JP2004234072A - Track ball device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a track ball device whose operability is improved by feeding back occurrence of any trouble in an object to be operated due to a track ball or the erroneous operation of the track ball as a touch to an operator. <P>SOLUTION: This track ball device is provided with a caster 5 pivoted rotatably by a supporting shaft 6 extended in a vertical direction at the lower part of a track ball 2, one roller member 4 pivoted rotatably by a roller shaft 7 supported by the caster 5 so as to be extended in a horizontal direction, whose upper part is made to slide and brought into contact with the track ball 2, a helical gear 9 pivoted rotatably by the support shaft 6 at the lower part of the caster 5, and rotationally driven by a motor 8 controlled by a control means so that the supporting shaft 6 can be moved to the arrangement direction of the caster 5 by the thrust force when it is rotated, and a disc-shaped table 10 arranged on the upper surface of the helical gear 9, and positioned with an interval with the lower part of the roller member 7 when the helical gear 9 is not rotated, and abutted on the lower part of the roller member 7 when the helical gear 9 is rotated, and moved in the arrangement direction of the caster 5 by the thrust force. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has a function as a coordinate input device for controlling a cursor position and the like on a screen of a display device, and gives a tactile sensation to the operator that there is a trouble in an operation target by a trackball or an erroneous operation of the trackball. The present invention relates to a trackball device that also functions as a tactile response device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as a coordinate input device for controlling a cursor position on a screen of a display device, a trackball that is rotatably mounted on a housing and partially protrudes from an opening above the housing is operated to respond to the rotation. Trackball devices that control the position of a cursor on the screen of a display device or the like have been used.
[0003]
The trackball device is directly incorporated into a keyboard portion of a computer, particularly a keyboard portion of a small computer called a notebook personal computer, or is mounted on an automobile, such as an air conditioner, a radio, a television, a CD player, a navigation system, and an electric seat. As a manual operation unit of many in-vehicle electronic devices such as an electric mirror and the like, for example, it is incorporated in a console box of an automobile, and the like.
[0004]
Here, if the configuration of the trackball device is briefly described, this type of trackball device is roughly composed of trackball support means and rotation amount detection means.
[0005]
The trackball support means is constituted by a trackball container which rotatably holds a trackball and partially projects the trackball from an opening formed above the housing.
[0006]
Further, the rotation amount detecting means has a rotation axis in a direction parallel to a radial direction perpendicular to the trackball, and is arranged so as to abut on the trackball and rotate individually according to the rotation of the trackball. And a position sensor such as an encoder that detects the amount of rotation of each roller member.
[0007]
Then, when the operator operates the trackball projecting from the upper opening of the housing to rotate the trackball, the two roller members that are in contact with the trackball also rotate independently, and The position sensor is configured to detect the rotation amount of the roller member.
[0008]
Further, the trackball device includes, as an external related device, an enter button having a function as a manual operation unit together with the trackball device, and a pointing operation for positioning a cursor on a desired position on a screen of a display using the trackball device. A display device for visually displaying the result of the above, a horizontal direction (X-axis direction) of the trackball and another horizontal direction (Y-axis) orthogonal to the X-axis direction based on the rotation amount of each roller member detected by the position sensor. External control unit, such as a computer, which performs a command control to detect the amount of rotation in the X direction and move the pointing position of the cursor on the screen of the display device in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.
[0009]
The control unit detects the amount of rotation of the trackball in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction from the amount of rotation of each roller member detected by the position sensor of the trackball device, and the pointing on the display device. Command control for moving the position in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is performed, and a cursor or the like on the screen of the display of the display device is moved.
[0010]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2001-283683 A [Patent Document 2]
Registered Utility Model No. 2606985
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, since the trackball device as described above merely has a function as a coordinate input device for controlling the cursor position on the display screen, the operator must operate while looking at the display screen. did not become. Regarding the trackball device used as the coordinate input device of the in-vehicle electronic device, operability particularly when the operator is driving is a problem, and there is room for improvement.
[0012]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a trackball device with improved operability, in particular, by providing feedback as a tactile sensation to the operator that there is a problem with the operation target of the trackball or an erroneous operation of the trackball. It is assumed that.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a trackball device of the present invention provides a track having a function of moving a cursor on a screen to a desired coordinate area by rotating a trackball when performing a pointing operation on the screen. A ball device, which is rotatably supported by a trackball rotatably held in all directions within a housing and a support shaft disposed to extend vertically below the trackball. A caster, one roller member rotatably supported by a roller shaft supported so as to extend in the horizontal direction on the caster, and having an upper part thereof in sliding contact with the trackball; At the same time, is rotatably supported by the support shaft, and is rotationally driven by a motor controlled by a control means. A helical gear that is capable of moving the support shaft in the direction in which the casters are arranged by a force, and is disposed on an upper surface of the helical gear, and the helical gear is not rotated when the helical gear is not rotating. A disk-shaped table which is positioned with a gap between the lower part of the roller member and which comes into contact with the lower part of the roller member when the helical gear rotates and moves in the direction in which the casters are arranged due to its thrust force. It is characterized by.
[0014]
In the trackball apparatus of the present invention configured as described above, the pointing operation of moving the cursor on the screen to a desired coordinate area is performed by the operator operating the trackball with his / her finger and rotating it.
[0015]
At this time, the roller member in contact with the trackball rotates around the roller shaft by receiving the rotational force of the trackball, and the roller shaft supporting the roller member is provided. The caster also rotates about the support shaft integrally with the roller member and the roller shaft, and follows the rotation of the trackball.
[0016]
Further, when it is necessary to suppress the rotation of the trackball operated by the operator due to a trouble in the operation target by the trackball or an erroneous operation of the trackball, the control by the control means to drive the motor is performed. Do.
[0017]
At this time, the driving force of the motor is transmitted to the helical gear via transmission means including a plurality of gears. The helical gear provided with a rotational force by the driving of the motor and a disk-shaped table disposed on the upper surface of the helical gear rotate around the support shaft, and the support shaft is rotated by the thrust force of the helical gear. Moves upward in the direction in which the casters are arranged. A roller member in which the helical gear moves upward along the support shaft, and an upper surface of a table provided on an upper surface of the helical gear is rotatably supported by a roller shaft provided on a caster; Abuts on the lower part of the helical gear and suppresses the upward movement of the table and, at the same time, continues the rotation of the helical gear by the driving force of the motor so that the table abuts against the lower part of the roller member. maintain.
[0018]
As described above, the table is brought into contact with the lower portion of the roller member, the frictional force is increased, the rotation of the roller member is suppressed, and the rotation of the caster provided with the roller shaft that supports the roller member is provided. By applying a load to the rotational movement of the track ball sliding on the roller member, an erroneous operation or the like is fed back to the operator as a touch.
[0019]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an essential part of a trackball device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof, and FIG. 3 is a front view of the trackball device in a state where rotation of a trackball is not controlled. FIG. 4 is a front view showing a state where the rotation of the trackball in the trackball device is controlled.
[0020]
The trackball apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes a spherical trackball 2 as coordinate input means for controlling a cursor position on a screen and the like. The trackball 2 is held in a housing (not shown) serving as a trackball supporting means disposed in the housing 3 so as to be rotatable in all directions by 360 ° and to expose a lower portion thereof from the housing. ing. The trackball 2 is held by the container so that the upper part thereof projects upward from a circular opening formed on the upper surface of the housing 3. By moving the ball 2 so as to rotate, a roller member 4 and a caster 5 to be described later are driven to rotate in a normal state.
[0021]
Further, in the housing 3, a fine pattern formed on the peripheral surface of the trackball 2 is observed, and the rotation amount in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is detected. A position sensor is provided.
[0022]
Further, a support shaft 6 extending in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) is provided immediately below the center of the trackball 2 held by the housing, and the caster 5 is rotatable on the support shaft 6. It is pivotally supported.
[0023]
The caster 5 is provided with a roller shaft 7 which is orthogonal to the support shaft 6 and extends in a direction (horizontal direction) parallel to the radial direction of the trackball 2. At one end, one roller member 4 that slides its upper part into contact with the lower part of the trackball 2 is rotatably supported.
[0024]
The support shaft 6 is disposed below the caster 5 in a direction in which the caster 5 is disposed in a direction in which the caster 5 is disposed by a thrust force generated when the motor 8 serving as a drive source provided in the housing is rotated by a driving force. A helical gear 9 having screw teeth formed so as to move upwardly is supported rotatably.
[0025]
On the upper surface of the helical gear 9, when the helical gear 9 is not rotating, the helical gear 9 is located with a slight gap between the helical gear 9 and the lower part of the roller member 4. A disk-shaped table 10 is provided which comes into contact with the lower portion of the roller member 4 when it rotates and moves upward in the direction in which the casters 5 are disposed due to the thrust force. The table 10 is formed integrally with the helical gear 9, while rotating with the helical gear 9, moves up the support shaft 6 in the direction in which the casters 5 are arranged by the thrust force due to the rotation. Thus, it may be configured to abut on the lower part of the roller member 4 or may be loosely fitted on the support shaft 6 so that the helical gear 9 raises the support shaft 6 by thrust force. When moving, the helical gear 9 may be configured to be pushed up by the helical gear 9 so as to contact the lower portion of the roller member 4.
[0026]
Further, inside the housing, as a driving force transmitting means for transmitting the driving force of the motor 8 to the helical gear 9, a gear 11A provided at an end of a rotation shaft 8A of the motor 8 or A plurality of gears 11 including a gear 11B meshing with the helical gear 9 are provided. Needless to say, the helical gear 11B meshed with the helical gear 9 is formed with a helical screw which is twisted in the opposite direction to the helical gear 9 of the helical gear 9.
[0027]
The trackball device 1 is provided with a motor control unit (not shown) as control means for controlling the driving of the motor 8. The motor control unit is connected to an external control unit described later, and is configured to control the driving of the motor 8 when receiving a drive control command for the motor 8 from the external control unit. .
[0028]
In the present embodiment, the roller member 4, the helical gear 9, the table 10, the gear 11, the motor controller, and the like apply a load to the rotational movement of the trackball 2 sliding on the roller member 4. A tactile response means is provided for giving a feedback to the operator that the operation target of the trackball 2 has a trouble, an erroneous operation, or the like.
[0029]
Further, in the present embodiment, the trackball device 1 is provided as an external related device with an enter button having a function as a coordinate input unit together with the trackball device 1, and on a display screen using the trackball device 1 A display device for visually displaying the result of a pointing operation for setting a cursor to a desired position of the track ball, and determining the rotation amount of the trackball in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction from the rotation amount of each roller member 4 detected by the position sensor. An external control unit (not shown) such as a computer that performs command control for detecting and moving the pointing position of the cursor on the screen of the display device in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is provided. The position sensor is also connected to an external control unit (not shown), and is configured to be able to transmit to the position data management unit of the external control unit. In addition, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the motor control unit is combined with the external control unit.
[0030]
Next, the operation of the thus configured trackball device 1 will be described.
[0031]
First, when an operator operates the trackball 2 with his / her finger and rotates it, the position sensor detects the amount of rotation of the trackball 2 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. Display control is performed so that the pointing position of the cursor on the screen of the apparatus is moved in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, respectively. With this control, a pointing operation of moving the cursor on the screen to a desired coordinate area can be performed.
[0032]
When the operator operates the trackball 2 with his / her finger, the roller member 4 in contact with the trackball 2 receives the rotational force of the trackball 2 and rotates about the roller shaft 7 to rotate the trackball 2. The caster 5 on which the roller shaft 7 supporting the roller member 4 is disposed also rotates about the support shaft 6 integrally with the roller member 4 and the roller shaft 7 to rotate the trackball. It is driven (see the front view of FIG. 3).
[0033]
In the case of the trackball device 1 according to the present embodiment, for example, the cursor displayed on the display of the display device points to an illegal area, or the pointing position protrudes from the screen. When the external control unit determines that the operation of the trackball 2 needs to be suppressed, a drive control command for the motor 8 is output from the external control unit to the motor control unit.
[0034]
The motor control unit that has received the drive control command for the motor 8 drives the motor 8. The driving force of the motor 8 is transmitted to the helical gear 9 via a transmission means composed of a plurality of gears. The helical gear 9 to which a rotational force is applied by the drive of the motor 8 and a disk-shaped table 10 arranged on the upper surface thereof rotate while the support shaft 6 is the center. The support shaft 6 is moved upward by the force in the direction in which the casters 5 are disposed. When the helical gear 9 moves upward along the support shaft 6 and the upper surface of the table 10 abuts against the lower part of the roller member 4, the upward movement of the helical gear 9 and the table 10 is suppressed. The rotation of the helical gear 9 is continued by the driving force of the motor 8, and the contact of the table 10 with the lower portion of the roller member 4 is maintained (see FIG. 4).
[0035]
At this time, the roller member 4 on which the table 10 is in contact with the lower portion is sandwiched between the track ball located on the upper portion and the table 10 located on the lower portion, and rotates around the roller shaft 7. Is suppressed. Further, rotation of the caster 5 supporting the roller shaft 7 about the support shaft 6 is also suppressed. As a result, the frictional force with the trackball 2 that has been slid while rotating the roller member 4 is increased, so that a load can be applied to the rotational movement of the trackball 2, and the trackball 2 can be applied to the operator. It is possible to give feedback as to the fact that the operation target has a trouble, an erroneous operation, or the like.
[0036]
For example, by controlling the motor control unit so that the contact between the table 10 and the roller member 4 is continued for a certain period of time (about several seconds), the load resistance against the rotation of the trackball 2 is continuously generated. The operation feeling that makes the trackball 2 difficult to rotate, or the control of the motor control unit so that the contact between the table 10 and the roller member 4 is repeated in small increments at regular intervals, and the rotation of the trackball 2 is controlled. It is conceivable to give the operator an operational feeling such as knocking in the rotation operation of the trackball 2 by repeatedly generating a load resistance at a constant interval at a small interval. The operation feeling given to the operator is referred to the control table 10 stored in the ROM provided in the motor control unit or the external control unit, and the driving of the motor 8 is performed in order to give the operator an appropriate operation feeling. To control.
[0037]
An operator who senses such a rotational load of the trackball 2 with a tactile sensation can know that there is a trouble in an operation target of the trackball 2 or an erroneous operation without looking at the display screen or the like.
[0038]
Further, when the trouble of the operation target by the trackball 2 is resolved or when the operator operates the trackball 2 normally, the drive stop command of the motor 8 is output from the external operation unit to the motor control unit. I do.
[0039]
The motor control unit that has received the drive stop command of the motor 8 stops the drive of the motor 8. When the driving of the motor 8 is stopped, the rotational force applied to the helical gear 9 also disappears, so that the helical gear 9 and the table 10 disposed on the upper surface thereof lose the thrust force, and The support shaft 6 is moved downward in the direction in which the casters 5 are disposed. Then, when the helical gear 9 moves down along the support shaft 6 and the contact between the upper surface of the table 10 and the lower part of the roller member 4 is released, the trackball 2 is again moved. The operator can freely rotate in all directions of 360 ° by the operation of the finger of the operator, and the operation can be easily performed.
[0040]
Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes can be made as necessary.
[0041]
For example, the roller member 4 is preferably made of a material such as rubber having a large coefficient of friction with the trackball 2 and the table 10 and having appropriate elasticity.
[0042]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the load acting on the rotation of the trackball allows the operator to sense and feedback the trouble of the operation target by the trackball, the malfunction of the trackball, and the like with the tactile sensation. it can. Thus, the operator can stop or correct the operation without visually checking the screen of the display or the like, and the operability of the trackball having the function as the coordinate input device can be significantly improved. In particular, this is useful when the trackball device is used for a vehicle.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a main part of a configuration of a trackball device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the trackball device in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 4 is a front view of a state in which control of rotation of a trackball in the trackball apparatus of FIG. 1 is controlled.
Reference Signs List 1 track ball device 2 track ball 3 housing 4 roller member 5 caster 6 support shaft 7 roller shaft 8 motor 8A rotating shaft 9 helical gear 10 table 11 gear

Claims (1)

A pointing operation on a screen, a trackball apparatus having a function of moving a cursor on the screen to a desired coordinate area by rotating a trackball,
A trackball held rotatably in all directions within the housing,
A caster rotatably supported by a support shaft arranged so as to extend vertically below the trackball,
A roller member rotatably supported by a roller shaft supported so as to extend in the horizontal direction on the caster, and an upper portion thereof slidingly contacting the trackball;
The support shaft is rotatably supported by the support shaft below the caster, and is rotatably driven by a motor controlled by control means, so that the support shaft can be moved in a direction in which the caster is arranged by a thrust force during rotation. The helical gear that was
The helical gear is disposed on an upper surface of the helical gear. When the helical gear is not rotating, the helical gear is positioned with a gap from a lower portion of the roller member. A disk-shaped table that comes into contact with the lower part of the roller member when moved in the disposing direction of
A trackball device comprising:

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