Multi-mode scroll wheel for input device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020004352-A1
Application number	US-201816153387-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 5, 2018
Priority date	Jun 27, 2018
Publication date	Jan 2, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed are computer peripheral interface devices (such as computer mice) that include a wheel member configured to rotate around an axis in a plurality of modes, where each of the plurality of modes corresponds to a respective unique friction profile. The plurality of operation modes includes a freewheel mode and at least two additional modes. The at least two additional modes includes two or more different ratchet modes, two or more different constant friction modes, or at least one constant friction mode and at least one ratchet mode. The interface device also includes an actuator assembly configured to set the wheel member to each of the plurality of operation modes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computer mouse, comprising:
a displacement sensor configured to detect movement of the computer mouse relative to a work surface; a scroll wheel configurable to rotate around an axis in a plurality of operation modes, wherein:
the plurality of operation modes includes a freewheel mode, a constant friction mode, and a ratchet mode; and
the scroll wheel is configurable to receive a respective unique friction profile for each of the plurality of operation modes;
an actuator assembly configured to set the scroll wheel to each of the plurality of operation modes; and a friction applying assembly comprising a first member and a second member, wherein:
the first member is coupled to or included in the scroll wheel;
the second member is coupled to or included in the actuator assembly; and
the second member is configurable to mechanically or electromagnetically apply the respective unique friction profile for each of the plurality of operation modes.

2 . An interface device, comprising:
a displacement sensor configured to detect movement of the interface device relative to a work surface; a wheel member configurable to rotate around an axis in a plurality of operation modes, each operation mode associated with a respective unique friction profile; and an actuator assembly configured to set the wheel member to each of the plurality of operation modes, wherein the plurality of operation modes includes a freewheel mode and at least two additional modes, the at least two additional modes including:
two or more different ratchet modes;
two or more different constant friction modes; or
at least one constant friction mode and at least one ratchet mode.

3 . The interface device of claim 2 , wherein, in the freewheel mode, the wheel member is configured to decelerate at a rate below 500 rpm per second.

4 . The interface device of claim 2 , wherein, in the freewheel mode, the wheel member is configured to lose less than 30% of total rotational energy per second.

5 . The interface device of claim 2 , wherein, in the freewheel mode, the wheel member is configured to receive less than 0.05 millinewton-meter of braking toque.

6 . The interface device of claim 2 , wherein:
in each of the two or more constant friction modes or the at least one constant friction mode, a constant friction force is applied to the wheel member by a friction applying assembly; in the freewheel mode, no friction force is applied to the wheel member by the friction applying assembly; and in each of the two or more ratchet modes or the at least one ratchet mode, the respective unique friction profile includes a plurality of periodic segments.

7 . The interface device of claim 6 , wherein, in one of the two or more ratchet modes or the at least one ratchet mode, the plurality of periodic segments includes 50 or more periodic segments.

8 . The interface device of claim 6 , wherein, in each of the two or more ratchet modes or the at least one ratchet mode, the respective unique friction profile includes a triangle wave, a parabola, a sinusoidal wave, a square wave, an ascending ramp, or a descending ramp.

9 . The interface device of claim 2 , wherein the actuator assembly comprises a direct current motor, a servo motor, a stepper motor, a solenoid, a voice coil motor, or a linear motor.

10 . The interface device of claim 2 , wherein:
the wheel member comprises a cavity, a side wall of the cavity including two or more zones arranged in an axial direction of the wheel member, wherein:
a first zone of the two or more zones comprises a plurality of teeth; and
a second zone of the two or more zones has a circularly curved even surface; and
the actuator assembly comprises a carriage and two arms coupled to the carriage, wherein:
the carriage is configured to move in a radial direction of the wheel member;
a first arm of the two arms is configured to contact the first zone when the carriage is at a first location;
a second arm of the two arms is configured to contact the second zone when the carriage is at a second location; and
the first arm and the second arm are in no contact with the first zone and the second zone, respectively, when the carriage is at a third location.

11 . The interface device of claim 10 , wherein each of the two arms is coupled to the carriage through a spring.

12 . The interface device of claim 10 , wherein the second arm includes a friction pad for contacting the second zone, the friction pad comprising a solid friction material.

13 . The interface device of claim 10 , wherein the first arm comprises a contact ball for contacting the first zone.

14 . The interface device of claim 2 , wherein:
the wheel member comprises a plurality of ring-shaped zones on a side surface of the wheel member, the plurality of ring-shaped zones arranged in a radial direction of the wheel member, wherein:
a first zone of the plurality of ring-shaped zones comprises a plurality of teeth; and
a second zone of the plurality of ring-shaped zones has an even surface;
the actuator assembly comprises:
a sliding block configured to move in the radial direction of the wheel member; and
a contact ball coupled to the sliding block through a spring;
the contact ball is configured to contact the first zone when the sliding block is at a first location aligned with the first zone; and the contact ball is configured to contact the second zone when the sliding block is at a second location aligned with the second zone.

15 . The interface device of claim 14 , wherein:
a third zone of the plurality of ring-shaped zones has a surface lower than the even surface of the second zone; and the contact ball is configured to be separate from the third zone when the sliding block is at a third location aligned with the third zone.

16 . The interface device of claim 2 , wherein:
the wheel member comprises a plurality of contact zones; the actuator assembly comprises:
a barrel cam including a cutout region;
a follower riding in the cutout region; and
an arm coupled to the follower; and
the arm contacts different contact zones of the plurality of contact zones when the barrel cam is rotated.

17 . The interface device of claim 2 , wherein:
the wheel member comprises a cavity, a side wall of the cavity including a plurality of teeth; the axis is coupled to a friction gear through a viscous material layer at an interface between the axis and the friction gear; the actuator assembly comprises a rotatable arm, the rotatable arm comprising a contact head and a locking tooth; the contact head is configured to contact the side wall when the rotatable arm is at a first position; the locking tooth is configured to engage with and lock the friction gear when the rotatable arm is at a second position; and the contact head and the locking tooth are configured to be separate from the side wall and the friction gear, respectively, when the rotatable arm is at a third position.

18 . The interface device of claim 17 , wherein the viscous material layer includes a damping grease.

19 . The interface device of claim 2 , wherein:
the axis is coupled to a friction gear through a viscous material layer at an interface between the axis and the friction gear; the actuator assembly comprises a sliding block that includes a lock; the lock is configured to engage with and lock the friction gear, when the sliding block is at a first position, to set the wheel member to a constant friction mode of

Assignees

• Logitech Europe Sa

Inventors

• Mcloughlin Padraig
• Perret-Gentil Arnaud
• Valverde Nuno Miguel Pereira Dos Anjos
• Stoeckli Jan
• Lauridsen Lars
• Dunant Jean-Claude

Classifications

• G06F3/03543 Primary

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

• G06F3/0383

  Signal control means within the pointing device · CPC title

• G06F3/038

  Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry · CPC title