JP2002324463A - Electrostatic capacitance type x-y input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To be excellent in operation, operate X-Y direction input in precision and surely prevent wrong input. SOLUTION: This device is provided with a fixed electrode arranged on a substrate, a movable electrode facing the fixed electrode and is arranged away from the fixed electrode, and a supporting member which is made of an elastic member and supports the outer periphery of the movable electrode.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrostatic capacitance type XY input device capable of performing input in the XY direction by, for example, operating a button, and detecting vibration and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a capacitance type XY input device has been known as a device for performing input in the XY direction by a button operation and detecting vibration and the like. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the electrostatic capacitance type XY input device includes a fixed electrode 101 provided on a substrate 100, a plurality of movable electrodes 102 facing the fixed electrode 101, and a plurality of movable electrodes 102. A supporting member 104 disposed and having a projection 103 at a substantially central portion;
And an input unit 105 connected to the input unit 105.

[0003] The capacitance type XY input device is, for example, 90
It has four movable electrodes 102 arranged at intervals of °. The input unit 105 includes a convex portion 106 for inputting an XY direction by an operator,
06 support base 107, input unit 105 whole support member 10
It has a connecting portion 108 that connects to 4.

In the electrostatic capacitance type XY input device configured as described above, when the operator operates the convex portion 106 of the input section 105, the support member 104 operates following the operation of the input section 105. Thereby, the distance between each movable electrode 102 and fixed electrode 101 changes. In the capacitance type XY input device, a change in the distance between the movable electrode 102 and the fixed electrode 101 is detected as a change in the capacitance of each movable electrode 102. Therefore, in the capacitance type XY input device,
An input in the XY direction by the operator can be output as a change signal of the capacitance of each movable electrode 102.

[0005]

By the way, in the above-mentioned electrostatic capacitance type XY input device, the convex portion 106 is connected to the operator.
The fixed electrode 101 and the movable electrode 102 are electrically connected via the convex portion 106 as a fulcrum of the XY direction input. However,
This capacitance type XY input device has a problem that the operability of the XY direction input by the operator is poor, so that it is difficult to perform the XY direction input precisely and erroneous input easily occurs.

Therefore, the present invention has been devised to solve such a problem, and has excellent operability.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a capacitance type XY input device capable of performing XY direction input precisely and reliably preventing erroneous input.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a capacitance type XY input device according to the present invention, comprising: a fixed electrode disposed on a substrate; A movable electrode disposed apart from the movable electrode;
And a support member made of an elastic member and supporting an outer peripheral portion of the movable electrode.

[0008] The capacitance type XY input device according to the present invention configured as described above has excellent operability since the support member supports the outer peripheral portion of the movable electrode.

Further, in the capacitance type XY input device according to the present invention, it is preferable that the supporting member is a coil spring.

Further, in the capacitance type XY input device according to the present invention, the fixed electrode may include a plurality of electrodes arranged at predetermined intervals on a circumference.

Further, in the capacitance type XY input device according to the present invention, the movable electrode may include a plurality of electrodes arranged at predetermined intervals on a circumference.

Further, in the capacitance type XY input device according to the present invention, the plurality of electrodes may be arranged at intervals of 90 °.

Further, in the electrostatic capacitance type XY input device according to the present invention, the movable electrode may be provided in an input portion for inputting an XY direction by an operator, and may follow the operation of the input portion. Good.

Further, in the capacitive XY input device according to the present invention, the input unit may be a rubber button having a fixed outer peripheral portion.

[0015]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.
Preferred embodiments of the XY input device will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, a capacitance type XY input device to which the present invention is applied includes a substrate 1, a fixed electrode 2 provided on the substrate 1, and a movable electrode 3 opposed to the fixed electrode 2. , A coil spring 4 supporting an outer peripheral portion of the movable electrode 3, a rubber button portion 5 connected to the movable electrode 3, and a rubber button portion
And a mounting portion 6 for mounting an outer peripheral edge of the mounting member 5.

In this capacitance type XY input device,
The movable electrode 2 is formed, for example, by molding a resin or the like mixed with conductive carbon, and has four convex portions 7 arranged at 90 ° intervals on the circumference as shown in FIG. Fixed electrode 2
Is located so as to face the convex portion 7.

In the capacitance type XY input device, the fixed electrodes 2 are arranged at 90 ° intervals on the circumference, and the movable electrode 3 is arranged to face the fixed electrodes 2. Such a configuration may be adopted.

In this capacitance type XY input device,
The coil spring 4 supports the outer peripheral portion of the movable electrode 3 and floats the movable electrode 3 at a predetermined distance from the fixed electrode 2. In addition, the coil spring 4 includes the movable electrode 3 and the fixed electrode
There is continuity between the two.

In the capacitance type XY input device, the supporting member for supporting the outer peripheral portion of the movable electrode 3 is not limited to the coil spring 4, but supports the outer peripheral portion of the movable electrode 3 and has elasticity. Any supporting member may be used as long as it has. For example, as a support member,
Those made of a leaf spring or a conductive elastic resin can be used.

On the other hand, the rubber button portion 5 has an outer peripheral edge attached to the attachment portion 6, and can be bent in a predetermined direction by a pressing operation by an operator.

The capacitance type XY configured as described above
In the input device, the rubber button portion 5 is bent by the pressing operation by the operator, and the movable electrode 3 is displaced following the bending of the rubber button portion 5. When the movable electrode 3 is displaced, the capacitance between the four projections 7 and the fixed electrode 2 changes respectively. The capacitance type XY input device detects a change in capacitance between the four protrusions 7 and the fixed electrode 2, and outputs an XY input signal in accordance with each change in capacitance.
In other words, the capacitive XY input device can output an XY input signal according to the pressing operation of the operator.

Further, when the pressing operation by the operator changes, the four ridges 7 and the fixed electrode
The capacitance between the two also changes, and an XY input signal is output based on the change. Furthermore, the capacitance type XY
When the pressing operation by the operator is released, the input device operates the rubber button 5 and the movable electrode by the coil spring 4.
3 returns to its original position. As a result, the capacitance between the four projections 7 and the fixed electrode 2 returns to the original state, and the XY input signal is not output.

In this capacitance type XY input device, since the movable electrode 3 is supported by the coil spring 4 and the movable electrode 3 is separated from the fixed electrode 2, a rubber button portion is provided.
The movable electrode 3 can accurately follow the subtle movement of 5, and the capacitance between the movable electrode 3 and the fixed electrode 2 changes minutely. Therefore, this capacitance method X-
The Y input device can detect a small change in the capacitance between the movable electrode 3 and the fixed electrode 2, and can output a subtle pressing operation of the operator as an XY input signal.

In this capacitance type XY input device, when the movable electrode 3 comes into close contact with the fixed electrode 2 due to the large bending of the rubber button portion 5, the capacitance changes greatly. In this case, the capacitive XY input device can output a large pressing operation of the operator as an XY input signal.

Further, in the electrostatic capacitance type XY input device, since the outer peripheral portion of the movable electrode 3 is supported by the coil spring 4, the operability of the rubber button portion 5 by the operator is improved. As described above, in the capacitance type XY input device, the operability is excellent, the XY direction input can be accurately performed, and the erroneous input can be reliably prevented.

[0027]

As described in detail above, the XY input device of the capacitance type according to the present invention has excellent operability by the operator. The capacitance type XY according to the present invention
The input device is excellent in operability, can precisely input in the XY direction, and can reliably prevent erroneous input.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part of a capacitance type XY input device to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a movable electrode.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a main part of a conventional capacitance type XY input device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Substrate 2 Fixed electrode 3 Movable electrode 4 Coil spring 5 Rubber button part 6 Mounting part 7 Convex part

Claims (8)

[Claims] A fixed electrode disposed on a substrate, a movable electrode opposed to the fixed electrode and spaced apart from the fixed electrode, and an elastic member, an outer periphery of the movable electrode. And a supporting member for supporting the unit. 2. The electrostatic capacitance type XY input device according to claim 1, wherein said support member is a coil spring. 3. The fixed electrode according to claim 1, wherein the fixed electrode comprises a plurality of electrodes arranged at predetermined intervals on a circumference.
The described capacitance type XY input device. 4. The movable electrode according to claim 1, wherein the movable electrode comprises a plurality of electrodes arranged at predetermined intervals on a circumference.
The described capacitance type XY input device. 5. The capacitance type XY input device according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of electrodes are arranged at 90 ° intervals. 6. The capacitance type XY input device according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of electrodes are arranged at intervals of 90 °. 7. The electrostatic capacitance type XY input device according to claim 1, wherein the movable electrode is provided on an input unit for inputting an XY direction by an operator, and follows an operation of the input unit. . 8. The electrostatic capacitance type XY input device according to claim 1, wherein the input unit is a rubber button having a fixed outer peripheral portion.