Meta-rest improved PC mouse

• US 6,031,523 A
• Filed: 02/06/1998
• Issued: 02/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hoaby, Scott Ernest, Bunke, Jay B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US09/020,185
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/163, 345/164, 345/165, 345/166, 345/167, 463/37
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks

Abstract

An ergonomic computer mouse has support surfaces that are adjustable in two directions and that distribute the mechanical pressure points afforded by the mouse to the metacarpal region. The mouse has a housing with a proximal metacarpal support and a distal metacarpal support on its upper surface that are separated by a midsection. In use, the proximal end of the user'"'"'s metacarpal hand region rests on the proximal metacarpal support, the distal end of the user'"'"'s metacarpal hand region rests on the distal metacarpal support, and the remainder of the user'"'"'s metacarpal hand region between their proximal and distal ends span the midsection. The mouse may further include a pivot mechanism that couples an upper and lower portion of the mouse housing together. The pivot mechanism may allow a user to adjust the upper and lower housing portions in pitch and roll directions with respect to one another.

Claims

1. An ergonomic computer mouse, comprising:

a housing having an upper surface, a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis;

a position sensor coupled to said housing for producing signals representative of longitudinal and lateral movement of said housing on a flat surface; and

said upper surface having a proximal metacarpal support, a distal metacarpal support, a midsection between said proximal metacarpal support and said distal metacarpal support, and a finger area adjacent said distal metacarpal support and below a plane extending between said proximal metacarpal support and said distal metacarpal support, a total length of said proximal metacarpal support, said distal metacarpal support and said midsection being at least approximately 9.2 centimeters, no portion of said midsection intersecting said plane extending between said proximal metacarpal support and said distal metacarpal support.

2. The ergonomic computer mouse recited in claim 1, wherein said finger area includes at least one finger-operable switch.

3. The ergonomic computer mouse recited in claim 1, wherein said midsection has a length of about 3.6 centimeters.

4. The ergonomic computer mouse recited in claim 1, wherein said housing comprises:

a lower portion coupled to said lower portion;

an upper portion having said upper surface; and

a pivot mechanism adjustably coupling said upper portion to said lower portion in two mutually perpendicular directions, said pivot mechanism including means for selectably inhibiting and allowing said upper and lower portions to be adjusted.

5. An ergonomic computer mouse, comprising:

a housing having an upper surface, a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis;

a position sensor coupled to said housing for producing signals representative of longitudinal and lateral movement of said housing on a flat surface; and

said upper surface having a proximal metacarpal support means for supporting a proximal end of a user'"'"'s metacarpal hand region, a distal metacarpal support means for supporting a distal end of a user'"'"'s metacarpal hand region, a midsection between said proximal metacarpal support means and said distal metacarpal support means, and a finger area adjacent said distal metacarpal support and below a plane extending between said proximal metacarpal support means and said distal metacarpal support means, said midsection longitudinally separating said proximal metacarpal support and said distal metacarpal support means, no portion of said midsection intersecting said plane extending between said proximal metacarpal support means and said distal metacarpal support means.

6. The ergonomic computer mouse recited in claim 5, wherein said finger area includes at least one finger-operable switch.

7. The ergonomic computer mouse recited in claim 5, wherein said midsection has a length of about 3.6 centimeters.

8. The ergonomic computer mouse recited in claim 5, wherein a total length of said proximal metacarpal support means, said distal metacarpal support means and said midsection is at least approximately 9.2 centimeters.

9. The ergonomic computer mouse recited in claim 5, wherein said housing comprises:

a lower portion coupled to said sensor;

an upper portion having said upper surface; and

a pivot mechanism adjustably coupling said upper portion to said lower portion in two mutually perpendicular directions, said pivot mechanism including means for selectably inhibiting and allowing said upper and lower portions to be adjusted.

10. A method for using an ergonomic computer mouse having a housing with an upper surface, a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, said upper surface having a proximal metacarpal support, a distal metacarpal support, and a midsection between said proximal metacarpal support and said distal metacarpal support, the method comprising the simultaneous steps of:

resting a proximal end of a user'"'"'s metacarpal hand region on said proximal metacarpal support;

resting a distal end of the user'"'"'s metacarpal hand region on said distal metacarpal support;

not resting any portion of the user'"'"'s metacarpal hand region between the proximal end and the distal end on any portion of said housing; and

moving said housing on a flat surface in longitudinal and lateral directions using said hand.

11. The method recited in claim 10, wherein said midsection has a length of about 3.6 centimeters.

12. The method recited in claim 10, wherein a total length of said proximal metacarpal support, said distal metacarpal support and said midsection is at least approximately 9.2 centimeters.