Patent · US Expired

Manual cursor actuator for electronic keyboards

US4786768A · kind A · utility

65Cited by
1References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 20, 1987
Grant dateNov 22, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 20, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG05G2009/04777
  • WIPO fieldMechanical elements
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Arrow keys on the keyboard of a desktop computer, computer terminal or displaywriter which control the movement of a cursor are actuated by a manually operated mechanical device resting over the keyboard. The device entails a central control shaft and a plurality of fingers extending outward radially from the shaft toward each of the arrow keys, and preferably toward adjacent keys as well. The control shaft and fingers are pivotally mounted and arranged such that when the control shaft is pivoted in the direction of desired motion of the cursor, the appropriate finger is engaged by the control shaft and pivots downward to depress the corresponding key.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.