One-piece case top and integrated switch for a computer pointing device
First Claim
1. An input device for providing user commands to a computer comprising:
- first and second transducers for receiving user commands indicating movement of the input device in two perpendicular directions and producing first and second position signals in response thereto;
a first switch for receiving user commands indicating actuation of said first switch and producing a first switch signal in response thereto;
a control circuit coupled to said first and second transducers and to said first switch for receiving said first and second position signals and said first switch signal and providing an output signal to the computer in response thereto;
a case bottom forming a bottom side of a housing, said first and second transducers and said first switch being positioned within said housing; and
a case top forming a top side of said housing, said case top being of unitary construction and including a main body, first button and a first spring arm, wherein said main body, first button and first spring arm are of one-piece construction, said first button being movable between rest and actuation positions for user actuation of said first switch, said first spring arm located within said housing and extending between said main body and said first button, said first spring arm biasing said first button into said rest position.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A case top for the housing of a mouse-type pointing device in a computer system, including two user actuable buttons on the case top, is made of a single piece of plastic. The case top includes securing arms which engage securing hooks extending from a case bottom of the housing, allowing the case top to be releasably fastened to the case bottom with a single screw. The buttons are attached to a main body of the case top by two spring arms concurrently formed with the case top. The two buttons actuate an integrated switch package having two momentary switches within the package. The integrated switch package consists of two pieces: a switch case, and a switch spring positioned therein. The switch package is mounted on a printed circuit board positioned within the interior of the housing of the pointing device. The switch case engages the case bottom of the housing to help secure both the switch package and the printed circuit board therein. User actuation of the switch package causes the switch spring to flex and make momentary electrical contact with contacts on the printed circuit board.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An input device for providing user commands to a computer comprising:
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first and second transducers for receiving user commands indicating movement of the input device in two perpendicular directions and producing first and second position signals in response thereto; a first switch for receiving user commands indicating actuation of said first switch and producing a first switch signal in response thereto; a control circuit coupled to said first and second transducers and to said first switch for receiving said first and second position signals and said first switch signal and providing an output signal to the computer in response thereto; a case bottom forming a bottom side of a housing, said first and second transducers and said first switch being positioned within said housing; and a case top forming a top side of said housing, said case top being of unitary construction and including a main body, first button and a first spring arm, wherein said main body, first button and first spring arm are of one-piece construction, said first button being movable between rest and actuation positions for user actuation of said first switch, said first spring arm located within said housing and extending between said main body and said first button, said first spring arm biasing said first button into said rest position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An input device for providing user commands to a computer comprising:
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a case bottom forming a bottom side of a housing; a case top forming a top side of said housing, said case top including first and second buttons movable between rest and actuation positions, and first and second actuating members respectively projecting within said housing from said first and second buttons; first and second transducers positioned within said housing for receiving user commands indicating movement of said housing in two perpendicular directions and respectively producing first and second position signals in response thereto; a control circuit coupled to said first and second transducers for receiving said first and second position signals and providing an output signal to the computer in response thereto; a circuit board positioned within said housing and having said control circuit mounted thereon, said control circuit including first and second contacts on said circuit board; a switch package mounted on said circuit board, said switch package comprising a switch case of unitary construction and a switch spring of unitary construction, said switch spring being positioned within a recess of said switch case, said first and second actuating members of said case top respectively contacting and flexing said switch spring upon user actuation of said first and second buttons to make first and second momentary electrical connections between said switch spring and said first and second contacts on said circuit board, said first and second momentary electrical connections respectively producing first and second switch signals, said control circuit receiving said first and second switch signals and providing an output signal to the computer in response thereto; and wherein said circuit board has a mounting slot and said switch case includes a downwardly extending mounting member received by said mounting slot, said mounting member having a tapered tab contacting a downward facing side of said circuit board, said downward facing side contacting said tapered tab at a position dependent upon the thickness of said circuit board, said mounting member securely attaching said switch case to said circuit board. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. An input device for providing user commands to a computer comprising:
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a case bottom forming a bottom side of a housing; a case top forming a top side of said housing, said case top including first and second buttons movable between rest and actuation positions, and first and second actuating members respectively projecting within said housing from said first and second buttons; first and second transducers positioned within said housing for receiving user commands indicating movement of said housing in two perpendicular directions and respectively producing first and second position signals in response thereto; a control circuit coupled to said first and second transducers for receiving said first and second position signals and providing an output signal to the computer in response thereto; a circuit board positioned within said housing and having said control circuit mounted thereon, said control circuit including first and second contacts on said circuit board; a switch package mounted on said circuit board, said switch package comprising a switch case of unitary construction and a switch spring of unitary construction, said switch spring being positioned within a recess of said switch case, said first and second actuating members of said case top respectively contacting and flexing said switch spring upon user actuation of said first and second buttons to make first and second momentary electrical connections between said switch spring and said first and second contacts on said circuit board, said first and second momentary electrical connections respectively producing first and second switch signals, said control circuit receiving said first and second switch signals and providing an output signal to the computer in response thereto; wherein said switch spring includes first and second contact leaves, each fixed at one end to said switch case and respectively positioned above said first and second contacts on said circuit board, said first and second actuating members of said case top respectively contacting and flexing said first and second contact leaves upon user actuation of said first and second buttons to make said first and second momentary electrical connections between said first and second contact leaves and said first and second contacts on said circuit board; and wherein said switch spring further includes a common contact ribbon extending between the fixed end of said first contact leaf and the fixed end of said second contact leaf and a common contact strip extending from a middle portion of said common contact ribbon, and wherein said switch case includes a common contact member projecting from said switch case, said common contact strip being aligned with and supported by said common contact member and a free end portion of said common contact strip being electrically fixedly connected to a common contact of said control circuit on said circuit board. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. An input device for providing user commands to a computer comprising:
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a case bottom forming a bottom side of a housing; a case top forming a top side of said housing, said case top including first and second buttons movable between rest and actuation positions, and first and second actuating members respectively projecting within said housing from said first and second buttons; first and second transducers positioned within said housing for receiving user commands indicating movement of said housing in two perpendicular directions and respectively producing first and second position signals in response thereto; a control circuit coupled to said first and second transducers for receiving said first and second position signals and providing an output signal to the computer in response thereto; a circuit board positioned within said housing and having said control circuit mounted thereon, said control circuit including first and second contacts on said circuit board; a switch package mounted on said circuit board, said switch package comprising a switch case of unitary construction and a switch spring of unitary construction, said switch spring being positioned within a recess of said switch case, said first and second actuating members of said case top respectively contacting and flexing said switch spring upon user actuation of said first and second buttons to make first and second momentary electrical connections between said switch spring and said first and second contacts on said circuit board, said first and second momentary electrical connections respectively producing first and second switch signals, said control circuit receiving said first and second switch signals and providing an output signal to the computer in response thereto; and a rotatable ball received within said housing, wherein said first and second transducers are coupled to said ball for receiving user commands indicating movement of said housing by rotation of said ball, wherein said first and second transducers respectively include first and second light-emitting elements and first and second light-detecting elements, wherein said first transducer further includes a first shaft rotatably mounted in said housing adjacent to said rotatable ball, and a first rotatable encoder wheel axially fixed to said first shaft and positioned between said first light-emitting element and said first light-detecting element, wherein said second transducer further includes a second shaft rotatably mounted in said housing adjacent to said rotatable ball, and a second rotatable encoder wheel axially fixed to said second shaft and positioned between said second light-emitting element and said second light-detecting element, rotation of said ball causing rotation of said first and second shafts and said first and second encoder wheels respectively fixed thereto, rotation of said first and second encoder wheels respectively selectively modulating light emitted from said first and second light-emitting elements and received by said first and second light-detecting elements, and wherein said switch case includes first and second housing units extending from said switch case, said first housing unit being sized to position, align and at least partially cover and protect from dust and ambient light said first light-emitting element and said first light-detecting element, said second housing unit being sized to position, align, and at least partially cover and protect from dust and ambient light said second light-emitting element and said second light-detecting element.
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24. An input device for providing user commands to a computer comprising:
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a housing formed from a case top and a case bottom; first and second transducers positioned within said housing for receiving user commands indicating movement of said housing in two perpendicular directions and respectively producing first and second signals in response thereto; a switch positioned within said housing for receiving user commands indicating actuation of said switch and producing a switch signal in response thereto; a control circuit coupled to said first and second transducers and to said switch for receiving said first and second signals and said switch signal and providing an output signal to the computer in response thereto; and a cord making a connection to said control circuit and carrying said output signal to the computer; a strain relief unit grasping said cord and being mechanically fixedly held solely by said case bottom, said strain relief unit transmitting any mechanical strain experienced by said cord upon user movement of the input device only to said case bottom; and wherein said strain relief unit includes a forward plate and a rear plate, and wherein said case bottom includes an opening, said forward plate positioned forward of said opening and said rear plate positioned rearward of said opening when said strain relief unit is held by said case bottom, said forward and rear plates sized to restrain forward and rearward motion of said strain relief unit relative to said case bottom. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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Specification