cover part;

    a third cover arranged in a lower plane below the second plane including two separate edge portions displaceable in the first coordinate axial direction and having a free space therebetween which corresponds to the area of the region over which the actuating pin can move in either coordinate direction;

    the two separate edge portions of said third cover leaving a rectangular opening which in the second coordinate axial direction is smaller than the extent of the second intermediate cover but larger than the length of the possible displacement of the actuating pin in said direction and which in the first coordinate axial direction with maximum spacing is larger than the required displacement of the actuating pin and smaller than the coverage of the second intermediate cover in said direction; and

    studs disposed on the second intermediate cover and mating slots disposed on the third lower cover for engaging said studs to contain said edge portions upon displacement of the second intermediate member.

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