JP2000194486A - Touch operation input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a touch operation input device capable of performing satisfactory detection all the time without affecting a sensing part when immersed and also gaining satisfactory operational feeling. SOLUTION: A gap is formed between an input pad 16 and outer casing B34 by a conical projecting part 52 provided in the pad 16 and a conical recessed part 34b provided in an almost T shape 34a of the casing B34, and when fluid such as water and juice comes into a touch tracer 14 through the gap, drainage is performed. Further, drainage to the outside the touch tracer 14 is performed through drainage holes 34c of the outer casing B34.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a touch operation input device for inputting touch operation information by touching an operation surface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, vehicles equipped with a display device having a touch operation function are increasing. As an example of this type of display device, a touch position on a display screen is detected by an optical sensor.

Specifically, a light emitting element and a light receiving element are arranged so as to form a plurality of parallel optical axes corresponding to a vertical direction and a horizontal direction of a display screen, and the display screen is touched with a finger. It is configured to detect the center position of the touch area based on the interruption of the optical axis from the light emitting element to the light receiving element and output the coordinate data thereof.

Further, there is a touch operation input device in which a display unit and a touch operation unit are separated and arranged at a place where the touch operation unit can be easily operated. The configuration of the touch operation input device is the same as that described above. Has become. Such a touch operation input device can provide a convenient operation by arranging the touch operation unit in a place where it is easy to operate the vehicle.

Further, the touch operation input unit of the conventional touch operation input device is arranged in a recess surrounded by a sensing unit including a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and is positioned by pressing the touch operation input unit. The structure is such that the decision switch is turned on. In addition, the waterproof structure has a structure in which foreign substances (dust, juice, etc.) are prevented from entering the inside with a waterproof sheet.

[0006]

However, in a conventional waterproof structure, if a large amount of water is flooded, the sensing portion is accumulated, so that the sensing portion may not be able to detect the position. In addition, since the entire periphery of the touch operation input unit is waterproofed with a waterproof sheet, there is a problem that a click feeling is reduced when the touch operation input unit is pressed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problem, and a touch operation which can always perform a good detection without affecting the sensing unit when immersed in water and can obtain a good operation feeling. An object is to provide an input device.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a display unit for displaying a plurality of operation function items is provided separately from the display unit, and the plurality of function items are selected by a touch operation. A touch operation unit provided with a touch panel for inputting, and at least a gap or a groove provided in the touch operation unit are provided, and when the touch operation unit is flooded, water is drained from the at least the gap or the groove.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of operation function items are displayed on the display unit, and are displayed on the display unit by touching a touch panel of a touch operation unit provided separately from the display unit. Select and input a plurality of operation function items. In addition, since at least the gap portion or the groove portion is provided in the touch operation portion, when the touch operation portion is flooded, the water can be drained at least through the gap portion or the groove portion.

For example, a touch operation input device that detects a touch operation position by a sensing unit provided above the touch panel and determines the position of a selection item by pressing the touch panel is provided with a clearance around the entire touch panel of the touch operation unit. By providing and draining, it is possible to prevent the sensing unit provided above the touch panel from being affected, and it is possible to always detect a good touch operation position.

Further, since drainage is performed through the gap, there is no need to provide a waterproof sheet or the like on the entire periphery of the touch panel as in the related art, and there is no reduction in the click feeling when pressing the touch panel as in the conventional case. Can be obtained.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the gap portion is
The touch panel includes a plurality of convex portions or concave portions provided on the touch panel, and the touch operation section includes concave portions or convex portions provided corresponding to the convex portions or concave portions.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of convex portions or concave portions are provided on the touch panel, and the concave portions or convex portions are provided at positions corresponding to the plurality of convex portions or concave portions provided on the touch panel of the touch operation section. With this arrangement, a gap can be provided all around the touch panel, and at the time of flooding, water can be drained from the gap. That is, in the touch operation input device provided with the sensing unit provided above the touch panel, it is possible to prevent the sensing unit from being affected, so that a good touch operation position can be always detected. Further, it is not necessary to provide a waterproof sheet or the like on the entire periphery of the touch panel, so that there is no decrease in the click feeling at the time of pressing the touch panel as in the related art, and a good operation feeling can always be obtained.

In the case of a touch operation device which determines an operation position by pressing a touch panel, an uneven portion provided on the touch panel and the touch operation section can be used as an operation fulcrum of the pressing operation and the touch panel is positioned. It can be performed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display unit for displaying a plurality of operation function items, and a touch panel provided separately from the display unit and for selecting and inputting the plurality of function items by performing a touch operation. A touch operation unit, determining means for determining a touch operation position by pressing the touch operation unit, a conical protrusion provided on the touch panel, and a conical shape provided corresponding to the protrusion And a gap is formed on the entire periphery of the touch panel by the protrusion and the recess, and when the touch operation unit is flooded, water is drained from the gap.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, a plurality of operation function items are displayed on the display unit, and are displayed on the display unit by performing a touch operation on a touch panel of a touch operation unit provided separately from the display unit. Select and input a plurality of operation function items. Also, a gap can be formed on the entire periphery of the touch panel by the conical projection provided on the touch panel and the conical recess provided corresponding to the projection, and the touch operation unit is flooded from the gap. If it does, it can be drained.

For example, the present invention is applied to a touch operation input device that detects a touch operation position by a sensing unit provided above the touch panel and determines the position of a selection item by pressing the touch panel, so that even when the water is flooded, Since the drainage can be performed by the above-described gap, it is possible to prevent the sensing unit provided above the touch panel from being affected, and it is possible to always detect a good touch operation position.

In addition, since drainage is performed through the gap, it is not necessary to provide a waterproof sheet or the like on the entire periphery of the touch panel as in the related art, and there is no decrease in the click feeling when pressing the touch panel as in the conventional case. Can be obtained.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, the present invention is applied to a display system for a vehicle.

FIG. 1 shows a display system 10 for a vehicle.
1 shows the overall configuration of FIG. The display system 10 for a vehicle is used to operate auxiliary equipment attached to a vehicle such as an air conditioner, an audio system, and a navigation system.
4 (hereinafter referred to as a touch tracer).

The display 12 is disposed at the center of the instrument panel which can be easily recognized by the driver and the passenger, and displays the operation status of the air conditioner and the audio, a guidance map screen of the navigation system, and the like. A predetermined screen is displayed according to operation input information from the touch tracer 14.

The touch tracer 14 is disposed at a place where the driver can easily operate the device, for example, at an armrest of a driver's seat door, a center console, or the like. Is performed.

As shown in the front view of the touch tracer 14 in FIG. 2, an input pad 16 is arranged at the center of the touch tracer 14, and various modes are selected at positions around the input pad 16. Select button to be arranged. As these selection buttons, a current location button 18, a destination button 20, a menu button 22, an air conditioner button 24, an audio button 26, and an image quality button 28 are provided. By pressing these mode selection buttons, the selection is made. A screen corresponding to the set mode is displayed on the display 12.

Input pad 1 for inputting a touch operation
6 is formed so that two arc-shaped finger guide grooves 30 intersect each two vertically and horizontally as shown in FIG.
The driver can recognize the operation position of the input pad with a tentacle without looking at the input pad. In addition, finger guide groove 3
Since 0 is an arc-shaped groove, the finger can be easily guided when the finger is slid in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, and operation blur during operation can be prevented. The position of the finger guide groove 30 is provided corresponding to the position of the button display section displayed on the display 12, and
The driver or the passenger can select any button by a blind operation.

Further, as shown in FIG.
2 (FIG. 4 shows a menu screen 72), the finger guide groove 30 formed in the input pad 16
Is displayed on the screen, and the input pad 16 and the display 1
The positional relationship between the two screens can be easily recognized. By touching the input pad 16 on which the finger guide groove 30 is formed while watching the display 12,
The designated item on the display 12 screen is inverted in color. That is, the blind operation can be performed without confirming the operation position of the input pad 16, and the operation can be easily performed by looking at only the screen of the display 12.

Next, the internal structure of the touch tracer 14 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is a front view showing a part of the touch tracer 14 cut away, and FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view showing a part of the touch tracer 14 cut away.

An outer frame of the touch tracer 14 is formed by an outer casing A32 and an outer casing B34. A printed wiring board 36 is disposed on the outer casing B34 serving as a bottom surface of the touch tracer 14, and a printed wiring board 38 is disposed above the printed wiring board 36. Have been. Further, the touch tracer 1 is provided on the outer casing B34.
4 is provided with a drain hole 34c for draining when water, juice or the like is flooded.

At the center of the printed circuit board 36, a touch switch 40 is mounted, and a compression coil spring 42 is disposed. The compression coil spring 42 is disposed so as to be inserted around the touch switch 40. The input pad 16 is urged in the direction of arrow M in FIG. The touch switch 40 is a switch for determining a position where the touch operation is performed on the input pad 16, and is performed by pressing a desired position on the input pad 16 and then pressing the input pad 16. , The switch of the touch switch 40 is turned on.

The outer casing B34 is provided with a member formed in a substantially T-shape 34a for suppressing the outer periphery of the input pad 16 against the bias of the compression coil spring 42. Further, conical protrusions 52 are provided at four corners on the outer periphery of the input pad 16 corresponding to the substantially T-shaped shape 34a, and the substantially T-shaped shape 34a corresponds to the conical protrusions 52. A conical recess 34b is provided in which the vertex angle of the cone is obtuse than the conical protrusion 52. The conical projection 52 provided on the input pad 16 and the conical recess 34b provided on the substantially T-shaped 34a for suppressing the input pad 16 of the outer casing B34 press an arbitrary position of the input pad 16. When the touch switch 40 is turned on by operating, the input pad 16 acts as a fulcrum of the input pad 16 and the input pad 1
6 is performed.

Further, a gap is formed between the input pad 16 and the outer casing B34 by the conical projection 52 provided on the input pad 16 and the conical recess 34b provided in the substantially T-shape 34a of the outer casing B34. Can be formed. By forming this gap, when a liquid such as water or juice enters the touch tracer 14, water can be drained from the gap and drained to the outside of the touch tracer 14 from the drain hole 34c of the outer casing B34.

An optical sensor unit is mounted on the printed wiring board 38. In this optical sensor unit, a plurality of LEDs 44 and phototransistors 46 are arranged to face each other so as to form a parallel optical axis, and the LEDs 44 and phototransistors 46 are connected to an electric circuit of a printed wiring board 38. The LED 44 and the phototransistor 46 are configured to be covered with a light shielding member 48 that shields the adjacent LED 44 and the phototransistor 46, respectively. Other parts are shielded from light by this light shielding member 48.

A plurality of operation switches 50 are mounted on the printed wiring board 38, and the corresponding operation switches 50 are turned on in response to operations on the selection buttons 18 to 28 for selecting various modes described above. It has become.

FIG. 7 shows an arrangement state of the LEDs 44 and the phototransistors 46. In FIG. 7, 15 are set as illustrated vertical optical axes (hereinafter, referred to as X lines), and 11 are set as illustrated horizontal optical axes (hereinafter, referred to as Y lines). in this case,
In each of the X line and the Y line, the LED 44 and the phototransistor 46 are alternately arranged in parallel. In the LED 44 and the phototransistor 46 arranged in parallel, the phototransistor 46 is disposed behind the adjacent LED 44, so that the optical axis pitch of the X line and the Y line can be reduced.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the display system 10. As shown in FIG. The display system 10 includes an LED 44 disposed on the touch tracer 14,
A phototransistor 46, a touch switch 40, and an operation switch 50 are connected to the CPU 60.
The PU 60 is connected to a control unit 62 for controlling auxiliary equipment such as an air conditioner, an audio system, and a navigation system, and to the display 12.

The CPU 60 turns on the LEDs 44 arranged on the X line and the Y line, detects the signal of the phototransistor 46 that receives the light projected from the LED 44, and detects the signal of the phototransistor 46 based on the signal output from the phototransistor 46. The position coordinates at which the input pad 16 is touched with a finger are calculated.
For the position coordinates touched by the finger, the center position coordinates of the light-shielded lines of the X line and the Y line are calculated, and the calculated center position coordinates are used as the touch position on the input pad 16.

The CPU 60 converts the calculated position coordinates touched by the finger into position coordinates corresponding to the display on the display 12 and outputs the coordinates to the display 12.
The display 12 displays the position on the screen where the finger is touching on the screen based on the position coordinate information output from the CPU 60. This position display on the screen is displayed by inverting the color of the selected item. In addition,
This screen display may be displayed by an arrow or the like.

When the touch switch 40 is pressed in a state where the selection item is determined by the input pad, a signal of the touch switch 40 is output to the CPU 60 and the CPU 60
Outputs a signal for displaying the selected item on the display 12 to the control unit 62. The control unit 62 switches the screen displayed on the display 12 to the screen of the selected item by outputting information for switching to the screen according to the selected item to the display.
In addition, when the operation switch 50 of the touch tracer 14 is pressed, the control unit is controlled so that a screen corresponding to the selection buttons 18 to 28 for selecting the pressed mode is displayed on the display 12 screen.

Next, the operation when the touch tracer 14 is operated will be described.

When the power is turned on by turning on the ignition switch as shown in FIG. 9, the navigation function operates as an initial function and the light provided to the touch tracer 14 is controlled. The power of the sensor unit is turned on and the sensor unit enters a detection standby state.

On the display 12 screen, a map screen 70 showing the current position as shown as an example in FIG. 10 is displayed as an initial screen. At this time, navigation function selection button display sections 70a are displayed at eight corners of the map screen. By pressing any one of the selection buttons 18 to 28 for selecting a mode provided on the touch tracer 14, the screen is switched to the screen of the selected mode from the map screen 70 as shown in FIG. Is displayed on the display 12. For example, when the menu button 22 is pressed, a menu screen 72 as shown in FIG. On the menu screen 72 displayed on the display 12, the finger guide groove 30 provided on the input pad 16 is displayed at a position corresponding to the operation position of the input pad 16.
Subsequently, by operating the input pad 16 of the touch tracer 14 with a finger, the LED 44 and the phototransistor 46 arranged opposite to each other on the X line and the Y line.
The space is interrupted by a finger. The center of the position coordinates blocked by the finger is calculated by the CPU 60 and is associated with the display position on the screen, so that the corresponding menu item is inverted on the display 12 screen. Subsequently, by pressing the input pad 16, the touch switch 40 is pressed.
Is turned on, the menu item is selected and determined, and the screen of the display 12 is switched to the determined menu item screen.

The input pad 1 of the touch tracer 14
When a liquid such as water, juice or the like is covered with water, the conical projection 52 provided on the input pad 16
The input pad 16 is formed by a conical recess 34b provided in the substantially T-shaped 34a of the outer casing B34.
Water is drained into the inside of the touch tracer 14 from a gap formed between the outer case B34 and the outside of the touch tracer 14 through a drain hole 34c provided in the outer casing B34. As described above, since the liquid that has been covered with water is drained to the outside of the touch tracer 14, the liquid can be prevented from accumulating on the input pad 16 and flooding the LED 44 and the phototransistor 46. Can be detected. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to use a waterproof sheet or the like which is conventionally provided on the entire periphery of the input pad 16 and prevents water from entering the inside of the touch tracer 14, the operational feeling when the input pad 16 is pressed is improved. Can be.

As described above, the provision of the drainage structure in the touch tracer 14 affects the touch operation position detecting unit constituted by the LED 44 and the phototransistor 46 provided above the input pad 16 for detecting the touch operation position. Can be prevented. Also,
By providing a drainage structure, there is no need to provide a waterproof sheet or the like that reduces the operational feeling used conventionally,
Operation feeling can be improved.

In the above embodiment, the projection 52 provided on the input pad 16 and the recess 34b provided in the substantially T-shape 34a have a conical shape, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the shape may be hemispherical. The input pad 16 is provided with the projection 52 and the substantially T-shaped recess 34a.
a may be provided with a projection.

In the above-described embodiment, a gap is provided between the input pad 16 and the substantially T-shape 34a, and water is drained from the gap. However, by providing a groove in the input pad 16, You may make it drain through a groove part.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided an excellent effect that a good detection can always be performed without affecting the sensing unit when the water is flooded, and a good operational feeling can be obtained. And a touch operation input device having the same.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a display system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a touch tracer.

FIG. 3 is a front view and a cross-sectional view of an input pad.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a menu screen displayed on a display.

FIG. 5 is a cutaway front view of the touch tracer.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the touch tracer in a cutaway manner.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an arrangement relationship between an LED and a phototransistor.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a display system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a display screen displayed in response to an operation on a touch tracer.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a map screen displayed on a display.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 display system 12 display 14 touch tracer 16 input pad 34b recess 34c drain hole 52 projection

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Hiromi Umino 3-260 Toyota, Oguchi-machi, Niwa-gun, Aichi Prefecture Inside Tokai Rika Electric Works, Ltd. Address F-term (reference) in Tokai Rika Electric Works, Ltd. 5B068 AA05 AA11 AA32 AA33 BB18 CC18 CD18 CD01 CD02 CD06 DE15

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A display unit for displaying a plurality of operation function items, a touch operation unit provided separately from the display unit and having a touch panel for selecting and inputting the plurality of function items by performing a touch operation; A touch operation input device, comprising: at least a gap or a groove provided in an operation unit, wherein when the touch operation unit is flooded, water is drained from the at least the gap or the groove. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the gap includes a plurality of protrusions or recesses provided on the touch panel and a plurality of recesses or protrusions provided on the touch operation unit corresponding to the protrusions or recesses. The touch operation input device according to claim 1. 3. A display unit for displaying a plurality of operation function items; a touch operation unit provided separately from the display unit, comprising a touch panel for selecting and inputting the plurality of function items by performing a touch operation; Determining means for determining a touch operation position by pressing the operation unit, a conical protrusion provided on the touch panel, and a conical recess provided corresponding to the protrusion, A touch operation input device, wherein a gap is formed on the entire periphery of the touch panel by the protrusion and the recess, and water is drained from the gap when the touch operation unit is flooded.