Retractable Mouse Structure with Sliding Track Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mice have a physical size that occupies space regardless of use, and retractable designs often suffer from elevation differences and gaps that affect usability when extended.
Innovation Solution
A mouse structure with a housing, curved track devices, and a sliding device that aligns the base portion with the upper wall when extended, using sliding channels and position portions to eliminate elevation differences and ensure proper alignment, allowing for easy extension and retraction without interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the retracting portion is made small to reduce storage size, then the overall size when retracted is reduced, but the mouse becomes unsuitable for users with larger palms and loses usability
Solution Approach 1:
The mouse employs a retracting portion that can dynamically change its extension state between retracted and extended positions. This dynamic structure allows the mouse to adapt its size according to usage needs, being compact for storage and fully extended for operation, thereby resolving the contradiction between small storage size and usability for different palm sizes
2Volume of moving object
If the retracting portion slides along side walls to move in and out, then the size is reduced when not in use, but an elevation difference and large gap are created with the casing wall, causing the retracting portion to move back during use
Solution Approach 1:
A limiting side structure is introduced as an intermediary element between the retracting portion and the sliding channel. This limiting side acts as a stopper that prevents the retracting portion from moving backward beyond a certain position, thereby eliminating the elevation difference and gap issues while maintaining the retractable size-reduction function
Solution Approach 2:
The limiting side is pre-positioned within the sliding channel at a specific location closer to the opening than the first position portion. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the retracting portion extends, it will be stopped by the limiting side before reaching a position that would create elevation differences or gaps, preventing the reliability issue before it occurs
Data Source
AI summary
A mouse structure includes a housing defining an opening and accommodating space therein, a pair of track devices fixed onto the housing in the accommodating space, a sliding device slidably coupled with the pair of track devices. Each track device has a sliding channel, a first position portion, and at least a second position portion. A limiting side is formed at an end of the sliding channel. The sliding device includes a base portion and an operating portion, the operating portion having a first rod and at least a second rod. When the sliding device slides along the sliding channels for use, the first rods are firstly retained by the limiting sides, and then moved upwards to allow the first and second rods to be located at the first and second position portions respectively, where the base portion is in alignment with an upper wall of the housing.