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Mouse and trackball design with contact-less roller sensor

  • US 5,583,541 A
  • Filed: 02/03/1995
  • Issued: 12/10/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A mouse, comprising:

  • a mouse housing;

    a roller ball supported in the mouse housing by at least three free rollers positioned in contact with and at a periphery of the roller ball;

    said roller ball having an inner core of magnetic material and wherein an entire peripheral surface of the inner core has substantially evenly spaced bumps thereon and wherein a non-magnetic outer material is coated around the entire core so that an outer peripheral surface of the ball is smooth; and

    first and second Hall effect sensors adjacent but not in contact with said outer peripheral surface of the ball for sensing magnetic flux variations as the ball rotates.

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