JP2008198369A - On-vehicle touch switch - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To downsize and reduce cost through reduction of the number of components. <P>SOLUTION: A touch panel 25 with a larger display area than a liquid crystal display 24 is installed so that, when a user presses, for instance, a push button 23a, a contact member 32a comes in contact with the panel in linking with movement of the push button 23a. When a user presses an operating face 25a of the touch panel 25, a switch processing part 31 detects a site where the user pressed, and if the user presses the push button 23a, for instance, the switch processing part 31 detects a site touched by the contact member 32a. A push-button switch or a switching board corresponding to the push button 23a can be done away with, and at the same time, one switch processing part 31 can be commonly used. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention is applied to, for example, an in-vehicle navigation device, and is configured to allow a user to press an operation surface of a touch panel and to be configured to be able to press a push button provided at a position outside a display area of a display unit. The present invention relates to a switch device.

For example, an in-vehicle touch switch device applied to an in-vehicle navigation device is disclosed in Patent Document 1 below.
JP 2006-134180 A

  FIG. 6 shows an external perspective view of a conventional in-vehicle touch switch device, and FIG. 7 shows an exploded perspective view thereof. The in-vehicle touch switch device 1 is configured by combining an escutcheon 2, a plurality of (in this case, six) press buttons 3a to 3f, a liquid crystal display 4, a touch panel 5, and the like, and a plurality of press buttons 3a to 3f. A plurality of push button switches 6a to 6f are arranged on the switch boards 7a and 7b corresponding to each of the switches. The touch panel 5 is connected to the touch switch processing unit 11 via the connectors 8 and 9 and the signal line 10, and the switch board 7a is connected to the push button switch processing unit 15 via the connectors 12a and 13a and the signal line 14a. The switch board 7b is connected to the push button switch processing unit 15 via the connectors 12b and 13b and the signal line 14b.

  In the configuration described above, when the user presses the operation surface 5a of the touch panel 5, the current value of the current flowing through the portion pressed by the user changes, the touch switch processing unit 11 detects the change in the current value, and the user When one of the plurality of press buttons 3a to 3f is pressed, a press button switch corresponding to the pressed press button is turned on, and the press button switch processing unit 15 detects that the press button switch is turned on. Thereby, the user can set a destination or start route guidance by pressing the operation surface 5a of the touch panel 5, and presses any one of the plurality of press buttons 3a to 3f. Thus, for example, the apparatus power supply can be turned on / off and the volume can be adjusted.

  However, the above configuration has the following problems. That is, a plurality of push button switches 6a to 6f and switch boards 7a and 7b are provided to detect that the user has pressed any of the plurality of push buttons 3a to 3f, or the touch switch processing unit 11 and the push button switch process. The configuration in which the portion 15 is provided separately increases the number of parts, and becomes a factor that hinders downsizing and cost reduction. In particular, considering that the mounting location is a vehicle, the influence that hinders the miniaturization is great.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an in-vehicle touch switch device that can reduce the number of components and can be reduced in size and cost. .

  According to the invention described in claim 1, the touch panel is configured to be larger than the display area of the display unit and to contact the contact portion in conjunction with the movement of the press button when the user presses the press button, Since the switch means is configured not only to detect the part pressed by the user when the user presses the operation surface of the touch panel, but also to detect the part touched by the contact part when the user presses the push button. In addition, the push button switch and the switch board corresponding to the push button can be eliminated, and the touch switch processing means and the push button switch processing means can be made common as one switch processing means. Can be reduced, and downsizing and cost reduction can be achieved.

  According to the invention described in claim 2, since the touch panel is provided with a bending preventing member that prevents the touch panel from being bent when the contact portion comes into contact with the touch panel, the touch panel is bent when the contact portion comes into contact with the touch panel. This can be prevented and the touch panel can be prevented from being damaged.

According to the invention described in claim 3, since the contact portion is configured in a spherical shape, the load applied to the touch panel can be reduced.
According to the invention described in claim 4, since the contact portion is made of an elastic material, the load applied to the touch panel can be eased also in this case.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, when the pressing button is configured to be movable in a direction in which the load is applied to the touch panel while the contact portion is in contact with the touch panel, the direction in which the contact portion applies the load to the touch panel. Since the stress acting on the touch panel when it becomes impossible to move is less than the stress that can withstand the destruction of the touch panel, the user presses the push button while the contact portion is in contact with the touch panel. Even when a load is continuously applied to the touch panel, it is possible to prevent the touch panel from being damaged.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, since the signal line connecting the touch panel and the switch processing means is wired on the back side of the touch panel and on the side of the display means, the back side of the touch panel and the side of the display means are arranged. The dead space can be effectively used, and the size can be further reduced.

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an in-vehicle touch switch device used as an in-vehicle navigation device will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the in-vehicle touch switch device, and FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view thereof. The in-vehicle touch switch device 21 is configured by combining an escutcheon 22, a plurality of (in this case, six) push buttons 23a to 23f, a liquid crystal display 24 (display means in the present invention), a touch panel 25, and the like. . In this case, the vehicle-mounted touch switch device 21 is configured so that there is no difference in appearance from the conventional vehicle-mounted touch switch device 1 (see FIG. 6) in a state where these members are combined.

  The escutcheon 22 is formed with fitting portions 26a to 26f into which the plurality of push buttons 23a to 23f are fitted, and a window in which an area corresponding to the liquid crystal display 24 of the touch panel 25 is exposed as the operation surface 25a. A portion 26g is formed and configured. The plurality of push buttons 23a to 23f are provided at positions outside the display area of the liquid crystal display 24, and reciprocate in the vertical direction with respect to the planar display surface 24a of the liquid crystal display 24 (the operation surface 25a of the touch panel 25). It is arranged to be movable. The touch panel 25 is larger (wider) than the display area of the liquid crystal display 24 and is also extended and arranged on the back side of the plurality of push buttons 23 a to 23 f in a state where the plurality of push buttons 23 a to 23 f are incorporated in the escutcheon 22. The portions corresponding to the plurality of push buttons 23a to 23f are the push button switch processing units 27a to 27f. The touch panel 25 is connected to a switch processing unit 31 (switch processing means in the present invention) via connectors 28 and 29 and a signal line 30.

Next, the push buttons 23a to 23f and the surrounding configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition, although the push button 23a is demonstrated here, the other push button 23b is demonstrated.
The same applies to ˜23f. The pressing button 23a is provided with a contact member 32a (contact portion in the present invention) on the side opposite to the operation surface touched by the user's finger. This contact member 32
a is made of an elastic material, and when the user presses (when a load is applied in the direction of arrow P in FIG. 4), at least a portion that contacts the touch panel 25 has a spherical shape.

  4, the thickness of the touch panel 25 is “a”, the dimension of the contact member 32a in the moving direction is “b”, and the distance from the tip of the contact member 32a to the lower end of the push button 23a is “ c ”, when“ a> b ”, the stress acting on the touch panel 25 is determined by the elastic modulus“ μ ”and the dimensional change rate“ Δc ”of the contact member 32a, and therefore when the user presses the push button 23a. “C” and “Δc” are determined so that the stress applied to the touch panel 25 by the contact member 32a becomes an appropriate value, and when “Δc = a−b”, that is, the contact member 23a is applied to the touch panel 25. What is necessary is just to determine "b" so that the stress which acts on the touch panel 25 when it becomes impossible to move to the direction which gives a load becomes less than the stress which can endure destruction of the touch panel 25.

  Further, on the back side of the portion of the touch panel 25 that is designated as the push button switch processing units 27a to 27f, that is, the back side of the touch panel 25 and the side of the liquid crystal display 24, the touch button 25 is provided with the push button switch processing units 27a to 27f. A bend preventing member 33a is provided for preventing the touch panel 25 from being bent when a load is applied thereto (FIG. 3 also shows a bend preventing member 33d). In addition, these bending prevention members 33a and 33d are arrange | positioned with respect to each of the press buttons 23a-23f, ie, the press button located not only in the structure arrange | positioned by the whole apparatus but on the left side by front view. The configuration may be such that one is arranged for 23a to 23c and one is arranged for the push buttons 23d to 23f located on the right side in front view, that is, two are arranged for the entire apparatus.

  In the configuration described above, when the user presses the operation surface 25a of the touch panel 25, the current value of the current flowing through the portion pressed by the user changes, the switch processing unit 31 detects the change in the current value, and the user When any one of the plurality of press buttons 23a to 23f is pressed, any one of the contact members corresponding to the pressed button is brought into contact with any one of the press button switch processing units, and the contact portion of the contact member is determined. The current value of the flowing current changes, and the switch processing unit 31 detects the change in the current value. That is, the switch processing unit 31 detects an operation in which the user presses the operation surface 25a of the touch panel 25 and also detects an operation in which the user presses any one of the plurality of press buttons 23a to 23f. Thereby, the user can set a destination or start route guidance by pressing the operation surface 25a of the touch panel 25, and presses any one of the plurality of press buttons 23a to 23f. Thus, for example, the apparatus power supply can be turned on / off and the volume can be adjusted.

  By the way, in the above configuration, when the switch processing unit 31 is disposed on the back side of the touch panel 25, the signal line 30 connecting the touch panel 25 and the switch processing unit 31 is on the back side of the touch panel 25 and the liquid crystal display 24. It may be wired sideways.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, in the in-vehicle touch switch device 21, it is larger than the display area of the liquid crystal display 24 and interlocks with the movement of the push button 23 a when the user presses the push button 23 a, for example. When the touch panel 25 is provided so that the contact member 32a comes into contact and the user presses the operation surface 25a of the touch panel 25, the switch processing unit 31 detects the part pressed by the user and the user presses the press button 23a, for example. Then, since it comprised so that the switch processing part 31 might detect the site | part which the contact member 32a contacted, the push button switch and switch board corresponding to the push button 23a can be made unnecessary, and it is set as one switch processing part 31. Can be shared, thereby reducing the number of parts. Can be, it is possible to reduce the size and cost reduction.

  Moreover, since the bending prevention member 33a for preventing the touch panel 32a from being bent when the contact member 32a contacts the touch panel 25 is provided, the touch panel 25 is bent when the contact member 32a contacts the touch panel 25. This can prevent the touch panel from being damaged.

  Further, since the contact member 32a is formed in a spherical shape or the contact member 32a is formed of an elastic material, the load applied to the touch panel 25 can be reduced. Further, since the stress acting on the touch panel 25 at the time when the contact member 32a becomes unable to move in the direction in which the touch panel 25 is loaded is configured to be less than the stress that can withstand the destruction of the touch panel 25, the contact member 32a. Even when the user continues to press the push button 23a while being in contact with the touch panel 25 and a load is continuously applied to the touch panel 25, the touch panel 25 can be prevented from being damaged.

  Furthermore, if the signal line 31 connecting the touch panel 25 and the switch processing unit 31 is wired on the back side of the touch panel 25 and on the side of the liquid crystal display 24, the dead space on the back side of the touch panel 25 and on the side of the liquid crystal display 24 is reduced. It can be used effectively and can be further reduced in size.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be modified or expanded as follows.
The configuration is not limited to the configuration applied to the vehicle-mounted navigation device, and may be a configuration applied to other vehicle-mounted devices.

1 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention. External perspective view Longitudinal side view 3 equivalent figure 3 equivalent figure Perspective view showing conventional configuration Exploded perspective view

Explanation of symbols

  In the drawings, 21 is an in-vehicle touch switch device, 23a to 23f are push buttons, 24 is a liquid crystal display (display means), 24a is a display surface, 25 is a touch panel, 25a is an operation surface, and 31 is a switch processing unit (switch processing means). 32a are contact members (contact portions), and 33a and 33d are deflection preventing members.

Claims (6)

Display means having a flat display surface, a push button provided at a position outside the display area of the display means and capable of reciprocating in the direction perpendicular to the display surface of the display means, and at least the display of the display means An in-vehicle touch switch device comprising a touch panel provided so as to cover a surface, and a switch processing means for detecting a portion pressed by the user when the user presses the operation surface of the touch panel,
The touch panel is configured to be larger than the display area of the display means and to contact the contact portion in conjunction with the movement of the press button when the user presses the press button,
The on-vehicle touch switch device characterized in that the switch means also detects a portion where the contact portion comes into contact when the user presses the push button. In the in-vehicle touch switch device according to claim 1,
An in-vehicle touch switch device comprising a bending prevention member that prevents the touch panel from bending when the contact portion comes into contact with the touch panel. In the in-vehicle touch switch device according to claim 1 or 2,
The in-vehicle touch switch device, wherein the contact portion is formed in a spherical shape. In the in-vehicle touch switch device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The in-vehicle touch switch device, wherein the contact portion is made of an elastic material. In the in-vehicle touch switch device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
When the pressing button is configured to be movable in a direction in which the load is applied to the touch panel in a state where the contact portion is in contact with the touch panel, the contact unit is not movable in a direction in which the load is applied to the touch panel. The vehicle-mounted touch switch device is configured such that a stress acting on the touch panel at a point of time becomes less than a stress that can withstand the destruction of the touch panel. In the in-vehicle touch switch device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A vehicle-mounted touch switch device, characterized in that a signal line connecting the touch panel and the switch processing means is wired on the back side of the touch panel and on the side of the display means.

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