JP2010182446A - Input operation device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an input operation device capable of smoothly carrying out two kinds of functional adjustment with excellence in operability and capable of preventing a set value that is already input from changing against wish due to external vibration. <P>SOLUTION: An operation unit 30 includes an operation lever 13 capable of sliding in an operation area, a push switch 14 mounted on a tiptop of the operation lever 13 for free changeover of operation modes, a pair of variable resistors 4, 11 for individually detecting lateral- and longitudinal-direction positions of the operation lever 13, a front panel 26 with an opening 26a for the operation lever 13 to penetrate into, and LEDs 23 for illuminating level display units 26b, 26c fitted around the opening 26a. Further, a control unit 40 includes a CPU 41 for generating control signals capable of setting at a wind volume and a temperature based on positional information of the operation lever 13, and a memory 42 for storing the positional information or the like. If the operation mode is changed to a control volume fixed mode, a set wind volume and a set temperature are maintained irrespective of a current position of the operation lever 13. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an input operation device suitable for use in, for example, temperature adjustment or air volume adjustment of an air conditioner.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an input operation device used for temperature adjustment and air volume adjustment of a car air conditioner or the like, a temperature adjustment operation member and an air flow adjustment operation member are arranged separately, and both operation members are operated individually. Was common. Therefore, when the temperature adjustment and the air volume adjustment are continuously performed, it is difficult to continuously operate the two types of operation members located apart from each other, and the operability is poor.

  Therefore, conventionally, an air volume adjusting operation member that is selectively pushed down in a plurality of areas is arranged inside a temperature adjusting operation member that is rotated in a cylindrical shape, and both the operation members can be operated individually. An input operation device for an air conditioner has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). By doing so, the temperature adjustment operation member and the air volume adjustment operation member can be arranged in a compact manner, so that the continuous operation can be performed relatively easily. In such a conventional input operation device, a display panel for displaying the set temperature and the set air volume is installed at a position separated by a predetermined amount from both operation members.

JP 2001-163033 A

  However, even in the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1, in order to adjust two types of functions (temperature adjustment and air volume adjustment), two types of operation members must be individually operated, and one of them rotates. In contrast to being operated, the selected area is pressed down, so that when used as an input operation device such as a car air conditioner, it is difficult to say that the operation is easy for the driver. That is, immediately after the outer operating member is rotated, the specific area of the inner operating member is pressed down, and conversely, the outer operating member is rotated immediately after the specific area of the inner operating member is pressed. In general, after operating one operating member, it is necessary to release the finger from the operating member once to operate the other operating member, which makes it difficult to perform continuous operation of both operating members smoothly. It was.

  Therefore, the present inventors can set the control amount of two types of functions continuously and simultaneously by sliding one operation member in an arbitrary direction on the same plane such as the vertical direction and the horizontal direction within the operation region. The input operation device was reviewed. However, when this type of input operation device is applied to an in-vehicle device such as a car air conditioner, the setting contents (setting temperature and There is a risk that the air volume will change unintentionally. Further, if the sliding resistance is increased to suppress such undesired sliding movement, there is a possibility that the operating member cannot be smoothly slid.

  The present invention has been made in view of the actual situation of the prior art, and its purpose is to facilitate two types of function adjustment, to provide excellent operability, and to prevent the input set value from being affected by external vibration. An object of the present invention is to provide an input operation device that can prevent a desired change.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the input operation device of the present invention, an operation member that can be moved in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction in the operation region by being slid, and the operation member is vertically connected in the operation region. Vertical position detection means for detecting where in the direction, horizontal position detection means for detecting where the operation member is located in the horizontal direction within the operation region, and these vertical position detection means and horizontal position detection means A storage unit capable of storing the position information of the operation member detected by the control unit, and a control signal for defining a control amount of the first function based on a detection result of the vertical position detection unit, and the horizontal position detection Control means for generating a control signal for defining the control amount of the second function based on the detection result of the means, and controlling the first and second functions by adjusting the operation position of the operation member An input operation device for setting the operation mode, and a switch mechanism unit capable of switching or updating the operation mode by a switching operation, wherein the operation mode includes at least a control amount fixed mode, The control amounts of the first and second functions based on the position information at the time when the switch mechanism is switched are maintained regardless of the current position of the operation member.

  The input operation device configured in this manner continuously sets the control amount of two different functions depending on whether one operation member is slid vertically or horizontally. It is also possible to simultaneously set the control amounts of the two types of functions by sliding the operation member in an oblique direction. In addition, when the operation mode is the fixed control amount mode, the set values of the control amounts of the two types of functions are maintained regardless of the current position of the operation member. Even if it is slid, the set value of the control amount can be prevented from changing undesirably, and the operation member can always be held in a state where it can be slid smoothly. Therefore, an input operation device having excellent operability and high reliability can be easily realized.

  In the above configuration, switching to the control amount variable mode is performed by switching the switch mechanism in the control amount fixed mode, and in this control amount variable mode, a control signal is generated based on the current position of the operation member, When switching to the control amount fixed mode is performed by switching the switch mechanism in the control amount variable mode, the control amount fixed mode is selected only when necessary by the user, otherwise the switch mechanism portion is selected. It is only necessary to select the variable control amount mode by performing the switching operation, and since the switching operation is not required every time it is set, the switching operation of the switch mechanism at the time of setting is unnecessary, and the input operation with extremely good operability is possible. You can do it.

  In the above configuration, in the control amount fixed mode, if the set values of the control amounts of the first and second functions are updated each time the switch mechanism is switched, the user moves the operation member to the desired position. Since the set value of the control amount of the first and second functions can be updated to the one corresponding to the desired position by sliding and moving the switch mechanism unit, the switch mechanism unit can be selected. Will be available as

  Further, in the above configuration, it is preferable that the switch mechanism portion is composed of a push switch attached to the top of the operation member because the operation member and the push switch can be smoothly and continuously operated.

  In this case, when either the first function or the second function is a temperature adjustment function and the other is an air volume adjustment function, and the air conditioner can be controlled by the control means, it is particularly suitable for a car air conditioner. An input operation device can be realized. However, in addition to the air conditioner, the present invention can also be applied to other devices (for example, a door mirror angle adjusting device) that require operation in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction.

  Further, in this case, a front panel having a square opening surrounding the operation area is provided, and the front panel has a first area corresponding to the first function in a belt-like area along the vertical side of the opening. When the level display portion is provided and the second level display portion corresponding to the second function is provided in the belt-like region along the lateral side of the opening, the current state of the operation member in the operation region The correlation between the position and the adjustment level of the first and second functions becomes clear, which makes it easy to perform an input operation. In particular, the first and second level display units are controlled by the control unit so that the first and second level display units can illuminate. In the fixed control amount mode, the predetermined positions of the first level display unit and the second level display unit respectively If the illumination is performed according to the set value of the control amount of the first function and the second function, the set value of the current control amount of the first and second functions is displayed on the first and second level display units. This is preferable because it allows the user to instantly grasp the illumination state and eliminates the need for a separate display panel. In addition, when the control means is provided with a notification means, and the notification means is configured to emit a predetermined tone when the push switch is switched, the switching operation can be confirmed by hearing, so driving, etc. Convenient to.

  According to the input operation device of the present invention, it is possible to continuously set control amounts of two different functions depending on whether one operation member is slid in the vertical direction or in the horizontal direction. It is also possible to set the control amounts of the two types of functions simultaneously by sliding the operation member in an oblique direction. In addition, when the operation mode is the fixed control amount mode, the control amounts of the two types of functions are maintained at amounts corresponding to the position at the time when the switch mechanism is operated regardless of the current position of the operation member. Even if the operating member slides on its own due to the vibration of a car traveling on the road, it is possible to prevent the set value of the control amount from changing undesirably, and the operating member can always slide smoothly. Can be retained. Therefore, this input operation device has an excellent effect that operability is extremely good and high reliability can be secured.

It is a top view of the input operation device concerning the example of an embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing which follows the AA line of FIG. It is sectional drawing which follows the BB line of FIG. It is a disassembled perspective view of this input operation device. It is a block diagram which shows notionally the structure of this input operation device. It is a flowchart which shows the control procedure in this input operation device.

  FIG. 1 is a plan view of an input operation device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the input operation device, FIG. 5 is a block diagram conceptually showing the structure of the input operation device, and FIG. 6 is a control in the input operation device. It is a flowchart which shows a procedure.

  The input operation device according to the present embodiment is for adjusting the temperature and air volume of a car air conditioner, and includes an operation unit 30 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 and a control unit 40 conceptually shown in FIG. It is mainly composed by. A detection signal or the like output from the operation unit 30 or the temperature sensor 50 is input to the control unit 40, and an LED 23 described later of the operation unit 30 is controlled by the control unit 40. In addition, the compressor 60, the air mix damper 70, the blower fan motor 80, and the like are controlled by the control unit 40 so that the temperature and the air volume of the car air conditioner become predetermined values set by the operation unit 30. That is, by outputting a necessary control signal to the compressor 60 and the air mix damper 70 in consideration of the set temperature value and the current temperature detected by the temperature sensor 50, they are actually set to a predetermined amount (second). The temperature adjustment (second function) is performed to output a necessary control signal to the blower fan motor 80 in accordance with the set value of the air flow, so that the blower fan is controlled. The motor 80 performs a mechanical predetermined amount (control amount of the first function) to adjust the air volume (first function). Further, the buzzer 90 attached as a notifying means to the input operation device is also controlled by the control unit 40.

  The operation unit 30 includes a lid 1 having a rectangular opening 1 a, a lower case 2 covered with the lid 1, a wiring board 3 installed on the inner bottom of the lower case 2, and a wiring board 3. A first slide type variable resistor 4 mounted, a pair of longitudinal guide rails 5 and 6 disposed on the wiring board 3 having slider portions 5a and 6a, and slider portions 5a and 6a. A pair of fixed rail holders 7 and 8, a horizontal axis guide rail 9 having a slider portion 9 a and both ends fixed to the rail holders 7 and 8, and a wiring fixed to the horizontal axis guide rail 9 Small board 10, second slide type variable resistor 11 mounted on wiring small board 10, lever holder 12 fixed on slider portion 9 a, and operation member erected on lever holder 12 The operation lever 13 that penetrates the opening 1a and the tactile switch A push switch 14 attached to the top of the operating lever 13 with a 14a, a plurality of movable plates 15-18 for closing the opening 1a from the inside, and a plurality of angles for guiding the movement of the movable plates 15-18. Bars 19 to 22, an upper substrate 24 mounted on the lid body 1 with the LEDs 23 mounted thereon, and a light shield disposed on the lid body 1 so as to cover the upper substrate 24 with a rectangular opening 25 a. The member 25 and the blackout panel 26 having a rectangular opening 26 a and installed on the light shielding member 25 are schematically configured. In addition, a makeup knob 27 that covers the push switch 14 is attached to the top of the operation lever 13, and a makeup frame 28 that covers the inner wall surface of the opening 25 a of the light shielding member 25 is attached to the lid 1. ing. Note that wiring patterns, harnesses, mounting screws, and the like on the boards 3, 10, and 24 are omitted as appropriate.

  The configuration of each part of the operation unit 30 will be described in detail. The opening 1a of the lid 1 defines the operation area of the operation lever 13, and the operation lever 13 is on the same plane within the operation area surrounded by the opening 1a. Can be slid in any direction. That is, the user can hold the makeup knob 27 and slide the operation lever 13 upward or downward (vertical direction), rightward or leftward (horizontal direction) in FIG. Further, the operation lever 13 can be slid and moved to the right diagonally upward, diagonally downward to the right, diagonally upward to the left, diagonally downward to the left in FIG. The movement of the operation lever 13 is not limited to the plane direction, and may be moved in the vertical and horizontal directions on a curved surface such as a spherical surface having a large curvature radius. Further, the planar view shapes of the light shielding member 25 and the blackout panel 26 installed on the lid 1 are substantially the same as those of the lid 1. The laminated body including the lid body 1, the light shielding member 25, and the blackout panel 26 constitutes a front panel of the operation unit 30.

  The lower case 2 is integrated with the lid 1 to form a housing. In the inner space of the lower case 2, the wiring board 3, the variable resistors 4, 11 and the guide rails 5, 6, 9 and the rail holder are provided. 7, 8 and the small wiring board 10, the lever holding body 12, and the like are accommodated.

  The vertical guide rails 5 and 6 extend in the vertical direction (vertical direction in FIG. 1) and are fixed to the wiring board 3 with screws or the like. As shown in FIG. 3, the slider portion 5 a is slidably engaged with the groove portion of the vertical guide rail 5, and the slider portion 6 a is slidably engaged with the groove portion of the vertical guide rail 6. . Therefore, the slider portions 5a and 6a are slidable in the vertical direction along the longitudinal guide rails 5 and 6. Further, since the rail holders 7 and 8 are fixed to the slider portions 5a and 6a by screws or the like, the rail holders 7 and 8 are also slidable in the vertical direction. The rail holder 7 is provided with a drive portion 7a protruding upward from the first slide type variable resistor 4, and the slide lever 4a of the first slide type variable resistor 4 is fitted to the drive portion 7a. Has been. As a result, the rail holder 7 and the slide lever 4a integrally slide in the vertical direction, so that the output of the first slide-type variable resistor 4 according to the position change of the slide lever 4a with respect to the resistor (not shown). The value changes. This output value (detection result) is output to the control unit 40 and used for air volume adjustment of the car air conditioner. In addition, the slider part 5a and the rail holding body 7 may be integrated, and similarly, the slider part 6a and the rail holding body 8 may be integrated.

  Since both ends of the horizontal axis guide rail 9 are fixed to the rail holders 7 and 8 by screwing or the like, the horizontal axis guide rail 9 is slidable in the vertical direction integrally with the rail holders 7 and 8. is there. In addition, a small wiring board 10 on which the second slide type variable resistor 11 is mounted is fixed to the horizontal axis guide rail 9 by screwing or the like on the bottom surface side of the portion excluding both ends. As shown in FIG. 2, the slider portion 9a is slidably engaged with the groove portion of the horizontal shaft guide rail 9, and the lever holding body 12 is fixed to the slider portion 9a with screws or the like. Therefore, the slider part 9a and the lever holding body 12 are slidable in the horizontal direction (left and right direction in FIG. 1) along the horizontal axis guide rail 9. The lever holding body 12 is provided with a drive portion 12a protruding upward from the second slide type variable resistor 11, and the slide lever 11a of the second slide type variable resistor 11 is fitted to the drive portion 12a. Has been. As a result, the lever holder 12 and the slide lever 11a integrally slide in the lateral direction, so that the output of the second slide-type variable resistor 11 according to the position change of the slide lever 11a with respect to the resistor (not shown). The value changes. This output value (detection result) is output to the control unit 40 and used for temperature adjustment of the car air conditioner. When the rail holders 7, 8 integrated with the slider portions 5a, 6a slide in the vertical direction along the vertical guide rails 5, 6, the horizontal guide rail 9, the slider portion 9a, and the lever holding The body 12 and the like are also slid in the vertical direction integrally. Further, the slider portion 9a and the lever holder 12 may be integrated.

  The lower end portion of the operation lever 13 is a male screw portion 13a. By screwing the male screw portion 13a into the screw hole of the lever holder 12, the operation lever 13 passes through the openings 1a, 25a and 26a of the front panel. The lever holding body 12 is fixed in a standing posture. A recess is formed at the top (upper end) of the operation lever 13, and a tactile switch 14a is incorporated in the recess. A switch driver 14b having a snap leg is externally fitted on the top of the operation lever 13 so as to be movable up and down, and the snap leg is inserted into a long hole (not shown) provided on the top. The switch driver 14b is elastically biased upward by the tactile switch 14a, but the switch leg 14b is prevented from falling off because the snap leg is regulated by the upper edge of the elongated hole. A guide groove (not shown) for guiding the vertical movement of the switch driver 14b is formed at the top of the operation lever 13. Further, the makeup knob 27 is fixed to the switch drive body 14b by adhesion or the like. By covering the makeup knob 27 in this way, the top of the operation lever 13, the switch drive body 14b, etc. are not visible from the outside, and the design is improved. ing. Note that sliding movement of the operation lever 13 in an undesired direction is restricted by the decorative frame 28.

  The push switch 14 is composed of a tactile switch 14a and a switch driver 14b. The tactile switch 14a can be turned on by depressing the switch driver 14b via the makeup knob 27, and released to the original position. Return to. The ON signal of the tactile switch 14a is output to the control unit 40 and used for switching the operation mode of the car air conditioner. In other words, the car air conditioner to be controlled in the present embodiment has a control amount fixing mode in which the set air volume and the set temperature are fixed regardless of the current position of the operation lever 13, and the air volume according to the current position of the operation lever 13. The control amount variable mode adjusted to the temperature can be appropriately selected, and the control amount fixed mode and the control amount variable mode can be switched in accordance with the switching operation of the push switch 14.

  The movable plates 15 to 18 are respectively provided with central holes 15 a to 18 a through which the operation lever 13 is inserted, and the central hole 18 a of the movable plate 18 arranged in the lowermost layer is substantially the same diameter as the operation lever 13. The operation lever 13 and the movable plate 18 slide together. These movable plates 15 to 18 are blindfolded plates of the openings 1a, 25a and 26a. Even if the operation lever 13 is slid, the openings 1a and the like are almost closed from the inside by the movable plates 15 to 18. It is supposed to be kept. The pair of angle bars 19 are fixed to the lower surface of the lid 1 and support the uppermost movable plate 15 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. The pair of angle bars 20 are fixed to the lower surface of the movable plate 15 and movable. The plate 16 is slidably supported in the lateral direction. Similarly, the pair of angle bars 21 are fixed to the lower surface of the movable plate 16 to support the movable plate 17 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction, and the pair of angle bars 22 are fixed to the lower surface of the movable plate 17 to be The lower movable plate 18 is slidably supported in the lateral direction. The movable plates 15, 17 and 18 perform the blinding function when the operating lever 13 is slid in the vertical direction, and the movable plates 16 and 18 perform the blinding function when the operating lever 13 is slid in the horizontal direction. In addition, the outer dimensions of the movable plates 15 to 18 are determined. That is, the outer dimension of the movable plate 18 is set to a size that can cover the central hole 17a from below even when the operating lever 13 moves to the edge of the central hole 17a. Even if the operating lever 13 moves to the edge of the central hole 15a, the size is set such that the central hole 15a can be covered from below. The same applies to the movable plate 16 and the movable plate 15. The outer dimension of the movable plate 15 is set to a size that can cover the opening 1a from below even when the operation lever 13 moves to the edge of the opening 1a. ing.

  On the upper substrate 24 installed on the lid 1, a plurality of LEDs 23 are arranged in a row along the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. The LEDs 23 arranged in the vertical direction are for illuminating the air volume level display unit 26b provided along the vertical side of the opening 26a of the blackout panel 26. The LEDs 23 arranged in the horizontal direction are for illuminating a temperature level display portion 26c provided along the horizontal side of the opening 26a of the blackout panel 26.

  The light shielding member 25 is provided with a plurality of housing holes 25b in which the LEDs 23 are arranged, and the light leakage of the LEDs 23 is prevented by the housing holes 25b. The blackout panel 26 is a known black translucent panel, and an air volume level display portion 26b is provided in a belt-like region along the vertical side of the opening 26a, and a temperature level is provided in the belt-like region along the horizontal side of the opening 26a. A display unit 26c is provided. However, since the entire surface of the blackout panel 26 is dark black when the LED 23 located below is not lit, the air volume level display part 26b and the temperature level display part 26c are hardly visible in such a light-off state. When the lower LED 23 is lit, the blackout panel 26 is locally illuminated with the lit color of the LED 23 only in the upper part thereof. Therefore, if the illumination state of the level display portions 26b and 26c is observed, the current set air volume and set temperature Can be grasped.

  The control unit 40 includes a CPU (control means) 41 and a memory (storage means) 42. The memory 42 stores data (AD value) obtained by converting an analog value related to the detection result of the first and second slide type variable resistors 4 and 11 into digital data, data related to the lighting state of the LED 23, and an operation mode (control). Data relating to the status of the fixed amount mode or the variable control amount mode) is stored. The memory data (status data) relating to the status of the operation mode is “1” for the fixed control amount mode and “0” for the variable control amount mode.

  When the operation lever 13 is slid in any direction within the operation area, the operation unit 30 detects the vertical coordinate position by the first slide-type variable resistor 4 and the horizontal coordinate position. It is detected by the second slide type variable resistor 11. That is, the vertical position change of the operation lever 13 corresponds to the sliding amount of the horizontal axis guide rail 9 which can be slid only in the vertical direction. The horizontal axis guide rail 9 drives the rail holders 7 and 8 while driving. Because of the sliding movement, the vertical coordinate position of the operation lever 13 can be detected from the output value of the first slide type variable resistor 4 corresponding to the position change of the slide lever 4a driven by the rail holder 7. This detection result is stored in the memory 42 of the control unit 40 and used as data for designating the set air volume of the car air conditioner. The change in the lateral position of the operation lever 13 corresponds to the sliding amount of the lever holder 12 that can slide along the horizontal axis guide rail 9 together with the slider portion 9a. The lateral coordinate position of the operation lever 13 can be detected from the output value of the second slide type variable resistor 11 corresponding to the position change of the lever portion 11a. As a result, a detection signal corresponding to the absolute position of the operation lever 13 on the plane is output. This detection result is stored in the memory 42 of the control unit 40 and used as data for designating the set temperature of the car air conditioner.

  Further, the operation unit 30 can perform the switching operation of the push switch 14 (tactile switch 14 a) by depressing the decorative knob 27 provided on the top of the operation lever 13. The ON signal of the tactile switch 14a is output to the control unit 40 and used as a switching signal for the operation mode (control amount fixed mode or control amount variable mode).

  When the operation mode is the variable control amount mode, the air volume and temperature are adjusted according to the current position of the operation lever 13. For example, when the operation lever 13 is moved upward in FIG. 1, the set air volume is increased, and when the operation lever 13 is moved right in FIG. 1, the set temperature is increased. Further, when the operation lever 13 is moved downward in FIG. 1, the set air volume becomes weaker, and when the operation lever 13 is moved leftward in FIG. 1, the set temperature is lowered. Therefore, in order to increase the set temperature and increase the set air volume in order to warm the vehicle interior in a short time, it is only necessary to move the operation lever 13 diagonally upward to the right in FIG. In order to reduce the set temperature and increase the set air volume in order to cool down, it is only necessary to move the operation lever 13 diagonally upward to the left in FIG.

  On the other hand, when the operation mode is the control amount fixed mode, the set air volume and the set temperature are fixed regardless of the current position of the operation lever 13. That is, even if the operation lever 13 is slid in the control amount fixing mode, the set air volume and the set temperature do not change.

  Next, the control procedure of the input operation device according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. One of the slide type variable resistor 4 and the slide type variable resistor 11 will be described, but both are the same. When the ignition key becomes an accessory position and the power is turned on, step S1 is started, and the process proceeds to step S2. In this step S2, the memory data (status data) relating to the status of the operation mode is cleared and becomes “0”. That is, when the power is turned on, the control amount variable mode is set.

  Next, the process proceeds from step S2 to step S3. In step S3, it is confirmed whether or not the push switch 14 is turned on (whether or not a switching operation has been performed). When the switching operation of the push switch 14 is not performed, the process proceeds from step S3 to step S14. When the switching operation is performed, the process proceeds from step S3 to step S4 to switch the status data. That is, in step S4, the status data is switched from “0” to “1” or from “1” to “0”.

  Then, the process proceeds from step S4 to step S5. In this step S5, it is confirmed whether or not the status data has been switched from “1” to “0”. If YES, that is, the control amount change mode is changed to the control amount variable mode. If so, the process proceeds from step S5 to step S6. In this step S6, the memory data (AD value) relating to the detection results of the first and second slide type variable resistors 4 and 11 is updated to the new AD value read at the time of processing, and this new AD value is stepped. Read in S7. However, during the blinking process of the LED 23, the blinking process being processed is prioritized. If the blinking process is not being performed, the process proceeds to step S8 and a predetermined blinking process (for example, a process of blinking the LED 23 three times continuously) is performed. Do. If the buzzer 90, which is a notification means, is not in the sound generation process, the process proceeds to step S9, and after performing a predetermined sound generation process (for example, a process of continuously generating the buzzer 90 three times), the process proceeds to step S10 to store the memory data. Is output. Therefore, the user can clearly recognize that the operation mode has been changed to the control amount variable mode based on the number of blinks of the level display units 26b and 26c and the number of buzzer sounds.

  Further, when the status data is switched from “0” to “1” in step S5, that is, when the control amount variable mode is changed to the control amount fixed mode, the AD value is not rewritten, and the process proceeds to step S11. move on. That is, the AD value is not updated in the control amount fixed mode. If the blinking process is not in progress, the process proceeds to step S12 to perform a predetermined blinking process (for example, a process for causing the LED 23 to blink only once). Processing (for example, processing for generating a buzzer sound only once) is performed, and the process proceeds to step S10 to output memory data. Therefore, the user can clearly recognize that the operation mode has been changed to the control amount fixed mode based on the number of blinks (one time) of the level display units 26b and 26c and the number of times of the buzzer sound (one time).

  On the other hand, when the process proceeds from step S3 to step S14, that is, when the switching operation of the push switch 14 is not performed (when there is no ON signal), it is confirmed in this step S14 whether or not the status data is “0”. In the case of YES, since the control amount variable mode is continuing, the process proceeds to step S15, and the memory data (AD value) relating to the detection results of the first and second slide type variable resistors 4, 11 is updated. This new AD value is read in step S16. However, in the case of NO in step S14, the AD value is not updated because the fixed control amount mode is continuing. If the blinking process is not in progress, the process proceeds to step S17 to perform the LED 23 lighting process (not the blinking process). If the buzzer 90 is not in the sounding process, the process proceeds to step S10 to output the memory data. The lighting process of the LED 23 in step S17 corresponds to the area corresponding to the set air volume in the air volume level display unit 26b and the set temperature in the temperature level display unit 26c based on the AD value read in step S16. This is a process of controlling the LED 23 group so that the area to be illuminated becomes the illumination area. Therefore, regardless of the operation mode (control amount variable mode or control amount fixed mode), the user can accurately grasp the current set air volume and set temperature by looking at the illumination state of the level display units 26b and 26c. . Then, the control unit 40 outputs necessary control signals to the compressor 60 and the air mix damper 70 from the AD output value of the slide type variable resistor 11 and the input value of the temperature sensor 50, so that they are actually mechanical. Temperature adjustment (second function) is performed by performing a predetermined amount (control amount of the second function). Further, when the control unit 40 outputs a required control signal corresponding to the AD output value of the slide type variable resistor 11 to the blower fan motor 80, the blower fan motor 80 has a mechanical predetermined amount (first function). The air volume adjustment (first function) is performed by performing the operation of (control amount).

  As described above, in the input operation device according to this embodiment, the air volume adjustment and the temperature adjustment are continuously performed according to whether the single operation lever 13 is slid in the vertical direction or in the horizontal direction. It is also possible to adjust the air volume and temperature simultaneously by sliding the operation lever 13 in an oblique direction. In addition, if the push switch 14 is switched to change the operation mode to the fixed control amount mode, the set air volume and the set temperature are maintained regardless of the current position of the operation lever 13, so that the vibration of the vehicle running on a rough road Even if the operation lever 13 is slid freely by such means, there is no possibility that the set air volume and the set temperature will change. Therefore, it is possible to keep the operation lever 13 in a state where it can always slide smoothly. As a specific usage method, for example, the control amount fixed mode is set before entering the rough road, and when the rough road is entered, the switching operation of the push switch 14 is first performed to change from the control amount fixed mode to the control amount variable mode. After the operation lever 13 is moved to the desired position, the switching operation of the push switch 14 may be performed again and set, or after the operation lever 13 is moved to the desired position in the control amount fixed mode, The switching operation of the push switch 14 may be performed twice in succession. In normal times when there is no plan to travel on rough roads, the operation mode is set to the variable control amount mode, and the operation lever 13 may be moved and set. A switching operation of the push switch 14 at the time of setting is unnecessary, and an input operation with extremely good operability can be performed.

  Further, in the input operation device according to the present embodiment example, since the push switch 14 that is an operation mode switching switch is attached to the top of the operation lever 13, the operation lever 13 and the push switch 14 can be operated smoothly and continuously. Can do. However, as a specification for a user who mainly uses only one of the operation modes, a configuration in which a changeover switch such as the push switch 14 is separated from the operation lever 13 and installed at an appropriate position on the front panel or the like is also possible.

  In the input operation device according to the present embodiment, the blackout panel 26 constituting the front panel includes an air volume level display unit 26b along the vertical side of the opening 26a and a temperature level display unit 26c along the horizontal side. The LED 23 group which is disposed and controlled by the control unit 40 illuminates the level display units 26b and 26c in accordance with the set air volume and the set temperature, so that the current position of the operation lever 13 in the operation region Correlation with the set air volume and set temperature is clear and input operation is easy. Moreover, since the current set air volume and set temperature can be grasped instantaneously by looking at the illumination state of the level display units 26b and 26c, the current setting contents of the car air conditioner can be easily confirmed even when the user is driving, There is no need to install a separate display panel to clearly indicate the current settings.

  Further, in the input operation device according to the present embodiment example, when the push switch 14 is switched, the LED 23 blinks a predetermined number of times and the buzzer 90 sounds a predetermined number of times. Can be clearly confirmed by visual and auditory sense. Moreover, since the number of blinks of the LED 23 and the number of times of sounding of the buzzer 90 are different depending on whether the mode is switched to the fixed control amount mode or the variable control amount mode, which operation is performed by depressing the push switch 14. The user can definitely check whether the mode has been switched, which is particularly convenient during driving. However, the illumination color of the LED 23 and the tone color of the buzzer 90 may be made different according to the newly set operation mode.

  In the above-described embodiment, the operation mode is switched to either the control amount fixed mode or the control amount variable mode by the switching operation of the push switch 14. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the set air volume and the set temperature are updated each time the 14 is switched. In the input operation device configured in this manner, the user slides the operation lever 13 to a desired position and switches the push switch 14 to update the set air volume and the set temperature to those corresponding to the desired position. Therefore, the push switch 14 can be used as a determination key.

  Moreover, although the input operation apparatus for car air conditioners has been described in the above embodiment, the present invention can be applied to other than the air conditioner. For example, if the input operation device of the present invention is applied to an angle adjustment device for a door mirror or a car navigation device that requires operation in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, substantially the same effect as the above-described embodiment can be expected.

1 Lid (front panel)
1a, 25a, 26a Opening 2 Lower case 4 First slide type variable resistor (vertical position detecting means)
5, 6 Vertical guide rail 5a, 6a, 9a Slider part 9 Horizontal guide rail 11 Second slide type variable resistor (lateral position detecting means)
13 Operation lever (operation member)
14 Push switch (switch mechanism)
14a Tactile switch 23 LED (lighting means)
25 Shading member (front panel)
26 Blackout panel (front panel)
26b Air volume level display section (first level display section)
26c Temperature level display part (second level display part)
30 Operation unit 40 Control unit 41 CPU (control means)
42 Memory (storage means)
90 buzzer (notification means)

Claims (8)

An operation member that is movable in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction in the operation region by being slid, a vertical position detecting unit that detects where the operation member is positioned in the vertical direction in the operation region, and the operation A lateral position detecting means for detecting where the member is located in the lateral direction in the operation area; and a storage means capable of storing position information of the operating member detected by the longitudinal position detecting means and the lateral position detecting means. The control signal for defining the control amount of the first function is generated based on the detection result of the vertical position detection means, and the control amount of the second function is defined based on the detection result of the horizontal position detection means. An input operation device that sets a control amount of the first function and the second function by adjusting an operation position of the operation member.
A switching mechanism capable of switching or updating the operation mode by switching operation,
The operation mode includes at least a control amount fixed mode. In this control amount fixed mode, the control amounts of the first and second functions based on the position information at the time when the switch mechanism unit is switched are set to the operation amount. An input operation device configured to be maintained regardless of a current position of a member. 2. The control amount variable mode according to claim 1, wherein switching to the control amount variable mode is performed by switching the switch mechanism in the control amount fixed mode, and the control amount variable mode is based on the current position of the operation member. An input operation device configured to generate a control signal and to switch to the control amount fixed mode by switching the switch mechanism in the control amount variable mode. 2. The input operation device according to claim 1, wherein in the control amount fixed mode, the control amounts of the first and second functions are updated each time the switch mechanism unit is switched. . The input operation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the switch mechanism unit includes a push switch attached to a top portion of the operation member. 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein one of the first function and the second function is a temperature adjustment function and the other is an air volume adjustment function, and the air conditioner can be controlled by the control means. The input operation device. 6. The front panel according to claim 4, further comprising: a front panel having a rectangular opening surrounding the operation area, wherein the first function is provided in a belt-shaped area along a vertical side of the opening. And a second level display unit corresponding to the second function is disposed in a belt-like region along the lateral side of the opening. Characteristic input operation device. 7. The lighting device according to claim 6, further comprising an illuminating unit that is controlled by the control unit to illuminate the first and second level display units. In the control amount fixed mode, the first level display unit and the first level display unit are provided. An input operation device configured to illuminate predetermined portions of the two level display sections according to set values of control amounts of the first function and the second function, respectively. 8. The input operation device according to claim 7, further comprising notification means controlled by the control means, wherein the notification means emits a predetermined notification sound when the push switch is switched. .

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