Tilt roller for control device

• US 7,508,372 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Original Assignee: Logitech Europe S A (Logitech International SA)
• Inventors: Blandin, Christian M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz; Sumati
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, TAMMY T
• Application Number:
  US10/976,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20060092126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,607 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0312 for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels tracking relative movement in co-operation with a regularly or irregularly patterned surface, e.g. as in optical mice G06F3/0317; constructional details of scroll or thumb-wheels G06F3/0362; optical rotary encoders G01D5/3473
• 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 3/0362 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 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/11 with indexing means
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2019/146 Roller type actuators
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/041 having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls

Abstract

A control device includes a roller configured to rotate and tilt; a roller support coupled to the roller, wherein the roller is configured to rotate relative to the roller support; the first hinge disposed adjacent to a first end of the roller support; and a second hinge disposed adjacent to a second end of the roller support, wherein the first end and the second end are substantially opposite ends of the roller support, the second hinge is above the first hinge, and the first hinge and the second hinge are configured to provide tilting support for the roller and roller support.

Claims

1. A control device comprising:

a roller configured to rotate and tilt;

a roller support coupled to the roller, wherein the roller is configured to rotate relative to the roller support;

the first hinge disposed adjacent to a first end of the roller support;

a second hinge disposed adjacent to a second end of the roller support, wherein the first end and the second end are substantially opposite ends of the roller support, the second hinge is above the first hinge, and the first hinge and the second hinge are configured to provide tilting support for the roller and roller support;

a ratchet support having a hole formed therein, wherein at least a portion of the ratchet support is positioned in a central hole formed in the roller, and wherein the roller is configured to rotate relative to the ratchet support;

a spring device positioned in the hole; and

a ratchet ball coupled to the spring, wherein the spring is configured to push the ratchet ball outward from the hole to couple the ratchet ball to a set of protrusions positioned on an inner surface of the central hole, and wherein the ratchet ball and the protrusions are configured to ratchet if the roller is rotated.

2. The control device of claim 1, wherein the control device includes a top housing, wherein an axis of the front hinge and the back hinge substantially aligns with a portion of the top housing that is adjacent to the roller.

3. The control device of claim 1, wherein the front hinge is configured to provide downward titling support for the roller and roller support.

4. The control device of claim 1, wherein the roller support includes a central opening in which at least a portion of the roller is positioned.

5. The control device of claim 1, wherein the roller is configured to rotate and laterally tilt to control, respectively, vertical scrolling and horizontal scrolling of a graphical object displayed on a display.

6. The control device of claim 1, wherein:

the front hinge includes front-hinge support and a rod, the front hinge support having an aperture formed therein configured to receive the rod,

the rod is configured to rotate within the aperture to provide lateral tilting support for the roller support if the roller is pushed laterally, and

the rod is configured to pivot downward to provide downward tilting support if the roller is pushed downward.

7. The control device of claim 1, wherein:

the back hinge includes a rib that is configured to couple to a housing, and a hinge support coupled to the roller support and having a substantially u-shaped opening formed therein,

a surface of the hinge support that forms the opening is configured to couple to a distal end of the rib, and

the hinge support is configured to rotate relative to the rib about the surface if the roller is laterally pushed.

8. The control device of claim 7, wherein the distal end of the rib has a first curved shape and the surface has a second curved shape that is complimentary to the first curved shape.

9. The control device of claim 1, wherein the front hinge has a height of about 10 millimeters or less.

10. The control device of claim 1, further comprising a spring positioned adjacent to the second end of the roller support and configured to provide a return force to the roller and the roller support if the roller is pushed laterally or pushed down.

11. The control device of claim 1, wherein the hole has a central axis that is substantially aligned with a radius of the ratchet support, and wherein an opening of the hole is adjacent to the protrusions.

12. The control device of claim 1, further comprising:

an encoder configured to encode rotations of the roller to control vertical scrolling of a graphical object displayed on a display;

a first switch and a second switch that are configured to detect lateral forces on the roller to control lateral scrolling of a graphical object displayed on a display; and

a third switch configured to detect downward forces on the roller to change a mode operation of the first switch, the second switch, and/or the encoder.

13. A control device comprising;

a roller having a central hole formed therein and a set of protrusions positioned on an inner surface of the central hole;

a ratchet support having a hole formed therein, wherein at least a portion of the ratchet support is positioned in the central hole, and wherein the roller is configured to rotate relative to the ratchet support;

a spring device positioned in the hole; and

a ratchet ball coupled to the spring, wherein the spring is configured to push the ratchet ball outward from the hole to couple the ratchet ball to the protrusions, and wherein the ratchet ball and the protrusions are configured to ratchet if the roller is rotated.

14. The control device of claim 13, wherein the hole has a central axis that is substantially aligned with a radius of the ratchet support, and wherein an opening of the hole is adjacent to the protrusions.

15. The control device of claim 13, further comprising an encoder configured to encode rotations of the roller to control vertical scrolling of a graphical object displayed on a display.

16. The control device of claim 13, further comprising a roller support having a central opening, wherein at least a portion of the roller is positioned in the central opening of the roller support, wherein the roller is supported by the roller support and configured to rotate relative to the roller support.

17. The control device of claim 16, wherein the roller support includes a set of apertures coupled to a set of roller pins of the roller to rotationally couple the roller to the roller support.

18. The control device of claim 16, wherein the ratchet support includes at least one tab coupled to the roller support, the tab being configured to inhibit rotation of the ratchet support relative to the roller support.

19. The control device of claim 16, further comprising a front hinge and a back hinge that are coupled, respectively, to a front portion of the roller support and a back portion of the roller support, wherein the roller and roller support are configured to tilt laterally on the front hinge and the back hinge if the roller is pushed laterally, and wherein the roller and roller support are configured to tilt down on the front hinge if the roller is pushed down.

20. The control device of claim 19, wherein:

the front hinge includes a front-hinge support and a rod, the front hinge support having an aperture formed therein configured to receive the rod,

the rod is configured to rotate within the aperture to provide lateral tilting support if the roller is pushed laterally, and

the rod is configured to provide downward tilting support if the roller is pushed downward.

21. The control device of claim 19, wherein:

the back hinge includes a hinge support coupled to a rib,

the hinge support is coupled to the roller support,

the rib is configured to couple to a housing of a control device, and

the hinge support is configured to rotate relative to the rib if the roller is laterally pushed.

22. The control device of claim 19, further comprising a spring positioned adjacent to the back hinge and configured to provide a return force to the roller and the roller support if the roller is laterally pushed or pushed down.

23. The control device of claim 19, and the second hinge is above the first hinge.

24. The control device of claim 23, wherein a tilting axis of the roller is an inclined axis.

25. The control device of claim 19, wherein the front hinge has a height of about 10 millimeters or less.

26. The control device of claim 19, further comprising a switch configured to be activated if the roller is pressed down.

27. The control device of claim 19, further comprising a first switch disposed adjacent to a first side of the roller support;

and a second switch disposed adjacent to a second side of the roller support that is positioned opposite to the first side, wherein the first switch is configured to be activated if the roller is laterally pushed toward the first switch, and the second switch is configured to be activated if the roller is laterally pushed toward the second switch.

28. The control device of claim 27, wherein the roller support includes a first arm configured to overlie the first switch and activate the first switch if the roller is laterally pushed toward the first switch, and the roller support includes a second arm configured to overlie the second switch and activate the second switch if the roller is laterally pushed toward the second switch.

29. The control device of claim 27, wherein, in respective activated states, the first and second switches are configured to control lateral scrolling of a graphical object.

30. The control device of claim 13, wherein the control device is a mouse.