CONTROL DEVICE AND COMPUTER MOUSE

Abstract

The invention relates to a control device with a stator unit fastened via a stator connection to a support body, and a rotor unit rotatable about the stator unit. The rotatability of the rotor unit about the stator unit can be influenced in a targeted manner by means of a braking device. For its rotatability about the stator unit, the rotor unit is mounted on the support body by means of at least one bearing unit of a bearing device, so that a force acting on the rotor unit from radially outside can be diverted via the bearing unit into the support body, bypassing the stator unit and the stator connection.

Claims

1-36. (canceled).

37. A control device comprising: a stator unit fastened to a support body at a stator connection; a rotor unit rotatable about said stator unit, a rotatability of said rotor unit about said stator unit being configured to be influenced by a braking device; a bearing unit of a bearing device mounting said rotor unit on said support body for the rotatability about said stator unit, wherein a force acting on said rotor unit from radially outside can be diverted via said bearing unit into said support body, bypassing said stator unit and said stator connection.

38. The control device according to claim 37, wherein said rotor unit is mounted on said support body radially outwardly via said bearing unit.

39. The control device according to claim 37, wherein said bearing unit is arranged on a radial outer side of said rotor unit.

40. The control device according to claim 37, wherein said rotor unit is at least partially arranged between said bearing unit and said stator unit.

41. The control device according to claim 37, wherein said bearing unit surrounds said rotor unit only partially radially.

42. The control device according to claim 37, wherein said bearing unit radially surrounds said rotor unit in a form fitting manner, and said bearing unit is configured to prevent said rotor unit from leaving said bearing unit in a radial direction.

43. The control device according to claim 37, wherein said rotor unit is mounted on said support body only with a radial portion of its circumference.

44. The control device according to claim 37, wherein said rotor unit is not mounted on said stator unit and preferably only on said support body.

45. The control device according to claim 44, wherein said rotor unit is axially displaceably mounted on said support body.

46. The control device according to claim 37, wherein said bearing unit provides a fixed bearing for blocking an axial movability of said rotor unit, and/or wherein said bearing unit has a travel limiter configured for limiting an axial movability of said rotor unit in at least one direction.

47. The control device according to claim 37, wherein said stator unit and said rotor unit delimit a chamber that is sealed outwardly, and wherein a braking medium of said braking device is arranged in said chamber.

48. The control device according to claim 47, wherein said stator unit extends out of said chamber, said stator unit is moveable partially out of or into said chamber, a volume of said chamber available for said braking medium is variable by moving said stator unit out or in, in order to provide compensation for temperature related and/or leakage related and/or assembly related changes in said volume of said braking medium.

49. The control device according to claim 37, wherein said stator unit and said rotor unit are axially displaceable relative to each other.

50. The control device according to claim 37, wherein said stator unit is arranged axially displaceably on said support body.

51. The control device according to claim 37, wherein said stator unit, is arranged on said support body via a shaft holder.

52. The control device according to claim 51, wherein said stator unit is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner on said shaft holder, said shaft holder is arranged axially displaceably on said support body, and said shaft holder surrounds said rotor unit radially at least in portions.

53. The control device according to claim 37, wherein said rotor unit is mounted axially displaceably on said support body.

54. The control device according to claim 37, wherein said stator unit is only fastened to said support body on one side.

55. The control device according to claim 37, further comprising an alignment device configured for aligning an axial center axis of said stator unit relative to an axial center axis or axis of rotation of said rotor unit.

56. The control device according to claim 55, wherein a stator shaft of said stator unit can be aligned on said shaft holder by said alignment device.

57. The control device according to claim 56, wherein said stator shaft comprises a conical alignment portion arranged in and/or on a corresponding conical alignment part of said shaft holder.

58. The control device according to claim 56, wherein said shaft holder is configured to be aligned on said support body by said alignment device and/or said rotor unit is configured to be aligned on said shaft holder by said alignment device.

59. The control device according to claim 58, wherein said shaft holder is configured to be at least partially axis symmetrical; and an axial center axis of a portion of said shaft holder, radially surrounding said rotor unit, and an axial center axis of a portion of said shaft holder to which said stator unit is fastened, are arranged in parallel.

60. The control device according to claim 59, wherein said rotor unit is rotatably mounted on said portion of said shaft holder that radially surrounds said rotor unit.

61. The control device according to claim 59, wherein a portion of said shaft holder radially surrounding said rotor unit, has an outer side at least partially in said support body and in a rotationally fixed manner.

62. The control device according to claim 37, wherein a deceleration torque occurring during a deceleration of a rotary motion of said rotor unit can be diverted into said support body via said stator unit.

63. The control device according to claim 37, wherein a pressure load exerted on said rotor unit during a control operation can be diverted into said support body at least via said bearing unit, bypassing said stator unit.

64. The control device according to claim 37, wherein said bearing device comprises a further bearing unit, and said rotor unit is mounted on said support body via said further bearing unit.

65. The control device according to claim 64, wherein said bearing unit and said further bearing unit of said bearing device are arranged axially spaced from each other, and said rotor unit is mounted radially outwardly on said support body for said rotatability of said rotor unit about said stator unit via said bearing unit and said further bearing unit.

66. The control device according to claim 37, wherein said bearing device is configured for one sided clamping of said rotor unit to said support body.

67. The control device according to claim 37, wherein said braking device is magnetorheological and comprises at least one magnetorheological medium which is configured to be influenced by a controllable magnetic field generating device, and said rotatability of said rotor unit about said stator unit is configured to be decelerated by said medium.

68. The control device according to claim 67, wherein said magnetorheological medium comprises particles that can be influenced in a targeted manner by a magnetic field, said particles are contained in a carrier medium, and said carrier medium is provided by ambient air and/or a fluid that differs from ambient air.

69. The control device according to claim 68, wherein said particles are selected from the group consisting of ferromagnetic particles, ferrimagnetic, and superparamagnetic particles.

70. The control device according to claim 37, wherein said rotor unit comprises a control wheel.

71. A computer mouse comprising at least one control device according to claim 37.

72. A motor vehicle steering wheel comprising at least one control device according to claim 37.

Description

[0068] In the figures:

[0069] FIG. 1 shows a highly schematized illustration of a control device according to the invention in a sectional side view;

[0070] FIG. 1a shows a highly schematized illustration of a computer mouse comprising the control device according to the invention;

[0071] FIGS. 2-5 shows purely schematic illustrations of further embodiments of the control device in sectional side views;

[0072] FIG. 6 shows a purely schematic illustration of a further control device according to the invention in a perspective view;

[0073] FIG. 7 shows a detailed illustration of the control device of FIG. 6 in a perspective view;

[0074] FIG. 8 shows the control device of FIG. 6 in a partially sectioned plan view;

[0075] FIG. 9 shows a detailed illustration of the control device of FIG. 6 in a perspective view; and

[0076] FIG. 10 shows a further detailed illustration of the control device of FIG. 6 in a perspective view.

[0077] FIG. 1 shows a control device 1 according to the invention, which can be used, for example, in a computer mouse 100 as shown in FIG. 1a. The control device 1 comprises a rotor unit 3 designed here as a control wheel 13 and, for example, a mouse wheel 23. Operation is thus effected at least by rotating the rotor unit 3.

[0078] The rotor unit 3 is rotatably mounted around a stator unit 2. The stator unit 2 here comprises a stator body 12 and a stator shaft 22 serving as a stator connection 32. The axis of rotation of the rotor unit 3 is shown here by a dot-and-dash line. The axis of rotation here also corresponds to an axial center axis of the stator unit 2 and the rotor unit 3.

[0079] The stator unit 2 is connected to a support body 4. The support body 4 may be, for example, a mouse body 101 of the computer mouse 100 of FIG. 1a. Two mouse buttons 102, 103 are shown here on the mouse body 101 to the left and right of the mouse wheel 23.

[0080] The rotary motion or rotatability of the rotor unit 3 about the stator unit 2 can be decelerated here in a targeted manner by means of a magnetorheologically designed braking device 5. The braking device 5 uses a magnetic-field-generating device 25, not shown in greater detail here, and, for example, an electric coil to generate a magnetic field which acts on a magnetorheological medium (MR fluid) as the braking medium. This leads to a local and strong cross-linking of magnetically polarizable particles, and thus an increase in the transmittable shear stress in the braking medium.

[0081] The braking device 5 thus allows a targeted deceleration (braking) and even complete blocking (high braking torque) of the rotary motion. The braking device 5 can thus provide haptic feedback during the rotary movement of the rotor unit 3, for example by means of a correspondingly perceptible pattern (ripple) or by means of dynamically adjustable stops. In order to monitor the rotary position of the rotor unit 3 and to be able to use it to control the braking device 5, a sensor device is provided, which is not shown in greater detail here.

[0082] The braking medium is contained in a chamber 15 which is sealed off outwardly. The chamber 15 is delimited here by the rotor unit 3 and the stator unit 2.

[0083] The braking medium here is provided, for example, by carbonyl iron powder in ambient air. A magnetorheological fluid can also be provided as the medium and comprises, for example, an oil as the carrier fluid, in which ferromagnetic particles (for example carbonyl iron, ferrofluids, etc.) and/or ferromagnetic particles are present, for example. Superparamagnetic particles with low hysteresis are also possible. For example glycol, grease, silicone, water, wax and viscous or low viscous substances can be used as carrier medium without being limited thereto. The carrier medium can also be gaseous or/and a gas mixture or the carrier medium can be relinquished (vacuum, air, etc.). In this case, only particles that can be influenced by the magnetic field (for example carbonyl iron) are filled into the effective gap or chamber 15. Mixing with other particles—preferably having lubricating properties—such as graphite, molybdenum, plastics particles and polymer materials, is possible. A combination of the above (for example carbonyl iron powder plus graphite plus air) is also possible.

[0084] The particles are, for example, carbonyl iron powder with spherical microparticles, wherein the size distribution and shape of the particles depends on the specific application. Specifically, a distribution of the particle size between one and twenty micrometers is preferred, wherein, however, smaller (<1 micrometer) to very small (a few nanometers, typically 5 to 10 nanometers) or larger particles of thirty, forty and fifty micrometers are also possible. Depending on the application, the particle size can also be significantly larger and may even enter the millimeter range (particle spheres). The particles can also have a special coating/sheath (titanium coating, ceramic, carbon sheath, polymer coating, etc.) so that they are better able to withstand or are stabilized against the high pressure loads that occur, for example, depending on the application. The particles can also have a coating against corrosion or electrical conduction. For this application, the magnetorheological particles can be made not only of carbonyl iron powder (pure iron; iron pentacarbonyl, etc.) but also of special iron (harder steel) or other special materials (magnetite, cobalt, etc.), or a combination thereof.

[0085] The rotor unit 3 is held here (only) on the support body 4 (for diverting the reaction torque generated by braking). As a result, the axial dimensions of the control device 1 can be considerably reduced, which is of great advantage, for example, for installation in the computer mouse 100. In addition, a mounting of the rotor unit 3 independent of the stator unit 2 is provided here. Thus, the bearing forces and pressure loads can be diverted directly into the support body 4 in the event of rotation by a finger, bypassing the stator unit 2. The stator unit experiences only the reaction torque and no bearing or radial forces, allowing the stator shaft 22 to be thinner and thus save space. Overall, the result is a particularly compact and robust as well as haptically precise control.

[0086] For mounting the rotor unit 3, a bearing device 6 comprising a bearing unit 16 and a further bearing unit 26 is provided here. Via the bearing units 16, 26, the rotor unit 3 is mounted or supported radially outwardly on the support body 4. For this purpose, the bearing units 16, 26 are arranged here on the radial outer side of the rotor unit 3.

[0087] In the region of the further bearing unit 26, travel limitation means 46 are arranged on the rotor unit 3 here. This allows an axial displacement of the rotor unit 3 by a defined distance. The travel limitation means 46 can also be arranged in such a way that the axial movability is blocked.

[0088] If an axial movability of the rotor unit 3 relative to the support body 4 is undesirable, one or both bearing units 16, 26 can also be designed as a fixed bearing 36. Here, for example, the further bearing unit 26 can be designed as a fixed bearing 36.

[0089] To allow or compensate for temperature-related or leakage-related changes in the volume of the braking medium in the chamber 15, the volume of chamber 15 can be adjusted. For this purpose, the rotor unit 3 and the stator unit 2 are designed here to be axially displaceable relative to each other. The movement for such a volume compensation 35 is sketched here by a double arrow.

[0090] In the case of a volume compensation 35, the stator shaft 22 is here pushed out of the chamber 15 or pushed into the chamber 15. For this purpose, the stator shaft 22 is received here on the support body 4 axially displaceably. However, so that the deceleration torque can be diverted into the support body 4 in the event of a deceleration of the rotary movement, the stator shaft 22 is also connected to the support body 4 in a rotationally fixed manner.

[0091] FIG. 2 shows a development of the previously presented control device 1. Here, the stator unit 2 is connected to the support body 4 by a shaft holder 14. The shaft holder 14 is arranged axially displaceably on the support body 4. The stator unit 2, on the other hand, is fastened to the shaft holder 14 in a rotationally fixed and axially immovable manner.

[0092] As a result, the stator unit 2 moves together with the shaft holder 14 relative to the support body 4 during a volume compensation. Due to the shaft holder 14 and its correspondingly large radius, the axial movement here can be supported over a larger area (large surfaces; large distances), resulting in an improved axial guidance and alignment overall.

[0093] Here, a portion 24 of the shaft holder 14 surrounds the outer side of the rotor unit 3 in portions. The bearing unit 16 is arranged on the shaft holder 14 so that the rotor unit 3 is mounted on the support body 4 via the shaft holder 14. This also improves the mounting and axial displaceability and alignment of the components.

[0094] The control device 1 here comprises an alignment device 7 for aligning the axial center axis of the stator unit 2 relative to the axial center axis or the axis of rotation of the rotor unit 3. For the alignment device 7, the shaft holder 14 here is designed to be axis-symmetrical. The portion 24 of the shaft holder 14 which radially surrounds the rotor unit 3 and on which the bearing unit 16 is also arranged and a portion 34 of the shaft holder 14 thus have a common axial center axis. The portion 34 is used here for fastening the stator shaft 22.

[0095] As a result, the shaft holder 14 here allows precise concentric alignment of the rotor unit 3 and stator unit 2, and at the same time is also aligned with respect to the support body 4. For example, such an alignment device 7 can be provided in that the shaft holder 14 is formed as a rotary part with a larger centric bore for the portion 24 and a smaller centric bore for the portion 34.

[0096] FIG. 3 shows the control device 1 presented with reference to FIG. 2 with an extended alignment device 7, with which an even more precise alignment of the stator shaft 22 on or in the shaft holder 14 is achieved. For this purpose, the stator shaft 22 comprises a conical alignment portion 17. The alignment portion 17 is arranged in a corresponding conical alignment part 27 of the shaft holder 14 and, for example, a conical recess. As a result, the stator unit 2 is optimally aligned (free of play, concentrically) when it is joined to the shaft holder 14.

[0097] The stator shaft 22 may also be aligned in the shaft holder 14 by a tapered collet. Additionally or alternatively, the stator shaft 22 can be screwed or otherwise fixed in shaft holder 14 in a frictionally engaged or form-fitting manner. A fixation by integral bonding is also possible, for example by (ultrasonic) welding or adhesive bonding.

[0098] FIG. 4 shows the control device 1 presented with reference to FIG. 2 with an alternative arrangement of shaft holder 14 and rotor unit 3. Here, the shaft holder with its portion 24 surrounds a radial outer side of the rotor unit 3 formed as an extension 33. In addition to the previously discussed advantages, such a design offers particularly small radial dimensions.

[0099] Here, both bearing units 16, 26 are arranged directly on the support body 4. Alternatively or additionally, however, a mounting can also be provided on the extension 33.

[0100] In FIG. 5, the control device 1 presented with reference to FIG. 1 is shown with an alternative bearing arrangement. Here, the rotor unit 3 has, at one axial end, an extension 43, on which the bearing unit 26 is arranged. Depending on the available installation space, this design has advantages.

[0101] With reference to FIGS. 6 to 10, an exemplary embodiment of the control device 1 according to the invention is now described, as can be used particularly advantageously in a computer mouse 100.

[0102] The support body 4 is designed here in such a way that sufficient space is available to be able to equip the rotor unit 3 with a circumferential ring or the like for the mouse wheel 23.

[0103] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the control unit 1. The stator unit 2 is not visibly covered by other components here. Only an electronic unit (PCB and connector) 45 of the braking device 5 is visible here. The shaft holder 14 is fastened or clipped to the support body 4 here. In the illustration shown here, only the bearing unit 16 of the bearing device 6 is visible. The other bearing unit 26 is not visible here and is arranged behind the rotor unit 3.

[0104] FIG. 7 shows the support body 4 of the control device 1 of FIG. 6. The support body 4 is designed here as a one-piece molded part made of plastic, for example. The bearing units 16, 26 or their receiving areas are clearly visible here. One or more plain bearings or roller bearings can be arranged on such receiving areas, for example. The receiving areas can also provide the respective bearing units 16, 26 themselves, at least partially.

[0105] FIG. 8 shows a partially sectioned plan view of the control device 1 of FIG. 6. To provide the mouse wheel 23, the rotor unit 3 is equipped here with a roughly sketched circumferential ring. In the sectional view shown here, the conical alignment portion 17 of the stator shaft 22 and the associated alignment part 27 in the shaft holder 14 are clearly visible.

[0106] FIG. 9 shows the stator unit 2 together with the shaft holder 14. The rotor unit 3 is not shown here for clarity. In FIG. 10, the shaft holder 14 is shown alone. Thus, the alignment device 7 with the alignment portion 17 of the stator shaft 22 and the alignment part 27 in the shaft holder 14 can be clearly seen here. Also clearly visible here is the radially inner receiving area of the shaft holder for the bearing unit 16. For example, one or two or more bearing points of the bearing unit 16 may be there.

[0107] The shaft holder 14 is equipped here with a pin 44 to allow a rotationally fixed connection to the support body 4 (the reaction torque is derived via this). The shaft holder 14 here also has two grooves 54 in the receiving area for the stator shaft 22. The grooves 54 serve to hold the stator shaft 22 in a rotationally fixed manner. For this purpose, the stator shaft 22 has two corresponding projections 64 which engage in the grooves 54. In addition, the shaft holder 14 here has adhesive grooves 74 for receiving or distributing an adhesive. The adhesive is used to adhesively bond the stator shaft 22 to the shaft holder 14.

[0108] List of Reference Signs: [0109] 1 control device [0110] 2 stator unit [0111] 3 rotor unit [0112] 4 support body [0113] 5 braking device [0114] 6 bearing device [0115] 7 alignment device [0116] 12 stator body [0117] 13 control wheel [0118] 14 shaft holder [0119] 15 chamber [0120] 16 bearing unit [0121] 17 alignment portion [0122] 22 stator shaft [0123] 23 mouse wheel [0124] 24 portion [0125] 25 magnetic-field-generating device [0126] 26 bearing unit [0127] 27 alignment part [0128] 32 stator connection [0129] 33 extension [0130] 34 portion [0131] 35 volume compensation [0132] 36 fixed bearing [0133] 43 extension [0134] 44 pin [0135] 45 electronics unit [0136] 46 travel limitation means [0137] 54 groove [0138] 64 elevation [0139] 74 adhesive groove [0140] 100 computer mouse [0141] 101 mouse body [0142] 102 mouse button [0143] 103 mouse button