JPH0635599A - Pointing device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] The aim is to improve the operability of a pointing device that is small in size, low in power consumption. An operating body (22, 53) movable at least in the X and Y directions, a detector (26, 84, etc.) for detecting a moving position of the operating body in the X and Y directions, and the operating body. And a support (23, 80) for movably supporting
A magnetic force holding means (24, 32; 83, 90) for forcibly holding the operating body by magnetic force is provided between the operating body and the support body.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pointing device for moving a pointer or cursor on a computer display to an arbitrary position on the display. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as data input / output means in data processing, while displaying data in characters and graphics on the screen of a display such as a CRT of a computer, input means such as a digitizer, a mouse, a light pen, a trackball, etc. is used in addition to a keyboard. Then, a method of creating data while interactively operating is used. For example, it is often used in CAD for graphic data processing, simulation fields, and the like.

In recent years, also in the fields of data processing and OA,
As data input / output devices, OSs and application software that perform interactive operations that require the use of pointing devices in addition to keyboards are increasing due to their good operability. Examples include window operation and icon operation.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 is an external view showing a conventional trackball. In the figure, 11 is a trackball (operating body), 12 is an upper case, 13 is a lower case, 14
Is a click switch (two in the illustrated example), and 15 is a cable for connecting to a computer. The operator operates the trackball 11 with a finger to move the pointer or cursor on the CRT of the computer to an arbitrary position.

[0004]

In the pointing device, the use environment is expanded, and the pointing device can be used not only for the operation by the conventional desktop installation but also for portable use while the computer is on the knee or on the palm. Are required to be used. Since the portable computer needs to be lightweight, small, and low in power consumption, the pointing device also needs to be lightweight, small, and low in power consumption, and needs to have good operability.

If a trackball is taken as an example of a conventional pointing device, it tends to be miniaturized for portable use, and the size of the trackball 11 (FIG. 6) is generally about 25 mm to 12 mm. When the trackball 11 is downsized, the weight is naturally reduced.
Therefore, when the operator operates a finger to release the finger from the trackball, for example, the trackball often sticks to the finger due to sweat of the finger and easily floats slightly. As a result, even if the pointer (cursor) is moved to a desired position on the CRT, the pointer (cursor) is slightly moved when the trackball is accidentally floated, and the pointer (cursor) deviates from the target position. Such operational problems become more prominent as the trackball becomes smaller. An object of the present invention is to realize a pointing device which is small in size and low in power consumption and which has good operability while satisfying the requirements.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, an operating body movable at least in the X and Y directions and a moving position of the operating body in the X and Y directions are provided. In a pointing device for moving a pointer or a cursor on a display of a computer to an arbitrary position on a display, which has a detector for detecting and a support for movably supporting the operating body,
A structural feature is that a magnetic force holding means for forcibly holding the operating body by a magnetic force is provided between the operating body and the support body.

The magnetic force holding means is composed of, for example, an operating body or a magnet fixed to a printed board provided below the operating body, and a metal plate attached to the printed board or the operating body (claim 2). Alternatively, separately from this, the magnetic force holding means may be composed of a pair of different magnetic pole magnets attached to the operating body and the printed circuit board (claim 3).

[0008]

In the pointing device of the present invention,
Since the operating body (for example, a track ball) is forcibly held by the magnetic force by the magnetic force holding means, accidental movement is prevented. By operating the operating body with a force of a predetermined magnitude, the operator can easily move the operating body against this magnetic force. That is, the operating body is always attracted to the case side by the magnetic force, and accidental movement is prevented.

Since the magnet or the metal plate is attached to the operating body, the weight of the operating body is increased correspondingly, and the accidental movement preventing effect is further improved. By attaching a metal plate to the bottom of the printed circuit board for the detector at the bottom of the operating body,
This can be used as an electrical ground, which can prevent noise.

[0010]

FIG. 1 shows the basic construction of an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 21 is a retainer (lid), 22 is a trackball (11 in FIG. 6), 23 is a housing (support) that supports the trackball, 24 is a metal plate, and 25 is the movement of the trackball 22 as an operating body. It is a printed circuit board on which a detector 26 for detecting a position is mounted. The housing 23 is fixed to the printed circuit board 25. A magnet 32 is inserted in the center of the trackball 22 as shown in FIG. That is, in FIG. 3, the trackball 22 is composed of a hemispherical upper ball 31 and a lower ball 33, and the hole portion 3 for the magnet insert formed at the center thereof.
The upper ball 31 and the lower ball 33 into which magnets are inserted in the unit 4 are integrated by press-fitting a positioning hole 35 and a corresponding positioning pin 36 to form a sphere. The upper ball 31 and the lower ball 33 are preferably molded. The operation of this device is shown in FIG.
Will be clear from the explanation.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a concrete embodiment of the present invention, and the appearance of the device is made more practical than that of FIG. The same figure (a) is a front view, (b) is a side view, and (c) is a top view. Further, in FIG. 3, the operating body is formed by a slider 53 instead of the trackball. In FIG. 3, 51 is a case, 52 is a groove,
53 is a dome-shaped slider, 54 is a cable, and 55 is a key top (usually called a mouse switch). The case 51 has a size such that it fits in the palm and is easy to grip (see FIG. 5).

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. In the figure, 81 is an upper case and 82
Is a lower case, 83 is a permanent magnet, 84 is a magnetoelectric conversion element,
Reference numeral 85 is a printed circuit board, 86 is a button switch, 55 is a key top for pressing the button switch, and has a fulcrum 89 at the end of the lower case 83. Reference numeral 80 denotes a housing that slidably supports the slider 53, and is fixed to the printed circuit board 85.

In this embodiment having such a structure, when the slider 53 having the permanent magnet 85 attached thereto is tilted with a finger,
The magnetoelectric conversion element 84 mounted on the printed circuit board 85 detects a change in magnetic flux density, converts it into a cursor control signal for the computer, and outputs it to the computer via the cable 54.
That is, the magnetoelectric conversion element 84 constitutes a position detector of the slider 53. When the key top 55 is pressed, the button switch 86 mounted on the printed circuit board 85 is pressed and a signal is output. At this time, the key top 55 is pressed by the finger in either of the directions of arrows 87 and 88 in the drawing so that the switch can be pressed. This is possible by placing the fulcrum of the key switch 55 at the position 89.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 90 denotes a metal plate which characterizes the present invention, and the material thereof is preferably an electromagnetic soft iron plate. The metal plate 90 is attached to the back side of the bottom surface of the printed circuit board 85 by soldering, and the land of the soldering portion is preferably connected to the ground although not particularly shown. The metal plate 90, together with the permanent magnet 83 attached to the slider 53, constitutes magnetic force holding means for preventing accidental movement of the slider 53. That is, the slider 53 is forcibly held in a stable position by the magnet 83 attracting the magnet 83 to the metal plate 90. The operator can rotate the slider 53 with a predetermined force against the magnetic force.

It is not necessary to explain that the same function of the magnetic force holding means can be achieved by replacing the metal plate 90 with a permanent magnet having a polarity opposite to that of the permanent magnet 83. Although the trackball 22 is used in place of the slider 53 in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the basic operation and detection principle of the entire device are exactly the same as those shown in FIGS. Therefore, the permanent magnet 32 in FIG.
The magnetic force holding means constituted by the metal plate 24 shown in FIG. 6 also operates in exactly the same manner as the magnetic force holding means constituted by the metal plate 90 and the permanent magnet 83 in FIGS.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are views showing a state in which a finger is actually used, where FIG. 5A is a front view and FIG. 5B is a side view.
(C) is a top view. In the figure, 91 is an index finger, 92 is a middle finger, 93 is a ring finger, and 94 is a thumb. The case 51 has a shape that is easy to hold with a hand and has a key top 55.
Are arranged at positions that are easy to place by the index finger 91, the middle finger 92, and the ring finger 93, respectively. Use thumb 94 to slide 5
A groove 52 is provided around the slider of the case 51 in order to facilitate the inclination of 3 in an arbitrary direction. This is to eliminate the wobbling of the finger by putting the base of the thumb against the case 51.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By providing a magnetic force holding means composed of a magnet and a metal plate or a combination of a magnet and a magnet between the operating body (slider, trackball) and the printed circuit board, the operating body is pressed against the support body (housing), and thereby the operation is performed. A pointing device having a stable operability and good operability can be obtained. Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a pointing device having a simple structure, small size, low cost, and low power consumption, which is suitable for a portable type. Furthermore, by grounding the metal plate, a highly reliable pointing device with reduced noise can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a basic configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the trackball shown in FIG.

3A and 3B are views showing an embodiment of a practical structure of a pointing device according to the present invention, FIG. 3A is a front view, FIG. 3B is a side view, and FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG.

FIG. 5 (a) shows a state of use by an operator,
It is a figure corresponding to (b) and (c), respectively.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a conventional trackball.

[Explanation of symbols]

 22 ... Trackball 23,80 ... Housing 24,90 ... Metal plate 25,85 ... Printed circuit board 32,83 ... Permanent magnet

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An operating body (22, 53) movable at least in the X and Y directions, a detector (26, 84, etc.) for detecting the moving position of the operating body in the X and Y directions, and A pointing device for moving a pointer or a cursor on a display of a computer to an arbitrary position on a display, which has a support body (23, 80) for movably supporting the operation body. A pointing device characterized in that a magnetic force holding means (24, 32; 83, 90) for forcibly holding the operating body by a magnetic force is provided therebetween. 2. A printed circuit board (25, 8) is provided below the operating body.
5) is provided, and the magnetic force holding means is constituted by magnets (32, 83) fixed to the operating body and metal plates (24, 90) attached to the printed circuit board. The pointing device according to 1. 3. The printed circuit board is provided below the operating body, and the magnetic force holding means is composed of a pair of different magnetic pole magnets attached to the operating body and the printed circuit board. Pointing device.