Patent Publication Number: US-2011074681-A1

Title: Computer mouse

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to computer mice. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Computers typically include a host computer, a display, a keyboard, and a computer mouse. The computer mouse is connected to the host computer by a wire for controlling, for example, motion of a cursor on the display. Typically, a computer mouse includes two mechanical buttons and a scrolling wheel arranged between the two mechanical buttons. The index finger and the middle finger of a user respectively click the two mechanical buttons or roll the scrolling wheel to select object(s) shown on the display. However, after a period, repeated clicks of the mechanical buttons and rolling the scrolling wheel of the computer mouse only by two fingers can possibly result in user fatigue and even cause or exacerbate carpal tunnel syndrome in the user. 
     Therefore, it is desirable to provide a computer mouse which can overcome the above limitations. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric, assembled view of a computer mouse according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the computer mouse of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but viewed from another aspect. 
         FIG. 4  is a top plane view of the computer mouse of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of a circle V of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a computer mouse according to an exemplary embodiment that includes a shell  22  and a USB cable  10 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the USB cable  10  is adapted for electrically connecting the computer mouse to a computer. One end of the USB cable  10  forms a USB plug  12  which can be inserted into a corresponding socket of the computer, and an opposite end of the USB cable  10  forms a connector  14  which can be connected to the shell  22  of the computer mouse. The connector  14  is flat, and has a plurality of electric pins  140  formed therein. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 4 , the shell  22  includes a top wall  30 , a front wall  40 , a left sidewall  50 , a right sidewall  60 , and a base wall  70 . In this embodiment, two mechanical buttons (i.e., a left mechanical button  32  and a right mechanical button  34 ) are formed on the top wall  30 , a left scrolling wheel  52  is formed on the left sidewall  50 , and a right scrolling wheel  62  is formed on the right sidewall  60  of the shell  22 . It is to be understood that the number of the mechanical buttons  32 ,  34  and the scrolling wheels  52 ,  62  can be modified. A chamber is defined in the shell  22  for housing a circuit board (not shown) therein. The circuit board has circuits formed thereon. The circuits are configured to receive pulses generated by the two mechanical buttons  32 ,  34  and the two scrolling wheels  52 ,  62 , and to convert the pulses into control signals to control motion of a cursor on a display of the computer. 
     The base wall  70  of the shell  22  is planar, and has a substantially rectangular profile. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3  again, the top wall  30  of the shell  22  is opposite to the base wall  70 , and is convex in profile. The top wall  30  includes an input section  33  and a support section  36 . The input section  33  is located at a front side of the top wall  30  adjacent to the USB cable  10 , and the support section  36  is at a rear side of the top wall  30 . A curved junction  38  is formed between the input section  33  and the support section  36 . The two mechanical buttons  32 ,  34  are formed on the input section  33 , and are similar in structure. The support section  36  is shaped so as to more comfortably fit a palm of a hand of a user when the computer mouse is in use. The support section  36  is arched, and is smoothly connected to a rear edge of the base wall  70 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5  at the same time, the front wall  40  interconnects a front edge of the top wall  30  and a front edge of the base wall  70 . The front wall  40  is elongated in a left-to-right direction, and is substantially perpendicular to the base wall  70 . An opening  41  is defined in a middle portion of the front wall  40 . In this embodiment the opening  41  is rectangular. A socket  42  is formed in the opening  41  for matching with the connector  14  of the USB cable  10 . A plurality of conductive pins are formed in the socket  42  and connected to the circuits of the circuit board electrically. 
     For the present computer mouse, it is easy to connect/disconnect the USB cable  10  to/from the shell  22  by inserting/pulling apart the connector  14  into/from the socket  42 . To use the computer mouse, the user can respectively connect the USB plug  12  and the connector  14  of the USB cable  10  to the computer and the socket  42  of the shell  22 , thus the conductive pins of the socket  42  and the electric pins  140  of the connector  14  are electrically connected and the computer mouse is enabled. When the computer mouse is not needed, the user can disconnect the USB cable  10  from the computer and the shell  22  of the computer mouse. Thus the USB cable  10  and the shell  22  of the computer mouse can be disposed separately; accordingly, it is convenient to pack and take along to other locations. 
     A pair of elastic clips  44 ,  46  are formed in the opening  41 , and respectively located at left and right sides of the socket  42 . The clips  44 ,  46  can be integrally made with the shell  22 . Alternatively, the clips  44 ,  46  and the shell  22  can be formed separately and then assembled together. Each of the clips  44 ,  46  is substantially L-shaped, and includes a connecting pole  442 , or  462  extending outwardly from the shell  22 , and a hook  444 , or  464  extending perpendicularly from the connecting pole  442 , or  462  towards the other clip  46 ,  44 . The connecting poles  442 ,  462  of the clips  44 ,  46  are parallel to each other. The hooks  444 ,  464  of the clips  44 ,  46  are collinear. A distance between the hooks  444 ,  464  is not longer than a width of the connector  14  of the USB cable  10 , but is smaller than a distance between the connecting poles  442 ,  462 . Each hook  444 ,  464  has a working face confronting the other hook  464 ,  444 . A plurality of teeth  446 ,  466  are formed on each of the working faces of the hooks  444 ,  464 . 
     Since the clips  44 ,  46  are elastic, when the USB cable  10  is connected to the socket  42  of the shell  22 , the clips  44 ,  46  can deform to lengthen the distance therebetween, thus the connector  14  of the USB cable  10  can be inserted into the socket  42  easily. After assembly, the clips  44 ,  46  resume a free state, thus the connector  14  of the USB cable  10  is engaged between the working faces of the hooks  444 ,  464  for the distance between the hooks  444 ,  464  not larger than the width of the connector  14 . Further, the teeth  446 ,  466  on the working faces enhance friction between the USB cable  10  and the clips  44 ,  46 , thus preventing the USB cable  10  from falling from the shell  22 . 
     The left sidewall  50  and the right sidewall  60  are similar in structure. The left sidewall  50  interconnects left edges of the top wall  30 , the base wall  70  and the front wall  40  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ). The right sidewall  60  interconnects right edges of the top wall  30 , the base wall  70  and the front wall  40  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ). A slot  54 ,  64  is defined in each of the left sidewall  50  and the right sidewall  60 . The slots  54 ,  64  are located corresponding to the input section  33  of the top wall  30 . The left scrolling wheel  52  is rotatably received in the slot  54  of the left sidewall  50 , and the right scrolling wheel  62  is rotatably received in the slot  64  of the right sidewall  60 . The two scrolling wheels  52 ,  62  are similar in structure. Each of the two scrolling wheels  52 ,  62  rotates around a vertical axis. That is, each of the two scrolling wheels  52 ,  62  rolls in a front-to-rear direction. 
     In this embodiment, the left scrolling wheel  52  is used for controlling a latitudinal motion of the cursor on the display, while the right scrolling wheel  62  is used for controlling a longitudinal motion of the cursor on the display. Functions of the left scrolling wheel  52  and the right scrolling wheel  62  can be exchanged to match a habit of the user, i.e., the left scrolling wheel  52  used for controlling a longitudinal motion of the cursor on the display, while the right scrolling wheel  62  used for controlling a latitudinal motion of the cursor on the display. Details about how to use the present computer mouse are given below. 
     Taking a right handed user for example, the user&#39;s palm is supported by the support section  36  of the top wall  30  with the index finger on the left mechanical button  32  and the middle finger on the right mechanical button  34 . The thumb is at a left side of the computer mouse and corresponds to the left scrolling wheel  52 , while the ring finger is at a right side of the computer mouse and corresponds to the right scrolling wheel  62 . The index finger presses the left mechanical button  32  to actuate the left mechanical button  32 , and similarly, the middle finger can press the right mechanical button  34  to actuate the left mechanical button  32 . The thumb rolls the left scrolling wheel  52  to actuate the left scrolling wheel  52 , and the ring finger rolls the right scrolling wheel  62  to actuate the right scrolling wheel  62 . Correspondingly, a signal pulse is generated and transferred to the circuits for interpretation into a predetermined mouse function when either one of the two mechanical buttons  32 ,  34  and the two scrolling wheels  52 ,  62  is actuated, for example, a single click at a position of the cursor, a click and hold action at the position of the cursor, a double-click at the position of the cursor, etc.. Thus the two mechanical buttons  32 ,  34  and the two scrolling wheels  52 ,  62  are handled by four different fingers of the user. Pressure on each finger while using the present computer mouse is greatly reduced, and users can remain comfortable even for extended periods of use. Accordingly, fatigue, irritation, and even carpal tunnel syndrome can be avoided. 
     Alternatively, the present computer mouse can be handled by left handed users. In such a situation, the index finger is on the right mechanical button  34  for actuating the right mechanical button  34 , the middle finger is on the left mechanical button  32  for actuating the left mechanical button  32 , the thumb is at the right side of the computer mouse for actuating the right scrolling wheel  62 , and the ring finger is at the left side of the computer mouse for actuating the left scrolling wheel  52 . Accordingly, the two mechanical buttons  32 ,  34  and the two scrolling wheels  52 ,  62  are handled by four different fingers, and thus a load of each finger is much reduced. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.