Scroll wheel carriage
First Claim
1. A scroll wheel assembly, comprising:
- a scroll wheel sized for movement by a finger of a human user and having a rotational axis; and
a carriage havingat least one fixture configured for coupling the carriage to a base so as to allow movement of at least a portion of the carriage relative to the base about a first carriage axis in response to force on the scroll wheel in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis,a first section holding the scroll wheel and permitting the scroll wheel to rotate about the rotational axis,a second section, anda flexure joined to the first and second sections and permitting movement of the first section relative to the second section generally about a second carriage axis in response to forces on the scroll wheel in directions parallel to the rotational axis, and wherein the first section, the second section and the flexure form an integral unit.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An axle of a scroll wheel for a mouse or other type of computer input device is held in a first part of a carriage. The first carriage part is joined to a second part of the carriage by a flexure. When a force is applied to one side of the scroll wheel, the first part of the carriage moves in one direction relative to the second part so as to engage a first switch. When a force is applied to the other side of the scroll wheel, the first part of the carriage moves in the opposite direction to engage a second switch. The carriage is connected to a base. When sufficient force is applied to the scroll wheel in the proper direction, at least a portion of the carriage moves and engages a third switch. The carriage includes a tang or other flexible member to bias the carriage against pivotal movement.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A scroll wheel assembly, comprising:
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a scroll wheel sized for movement by a finger of a human user and having a rotational axis; and a carriage having at least one fixture configured for coupling the carriage to a base so as to allow movement of at least a portion of the carriage relative to the base about a first carriage axis in response to force on the scroll wheel in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis, a first section holding the scroll wheel and permitting the scroll wheel to rotate about the rotational axis, a second section, and a flexure joined to the first and second sections and permitting movement of the first section relative to the second section generally about a second carriage axis in response to forces on the scroll wheel in directions parallel to the rotational axis, and wherein the first section, the second section and the flexure form an integral unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer input device, comprising:
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a housing; first, second and third switches; a scroll wheel sized for movement by a finger of a human user; and a carriage coupled to the housing, wherein the scroll wheel is retained by the carriage and rotatable about a rotational axis, at least a portion of the carriage is movable with respect to the housing so as to permit movement of the scroll wheel in a first direction corresponding to engagement of the first switch and in a second direction corresponding to release of the first switch, the carriage includes first and second sections, the carriage further includes a flexure joining the first and second sections and permitting movement of the first section relative to the second section generally about a relative movement axis, movement of the first section in a first direction about the relative movement axis engages the second switch, and movement of the first section in a second direction about the relative movement axis engages the third switch. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification