Patent Publication Number: US-2005122312-A1

Title: Self-inflating mouse device

Description:
This application claims the benefit of Taiwan application Serial No. 92134465, filed Dec. 5, 2003, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The invention relates in general to a computer mouse device, and more particularly to a self-inflating mouse device.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      A computer mouse is a kind of pointing devices for computers, which effects a corresponding movement of a pointer or a cursor on the display of a computer to which the mouse is connected. With the advanced development of 3C (consuming electronics product, computer and communication) industries, the current manufactures tend to build a computer mouse with small size and light weight so that the computer mouse may be carried with ease. However, it is inconvenient for users in holding a small size computer mouse.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a self-inflating mouse device utilizing a self-inflating air cushion as an extension part of small-sized computer mouse. The extension part accommodates the small-sized computer mouse so as to enlarge a contact surface between the computer mouse and a user&#39;s hand and support the pressure that the user gives when the user uses the computer mouse.  
      The invention achieves the above-identified object by providing a self-inflating mouse device including a mouse body and an extension part. The mouse body has a bottom surface and a side protrusion. The extension part is expandable and has an opening coupling with the side protrusion. A wherein a contact area between the self-inflating mouse device and a palm of a user can be increased while the extension part is expanded, and volume of the self-inflating mouse device is reduced as a compact form being convenient for storage while the extension part is folded.  
      It is another object of the invention to provide a self-inflating mouse device including a mouse body and an extension part. The mouse body has a bottom surface, a side protrusion and a clicking part, and the extension part is expandable and has an opening coupling with the side protrusion. The bottom surface of the mouse body has a sensor and the clicking part and the sensor are exposed out of the extension part when the mouse body is coupled with the opening. A contact area between the self-inflating mouse device and a palm of a user can be increased while the extension part is expanded, and volume of the self-inflating mouse device is reduced as a compact form being convenient for storage while the extension part is folded.  
      It is another object of the invention to provide a self-inflating mouse device including a mouse body and an extension part. The mouse body has a bottom surface, a side protrusion and a clicking part, and the extension part is expandable and has a valve and an opening coupling with the side protrusion. The bottom surface of the mouse body has a sensor and the clicking part and the sensor are exposed out of the extension part when the mouse body is coupled with the opening. Air intake through the valve and the air is kept in the extension part to allow the extension part holding a steady form when the valve is closed, the extension part is pressed flat by a user&#39;s hand and the air is exhausted through the valve so that the volume of the extension part is reduced as a compact form.  
      Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred but non-limiting embodiments. The following description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a vertical view of a self-inflating mouse device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a lateral view of the self-inflating mouse device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is an upward view of the self-inflating mouse device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 4  is an exploded schematic view of the self-inflating mouse device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, the embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like components throughout.  
      Referring all to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3 , and  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 1  is a vertical view of a self-inflating mouse device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 2  is a lateral view of the self-inflating mouse device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 3  is an upward view of the self-inflating mouse device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 4  is an exploded schematic view of the self-inflating mouse device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 2 , a self-inflating mouse device  100  includes a mouse body  150  and an extension part  170 . The mouse body  150  has a bottom surface  110 , a side protrusion  111  and a clicking part  160 . In  FIG. 4 , the extension part  170  has an opening  120  for coupling with the side protrusion  111 . The clicking part  160  is exposed out of the extension part  170  when the side protrusion  111  of the mouse body  150  is coupled with the opening  120 , so that the clicking part  160  is operated by a user&#39;s fingers to effect a corresponding movement of a pointer or a cursor on the display of a computer to which the self-inflating mouse device  100  is connected.  
      The extension part  170  is a self-inflating air cushion, and the self-inflating air cushion  170  has a valve  180 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The valve  180  is preferably disposed on the back part of the bottom  171  of the self-inflating air cushion  170 . Air through the valve  180  fills the self-inflating air cushion  170  and keeps it in the maximum volume so that a contact surface between the self-inflating mouse device  100  and a user&#39;s hand is enlarged. The self-inflating air cushion  170  keeps a steady shape when the valve  180  is closed. When the valve is open, air is exhausted from the self-inflating air cushion  170  through the valve  180  by pressing the self-inflating air cushion  170  flat, so that the volume of the self-inflating air cushion  170  is reduced as a compact form.  
      The material of the self-inflating air cushion  170  can be polyethylene (PE), poly vinyl chloride (PVC), or other material with elasticity. Therefore, the self-inflating air cushion  170  can be pressed flat simply by a user&#39;s hand to exhaust air inside the self-inflating air cushion  170  through the valve  180 . Therefore, the volume of the self-inflating air cushion  170  is reduced as a compact form for easy carrying of the self-inflating mouse device  100 .  
      Employing the extension part  170  to couple to the small-sized mouse body  150  enlarges the contact surface between the computer mouse and a user&#39;s hand. The extension part  170  supports user&#39;s hand, and brings users more ease and comfort in using and carrying the self-inflating mouse device  100 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 3 , it is an upward view of the self-inflating mouse device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The self-inflating mouse device  100  disclosed in this embodiment of the present invention is suitable as an optical computer mouse without a cable, so that the bottom surface  11  of the mouse body  150  further includes a sensor  152 , and preferably the sensor  152  is a optical sensor being equipped on the bottom surface  110  of the mouse body  150 . When the side protrusion  111  of the mouse body  150  is coupled with the opening  120 , the sensor  152  is exposed out of the extension part  170 .  
      The self-inflating mouse device  100  disclosed in the present invention is not limited to the wireless optical computer mouse. It can be also applied to a wire computer mouse, as long as a fillister being disposed in the mouse body  150  for allowing the cable connected therewith to penetrate through. The location of the fillister is not limited in one particular site. The location can be designed based on the actual needs. Further, the bottom  171  of the extension part  170  preferrably includes a slippery pad  172  disposed thereon for helping sliding of the self-inflating mouse device  100 , as shown in  FIG. 3 .  
      While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.