JP2011242910A - Touch panel device and recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a touch panel device, which is provided with an electrostatic capacitance type touch sensor and a light emitting structure formed using light guide members, for preventing a gap (air layer) from being formed therebetween so as to perform an appropriate detection.SOLUTION: A touch sensor device includes: light guide members 10; and a touch sensor 13 having a touch sensor pattern (electrode) that constitutes an electrostatic capacitance sensor on a surface opposite to the light guide members 10 on a substrate and is composed of a conductive material. Intermediate layers 11 and 12, which have a lower elastic modulus than that of light guide members 10 and are formed using a dielectric material, are interposed between the touch sensor 13 and the light guide members 10. The intermediate layers 11 and 12 are capable of preventing a gap (air layer) from being formed between the touch sensor 13 and the light guide members 10. Accordingly, an unstable touch detection attributed to the gap (air layer) can be prevented.

Description

  The present invention relates to a touch panel device mainly used in electronic devices, and more particularly to a touch panel device configured to include a capacitive touch sensor unit. The present invention also relates to a recording apparatus typified by a facsimile, a printer, or the like provided with the touch panel device.

  Electronic devices are provided with operation buttons and switches on the operation panel for performing various operation settings. An example of an electronic apparatus is a recording apparatus. Among recording apparatuses, what is called an ink jet printer that integrally includes an ink jet printer mechanism and a scanner mechanism has been widely used in recent years.

  In such an ink jet printer, an external computer is not required, and it is configured as a stand-alone type that reads and records image data by itself. For example, an information display unit that displays an image or the like on the front side of the apparatus In addition, an operation panel on which many switches are arranged is arranged.

  This operation panel has a tilt panel structure, for example, and as a specific operation switch structure, for example, a tact switch (registered trademark of Alps Electric Co., Ltd.) having a predetermined operation stroke is widely used. .

  There are various types of touch panels depending on the operation principle, and among them, there is a capacitive type. In this capacitive touch panel, an electrode for measuring capacitance (touch sensor) is provided on a substrate, and a protective member (for example, formed of a dielectric) is provided on this electrode. . When the user touches the protective member on the electrode, the capacitance changes, and the control means detects this change in capacitance, thereby detecting the on / off selection state of the switch and the contact position thereof. It is possible.

  In some cases, the operation switch adopts a light-emitting structure, and Patent Document 1 shows an example of a touch sensor that adopts a light-emitting structure. The touch sensor device described in Patent Document 1 includes a light guide plate that guides light for background illumination, an electrode layer disposed under the light guide plate, and a light source disposed on a side surface of the light guide plate and the electrode layer. The light emitted from the light source is diffused to the outside by the light guide plate.

JP 2007-234484 A

  By the way, in the case of a capacitive touch sensor, the change in capacitance depends on the area of an object in contact with the electrode. Therefore, when a dielectric touched by the user, particularly when a light emitting structure is adopted, the user touches if there is a gap (air layer) between the light guide plate and the electrode for detecting a change in capacitance. In some cases, the change in the electrostatic capacity at the time of the detection cannot be detected properly, that is, the on / off selection state of the switch cannot be detected properly.

  In the touch panel device described in Patent Document 1, the light guide plate is directly disposed on the touch sensor. For example, if the lower surface of the light guide plate is not precisely flat, the light guide plate and the touch sensor The gap (air layer) described above is formed between them, and there is a possibility that appropriate detection cannot be performed. The means for solving such technical problems is neither described nor suggested in Patent Document 1.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and an object of the present invention is to provide a touch sensor device including a capacitive touch sensor and a light emitting structure using a light guide member. It is to perform appropriate detection by preventing the occurrence of a gap (air layer) between the two.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, a touch panel device according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a touch sensor unit in which an electrode for capacitance measurement is provided on a substrate, and is disposed on and incident on the electrode. A light guide member that guides light to the exit surface, and an intermediate layer that is provided between the light guide plate and the electrode and includes a dielectric material having a lower elastic modulus than the light guide member. It is characterized by that.

  According to this aspect, since the intermediate layer having lower elasticity than the light guide member is provided between the capacitive touch sensor unit and the light guide member, the light guide member is in close contact with the touch sensor unit. Even when the surface is not precisely flat, no gap (air layer) is formed between the touch sensor portion and the intermediate layer having a lower elastic modulus than the light guide member.

  Therefore, in a touch panel device including a capacitive touch sensor unit, a problem associated with a gap (air layer) between the light guide member and the touch sensor unit, that is, a capacitance when the user touches It is possible to prevent the occurrence of problems such that the change of the switch cannot be detected properly and the on / off selection state of the switch cannot be detected properly.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the touch panel device according to the first aspect, the dielectric material having an elastic modulus lower than that of the light guide member is an elastic body.
According to this aspect, since the dielectric material having an elastic modulus lower than that of the light guide member is an elastic body, the effect of the first aspect can be obtained more reliably by obtaining sufficient elastic deformation. be able to.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the touch panel device according to the first or second aspect, the intermediate layer also serves as an adhesion unit that adheres the electrode and the light guide member. .

  According to this aspect, since the intermediate layer also serves as an adhering means for adhering the electrode and the light guide member, there is no need to separately provide a means for holding the light guide member with respect to the electrode. Cost increase can be prevented.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording apparatus that performs recording on a medium, wherein an operation setting unit that performs various operation settings includes the touch panel device according to any one of the first to third aspects. It is characterized by. According to this aspect, in the recording apparatus that performs recording on the medium, it is possible to obtain the same effects as any of the first to third aspects.

1 is an external perspective view of an inkjet printer according to the present invention. The exploded perspective view of a tilt panel unit. Sectional drawing of a tilt panel unit.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an inkjet printer 1 as an example of a recording apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a tilt panel unit 6, and FIG.

  In FIG. 1, an ink jet printer 1 as an example of a recording apparatus that performs recording on a recording medium is an ink jet printer that has both an ink jet printer mechanism that is a recording execution unit that performs recording on a recording medium and a scanner mechanism. Indicates an apparatus main body provided with an ink jet printer mechanism and a scanner mechanism. Reference numeral 2 indicates an original platen cover 2 provided on the upper part of the apparatus main body 1a for opening and closing an original platen (not shown) of the scanner mechanism.

  Reference numeral 3 denotes a storage medium insertion unit for inserting a storage medium (not shown) in which image data and the like are stored. The inkjet printer 1 stores an image stored in the storage medium inserted in the storage medium insertion unit 3. The data is configured as a so-called stand-alone printer capable of ink-jet recording independently of an external computer.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a paper discharge tray that is provided at the bottom of the apparatus and has a support surface for supporting the paper developed by being pulled out toward the front of the apparatus. Is supported by
Reference numeral 5 denotes a paper cassette which is detachably provided at the bottom of the apparatus, and accommodates recordings fed to an ink jet recording head (not shown) constituting recording means.

  Reference numeral 6 denotes an information display unit including a liquid crystal monitor that displays various information such as a preview image and a user interface, a power-on button, a recording execution switch, an image reading execution switch, a setting switch for performing various operation settings, 1 shows a tilt panel unit as a touch panel device (operation setting unit) according to the present invention, which includes operation switches (described later) including the like.

  The tilt panel unit 6 is provided so as to be rotatable (tilted) with respect to the apparatus main body 1a of the ink jet printer 1 via a tilt device (not shown), and the tilt angle is held by the tilt device. Therefore, it can be held at an arbitrary angle with good visibility and operability for the user.

Hereinafter, the tilt panel unit 6 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the tilt panel unit 6 includes a decorative plate 7, a frame 8, a light guide member group 9 including a plurality of light guide members 10, double-sided tapes 11 and 12 as “intermediate layers”, and a touch. And a sensor unit 13. However, the configuration shown in FIG. 2 is a part of the members constituting the tilt panel unit 6 and does not mean that the tilt panel unit 6 is composed only of the members shown in FIG.

  The frame 8 is one of the frames constituting the base of the tilt panel unit 6, is formed of a resin material, and has one opening 8 a for exposing a touch panel (not shown) and a plurality of light guide members 10. And a plurality of openings 8b formed corresponding to each other.

  The decorative board 7 is formed of a resin material (dielectric material), and the area corresponding to the opening 8a is formed as a transparent area so that the display content of a touch panel (not shown) provided in the opening 8a is transmitted as it is. In the other areas, the makeup area is provided with a predetermined color so that the light guide member 10 provided in the frame 8 and the opening 8b cannot be seen as it is (however, a predetermined light transmittance is ensured). It is).

  In this makeup area, item names and icons to be selected by the user, such as [Start], [OK], [Menu], [Back], etc., are printed at locations corresponding to the plurality of light guide members 10. When the light is emitted from the corresponding light guide member 10, the display is visible in the light emitting state.

  When the user touches the area (touch area) where the name of the item to be selected or the icon emits light (touch area), the capacitive touch sensor described later works to perform various operations and processes corresponding to the selection of the switch. It is supposed to be.

  It should be noted that item names and icons to be selected by the user are also displayed on a touch panel (not shown) provided in the central opening 8a, and printing should be performed on this touch panel (not shown). Photo images are also displayed.

  Subsequently, the light guide member 10 is formed of a dielectric material having a high light transmittance, such as polycarbonate resin or acrylic resin, and its upper surface is fitted with the opening 8b of the frame 8 as shown in FIG. It is formed in a step shape and is formed so that its lower surface is a flat surface.

  For example, an LED (not shown) is provided as a light emitting means for each of the plurality of light guide members 10 at a position adjacent to the light guide member 10, and light emitted from the LEDs is guided. The light enters from the side surface of the member 10 and is guided to the upper surface (outgoing surface) so as to be emitted from the upper surface.

  The touch sensor unit 13 is formed by forming a touch sensor pattern (electrode) constituting a capacitance sensor on a surface of the substrate facing the light guide member 10 with a conductive material (not shown). The touch operation by the user can be detected by a change in capacitance via the.

  Here, intermediate layers 11 and 12 are provided between the touch sensor unit (electrode) 13 and the light guide member 10. The intermediate layers 11 and 12 are formed of a dielectric material having a lower elastic modulus than the light guide member 10. In particular, the intermediate layers 11 and 12 can be formed of an elastic material or only an elastic material, and can also be configured to serve as a means for adhering the light guide member 10 and the touch sensor unit 13. it can.

  For example, a double-sided tape or an adhesive having a lower elastic modulus than that of the light guide member 10 can be used. As the double-sided tape, for example, a type having no base material and composed only of an adhesive can be used.

  As described above, since the intermediate layers 11 and 12 having lower elasticity than the light guide member 10 are provided between the capacitive touch sensor unit 13 and the light guide member 10, the light guide member 10 is touched. Even if the surface that is in close contact with the sensor unit 13 is not precisely formed flat, the intermediate layers 11 and 12 having a lower elastic modulus than the light guide member 10 are between the light guide member 10 and the touch sensor unit 13. It acts to fill the gap (air layer), thereby preventing the gap (air layer) from being formed between the light guide member 10 and the touch sensor unit 13.

  Accordingly, a problem associated with the occurrence of a gap (air layer) between the light guide member 10 and the touch sensor unit 13, that is, a change in capacitance when the user touches cannot be detected properly, and the switch is turned on / off. It is possible to prevent the occurrence of a problem that the off-selected state cannot be properly detected.

  Further, since the intermediate layers 11 and 12 also serve as an adhesive means for adhering the touch sensor unit (electrode) 13 and the light guide member 10, a means for holding the light guide member 10 is separately provided for the touch sensor unit 13. There is no need to prevent the cost of the apparatus from increasing.

  However, as the intermediate layers 11 and 12, a member that does not also serve as a means for adhering the light guide member 10 and the touch sensor unit 13, such as a rubber sheet or an acrylic sheet, may be used.

  Further, in order to more reliably prevent a gap (air layer) from being formed between the light guide member 10 and the touch sensor unit 13, a structure that urges the light guide member 10 against the touch sensor unit 13 is adopted. It is also suitable to do. As such a structure, for example, the frame 8 is formed of an elastic resin material, and the peripheral portion (indicated by reference numeral 8 c in FIG. 3) of the opening 8 b in the assembled state is the light guide member 10. It can also be set as the structure which urges | biases toward.

  Needless to say, the embodiment described above is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in the present embodiment, an example in which the touch panel device according to the present invention is applied to a recording apparatus typified by a facsimile or a printer has been described, but it is needless to say that the touch panel device can be applied to other electronic devices.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Inkjet printer, 1a apparatus main body, 2 platen cover, 3 storage medium insertion part, 4 drawer-type discharge tray, 5 paper cassette, 6 tilt panel unit, 7 decorative board, 8 frame, 8a, 8b opening part, 8c periphery Part, 9 light guide member group, 10 light guide member, 11, 12 intermediate layer (double-sided tape), 13 touch sensor part

Claims (4)

A touch sensor unit in which an electrode for capacitance measurement is provided on a substrate;
A light guide member disposed on the electrode and guiding the incident light to the exit surface;
An intermediate layer formed between the light guide plate and the electrode and including a dielectric material having a lower elastic modulus than the light guide member;
Touch panel device with   The touch panel device according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric material having an elastic modulus lower than that of the light guide member is an elastic body. 3. The touch panel device according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer also serves as an adhesive unit that bonds the electrode and the light guide member.
A touch panel device characterized by that. A recording apparatus that performs recording on a medium, wherein an operation setting unit that performs various operation settings includes the touch panel device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
A recording apparatus.

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