Touchpad jogger

• US 4,951,036 A
• Filed: 08/04/1988
• Issued: 08/21/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tektronix Incorporated (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: The Grass Valley Group, Inc. (Belden Inc.)
• Inventors: Grueter, James R., Mackinnon, Alethea F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberley, Alvin E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FATAHI YAR, MAHMOUD
• Application Number:
  US07/228,094
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 340/706, 340/709, 340/710, 341/20, 178/18, 178/19, 273/148 B, 200/5 A
• US Class Current: 345/184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04897 Special input arrangements or commands for improving display capability
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/106 mechanically operated
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/04 Operating part movable angularly in more than one plane, e.g. joystick
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/965 Switches controlled by moving an element forming part of the switch

Abstract

A touchpad jogger for emulating operator contact with a touchpad surface has a ball rotatably mounted at the end of a spring arm cantilever mounted to one end of an axle. A knob is fixedly mounted to the other end of the axle so that when the knob is rotated the ball is caused to roll across the touchpad surface to emulate operator contact. A plate through which the axle extends provides for attaching the touchpad jogger to a housing containing the touchpad surface.

Claims

1. An apparatus for emulating operator contact on a touchpad surface comprising:

means for contacting the touchpad surface;

an axle;

means for fixedly coupling the contacting means to one end of the axle, the contacting means being rotatably mounted on the coupling means, so that when the axle is rotated the contacting means rolls across the touchpad surface to emulate operator contact; and

means for rotating the axle.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the coupling means comprises:

an arm cantilever mounted at one end of the axle; and

means for rotatably mounting the contacting means at the other end of the arm.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein the arm comprises a spring wire of a material to allow the contacting means to follow the contours of the touchpad surface as the contacting means rolls across the touchpad surface without exerting excessive force against the touchpad surface.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the contacting means comprises an essentially frictionless ball rotatably mounted on the coupling means.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein the contacting means comprises an essentially frictionless ball rotatably mounted on the coupling means.

6. An apparatus as recitred in claim 5 wherein the contacting means further comprises a pair of spacers rotatably mounted on the arm bracketing the ball.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the rotating means comprises a knob fixedly attached to the other end of the axle.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising a plate for attachment to a housing containing the touchpad surface, the plate when attached to the housing being essentially parallel to the touchpad surface and having a central aperture through which the axle extends, the coupling means being fixed to the end of the axle on the side of the plate adjacent the touchpad surface.