Multidimensional mouse for use with computers

• US 5,657,051 A
• Filed: 06/11/1996
• Issued: 08/12/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: KYE Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: KYE Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Liao, Jui-tsung
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung, Kee M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALBERT, CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US08/661,669
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/161, 345/163, 345/167, 345/145, 395/821, 273/148 R, 273/148 B, 200/341, 200/339, 463/37
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0333 Ergonomic shaped mouse for one hand
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

A multidimensional mouse of computers includes a Z-axis key pivotally connected to the mouse by a pivot and defines two ends spaced from each other by the pivot. Two elastic loads respectively installed inside the mouse and a corresponding one of the two elastic loads is deformed in response to a manual depression on one of the two ends of the Z-axis key, thus allowing an electrical contact to occur inside the mouse, and this electrical contact is retained if the manual depression is retained. The deformed elastic load has a tension to recover the Z-axis key back to a non-depressed position after the manual depression on the Z-axis key is released. A displacement of a cursor along a Z-axis on a computer screen is based on a time period during which the end of the Z-axis key is kept depressed.

Claims

1. A multidimensional mouse for use with computers, comprising:

a Z-axis key 20 which is pivotally connected to the mouse by a pivot and defines two ends spaced from each other by the pivot;

two depression bars each of which is respectively connected to a corresponding one of the two ends of the Z-axis key;

two depression keys each of which is respectively connected to a corresponding one of the two depression bars;

each of the two depression keys comprising a depression portion which is connected to a corresponding one of the two depression bars, an elastic body which defines a hole substantially through a geometrical center thereof, and a conductor which is connected to the depression portion and enclosed in the hole of the elastic body;

a printed circuit board including two contacts each of which is respectively located in alignment with a corresponding one of the two ends of the Z-axis key, a corresponding one of the two bars, and a corresponding one of the two depression keys;

whereby when one of the two ends of the Z-axis key is manually depressed, the corresponding depression bar, the corresponding depression portion, and the corresponding conductor are simultaneously moved in the depressed direction, while the corresponding elastic body is deformed allowing the corresponding conductor to pass through the hole defined therein to be in electrical contact with the corresponding contact of the printed circuit board;

whereby the corresponding conductor is kept in electrical contact with the corresponding contact of the printed circuit board when the end of the Z-axis key is kept depressed;

whereby the deformed elastic body has a tension to recover the Z-axis key back to a non-depressed position after the depression on the Z-axis key is released; and

whereby a displacement of a cursor along a Z-axis on a computer screen is based on a time period during which the end of the Z-axis key is kept depressed.

2. A multidimensional mouse as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Z-axis key is formed concave at one surface thereof thus the two ends are raised above the surface.

3. A multidimensional mouse as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hole defined in the elastic body is a tapering hole.

4. A multidimensional mouse as claimed in claim 1, wherein each conductor of the two depression keys is a semi-spherical body.

5. A multidimensional mouse as claimed in claim 4, wherein each conductor is made of soft conductive material allowing the conductor to be deformed to have a maximum contacting area against the corresponding contact of the printed circuit board.

6. A multidimensional mouse as claimed in claim 1, wherein each conductor of the depression keys is made of soft conductive material allowing the conductor to be deformed to have a maximum contacting area against the corresponding contact of the printed circuit board.

7. A multidimensional mouse as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Z-axis key is installed on a top surface of the mouse.

8. A multidimensional mouse as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Z-axis key is installed on a left side surface of the mouse.

9. A multidimensional mouse as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Z-axis key is installed on a right side surface of the mouse.