DE29809452U1 - Computer mouse cleaner - Google Patents

Description

Gordon Steyer
Widukindstrasse 11

22529 Hamburg

SGOLOL

Computer Mouse Cleaner

Description

The invention relates to a computer mouse cleaner for cleaning the rollers of the pulse generators of a computer mouse.

Computer mice have become established on the market for controlling the functions of a personal computer (PC). A computer mouse contains a rubberized ball that is in contact with small rollers. If the mouse is moved, the ball rotates accordingly and the movement of the ball is transferred to the small rollers and via X-axis pulse generators connected to the rollers and

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Y-axis pulse generator converted into pulses to control the screen cursor of the PC.

However, dust and dirt particles are transported into the interior of the computer mouse via the ball. The dirt particles settle in particular on the rollers of the pulse generator, preferably in the middle of the respective rollers, forming a line of dirt all the way around. This means that the movements of the ball can no longer be smoothly converted into impulses for controlling the cursor. The mouse "jams".

Today, nail files, ballpoint pens, paper clips, fingernails, etc. are usually used to clean the rollers of the pulse generators. It is obvious that such a cleaning process is unsatisfactory and in some cases may even lead to damage to the mouse or the pulse generator.

The invention is based on the object of providing a tool that enables the rollers of a computer mouse to be cleaned in a safe and effective manner.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a computer mouse cleaner with the features of claim 1. Preferred and advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

The solution according to the invention provides for the computer mouse cleaner to be designed with a cleaning head connected to a handle that is adapted to the shape of the rollers.

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For this purpose, it is particularly intended to adapt the cleaning head in the contact area to the radius of the rollers to be cleaned.

The solution according to the invention makes it possible to remove dirt deposited on the rollers in a defined and safe manner. By adapting the shape of the cleaning head to the rollers, a large common contact area, and not just a point-like contact, is available between the cleaning head and the rollers for cleaning. By moving the cleaning head in the axial direction of the rollers, dirt can be removed easily and safely.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the contact area of the cleaning head is concave, in particular semicircular. This provides a large contact area for cleaning the rollers, which is maximum with a semicircular design.

The concave or semicircular area is preferably formed by a recess in the cleaning head. The radius of the recess essentially corresponds to the radius of the rollers of the pulse generator.

It is also within the scope of the invention to design the cleaning head in a hook shape, with the radius of the hook-shaped area essentially corresponding to the radius of the rollers. The hook-shaped design makes it easier to remove particularly hardened dirt in specific areas.

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The cleaning head preferably forms an edge in the contact area with which the coarse dirt from the rollers can be suitably removed. Alternatively or additionally, the cleaning head has a brush that is particularly suitable for removing fine dirt. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the handle of the computer mouse cleaner has a cleaning head at each of its two ends, with one cleaning head being provided with an edge for removing the coarse dirt and one cleaning head being provided with a brush for removing the fine dirt.

Alternatively, the cleaning head is interchangeable and is arranged on the handle so that different cleaning heads can be used as required.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures of the drawing using an exemplary embodiment. They show:

Figure 1 shows a computer mouse cleaner with a hook-shaped cleaning head;

Figure 2 shows an alternative cleaning head that can be used in conjunction with the computer mouse cleaner of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows schematically the cleaning of the rollers of a computer mouse with the computer mouse cleaner of Fig. 1

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Figure 4 shows in cross section the arrangement of the cleaning head and roller in the computer mouse cleaner of Figure 1 during the cleaning process and

Figure 5 shows an alternative design of a cleaning head with a semicircular recess.

Figure 1 shows a computer mouse cleaner consisting of a handle 1 and a cleaning head 2. The handle 1 is provided with a ribbing made of rubber elements 3, which ensures that the user has a secure grip on the handle.

The cleaning head 2 is hook-shaped, whereby the radius of the hook-shaped area essentially corresponds to the radius of the rollers to be cleaned, as will be explained below with reference to Figure 4. The hook-shaped cleaning head 2 converges on the inside to form a more or less strong edge, through which dirt deposited on the rollers can be safely removed.

The cleaning head 2 can be detached from the handle 1 by means of a push button 4 of the computer mouse cleaner, so that cleaning heads of different designs can be used.

Figure 2 shows an alternative design of a cleaning head in which a brush 21 is provided in the contact area between the cleaning head and the rollers. The contact area of the brush is concave and adapted to the shape of the rollers to be cleaned.

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Figure 3 shows a schematic of cleaning the rollers of a computer mouse with a computer mouse cleaner. In accordance with the usual design of a computer mouse, the underside of the computer mouse has an easy-to-open twist lock, which can be removed to remove the ball so that the rollers to be cleaned are exposed.

The computer mouse has two rollers 51, 52, which are used to encode the X-axis and Y-axis respectively. For this purpose, the rollers are each coupled in a known manner to a light barrier, which serves as a pulse generator. A third roller 53 serves to stabilize the movement of the rubberized ball.

To remove dirt that has accumulated on the rollers 51, 52, 53, which settles in particular in the middle of the rollers to form a circumferential line, the computer mouse cleaner with its cleaning head 2 is placed on the rollers in such a way that the inner, concave area of the hook-shaped cleaning head 2 rests against the roller 51, 52, 53 to be cleaned. This is illustrated in Figure 4. By moving the computer mouse cleaner in the longitudinal direction of the roller 51, 52, 53 to be cleaned, the accumulated dirt is removed quickly and safely.

To remove dust and fine dirt particles, the cleaning head shown in Figure 2 is preferably used. Even when using a brush, the contact surface of the brush is adapted to the external shape of the rollers 51, 52, 53 to be cleaned, as shown in Figure 2 and as explained above.

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For different roller diameters from different computer mouse manufacturers, cleaning heads are used, which are each suitably adapted to the roller diameter.

Figure 5 shows a further cleaning head 22 in which the contact area is formed by a substantially semicircular recess 23. The radius of the recess corresponds essentially to the radius of the rollers 51, 52, 53 to be cleaned. The transverse dimension of the cleaning head 22 (i.e. perpendicular to the plane of the sheet) is small, with the recess forming a more or less sharp edge depending on the transverse dimension.

The invention is not limited in its implementation to the present embodiments. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, for example, it is provided that the handle is provided with a cleaning head at each of its two ends, with one cleaning head being provided with an edge and the other cleaning head being provided with a brush. The only essential feature of the invention is that the cleaning head is essentially adapted to the shape of the rollers, in particular their radius.

Claims (10)

SGOlOl Page 8 Claims 1. Computer mouse cleaner for cleaning the rollers of the pulse generators of a computer mouse with a handle (1) and at least one cleaning head (2, 21, 22) which is adapted to the shape of the rollers (51, 52, 53), in particular the radius of the rollers (51, 52, 53). 2. Computer mouse cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the contact area of the cleaning head (2, 21, 22) is concave, in particular semicircular. 3. Computer mouse cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cleaning head (22) has a substantially semicircular recess (23) whose radius substantially corresponds to the radius of the rollers (51, 52, 53). 4. Computer mouse cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the Cleaning head (2) is hook-shaped and the Radius of the hook-shaped area essentially corresponds to the radius of the rollers (51, 52, 53). SGOlOl Page 9 5. Coin-putermouse cleaner according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning head (2, 22) has an edge for removing coarse dirt from the rollers (51, 52, 53). 6. Computer mouse cleaner according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning head has a brush (21) for removing the fine dirt from the rollers (51, 52, 53). 7. Computer mouse cleaner according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein two cleaning heads are provided at the two ends of the handle (1). 8. A computer mouse cleaner according to claim 7, wherein one cleaning head is provided with an edge and the other cleaning head is provided with a brush. 9. Computer mouse cleaner according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning head (2) is arranged replaceably on the handle. 10. Computer mouse cleaner according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the handle (1) is provided with a ribbing (3).