Knob for covering a top end of a pointing stick of a stick switch, stick switch, and portable electronic device and portable telephone comprising the stick switch

• US 6,751,312 B1
• Filed: 08/03/2000
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kudoh, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiang, Jack
• Application Number:
  US09/632,130
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 379/433.07, 379/433.06, 379/368, 200/5.A, 455/90.3
• US Class Current: 379/368
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033

Abstract

A know which covers a top end of a pointing stick used in a stick switch of a portable electronic device, such as a portable telephone has a top concave surface projected from a skirt and opposite to a cavity to be attached to a pointing stick. On the top surface of the knob, grooves are formed in directions to be tilted along orthogonal lines. The concave top surface can make the projection contact to the fingertip of the finger closely.

Claims

1. The combination of a pointing stick which projects from a switch box of a stick switch and which is tiltable in different directions in order to carry out switch operations as a function thereof and a knob covering a top of the pointing stick, the knob having a top surface which includes a concave portion for receiving the fingertip of a user, the concave portion having an outer perimeter and a plurality of grooves formed in the outer perimeter at locations corresponding to respective ones of the directions so that the knob, and with it the pointing stick, may be tilted in the different directions without removing the user'"'"'s finger tip from the concave portion.

2. The knob claimed in claim 1, wherein the concave portion is substantially spherical in shape on a plane view.

3. The knob claimed in claim 1, which is formed by either one of an elastic material and a rigid material.

4. The knob claimed in claim 1, the stick switch being tiltable in four directions which are azimuthally spaced part from one another by 90 degrees, the plurality of grooves including at least two grooves extending on to the concave portion along hypothetical crossing lines indicating the four directions.

5. The knob claimed in claim 4, wherein the two grooves are formed on the concave portion along the four directions.

6. The knob claimed in claim 4, wherein the outer perimeter of the concave portion is circular in shape.

7. A stick switch comprising a switch box, a pointing stick which, projects from the switch box and which is tiltable in different directions in order to carry out switch operations as a function thereof, the pointing stick having a top surface including a concave portion for receiving the fingertip of a user, the concave portion having an outer perimeter and a plurality of grooves formed in the outer perimeter at locations corresponding to respective ones of the directions so that the pointing stick may be tilted in the different directions without removing the user'"'"'s finger tip from the concave portion.

8. The stick switch claimed in claim 7, wherein the concave portion is substantially spherical in shape on a plane view.

9. The stick switch claimed in claim 7, wherein the pointing stick is tiltable in four directions which are azimuthally spaced apart from one another by 90 degrees, the plurality of grooves including at least two grooves formed on the concave portion along hypothetical crossing lines indicating the four directions.

10. The stick claimed in claim 9, wherein the two grooves are formed on the concave portion along the four directions, respectively.

11. The stick switch claimed in claim 9, wherein the outer perimeter of the concave portion is circular in shape.

12. A portable electronic device comprising at least one stick switch comprising a pointing stick which projects from a switch box of the stick switch and which is tiltable in different directions in order to carry out switch operations the pointing stick having a top surface including a concave portion for receiving the fingertip of a user, the concave portion having an outer perimeter and a plurality of grooves formed in the outer perimeter at locations corresponding to respective ones of the directions so that the pointing stick may be tilted in the different directions without removing the user'"'"'s finger tip from the concave portion.

13. The portable electronic device claimed in claim 12, wherein the concave portion is substantially spherical in shape on a plane view.

14. The portable electronic device claimed in claim 12, wherein the pointing stick is tiltable in four directions which are azimuthally spaced apart from one another by 90 degrees, the plurality of grooves including at least two grooves extending onto the concave portion along hypothetical crossing lines indicating the four directions.

15. The portable electronic device claimed in claim 14, wherein the two grooves are formed on the concave portion along the four directions, respectively.

16. The portable electronic device claimed in claim 14, wherein the outer perimeter of the concave portion is circular in shape.

17. A portable telephone comprising at least one stick switch comprising a pointing stick which is projected from a switch box of the stick switch and which is tiltable in different directions in order to carry out switch operations as a function thereof, the pointing stick having a top surface which includes a concave portion for receiving the fingertip of a user, the concave portion having an outer perimeter and a plurality of grooves formed in the outer perimeter at locations corresponding to respective ones of the directions so that the pointing stick may be tilted in the different directions without removing the user'"'"'s finger tip from the concave portion.

18. The portable telephone claimed in claim 17, wherein the concave portion is substantially spherical in shape on a plane view.

19. The portable telephone claimed in claim 17, wherein the pointing stick is tiltable in four directions which are azimuthally spaced apart from one another by 90 degrees, the plurality of grooves including at least one groove formed on the concave portion along hypothetical crossing lines indicating the four directions.

20. The portable telephone claimed in claim 19, wherein the two grooves are formed on the concave portion along the four directions, respectively.

21. The portable telephone claimed in claim 19, wherein the outer perimeter of the concave portion is circular in shape.