Abstract:
A computer peripheral device includes a body, a printed circuit board (PCB), a light source, and a reflecting device within the body arranged to cause light to be emitted from the body in a homogeneous manner.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a computer peripheral device, and in particular to a peripheral device that emits a homogeneous or uniform light therefrom.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     Computer peripheral devices, including but not limited to a computer mouse, trackball, keyboard, wireless receiver, hub, card reader, or mainframe, are well developed in function due to the successive advances in electronic technology. As a result, there are limited opportunities for enhancing market appeal by improving function. Instead, manufacturers have begun to concentrate on providing an enchanting appearance so as to satisfy the customer.  
         [0005]     Besides providing various shapes and colors of the peripheral housing, the appearance of the peripheral devices can be improved by projecting light from the inside of the housing to create a surprising variety of visional effects. The known prior art disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,420 is a light emitting input device that utilizes a light emitting diode (LED) as a light source in the housing. However, the projected area is too narrow to light the whole housing evenly. Even if the number of LEDs is increased, the housing of the device still rudely shows light spots corresponding to the number of LEDs in the housing. In addition, the heat generated by the LEDs is of serious concern as it can damage the whole electronic device.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     It is accordingly an objective of the present invention to provide a peripheral device which emits a homogeneous or uniform light from the housing.  
         [0007]     To accomplish the objective mentioned above, the peripheral device comprises a body, a printed circuit board (PCB), a light source, and a reflecting device within the body. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a peripheral device constructed in accordance with the principles of a first preferred embodiment of the invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a lower part of the peripheral device of the first preferred embodiment.  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a side view showing the homogenizing effect of the tube and reflective surface included in the first preferred embodiment.  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an assembled peripheral device according to the first preferred embodiment.  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of a peripheral device constructed in accordance with the principles of a second preferred embodiment of the invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a lower part of the peripheral device of the second preferred embodiment.  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  is a side view of a portion of the second preferred embodiment.  
         [0015]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an assembled peripheral device according to the second preferred embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]     The following detailed description is of the best presently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating general principles of embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. Therefore, the computer peripheral devices mentioned in the invention include but not limited to a computer mouse, trackball, keyboard, wireless receiver, hub, card reader, or a mainframe.  
         [0017]     Referring to  FIG. 1 ˜ 4 , the peripheral device is illustrated by a mouse, which comprises a body  10  including an upper housing  11 , a lower housing  12 , and a button plate  13 . The upper housing  11 , the lower housing  12 , or the button plate  13  can be made of a transparent, translucent, or opaque material, and/or painted to create desired visual effects. Also the surface of the body  10  can be further processed to form a smooth, rough or foggy effect. In addition, visual effects can be created following the skill disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,420 to display a trademark or logo thereon.  
         [0018]     The body  10  further comprises a PCB  21  for furnishing essential known functions of the mouse, a roller  22 , micro-switches  23 , and a coordinate detecting module  24  and  25  that couples to the PCB  21 . Briefly, the mouse may be functionally similar to the roller mouse described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,455, incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0019]     A reflecting device  30  positioned over the PCB  21  has a bottom  31  and a wall  32 . The bottom  31  is painted or electroplated as a surface to reflect light. A light source  40  is positioned over the bottom  31 , and thus the bottom  31  can upwardly reflect light emitted by the light source  40 .  
         [0020]     The upper housing  11  has a protruding fringe  111  for accommodating the roller  22  within the opening  112 . The roller can transmit to light to create visual effect. The button plate  13  is mounted over the upper housing  11 , and the upper housing  11  has two integrated flexible portions  131  for pressing up and down so as to push a corresponding block  114   a  of an arm  114  on the upper housing  11 . Each of the flexible portions  131  has a stopper  131   a,  which is fitted into the opening  113  for limiting the up and down movement of the corresponding flexible portion  131 . Once the user presses one of the flexible portions  131 , the block  114   a  will be pushed and activate a corresponding microswitch  23 .  
         [0021]     The reflecting device  40  is positioned under the light source  40 . The bottom  31  has openings  35  for allowing a corresponding LED  41  to couple to the PCB  21 , and an opening  33  for accommodating roller  22 . In the first embodiment as best shown in  FIG. 3 , an uneven surface  311  is formed on the surface of bottom  31 . In order to provide and improved homogenized light effect, the light source  40  comprises a LED  41 , and a tube  42  for containing the LED inside. The tube  42  is made of a light pervious material which may possibly scatter the beam of the LED in a foggy or diffuse manner. In addition, the wall  32  can be designed as a reflecting or non-reflecting surface.  
         [0022]     By the structure mentioned above, when the LED  41  emits light beam in the tube  42 , the tube  42  will scatter the light beam inside the body  10 . The reflecting device  40  will reflect the scattered light upward to the upper housing  11 . Therefore, the button plate  13  will generate a visual effect of homogeneous light.  
         [0023]     The second embodiment is shown in FIGS.  5 ˜ 8 . The peripheral device is also illustrated by a mouse, which comprises a body  50  including an upper housing  51 , a lower housing  52  and a button plate  53 . The upper housing  51 , the lower housing  52  or the button plate  53  can be selected from a transparent, translucent, and opaque material, and/or painted to achieve a desired appearance. Also the surface of the body  50  can be further processed to form a smooth, rough or foggy effect. In addition, the visual effects can be created following the skill disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,420 to display a trademark or logo thereon.  
         [0024]     The body  50  further comprises a PCB  61  for furnishing essential known functions of the mouse, a roller  62 , micro-switches  63 , and a coordinate detecting module  64  and  65  that couples to the PCB  61 . The mouse may function in a manner corresponding to the roller mouse described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,455.  
         [0025]     A reflecting device  70  positioned over the PCB  61  has a bottom  71  and a wall  72 . The bottom  71  is painted or electroplated as a surface to reflect light. A light source  80  is positioned over the bottom  71 , and thus the bottom  71  can upwardly reflect light emitted by the light source  80 .  
         [0026]     The upper housing  51  has a protruding fringe  511  for accommodating the roller  62  within the opening  512 . The roller  62  can transmit light to create visual effects. The button plate  53  is mounted over the upper housing  51 , and the upper housing  51  has two integral flexible portions  531  for pressing up and down so as to push a corresponding arm  514  on the upper housing  51 . Each of the flexible portions  531  has a stopper  531   a,  which is fitted into the opening  513  for limiting the up and down movement of the flexible portion  531 . Once the user presses one of the flexible portions  531 , the arm  514  will be pushed down and activate a corresponding microswitch  53 .  
         [0027]     The reflecting device  70  is positioned under the light source  80 . The bottom  71  has openings  76  for allowing a corresponding LED  41  to couple to the PCB  61 , and an opening  73  for accommodating roller  22  therein. The protrusion  75  can support the light source  80  at a horizontal position. However, the reflecting device  70  is somewhat different from the first embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  in that the reflecting device  70  has a smooth or mirror-like surface to reflect the light from the light source  80 . The light source  80  may contain a first light source  81  and second light source  82 . In the second embodiment, the button plate  53  and the lower housing  52  may be opaque to block the light coming from the light source  80 . Also, the lateral pad  521 , roller  62  and the protruding fringe  511  may be arranged to transmit light. Therefore, when the light source  80  begins emitting light, the body  50  will just allow the wall  72 , the front frame, the lateral pad  521 , the roller  62 , and the protruding fringe  511  to emit light to the surroundings.  
         [0028]     In order to improve the homogeneous light effect, the light source  80  further comprises LEDs  81 ,  82 , and a tubes  83 ,  84  for containing the corresponding LEDs inside. The tubes  83 ,  84  are made of a light transmitting material which may possibly scatter the beam of the LED in a foggy or diffuse manner. By the structure mentioned above, when the LED  41  emits light beams in the tubes  83  and  84 , the tubes  83  and  84  will scatter the light beams inside the body  50 . The reflecting device  70  will reflect the scattered light other than to the lateral side of the lower housing  52 , the protruding infringe  511 , and the roller  62 , so as to generate a visual effect of homogeneous light.  
         [0029]     While the description above refers to particular embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. The accompanying claims are intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the true scope and spirit of the present invention.