Computer mouse

A computer mouse includes a housing, a cable, and an elastic cable retainer. The cable is capable for connecting the computer mouse to a host device. The elastic cable retainer defines a number of holes for allowing the cable to pass through. When the housing moves, the cable retainer stretched by the housing, allowing the cable to change from a compressed state to an extended state.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a computer mouse.

2. Description of Related Art

A wired computer mouse is used to position a pointer on a screen of a graphical user interface (GUI). The computer mouse usually includes a housing, which is connected to a computer by a cable, when the mouse is moved over a surface such as a mouse pad a pointer moves on a screen. In order to move the mouse, the cable must have some slack near the housing. Otherwise, the user cannot freely move the mouse relative to the surface on which it is resting. However, the cable often tends to fall over the back of a desk or through a hole in a desk surface, eliminating the slack.

Therefore, what is needed is a computer mouse to overcome the described shortcoming.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIGS. 1-2, an embodiment of a computer mouse100is illustrated. The computer mouse100includes a housing10, a cable400and a cable retainer101. The cable400includes a connector (i.e. a USB connector) used to connect the computer mouse100to a host device (not shown). When the housing10is moved on a support surface (not shown), the computer mouse100produces electronic signals according to the movement of the housing10, and transmits the electronic signals to the host device through the cable400. The host device receives the electronic signals, and converts the electronic signals to the movement of a pointer on a screen of a graphical user interface (GUI).

Referring also toFIGS. 3-4, the cable retainer101includes a number of connection elements103connected to each other and a number of holes defined in the connection elements103. In one embodiment, the connection element103is made of metal. Each connection element103is V shaped, and includes a first connection portion103a, a second connection portion103bopposite to the first connection portion103a, and a middle portion103cconnecting the first connection portion103ato the second connection portion103b. When pulled, the cable retainer101can be elastically stretched. Each first connection portion103adefines a first hole102aadjacent to the middle portion103c, and each second connection portion103bdefines a second hole102baway from the middle portion103c. The cable400passes through each first hole102aand each second hole102bin turn, and distorts to have a number of V shaped segments. Because it is being retained in the cable retainer101, the cable400takes up less space and will not become tangled.

The housing10includes a base200and a cover300fixed on the base200. The base200includes a mediating member201and a first protruding wall202matching the mediating member201. The cover300includes a second protruding wall301(seeFIG. 2) opposite to the first protruding wall202and matching the mediating member201. The mediating member201includes two opposite grooves2011(seeFIG. 5) respectively formed at a top surface and a bottom surface thereof. The second protruding wall301is received in one of the grooves2011and the first protruding wall202is received in the other one of the grooves2011. The mediating member201is thus fixed between the base200and the cover300after the base200and the cover300are connected together. The mediating member201further includes a sliding groove2012extending along the widthwise direction of the housing10.

Referring also toFIG. 5, the base200further includes a rotating member203including a connecting bar204, a wheel portion205, and a seat206. The connecting bar204is hollow and includes a ring2041extended around the outer surface of one end204aof the connecting bar204. A protruding wall2041aradially extends from the outer surface adjacent to the ring2041. In the embodiment, the protruding wall2041ais substantially U shaped. The wheel portion205is rotatably arranged around the connecting bar204between the protruding wall2041aand the ring2041. The wheel portion205is slidably received in the sliding groove2012. The connecting bar204further includes a rotation portion2042at the other end204bthereof. Two opposite axles2043respectively extend from opposite ends of the rotation portion2042. The axles2043are cylindrical. The seat206is fixed on the base200, and includes two spaced arms2062each defining an axle hole2061. The two axles2043are respectively received in the two opposite axle holes2061, and are rotatable in the two axle holes2061, thereby rotatably connecting the rotation portion2042to the seat206.

One end of the cable400passes through the cable retainer101and is connected to a connector, and the other end passes through the connecting bar204to be fixed inside of the housing10.

When the computer mouse100moves along a horizontal direction in a small predetermined range, the wheel portion205rolls in the sliding groove2012and a relative rotation movement occurs between the rotation portion2042and the housing10, allowing the cable retainer101to maintain limited movement. In addition, the weight of the cable retainer101can also be calculated for maintaining the limited movement when the computer mouse100moves along a horizontal direction in a predetermined range.