JP2006243586A - Belt type input device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a belt type input device used to adjust the sound volume, interval, etc., of a keyboard type electronic musical instrument, or to adjust the sound volume etc., of an adjustment console used in a sound-recording studio etc., the belt type input device being characterized in that the maintenance cost for incorporated equipment in use is reduced by replacing a partial fault place, thereby eliminating the need for whole replacement and resource saving is taken into consideration. <P>SOLUTION: A fitting body 1 has a storage portion for a belt unit 4 and a photocoupler unit 5 (detector), and the belt unit 4 is freely detachable from the fitting body 1. For mounting, the belt unit 4 is inserted into a belt unit insertion portion 1A and a flank panel 1f and a top surface panel 2 are engaged with each other, so that the belt unit 4 can be mounted not to fall. The photocoupler unit 5 is mounted on a photocoupler unit storage portion 1B with screws. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a belt-type input device suitable for use in adjusting the volume of an electronic musical instrument or the volume of an adjustment console used in a recording studio or the like.

  Conventionally, as a device for adjusting parameters such as volume on an operation panel of an electronic musical instrument (especially a synthesizer) or an adjustment console (mixer) of a recording studio or the like, an adjustment knob using a variable resistor called a fader has been mainly moved up and down. An input device for linear movement is often used.

  A fader that uses only a variable resistor inputs the input signal directly to the variable resistor, and the value adjusted by the variable resistor is used as the output signal. There was a problem that the sound quality deteriorated due to the noise and distortion generated by the foreign matter. Therefore, a fader using a voltage controlled amplifier called VCA has appeared. The VCA is an amplifier that controls the output signal with a DC voltage. This is because the variable resistor on the fader adjustment knob adjusts the VCA control voltage without directly adjusting the input signal. Adjustment of a plurality of parameters is easy because it is only necessary to distribute the variable resistor of one adjustment knob to the control part of the VCA for each parameter. However, in order to adjust a plurality of parameters with one adjustment knob, the position of the adjustment knob has to be adjusted to the current value of each parameter when the plurality of parameters are switched.

  Therefore, a type of fader has been developed in which a motor is built into the adjustment knob and the adjustment knob moves automatically according to the parameter value stored internally when the parameter is switched. A belt-type input device such as US Pat. No. 5,243,513 (Patent Document 1) has been devised for reasons such as deterioration of sound quality due to generated noise.

The belt-type input device is configured such that a pulley or the like as a core body is arranged inside a loop-shaped belt body as in Patent Document 1, and the belt body can be moved indefinitely. Various parameters such as volume can be adjusted by detecting the operating state with a detector. Unlike conventional faders, this does not use a variable resistor, but sends a signal to the electronic musical instrument or console such as the amount of movement and direction of the belt. Change the parameter value relatively. Therefore, the input device does not need to know the current position, and there is no physical upper and lower limits of the moving distance. Therefore, it is not necessary to readjust the adjustment knob position even if the parameters are switched.
US Pat. No. 5,243,513

  Conventional belt type input devices have a belt part and a detector integrated as in Patent Document 1, so the frequency of failure is high due to wear when the belt part is a movable part or when a mechanical type is used for the detector. When a non-mechanical type such as an optical type is used for the detector, the frequency of failure of the detector is reduced, but the frequency of failure of only the belt portion is increased. Therefore, in the case where the belt portion and the detector are integrated, it is not considered that only one of them is replaced when one of them fails. Therefore, if one of them fails, the entire belt-type input device must be replaced, which increases the maintenance costs of equipment that incorporates and uses the belt-type input device (such as electronic musical instruments and consoles), and saves resources. From the point of view, there is a problem that it is not desirable to dispose of them in a lump while leaving a usable part.

  Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, the present invention makes it possible to reduce the maintenance cost of the equipment to be used by replacing part of the faulty part, eliminating the need for total replacement, and considering resource saving. It is an object to provide a belt-type input device.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, a belt unit body in which a loop belt can be moved indefinitely by a core body fixed to a case is freely attached to a detector that detects the movement state of the belt. Configured.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, a belt unit body in which a loop belt can be moved infinitely by a core body fixed to a case, and a detector for detecting the movement state of the belt are attached to the attachment body, The belt unit body and the detector were detachably fitted to the attachment body.

  Note that the belt unit body is attached to the attachment body by sliding the belt unit body on the attachment body in the longitudinal direction of the belt unit body (operation direction in which the belt moves) (and such a method). Structure). In this way, the cushion can be arranged between the end surface at the back of the attachment body and the end surface of the belt unit body, and can be fixed so as to press the other end of the belt unit body against the elasticity of the cushion. The belt unit body can be reliably fixed without rattling (first embodiment).

  In addition, the belt unit body is attached to the attachment body by sliding the belt unit body with respect to the attachment body in the short direction of the belt unit body (direction perpendicular to the operation direction in which the belt moves). (And such a structure). If it does in this way, it can be fixed by both ends with an elastic claw, a fitting hole, etc. in the longitudinal direction both ends of an attachment body, and the longitudinal direction both ends, for example. That is, since it is fixed at both longitudinal ends of the belt unit body, it can be stably fixed (second embodiment).

  In addition, in the invention of each claim, in order to make it easy to detect the moving state of the belt with a detector, it is preferable to provide detection assisting means such as irregularities on the belt.

  According to the invention of claim 1 or 2, since the belt portion and the detector portion can be separated from each other, only the failed portion can be replaced in the event of a failure. The price of the belt type input device alone may be cheaper depending on the case of the conventional product in which the belt part and the detector are integrated, but the present invention allows only a part of the replacement. Therefore, when viewed as a total cost including a maintenance cost when a built-in device fails, the device to which the present invention is applied is overwhelmingly less expensive. In addition, it is possible to save resources because it is not necessary to replace a usable place.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of a belt-type input device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view of a photocoupler unit 5 of the belt-type input device. 3 is a side view of the belt-type input device with the lower lid 3 removed, FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a fixing portion for fixing the lower lid 3, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. In the following description, when the direction of the belt-type input device of the embodiment is shown, the forward direction of the arrow direction in FIG. 1 is the back and the reverse direction is the front. This embodiment includes an attachment body 1 made of resin, an upper panel 2, a lower lid 3, a belt unit 4 that is removable from the attachment body 1, and a photocoupler unit 5 that is screwed to the attachment body 1. Composed.

  The attachment body 1 is made of synthetic resin, and the front plate 1a, the rear plate 1b, the side plate 1c, the bottom plate 1d, and the upper plate 1e constitute a rectangular parallelepiped belt unit insertion portion 1A that matches the outer shape of the belt unit 4. ing. The upper plate 1e is formed with a slit 11 having one end cut out for the belt 41 protruding from the belt unit 4 so that the belt unit 4 can be inserted. A level meter 6 is arranged to display a current value of the parameter in a bar graph form from the maximum value to the minimum value by arranging the LEDs 6a and lighting the LEDs 6a, 6a. Further, an attachment screw hole 12 for attaching the attachment body 1 to a device is formed on the side plate 1c side of the upper plate 1e. Further, a side panel 1f is provided on the side of the mounting body 1 where the opening 11a of the slit 11 is provided, and the side panel 1f is rotatable at its lower end with respect to the bottom plate 1d by a hinge structure integrated with resin. ing. The side panel 1f serves as a lid for the belt unit insertion portion 1A when used as a belt-type input device. Further, the side panel 1f is formed with a horizontal portion 1fa that is parallel to the upper plate 1e when standing upright, and a mounting screw hole 13 for attaching the attachment body 1 to the device is formed in the horizontal portion 1fa.

  The top panel 2 is rotatably disposed with respect to the attachment body 1 by a resin-integrated hinge structure at one end where the opening 11a of the slit 11 of the attachment body 1 is not provided so as to cover the upper plate 1e of the attachment body 1. ing. The top panel 2 has a long hole 21 for exposing the belt 41 of the belt unit 4, a hole 22 corresponding to each LED 6 a, 6 a of the level meter 6, and a mounting screw for mounting the mounting body 1 to the device. Holes 23 are formed. The mounting screw holes 23 and 23 of the top panel 2 overlap with the mounting screw holes 12 and 13 of the mounting body 1 at the time of fixing, and the screws pass through these two holes when fixing to the equipment to be used. Fixed.

  The mounting body 1 has lower plates 1g, 1h and a rear wall 1i extending on the opposite side to the belt unit insertion portion 1A around the bottom plate 1d. The lower plates 1g, 1h, the rear wall 1i and the bottom plate 1d constitute a photocoupler unit storage portion 1B. The lower lid 3 is a lid having an L-shaped cross section formed by a bottom plate 3a and a lower front plate 3b, and is formed by a resin-integrated hinge structure on the lower end of the rear wall 1i of the mounting body 1 on one side of the bottom plate 3a. The lower lid 3 is rotatable with respect to the attachment body 1. Inside the lower plates 1g, 1h are formed inner walls 1ga, 1ha that are thick except for the end portions, and the front end portions of the inner walls 1ga, 1ha are lid guides 1ga1, 1ha1 having an arcuate surface at the bottom. It is said that.

  In addition, fixing claws 31 and 31 are formed at two positions on the end portion of the lower front plate 3b of the lower lid 3 for fixing to the mounting body 1, and positions corresponding to the fixing claws 31 and 31 are provided on the mounting body 1 side. The fixed claws 14, 14 are formed on the front. When the lower lid 3 is closed, the lower lid 3 is fixed by fitting the claw portion 31a of the fixing claw 31 on the lower lid 3 side and the fixing portion 14a of the fixing claw 14 on the attachment body 1 side as shown in FIG. Can do. At this time, both end portions of the lower front plate 3b of the lower lid 3 come into contact with the lid guides 1ga1 and 1ha1. When the lower lid 3 is opened, when the surface of the lower front plate 3b of the lower lid 3 on which the fixing claw 31 is formed is pressed, the claw portion 31a of the fixing claw 31 is fixed on the attachment body 1 side by the elasticity of the resin. Since it is disengaged from the fixed portion 14a of the claw 14, it can be opened by rotating the lower lid 3 as it is.

  The belt unit 4 includes a case 4a, a belt 41 configured in a loop shape, pulleys 42a and 42b arranged at both ends of the belt 41 and having shafts fixed to the case 4a, and auxiliary wheels 43a and 42a having shafts fixed to the case 4a. 43b and a cushion 44 that plays the role of preventing rattling when inserted into the belt unit insertion portion 1A of the attachment body 1. The auxiliary wheels 43a and 43b are smaller in diameter than the pulleys 42a and 42b. To prevent the belt 41 from being bent, the auxiliary wheels 43a and 43b are unevenly distributed on the side of the belt 41 that is touched by a finger and are rotatably fixed. Yes. On the surface of the belt 41, irregularities are formed at regular intervals in the operation direction by a large number of protrusions perpendicular to the operation direction as detection assisting means. When the belt unit 4 is attached to the attachment body 1, the belt 41, which is the operation surface, is configured as the belt unit 4 such that the belt 41 is substantially the same height as the surface of the upper panel 2 as shown in FIG. 5. The shafts of the pulleys 42a and 42b and the auxiliary wheels 43a and 43b are attached at positions where the shaft protrudes from the surface of the case 4a. If the operation of the belt 41 is not hindered, the position of the belt 41 does not have to be substantially the same as the surface of the upper panel 2. That is, the surface of the belt 41 may protrude slightly from the surface of the upper panel 2, and in this case, the belt 41 can be easily operated. Further, the surface of the belt 41 may be slightly lower than the surface of the upper panel 2, and in this case, the belt 41 can be prevented from being inadvertently operated.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the photocoupler unit 5 includes a case 5a, LEDs 51a and 51b that emit light toward the belt 41, and phototransistors 52a and 52b that read the light reflected by the belt 41. These are fixed to the photocoupler unit housing portion 1B of the attachment body 1 by screws 53, 53. The LED 51a of the photocoupler unit 5 emits light toward the belt 41 of the belt unit 4, and the phototransistor 52a receives the light reflected by the belt 41. The LED 51b and the phototransistor 52b have the same relationship. The pair of the LED 51a and the phototransistor 52a and the pair of the LED 51b and the phototransistor 52b are shifted in the moving direction of the belt 41 (left and right direction in FIG. 2) so that a phase difference is generated in the output signal of each phototransistor. Further, the belt 41 is disposed so as to be shifted in the width direction (direction perpendicular to FIG. 2).

  Since the belt unit 4 and the photocoupler unit 5 receive the light reflected by the belt unit 4 as described above and generate an output signal, the phototransistors 52a and 52b in the photocoupler unit 5 The mounting body 1 is fixed in such a positional relationship that the sensitivity is such that an electric signal can be output by the received light.

  To attach the belt unit 4, the belt unit 4 is inserted into the belt unit insertion portion 1A of the attachment body 1 with the cushion 44 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1, and the side panel 1f stands upright so as to close the belt unit insertion portion 1A. Further, the upper panel 2 is covered so as to cover the upper plate 1e of the attachment body 1, and the fixing claws 24 of the upper panel 2 are hooked and fixed to the horizontal portion 1fa of the side panel 1f as shown in FIG. This completes the installation of the belt unit 4. Thereafter, a connection terminal (not shown) of the photocoupler unit 5 is fitted to the connection terminal on the device side, and then attached to the device, and the mounting screw holes 23 and 23 are fixed with screws to be ready for use.

  When replacing the belt unit 4, the above procedure is reversed. That is, the belt-type input device of this embodiment is removed from the device (removal of screws and connection terminals), the top panel 2 and the side panel 1f are disengaged, and the top panel 2 and the side panel 1f are attached to the attachment body 1. The belt unit 4 is taken out from the belt unit insertion portion 1A of the attachment body 1 by rotating in the opening direction. Install the new belt unit as in the previous paragraph.

  In this embodiment, the photocoupler unit 5 is fixed by screwing the screws 53, 53, but can be replaced if the screws 53, 53 are removed. At that time, the lower lid 3 is opened, the photocoupler unit 5 in the photocoupler unit housing 1B is removed, and a new photocoupler unit 5 is housed in the photocoupler unit housing 1B. And after fixing like FIG. 5, the lower cover 3 is closed.

  The operation of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 7 is an output signal waveform diagram of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the belt 41 has irregularities formed on the surface at regular intervals. When the belt 41 of this embodiment is moved toward the front or the back with a finger or the like, the light output from the LED 51a is reflected by the belt 41 and received by the phototransistor 52a. Since the distance to the phototransistor 52a varies depending on whether the belt 41 is concave or convex, the amount of light received by the phototransistor 52a also varies depending on whether it is concave or convex. This change is output as a rectangular wave signal φA to the device through the connection terminal. Similarly, the phototransistor 52b outputs a change in the amount of light received by the light output from the LED 51b reflected by the belt 41 as a rectangular wave signal φB. Since the detection mechanism of the pair of LED 51a and phototransistor 52a and the pair of LED 51b and phototransistor 52b are arranged slightly shifted in the moving direction of the belt 41 (and the width direction of the belt 41), the output rectangular wave The signal has a phase difference δ.

  The detection of whether the operation direction of the belt 41 is operated from the front to the back or the operation from the back to the front and the detection of the operation amount are dependent on the performance required by the device. Since it is performed on the device side, only a brief description is given. In the case of the operation direction of the belt 41, when the pair of the LED 51a and the phototransistor 52a is attached to the back side of the pair of the LED 51b and the phototransistor 52b, the belt 41 is When the operation is performed from the back toward the front, as shown in FIG. 7A, φA first becomes a rectangular wave, and then φB becomes a rectangular wave. Conversely, when the belt 41 is operated from the front to the back, φB becomes a rectangular wave first, and then φA becomes a rectangular wave as shown in FIG. 7B. Thus, the operation direction can be detected by detecting which one of φA and φB first becomes a rectangular wave. The operation amount of the belt 41 is determined by counting the rectangular wave number of either one of the rectangular waves φA or φB in the device.

  As a detection assisting means for detecting the operation direction and operation amount of the belt 41, in addition to a method of forming irregularities on the surface of the belt 41, a black and white striped pattern is drawn on the surface of the belt 41, and the transparency and material are set at regular intervals. A method may be used in which the amount of light received by the phototransistors 52a and 52b is changed by changing the refractive index. Further, in the present embodiment, two sets of LEDs and phototransistors are used in one photocoupler unit as the operation direction detection means, but three or more sets may be used. Further, a system using a plurality of photocoupler units using one set of LEDs and phototransistors may be used.

  In addition to the method using the photocoupler, the detector is configured by arranging a plurality of magnetic sensors shifted in the horizontal direction as in the photocoupler, and the belt side detection auxiliary means includes N and S on the belt. Alternatively, a plurality of rectangular wave signals having different phases may be generated by alternately forming the magnetic poles and detecting the magnetic poles with a magnetic sensor.

  The operation of the level meter 6 determines the number of level meter LEDs to be turned on according to the parameter value based on the direction and amount of operation of the belt 41, and activates the signal line corresponding to the LED 6a that is turned on from the connection terminal. It works as a level meter. In the present embodiment, the level meters 6 are arranged on both sides of the belt 41, but only one side may be used.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The belt-type input device of the second embodiment includes an attachment body 7, a level meter 10 using an LED laid on an upper plate 7e of the attachment body 7, a belt unit 8 that can be detached from the attachment body 7, and an attachment body 7. It consists of a built-in photocoupler unit 9.

  The attachment body 7 is formed of a synthetic resin, and the rear plate 7b, the side plates 7c and 7c, the bottom plate 7d, and the upper plate 7e constitute a rectangular parallelepiped belt unit insertion portion 7A that matches the outer shape of the belt unit 8. . The upper plate 7e is formed with a notch 71 for the belt 81 protruding from the belt unit 8 so that the belt unit 8 can be inserted, and the level meter 10 is disposed on one side of the notch 71. Has been. The level meter 10 displays the current value of the parameter from a maximum value to a minimum value in the form of a bar graph by a plurality of LEDs built in the upper plate 7e as in the first embodiment. Further, the side plates 7c, 7c of the attachment body 7 are provided with rectangular holes 72, 72 for fixing the belt unit 8 to the attachment body 7 when the belt unit 8 is attached to the attachment body 7, and the attachment body 7. Elastic claws 73 and 73 are formed to be fixed to the device side when mounted on the device. Further, a lower portion of the bottom plate 7d constitutes a box-shaped photocoupler unit storage portion 7B, and the photocoupler unit 9 stored in the photocoupler unit storage portion 7B passes through an opening 74 formed in the bottom plate 7d. This is desired on the belt unit insertion portion 7A side.

  The belt unit 8 has a belt 81 configured in a loop shape, and the belt 81 operates smoothly with a pulley or an auxiliary wheel in that the belt unit 4, the belt 41, and the pulley 42a of the first embodiment are used. 42b and auxiliary wheels 43a and 43b. The difference from the first embodiment is that the attachment method to the attachment body 7 is attached from the long side of the attachment body 7 as shown by the arrow in FIG. The belt unit 8 includes a case 8a, a belt 81, an elastic claw 82, a hole 83, and a pulley and an auxiliary wheel similar to those in the first embodiment (not shown). The hole 83 is provided to be fixed to the attachment body side when the attachment body 7 is attached, and the hole 83 is pushed into the inner surface 7c1 of the side plate 7c of the attachment body 7 when the elastic claw 82 is attached to the attachment body 7. It is provided for this purpose. The photocoupler unit 9 has the same configuration as that of the first embodiment.

  In the second embodiment, the belt unit 8 is attached by inserting the belt unit 8 into the belt unit insertion portion 7A from the long side of the attachment body 7 with the belt 81 in the back as shown in FIG. When the insertion starts, the elastic claws 82 on both side surfaces of the case 8a of the belt unit 8 are pushed into the inner surface 7c1 of the side plate 7c and pushed into the hole 83. When inserted as it is, the elastic claw 82 reaches the hole 72 formed in the side plate 7c, and the elastic claw 82 returns to its original position due to its elasticity, so that the belt unit 8 is fixed to the attachment body 7. This completes the mounting of the belt unit 8. Next, the connection terminal provided on the lower side or the side part (not shown) of the photocoupler unit 9 is fitted to the connection terminal on the device side. Thereafter, when the belt type input device is mounted on the device, the belt type input device is mounted in a downward direction in FIG. At this time, similarly to the mounting of the belt unit 8, the elastic claw 73 is pushed into the cross section of the case of the device and pushed into the hole 72. However, when the mounting is completed, the elastic claw 73 returns to its original position due to its elasticity. Can be fixed so that it does not come off.

  The operation of the belt-type input device in the second embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment in that the movement state of the belt 81 in the belt unit 8 is detected by the photocoupler unit 9, and for detecting the movement amount of the belt. Similarly, the means may be changed from a photocoupler to a magnetic sensor.

  In the above two embodiments, the belt-type input device in which the belt unit is removable has been described. However, the belt unit may be fixed and the photocoupler unit may be removable.

  In the first embodiment, the lower lid 3 is formed of a resin-integrated hinge structure with respect to the attachment body 1, but the lower lid 3 is formed separately from the attachment body 1 and the shaft and the shaft hole are fitted. By combining, the lower lid 3 may be attached to the attachment body 1 so as to be rotatable.

It is a principal part exploded perspective view of the belt type input device of a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view of the photocoupler unit in the belt type input device. It is a side view of the state which removed the lower cover in the belt type input device. It is an enlarged view of the fixing | fixed part which fixes the same lower cover. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. It is a perspective view of the fitting part of the upper panel and side panel in the belt type input device. It is an output signal waveform diagram concerning the embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the belt type input device of a 2nd embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Attachment body, 4 ... Belt unit, 4a ... Case, 41 ... Belt, 42a, 42b ... Pulley (core body), 5 ... Photocoupler unit (detector), 7 ... Attachment body, 8 ... Belt unit, 8a ... Case, 81 ... Belt, 9 ... Photocoupler unit (detector)

Claims (2)

A belt unit body comprising: a loop-shaped belt; a core body that exists in the loop of the belt and that allows the belt to move indefinitely; and a case that fixes the core body;
A detector for detecting the movement state of the belt of the belt unit body,
A belt-type input device, wherein the belt unit body is configured to be freely detached and fitted to the detector. A belt unit body comprising: a loop-shaped belt; a core body that exists in the loop of the belt and that allows the belt to move indefinitely; and a case that fixes the core body;
A detector for detecting a movement state of the belt of the belt unit body;
The belt unit body and the mounting body for attaching the detector,
A belt-type input device, wherein the belt unit body and the detector are detachably fitted to the attachment body.

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