JP2001051739A - Multidirectional input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress the whole height of a multidirectional input device called as a joystick. SOLUTION: This multidirectional input device is provided with a spherical part 32 or rotating shaft parts 33 and 33 protruding to both sides or both parts. At the lower parts of an operation member as fall-off stop parts. The fall-off sop parts are supported between the semi-spherical part 42A of a rotating member 40A in an upper stage and the arc-like part 42B of a rotating member 40B in a lower stage so that they can be rotated. A long hole 43A through which the operation member 30 passes is provided in the rotating member 40A in the upper stage and a boss part 47B engaged with a groove part 34 provided at the lower face of the operation member 30 is provided in the rotating member 40B in the lower stage. A circular slider 50 energized by a spring 60 is elastically abutted on the flat faces 44A and 44B installed on both end shaft parts of the rotating members 40A and 40B.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multidirectional input device for inputting various signals by operating an operation member operated in an arbitrary direction around the input device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A multi-directional input device of this type called a joystick is usually supported in a case so as to be rotatable in two directions perpendicular to each other, and each has a long hole extending in a direction perpendicular to the rotation direction. A pair of rotating members, an operating member that penetrates each long hole of the upper and lower pair of rotating members, rotates each of the rotating members by being operated in an arbitrary surrounding direction, and a compressed state in the case. A spring that is housed and automatically returns the operating member to the neutral position, and a set of signals that are connected to each end of the pair of upper and lower rotating members and output a signal corresponding to the rotating angle of each rotating member. Output means.

In such a multi-directional input device, it is necessary to rotatably support the lower part of the operating member on the lower rotating member in the direction of its long hole. As a support structure of this operation member,
For example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-19925, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-276
In the multidirectional input device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 08-108885 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 10-283885, the lower part of the operating member is connected to the lower rotating member by a pin in a direction perpendicular to the long hole direction. As a result, the operating member rotates in the direction of the long hole of the lower rotating member, and rotates the upper rotating member. Further, the lower rotating member is rotated together with the lower rotating member in the direction of the long hole of the upper rotating member, and the lower rotating member is rotated.

On the other hand, as a structure for automatically returning the operating member to the neutral position, a multi-directional input device described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-19925 discloses a multi-directional input device in which a set of upper and lower rotating members is urged upward by a spring. A structure is employed in which the moving member is elastically held at a neutral position.

In the multidirectional input device described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-27608 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 10-283885, a dish-shaped plate provided at the lower end of the operation member is used as an automatic return structure of the operation member. A structure is employed in which the operating body is elastically pressed upward by a spring provided below the operating body.

[0006]

However, these conventional multidirectional input devices have the following problems in connection with the support structure of the operating member and the automatic return structure.

In any of the multi-directional input devices, since the intermediate portion of the operating member is connected to the lower rotating member by a pin, the overall length of the operating member is increased, and the size of the device is reduced, including reduction in the height of the device. Is difficult. In some cases, pins are not used, but also in this case, since the shaft provided on the operating member is supported only by the lower rotating member, the lower rotating member becomes larger, which also makes it difficult to reduce the size of the device. is there.

The structure for automatically returning the operating member to the neutral position is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Hei 7-27608 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
In the multidirectional input device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 0-283885,
The springs are arranged in series below the operating member, and a large space for accommodating the springs is required below the operating members. Therefore, it is difficult to reduce the size of the device including suppressing the height of the device.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a multidirectional input device that can be easily miniaturized while suppressing the height of the device.

[0010]

To achieve the above object, a multi-directional input device according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a set of upper and lower members rotatably supported in two directions orthogonal to each other in a case. A pivoting member, an operating member for rotating each of the rotating members by being operated in an arbitrary surrounding direction, a return mechanism for automatically returning the operating member to the neutral position, and each end of a pair of upper and lower rotating members And a pair of signal output means for outputting a signal corresponding to the rotation angle of each rotation member, a multi-directional input device, wherein a retaining portion is provided at a lower portion of the operation member, A long hole in the direction perpendicular to the rotation direction through which the operating member penetrates is provided on the rotating member, and the retaining portion of the operating member is sandwiched from above and below by a set of upper and lower rotating members, and is provided on the lower surface of the upper rotating member. Is provided with a concave portion into which the retaining portion of the operating member is rotatably fitted, The rotating member, in which the retaining portion of the operating member provided with a connecting portion for rotatably connected to the rotational direction and perpendicular direction of the rotating member.

That is, in the multidirectional input device according to the first aspect of the present invention, a retaining portion is provided at a lower portion of the operating member, and the retaining portion is rotatably supported between the upper and lower rotating members. Therefore, the length of the operation member is suppressed as compared with the case where the pins are used, and it is easy to reduce the size of the device, including suppressing the height of the device.

Further, in the multidirectional input device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the retaining portion of the operation member is a spherical portion. In the multidirectional input device according to the third aspect, the retaining portion is a pair of rotating shaft portions projecting in two directions perpendicular to the operation member. In the multidirectional input device according to the fourth aspect, the retaining portion is a combination of the spherical portion and the rotating shaft portion. These retaining portions are advantageous for suppressing the height of the device.

In the multidirectional input device according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the return mechanism for automatically returning the operating member to the neutral position elastically holds the upper and lower rotating members at the neutral position. In the present invention, since the lower rotating member is located below the operating member, it is difficult to elastically hold the operating member at the neutral position. However, if the upper and lower rotating members are elastically held at the neutral position, the return mechanism becomes difficult. This is simpler, and a large space for accommodating the return mechanism is not required below the operation member, so that an increase in size due to the return mechanism is avoided.

Further, in the multidirectional input device according to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the return mechanism includes a slider that abuts a flat surface provided at both end shafts of a pair of upper and lower rotating members, and It is a combination with a biasing spring. This structure is advantageous for miniaturization. Here, the slider may be above or below both end shafts of the rotating member. When the slider is located above, the slider abuts both ends of the shaft from above, and when it is below, the slider abuts against both ends of the shaft from below. Particularly preferred is a structure in which the slider abuts the shaft portions at both ends from below. That is, in the present invention,
Normally, the central portion of the lower rotating member protrudes downward, but according to this structure, the periphery of the protruding portion is effectively used as a storage space for the return mechanism, and downsizing is further facilitated.

In the multidirectional input device according to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the connecting portion provided on the upper surface of the lower rotating member is fitted into the groove provided on the lower surface of the retaining portion of the operating member. Boss. In the multidirectional input device according to the eighth aspect, the continuous portion is a groove into which a boss provided on the lower surface of the retaining portion of the operation member fits. These connecting portions are also advantageous for suppressing the height of the device.

Further, in the multidirectional input device according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, a supporting portion for rotatably supporting the lower rotating member is provided on the upper surface of the bottom plate portion of the case. Thereby, the lower rotating member is more reliably supported.

The set of signal input means may be any of an electric sensor, an optical sensor, and a magnetic sensor, and the type thereof is not particularly limited.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a multi-directional input device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a line AA in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a line BB in FIG. 4 is a three-sided view of a lower case used in the multidirectional input device, FIG. 5 is a three-sided view of an operation member used in the multidirectional input device, and FIG. 6 is used in the multidirectional input device. FIG. 7 is a six-sided view of the upper rotating member, and FIG. 7 is a view of the lower rotating member used in the multidirectional input device.
FIG. 8 is a four-sided view of a slider used in the multidirectional input device.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a multidirectional input device according to an embodiment of the present invention has a rectangular box-shaped case 10 mounted on a substrate and two orthogonal side surfaces of the case 10. It has attached signal output means 20A and 20B. The signal output means 20A, 20B is an electric sensor,
Any of an optical sensor and a magnetic sensor may be used, and the type is not particularly limited.

Inside the case 10, there is provided a rod-shaped operating member 30 which is tilted around the lower part in an arbitrary direction around the lower portion, and a pair of upper and lower rotating members 40A and 40B which are rotated by the operating member 30. And a slider 50 and a spring 60 for automatically returning the operation member 30 to the neutral position.

Hereinafter, the structures of the case 10, the operating member 30, the rotating members 40A and 40B, and the slider 50 will be described in detail.

The case 10 has a lower case 10a forming a bottom plate portion thereof, and an upper case 10
b is a two-piece structure.

As shown in FIG. 4, the lower case 10a has a substantially square bottom plate portion 11. At four corners of the bottom plate portion 11, claw portions 12 projecting upward are provided for fixing to the upper case 10b. At the center of each side of the bottom plate portion 11, a support portion 13 projecting upward is provided to support the rotating members 40A and 40B. Bottom plate 11
Is thick at the center, and on the top of the thick part,
The support portion 14 that supports the lower rotating member 40B from below is formed. The support portion 14 is an arc surface curved downward in the rotation direction of the rotation member 40B.

The upper case 10 put on the lower case 10a
“b” is a square box-shaped cap having an open lower surface, and an opening 16 is provided in the top plate so as to protrude an upper portion of the operation member 30 upward. Each side wall of the upper case 10b is provided with a notch into which the support 13 is fitted. The signal output means 20 is provided on two orthogonal side walls.
A, a pair of claw portions 19, 19 on both sides for fixing
Is provided.

When the upper case 10b is put on the lower case 10a, the claw portion 12 of the lower case 10a is fitted into a fitting portion provided on the inner surface of the side wall of the upper case 10b, whereby the lower case 10a and the upper case 10b are fitted. Is fixed. In addition, by fitting the support portion 13 of the lower case 10a into the cut portion of the upper case 10b, a circular opening for supporting the shafts at both ends of the rotating members 40A and 40B is formed on each side surface of the case 10. Is formed. Further, the claw portions 19, 19 cause the signal output means 20A, 20B to
Fixed to the side.

As shown in FIG. 5, the operating member 30 has a rod portion 31 having a circular cross section, and a spherical portion 32 as a retaining portion continuously provided below the rod portion 31. . The spherical portion 32 has a diameter larger than the width of a long hole 43A of an upper rotating member 40A described later for preventing the spherical portion 32 from coming off. Spherical part 32
A pair of rotating shafts 33 perpendicular to the operating member 30;
33 are provided integrally. Rotating shafts 33, 33
Has a semicylindrical cross section and a curved upper surface. The axes of the rotating shafts 33, 33 are on the same line and intersect with the center of the spherical body 32. A groove 34 extending in a direction parallel to the axis of the rotating shafts 33 is formed on the lower surface of the spherical body 32. A boss 47B provided on the upper surface of a lower rotating member 40B described later is inserted into the groove 34.

As shown in FIG. 6, the upper rotating member 40A has rotating shaft portions 41A and 41A having circular cross sections at both ends, and has a hemispherical portion 42A convex upwardly therebetween. I have.
A long hole 43A extending in the rotation center axis direction is provided in the hemisphere portion 42A.
Are provided as guide holes for the operation member 30. The lower surface of the hemispherical portion 42A is provided with an upwardly convex hemispherical concave portion 46A into which the substantially upper half of the spherical portion 32 of the operation member 30 is fitted, and the long hole 43A communicates with the concave portion 46A. . On the lower surface of the hemispherical portion 42A, concave bearing portions 47A, 47A into which the rotating shaft portions 33, 33 of the operating member 30 are fitted.
Is provided. The bearings 47A, 47A are concave portions 46A.
And is continuous with the concave portion 46A.

The lower surface of the shaft connecting the rotating shafts 41A, 41A and the hemisphere 42A is a flat surface 44A, 44A on which the slider 50 elastically contacts from below. Protrusions 45A, 45A are provided on the distal end surfaces of the rotating shaft portions 41A, 41A for connection with signal output means.

The lower rotating member 40B is combined at right angles below the upper rotating member 40A. This rotating member 4
0B, as shown in FIG. 7, has rotating shaft portions 41B, 41B having circular cross sections at both ends, and an arc-shaped portion 42B composed of a downwardly convex arch is provided between the rotating shaft portions 41B, 41B. Have. The arc-shaped portion 42B is located below the spherical portion 32 of the operation member 30, and thereby sandwiches the spherical portion 32 between the arc-shaped portion 42B and the hemispherical portion 42A of the upper rotating member 40A. On the bottom upper surface of the arc-shaped portion 42B, a downwardly convex spherical concave portion 46B into which the lowermost portion of the hemispherical portion 42A is rotatably fitted is provided. Boss 47B
Is provided. The boss portion 47 </ b> B is a connecting portion with the retaining portion and has a cylindrical shape.
2 is slidably fitted into a groove 34 provided on the lower surface of the second member 2.
The lower surface of the bottom of the arc-shaped portion 42B is a downwardly convex arc surface 48B corresponding to the upper surface of the support portion 14 provided on the bottom plate 11 of the case 10.

The lower surface of the shaft connecting the rotating shafts 41B, 41B and the arc-shaped portion 42B is a flat surface 44B, 44B on which the slider 50 elastically contacts from below. The flat surfaces 44B, 44B are the flat surfaces 44 of the rotating member 40A.
A, 44A. Protrusions 45B, 41B are provided on the distal end surfaces of the rotating shafts 41B, 41B for connection with signal output means.
45B are provided.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a pair of upper and lower rotating members 40A and 40B are assembled into the case 10 with their respective rotating central axes orthogonal to each other in the same plane.
It is rotatably supported in the case 10. In the operation member 30, the shaft portion 31 is inserted into the long hole 43A of the rotating member 40A, and the upper part of the spherical portion 32 is formed in the concave portion 4 of the rotating member 40A.
6A, and the rotating shaft portions 33, 33 are
7A, and a groove 34 provided on the lower surface of the spherical portion 32
When the boss portion 47B of the lower rotating member 40B is fitted to the lower member, the lower rotating member 40B is combined with the rotating members 40A and 40B in the case 10.

As a result, the operating member 30 is
Can be tilted in all directions around. That is, when the operating member 30 is operated in the rotating direction of the upper rotating member 40A, the boss 47B moves in the groove portion 34, thereby rotating only the upper rotating member 40A and rotating the lower rotating member 40A. When operated in the rotating direction of the rotating member 40B, the long hole 43A is used.
By moving inside, only the lower rotating member 40B is rotated. That is, the boss portion 47B is connected to the lower rotating member 40.
It replaces the slot B.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the annular slider 50 for automatically returning the operating member 30 to the neutral position is provided below the rotating members 40A and 40B.
Are arranged so as to surround the arc-shaped portion 42B. As shown in FIG. 8, the slider 50 is an annular body having a substantially quadrangular outer peripheral surface, which is fitted into the case 10 so as to be able to move up and down, and has stoppers 51, 51 projecting downward at two circumferential positions. Is provided. As shown in FIG. 3, the stoppers 51, 51 prevent the slider 50 from slipping upward by engaging with the support portion 14 of the case 10.

The upper surface of the slider 50 is a flat contact surface 52 which comes into surface contact with the flat surfaces 44A, 44A of the rotating member 40A and the flat surfaces 44B, 44B of the rotating member 40B, respectively. A circular groove 53 into which the spring 60 is fitted is provided on the lower surface of the slider 50.

The spring 60 is housed between the slider 50 and the bottom plate 11 of the case 10 in a compressed state.
Due to this downward bias, the slider 50 causes the contact surface 52 to move to the flat surfaces 44A, 44A of the rotating member 40A.
And, the rotating members 40A, 40B are elastically held in the neutral position by elastically making surface contact with the flat surfaces 44B, 44B of the rotating member 40B, whereby the operating member 30 is elastically held in the neutral position.

Next, the function of the multi-directional input device according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

When the operating member 30 is tilted in the direction of the long hole 43A of the upper rotating member 40A, the lower rotating member 40A is rotated.
When B rotates and the signal output means 20B is operated, a signal corresponding to the operation amount is output. When the operation member 30 is tilted in a direction perpendicular to this, the upper rotating member 4
When 0A rotates and the signal output means 20A is operated, a signal corresponding to the operation amount is output. By these combinations, the operation member 30 is operated in an arbitrary direction around, and a signal corresponding to the operation direction and the operation amount is input to an electronic device or the like using the multidirectional input device.

During this operation, the flat surfaces 44A, 44A of the rotating member 40A and the flat surfaces 44A of the rotating member 40B
B and 44B are inclined according to the operation angle and the operation amount. Due to this inclination, the slider 50 is pressed down against the urging force of the spring 60, and a return force to the neutral position is applied to the rotating members 40A and 40B.

Here, the operation member 30 is integrally formed with a spherical portion 32 as a retaining portion at a lower portion thereof, and the rotation center of the operation member 30 is fixed by the spherical portion 32. For this reason, the length of the operation member 30, particularly the length of the portion housed in the case 10, is shorter than that using a pin for fixing the center, and the size of the device including the suppression of the device height is reduced. It becomes easy.

The operating member 30 also includes an upper rotating member 40A.
Hemispherical portion 42A and arc-shaped portion 42B of lower rotating member 40B
The spherical portion 32 is rotatably supported between the two. That is, the pivoting of the operation member 30 is performed using the rotating members 40A and 40B. In addition, the upper half of the spherical portion 32 is housed in the hemispherical portion 42A of the upper rotating member 40A together with the rotating shaft portions 33, 33, and the lower half is the lower rotating member 40B.
Are housed inside the arc-shaped portion 42B. For these reasons, downsizing of the apparatus including suppression of the apparatus height is further facilitated.

The hemispherical portion 42B of the rotating member 40B is
Since it is structurally high in strength, it is possible to reduce the size while securing the strength, which also contributes to downsizing of the device.

Further, since the shafts at both ends of the rotating members 40A and 40B are pressed by the slider 50 in order to maintain the neutrality of the operating member 30, the springs 60 for urging the slider 50 are serially arranged below the operating member 30. There is no need to provide the device, and from this point, the size of the device including the suppression of the device height can be reduced.
In particular, when the slider 50 is disposed below the shaft portions at both ends of the rotating members 40A and 40B as in the present embodiment, the space on the outer peripheral side of the arc-shaped portion 42B of the rotating member 40B is divided by the slider 50 and the spring 60. It can be used as a storage space, and its usage efficiency is high.

The rotating shafts 33, 33 of the operating member 30
Has a function of preventing rotation of the operation member 30 around the axis.

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional front view of a multidirectional input device according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional side view of the same multidirectional input device.

The multidirectional input device according to the present embodiment has the configuration shown in FIG.
8 is different from the above-described multidirectional input device shown in FIG. 8 in the structure of the connecting portion that connects the retaining portion of the operation member 30 to be rotatable by the lower rotating member 40B.

That is, in the multi-directional input device according to the present embodiment, a long hole-like groove 43B extending in the direction of the rotation center axis is provided as a connecting portion on the arc-shaped portion 42B of the lower rotation member 40B. A downwardly directed boss portion 35 that fits into this is provided on the lower surface of the hemispherical portion 32 of the operation member 30. Other structures are substantially the same as those of the above-described multi-directional input device, and the same portions are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

Also in the multidirectional input device according to the present embodiment, the hemispherical portion 32 of the operating member 30 is rotatably supported between the rotary members 40A and 40B. It is possible to reduce the size of the device, including suppressing the height of the device.

[0049]

As described above, claim 1 of the present invention is provided.
The multi-directional input device according to the present invention, integrally provided with a retaining portion at the lower portion of the operation member, rotatably supports the retaining portion between a pair of upper and lower rotating members, the existing member for the support Since it is used, the length of the operation member can be reduced as compared with the case where pins are used, and it is easy to reduce the size of the device, including suppressing the height of the device.

In the multidirectional input device according to the second, third and fourth aspects of the present invention, the retaining member of the operating member is formed as a sphere, a rotating shaft, or a combination thereof.
Since the retaining portion functions as a rotation support portion that fixes the rotation center of the operation member, miniaturization is particularly easy.

Further, in the multidirectional input device according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, in order to automatically return the operating member to the neutral position,
Since the upper and lower rotating members are elastically held at the neutral position, it is possible to avoid an increase in size due to the return mechanism.

In the multidirectional input device according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the return mechanism for elastically holding the upper and lower rotating members at the neutral position is a combination of a slider and a spring, so that the size can be reduced particularly. Easy.

Further, in the multidirectional input device according to claims 7 and 8 of the present invention, a combination of a boss portion and a groove portion is provided as a structure for rotatably supporting a retaining portion of the operating member by a lower rotating member. Since it is used, miniaturization is particularly easy.

Further, in the multidirectional input device according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, since the supporting portion for rotatably supporting the lower rotating member is provided on the upper surface of the bottom plate portion of the case, the lower rotating member is provided. Can be reliably supported.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a multidirectional input device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view taken on line AA of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along a line BB in FIG. 1;

4A and 4B are three views of a lower case used in the multidirectional input device, wherein FIG. 4A is a plan view, FIG.
(C) is a diagram showing a line D-D.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are three views of an operation member used in the multidirectional input device, wherein FIG. 5A is a plan view, FIG.
(C) is a side view.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are six views of an upper rotating member used in the multidirectional input device, wherein FIG. 6A is a plan view, FIG. 6B is a view taken along a line FF, and FIG. G line arrow view, (d) is a side view,
(E) is a front view and (f) is a bottom view.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are six views of a lower rotating member used in the multidirectional input device, wherein FIG. 7A is a plan view, FIG. 7B is a view taken along a line HH, and FIG. I line arrow view, (d) is a side view,
(E) is a front view and (f) is a bottom view.

FIGS. 8A and 8B are four views of a slider used in the multidirectional input device, wherein FIG. 8A is a plan view, FIG.
(C) is a bottom view, and (d) is a view indicated by arrows KK.

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional front view of a multi-directional input device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional side view of the multidirectional input device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Case 10a Lower case 10b Upper case 14 Supporting part 20A, 20B Signal output means 30 Operating member 31 Shaft part 32 Spherical part (prevention part) 33 Rotating shaft part 34 Groove part 35 Boss part 40A, 40B Rotating member 41A, 41B Rotating shaft part 42A Hemisphere part 42B Arc-shaped part 43A Long hole 43B Groove part 44A, 44B Flat surface 45A, 45B Projection 46A Depression 47A Bearing part 47B Boss (connecting part) 50 Slider 52 Contact surface 60 Spring

Claims (10)

[Claims] A pair of upper and lower rotating members rotatably supported in two directions orthogonal to each other in a case; an operating member for rotating each of the rotating members by being operated in an arbitrary surrounding direction; A return mechanism for automatically returning the operation member to the neutral position;
A multi-directional input device comprising: a set of signal output means connected to each end of a pair of upper and lower rotating members to output a signal corresponding to a rotating angle of each rotating member; A retaining portion is provided at the lower portion, and an elongated hole in a direction perpendicular to the rotating direction through which the operating member penetrates is provided in the upper rotating member, and the retaining portion of the operating member is vertically moved by a set of upper and lower rotating members. A concave portion is provided on the lower surface of the upper rotating member, in which the retaining portion of the operating member is rotatably fitted.
A multi-directional input device, wherein the lower rotating member is provided with a connecting portion for connecting a retaining portion of the operating member to be rotatable in a direction perpendicular to the rotating direction of the rotating member. 2. The multidirectional input device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining portion of the operation member is a spherical portion. 3. The multidirectional input device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining member of the operating member is a pair of rotating shafts protruding in two directions perpendicular to the operating member. 4. The multi-directional input device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining portion of the operation member is a combination of a sphere portion and a pair of rotation shaft portions projecting from the sphere portion in two directions perpendicular to the operation member. apparatus. 5. The multidirectional input according to claim 1, wherein the return mechanism for automatically returning the operating member to the neutral position elastically holds the upper and lower rotating members at the neutral position. apparatus. 6. The return mechanism is a combination of a slider that abuts a flat surface provided on both end shafts of a pair of upper and lower rotating members, and a spring that biases the slider. A multidirectional input device according to claim 3, 4, or 5. 7. The connecting portion provided on the upper surface of the lower rotating member is a boss portion fitted into a groove provided on the lower surface of the retaining portion of the operating member. , 5 or 6
A multidirectional input device according to claim 1. 8. The connecting portion provided on the upper surface of the lower rotating member is a groove into which a boss provided on the lower surface of the retaining portion of the operating member fits. , 5 or 6
A multidirectional input device according to claim 1. 9. A case wherein a supporting portion for rotatably supporting a lower rotating member is provided on an upper surface of a bottom plate portion of the case. 9. The multidirectional input device according to 8. 10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said one set of signal input means is any one of an electric sensor, an optical sensor, and a magnetic sensor. , 8 or 9.