Therapeutic mouse pad

• US 7,232,976 B1
• Filed: 01/18/2006
• Issued: 06/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dino A. Catalano
• Original Assignee: Dino A. Catalano
• Inventors: Catalano, Dino A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leung; Philip H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, VINOD D
• Application Number:
  US11/333,026
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 219/209, 219/217, 219200-201, 219528-529, 345/163, 601/146
• US Class Current: 219/209
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0395 Mouse pads

Abstract

A mouse pad includes a body with planar top and bottom surfaces and a cavity intercalated therebetween that extends between opposed body ends. A rotatable flange has a dome shape for fitting within a user'"'"'s palm. The flange is offset from a center of the body, has a bottom section conjoined to the body top surface, and is seated adjacent to a proximal body edge. The flange has a top section rotatably conjoined to the bottom section. The bottom section has a greater diameter than the top section for effectively. A mechanism is included for heating the flange that is connected to the flange top section and includes a controller conjoined to the body. A mechanism is included for oscillating the flange so that the flange tilts side-to-side and against a bottom surface of an operator wrist. The heating mechanism and the oscillating mechanism are independently and simultaneously operable.

Claims

1. A mouse pad for use with computer peripherals and the like, said mouse pad comprising:

a body including planar top and bottom surfaces having a fixed spatial relationship, said body further having a continuous and hollow cavity intercalated between said top and bottom surfaces and extending between opposed end portions of said body;

a rotatable flange having a dome shape suitably sized for fitting within a palm of an operator'"'"'s hand, said flange having a bottom section statically and directly conjoined to said top surface of said body, said flange further having a top section directly and rotatably conjoined to said bottom section wherein the operator can selectively bias said top section of said flange about a vertical axis registered orthogonal to said body, said bottom section having a diameter greater than said top section for supporting said top section upwardly and away from said top surface of said body;

means for heating said flange during operating conditions, said heating means being directly connected to said top section of said flange and including a controller directly conjoined to an outer perimeter of said body; and

means for oscillating said flange about a horizontal axis registered parallel to said top surface of said body such that said flange tilts side-to-side and against a bottom surface of an operator wrist during operating conditions;

wherein said heating means and said oscillating means are independently and simultaneously operable.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said heating means comprises:

a voltage regulator electrically coupled to said controller; and

a heating element electrically coupled to said voltage regulator, said heating element being channeled through said cavity and upwardly into said flange wherein said heating element terminates within said top section of said flange;

wherein said controller is electrically coupled to an external power supply source and is responsive to a user input, said controller generating and transmitting a control signal to said voltage regulator for controlling the amount of current passing to said heating element and thereby effectively regulating an operating temperature of said heating element as desired by the user.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said oscillating means comprises:

a controller electrically and directly coupled to the external power supply source;

a motor and an associated piston directly conjoined thereto, said motor being selectively operable in such a manner that said piston is caused to extend and retract along a rectilinear path between said top and bottom sections of said flange, wherein said motor is directly attached to said bottom section of said flange and said piston is telescopically engageable with said top section of said flange;

a switch seated medially of said controller and said motor, said switch interrupting power when said controller is toggled to an off position; and

a fulcrum shaft having an elongated and rectilinear length oriented parallel to said bottom section of said flange, said shaft being intercalated between said top and bottom sections of said flange such that said top section of said flange is caused to articulate about said shaft when said piston is biased between extended and retracted positions respectively.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said shaft is registered orthogonal to a vertical plane and has an annular cross-section for guiding said top section of said flange thereabout.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein said piston travels along a linear path registered orthogonally to said shaft.

6. A mouse pad for use with computer peripherals and the like, said mouse pad comprising:

a body including planar top and bottom surfaces having a fixed spatial relationship, said body further having a continuous and hollow cavity intercalated between said top and bottom surfaces and extending between opposed end portions of said body;

a rotatable flange having a dome shape suitably sized for fitting within a palm of an operator'"'"'s hand, wherein said flange is offset from a center of said body, said flange having a bottom section statically and directly conjoined to said top surface of said body, said flange further having a top section directly and rotatably conjoined to said bottom section wherein the operator can selectively bias said top section of said flange about a vertical axis registered orthogonal to said body, said bottom section having a diameter greater than said top section for supporting said top section upwardly and away from said top surface of said body;

means for heating said flange during operating conditions, said heating means being directly connected to said top section of said flange and including a controller directly conjoined to an outer perimeter of said body; and

means for oscillating said flange about a horizontal axis registered parallel to said top surface of said body such that said flange tilts side-to-side and against a bottom surface of an operator wrist during operating conditions;

wherein said heating means and said oscillating means are independently and simultaneously operable.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said heating means comprises:

a voltage regulator electrically coupled to said controller; and

a heating element electrically coupled to said voltage regulator, said heating element being channeled through said cavity and upwardly into said flange wherein said heating element terminates within said top section of said flange;

wherein said controller is electrically coupled to an external power supply source and is responsive to a user input, said controller generating and transmitting a control signal to said voltage regulator for controlling the amount of current passing to said heating element and thereby effectively regulating an operating temperature of said heating element as desired by the user.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein said oscillating means comprises:

a controller electrically and directly coupled to the external power supply source;

a motor and an associated piston directly conjoined thereto, said motor being selectively operable in such a manner that said piston is caused to extend and retract along a rectilinear path between said top and bottom sections of said flange, wherein said motor is directly attached to said bottom section of said flange and said piston is telescopically engageable with said top section of said flange;

a switch seated medially of said controller and said motor, said switch interrupting power when said controller is toggled to an off position; and

a fulcrum shaft having an elongated and rectilinear length oriented parallel to said bottom section of said flange, said shaft being intercalated between said top and bottom sections of said flange such that said top section of said flange is caused to articulate about said shaft when said piston is biased between extended and retracted positions respectively.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein said shaft is registered orthogonal to a vertical plane and has an annular cross-section for guiding said top section of said flange thereabout.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein said piston travels along a linear path registered orthogonally to said shaft.

11. A mouse pad for use with computer peripherals and the like, said mouse pad comprising:

a body including planar top and bottom surfaces having a fixed spatial relationship, said body further having a continuous and hollow cavity intercalated between said top and bottom surfaces and extending between opposed end portions of said body;

a rotatable flange having a dome shape suitably sized for fitting within a palm of an operator'"'"'s hand, wherein said flange is offset from a center of said body, said flange having a bottom section statically and directly conjoined to said top surface of said body, wherein said flange is seated adjacent to a proximal edge of said body, said flange further having a top section directly and rotatably conjoined to said bottom section wherein the operator can selectively bias said top section of said flange about a vertical axis registered orthogonal to said body, said bottom section having a diameter greater than said top section for supporting said top section upwardly and away from said top surface of said body;

means for heating said flange during operating conditions, said heating means being directly connected to said top section of said flange and including a controller directly conjoined to an outer perimeter of said body; and

means for oscillating said flange about a horizontal axis registered parallel to said top surface of said body such that said flange tilts side-to-side and against a bottom surface of an operator wrist during operating conditions;

wherein said heating means and said oscillating means are independently and simultaneously operable.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said heating means comprises:

a voltage regulator electrically coupled to said controller; and

a heating element electrically coupled to said voltage regulator, said heating element being channeled through said cavity and upwardly into said flange wherein said heating element terminates within said top section of said flange;

wherein said controller is electrically coupled to an external power supply source and is responsive to a user input, said controller generating and transmitting a control signal to said voltage regulator for controlling the amount of current passing to said heating element and thereby effectively regulating an operating temperature of said heating element as desired by the user.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein said oscillating means comprises:

a controller electrically and directly coupled to the external power supply source;

a motor and an associated piston directly conjoined thereto, said motor being selectively operable in such a manner that said piston is caused to extend and retract along a rectilinear path between said top and bottom sections of said flange, wherein said motor is directly attached to said bottom section of said flange and said piston is telescopically engageable with said top section of said flange;

a switch seated medially of said controller and said motor, said switch interrupting power when said controller is toggled to an off position; and

a fulcrum shaft having an elongated and rectilinear length oriented parallel to said bottom section of said flange, said shaft being intercalated between said top and bottom sections of said flange such that said top section of said flange is caused to articulate about said shaft when said piston is biased between extended and retracted positions respectively.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein said shaft is registered orthogonal to a vertical plane and has an annular cross-section for guiding said top section of said flange thereabout.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein said piston travels along a linear path registered orthogonally to said shaft.