Mouse roller with horizontal scrolling and horizontal tilting switch

• US 7,616,188 B1
• Filed: 08/19/2004
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Bidiville, Marc, O'Connell, Neil G., Junod, Philippe, Blandin, Christian M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu; Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rainey; Robert R
• Application Number:
  US10/922,393
• Time in Patent Office: 1,909 Days
• Field of Search: 345/163, 345/164, 345/165, 345/166, 345/167
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

A number of embodiments of a rotatable member or wheel that can be mounted in a mouse or other input device that allows both rotation and response to lateral pressure for horizontal or other scrolling.

Claims

1. An input device for scrolling comprising:

a rotatable member;

a rocking member configured to support the rotatable member and allow rotation of the rotatable member with respect to the rocking member, the rocking member being supported to rock from side to side to provide sideways tilting of the rotatable member;

at least one tilting switch disposed near the rocking member and configured to be activated by sideways rocking of the rocking member and sideways tilting of the rotatable member;

a back support configured to rotatably support a back-rocking portion of the rocking member, the back rocking portion having a surface that contacts a surface of the back support, wherein the rocking member is further configured to pivot downward relative to the back support, and wherein the contacting surfaces of the back support and back rocking portion are configured to move relative to one another if the rocking member is tilted sideways, and to move relative to one another if the rocking member is pivoted downward relative to the back support; and

a front support configured to rotatably support a front-rocking portion of the rocking member in a depressed position, the front-rocking portion having a surface that faces a surface of the front support, wherein the facing surfaces are configured to contact and move relative to one another if the rocking member is tilted sideways, and to move relative to one another if the rocking member is pivot downward relative to the back support.

2. The input device of claim 1, wherein the at least one tilting switch includes a left tilting switch disposed on a left side of the rocking member and a right tilting switch disposed on a right side of the rocking member, and wherein sideways rocking of the rocking member to one side activates one of the two tilting switches and sideways rocking of the rocking member to another side activates another of the two tilting switches.

3. The input device of claim 2, wherein the back-rocking portion includes a tapered extension that tapers from a first end to a second end that forms a curved surface configured to contact the back support.

4. The input device of claim 3, wherein the curved surface is configured to rock on the back support.

5. The input device of claim 3, wherein the back support includes a trench that includes a bottom surface configured to provide rocking support to the tapered extension.

6. The input device of claim 5, wherein the trench includes a first wall and a second wall that are proximate, respectively, to a first side and a second side of the tapered extension, and the first wall is separated from the first side by a first gap, and the second wall is separated from the second side by a second gap.

7. The input device of claim 6, wherein the first gap and the second gap provide clearance for the sideways rocking of the rocking member.

8. The input device of claim 1, further comprising a front switch proximate to a front end of the rocking member, wherein the rocking member is configured to pivot downward to activate the front switch.

9. The input device of claim 8, wherein the rocking member is configured to pivot downward to provide a mouse click function.

10. The input device of claim 9, wherein the rocking member is configured to pivot downward about a hinge formed by a curved surface of a tapered extension of a back-rocking portion of the rocking member and a bottom surface of a back support configured to contact the curved surface.

11. The input device of claim 1, wherein the front-rocking portion includes a tapered extension that tapers from a first end to a second end that is configured to contact the front support to provide rocking support to the tapered extension.

12. The input device of claim 1, wherein the front support includes a trench that includes a bottom surface configured to provide rocking support to the tapered extension.

13. The input device of claim 12, wherein the trench includes a first wall and a second wall that are respectively proximate to a first side and a second side of the tapered extension, and the first wall is separated from the first side by a first gap, and the second wall is separated from the second side by a second gap.

14. The input device of claim 13, wherein the first gap and the second gap provide clearance for the sideways rocking of the rotatable member.

15. The input device of claim 1, wherein the back-rocking portion is disposed above the front-rocking portion.