Pointing device with extended travel
AssigneeAvago Technologies ECBU IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
InventorsFarid Matta, Jonah Harley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pointing device having a moveable puck that moves in a predetermined field of motion by applying a lateral force thereto is disclosed. A first linear spring is attached to the puck, the first spring applying a first force to the puck at each location in the field of motion. A second linear spring is also attached to the puck, the second spring applying a second force to the puck at each location in the field of motion. The first and second springs return the puck to a predetermined location in the field of motion when the lateral force is not applied to the puck. The first linear spring is folded around a bending point and attached to a portion of the pointing device that is stationary with respect to the puck.
Claims10
A pointing device comprising:
- a moveable puck that can be positioned at any location in a predetermined field of motion by applying a lateral force thereto;
- a first linear spring attached to said puck, said first spring applying a first force to said puck at each location in said field of motion;
- a second linear spring attached to said puck, said second spring applying a force component to said puck at each location in said field of motion, and
- a bending post in a stationary position with respect to said puck, wherein the bending post is located outside of said field of motion, said bending post to contact an intermediate portion of said first linear spring to bend said first linear spring in a folded configuration at approximately a 90 degree angle around the bending post when the puck is in a resting position, wherein a first end of said first linear spring is attached to a stationary point located outside said field of motion such that a portion of the spring substantially follows a path adjacent to a perimeter of said field of motion of said puck, wherein said bending post further maintains a consistent location of a bending point for all positions of said puck within said field of motion.
A method inputting a location comprising:
- positioning a moveable puck within a predetermined field of motion by applying a lateral force thereto, said field of motion being characterized by maximum dimension through which said puck can move in traversing two positions in said field of motion;
- providing a first linear spring attached to said puck, said first spring applying a first force a said puck at each location in said field of motion;
- providing a second linear spring attached to said puck, said second spring applying a second force to said puck at each location in said field of motion, said first and second springs returning said puck to a predetermined location in said field of motion when said lateral force is not applied to said puck;
- and
- providing a bending post in a stationary position with respect to said puck, wherein the bending post is located outside of said field of motion, said bending post to contact an intermediate portion of said first linear spring to bend said first linear spring in a folded configuration at approximately a 90 degree angle around the bending post when the puck is in a resting position, wherein a first end of said first linear spring is attached to a stationary point located outside said field of motion such that a portion of the spring substantially follows a path adjacent to a perimeter of said field of motion of said puck, wherein said bending post further maintains a consistent location of a bending point for all positions of said puck within said field of motion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.