JP2004055392A - Multidirectional input device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely prevent looseness without sacrificing operability even if the size of an operation body and the weight thereof are increased. <P>SOLUTION: This multidirectional input device is provided with: a housing 1 having an opening hole 1a; the operation body 3 having a drive part 4 housed in the housing 1, a first operation shaft 5 projecting upward from the opening hole 1a, and an operation knob 6 mounted to the tip of the operation shaft 5; a second operation shaft 7 vertically movably held in a guide hole 3a formed in the operation body 3; and a coil spring 9 mounted between the upper surface of the housing 1 and the operation knob 6 for elastically energizing the operation knob 6 upward to press the upper surface of the drive part 4 against a ceiling of the housing 1. The input device is so structured that, by pressing an arbitrary position of the operation knob 6 to tilt the operation shaft 5, the drive part 4 selectively turn on a plurality of push-switches S2 corresponding to the tilting direction, and by pressing a push-knob 8 mounted to the upper end of the operation shaft 7 downward, the lower end 7a of the second operation shaft turns on a push-switch S1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a multidirectional input device used for an input operation unit or the like of various electronic devices, and more particularly to a multidirectional input device that enables different input operations such as a tilt operation and a push operation.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an example of this type of multidirectional input device, a push switch for detecting elevation and a plurality of push switches for detecting tilt have been provided at the center of an inner bottom surface and around it as an example of a multidirectional input device of this type. An operating body having a housing, a guide portion penetrating vertically, a driving portion housed in the housing, and a first operating shaft connected to the driving portion and protruding from an opening of the housing; A second operation shaft whose lower end abuts on a push switch for elevating detection and whose upper end protrudes from the first operation shaft; There is known one which is generally constituted by a coil spring mounted between a housing and a bottom surface inside the housing. The coil spring elastically urges the drive unit upward to press the upper surface of the drive unit against the ceiling surface in the housing. This spring prevents the operation body from rattling.
[0003]
In the multidirectional input device configured as described above, when the operation shaft connected to the drive unit is tilted in a predetermined direction, a push switch for tilt detection corresponding to the direction is selectively pressed and turned on, and When the second operation shaft is pressed downward, the push switch for detecting the elevation is pressed by the lower end and turned on, so that the input operation can be performed not only by the tilting operation but also by the pressing operation. .
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in the conventional multidirectional input device described above, the drive unit of the operating body is housed inside the housing, and a push switch for tilt detection and elevation detection is provided between the drive unit and the bottom surface of the housing. Due to the structure, the height space for storing the coil spring is limited by the internal space of the housing, and it is practical to store a coil spring with a strong spring force in such a limited space. Was difficult. In such a structure, there is no particular problem if the weight of the operating body is not so large, but, for example, when the operating axis is set long for the purpose of improving operability, such as when the operating body is used as a multidirectional input device for a vehicle. In this case, the weight of the entire operation body increases, and the operation body cannot be supported by the spring force of the coil spring. Even if the spring force can be increased by a design change such as increasing the wire diameter of the coil spring, the spring force per unit displacement increases, so that it is not possible to prevent the operation body from rattling. Even if it is possible, another problem occurs that the operation force becomes excessively large and the operability of the operation body deteriorates.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of such a situation of the related art, and its purpose is to reduce the operability without sacrificing operability even when the operating body is enlarged and its own weight is increased. An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-directional input device that can surely prevent the multi-directional input device.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a multidirectional input device according to the present invention has an opening on an upper surface, and a housing provided with an elevation detection element and a plurality of tilt detection elements at the center of an inner bottom surface and around the center. A drive unit housed in the housing, having a guide hole penetrating vertically, a first operation shaft protruding from the opening, and an operation knob provided at a distal end of the first operation shaft. An operating body having a second operating shaft held vertically movably in the guide hole, a lower end portion located in the housing and an upper end portion projecting from the first operating shaft; and an upper surface of the housing. An elastic return member mounted between the operation knob and the elastic member for elastically urging the operation knob upward to press an upper surface of the drive unit against a ceiling surface in the housing; By tilting the first operation shaft by a pressing operation in a predetermined direction, the tilt detecting element corresponding to the direction is actuated by the driving unit, and the upper end of the second operation shaft is pressed downward. By doing so, the vertical movement detecting element is operated at the lower end of the operation shaft.
[0007]
According to the multidirectional input device configured as described above, the elastic return member is disposed between the upper surface of the housing and the operation knob, so that a degree of freedom is secured in the height space for storing the elastic return member. Therefore, it is possible to store an elastic return member having a strong elastic force in this space. Therefore, for example, when the operation axis is set to be long to improve operability, such as when used as an in-vehicle multidirectional input device, even if the operation body becomes large and its own weight increases, the operation body is The operation body can be stably supported, and rattling of the operation body in the non-operation state can be reliably prevented. In addition, since the degree of freedom in designing the elastic return member can be ensured so that the operation force has an optimum value according to the own weight of the operation body, a multidirectional input device excellent in operability of the operation body can be realized.
[0008]
Further, in the above configuration, it is preferable that a guide portion is formed inside the housing, and a regulating portion that engages with the guide portion and regulates rotation of the operation body around an axis is formed in the driving portion, By adopting such a configuration, the tilting of the operating body in a direction other than the predetermined direction is regulated, so that a multidirectional input device which is free from malfunction when operating the operation knob and has excellent stability can be realized.
[0009]
Further, in the above configuration, it is preferable to use a coil spring as the elastic return member, and by adopting such a configuration, it is possible to realize an elastic biasing structure upward of the operation knob with a simple configuration. A multidirectional input device that can reliably prevent rattling of the body can be realized at low cost.
[0010]
Further, in the above-described configuration, it is preferable that grooves are formed on the upper surface of the housing and the lower surface of the operation knob to lock both ends of the coil spring. Since the coil spring can be reliably prevented from coming off, a multi-directional input device which does not malfunction during tilting operation and has excellent stability can be realized.
[0011]
In the above configuration, a push switch that is operated by pressing down a predetermined stroke downward is used as the elevation detection element and the inclination detection element, and the operation stroke of the elevation detection element is changed to the operation stroke of the inclination detection element. When such a configuration is employed, when the operating body is tilted in a predetermined direction and the driving body presses and operates the tilt detection element corresponding to the direction, this operating body is used. Even if the lower end of the second operating shaft that tilts down is displaced downward and slightly presses the elevation detection element, the elevation detection element can be reliably prevented from operating, so that there is no malfunction and excellent stability. A multidirectional input device can be realized.
[0012]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a composite operation type electric component incorporating a multidirectional input device according to an embodiment, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the composite operation type electric component. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a housing provided with the multi-directional input device, and FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory diagram of the multi-directional input device.
[0013]
The composite operation type electric components shown in these figures are configured by combining an inner multi-directional input device and an outer rotary encoder, and the multi-directional input device and the rotary encoder can be operated independently. .
[0014]
First, the inner multi-directional input device will be described. This multi-directional input device includes a synthetic resin housing 1, a printed circuit board 2, an operation body 3 having a first operation shaft 5 and the like, and a second operation shaft. 7 and a coil spring 9 and the like. To describe these members in detail, an opening 1a is formed at the center of the upper surface of the housing 1, and four guide grooves 1b are formed on the inner wall on the opening 1a side at equal intervals of 90 degrees. (See FIG. 3). An annular spring engaging groove 1c is formed on the upper surface of the housing 1 so as to surround the opening 1a. The printed circuit board 2 is attached so as to close the lower opening of the housing 1, and is located at the center of the inner bottom surface of the storage chamber defined between the housing 1 and the printed circuit board 2. The push switch S1 (elevation detection element) for detecting the elevation and the four push switches S2 (tilt detection element) for inclination detection which are located around the push switch S1 and in the direction of each guide groove 1b are mounted. I have. Each of the push switches S1 and S2 is configured to be turned on by pressing a push button as an actuator downward by a predetermined stroke, and a return spring for returning the push button to an initial state is housed therein. ing. However, the operating stroke of the push switch S1 for detecting the elevation is set longer than that of the push switch S2 for detecting the tilt.
[0015]
The operating body 3 includes a drive unit 4 housed inside the housing 1, a first operation shaft 5 connected to the drive unit 4 and protruding from the opening 1 a, and an outer periphery of a distal end of the first operation shaft 5. And an operation knob 6 press-fitted into the section. A guide hole 3a is formed in the drive unit 4 and the first operation shaft 5 so as to penetrate in the vertical direction. An annular spring engagement groove 6a is formed on the lower surface of the operation knob 6. Four projections 4 a are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the driving unit 4 at regular intervals of 90 degrees, and a recess 4 b is formed in the center of the inner bottom surface of the driving unit 4. The operating body 3 configured as described above is disposed such that the driving unit 4 is displaceably housed in the housing 1 and the first operating shaft 5 projects upward through the opening 1a. This allows the housing 1 to be tiltably held.
[0016]
Both ends of the coil spring 9 are locked by a spring locking groove 1c of the housing 1 and a spring locking groove 6a of the operating knob 6, and the operating knob 6 is elastically moved upward by the elastic force of the coil spring 9. It is being rushed. In addition, the coil spring 9 elastically urges the operation knob 6 upward, so that the upper surface of the drive unit 4 is pressed against the ceiling surface in the housing 1 and the operation body 3 in the non-operation state is rattled. Has been prevented. In such a non-operation state, the lower surface of the drive unit 4 is held with a predetermined clearance from the upper surfaces of the push switches S1 and S2, and at the same time, each protrusion 4a of the drive unit 4 The operation body 3 is prevented from rotating in the circumferential direction by being inserted into the guide grooves 1b.
[0017]
The second operation shaft 7 is vertically movably held in a state fitted in the guide hole 3 a of the operation body 3. The lower end 7 a of the second operation shaft 7 is retained in the recess 4 b of the drive unit 4 so as to be prevented from falling off. ing. The lower end 7a is formed in a hemispherical shape and abuts against the push button of the push switch S1, and the second operation shaft 7 is elastically urged upward by a return spring housed in the push switch S1. The upper end of the second operation shaft 7 protrudes from the first operation shaft 5, and a push knob 8 is attached to a tip of the second operation shaft 7.
[0018]
In the multidirectional input device configured as described above, FIG. 1 shows a non-operation state in which both the operation knob 6 and the push knob 8 are not operated, and in this case, the driving unit 4 of the operation body 3 includes the push switch S2. Are not pressed, and all the push switches S2 are off. The lower end 7a of the second operation shaft 7 is held at the upper position by the return force of the push switch S1, and the push switch S1 is also turned off.
[0019]
In such a non-operation state, when an arbitrary position of the operation knob 6, for example, a right position indicated by an arrow in FIG. 4 is pressed, the first operation shaft 5 tilts from the neutral position shown in FIG. 1 along the guide groove 1b. I do. As a result, the operating body 3 tilts rightward with the upper surface of the drive unit 4 located on the opposite side to the tilt direction as a fulcrum, and the lower surface of the drive unit 4 presses the push switch S2 corresponding to the tilt direction. S2 is turned on. When the pressing force applied to the operation knob 6 is removed, the operating body 3 is pushed back to the neutral position by the urging force of the coil spring 9, and the lower surface of the drive unit 4 is separated from the push switch S2 that has been turned on, This switch S2 returns to the state of FIG. 1 and is turned off. Similarly, by changing the pressing position of the operation knob 6 between front, rear, left and right, the push switch S2 according to the direction is turned on, and an on / off switching signal can be output from the push switch S2 to the outside. When the operating body 3 is tilted in a predetermined direction, the second operating shaft 7 is also tilted. However, as described above, the operation stroke of the push switch S1 for detecting the elevation is determined by the operation of the push switch S2 for detecting the tilt. Since the length is set to be longer than the stroke, the push button of the push switch S1 is only slightly pressed by the lower end portion 7a of the second operation shaft 7, and the push switch S1 is not turned on.
[0020]
On the other hand, when the push knob 8 is pressed downward from the non-operation state as shown by the arrow in FIG. 1, the second operation shaft 7 moves downward along the guide hole 3 a of the operation body 3, and the lower end 7 a thereof moves. When the push switch S1 is pressed, the switch S1 is turned on. In this case, the downward movement amount of the second operation shaft 7 is sufficiently larger than the tilting operation of the operation body 3 described above, so that the push switch S1 having a long operation stroke can be reliably turned on. When the pressing force applied to the push knob 8 is removed, the second operating shaft 7 is pushed back by the return spring built in the push switch S1, and the push switch S1 returns to the state of FIG. Then turn off. As described above, the push operation of the second operation shaft 7 also enables the push switch S1 to output an on / off signal to the outside and output a signal to the outside.
[0021]
Next, the outer rotary encoder will be described. This rotary encoder includes a hollow outer case 10 arranged so as to surround the housing 1 of the multidirectional input device described above. It is mounted on the printed circuit board 2. A cylindrical guide ridge 10a protrudes from the outer case 10, and a ring-shaped operation member 11 is rotatably held on the outer peripheral surface of the guide ridge 10a. A rotary knob 13 is attached to the upper outside of the operation member 11 via a cylindrical connecting member 12, and the operation knob 6 of the multidirectional input device is located in a concave portion 13 a of the rotary knob 13. As shown in FIG. 2, positioning protrusions 12 a are formed on the inner peripheral wall of the connecting member 12 so as to project at equal intervals of 90 degrees, and the connecting member 12 is fixed to a rotary knob 13 by screws 14. Snap legs 11a and locking grooves 11b are alternately formed on the outer peripheral wall of the operating member 11 at 45 ° intervals, so that the positioning protrusions 12a of the connecting member 12 are fixed to the locking grooves 11b of the operating member 11. When inserted and pushed in, the claw at the upper end of the snap leg 11a is locked to the upper end of the inner wall surface of the connecting member 12, so that the connecting member 12 and the operating member 11 are snapped in a state of being positioned in the circumferential direction. It has become.
[0022]
The lower portion of the operating member 11 is inserted into the outer case 10 and is not shown, but a slider piece is attached to the lower portion of the operating member 11 and slidably contacts the slider piece. A plurality of switch patterns are formed on the printed circuit board 2. Thereby, when the rotary knob 13 is operated to rotate the operation member 11 in either the forward or reverse direction, the slider piece slides on the switch pattern and a pulse signal corresponding to the rotation amount of the operation member 11 is generated. It can be output. Conversely, a code plate having a plurality of switch patterns may be attached to the lower portion of the operation member 11 and a slider piece that comes into sliding contact with each switch pattern may be provided on the printed circuit board 2.
[0023]
As described above, according to the multidirectional input device according to the present embodiment, the coil spring 9 is disposed between the upper surface of the housing 1 and the operation knob 6, and the upper surface of the drive unit 4 is operated by the coil spring 9. By elastically urging the operating body 3 upward such that the operating body 3 is pressed against the ceiling surface in the housing 1, it is possible to prevent rattling of the operating body 3 during non-operation. The coil spring 9 having a strong spring force can be housed by using a large height space. Therefore, for example, even when the total length of the operation body 3 including the first operation shaft 5 is set to be long for the purpose of improving operability, such as when used as an in-vehicle multidirectional input device, its own weight is small. The increased operating body 3 can be stably supported, and rattling of the operating body 3 in the non-operation state can be reliably prevented. Further, since the spring force of the coil spring can be designed so that the operating force has an optimum value according to the own weight of the operating body 3, the operability of the operating body 3 can be improved.
[0024]
In the above-described embodiment, the multi-operation type electric component in which the multidirectional input device is incorporated inside the rotary encoder has been described. However, instead of the outer rotary encoder, another rotary operation type electric component such as a rotary switch is used. It is also possible to arrange. Also, it goes without saying that external electrical components such as the rotary encoder and the rotary switch may be omitted, and only the multidirectional input device may be used alone.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
The present invention is implemented in the form described above, and has the following effects.
[0026]
An elastic return member is disposed between the upper surface of the housing and the operation knob, and the upper surface of the drive unit is pressed against the ceiling surface in the housing by the elastic return member. A degree of freedom can be ensured in the space, and an elastic return member having a strong elastic force can be stored in this space. Therefore, for example, when the operation axis is set to be long to improve operability, such as when used as an in-vehicle multidirectional input device, even if the operation body becomes large and its own weight increases, the operation body is The operation body can be stably supported, and rattling of the operation body in the non-operation state can be reliably prevented. In addition, since the degree of freedom in designing the elastic return member can be ensured so that the operation force has an optimum value according to the own weight of the operation body, a multidirectional input device excellent in operability of the operation body can be realized.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a multi-operation electric component incorporating a multidirectional input device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the composite operation type electric component.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a housing provided in the multidirectional input device.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the multidirectional input device.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Housing 1a Opening hole (opening)
1b Guide groove (guide section)
1c, 6a Spring locking groove (groove)
2 Printed circuit board 3 Operation body 3a Guide hole 4 Drive unit 4a Convex part (restriction part)
5 First operating shaft 6 Operating knob 7 Second operating shaft 7a Lower end 8 Push knob 9 Coil spring (elastic return member)
S1 push switch (elevation detection element)
S2 push switch (tilt detection element)

Claims (5)

A housing having an opening on the upper surface, and provided with an elevation detecting element and a plurality of tilt detecting elements at the center and the periphery of the inner bottom surface, respectively, and a guide hole penetrating vertically, and housed in the housing. An operating body having a drive unit, a first operating shaft protruding from the opening, and an operating knob provided at a distal end of the first operating shaft; a lower end held by the guide hole so as to be vertically movable; A second operating shaft having a portion located in the housing and an upper end projecting from the first operating shaft; and a second operating shaft mounted between the upper surface of the housing and the operating knob. An elastic return member that elastically urges the upper surface of the drive unit against the ceiling surface in the housing,
By tilting the first operation shaft by pressing the operation knob in a predetermined direction, the tilt detection element corresponding to the direction is operated by the drive unit, and the upper end of the second operation shaft is moved. A multi-directional input device, wherein the lifting detection element is operated at a lower end portion of the operation shaft by pressing downward. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein a guide portion is formed inside the housing, and a regulating portion is formed on the driving portion to engage with the guide portion and regulate the rotation of the operation body around an axis. Multi-directional input device. 3. The multidirectional input device according to claim 1, wherein a coil spring is used as the elastic return member. 4. The multidirectional input device according to claim 3, wherein grooves for locking both ends of the coil spring are formed on an upper surface of the housing and a lower surface of the operation knob, respectively. 5. The push-down switch according to claim 1, wherein the push-down switch is operated by pressing a predetermined stroke in a downward direction as the elevation detection element and the tilt detection element, and the operation stroke of the elevation detection element is tilted. 6. A multidirectional input device, wherein the input stroke is set longer than an operation stroke of a detection element.

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