A computer pointing device includes a casing having a top on which a button rotatably support by a ball joint. The button has a plurality of pins corresponding to a plurality of openings formed on the top of the casing. A rubber pad is disposed within the casing, having a plurality of raised projections respectively received within the openings, each having a hollow configuration to receive and retain therein a conductor. The projections selectively collapse when the button is depressed to have ...

A pen shaped position pointing device used in a position detecting apparatus. A pen-tip segment has side pressure detectors to detect pressure from side directions. The side pressure detectors detect the pen pressure even when the pen is tilted with a large angle. If multiple side pressure detectors are provided, each detector can have a different function, for example, color.

A pair of self-pointing thread rolling dies is illustrated for forming a threaded and pointed screw from an unpointed blank having excess material in the shank. During the rolling operation the excess material is formed into a slug which is separated from the finished screw. Each die includes a slug forming surface formed with driving serrations thereon. The projections of the serrations into the plane of movement of the axis of the blank are inclined with respect to a referenced plane perpendic...

An image which represents a 3-D space virtually using a perspective method is displayed on a display, and an image of an information inputting person is picked up by a plurality of video cameras from different directions. While the information inputting person is pointing at an arbitrary position within a virtual 3-D space represented by the displayed image, a reference point which corresponds to the back of the information inputting person and a characteristic point which corresponds to a finge...

This invention relates to mechanisms for steering or pointing transmitted optical radiation beams and/or the look directions from which optical radiation beams are received. It also relates to optical communications systems incorporating such mechanisms, more particularly but not exclusively interspacecraft communications systems.

A pointing device of a keyboard which comprises a chassis board for mounting a plurality of keys. The chassis board comprises a hole positioned at its approximate center for mounting the pointing device. The pointing device comprises a pedestal installed below the hole of a chassis board, an elastic pad mounted between the chassis board and the pedestal with a hole positioned below the hole of the chassis board, and a control bar vertically fixed to the pedestal and protruding through the holes ...

A method for moving a pointing cursor wherein the pointing cursor moving toward a target to be processed is temporarily halted when it enters an area of the target to be processed, and it is made to move beyond the area to be processed after a predetermined time has elapsed.

A portable alignment device for orienting an antenna in a desired azimuth orientation and methods for orienting an antenna in a desired azimuth orientation. In one embodiment, the device comprises a portable motor unit that is removably affixed to a portion of the antenna such as a portion of the antenna mounting bracket. A gear assembly is clamped to a portion of a mast to which the antenna mounting bracket is attached. The gear assembly is in meshing engagement with a driver gear attached to t...

A pressure-actuated pointing device (PAPD), especially adapted for application in a personal, laptop, or notebook computer, is finger-activated and is used to control the displacement of a cursor on a graphics screen. The PAPD includes at least one rigid finger pad rigidly mounted to and supported by a flexible stem. The stem, in turn, is rigidly mounted to a base plate with the finger pad positioned flush with a forward-facing surface of a computer enclosure. A system operator applies pressure ...

A keyswitch-integrated pointing assembly in which a plurality of substantially planar force sensing elements are disposed on a planar surface adjacent a keyswitch on a keyboard. The keyswitch includes a plunger which extends downwardly from a key cap for actuating a switch at the lower end of vertical key cap travel. The key cap engages an indexing surface when fully depressed which transmits force applied to the key cap to the force sensing elements. The force sensing elements are sandwiched be...