DE20120558U1 - Actuator for touchscreen screens - Google Patents

Description

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Josef Niedermeier 19.12.2001

Neufeldweg 2a 03132-01 Z/bg

85778 Haimhausen

Actuator for touchscreen screens

The invention relates to an actuating device for touchscreen screens.

Keyboards and computer mice are particularly used as input devices for computers.

Computer mice generally have a ball on the bottom and at least two mouse buttons, a "left" mouse button and a "right" mouse button. They are designed to be moved on a mouse pad, thereby moving an on-screen pointer accordingly.

In addition to normal computer screens, there are so-called touchscreen screens that are suitable as input devices and can be operated with a finger or a pen. By touching a button on the touchscreen screen with a finger or the tip of the pen, a process can be triggered in the computer. The touchscreen screen is therefore not only a data output device, but also a data input device.

However, operating a touchscreen screen is associated with certain difficulties. If the touchscreen screen is operated directly by hand, i.e. by touching it with a finger, the buttons must be relatively large. If a pen is used, smaller buttons can be used. It is also possible to enter line information with a pen, i.e. information about a straight or curved line. However, this often requires two types of information to be entered, namely:

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for example, a first piece of information about the course of a line and a second piece of information about the start or end of a line. To enter the first piece of information, the pen must be pressed onto the screen with a certain amount of force. To enter the second piece of information, it may be necessary to press the pen onto the screen with a certain amount of force, or to tap the pen onto the screen, i.e. to press the pen onto the screen with a certain amount of force or minimum force within a short period of time. This can affect the precision of the information entered. When the pen has reached the desired start or end position, it must be pressed or tapped again briefly, and it is possible that the exact point already reached is not hit exactly.

The object of the invention is to propose an improved actuating device for touchscreen screens.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by the features of claim 1. The actuating device for touchscreen screens comprises a pen-shaped handle, a tip and a widened portion in the area of which a mouse button is arranged. This makes it possible to enter further information into the computer by pressing the mouse button. A first piece of information can be entered by pressing the actuating device with its tip onto a specific point on the touchscreen screen or by moving it along a specific line on the touchscreen screen. The further information, for example about the beginning or end of a line, can be entered into the computer by pressing the mouse button. The first piece of information to be entered is not affected. If the tip of the actuating device has, for example, exactly reached the desired end of the line, the mouse button can be actuated without there being a risk that the tip of the actuating device will accidentally or undesirably leave the desired and already reached position. This can increase the reliability of data entry.

The invention provides an improved input device for computers, which can also be referred to as a computer mouse for touchscreen screens.

Advantageous further developments are described in the subclaims.

Preferably, the handle is thinned in its rear area. The handle can be designed so that it is held between two adjacent fingers of one hand, whereby the thumb can press the handle against the two fingers from below. In this case, it is advantageous if the handle is thinned in its rear area, as it then finds a better hold between the adjacent fingers.

A further advantageous development is characterized by a further widening which has a further mouse button. The further widening is preferably opposite the first widening. The actuating device can be designed symmetrically.

A further advantageous development is characterized in that the handle has a grip recess on its underside in the area of the widening or widenings.

An embodiment of the invention is explained in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing. The drawing shows

Fig. 1 the operating device in a view from above,

Fig. 2 the operating device held by one hand in a side view,

Fig. 3 the actuator in a side view and

Fig. 4 the operating device held by one hand in a front view.

The operating device 1 for a touchscreen screen comprises a pen-shaped handle 2, at the front end of which a tip 3 is provided. At the rear end, a connection 4 for a cable 5 is provided. Near the tip 3 there is a first (left) widening with a first (left) mouse button 8 and, arranged symmetrically thereto, a second (right) widening 7 with a second (right) mouse button 9. The handle is thinned in its rear area; there it has a thinning 10, which is also designed symmetrically, i.e. is provided symmetrically on both sides of the handle 2. Furthermore, the handle has a grip recess 11 on its underside in the area of the widenings 6, 7.

The operating device 1 is gripped in such a way that its handle 2 is held between the index finger 12 and the middle finger 13 of one hand, for example the right hand, with the device essentially running in the direction of the slightly bent fingers and being held at its front end by the thumb 14 in the area of the grip recess 11. The fingers 12, 13 can rest on the areas of the widened portions 6, 7, which are located behind the mouse buttons 8, 9, as well as in the area of the handle 2 located behind them. The thinning 10 is located at the point where the handle 2 passes through the plane of the fingers 12, 13 and rests in the area between the corresponding knuckles. The support from below is provided by the thumb, which presses against the grip recess 11, which is located under the mouse buttons 8, 9 or slightly behind them, opposite those areas of the extensions 6, 7 that are located behind the mouse buttons 8, 9 and in front of the rear end of the extensions 6, 7. In this way, it is ensured that the operating device can be reliably held by the fingers 12, 13 and the thumb 14 without the mouse buttons 8, 9 being accidentally activated.

To operate the mouse buttons 8, 9, a certain amount of pressure must be exerted on these mouse buttons 8, 9 by the tips of the fingers 12, 13, which is easily possible since the fingertips are already opposite the mouse buttons 8, 9 and only need to be moved slightly downwards. This can be done without the tip 3 inadvertently leaving the position it has taken on the touchscreen.

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Claims (5)

1. Actuating device for touchscreen screens with a pen-shaped handle ( 2 ), a tip ( 3 ) and an extension ( 6 ) in the area of which a mouse button ( 8 ) is arranged. 2. Actuating device according to claim 1, characterized in that the handle ( 2 ) is thinned ( 10 ) in its rear region. 3. Actuating device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by a further widening ( 7 ) which has a further mouse button ( 9 ). 4. Actuating device according to claim 3, characterized in that the further widening ( 7 ) is opposite the widening ( 6 ). 5. Actuating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handle ( 7 ) has a grip recess ( 11 ) on its underside in the region of the widening or widenings ( 6 , 7 ).