Abstract:
A peripheral device and housing therefor, capable of being interfaced with a computer, for use in mobile environments, including without limitation highly dynamic environments such as high-speed watercrafts, comprising: a trigger-switch mechanism and/or a rotating cylinder mechanism, a tubular housing encasing the rotating cylinder mechanism, and a grip chamber housing encasing the trigger-switch mechanism, wherein the grip chamber housing is affixed to the tubular housing.

Description:
SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   The present invention regards a peripheral device and housing therefor, capable of being interfaced with a computer, for use in mobile environments, including without limitation highly dynamic environments such as high-speed watercrafts. 
   Some air, land and water crafts, particularly those used for military or policing operations, have computers on board which are used to assist the individuals on the craft with operation and navigation of the craft; weather and environmental conditions analysis; and surveillance, communication(s), and situational awareness. These computers are operated by users of the craft by means of peripheral devices, interfaced with the computers, such as keyboards, mice, trackballs and bezel mounted buttons. The peripheral device of the present invention is constructed to interface with such computers, and is incorporated into a handrail, seat armrest grip, or other portion of the craft which might function as a hand-hold for individuals on the craft. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a part-by-part view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIGS. 2 and 2A  are right views of an embodiment of the present invention, wherein  FIG. 2A  cuts away the tube to show the bottom surface of the hand grip structure as hereinafter described. 
       FIGS. 3 and 3A  are top views of the same embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  are left and bottom views, respectively, of the same embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of the peripheral device of the present invention comprises a trigger-switch mechanism  1 , a rotating cylinder mechanism  3 A, a tubular housing  2  (having an exterior surface  2 A also forming an exterior surface of the device) and a grip chamber  15 . As shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , the tubular housing  2  partially houses the rotating cylinder mechanism  3  and comprises a circumferential surface, which is the surface along the circumference of the tubular housing  2 , and one or more apertures in the circumferential surface. As used herein, “circumferential surface” refers to the peripheral surface of a tubular housing having a circular cross-section. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , the housing  2  is a tubular housing defined by a length L, a longitudinal axis LA, a circular cross-section Cs, and a horizontal plane HP perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The tubular housing  2  has an exterior surface  2 A having a circular curvature CV along the length L of the tubular housing. This curvature corresponds to and forms the circular cross-section CS of the tubular housing  2 . 
   Further, as depicted in the figures, the grip chamber  15  is a housing having a bottom surface  15 A, at least one end surface  15 B, a top surface  15 C, and first and second side surfaces  15 D and  15 E, respectively. The bottom surface  15 A has corresponding first and second edges  15 A 1  and  15 A 2  along the length thereof. This surface  15 A is partially affixed, and partially unaffixed, to the exterior surface  2 A of the tubular housing  2 . The affixed portion  15 A 3  (shown with shading in  FIG. 2A ) has a concave surface corresponding to the circular curvature CV of the exterior surface  2 A of the tubular housing  2 , and with the unaffixed portion  15 A 4  (shown without shading in  FIG. 2A ) extending up, around, and out from the longitudinal axis LA of the tubular housing  2 , unattached to the tubular housing. The first side surface  15 D extends from the first edge  15 A 1  of the bottom surface  15 A to the top surface  15 C at varying lengths LD along the width thereof, and the second side surface  15 E similarly extends from the second edge  15 A 2  of the bottom surface  15 A to the top surface  15 C, at varying lengths LE along the width thereof. However, the lengths LE of the second side surface  15 E are, at some lateral points along the longitudinal axis LA of the tubular housing  2 , longer than the corresponding lengths LD of the first side surface  15 D. The top surface  15 C of the grip chamber  15  is affixed to the first and second side surfaces  15 D and  15 E of the grip chamber  15 , with a partial slope S formed along the top surface  15 C from the longer lengths LE of the second side surface  15 E as compared to the corresponding lengths LD of the first side surface  15 D. Finally, the end surface  15 B comprises a flat surface forming a coterminous end for each of the top  15 C, bottom  15 A and first and second side surfaces,  15 D and  15 E, with an aperture  15 B 1  through the end surface. 
   The trigger switch mechanism  1  may be a momentary contact pushbutton switch, and in a further embodiment of the present invention may provide tactile feedback to the user, whereby the switch is designed to operate such that the “draw” or resistance force of the pushbutton rises until the switch is actuated, when a sharp drop in said force occurs. The trigger switch mechanism  1  generates an electronic signal when the pushbutton is depressed and the switch is actuated. 
   The rotating cylinder mechanism  3 A may comprise a cylinder  3 , a rotary encoder  4 , an encoder coupler  7 , and a driveshaft  5  engaged with said cylinder  3 , encoder coupler  7  and encoder  4 , such that the encoder coupler  7 , by means of the drive shaft  5 , transmits rotational movement of the cylinder  3  to the encoder  4 , which converts the same movement to electronic signals. To prevent inadvertent rotation of the cylinder  3  and the coupler  7  relative to the driveshaft  5 , set screws may be incorporated therein and screwed to pre-ground flat spots on the driveshaft  5  at appropriate locations. Alternatively, some or all of the components of the rotating cylinder mechanism  3 A (except the bearing blocks discussed below) may be machined or welded together as a single unit. 
   In an embodiment of the present invention, a detent wheel  9  and a detent spring  10  are incorporated into the rotating cylinder mechanism  3 A by engagement of the detent wheel  9  with the driveshaft  5 . The detent wheel  9  has ridges or teeth that contact the detent spring  10  to provide the operator with tactile feedback during rotation of the cylinder  3 . Similar to the other afore-mentioned components of the rotating cylinder mechanism  3 A, a set screw may be incorporated into the detent wheel  9 , and screwed to pre-ground flat spots on the driveshaft  5 , to engage the components. 
   The rotating cylinder mechanism  3 A may be stabilized by supporting the driveshaft  5  with one or more bearing blocks  6 ,  12  and  8 . The inside faces of the first two bearing blocks  6  and  12  act as thrust bearings to keep the cylinder  3  from shifting along its axis; further, the bearing blocks  6 ,  12  and  8  provide axial support to the rotating cylinder mechanism  3 A. A hole may be drilled through or in each of the bearing blocks  6 ,  12  and  8  to accommodate the driveshaft  5 , while allowing the driveshaft  5  to rotate freely within the bearing blocks  6 ,  12  and  8 . The detent spring  10  may be affixed to bearing block  8  in functional relationship with the detent wheel  9 . 
   The rotating cylinder mechanism  3 A is removably or permanently housed within the tubular housing  2 , which is securely affixed, directly or indirectly, to the craft. The rotating cylinder mechanism  3 A may be affixed to the housing  2  by means of fasteners passing through the housing  2  into tapped holes in one or more of the bearing blocks  6 ,  12  and  8 . To permit replacement and/or repair of the rotating cylinder mechanism  3 A, the housing may have a housing cover  14  removably affixed to the housing  2 , whereby upon removal of said housing cover  14 , all or a portion of the rotating cylinder mechanism  3 A may be exposed and repaired or replaced. 
   In an embodiment of the device of the present invention, the trigger switch mechanism  1  is housed partially within a grip chamber  15 , affixed to, traversing along, and protruding from the previously described exterior surface  2 A of the housing  2  and the device. The grip chamber  15  is further configured and positioned on the housing  2  to allow an operator of the present invention to have a secure grip on the housing  2 , while simultaneously applying pressure to the trigger switch mechanism  1  and/or rotating the cylinder  3 . More particularly, as shown in  FIGS. 2-5 , a portion of the grip chamber housing is affixedly wrapped about a portion of the circumferential surface of the tubular housing, with a remainder of the grip chamber housing removed from the tubular housing, protruding at an angle from a longitudinal axis of the tubular housing, and terminating with a flat apertured surface. The grip chamber housing partially houses the trigger switch mechanism such that a portion of the pushbutton switch projects from the aperture of the flat apertured surface of the grip chamber housing. The grip chamber housing corresponds with a hand grip of the user such that the user may securely grip the tubular housing and the grip chamber housing while applying pressure to the trigger switch mechanism or the rotating cylinder mechanism, or both simultaneously. In this embodiment, as shown in the figures, the tubular housing  2  partially houses the rotating cylinder mechanism such that the rotating cylinder mechanism  3 A rotates bi-directionally about an axis CA parallel to the longitudinal axis LA of the tubular housing, and wherein the rotating cylinder mechanism and the trigger switch mechanism coexist in the same horizontal plane HP of the tubular housing. To permit replacement and/or repair of the trigger switch mechanism  1 , the grip chamber  15  may have a switch chamber cover  13  removably affixed to the grip chamber  15 , whereby said chamber cover  13  and grip chamber  15  are designed so that the removal of the chamber cover  13  will expose all or a portion of the trigger switch mechanism  1 . 
   Various components of the trigger switch mechanism  1  and the rotating cylinder mechanism  3 A, and/or all or portions of the housing  2  and the grip chamber  15 , may be sealed from water, dirt and/or contaminants, as may be desirable based upon the application of the device of the present invention. In another embodiment of the present invention, the housing  2  may contain vents to permit water to enter and/or exit from portions thereof. 
   The trigger switch mechanism  1  and the rotary encoder  4  of the rotating cylinder mechanism  3 A interface with a machine/computer by transmitting raw electronic signals thereto. Alternatively, circuitry may be integrated into the housing  2  which is designed to receive raw electronic signals from the trigger switch mechanism  1  and/or the rotary encoder  4 , and translate the same into electronic signals that conform to a specific computer standard and are compatible with the associated computer software/hardware. The signals may be transmitted to the computer/machine by wireless means such as RF protocols including Bluetooth, 802.11 or custom wireless technology, or by wired technology such as a PS2 or USB port. 
   When installed and interfaced with a computer, a user may rotate the cylinder  3  with his thumb to cause the rotary encoder  4  to generate electronic signals which are then transmitted to the computer, allowing a user to scroll through a list of operations on a computer. When the desired operation is reached, the user may depress the trigger switch mechanism  1  with his index finger, actuating the switch thereof which generates an electronic signal, which is then transmitted to the computer to confirm that selection. Alternatively, a trigger switch mechanism  1  may be used alone, without the rotating cylinder mechanism  3 A to simply advance from one informational display to the next and to select a desired operation by multiple, successive depressions. Additionally, the rotating cylinder mechanism  3 A may be used, without the trigger switch mechanism  1 , if the peripheral device of the present invention is used solely for generating and sending signals for scrolling through a list of information, where no operations or actions need to be selected. 
   In an embodiment of the device of the present invention, gentle tapers/flares  11  are incorporated into the housing  2  in the event the operator&#39;s grip slips during operation, minimizing risk of injury. In another embodiment, the device of the present invention is integrated with a portion of a handrail, seat armrest grip, or other handhold  16  on a craft, as shown in  FIG. 3 . For example, the peripheral device may be configured to incorporate into a handrail of the mobile craft such that the user may interact with the computer of the mobile craft through the peripheral device while utilizing the peripheral device as a hand-hold. 
   Thus, a peripheral device and housing therefor, capable of being interfaced with a computer, for use in mobile environments is provided. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the described embodiments, which are presented for purposes of illustration and not limitation, and the present invention is limited only by the claims that follow. 
   It is noted that recitations herein of a component of the present invention being “configured” to embody a particular property, function in a particular manner, etc., are structural recitations, as opposed to recitations of intended use. More specifically, the references herein to the manner in which a component is “configured” denotes an existing physical condition of the component and, as such, is to be taken as a definite recitation of the structural characteristics of the component.