Three dimensional positioning device
AssigneeHall Effect Technologies Limited
InventorRodney Philip Jackson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A three dimensional positional device which may be used with a computer to enable, for example, a cursor to be moved in three dimensions. The device includes a movable portion (64) and a stationary portion (61). Movement of the movable portion (64) is translated into the movement of three Hall effect devices (69, 77, 81) in three orthogonal directions, relative to three magnetic systems (67, 72, 82). The movable portion (64) may be moved in a plane and pivoted relative to the stationary portion (61).
Claims9
A three dimensional positioning device comprising three Hall effect devices mounted on movable supports, and three associated means for producing a magnetic field mounted on stationary supports adjacent but displaced from the movable supports wherein each means for producing a magnetic field comprises two spaced apart permanent magnets arranged in repelling mode polarity and each associated Hall device is constrained to move between two such magnets.
An input device for a computer comprising:
- a stationary portion;
- a movable portion mechanically connected to and moveable relative to the stationary portion;
- and
- means for detecting relative movement of the two portions and outputting a signal for transmission to a computer, the output signal representing movement in first, second and third orthogonal directions;
- wherein movement of the moveable portion is effected by sliding the movable portion in a plane relative to the stationary portion and by pivoting the movable portion relative to the stationary portion, wherein the movable portion is constructed and arranged to be pivoted about an axis which is parallel to the plane, and wherein movement of the moveable portion relative to the stationary portion in the plane causes the device to output a signal representative of movement in the first and second orthogonal directions, and pivoting the moveable portion relative to the stationary portion causes the device to output a signal representative of the movement in the third orthogonal direction.
A three dimensional positioning device comprising three Hall effect devices mounted on movable supports, and three associated means for producing a magnetic field mounted on stationary supports adjacent to the movable supports wherein each means for producing a magnetic field comprises two spaced apart permanent magnets arranged in repelling mode polarity and each associated Hall device is constrained to move between two such magnets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.