Ergonomic computer mouse with handheld and ambidextrous body design

Abstract

This invention is an ergonomic computer mouse. The computer mouse body has a unique design in shape that may change the way for people to use a computer mouse. It is designed to be handheld by ring finger, little finger, and the hand part between thumb and index finger with a grip handle. A rear extrusion is smoothly curved and is designed to create a curved support area for the hand part between thumb and index finger. A trackball is confined in the body with a spherical housing and partially exposed on right side and left side of the body. The trackball is arranged near the middle of the body and above the grip handle so that thumb can reach it and operate it in its natural posture. A trackball cover is designed to separate the trackball and hand palm. Two click buttons and scroll wheel are arranged vertically on the fore edge of the body so that index finger and middle finger can naturally reach and operate them. A finger guard ring is designed to help adjusting the body's location in a hand palm with ring finger and little finger. A curved top edge and a front extrusion are designed to make the body shape look aesthetic. Two spherical extrusions on each side of the body are designed to provide 3-points support together with trackball on a flat surface. People can hold and use the mouse at any desired orientation without a flat surface and can use either right hand or left hand to operate it. It can also be used on a flat desk surface (even on a transparent flat surface) as people use a regular computer mouse. It allows people to take a comfortable desired posture to operate the computer mouse and allows people to change hand to operate it. As a result it can reduce discomfort, pain, and fatigue injury on a user's hand, arm, and shoulder when the user works on a computer with this invention.

Claims

1. An ergonomic computer mouse comprising: a computer mouse housing having a front end, a back end, a top end, and opposite first and second sides; said computer mouse housing defining a grip handle for holding, a finger guard ring located on said front end of said grip handle, a trackball housing having an opening formed through each of said first and second sides, a slide slot formed through each of said first and second sides and approximate said opening on each side, a plurality of sunken spaces formed on said front end of said grip handle, and two spherical-shaped extrusions disposed on each of said first and second sides and arranged to support said computer mouse housing on a desk surface with said first and second sides oriented generally planar with said desk surface; a trackball disposed within said trackball housing for rotation therein; a trackball cover disposed within said slide slots and slidable therein between a first position wherein said trackball cover extends across and outwardly of said trackball and the opening formed through said first side and a second position wherein said trackball cover extends across and outwardly of said trackball the opening formed through said second side; a index finger click button disposed in one sunken space of said plurality of sunken spaces; a middle finger click button disposed in second sunken space of said plurality of sunken spaces; and a scroll wheel disposed in a third sunken space of said plurality of sunken spaces, wherein said third sunken spaced is located between said first and said second sunken space.

2. The ergonomic computer mouse of claim 1, wherein said computer mouse housing further defines a rear extrusion that is disposed to rest upon a user's hand part located between the thumb and index finger when said grip handle is held by the user's hand.

3. The ergonomic computer mouse of claim 1, wherein said rear extrusion is smoothly curved and has a curved support area for the hand part located between the user's thumb and index finger.

4. The ergonomic computer mouse of claim 1, wherein said trackball cover is a partial spherical shell.

5. The ergonomic computer mouse of claim 1, wherein said index finger click button, said scroll wheel, and said middle finger click button are arranged in said order, in a direction away from said top end.

Description

V. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 to FIG. 10 include the shape, structure, features of each part and assembly. They also present the way of assembly, the ways to use it, and all other necessary details of the mouse body.

(2) FIG. 1 presents the general design idea of the mouse body and the way how people hold it with hand. It may be held and operated by either right hand or left hand since it is vertically symmetrical. The hand part between thumb and index finger, ring finger, and little finger provide support for the mouse. While thumb rotates the trackball to control the cursor position, index finger and middle finger operate two click buttons and scroll wheel.

(3) FIG. 2 demonstrates the complete assembly of the mouse body and identifies each part of the mouse body. Part 1 is Mouse Housing Left Half. Part 2 is Mouse Housing Right Half. Part 3 is Trackball. Part 4 is Trackball Cover. Part 5 is Index Finger Click Button. Part 6 is Middle Finger Click Button. Part 7 is Scroll Wheel.

(4) FIG. 3 is the exploded view of the mouse body. It shows the assembling relationship of all the parts.

(5) FIG. 4 and FIG. 4A demonstrate the features on Mouse Housing Left Half 1 and Mouse Housing Right Half 2. Since Mouse Housing Left Half 1 and Mouse Housing Right Half 2 are symmetrical identical about their assembling plane, FIG. 4 and FIG. 4A only indicate the features Mouse Housing Left Half 1.

(6) Feature 101 is Grip Handle for holding.

(7) Feature 102 is Finger Guard Ring, helping ring finger and little finger to hold and rotate the mouse in a hand palm. When the ring finger and little finger push the Finger Guard Ring 102 out or pull the Grip Handle 101 back, the mouse will rotate a bit about the hand part between thumb and index finger. This function may be used to adjust the mouse's location and orientation in a hand palm.

(8) Feature 103 is Trackball Housing, in which the Trackball 3 is confined and rotates. It is partial spherical in shape and is built in the mouse housing.

(9) Feature 104 is Slide Slot for Trackball Cover, in which Trackball Cover 4 can slide in and out.

(10) Feature 105 is Curved Support Area, where the hand part between thumb and index finger supports the mouse.

(11) Feature 106 is Rear Extrusion, creating the Curved Support Area 105 for the hand part between thumb and index finger.

(12) Feature 107 is Curved Top Edge, which is designed to make the mouse body look aesthetic.

(13) Feature 108 is Front Extrusion, which is created to make the mouse body look aesthetic.

(14) Feature 109 is Sunken Space for Index Finger Click Button, where Index Finger Click Button 5 is installed.

(15) Feature 110 is Sunken Space for Scroll Wheel, where Scroll Wheel 7 is installed.

(16) Feature 111 is Sunken Space for Middle Finger Click Button, where Middle Finger Click Button 6 is installed.

(17) Feature 112 are Spherical Extrusions for Using on Flat Surface, which are created to provide a 3-points support together with Trackball 3 when the mouse is used on a flat surface. Refer to FIG. 10.

(18) FIG. 5 is the isometric view of Trackball Cover 4. Trackball Cover 4 can slide in the Slide Slot of Trackball Cover 104 in the assembly of Mouse Housing Left Half 1 and Mouse Housing Right Half 2 to separate Trackball 3 and hand palm. This can avoid resistance caused by the hand palm touching the Trackball 3. The inside diameter of the Trackball Cover 4 is 2 mm bigger than the Trackball's diameter to provide a gap between the two spherical surface. FIG. 5A shows the design for the two ends of the Trackball Cover 4.

(19) Feature 401 is Cut-out for Flexibility, designed to make the two ends elastic and flexible when it squeezes into the Slide Slot for the Trackball Cover 104.

(20) Feature 402 are Spherical Extrusions for Hold-on. There are four spherical extrusions on each end of the Trackball Cover 4 evenly separated on two edges. When the Trackball Cover 4 squeezes into the Slide Slot for the Trackball Cover 104, Spherical Extrusions for Hold-on 402 help to hold the Trackball Cover 4 on the wall of mouse housing.

(21) FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the mouse, which shows that the Trackball Cover 4 is at an arbitrary position. FIG. 6A is the front view and FIG. 6B is the back view.

(22) FIG. 7 is the isometric view of the mouse, which shows that Trackball Cover 4 is set at right side covering Trackball 3 on Mouse Housing Right Half 2 for right hand use configuration. FIG. 7A is the back view.

(23) FIG. 8 is the isometric view of the mouse, which shows that Trackball Cover 4 is set at left side covering the Trackball 3 on Mouse Housing Left Half 1 for left hand use configuration. FIG. 8A is the back view.

(24) FIG. 9 gives an example that describes how to use this invention. It demonstrates how to hold it and the supposed positions and functions for each finger. This example is for right hand use. Since the invention is symmetrical identical for right and left, the way of holding, the supposed positions and functions of each finger are exactly the same for left hand use.

(25) FIG. 10 describes how to use this invention on a flat surface. FIG. 10C is the front view of FIG. 10, showing that the Trackball 3 and two Spherical Extrusions for Using on Flat Surface 112 provide three supporting points for the mouse on the flat surface. FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B are detailed views from FIG. C to show feature 112s on the flat surface. When the mouse is moved by hand on the flat surface, the Trackball 3 will roll on the flat surface to move the cursor on the screen. This is the same way as using a conventional mouse on a flat desk surface.

VI. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(26) This invention aims to improve computer mouse body design to solve the discomfort and fatigue injury problem caused by using regular surface dependent computer mice. The inside design of computer mouse may use existed mousing technologies such as optical type, laser type, even mechanical type. For optical and laser types, the sensor should be arranged inside the mouse body so that light beam aims at the trackball surface instead of a desk or mouse pad surface. Wireless technology may apply to it to produce a cordless computer mouse. The examples that have successfully applied trackball and wireless technologies in a mouse are Logitech Wireless Trackball M570 and Kensington Orbit Wireless Mobile Trackball mice.

(27) The computer mouse body consists of 7 parts, which are Mouse Housing Left Half 1, Mouse Housing Right Half 2, Trackball 3, Trackball Cover 4, Index Finger Click Button 5, Middle Finger Click Button 6, and Scroll Wheel 7 as shown in FIG. 2.

(28) FIG. 3 shows the assembling relationship of all the parts.

(29) Mouse Housing Left Half 1 and Mouse Housing Right Half 2 form the housing of the computer mouse, where inside mechanical components, electronic components, sensor, and printed circuit board are installed. Mouse Housing Left Half 1 and Mouse Housing Right Half 2 are symmetrical identical about their assembly plane. The features on each half are also symmetrical identical about the assembly plane.

(30) There 12 features on each half of the mouse housing as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 4A.

(31) Feature 101 is Grip Handle, for holding.

(32) Feature 102 is Finger Guard Ring, helping ring finger and little finger to hold and rotate the mouse in a hand palm. When the ring finger and little finger push the Finger Guard Ring out or pull the Grip Handle 101 back, the mouse will rotate a bit about the hand part between thumb and index finger. This function may be used to adjust the mouse's location and orientation in a hand palm.

(33) Feature 103 is Trackball Housing, in which the Trackball 3 is confined and rotates. It is partial spherical in shape and is built in the mouse housing.

(34) Feature 104 is Slide Slot for Trackball Cover 4, in which Trackball Cover (4) can slide in and out.

(35) Feature 105 is Curved Support Area, where the hand part between thumb and index finger supports the mouse.

(36) Feature 106 is Rear Extrusion, creating the Curved Support Area 105 for the hand part between thumb and index finger.

(37) Feature 107 is Curved Top Edge, which is designed to make the mouse body look aesthetic.

(38) Feature 108 is Front Extrusion, which is created to make the mouse body look aesthetic.

(39) Feature 109 is Sunken Space for Index Finger Click Button, where Index Finger Click Button 5 is installed.

(40) Feature 110 is Sunken Space for Scroll Wheel, where Scroll Wheel 7 is installed.

(41) Feature 111 is Sunken Space for Middle Finger Click Button, where Middle Finger Click Button 6 is installed.

(42) Feature 112 are Spherical Extrusions for Using on Flat Surface, which are created to provide a 3-points support together with Trackball 3 when the mouse is used on a flat surface. Refer to FIG. 10.

(43) Trackball Cover 4 in FIG. 5 and FIG. 5A is designed to separate Trackball 3 and hand palm. The inside diameter of the Trackball Cover 4 is 2 mm bigger than the Trackball's diameter to provide a gap between the two spherical surface. It can avoid resistance caused by the hand palm touching the Trackball 3 and allows the Trackball 3 to rotate freely in the Trackball Housing 103.

(44) Feature 401 in FIG. 5A is designed to make the two ends elastic and flexible when it squeezes into the Slide Slot of the Trackball Cover 104.

(45) Feature 402 in FIG. 5A are Spherical Extrusions for Hold-on. There are four spherical extrusions on each end of the Trackball Cover 4 evenly separated on two edges. When the Trackball Cover squeezes into the Slide Slot of the Trackball Cover 104, feature 402s help to hold the Trackball Cover 4 on the wall of mouse housing.

(46) As shown in FIG. 6, the Trackball Cover 4 can slide in the Slide Slot for Trackball Cover 104.

(47) When a user wants to use right hand to hold the computer mouse, the Trackball Cover 4 may be pushed to right side and held by mouse housing wall as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 7A.

(48) When a user wants to use left hand to hold the computer mouse, the Trackball Cover 4 may be pushed to left side and held by mouse housing wall as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 8A.

(49) When operating this invention, a hand may hold it as shown in FIG. 9. The hand part between thumb and index finger, ring finger, and little finger provide support for the mouse. Index finger operates Index Finger Click Button 5 which is above the Scroll Wheel 7. Middle finger operates Middle Finger Click Button 6 which is below the Scroll Wheel. Either index finger or middle finger may operate the Scroll Wheel 7. Thumb operates the Trackball 3.

(50) If a user wants to use the computer mouse as a regular mouse on a desk surface, the mouse may be put on the desk surface as shown in FIG. 10, FIG. 10A, FIG. 10B, and FIG. 10C. The Trackball 3 and two Spherical Extrusions for Using on Flat Surface provide 3-points support for the mouse on the flat surface. When the mouse is moved by a hand on the flat surface, the Trackball 3 will roll on the flat surface to move the cursor on the screen. This is the same way as using a conventional mouse on a flat desk surface.

VII. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

(51) Computer mice are largely used in office and at home. A computer mouse is an necessary accessory of computer. People use it to operate documents and navigate internet on a computer. In the office it is a production tool. People spend many hours a day on using computer and mice. That is why many people feel tired and uncomfortable with their hands and arms after finish one day's work. This is also the reason why many people have pain and have got fatigue injury on their hands and arms. This phenomenon has become very common in the modern society.

(52) People have a big demand for computer mice using either in work environment or at home. There is a big market for computer mice. This invention can provide an option on the marketplace. This invention can eliminate or at least reduce discomfort and even fatigue injury caused by using regular flat surface dependent computer mice.

(53) This invention presents a unique ergonomic computer mouse body design. The inside functions of the mouse may use the existed matured mousing technologies.

VIII. REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

(54) The following is the list of reference signs for components and features on components: 1—Mouse Housing Left Half 101—Grip Handle 102—Finger Guard Ring 103—Trackball Housing 104—Slide Slot for Trackball Cover 105—Curved Support Area for the Hand Part between Thumb and Index Finger 106—Rear Extrusion 107—Curved Top Edge 108—Front Extrusion 109—Sunken Space for Index Finger Click Button 110—Sunken Space for Scroll Wheel 111—Sunken Space for Middle Finger Click Button 112—Spherical Extrusions for Using on Flat Surface 2—Mouse Housing Right Half 3—Trackball 4—Trackball Cover 401—Cut-out for Flexibility 402—Spherical Extrusion for Hold-on 5—Index Finger Click Button 6—Middle Finger Click Button 7—Scroll Wheel 8—Flat Surface

IX. REFERENCE TO DEPOSITED BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL

(55) Not Applicable.

X. SEQUENCE LISTING FREE TEXT

(56) Not Applicable.

XI. CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

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(61) www.logitech.com www.kensington.com