The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 17, 1993
Filed:
Aug. 01, 1991
Frederick C Mailey, South Euclid, OH (US);
Robert A Cecil, Solon, OH (US);
Picker International, Inc., Highland Hts., OH (US);
Abstract
A trackball (10) is rotatably mounted on rollers (12, 14). The rollers are connected with rotational encoders (16, 18) for producing a series of pulses. Up/down counters (20, 22) convert the pulses into an indication of translation along two axes. Downward, non-rotational pressure on the trackball causes a transducer (B) to output an electrical signal which is recognizable as a selection signal. In some embodiments, the transducer is a strain gauge or other transducer (50) which provides an output whose magnitude varies with the amount of force. A comparitor (54) compares the output of the transducer with a selectable threshold to indicate whether a selection signal is to be issued. In other embodiments, the transducer has two states, e.g. a mechanical switch (70). The transducer changes states in response to the force on the trackball exceeding a preselected minimum.