Mouse device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11681379-B1
Application number	US-202217947794-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 19, 2022
Priority date	Sep 4, 2022
Publication date	Jun 20, 2023
Grant date	Jun 20, 2023

Abstract

A mouse device includes a wheel control mechanism and a control unit. The control unit is electrically connected with a magnetic force module and a rotating speed detector of the wheel control mechanism. Under control of the control unit, a first direction current or a second direction current is selectively provided to drive the magnetic force module. The flowing directions of the first direction current and the second direction current are opposite. Consequently, the rotating mode of the wheel control mechanism can be switched between different modes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mouse device, comprising:
a wheel control mechanism comprising:
a support base comprising a first supporting part and a second supporting part, which are combined together;
a wheel module rotatably installed on the first supporting part, and comprising a wheel body and a metal ratchet, wherein the wheel body comprises a rotary shaft, the metal ratchet is connected with the rotary shaft, and the metal ratchet is synchronously rotated with the wheel body;
a magnetic force module installed on the second supporting part, and comprising a first magnetic conductor, a second magnetic conductor, a magnetic element and an electromagnet assembly, wherein each of the first magnetic conductor and the second magnetic conductor comprises a first end and a second end opposed to the first end, wherein the first end of the first magnetic conductor and the first end of the second magnetic conductor are aligned with a periphery region of the metal ratchet, the magnetic element is arranged between the first magnetic conductor and the second magnetic conductor and located near the first end of the first magnetic conductor and the first end of the second magnetic conductor, and the electromagnet assembly is arranged between the second end of the first magnetic conductor and the second end of the second magnetic conductor; and
a rotating speed detector that detects a rotating speed of the wheel body, wherein the metal ratchet and the rotating speed detector are respectively installed on opposite sides of the wheel body; and

a control unit electrically connected with the electromagnet assembly and the rotating speed detector,
wherein if a first direction current is provided to drive the electromagnet assembly under control of the control unit, like poles of the electromagnet assembly and the magnetic element face each other, and magnetic attractive forces generated at the first end of the first magnetic conductor and the first end of the second magnetic conductor attract the metal ratchet, so that a rotation of the wheel body results in a tactile feel,
wherein if a second direction current is provided to drive the electromagnet assembly under control of the control unit, unlike poles of the electromagnet assembly and the magnetic element face each other, and the magnetic attractive forces generated at the first end of the first magnetic conductor and the first end of the second magnetic conductor are attenuated, so that the rotation of the wheel body does not result in the tactile feel.

2. The mouse device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit comprises a firmware, and the firmware contains a preset speed threshold value.

3. The mouse device according to claim 2 , wherein if the rotating speed of the wheel body is lower than the speed threshold value, the first direction current is provided to drive the electromagnet assembly under control of the control unit, wherein if the rotating speed of the wheel body is higher than the speed threshold value, the second direction current is provided to drive the electromagnet assembly under control of the control unit.

4. The mouse device according to claim 1 , wherein the periphery region of the metal ratchet has a toothed structure, and the toothed structure comprises plural convex parts and plural concave parts, wherein the plural convex parts and the plural concave parts are alternatively arranged on the periphery region of the metal ratchet.

5. The mouse device according to claim 4 , wherein the first end of the first magnetic conductor and the first end of the second magnetic conductor comprise claw structures, and the claw structures are aligned with the corresponding convex parts.

6. The mouse device according to claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic conductor and the second magnetic conductor are silicon steel sheets.

7. The mouse device according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic element is a strong magnet.

8. The mouse device according to claim 1 , wherein the electromagnet assembly comprises a bobbin, a coil and a low-coercivity metal, wherein the low-coercivity metal is disposed within the bobbin, and the coil is wound around an outer surface of the bobbin.

9. The mouse device according to claim 8 , wherein under control of the control unit, the first direction current or the second direction current selectively flows through the coil, so that a direction of a magnetic field of the low-coercivity metal is correspondingly changed.

10. The mouse device according to claim 8 , wherein the low-coercivity metal is an Alnico alloy.

11. The mouse device according to claim 1 , wherein the second supporting part comprises an installation recess and a covering plate, wherein the magnetic force module is disposed within the installation recess, and the installation recess is covered by the covering plate.

12. The mouse device according to claim 11 , wherein the installation recess comprises a first installation part, a second installation part, an upper communication part and a lower communication part, wherein the upper communication part and the lower communication part are respectively located at two opposite sides of the installation recess, and the upper communication part and the lower communication part are in communication with the first installation part and the second installation part.

13. The mouse device according to claim 12 , wherein the first magnetic conductor is disposed within the upper communication part, the second magnetic conductor is disposed within the lower communication part, and the first end of the first magnetic conductor and the first end of the second magnetic conductor are protruded outside the installation recess and located near the periphery region of the metal ratchet, wherein the magnetic element is disposed within the first installation part, and the electromagnet assembly is disposed within the second installation part.

14. The mouse device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is a flash memory, an electrically-erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) or a programmable read-only memory (PROM).

15. The mouse device according to claim 1 , wherein the support base further comprises a fixing part, and the fixing part is located beside the first supporting part.

Assignees

• Primax Electronics Ltd

Inventors

• Su Chun-Nan
• Wu Chun-Che
• Chu Chun-Lin
• Huang Shu-An
• Hsieh Ming-Hao
• Tsai Sheng-An
• Cheng Li-Kuei

Classifications

• G06F3/03543 Primary

  Mice or pucks (G06F3/03541 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01P3/44

  for measuring angular speed (G01P3/56 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F3/0362

  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

• G06F3/016

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title