Abstract:
A computer mouse device for manipulating icons on a computer screen includes a mouse housing including a palm area with multiple outlet holes therein to allow air to move from an inside of the housing to an outside of the housing; means for manipulating icons on a computer screen; and an internal fan assembly within the mouse housing to move air through the multiple holes in the palm area from the inside of the housing to the outside of the housing to cool a user&#39;s palm.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention is in, in general, in the field of hand-held controllers such as controllers used to manipulate icons on a video screen, and, in particular, in the field of computer mouse controllers.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,247 describes a controller for manipulating icons on a video display. The controller reduces or substantially eliminates perspiration on the user&#39;s hands during extended use. The controller includes a housing with finger operated buttons that control the video game. The housing includes ventilation holes to allow air to circulate through the controller and between the housing and the user&#39;s hands. The housing encloses electronic components that are contained in a protective package that can be removed from the housing so that it can be easily and thoroughly cleaned. The ventilation holes may be located over the entire housing or may be located only at locations on the housing that are intended to be grasped by the user.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The present invention represents an improvement over the controller described above. An aspect of the present involves a computer mouse device for manipulating icons on a computer screen. The computer mouse device includes a mouse housing including a palm area with multiple outlet holes therein to allow air to move from an inside of the housing to an outside of the housing; means for manipulating icons on a computer screen; and an internal fan assembly within the mouse housing to move air through the multiple holes in the palm area from the inside of the housing to the outside of the housing to cool a user&#39;s palm.  
         [0004]     Implementations of the above aspect of the invention may include one or more of the following. The multiple holes include a left set of holes corresponding to a left side of a user&#39;s palm and a right set of holes corresponding to a right side of a user&#39;s palm. Multiple fan intake holes in the mouse housing to draw air into the inside of the mouse housing. The mouse housing includes a lower front portion and the multiple fan intake holes are located in the lower front portion of the mouse housing. The mouse housing includes a left finger area and a right finger area on opposite sides of the mouse housing where the fingers of a user engage the mouse housing, at least one of the left finger area and the right finger area including multiple outlet holes therein to allow air to move from an inside of the housing to an outside of the housing in the finger area. Both the left finger area and the right finger area include the multiple outlet holes therein. At least one of the left finger area and the right finger area include at least one spacer to space the user&#39;s fingers from the multiple outlet holes. The internal fan assembly is a multi-speed fan assembly and further including a multi-position switch to control the multi-speed fan assembly.  
         [0005]     Another aspect of the invention involves a computer mouse device for manipulating icons on a computer screen. The computer mouse device includes a mouse housing including opposite sides with a left finger area and a right finger area where the fingers of a user engage the mouse housing, at least one of the left finger area and the right finger area including multiple outlet holes therein to allow air to move from an inside of the housing to an outside of the housing; means for manipulating icons on a computer screen; and an internal fan assembly within the mouse housing to move air through the multiple outlet holes in the finger area from the inside of the housing to the outside of the housing.  
         [0006]     Implementations of the aspect of the invention described immediately above may include one or more of the following. Multiple fan intake holes in the mouse housing to draw air into the inside of the mouse housing. The mouse housing includes a lower front portion and the multiple fan intake holes are located in the lower front portion of the mouse housing. Both the left finger area and the right finger area include the multiple outlet holes therein. At least one of the left finger area and the right finger area include at least one spacer to space the user&#39;s fingers from the multiple outlet holes. The internal fan assembly is a multi-speed fan assembly and further including a Multi-position switch to control the multi-speed fan assembly.  
         [0007]     Further objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a review of the drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments set forth below. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a computer mouse device.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the computer mouse device illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the computer mouse device illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a right side elevational view of the computer mouse device illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a bottom plan view of the computer mouse device illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a right side elevational view of the computer mouse device illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of the computer mouse device illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of a bottom of the computer mouse device illustrated in  FIG. 1  and some of the internal components. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]     With reference to  FIGS. 1-8 , and initially  FIGS. 1 and 7 , a computer mouse device  20  constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention will now be described. The computer mouse device  20  includes a housing that houses electronics for operation of the mouse and an internal fan. Among other elements, the housing includes a base plate  30  and an upper shell  40 . The upper shell  40  includes a front portion  50  and a rear portion  60 . The front portion  50  includes a scroll wheel support plate  62 . The rear portion  60  includes button plate screw port  64 , rubber grip attachment port  66 , and air holes  68 . Air gaps  69  are disposed on opposite lateral sides of the upper shell  40 .  
         [0017]     With reference additionally to  FIGS. 3 and 6 , the front portion  50  carries a button plate  70  around scroll wheel support plate  62 . The button plate  70  includes a left button surface  80 , a right button surface  90 , an attachment prong  100 , a tab  110 , and a central hole  120  to accommodate the scroll wheel support plate  62 . The button plate  70  is connected to the upper shell  40  with a threaded fastener extending through button plate screw port  64 .  
         [0018]     With reference back to  FIG. 3 , the rear portion  60  carries a dual-injected rubber and plastic grip palm rest  130 . The palm rest  130  includes two sets of palm ventilation holes  140 : a left set  150  disposed over left air hole  68  and a right set  160  disposed over right air hole  68 . Although two sets of ventilation holes  140  are shown, in alternative embodiments, other numbers of sets of ventilation holes  140  may be provided (e.g., 1, 3, 4, 5, etc.). Further, although the palm ventilation holes  140  are shown as being circular, in alternative embodiments, the holes  140  may have one or more different configurations. The palm rest  130  is connected to the upper shell  40  with a threaded fastener extending through rubber grip attachment port  66 .  
         [0019]     With reference to  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  3 , and  7 , raised rubber and plastic grips  170  are disposed over the air gaps  69  on opposite lateral sides of the upper shell  40 . The grips  170  include longitudinally spaced, vertical spacers or ribs  180  that extend outwardly from a plate  190  of the grip  170 . The plate  190  includes vertically spaced side ventilation holes  200  between the ribs  180 . Although the ribs  180  are shown as being vertical, in alternative embodiments, the ribs  180  may take one or more alternative configurations that extend outwardly from the plate  190 . Important aspects of the ribs  180  are that they provide a location for a user&#39;s fingers to engage the mouse device  20  and they space the user&#39;s fingers from the ventilation holes  200  so that the fingers do not block the ventilation holes  200 , allowing the fingers to be air cooled. Although the ventilation holes  200  are shown as being rectilinear and vertically spaced, in alternative embodiments, the ventilation holes  200  may have one or more different configurations and/or may be arranged in one or more different arrangements. Attachment prongs  210  extend inwardly from the plate  190  for connecting the vented grip  170  to the rest of the mouse device  20 .  
         [0020]     With reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , an underside of the base plate  30  carries four smooth surface sliders  220  near opposite corners of the computer mouse device  20 . Although four sliders  220  are shown, in alternative embodiments of the computer mouse device  20 , other numbers of sliders  220  may be used. A red LED high-resolution optical sensor  230  is carried by the underside of the base plate  30  in a rear central area of the base plate  30 . Near a front end of the underside of the base plate  30 , a fan level switch  240  is carried by the computer mouse device  20 . In the embodiment shown, the switch  240  may be switched between 1) a fan off condition, 2) a low-speed fan condition, and 3) a high-speed fan condition. In alternative embodiments, the computer mouse device  20  may have the switch  240  located in another location, the device  20  may not include a switch (i.e., fan may always be on at a constant speed), or the switch  240  may have other numbers of switch positions (e.g., 2, 4, etc.). Closer to a front end of the underside of the base plate  30 , the computer mouse device  20  includes multiple fan intake vents  250 . Positioning the fan intake vents  250  and the fan assembly  330  in the locations shown inhibits the user from hearing fan noise (any noise is directed outward, away from the user), and causes air to travel across the circuit board  370  allowing for cooler operation and a longer anticipated operational life.  
         [0021]     Holes  140 ,  200 ,  250  may have a filter or screen thereunder to prevent dirt and other debris from entering the inside of the housing. As best shown in  FIG. 6 , a cord assembly support  260  is disposed at the front end of the computer mouse device  20  for connection of a mouse cord for powering electronics of the computer mouse device  20  and transmitting signals from the computer mouse device  20 .  
         [0022]     With reference to  FIG. 8 , a number of internal components of the computer mouse device  20  will now be described. A scroll wheel assembly  270  is disposed within the upper shell  40  near a front part of the computer mouse device  20 . The scroll wheel assembly  270  includes a scroll wheel  280  with oppositely extending wheel posts  290 . The wheel posts  290  are rotationally disposed within scroll wheel guides  300 ,  302 . Scroll wheel sensors  310  are used to sense movement of the scroll wheel and transform this movement into electrical signals. The scroll wheel  280 , scroll wheel guide  300 , and scroll wheel sensors  310  are disposed on a scroll wheel support  320 . The scroll wheel assembly  270  is secured to the base plate  30  with scroll wheel secure prongs  322 . Rearward of the scroll wheel assembly  270 , a fan assembly  330  with a bearingless, brushless fan  300  is disposed. The fan assembly  330  includes a fan bracket  340 , a fan support assembly  350 , and a multi-speed fan motor (not shown). Rearward of the fan assembly  330  and above an optical sensor housing  360 , a printed circuit board  370  with optical sensor assembly  380  is disposed. The printed circuit board  370  with optical sensor assembly  380  may be used to translate movement of the mouse observed with the optical sensor  230  into signals for controlling icon movement on a computer screen. The printed circuit board  370  includes screw holes  390  that align with screw posts  392  of the base plate  30  for connecting the printed circuit board  370  to the base plate  30 . Assembly guides  400  and printed circuit board secure prongs  410  of the base plate  30  are used to secure the printed circuit board  370  to the base plate  30 .  
         [0023]     The computer mouse device  20  will now be described in use. To activate the fan assembly  330 , the user the turns the computer mouse device  20  over and switches the fan level switch  240  to the position “I”, the low fan speed position, or position “II”, the high fan speed position. In position “I” or position “II”, power delivered through the mouse cord is used to run the motor/fan to the appropriate speed level. The computer mouse device  20  is then turned over so that the smooth surface sliders  220  are placed face-down on a flat surface (e.g., mouse pad, table) and the computer mouse device  20  is oriented as shown in  FIG. 1 . In the event of a right-handed user, the user&#39;s hand is placed on the computer mouse device  20  so that the left portion of a user&#39;s palm is over the left set  150  of palm ventilation holes  140  and the right portion of a user&#39;s palm is over the right set  160  of palm ventilation holes  140 . The user&#39;s thumb is placed on the left raised rubber and plastic grip  170  and the user&#39;s middle finger (or third finger) is placed on the right raised rubber and plastic grip  170 . The fan assembly  330  draws air into the computer mouse device  20  through the fan intake vents  250  and blows air out of the computer mouse device  20  through the left set  150  of palm ventilation holes  140 , the right set  160  of palm ventilation holes  140 , and the ventilation holes  200  of the left and right raised rubber and plastic grips  170 . The ribs  180  of the raised rubber and plastic grips  170  provide a location for a user&#39;s fingers to engage the mouse device  20  and they space the user&#39;s fingers from the ventilation holes  200  so that the fingers do not block the ventilation holes  200 , allowing the fingers to be air cooled. Although not shown, the palm rest  130  may include one or more spacers to space the user&#39;s palm from the holes  140 . Air emitted out of the computer mouse device  20  through the left set  150  of palm ventilation holes  140  and the right set  160  of palm ventilation holes  140  cools the user&#39;s palm area, inhibiting the production of perspiration in this area. The left button  80 , the right button  90 , the scroll wheel  280 , and the optical sensor  230  are used in a manner well known in the computer mouse field and, therefore, will not be described in further detail.  
         [0024]     It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that still further changes and modifications in the actual concepts described herein can readily be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.