Combination mouse and track ball unit

• US 5,287,090 A
• Filed: 09/30/1992
• Issued: 02/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alan H. Grant
• Original Assignee: Alan H. Grant
• Inventors: Grant, Alan H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberley, Alvin E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHIN, VIVIAN C
• Application Number:
  US07/953,877
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 340/710, 340/706, 74/741 Y
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0333 Ergonomic shaped mouse for one hand
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03541 Mouse/trackball convertible devices, in which the same ball is used to track the 2D relative movement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

A combined mouse and track ball are contained within an ergonomically designed housing or shell. The shell is curved to fit comfortably within the palm of the hand of an operator so that the forefinger and thumb are opposed to each other in a prehensile position. A single shell is operable by a left-handed or right-handed operator by rotation of a switch to change the alignment of the sensor pickups engaging the roller ball of the combined mouse and track ball. At least one switch plate extends across an upper surface of the shell for depression by a forefinger of the operator. The switch plate is pivoted about a central fulcrum so as to have a cursor shifted to a position above an icon located on a computer screen for depression of the switch plate and initiation of the computer function indicated.

Claims

1. A cursor control unit comprising:

a shell,

a roller ball rotatably mounted in said shell, said roller ball extending through two openings in said shell, and

shift means for elevating and lowering said shell so that said shell is usable as a mouse in a first position of said shift means and said shell is usable as a track ball in a second position of said shift means,

two pickup sensors in contact with said roller ball with one of said two pickup sensors being movable,

said one pickup sensor being movable between a first position for use of the shell as a track ball, a second position for use of the shell as a mouse with left-handed operators, and a third position for use of the shell as a mouse with right-handed operators.

2. A cursor control unit according to claim 1, wherein said shell includes at least one switch plate extending substantially across an entire width of said shell with said at least one switch plate being usable by a left or right-handed operator by contacting different portions of said at least one switch plate.

3. A cursor control unit according to claim 2, wherein said shell is shaped to align a hand of an operator cradling said shell in their palm so that the fingers are located adjacent to said at least one switch plate and the thumb is adjacent to one of said two openings in said shell with the thumb and the fingers located in a prehensile position.

4. A combined mouse and track ball unit comprising:

a shell,

a roller ball rotatably mounted in said shell and extending through two openings in said shell,

shift means for shifting use of said roller ball between use as a mouse and use as a track ball, and

two pickup sensors contacting said roller ball and being movable dependent upon use of said roller ball as a mouse or as a track ball,

said shell being shaped symmetrically to align either hand of an operator cradling said shell in their palm so that the fingers are located on top of said shell and the thumb is located adjacent to one of said two openings in said shell with the thumb and the fingers located in a prehensile position.

5. A combined mouse and track ball unit according to claim 4, wherein said shell includes at least one switch plate extending substantially across an entire width of said shell with said at least one switch plate being usable by a left or right-handed operator by contacting different portions of said at least one switch plate.

6. A combined mouse and track ball unit according to claim 4, wherein said shell includes means for elevating and lowering said shell with respect to a planar surface.

7. A cursor control unit comprising:

a shell,

a roller ball rotatably mounted in said shell, said roller ball extending through two openings in said shell, and

shift means for elevating and lowering said shell so that said shell is usable as a mouse in a first position of said shift means and said shell is usable as a track ball in a second position of said shift means,

at least one switch plate extending substantially across an entire width of said shell with said at least one switch plate being usable by a left or right-handed operator by contacting different portions of said at least one switch plate, and

said shell being symmetrically shaped to align either hand of an operator cradling said shell in their palm so that the fingers are located adjacent to said at least one switch plate and the thumb is adjacent to one of said two openings in said shell with the thumb and the fingers located in a prehensile position.

8. A cursor control unit according to claim 7 wherein said roller ball contacts two pickup sensors.

9. A cursor control unit according to claim 8, wherein one of said two pickup sensors is movable.

10. A cursor control unit according to claim 9, wherein said one pickup sensor is movable between a first position for use of the shell as a track ball, a second position for use of the shell as a mouse with left-handed operators, and a third position for use of the shell as a mouse with right-handed operators.

11. A cursor control unit comprising:

a shell,

a roller ball rotatably mounted in said shell, said roller ball extending through two openings in said shell, and

shift means for elevating and lowering said shell so that said shell is usable as a mouse in a first position of said shift means and said shell is usable as a track ball in a second position of said shift means,

at least one switch plate on said shell with said at least one switch plate being usable by a left or right-handed operator, and

said shell being symmetrically shaped to align either hand of an operator cradling said shell in their palm so that the fingers are located adjacent to said at least one switch plate and the thumb is adjacent to one of said two openings in said shell with the thumb and the fingers located in a prehensile position.

12. A cursor control unit according to claim 11, wherein said roller ball contacts two pickup sensors.

13. A cursor control unit according to claim 11, wherein one of said two pickup sensors is movable.

14. A cursor control unit according to claim 13, wherein said one pickup sensor is movable between a first position for use of the shell as a track ball, a second position for use of the shell as a mouse with left-handed operators, and a third position for use of the shell as a mouse with right-handed operators.