Input device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11625112-B1
Application number	US-202217826344-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 27, 2022
Priority date	Jan 3, 2022
Publication date	Apr 11, 2023
Grant date	Apr 11, 2023

Abstract

An input device includes a casing, a base member, a ball member, a control ring and a gravity wheel. The casing includes an upper cover and a lower cover. The upper cover has an opening. The ball member is installed on the base member. The ball member is partially exposed outside the opening. The control ring is arranged around the base member. The control ring is partially exposed outside the opening. The control ring is freely rotatable around the base member. The control ring includes a first inclined part, a rack structure, and a lateral wall. The lateral wall is connected with the first inclined part and the rack structure. The gravity wheel is engaged with the rack structure. Consequently, the rotation of the control ring is suppressed by the gravity wheel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An input device, comprising:
a casing comprising an upper cover and a lower cover, wherein the upper cover has an opening;
a base member;
a ball member installed on the base member, wherein the ball member is partially exposed outside the opening;
a control ring arranged around the base member, wherein the control ring is partially exposed outside the opening, and the control ring is freely rotatable around the base member, wherein the control ring comprises a first inclined part, a rack structure, and a lateral wall, and the lateral wall is connected with the first inclined part and the rack structure; and
a gravity wheel engaged with the rack structure, wherein a rotation of the control ring is suppressed by the gravity wheel,
wherein the base member comprises a supporting seat, and the supporting seat comprises a concave structure and a second inclined part, wherein the ball member is installed within the concave structure, and the first inclined part of the control ring is installed on the second inclined part.

2. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the input device further comprises a bearing, and the gravity wheel comprises a gear and a rotation shaft, wherein the gear is engaged with the rack structure, and the rotation shaft is inserted into the bearing.

3. The input device according to claim 2 , wherein the input device further comprises an accommodation space, wherein the accommodation space is formed in the lower cover, and the bearing is accommodated within the accommodation space.

4. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the input device further comprises an upper clamping seat and a lower clamping seat, wherein the gravity wheel is clamped between the upper clamping seat and the lower clamping seat, and the upper clamping seat and the lower clamping seat are installed on the lower cover.

5. The input device according to claim 4 , wherein the input device further comprises a screw, the upper clamping seat comprises a first pivotal hole and a first perforation, the lower clamping seat comprises a second pivotal hole and a second perforation, and the lower cover comprises a stud, wherein after the screw is penetrated through the first perforation and the second perforation sequentially, the screw is tightened into the stud.

6. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the input device further comprises a bearing, an upper clamping seat and a lower clamping seat, wherein the gravity wheel is clamped between the upper clamping seat and the lower clamping seat, the upper clamping seat comprises a first pivotal hole, the lower clamping seat comprises a second pivotal hole, the gravity wheel comprises a gear and a rotation shaft, and the rotation shaft comprises a first shaft part and a second shaft part, wherein the first shaft part and the second shaft part are respectively located at two lateral sides of the gear, the first shaft part is inserted into the first pivotal hole, and the second shaft part is penetrated through the second pivotal hole and inserted into a bearing of the input device.

7. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the gravity wheel is made of polyformaldehyde (POM), polycarbonate (PC) or aluminum.

8. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the input device further comprises plural first balls, and the first inclined part and the second inclined part are separated from each other through the plural first balls.

9. The input device according to claim 8 , wherein the plural first balls are installed on the second inclined part and partially protruded outside the second inclined part.

10. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the input device further comprises plural lubricating pads, wherein a friction between the first inclined part and the second inclined part is reduced through the plural lubricating pads.

11. The input device according to claim 10 , wherein the plural lubricating pads are installed on the second inclined part.

12. The input device according to claim 10 , wherein the plural lubricating pads are made of Teflon.

13. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the base member further comprises a stopping ring, and the stopping ring is installed on and assembled with the supporting seat, wherein the stopping ring stops the ball member from being detached from the base member.

14. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the lateral wall is arranged around the second inclined part.

15. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the control ring further comprises an anti-slip structure, the anti-slip structure is installed on the first inclined part.

16. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the input device further comprises a weight ring, the gravity wheel comprises a gear and a rotation shaft, and the rotation shaft comprises a first shaft part and a second shaft part, wherein the first shaft part and the second shaft part are respectively located at two lateral sides of the gear, the gear is engaged with the rack structure, and the second shaft part is inserted into the weight ring.

17. The input device according to claim 16 , wherein the weight ring is made of a metallic material with magnetic permeability.

18. The input device according to claim 17 , wherein the input device further comprises a magnet, and the magnet is located under the weight ring, wherein the weight ring is magnetically attracted by the magnet, and the magnet and the weight ring are not contacted with each other.

19. An input device, comprising:
a casing comprising an upper cover and a lower cover, wherein the upper cover has an opening;
a base member;
a ball member installed on the base member, wherein the ball member is partially exposed outside the opening;
a control ring arranged around the base member, wherein the control ring is partially exposed outside the opening, and the control ring is freely rotatable around the base member, wherein the control ring comprises a first inclined part, a rack structure, and a lateral wall, and the lateral wall is connected with the first inclined part and the rack structure; and
a gravity wheel engaged with the rack structure, wherein a rotation of the control ring is suppressed by the gravity wheel,
wherein the input device further comprises an upper clamping seat and a lower clamping seat, wherein the gravity wheel is clamped between the upper clamping seat and the lower clamping seat, and the upper clamping seat and the lower clamping seat are installed on the lower cover.

20. An input device, comprising: a casing comprising an upper cover and a lower cover, wherein the upper cover has an opening; a base member; a ball member installed on the base member, wherein the ball member is partially exposed outside the opening; a control ring arranged around the base member, wherein the control ring is partially exposed outside the opening, and the control ring is freely rotatable around the base member, wherein the control ring comprises a first inclined part, a rack structure, and a lateral wall, and the lateral wall is connected with the first inclined part and the rack structure; and a gravity wheel engaged with the rack structure, wherein a rotation of the control ring is suppressed by the gravity wheel, wherein the input device further comprises a weight ring, the gravity wheel comprises a gear and a rotation shaft, and the rotation shaft comprises a first shaft part and a second shaft part, wherein the first shaft part and the second shaft part are respective

Assignees

• Primax Electronics Ltd

Inventors

• Pan Yung-Tai
• Wu Chun-Che
• Wang ting-sheng

Classifications

• G06F3/0362 Primary

  with detection of one-dimensional [1D] translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts · CPC title

• G06F3/0312 Primary

  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 title

• G06F3/03541 Primary

  Mouse/trackball convertible devices, in which the same ball is used to track the 2D relative movement · CPC title