Ergonomic computer mouse

• US 7,701,443 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2006
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Olson, Joshua
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar; Vijay
• Application Number:
  US11/336,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20060139331A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-169, 361380-385, 248118-122, 248918-922
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0333 Ergonomic shaped mouse for one hand
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

An ergonomic computer mouse is provided. The mouse has at least one signaling device that is positioned to accommodate a user'"'"'s fingers when they are in a relaxed, nonextended state and the user'"'"'s hand is resting on the mouse. The user may actuate a signaling device by exerting pressure on the signaling device in an upward direction, toward the rear of the mouse, or both. The mouse thus reduces fatigue on the user'"'"'s hand and arm.

Claims

1. A computer mouse comprising:

a housing generally parallel to a work surface that supports the mouse;

at least one signaling device positioned on the housing and configured to be actuated by pressure exerted at least partially in a direction that is vertically upward with respect to the work surface, wherein the housing comprises the rear face and the at least one signaling device has a segment oriented to have a normal vector with a vertical component that extends toward the work surface and a horizontal component that extends toward the rear face of the housing.

2. The computer mouse of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a bottom surface and the at least one signaling device has a segment that is generally vertical with respect to the bottom surface of the housing.

3. The computer mouse of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a bottom surface and the at least one signaling device has a segment that is positioned generally parallel to the bottom surface and the segment faces the bottom surface.

4. The computer mouse of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a generally curved top surface, said top surface adapted to fit a user'"'"'s hand and comprises an apex, an upper surface, and a lower surface, wherein the top surface is generally parallel to the work surface that supports the computer mouse.

5. The computer mouse of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises at least one side surface with at least one thumb groove therein.

6. A computer mouse comprising:

a housing generally parallel to a work surface that supports the mouse, wherein the housing has a top;

at least one signaling device positioned on the housing and configured to be actuated by pressure exerted at least partially in an upward and rearward direction towards the top of the housing the work surface.

7. The computer mouse of claim 6, wherein the housing comprises a curved front face, wherein said at least one signaling device is positioned on the curved front face.

8. The computer mouse of claim 6, wherein the housing comprises a rear face and the at least one signaling device is configured to be actuated by pressure exerted generally toward the rear face of the housing.

9. A computer mouse comprising:

at least one signaling device configured to be actuated by pressure exerted at least partially in an upward and rearward direction away from a work surface that supports the mouse.

10. The computer mouse of claim 9 further comprising a housing with the at least one signaling device positioned thereon.

11. The computer mouse of claim 9, wherein the at least one signaling device has a segment that is oriented to be generally perpendicular to the work surface.

12. The computer mouse of claim 9, wherein the computer mouse is sized to accommodate a user'"'"'s hand that is not smaller than the 5th percentile female hand and not larger than the 95th percentile male hand.

13. The computer mouse of claim 9, wherein a user'"'"'s fingertips move in a direction that is generally parallel to the work surface supporting the computer mouse when the at least one signaling device is actuated.

14. A method of actuating a computer mouse having at least one signaling device, the method comprising exerting pressure on the at least one signaling device at least partially in a direction that is vertically upward with respect to a work surface that supports the mouse.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising exerting pressure on the at least one signaling device at least partially in a direction that is horizontally backward with respect to the work surface that supports the mouse.

16. The computer mouse of claim 14, wherein actuating the computer mouse comprises moving a user'"'"'s fingertips in a direction that is generally parallel to the work surface supporting the computer mouse.

17. A computer mouse having at least one signaling device comprising:

means for configuring the at least one signaling device to be actuated by pressure exerted at least partially in an upward and rearward direction away from a work surface that supports the mouse.

18. A computer mouse having at least one signaling device comprising:

means for configuring the at least one signaling device to be actuated by pressure exerted at least partially in a direction that is vertically upward with respect to a work surface that supports the mouse, wherein the computer mouse comprises a rear face and the at least one signaling device has a segment oriented to have a normal vector with a vertical component that extends toward the work surface and a horizontal component that extends toward the rear face.

19. The computer mouse of claim 18, wherein the at least one signaling device has a segment that is positioned generally parallel to the work surface and the segment faces the work surface.

20. The computer mouse of claim 18, wherein the at least one signaling device has a segment that is oriented to be generally perpendicular to the work surface.