CH655809A5 - DEVICE FOR INTRODUCING GRAPHIC DATA INTO A CALCULATOR. - Google Patents

Description

The subject of the present invention is a device for entering graphical analog data into a calculator which is distinguished by the characteristics listed in claim 1.

The accompanying drawing illustrates schematically and by way of example an embodiment of the device for introducing graphic data according to the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device consisting of a keyboard.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the support, integrated into the keyboard, and of the mechanism for introducing graphic data.

Figure 3 is a partial section of the support along the line I-II of Figure 2, some elements being removed.

FIG. 4 is a view of A from FIG. 3.

Figure 5 is a section through a measuring roller and its fixing pin.

Figure 6 is a section of a pressure roller and its mounting on the frame.

Figure 7 is a sectional view of a variant of a pressure roller and its mounting on the frame.

The device illustrated in the drawings comprises a computer keyboard which is incorporated a support 1 of generally parallelepiped shape having a housing 2, open upwards, receiving a free ball 3. An electronic circuit 4 is fixed on the underside of the support 1 or incorporated into the keyboard.

Two measuring rollers 5, 6 are pivoted in overhang on the support. These rollers 5, 6 are forcibly expelled on the end of an axis 7, 8 pivoted idly in a spindle 9, 10 driven into a passage of the support. The other end of the axes 7, 8 passes through a fixed mask 11, 12 and carries a disc 13, 14 of an optoelectronic generator. The axes 7, 8 are pivoted in the pins 9, 10 using synthetic ruby bearings allowing great guiding precision while minimizing friction. In addition, this particular cantilever mounting of the measurement rollers is easy to construct constructively and avoids all the problems of concentricity and deformation of the frame encountered in an assembly where the axis 7, 8 of the rollers would pass through and be mounted on either side of the roller 5, 6 in the support 1.

This construction also allows easy mounting of the disc 13, 14 on the corresponding axis 7, 8, this disc can be glued to a plug 15, 16 driven out on the free end of the axis 7, 8 respectively.

Finally, this solution allows a pre-assembly of the rollers 5, 6 on their spindle 9, as well as the discs 13, 14 on their plug 15, 16; the final assembly being quick and easy.

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655,809

For proper operation of the device, it is necessary that during its movement, the ball 3 be applied with a force at least equal to that caused by its own weight against the measuring rollers 5, 6 to ensure the drive thereof without slipping. To maintain the ball 3 in the service position in its housing, two support rollers 17, 18 are provided, pivoted on axes orthogonal to each other and each parallel to one of the axes 7, 8 carrying the measurement rollers 5, 6 In operation, the contact points of the four rollers with the ball are located in the same plane.

In a first embodiment, the mounting of the support rollers is carried out as illustrated in FIG. 6. Each support roller 17, 18 is pivoted idly, using synthetic ruby bearings 19 on a driven axis 20 in the wings 21 facing a flap or arm 22. This flap 22 is driven on a rod 23 pivoting without play in a bore of the support 1. In this way the roller 17, 18 is also mounted door-to-door false compared to the support.

The free end of the rod 23 emerging from the support 1 comprises a leaf spring 24 cooperating with an eccentric 25 mounted on the support 1 and the position of which can be adjusted and fixed using a screw 26. It is thus possible to adjust the pressure that the support rollers 22, 23 exert against the ball 3.

FIG. 7 illustrates a second way of mounting the rollers 17, 18 on the support 1.

Each roller 17, 18 is pivotally idled overhanging on an axis 27, using synthetic ruby bearings 28, and the end of this axis 27 is forcibly driven into the wing 29 of a flap 30. This flap 30 is pivoted without play on a rod 31 mounted with greasy friction in a bore of the support 1. The end of this rod close to the flap 30 carries a leaf spring 32 cooperating with the end of the axis 27 on which the roller 17 is pivoted. The other end of the rod 31 is accessible from the outside of the support 1 and has a slot making it possible to modify its angular position relative to the support 1 and thereby adjust the pressure of the roller 17 against the ball by modifying the tension of the leaf spring 32.

It is obvious that in the two embodiments described each of the axes 20, respectively 27, is arranged parallel to the axis 7, 8 of the measuring roller facing it. All axes 7, 8, 20 or 27 are contained in the same plane. It is also obvious that the rods 23 and 31 are always strictly parallel to the corresponding axis 20, respectively 27. The constructive embodiment described has great advantages because it is simple, requires few parts, involves precise but easy machining. to master and allows a pre-assembly of certain sub-assemblies which goes in the direction of a rationalization of the production of these mice.

io It is obvious that the support rollers could, in variants, be pivoted on axes directly mounted on the support.

In an important and preferred embodiment, the device only comprises a support roller pivoted on an arm mounted i5 on the support 1 along an axis parallel to the plane containing the axes of the measurement rollers.

In this embodiment, the single support roller contacts the ball in an oblique direction, forming an angle with the plane containing the axes 7, 8 of the measurement rollers and contained in a plane bisector of the angle formed by these axes. 7, 8 of the measuring rollers 5, 6.

It is obvious that the control keyboard also includes special keys controlling the functions of the electronic circuit 4 and its interaction with the calculator 25 controlled by this keyboard.

In variants, the power supply of the keyboard or of the device can be done by batteries contained in it and the transmission of the measured data can be done remotely, by infrared emission or any other means of wireless teletransmission. .

In other variants, the pins 9, 10 could be fixed to the frame by clipping, that is to say that they would be pinched between two parts of the support.

A plate which can form part of the keyboard housing can, in a variant, be detachably fixed on the support so as to allow easy extraction of the ball from the device, in particular for its transport or its shipment. This plate has an opening with a diameter smaller than that of the ball and maintains the latter in its housing 2.

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Claims (8)

655,809 1. Device for introducing graphical analog data into a calculator, characterized in that it comprises a control keyboard comprising a support (1) integral with said keyboard and having a central housing open upwards receiving a free ball (3 ) maintained in this housing (1) using a plate, fixed to the support (1) or to the keyboard housing and partially closing its upper opening, giving passage to a portion of the ball (3) by an opening of dimension smaller than the diameter of the ball (3) and by the fact that this ball rests by its own weight on the one hand on two measuring rollers (5, 6), pivoted on the support (1) along orthogonal axes and driving each a disc (13, 14) of an opto-electronic generator and on the other hand on at least one support roller (17) pivoted on an axis located in a plane parallel to the plane containing the axes of the measurement rollers. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the two measuring rollers (5, 6) are pivoted in cantilever on the support (1) and that the support roller (s) (17, 18 ) are each pivoted on an axis also mounted in cantilever on the support (I). 2 3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that each measuring roller is carried by the end of an axis pivoted in a spindle by means of bearings, and by the fact that this spindle is driven in a bore support. 4. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the other end of the axis carrying the measuring roller carries the disc of an opto-electronic generator. 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises two support rollers pivoted along two axes orthogonal to each other and that each arm is integral with one end of a rod pivoted without play in the frame, the other end of which, emerging from the frame, carries a leaf spring cooperating with an adjustable eccentric mounted on the frame. 6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each support roller is pivoted in cantilever on the arm. 7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a single support roller comes into contact with the ball in a direction forming an angle with the plane containing the axes of the measurement rollers and contained in a bisector plane of the angle between the axes of the measuring rollers. 8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a battery for its supply of electrical energy as well as a wireless transmitter of the information delivered by the measurement. There are devices which make it possible, from a graph, a sketch or any other two-dimensional representation, to record a certain number of data, singular points, etc. in an analog manner. of this graph and code them in a form suitable for use by a calculator. Such devices are generally nicknamed "mouse" in the jargon of those skilled in the art. The principle of the mouse is to code and transmit to a calculator the movements that this mouse, resting on a work table and comfortably housed in the palm of the hand, performs under the impulse of its manipulator. Keys can be operated by the operator's fingers to control certain actions or a particular mode of interaction. The electronic part of this mouse is for example described in a document entitled "Mouse P-4" Interactive graphie input device "of February 23, 1982 published by the licensee. The body measuring or detecting these mice is a steel ball of about 20 mm. in diameter which rolls on a flat surface when the mouse moves and transmits its movements along two orthogonal axes to two opto-electronic pulse generators comprising a light source, an optical sensor, a fixed mask and a disk provided with slots rotated by the ball. The electrical pulses generated by the opto-electronic generators are processed by an electronic circuit incorporated in the mouse making it possible to deliver information compatible with the input of a calculator corresponding to the displacements, broken down along two orthogonal axes, of the mouse. Such a mouse is for example described in patent CH 640 961 of September 13, 1982 of the holder. These mice have the disadvantage of only allowing the “copy” of a graphic document and of entering the data into a calculator. However, it is necessary to be able to modify, enlarge or reduce, print, correct graphical data already saved in the calculator, which cannot be done using these mice. In addition, it is also necessary to be able to directly compose and without copying, a graphical representation and to enter the data into a calculator; this is also impossible with a mouse of the existing type.