Fixed mouse

• US 9,292,104 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Discovery Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Discovery Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Youn Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Sharifi-Tafreshi, Koosha
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lin, Chun-Nan
• Application Number:
  US13/243,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20120068929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,642 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-173
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03548 Sliders, in which the moving part moves in a plane

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a fixed mouse. The fixed mouse includes a housing which has an insert depression, a movable body, a portion or the entirety of which is inserted into the insert depression, a direction sensing means which detects a direction in which an external force is applied to the movable body and generates a signal used to move a pointer in a corresponding direction, and speed sensing means which detects the intensity of the external force applied to the movable body and generates a signal to vary the speed of the pointer in response to the intensity of the external force. As such, the direction sensing means for moving the pointer and the speed sensing means for controlling the speed of the pointer are independently provided. Therefore, the production, maintenance and repair of the direction sensing means and the speed sensing means can be facilitated. Furthermore, the degree of design freedom for layout of a product is increased. Moreover, the fixed mouse may be configured such that a user selectively uses the function of controlling the speed of the pointer, thus making it convenient for the user.

Claims

1. A fixed mouse, comprising:

a housing having an insert depression;

a movable body, a portion of which is inserted into the insert depression;

a direction sensor configured to detect a direction in which an external force is applied to the movable body and generate a signal to move a pointer in a corresponding direction;

a speed sensor configured to detect an intensity of the external force applied to the movable body and generate a signal to vary a speed of the pointer in response to the intensity of the external force;

an elastic member applying elastic force to the movable body so that the movable body is prevented from moving when no external force is applied to the movable body; and

a handle provided on an upper end of the movable body that is disposed outside the insert depression,

wherein the speed sensor is separately provided from the direction sensor,

wherein the direction sensor generates a signal to move the pointer in the direction corresponding to the position at which the contact force is applied to the direction sensor and the speed sensor increases or reduces the speed of the pointer in response to the intensity of pressure applied, in response to the direction sensor and the speed sensor coming into contact with each other,

wherein the handle is formed in a shape in which a lower end of the handle covers the space between an outer side surface of the movable body and an inner side surface of the insert depression,

wherein a stepped portion is formed in an upper end of the inner side surface of the insert depression,

wherein a first end of the elastic member is coupled to a circumferential outer surface of a lower end of the handle and a second end is coupled to the stepped portion of the insert depression, and

wherein the direction sensor has a disk or annular shape formed around a reference point.

2. The fixed mouse according to claim 1, wherein the direction sensor is provided on either the outer side surface of the movable body or the inner side surface of the insert depression, and

the speed sensor is provided on a remaining one of the outer side surface of the movable body and the inner side surface of the insert depression.

3. The fixed mouse according to claim 1, wherein each of the direction sensor and the speed sensor is arranged in a regular spaced arrangement around in one of an outer side surface of the movable body and an inner side surface of the insert depression, or is provided around the entire outer side surface of the movable body or the entire inner side surface of the insert depression.

4. The fixed mouse according to claim 1, wherein when another object comes into contact with the direction sensor or a contact pressure is applied thereto after another object has been put in contact with the direction sensor, a signal to move the pointer in a corresponding direction is generated.

5. The fixed mouse according to claim 1, wherein when another object is close to the direction sensor, a signal to move the pointer in a corresponding direction is generated.

6. The fixed mouse according to claim 1, wherein the direction sensor includes a joystick and is provided on the upper surface of the movable body,

a speed of the pointer is constant when the joystick is manipulated with a force which is not enough to move the movable body,

a speed of the pointer is variable based on a comparatively large amount of force when the joystick is manipulated with a force which is sufficient to move the movable body.

7. The fixed mouse according to claim 1, wherein the direction sensor is provided on an outer side surface of the movable body or an inner side surface of the insert depression, and the speed sensor is provided on one of an upper surface of the movable body, a lower surface of the movable body, and a bottom of the insert depression.

8. A fixed mouse, comprising:

a housing having an insert depression;

a movable body, a portion of which is inserted into the insert depression;

a direction sensor configured to detect a direction in which a sideways external force is applied thereto and generate a signal to move a pointer in a corresponding direction;

a speed sensor configured to detect an intensity with which an external force is applied thereto in a vertical direction and generate a signal to vary a speed of the pointer in response to the intensity of the external force;

an elastic member applying elastic force to the movable body so that the movable body is prevented from moving when no external force is applied to the movable body; and

a handle provided on an upper end of the movable body that is disposed outside the insert depression,

wherein the speed sensor is separately provided from the direction sensor,

wherein the direction sensor is provided around the outer side surface of the movable body,

wherein the direction sensor generates a signal to move the pointer in the direction corresponding to the position at which the contact force is applied to the direction sensor and the speed sensor increases or reduces the speed of the pointer in response to the intensity of pressure applied, in response to the direction sensor and the speed sensor coming into contact with each other,

wherein the speed sensor is provided under a lower surface of the movable body or on a bottom of the insert depression

wherein the handle is formed in a shape in which a lower end of the handle covers the space between the outer side surface of the movable body and the inner side surface of the insert depression,

wherein a stepped portion is formed in an upper end of the inner side surface of the insert depression,

wherein a first end of the elastic member is coupled to a circumferential outer surface of a lower end of the handle and a second end is coupled to the stepped portion of the insert depression, and

wherein the direction sensor has a disk or annular shape formed around a reference point.

9. A fixed mouse, comprising:

a housing having an insert depression;

a movable body, a portion or entirety of which is inserted into the insert depression;

a speed sensor configured to detect an intensity with which sideways external force is applied thereto and generate a signal to vary a speed of the pointer in response to the intensity of the sideways external force;

a direction sensor configured to detect a direction in which an external force is applied thereto in a vertical direction and generate signal to move a pointer in a corresponding direction;

an elastic member applying elastic force to the movable body so that the movable body is prevented from moving when no external force is applied to the movable body; and

a handle provided on an upper end of the movable body that is disposed outside the insert depression,

wherein the speed sensor is separately provided from the direction sensor,

wherein the speed sensor is provided around the outer side surface of the movable body and the speed sensor is provided under a lower surface of the movable body or on a bottom of the insert depression,

wherein the direction sensor has an annular shape an inner diameter of which is greater than the diameter of the movable body and is disposed around the perimeter of the bottom of the insert depression and the movable body is disposed inside the annular direction sensor,

wherein the direction sensor generates the signal when a lower surface of the movable body comes into contact with the direction sensor,

wherein the handle is formed in a shape in which a lower end of the handle covers the space between the outer side surface of the movable body and the inner side surface of the insert depression,

wherein a stepped portion is formed in an upper end of the inner side surface of the insert depression,

wherein a first end of the elastic member is coupled to a circumferential outer surface of a lower end of the handle and a second end is coupled to the stepped portion of the insert depression, and

wherein the direction sensor has an annular shape formed around a reference point.