GB2409258A

GB2409258A - Computer input device body having an external cord slot and able to receive a connector

Info

Publication number: GB2409258A
Application number: GB0329315A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Denis O'keeffe; Nicolas Sasselli; Tung-Lin Leng
Original assignee: Logitech Europe SA
Current assignee: Logitech Europe SA
Priority date: 2003-12-18
Filing date: 2003-12-18
Publication date: 2005-06-22
Also published as: GB0329315D0; DE202004018729U1; CN2741102Y

Abstract

An input device (eg. a computer mouse) has a discrete external slot or groove 14 for wrapping and storing a cord 12. The slot 14 is provided around a bottom peripheral edge of a body of the device, and may be only slightly more than one cord diameter wide. The cord 14 is connected to the body and has a connector 20 at a distal end of the cord. Substantially all of the cord 14 is receivable into the slot 14 of the body to store the cord in the external slot. The connector 20 may be releaseably attachable to the bottom of the body by a snap-in connection (30,32, fig 8), and in one embodiment may be received in a pocket (62,fig 9) so that the connector is flush with the bottom of the mouse. The connector maybe a USB connector.

Description

2409258

COMPUTER MOUSE HAVING COW WRAP AND SNAP-IN FEATURE

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

NOT APPLICABLE s

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

10002] This invention relates generally to input devices and, more particularly to a computer mouse having a cord wrap feature and a snap-in feature for a connector coupled lo the cord.

10003] Existing cord nanagement solutions for computer mice involve internal or extemal spool or retraction mechanisms, which are generally cumbersome, unreliable, and messy looking. Furthermore, there are no solutions that enable the USB connector to be attached to the mouse such that it does not dangle when the cord is completely wrapped up or retracted.

BRIEF SUGARY OF THE INVENTION

10004] Embodiments of the present invention provide an input device such as a computer mouse having a slot or groove for wrapping and storing a cord and a snap-in connection for attaching the connector of the cord to He mouse.

5] accordance with an aspect of the present invention, an input device comprises a body having a bottom and an extemal slot provided around the body. The extemal slot is disposed around a peripheral edge of the body near the bottom of the body. A cord is connected to tile body and has a connector at a distal end of the cord. Substantially all of the cord is receivable into the external slot of the body to store the cord in tl1e extemal slot.

100061 In some embodiments, the extemal slot has a width which is slightly wider than a diameter of the cord. The extemal slot has a sufficient depth to receive substantially all of the cord. The extemal slot extends continuously around the entire peripheral edge of the body.

The connector is releasably attachable to the bottom of the body by a snap connection. The connector includes a protrusion and the bottom of the body includes a cavity sized to receive the protrusion to form the snap connection. The bottom of the body includes a recessed e ce ee. cc. C

ë. - ce. pocket to receive the connector. The connector which is received into the recessed pocket is substantially flush with the bonbons. The connector comprises a USB connector 100071 In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an input device comprises a body having a bottom and an external slot provided around the body. Tle external slot is spaced from the bottom. A cord is connected to the body and has a connector at a distal end of the cord. The connector is releasably attachable to the bottom of the body.

8] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an input device comprises a body having a bottom and an external slot provided around the body. The external slot is spaced from the bottom. A cord is connected to the body and has a connector at a distal end of the cord. A mechanism is provided for releasably attaching the connector to the bottom of the body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[00091 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a computer mouse having a cord wrapped in position I j according to an embodiment of the present invention; [0010] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the mouse showing the cord unwrapped; [0011] Pig. 3 is a top plan view of the mouse in Pig. 1, [0012] Fig. 4 is a left side elevational view of the mouse in Fig. 1; [0013] Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the mouse in Fig. 1, [0014] Fig. 6 is a Wont elevational view of the mouse in Fig. 1, [0015] Fig. 7 is a rear elevational view of the mouse in Fig. l; [0016] Fig. 8 is another view of the mouse in Fig. 1 showing the snap-in feature for the connector to the bottom of the mouse; and [0017] Fig. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of a mouse showing the connector embedded in a pocket provided at the bottom of the mouse according to another embodiment of the invention.

. .c : a.: .:. : : : :: . . -

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

100181 Figs. 18 show one embodiment of a computer mouse 10 having a cord l2, which can be wrapped in an external groove or slot 14 around the body of the mouse 10. In the embodiment shown, the slot 14 extends around the peripheral edge of the body near the bottom 16 of the mouse 10. The location ofthe slot 14 that holds the cord 12 is discreet along the bottom edge of the mouse 10, so that it is visually pleasing and unobtrusive. The slot 14 desirably is only slightly wider than one cord diameter or width (e.g., about 5-10% wider) and is sufficiently deep to accommodate the entire cord l2.

t0019] At the distal end of the cord 12 is a connector 20' which is typically a USB connector. The connector 20 can be attached to the mouse 10, desirably at the bottom 16 of the mouse l0. The slot 14 allows wrapping ofthe entire cord 12 so as to enable the connector to end up in a precise attachment location on the bottom 16 of the mouse 10 after the cord 12 is fully wound or wrapped around the mouse body. One way to attach the connector 20 to the mouse body is to provide a plastic snap feature. As best seen in Fig. 8, the connector 20 l 5 has a protrusion 30 which snaps into a cavity 32 provided at the bottom I 6 of the mouse l 0, for instance, by an interference fit or a tight fit. The plastic snap feature in the form of a protrusion 30 is integral to the connector 20, and its mating feature in the form of a cavity 32 is integral to the bottom 16 of the mouse 10. This allows the corrector 20 to be snapped securely to the mouse body without additional fasteners, straps, or loose or dangling parts.

The snap protnsion 30 does not protrude substantially Dom the connector 20, allowing the connector 20 to stay within the connector thickness specifications for the IJSB. As a result, the snap protrusion 30 does not interfere with any adjacent USB connectors in a stacked arrangement when attached to a computer or peripheral device. Moreover, the external cord wrap feature enables a smaller overall mouse design as compared to designs with a completely internal retraction or cord management feature.

0] Fig. 9 shows another embodiment of the monse 50 having a cord 52, which can be wrapped in an external groove or slot 54 around the body of the mouse 50. Me slot 54 extends around the periphery of the body near the bottom 56 of the mouse. The connector 60 LOT the cord 52 is received into a recessed pocket 62 at the bottom 56. When the connector 60 is attached to the bottom 56 of the mouse 50, the connector 60 is substantially flush with the bottom 56. The mouse 50 may employ the same plastic snap feature for attaching the connector 60 to the mouse 10 as that shown and described above for the mouse 10.

c: : * [00211 The above-described arrangements of apparatus and methods are merely illustrative of applications of the principles of this invention and many other embodiments and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined not Invite S reference to the above description, but instead should be determined with reference to the appended claims along with their full scope of equivalents.

Claims

: .. c: : a . 6 . . . WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: I 1. An input

device comprising: 2 a body having a bottom and an external slot provided aroused the body, the 3 external slot being disposed around a peripheral edge of the body near the bottom of the 4 body; and a cord connected to the body and having a connector at a distal end of the 6 cord, 7 wherein substantially all of the cord is receivable into the external slot of the 8 body to store the cord in the external slot.

1
2. The input device of claim 1 wherein the external slot has a width 2 which is slightly \vider than a diameter of the cord.

1
3. The input device of claim 2 wherein the external slot has a sufficient 2 depth to receive substantially all of the cord.

1
4. The input device of claim 1 wherein the external slot extends 2 continuously around the entire peripheral edge of the body.

1
5. The input device of claim 1 wherein the connector is releasably 2 attachable to the bottom of the body.

1 6, The input device of claim 5 wherein the connector is releasably 2 attachable to Me bottom of the body by a snap connection.

1 7. The input device of claim 6 wherein the connector includes a 2 protrusion and the bottom of the body includes a cavity sized to receive the protrusion to 3 form the snap connection.

1 8. The input device of claim wherein the bottom of the body includes a 2 recessed pocket to receive the connector.

I 9. The input device of claim 8 wherein the connector which is received 2 into the recessed pocket is substantially flush with the bottom.

I 1 O. The input device of claim 1 wherein the connector comprises a USE 2 corrector. s ^

i: .:. I: .:: 1 c 1 11. An input device comprising, 2 a body having a bottom and an external slot provided around talc body, the 3 external slot being spaced from the bottom; and 4 a cord connected to the body and having a connector at a distal end of the cord; 6 wherein the connector is releasably attachable to the bottom of the body.

1 12. The input device of claim I 1 wherein rho connector is releasably 2 attachable to the bottom of the body by a snap connection.

1 13. The input device of claim 1 1 wherein the bottom of the body includes 2 a recessed pocket to receive the connector.

1 14. The input device of claim 13 wherein the connector which is received 2 into the recessed pocket is substantially flush with the bottom.

1 15. The input device of claim 11 wherein the connector includes a 2 protrusion and the bottom of the body includes a cavity sized to receive the protrusion to 3 form the snap connection.

1 16. An input device comprising: 2 a body having a bottom and an external slot provided around the body, the 3 external slot being spaced Mom the bottom; 4 a cord cormected to the body and having a connector at a distal end of We cord; and 6 means for releasably attaching the connector to the bottom of the body.

1 17. The input device of claim 16 wherein the external slot is disposed 2 around a peripheral edge of the body near the bottom of the body.

1 18. The input device of claim 17 wherein the external slot extends 2 continuously around the entire peripheral edge of the body.

1 19. The input device of claim 16 wherein the external slot has a width 2 which is slightly wider than a diameter of the cord.

1 20. The input device of claim 16 wherein the bottom of the body includes 2 a recessed pocket to receive the connector.