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US 10,592,008 B1Granted
Mouse having a shape-changing enclosure
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsPaul X. Wang, Hongcheng Sun, Alex J. Lehmann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for changing the shape of a mouse or other input device are described. In one embodiment, a mouse includes an articulating member that defines a curvature of an exterior surface of the mouse. The mouse may include one or more actuators for manipulating the articulating member to change the contour of the exterior surface of the mouse. The curvature may be changed to optimize the ergonomics of the mouse and/or deliver tactile feedback to users.
Claims19
A mouse comprising:
- an enclosure defining an exterior surface configured to receive a palm of a hand;
- an articulating member positioned beneath the exterior surface and comprising a set of stacked layers;
- an actuator disposed within the enclosure, coupled to the articulating member, and configured to move the articulating member from a first configuration to a second configuration, the first configuration resulting in the exterior surface having a first curvature and the second configuration resulting in the exterior surface having a second curvature different from the first curvature;
- and
- a jamming mechanism configured to, after the actuator has moved the articulating member to the second configuration resulting in the second curvature, cause a normal force to be exerted on adjacent layers of the set of stacked layers to increase a stiffness of the articulating member and maintain the second curvature.
2 more elements
A mouse comprising:
- an enclosure defining a top surface of the mouse;
- an articulating member disposed beneath the top surface of the mouse and comprising an array of segments, the array of segments comprising a first segment positioned between a second segment and a third segment, the first segment pivotally coupled to the second segment along a first side of the first segment and pivotally coupled to the third segment along a second side of the first segment, the second side opposite the first side;
- and
- an actuator disposed within the enclosure and configured to cause the first segment, the second segment, and the third segment of the articulating member to move to change a profile of the top surface from a first profile shape to a second profile shape that is different than the first profile shape.
1 more element
A method for modifying a shape of a mouse comprising:
- sensing, using one or more sensors of the mouse, an amount of an exterior surface that is contacting a hand;
- determining, using a processor operably coupled to an actuator within the mouse, whether the amount of the exterior surface that is contacting the hand is below a threshold;
- and
- in response to determining that the amount of the exterior surface that is contacting the hand is below the threshold, moving, by the actuator, an articulating member from a first configuration to a second configuration;
- wherein:
- the first configuration results in the exterior surface of the mouse having a first curvature;
- and
- the second configuration results in the exterior surface of the mouse having a second curvature that is different from the first curvature.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.