JP2003288163A - Pointing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pointing device having appropriate design, operability and waterproofing property. <P>SOLUTION: A key top 10 is laid between a fitting hole 2 of a chassis 1 and a locking plate 3 within the chassis 1 via a frame 5. A pointing device 4 is laid on a top surface of the locking plate 3. The frame 5 has four cross type support arms 6 and a central support projection 7. The support projection 7 is adapted to engage with a support re-entrant part 12 of the key top 10, and supports the key top 10 to make it slanted. A pressure part 14 is around the support re-entrant part 12. A groove for preventing interferences with an arm 6 is laid on the flange 13 an pressure part 14 of the key top 10. A packing 20 is laid between the flange 13 of the key top 10 and the fitting hole 2 of the chassis 1. In inactive conditions, the key top 10 keeps its balance by a support of the support projection 7. When lopsided core pressure is added, the key top 10 is slanted toward the frame 5, and a part of the pressure part 14 presses a part of the device 4, and then the device 4 outputs a signal corresponding to the pressure. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pointing device using a pointing device which is used for freely moving a cursor on a display by detecting a tilt and a pressing force of a finger.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to freely move a cursor on a display, a pointing device that detects the tilt and the pressing force of a finger is used. A small and thin pointing device is widely used as this pointing device. For example, when there is a space limitation in key arrangement such as a keyboard of a portable personal computer, such a small and thin pointing device is used. It was mounted so that the operator could directly operate it with his / her finger.

[0003]

However, when applying such a small and thin pointing device to an electronic equipment terminal provided for a specific purpose, it is necessary to realize a design and operability according to the purpose. Therefore, it may not be appropriate to place it on the panel of the operation terminal as it is with a finger. Further, when used for an operation panel of a public information terminal installed in a public space including the outdoors, waterproofness may be required.

Therefore, in order to make the pointing device suitable for use in an electronic equipment terminal for a specific purpose, it is an object of the present invention to provide a design, operability, and waterproofness suitable for the purpose. There is. That is, an object of the present invention is to provide a pointing device that realizes a desired design, operability, and waterproofness by using an existing pointing device.

[0005]

A pointing device according to a first aspect of the present invention is a case 1 in which a mounting hole 2 is formed.
A fixing plate 3 fixed inside the casing 1 so as to face the mounting hole 2, a pointing device 4 attached to the fixing plate 3 so as to face the mounting hole 2, and the casing 1 A frame 6 provided inside the pointing device 4 above the pointing device 4 and the mounting hole 2;
The mounting portion 2 has an operating portion 11 exposed from the outside and a pressing portion 14 that presses the pointing device 4 inside the housing 1 and is tiltably supported by the frame 5.
The key top 10 is provided between the key top 10 and the inner edge 2a of the mounting hole 2, and the sealing member 20 is provided between the key top 10 and the inner edge 2a of the mounting hole 2.

A pointing device according to a second aspect is the pointing device according to the first aspect, wherein the frame 5 has a support portion 7 disposed above the center of the pointing device 4, and the key is provided. The top 10 has a supported portion 12 that engages with the support portion 7 at the center of the lower surface thereof, and has the pressing portion 14 around the supported portion 12, and when the operating portion 11 is operated, The key top 10 is inclined with respect to the frame 5, and the pressing portion 14 presses the pointing device 4.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION One example of an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.
~ It demonstrates with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is an exploded diffusion perspective view of a pointing device of this example, FIG. 2 is an exploded diffusion sectional view of the same, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are sectional views showing the operation.

This pointing device is to be assembled to the casing of the operation panel of a public information terminal installed in a public space including the outdoors, and is not only excellent in design but also operability in terms of its structure. It also has a high waterproof function.

A circular mounting hole 2 is formed in a casing 1 of the operation panel. The inner edge portion 2a of the mounting hole 2 is
It projects circumferentially toward the inside of the housing 1. A fixing plate 3 is fixed inside the housing 1 so as to face the mounting hole 2 and at a predetermined distance from the housing 1. A pointing device 4 is attached to the front side of the fixing plate 3 so as to face the attachment hole 2. Although not shown, an electronic circuit connected to the pointing device 4 is provided on the rear surface side of the fixed plate 3.

Inside the casing 1, a frame 5 is provided above the pointing device 4. The frame 5 has four substantially cross-shaped supporting arms 6 and a supporting protrusion 7 as a supporting portion provided at the center thereof. The support arm 6 is a bent portion 6 in the middle.
The central portion is elevated via b, and a minute gap is provided between the supporting projection 7 provided on the portion and the pointing device 4. The tip end 6a of each support arm 6 of the frame 5 is sandwiched between the fixed plate 3 and the housing 2 and fixed between them. Support protrusion 7
Is a substantially conical portion that is pointed toward the front and supports a key top 10 described later.

A keytop 10 is provided between the frame 5 and the housing 1. The key top 10 is a disk-shaped member, and a substantially circular operation portion 11 is exposed from the mounting hole 2 to the front surface side of the housing 1. The surface of the operation portion 11 is slightly recessed to ensure operability, and a pattern divided into four equal sectors is formed for convenience of pointing operation. At the center of the back surface of the operation portion 11 having a substantially circular shape, a support concave portion 12 as a supported portion that engages with the support protrusion 7 of the frame 5 is formed. Further, a flange 13 is formed on the peripheral edge on the rear surface side of the key top 10, and a groove 13a for avoiding interference with the support arm 6 of the frame 5 is formed on the flange 13. Around the support recess 12 formed in the center of the rear surface of the key top 10, a pressing portion 14 for operating the pointing device 4 is provided in a circumferential shape so as to project rearward. The pressing portion 14 is also formed with a groove 14a for avoiding interference with the support arm 6 of the frame 5.

The flange 13 of the key top 10
And a ring-shaped packing 20 as a sealing member that realizes a waterproof function between the inner edge 2a of the mounting hole 2 of the housing 1 and
Is provided.

The key top 10 is supported by a supporting projection 7 of the frame 5 so as to be balanced and tiltable at the center thereof. That is, the support protrusion 7 of the frame 5 is engaged with the support recess 12 at the center of the key top 10, and the support arm 6 of the frame 5 is inserted into the groove 14 a of the pressing portion 14. At this time, the support arm 6 of the frame 5 is not inserted into the groove 13a of the flange 13, but is in a position facing it. in this way,
Since the key top 10 is supported by the support protrusion 7 at one point in the center, it is normally in a balanced state, but if an eccentric force is applied to the operating portion 11, the key top 10 tilts with respect to the frame 5 and the pressing portion A part of 14 presses the pointing device 4.

The operation of the above configuration will be described. Figure 3
When the keytop 10 is not operated, the keytop 10 is in a state of being balanced by being supported by the support protrusion 7 at one point in the center, as shown in FIG. The pressing portion 14 is not in contact with the pointing device 4 and no pressing force is applied.

When the operator applies an eccentric pressing force to the operation portion 11, the key top 10 inclines with respect to the frame 5 and the housing 1 as shown in FIG. Below the tilted key top 10, there is the support arm 6 of the frame 5, but there is a groove 13a in the flange 13 of the key top 10, and since this groove 13a avoids interference with the support arm 6, the key top 10 is tilted. There is no problem. When the key top 10 tilts, a part of the central pressing portion 14, that is, a tilted and lowered part contacts a part of the pointing device 4 and presses it. The pointing device 4 outputs a signal according to this pressing.

Further, since the support arm 6 of the frame 5 elastically bends when pressed, an appropriate pressing feeling can be obtained for the finger of the person who operates the key top 10, and the operation of the pointing device 4 is sensuous. Can be done well.

Even if the keytop 10 is operated and tilted with respect to the housing 1, the packing 20 is provided between the flange 13 of the keytop 10 and the inner edge of the mounting hole 2 of the housing 1.
Since the packing 20 is compressed and expanded between the two, water does not enter through the gap between the two, and there is no possibility that the equipment in the housing 1 will be damaged by moisture.

[0018]

According to the present invention, the key top provided in the mounting hole of the housing via the sealing member is tiltably supported by the frame provided in the housing, and when tilted, the key top is kept inside the housing by the pressing portion. Since the pointing device is pressed, the desired design can be
It is possible to obtain a simple and highly functional pointing device that can realize operability and waterproofness.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diffusion exploded perspective view of a pointing device that is an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diffusion exploded cross-sectional view of a pointing device as an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the pointing device as an example of the embodiment of the present invention when the pointing device is not operated.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the pointing device, which is an example of the embodiment of the present invention, during operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Housing, 2 ... Mounting hole, 2a ... Inner edge part of mounting hole, 3 ... Fixing plate, 4 ... Pointing device, 5 ... Frame, 7 ... Support protrusion as a support part, 10 ... Key top, 11 ... Key top Operating portion, 12 ... a supporting concave portion as a supported portion of the keytop, 14 ... a pressing portion of the keytop,
20 ... Packing as a sealing member.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A housing (1) having a mounting hole (2), a fixing plate (3) fixed inside the housing so as to face the mounting hole, and a housing (1) facing the mounting hole. A pointing device (4) attached to the fixing plate, a frame (5) provided above the pointing device inside the housing, an operation unit (11) exposed from the attachment hole, and A key top (10) which has a pressing portion (14) for pressing the pointing device inside the housing, is supported by the frame in a tiltable manner, and is provided between the pressing portion (14) and the inner edge portion (2a) of the mounting hole. ) And a sealing member (20) provided between the key top and the inner edge of the mounting hole. 2. The frame (5) has a supporting portion (7) arranged above the center of the pointing device (4), and the key top (10) is provided at the center of the lower surface thereof. It has a supported portion (12) that engages with the support portion and also has the pressing portion (14) around the supported portion, and when the operating portion is operated, the key top is moved with respect to the frame. The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the pointing device is inclined and the pressing portion presses the pointing device.