JP2007103140A - Multi-direction input device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a multi-direction input device in which a holding structure of a push-button switch and a return spring on a side of a rotating body is unnecessary and therefore its size can be made smaller. <P>SOLUTION: A rotating body 2 is held on a base 1 rotatable and slidable in one direction alongside a rotating face and a rotating input and a sliding input of the rotating body 2 are conducted. The rotating body 2 has a cam convex part 2a on a bottom face of a rotating central part and a ball 21 which is connected with the cam convex part 2a. The base 1 is provided with a dome-shaped return spring 31 positioned to face the rotating central part of the rotating body 2 and the return spring 31 energizes the ball 21, which moves in coordination with the cam convex part 2a when the rotating body 2 slides, toward a returning direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a multidirectional input device that includes a rotating body that can perform a rotating operation and a pressing operation, and that outputs electrical signals in response to these two types of operation inputs.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an input device for an electronic device such as a mobile phone, a multi-directional input device that includes a rotating body that can perform both a rotating operation and a pressing operation and outputs an electric signal in response to these two types of operation inputs has been known. It has been. Here, the pressing operation is performed by pressing the peripheral surface of the rotating body and sliding along the rotating surface. An example of such a multi-directional input device is disclosed in Patent Document 1.
Japanese Patent No. 2923267

  In the conventional multidirectional input device, a push button switch and a return spring for pressing are arranged on the side of the rotating body to detect the operation of the sliding rotating body and return to the original position. However, since the push button switch and the return spring are arranged on the side of the rotating body, a space for the push button switch and a space for the holding structure of the return spring are required, thereby reducing the size of the multidirectional input device. It was inhibiting.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a multidirectional input device that does not require a push button switch or a return spring holding structure on the side of a rotating body and can be miniaturized. .

In order to solve the above-described problems, a multidirectional input device according to the present invention holds a rotating body on a base so as to be rotatable and slidable in one direction along a rotating surface. In a multi-directional input device
The rotating body has a cam peak on the bottom surface of the center of rotation, and a ball linked to the cam peak is provided.
The base is provided with a dome-shaped return spring at a position facing the rotation center of the rotating body, and the return spring is in a return direction with respect to a ball that moves in conjunction with the cam crest when the rotating body slides. It is configured to be biased to.

  The multidirectional input device according to the present invention is characterized in that the return spring is constituted by a movable contact of a push button switch.

  Furthermore, the multidirectional input device according to the present invention is characterized in that the base and the rotating body are connected via an Oldham joint.

  Furthermore, in the multi-directional input device according to the present invention, the cam crest is formed by notching the bottom surface of the rotating body in a conical shape, and the ball has its upper half held by the cam crest. The substantially lower half is held by a guide member attached to the base.

  The multi-directional input device according to the present invention is characterized in that the base has a stopper portion in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the rotating body in an outer peripheral portion within a predetermined range in the circumferential direction. .

  According to the multidirectional input device according to the present invention, the rotating body has a cam peak portion on the bottom surface of the rotation center portion, the ball linked to the cam peak portion is provided, and the base is opposed to the rotation center portion of the rotation body. A dome-shaped return spring is provided at the position, and the return spring biases the ball moving in association with the cam crest when the rotary body slides in the return direction, thereby providing a return mechanism for the rotary body to the slide. Since it can be arranged inside, it is not necessary to arrange a holding structure for the return spring on the side of the rotating body, and the size can be reduced.

  Further, according to the multi-directional input device according to the present invention, since the return spring is composed of the movable contact of the push button switch, the return spring of the push button switch and the return mechanism for the slide of the rotating body can be used together, thereby reducing the number of parts. Thus, assembling can be facilitated, and further downsizing can be achieved.

  Furthermore, according to the multidirectional input device according to the present invention, the base and the rotating body are connected via the Oldham joint, so that the mechanism for the rotating body to perform the rotating operation and the sliding operation can be simply configured. Can do.

  Furthermore, according to the multidirectional input device of the present invention, the cam crest is formed by notching the bottom surface of the rotating body in a conical shape, and the ball is held substantially at the upper half by the cam crest, and at the substantially lower half. Is held by the guide member attached to the base, the sliding motion of the rotating body can be converted into the vertical motion of the ball, and the return spring can be smoothly pressed by the ball.

  According to the multi-directional input device of the present invention, the base has a stopper portion that contacts the inner peripheral surface of the rotating body at the outer peripheral portion in a predetermined range in the circumferential direction, so that the rotating body is It can be made to slide only in the direction.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the multidirectional input device according to the present embodiment. The multidirectional input device according to the present embodiment includes a substantially circular base 1 for housing various components, and a substantially circular rotating body 2 provided so as to cover the upper part thereof. The rotating body 2 is rotated and slid with respect to the base 1, and unevenness is formed on the outer peripheral surface so that the operation can be easily performed. In addition, the base 1 is provided with a contact portion 3 that functions as a switch according to the sliding operation of the rotating body 2 and a detection portion 4 that outputs a signal according to the rotating operation of the rotating body 2.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the base 1 has an inner wall 12 and an outer wall 13 concentrically. The outer accommodating portions 11 are respectively formed in the inner portions. Further, from the bottom surface of the base 1, a fixing portion 1a for fixing the multidirectional input device protrudes in two directions, and a terminal portion 1b for taking out an output protrudes in one direction.

  A contact portion 3 that functions as a switch is provided on the bottom surface of the inner housing portion 10 of the base 1, and a movable contact 31 formed of a dome-shaped return spring is exposed. In addition, a ring-shaped guide member 20 having a through hole 20a in the center is accommodated in the inner housing portion 10 so as to prevent the movable contact 31 from falling off. Further, the outer housing portion 11 of the base 1 has a cam plate 22 having a cam peak 22 a on the upper surface on the outer peripheral side, a linkage plate 23 linked to the cam plate 22 and the rotating body 2, and the rotation of the rotating body 2. The cam crest 22a of the cam plate 22 and the elastic member 24 having the protrusion 24b that repeatedly engages and disengages are housed.

  The cam plate 22 is formed with a hole at the center, and protrusions 22b and 22b are formed at two positions on the periphery of the cam plate 22 facing each other. In addition, a hole that is slightly larger than the cam plate 22 is formed in the center portion of the link plate 23, and four link portions 23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d are formed at every 90 ° in the periphery of the link plate 23. Has been. The two protrusions 22 b and 22 b of the cam plate 22 engage with the two linkage portions 23 a and 23 c facing each other of the linkage plate 23, and the remaining two linkage portions 23 b and 23 d are formed on the bottom surface of the rotating body 2. Engages with the protrusions 2b and 2b.

  As will be described later, a cam crest portion 2 a that is cut out in a conical shape is formed on the bottom surface of the rotating body 2. A ball 21 is disposed in a space formed by the guide member 20 and the cam nose 2 a housed in the inner housing portion 10 of the base 1. When the rotating body 2 slides, the ball 21 is pressed by the cam crest 2 a formed on the bottom surface thereof, and the pressed ball 21 moves downward along the guide member 20. As described above, the movable contact 31 made of the return spring is provided on the bottom surface of the inner housing portion 10 of the base 1, and the ball 21 that has moved downward presses the movable contact 31 to make contact with the center contact and the periphery of the fixed contact 30. Conduction is established between the contacts. In this state, the movable contact 31 urges the ball 21 in the return direction, that is, upward, so that a return mechanism in the sliding operation of the rotating body 2 can be configured. Details of this structure will be described later.

  FIG. 2 is a plan view of the multidirectional input device. As shown in this figure, the rotator 2 covers the entire upper surface of the base 1, and the fixed portion 1a and the terminal portion 1b protrude outward. The rotating body 2 is held by a movable spacer 1c provided on the base 1 and is rotatable with respect to the base 1, and in the direction of the arrow P in the figure from the opposite side of the terminal portion 1b toward the terminal portion 1b. It is designed to be slidable along the rotation surface. Here, the rotating body 2 is connected to the base 1 via a so-called Oldham joint so that the rotating body 2 is slidable in any rotational angle state.

  FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a state in which the rotating body 2 is removed from FIG. As shown in this figure, the protrusions 22b and 22b formed on the cam plate 22 are engaged with regions of approximately half the radial direction of the linkage portions 23a and 23c, and the outer peripheral surface is between the linkage plate 23. There is a gap. For this reason, the linkage plate 23 and the cam plate 22 rotate together during rotation, while the linkage plate 23 can move by a gap in the radial direction with respect to the cam plate 22 when sliding. Similarly, the protrusions 2b and 2b provided on the lower surface of the rotating body 2 are also engaged with the linking portions 23b and 23d of the linking plate 23 by substantially half, and there is a gap between the outer peripheral surface and the linking plate 23. The rotating body 2 and the connecting plate 23 rotate together during rotation, while the rotating body 2 can move in a direction different from the cam plate 22 by 90 ° with respect to the connecting plate 23 when sliding. With this combination, when the rotating body 2 rotates, the linkage plate 23 and the cam plate 22 rotate together. On the other hand, when the rotating body 2 slides, the cam plate 22 rotates with the base plate 1 fixed. An Oldham joint is formed in which only the body 2 or the rotating body 2 and the linkage plate 23 slide.

  An elastic member 24 made of a ring-shaped leaf spring is fixed to the outer peripheral side of the linkage plate 23. As shown in FIG. 1, the elastic member 24 has substantially L-shaped fixing portions 24 a and 24 a that protrude downward at two positions facing each other, whereby the elastic member 24 is fixed to the base 1. ing. Protrusions 24b and 24b are formed on the lower surface of the elastic member 24, and repeatedly engage and disengage with the cam crest 22a of the cam plate 22 as the rotating body 2 rotates, thereby giving a click feeling to the rotation operation.

  The outer wall 13 formed on the base 1 has an upper surface extending outward in a predetermined region in the circumferential direction. As shown in FIG. 3, an extension portion 13 a is provided between the two fixing portions 1 a and 1 a in the circumferential direction and includes the pressing portion P of the rotating body 2. Extending portions 13b and 13c are respectively formed in regions extending to the portion 1b. Among these, the extending portions 13b and 13c formed in the region from the fixed portion 1a to the terminal portion 1b extend further outward than the extending portion 13a formed in the region including the pressing portion P of the rotating body 2. ing. The inner circumferential surface of the rotator 2 has a gap with the extending portion 13a and contacts with the extending portions 13b and 13c regardless of the rotation angle state. Therefore, the rotating body 2 can be slid only in the direction on the line connecting the pressing portion P and the terminal portion 1b, and cannot be slid by the extending portions 13b and 13c in the other directions. That is, the extending portions 13 b and 13 c function as a stopper portion for the sliding operation of the rotating body 2.

  4 shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. As shown in these drawings, the cam crest portion 2 a of the rotating body 2 is formed in a conical shape on the bottom surface of the rotating center portion of the rotating body 2. The substantially upper half of the ball 21 is in contact with the cam nose 2 a, and the substantially lower half of the ball 21 is held in the through hole 20 a of the guide member 20. 4 and 5 show a state before the rotating body 2 is slid, and the movable contact 31 constituting the contact portion 3 has a dome shape, and its lower peripheral edge is in contact with the peripheral contact of the fixed contact 30. In contact with the central contact. Therefore, the peripheral contact and the center contact are in a non-conductive state.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the contact portion 3 includes a fixed contact 30 provided on the bottom surface of the base 1 and a dome-shaped movable contact 31 provided so as to cover the upper side. The movable contact 31 is deformed by being pressed from above, and when the top reaches the bottom surface of the base 1, the movable contact 31 comes into contact with the central contact of the fixed contact 30, and the central contact and the peripheral contact become conductive through the movable contact 31. The switch signal is output from the terminal portion 1b to the external device. Further, since the movable contact 31 is constituted by a return spring, when it is deformed, it generates an elastic force directed upward in the return direction.

Moreover, the detection part 4 is provided in the bottom face which comprises the outer side accommodating part 11 of the base 1, as mentioned above, and makes the detection part 4 detect rotation operation on the bottom face side of the cam plate 22 facing it. A pattern 5 is provided. This pattern and the slider provided at the end of the detection unit 4 come in contact with and separates from the rotation of the rotating body 2, thereby detecting the rotation operation of the rotating body 2 and detecting the rotation pulse signal from the terminal section 1b. Output to an external device.
The rotation operation of the rotating body 2 may be detected by a non-contact sensor such as a magnet and a Hall element to detect a rotation pulse. In addition, a switch that switches on and off according to the rotation angle may be used. In that case, a rotation angle regulating member may be provided.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a gap is provided between the extending portion 13a of the base 1 and the inner peripheral surface of the rotating body 2, and the rotating body 2 is slidable in the left-right direction in the AA cross section. ing. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, the extending portions 13b and 13c of the base 1 are in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the rotating body 2 so that the rotating body 2 cannot slide in the left-right direction in the BB cross section. Has been.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the linkage portions 23b and 23d of the linkage plate 23 constituting the Oldham joint and the protrusions 2a and 2a of the rotating body 2 are engaged with each other in the substantially half region in the sliding direction as described above. ing. Further, FIG. 4 shows a protrusion 24 b of the elastic member 24, which is in contact with the cam crest 22 a of the cam plate 22. Since the cam plate 22 is connected to the rotating body 2 via the Oldham joint, the cam plate 22 rotates when the rotating body 2 is rotated, so that the protrusion 24b of the elastic member 24 is connected to the cam crest 22a. The engagement and disengagement is repeated, and a click feeling is given by the elastic force of the elastic member 24.

  FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the state in which the rotating body 2 is slid in FIG. As shown in this figure, the rotating body 2 slides toward the terminal portion 1 b with respect to the base 1, and the inner peripheral surface of the pressing portion of the rotating body 2 moves toward the extending portion 13 a side of the base 1. Along with this, the conical cam crest portion 2a formed on the bottom surface of the rotating body 2 also moves, and the ball 21 in contact with the peripheral surface is pressed obliquely downward. Here, since the ball 21 is held by the guide member 20 at its substantially lower half, the ball 21 moves vertically downward and presses the movable contact 31 downward. As a result, the movable contact 31 is deformed, the top reaches the bottom surface of the base 1, and the central contact and the peripheral contact of the fixed contact 30 are conducted.

  Since the movable contact 31 is formed of a return spring, the movable contact 31 urges the ball 21 upward by an elastic force in a state where the slide operation is performed. For this reason, when the pressing of the rotating body 2 is released, the movable contact 31 pushes the ball 21 upward to return to the original state. Along with this, the ball 21 presses the cam crest 2a of the rotating body 2 to return the rotating body 2 to the original position. Thus, the cam crest portion 2a of the rotating body 2 and the ball 21, the guide member 20, and the movable contact 31 constitute a return mechanism for the sliding operation of the rotating body 2.

  As described above, the ball 21 is moved by the cam crest portion 2a of the rotating body 2 and the guide member 20 to press the movable contact 31 that is a return spring, thereby providing a return mechanism for the sliding operation of the rotating body 2. Since it can be provided inside the rotator 2, the multidirectional input device can be miniaturized.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described so far, the application of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and can be variously applied within the scope of the technical idea.

It is a disassembled perspective view of the multidirectional input device in this embodiment. It is a top view of the multidirectional input device in this embodiment. It is a top view of the state which removed the rotary body in FIG. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. It is BB sectional drawing of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the state which slid the rotary body in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Base 2 Rotating body 2a Cam crest part 12 Inner side wall 13 Outer side wall 20 Guide member 21 Ball 22 Cam plate 23 Linking plate 24 Elastic member 30 Fixed contact 31 Movable contact

Claims (5)

In a multidirectional input device that holds a rotating body on a base so as to be rotatable and slidable in one direction along a rotating surface, and performs rotational input and sliding input of the rotating body,
The rotating body has a cam peak on the bottom surface of the center of rotation, and a ball linked to the cam peak is provided.
The base includes a dome-shaped return spring at a position facing the rotation center of the rotating body, and the return spring moves a ball that moves in conjunction with the cam peak when the rotating body slides in a return direction. A multidirectional input device characterized by energizing.   2. The multidirectional input device according to claim 1, wherein the return spring is constituted by a movable contact of a push button switch.   The multidirectional input device according to claim 1, wherein the base and the rotating body are connected via an Oldham joint.   The cam crest is formed by cutting the bottom surface of the rotating body into a conical shape, and the ball has a substantially upper half held by the cam crest and a substantially lower half attached to the base. The multidirectional input device according to claim 1, wherein the multidirectional input device is held by a member.   5. The multi-direction according to claim 1, wherein the base has a stopper portion that contacts an inner peripheral surface of the rotating body in an outer peripheral portion within a predetermined range in the circumferential direction. Input device.

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