Trackball device

• US 7,323,959 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2006
• Issued: 01/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Tamotsu, Naka, Yoshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Enad; Elvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Musleh; Mohamad A
• Application Number:
  US11/375,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20060208840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 335205-207, 335151-153
• US Class Current: 335/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 36/0053 periodically operated

Abstract

A trackball device of the present invention includes an operating ball, multiple rollers which rotate by contacting the ball while it is rotated, multipole permanent magnets which co-rotate with these rollers, and a reed switch disposed in a position where it turns on and off as a result of changes in magnetic flux caused by the rotation of the permanent magnets so as to provide tactile feedback when the ball is rotated. The trackball device is configured to make an attractive force generated between the reed switch and permanent magnet affect the rotation of the rollers.

Claims

1. A trackball device comprising:

an operating ball;

a plurality of rollers configured to rotate by contacting the ball while the ball is rotated;

a plurality of multipole permanent magnets configured to co-rotate with each of the rollers, respectively, each of the permanent magnets having a ring shape; and

a plurality of reed switches arranged in positions such that each of the reed switches turns on and off as a result of changes in magnetic flux caused by rotation of a respective one of the permanent magnets,

wherein the reed switches are configured and arranged with respect to the permanent magnets such that an attractive force generated between one of the reed switches and a respective one of the permanent magnets affects a rotation state of a respective one of the rollers and transmits a tactile feedback via the ball while the ball is rotated,

wherein each of the reed switches is disposed at a height equal to a height of a rotation axis of the respective one of the permanent magnets in a circumferential direction of the respective one of the permanent magnets,

and wherein each of the reed switches is further configured and arranged with respect to the respective one of the permanent magnets such that the attractive force intensifies when the switch is turned on.

2. The trackball device as defined in claim 1, wherein a space is secured between the ball and the rollers when the ball is not operated.

3. The trackball device as defined in claim 1, wherein the ball contacts one or two of the rollers when the ball is rotated.

4. The trackball device as defined in claim 1, wherein the plurality of reed switches is constituted by four reed switches, the four reed switches being provided such that two pairs of two opposing reed switches are disposed perpendicular to each other.

5. The trackball device as defined in claim 1, wherein a rotation axis of each of the permanent magnets is the same as that of a respective one of the rollers.

6. The trackball device as defined in claim 5, wherein each of the reed switches is disposed in proximity to a respective one of the permanent magnets such that a reed direction of each of the reed switches is perpendicular to the rotation axis of the respective one of the permanent magnets.

7. The trackball device as defined in claim 5, further comprising a wiring board on which the reed switches are mounted, the wiring board having holes for housing a part of the reed switches, respectively.