JP2012137971A - Input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an input device capable of transmitting vibration to the whole of a touch panel with only one vibration motor.SOLUTION: An input device 1 includes a touch panel 2, a fixing member 3 fixed on a side face of the touch panel 2, and a vibration motor 4 supported by the fixing member 3. The fixing member 3 is attached to a side face of the input device 1, and the vibration motor 4 is attached to the fixing member 3, so that the direction of a rotating shaft 4a is substantially perpendicular to an input operation face 2a. Thus, vibration from the vibration motor 4 can be transmitted in the direction of the input operation face 2a of the input device 1. This allows only one vibration motor 4 to vibrate the whole input operation face 2a of the input device 1 in a substantially equal vibration amount.

Description

  The present invention relates to an input device that can be vibrated.

  In various electronic devices such as mobile phones, examples of mounting touch panels and vibration motors are increasing. The vibration motor is mainly used as a tactile function for notifying the user of various information including incoming calls. The touch panel can change the image of the input selection button as necessary, and can perform various types of input and selection without providing a mechanical button. desirable. Further, since the mechanical button is not required, the structure of the device is simplified, the maintainability is improved, the design restriction by the mechanical button is eliminated, and the product design is preferable.

  However, since the touch panel does not provide a key press feeling, erroneous operation is likely to occur. In addition, the lack of a feeling of pressing gives the user a feeling of anxiety and makes it difficult to input.

  As one measure for solving such a problem, it is conceivable to notify the user by vibrating the vibration motor when a key is operated on the touch panel.

  In order to vibrate the touch panel, a vibration motor must be disposed in close contact with the touch panel. However, recent electronic devices are increasingly equipped with large touch panels, and it is difficult to vibrate the entire touch panel with only one vibration motor, and a plurality of vibration motors must be provided. This leads to an increase in component cost and power consumption, making it difficult to reduce the housing size. Also, if a plurality of vibration motors are provided, the vibrations of the vibration motors cancel each other, and depending on the location, the vibrations cannot be felt at all.

  Furthermore, if the vibration of the vibration motor is transmitted to the housing side, the touch panel may be difficult to vibrate.

  With regard to the installation location of the vibration motor, for example, a fixing structure is disclosed in which arc-shaped ribs are provided at the corners inside the housing, and the vibration motor is laid sideways and fixed (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2009-11113 A

  In the case of Patent Document 1, since the vibration motor is fixed to a corner inside the casing, it is difficult to transmit vibration to the entire casing. Further, as in Patent Document 1, if the vibration motor is fixed to the corner of the housing, the entire touch panel cannot be vibrated.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide an input device capable of transmitting vibration to the entire touch panel with only one vibration motor.

In order to solve the above-described problem, in one embodiment of the present invention, a first substrate having an input operation surface for inputting information;
A vibration motor that generates vibration by rotating around a rotation axis;
The vibration motor is fixed to the touch panel, supports the vibration motor so that the rotation axis of the vibration motor is substantially perpendicular to the input operation surface of the touch panel, and transmits vibrations of the vibration motor to the input operation surface of the touch panel substantially in parallel. An input device is provided.

  According to the present invention, vibration can be stably and uniformly transmitted to the entire touch panel with only one vibration motor.

1 is a cross-sectional view of an input device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The top view of the input device 1 of FIG. The top view which shows the modification of FIG. Sectional drawing of the input device 1a which shows the modification of FIG. Sectional drawing of the input device 1b which shows the modification of FIG. Sectional drawing of the input device 1c which shows the modification of FIG. Sectional drawing of the input device 1d which shows the modification of FIG. The top view of the input device 1d. The figure which shows the internal structure of the fixing member 3 of FIG. The figure which shows the modification of FIG. The perspective view which shows the joining state of the touch panel 2 and the housing | casing 11. FIG. Sectional drawing which shows the fixed form of the touch panel 2 and the housing | casing 11. FIG. Sectional drawing which shows the modification of FIG. The perspective view which shows the example which provided the spacer 12a as the sliding member 12. FIG. The perspective view which shows the example which provided the ball plunger 12b as the sliding member 12. FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the input device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a top view of the input device 1. The input device 1 according to this embodiment includes a touch panel 2, a fixing member 3 that is fixed to a side surface of the touch panel 2, and a vibration motor 4 that is supported by the fixing member 3.

  A housing is disposed below the touch panel 2, but the housing is omitted in FIGS. 1 and 2. As will be described later, the housing is disposed below the fixing member 3.

  The touch panel 2 is a hard plastic plate. Various information input images (for example, character images for key input) are projected onto the touch panel 2 from the housing side arranged below the touch panel 2.

  When the user operates one of the information input images projected on the touch panel 2 with a finger, the operation information is transmitted to the circuit board on the housing side. It is an input operation surface 2a on which the user operates the upper surface of the touch panel 2 of FIG.

  The cross-sectional shape of the fixing member 3 is an inverted L shape, and one (first surface 3a) of two surfaces that are substantially orthogonal is joined to the upper surface of the touch panel 2, and the other (second surface 3b) is the surface of the touch panel 2. It is joined to the side.

  The vibration motor 4 has a structure in which a rotor (not shown) rotates around a rotating shaft 4a, but includes a weight 4b having a center of gravity at a position deviated from the rotating shaft 4a, and the rotor is eccentric. This causes vibrations. The direction of vibration is the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1. When viewed from above, the direction of the vibration is 360 degrees horizontally as indicated by the arrow in FIG.

  The vibration motor 4 of FIG. 1 is attached to a surface (third surface 3c) opposite to the second surface 3b of the fixing member 3. More specifically, the rotating shaft 4a of the vibration motor 4 is attached to the third surface 3c so as to be substantially perpendicular to the input operation surface 2a of the touch panel. That is, the rotation shaft 4 a of the vibration motor 4 is disposed substantially parallel to the vertical direction of the touch panel 2.

  As described above, since the vibration motor 4 is joined to the third surface 3c of the fixing member 3, the vibration of the vibration motor 4 is transmitted to the fixing member 3 through the third surface 3c. Again, it vibrates in the direction of the arrow in FIG. Since the second surface 3b of the fixing member 3 is bonded to the side surface of the touch panel 2, when the fixing member 3 vibrates in the direction of the arrow, the touch panel 2 also vibrates in the same direction.

  Thereby, as shown in FIG. 2, vibration is generated substantially parallel to the input operation surface 2 a of the touch panel 2. Since the vibration in the direction of the input operation surface 2a is easily transmitted, the vibration is transmitted substantially uniformly from the mounting position of the fixing member 3 in all directions of the input operation surface 2a, and the opposite side surface facing the mounting position of the fixing member 3 The vibration can be transmitted to.

  Since only one fixing member 3 is fixed to the touch panel 2 in FIG. 1 and this fixing member 3 supports only one vibration motor 4, the touch panel 2 is vibrated by only one vibration motor 4. However, even with only one vibration motor 4, it can be vibrated substantially uniformly over the entire surface of the touch panel 2. This is because the touch panel 2 is vibrated in a horizontal direction not subjected to gravity.

  In order to make the amount of vibration at each location on the touch panel 2 more uniform, it is desirable to arrange the vibration motor 4 on the center of gravity line (dashed line 2b in FIG. 2) on the touch panel 2. Therefore, the fixing member 3 is arranged so as to straddle the barycentric line 2b on the touch panel 2, and the vibration motor 4 is attached on an extension line of the barycentric line 2b.

  Although the example which attaches the fixing member 3 to the side surface of the short side of the touch panel 2 was demonstrated in FIG. 1, you may attach the fixing member 3 to the side surface of the long side. Even when the fixing member 3 is attached to the side surface on the long side, it is desirable to arrange the vibration motor 4 on the extended line of the center of gravity line on the long side.

  Further, the upper surface of the fixing member 3 may be attached to only a part of the side surface of the touch panel 2 as shown in FIG. 2, or may be attached so as to cover the entire side surface as shown in FIG. When a material that easily transmits vibration is used as the material of the fixing member 3, it is more desirable to employ the structure of FIG. 3 because vibration can be transmitted to the entire side surface of the touch panel 2.

  In FIG. 1, the side surface of the touch panel is joined to the second surface 3b of the fixing member 3, and the vibration motor 4 is attached to the third surface 3c opposite to the second surface 3b. As described above, the side surface of the touch panel and the vibration motor 4 may be attached to the second surface 3 b of the fixing member 3. In FIG. 4, the first surface 3a of the inverted L-shaped fixing member 3 is joined to the upper surface of the touch panel 2, the side surface of the touch panel 2 is joined to the upper side of the second surface 3b of the fixing member 3, and the same second surface 3b The vibration motor 4 is joined to the lower side. The vibration motor 4 is joined to the second surface 3b of the fixing member 3 so that the rotation shaft 4a of the vibration motor 4 is substantially perpendicular to the input operation surface 2a, as in FIG.

  In the case of FIG. 4, the side surface of the touch panel 2 does not exist at a position facing the joint portion of the vibration motor 4. This is different from FIG. In the case of FIG. 4, the vibration of the vibration motor 4 causes the fixing member 3 to vibrate in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 4, and the vibration is transmitted upward to vibrate the side surface of the touch panel in the direction of the arrow. Thereby, similarly to FIG. 2, vibration is transmitted in the direction of the input operation surface 2 a of the input device 1.

  The vibration motor 4 in FIG. 4 is also mounted on the extension line of the center line 2b in the short side direction or the long side direction, and the fixing member 3 is the center line in the short side or long side of the touch panel 2 as in FIG. You may attach only to the partial area | region which pinches | interposes 2b, and you may attach so that the whole of a short side or a long side may be covered.

  As another modified example, a T-shaped fixing member 3 may be provided as in the input device 1b of FIG. 5 instead of the inverted L shape. In this case, compared with the fixing member 3 of FIG. 1, the mounting position of the vibration motor 4 is shifted slightly below the third surface 3 c, and the leg portion of the fixing member 3 is disposed above the vibration motor 4. The other structural features are the same, and the effects obtained are the same.

  As another modification, a U-shaped fixing member 3 may be provided as in the input device 1c of FIG. The fixing member 3 in FIG. 6 is attached so as to cover the upper surface, the side surface, and the lower surface of the touch panel substrate 2. Compared with the fixing member 3 in FIG. 1, the leg portion of the fixing member 3 extends on the lower surface side of the touch panel 2, but the other structural features are the same and the obtained effects are also the same. .

  Next, a method of using the input devices 1, 1a, 1b, and 1c (hereinafter simply referred to as the input device 1) according to the present embodiment will be described. The input device 1 according to the present embodiment is used as a substitute for an information input keyboard, for example, and the main body substrate of the input device 1 generates an image of each key information and projects it with a backlight. Accordingly, a corresponding key image is displayed on the touch panel 2 at each key position. The user touches a key to be input with a finger according to the key image displayed on the touch panel 2. The touch sensor provided on the housing side touch panel 2 (the back surface of 2a) is, for example, a capacitance type sensor, and detects that the user's finger has touched, and detects the touch on the circuit board installed on the housing side. Send a signal.

  When the circuit board installed on the housing side detects that the user's finger has touched an arbitrary key position based on the sensor output, the circuit board instructs the vibration motor 4 to generate vibration. In response to this, the vibration motor 4 generates vibration, and the vibration is transmitted to the input operation surface 2 a of the input device 1 through the fixing member 3. The vibration can be transmitted to the user's finger while the user is touching with the finger.

  The touch panel 2 is a hard plastic plate, has no elasticity, and does not bounce from the input operation surface 2a even if the user touches it lightly with a finger or presses it strongly. The user does not know. This is a big problem for usability. On the other hand, in this embodiment, when the touch sensor recognizes that the user's finger has touched the input operation surface 2a, the user grasps that the key input is accepted because the finger is immediately vibrated. Even if there is no mechanical rebound from the touch panel substrate 2, it is possible to input information without feeling so uncomfortable.

  Thus, in the first embodiment, the fixing member 3 is attached to the side surface of the input device 1, and the vibration motor 4 is attached to the fixing member 3 so that the direction of the rotation shaft 4a is substantially perpendicular to the input operation surface 2a. The vibration of the vibration motor 4 can be transmitted in the direction of the input operation surface 2 a of the input device 1. Therefore, the entire input operation surface 2a of the input device 1 can be vibrated with a substantially uniform vibration amount with only one vibration motor 4.

  According to the first embodiment, even if the touch panel 2 is relatively large in size, the entire surface of the touch panel 2 can be vibrated with only one vibration motor 4, so the number of vibration motors 4 is minimized. Thus, the cost of components can be reduced, and the installation space for the vibration motor 4 can be minimized, and the input device 1 can be reduced in size and thickness.

  Further, when the touch panel 2 is vibrated using a plurality of vibration motors 4, the vibrations of the vibration motors 4 interfere with each other, causing excessive vibrations depending on the location, or no vibrations at all. However, in this embodiment, since only one vibration motor is used, there is no possibility of interference of different vibrations, and the entire area of the touch panel 2 can be vibrated extremely stably and uniformly. it can.

(Second Embodiment)
In the first embodiment, the fixing member 3 is attached to the side surface of the touch panel 2, but in the second embodiment described below, the fixing member 3 is attached to the back surface of the touch panel 2.

  FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the input device 1d according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a top view of the input device 1d. 7 and 8, the same reference numerals are given to the components common to FIG. 1, and the differences will be mainly described below.

  The input device 1d in FIG. 7 has a fixing member 3 bonded to the back surface of the input device 1d in accordance with the center of gravity position 2c of the touch panel 2. As shown in FIG. 9, the fixing member 3 has a storage portion 3 d that stores the vibration motor 4. The vibration motor 4 is housed and fixed so as to contact the wall surface of the housing 3d. When the vibration motor 4 vibrates, the vibration is transmitted to the fixing member 3, and the upper surface of the fixing member 3 vibrates in the surface direction. Thereby, the input device 1d vibrates in the direction of the input operation surface 2a as in the first embodiment. Since the fixing member 3 is attached to the center of gravity 2c of the touch panel 2, the vibration of the fixing member 3 is evenly transmitted to the entire surface of the input device 1d. Therefore, the input device 1d can be vibrated with only one vibration motor 4.

  The shape of the fixing member 3 does not necessarily have to be a box shape that can house the vibration motor 4 as shown in FIG. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, a T-shaped fixing member 3 may be used. In this case, the upper surface of the fixing member 3 is joined to the center of gravity on the back surface side of the input device 1d and extends downward from the upper surface of the fixing member 3. What is necessary is just to join the vibration motor 4 to a leg part. Alternatively, an inverted L-shaped fixing member 3 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 may be provided. Regardless of the shape of the fixing member 3, it is desirable to join the fixing member 3 and the input device 1 d with the center of the upper surface of the fixing member 3 aligned with the center of gravity 2 c of the touch panel substrate 2.

  Thus, in the second embodiment, when the upper surface of the fixing member 3 is joined to the center of gravity position on the back surface side of the input device 1d and the vibration motor 4 attached to the fixing member 3 is vibrated, the vibration is input. Since the vibration is transmitted in the direction of the input operation surface 2a of the device 1d, the vibration can be transmitted to the entire surface of the input device 1d even when only one vibration motor 4 is used.

(Internal structure example of input device 1)
Below, the joining form of the touch panel 2 and housing | casing which can be applied in common with 1st and 2nd embodiment mentioned above is demonstrated.

  FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a joined state between the touch panel 2 and the housing 11. In this figure, the fixing member 3 is omitted. As shown in FIG. 11, the touch panel 2 and the housing 11 are disposed to face each other with the sliding member 12 interposed therebetween. The fixing member 3 described above is bonded to the side surface or the back surface of the touch panel 2, and is disposed above the housing 11 in any case. That is, since the fixing member 3 is not in contact with the housing 11, there is no possibility that the vibration of the fixing member 3 is transmitted to the housing 11.

  The reason why the fixing member 3 is not brought into contact with the housing 11 is that when the vibration of the fixing member 3 is transmitted to the housing 11, the weight of the housing 11 is also vibrated together. This is because it becomes difficult to vibrate. Moreover, since the housing | casing 11 is earth | grounded with a rubber foot (desk etc.), it is difficult to vibrate, and if a vibration is transmitted to a housing | casing, the vibration to the touch panel 2 will become small.

  The sliding member 12 allows the touch panel 2 to vibrate on the housing 11 in a direction substantially parallel to the input operation surface 2a. The sliding member 12 is made of an elastic member that can vibrate, and is made of, for example, a material such as polyurethane, silicon, or rubber.

  The touch panel 2 and the housing 11 are fixed with screws 13 as shown in FIG. A gap 15 is provided between the screw hole 14 and the screw 13 so that the touch panel 2 can vibrate on the housing 11 in the direction of the input operation surface 2 a by the sliding member 12 even if the screw 13 is fixed. It has been. In the example of FIG. 12B, a screw hole 14 having a diameter larger than the screw diameter 13a and smaller than the screw head 13b is formed on the touch panel 2, and the screw 13 is inserted into the screw hole 14, The upper surface of the touch panel substrate 2 is pressed by the lower surface of the screw head 13b so that the tip end side of the screw 13 is inserted into the housing 11, and the touch panel 2 and the housing 11 are fixed. Even in this state, since there is a gap 15 between the diameter of the screw 13 and the screw hole 14, this gap 15 becomes play (margin) for moving the touch panel 2 in the lateral direction, and the touch panel 2 is moved to the input operation surface 2a. Can vibrate in the direction.

  The touch panel 2 and the housing 11 are not necessarily fixed using the screws 13. For example, in FIG. 13, the side surface of the touch panel 2 is extended to the housing 11 side, a claw 2 d is provided at the tip, and the back surface of the housing 11 is pressed and fixed by the claw 2 d.

  If it is made like FIG. 13, it will become unnecessary to make the screw hole 14 in the touchscreen 2, manufacture of the touchscreen 2 will become easy, and assembly workability | operativity will also become good. In the case of FIG. 13, the touch panel 2 has a structure that covers the housing 11, and therefore, when the inside of the side surface of the touch panel 2 and the side surface of the facing housing 11 are in close contact with each other, there is room for the touch panel 2 to vibrate. In addition, the vibration is easily transmitted to the housing 11. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a gap between the inside of the side surface of the touch panel 2 and the side surface of the opposite housing 11.

  Various modifications can be considered for the sliding member 12 shown in FIG. For example, FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing an example in which a spacer 12 a is provided as the sliding member 12, and FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing an example in which a ball plunger 12 b is provided as the sliding member 12. 14 and 15, the touch panel 2 and the housing 11 are fixed by, for example, the method shown in FIG. 12 or FIG.

  The spacer 12a in FIG. 14 is made slippery by reducing the friction coefficient of at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface to a predetermined value or less. Therefore, when the vibration of the vibration motor 4 is transmitted to the touch panel 2, the touch panel 2 vibrates on the spacer 12a along the direction of the input operation surface 2a, or the spacer 12a and the touch panel are integrated on the housing 11. Vibrate.

  A specific material of the spacer 12a in FIG. 14 may be metal, Teflon, or the like. When using a metal, it is desirable to polish at least one of the upper surface or the lower surface thereof to make it slippery.

  The ball plunger 12b used as the sliding member 12 in FIG. 15 is screwed into screw holes formed at the four corners of the housing 11, for example. As shown in FIG. 15B, the ball plunger 12b has a rotatable ball 12c and a coil spring 12d that contacts the ball 12c. When the touch panel 2 is placed on the ball 12c, the vibration motor 4 When the touch panel 2 receives a force in the direction of the input operation surface 2a due to vibration, the ball 12c rotates and the touch panel 2 vibrates in the direction of the input operation surface 2a.

  As described above, the touch panel 2 and the casing 11 are fixed in a state where the sliding member 12 is interposed between the touch panel 2 and the casing 11, and the touch panel 2 can be moved in the direction of the input operation surface 2a. Therefore, when the vibration of the vibration motor 4 is transmitted to the touch panel 2, the touch panel 2 can be vibrated in the direction of the input operation surface 2a.

  The fixing means between the touch panel 2 and the housing 11 and the sliding member 12 inserted between the touch panel 2 and the housing 11 are not necessarily limited to the above-described examples, and other modifications may be adopted. .

  The aspect of the present invention is not limited to the individual embodiments described above, and includes various modifications that can be conceived by those skilled in the art, and the effects of the present invention are not limited to the contents described above. That is, various additions, modifications, and partial deletions can be made without departing from the concept and spirit of the present invention derived from the contents defined in the claims and equivalents thereof.

1, 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d Input device 2 Touch panel 2a Input operation surface 3 Fixed member 4 Vibration motor 4a Rotating shaft 4b Weight 11 Housing 12 Sliding member

Claims (11)

A touch panel having an input operation surface for inputting information;
A vibration motor that generates vibration by rotating irregularly around the rotation axis;
The vibration motor is fixed to the touch panel, supports the vibration motor so that the rotation axis of the vibration motor is substantially perpendicular to the input operation surface of the touch panel, and transmits vibrations of the vibration motor to the input operation surface of the touch panel substantially in parallel. An input device comprising: a fixing member that performs a fixing operation.   2. The input according to claim 1, wherein the fixing member is bonded to a side surface continuous with an input operation surface of the touch panel, and transmits vibration of the vibration motor to the input operation surface of the touch panel via the side surface. apparatus.   The fixing member is disposed on the opposite side of the second surface, the first surface joined to the input operation surface of the touch panel, the second surface joined to the side surface connected to the input operation surface of the touch panel, and the vibration The input device according to claim 2, further comprising a third surface to which the motor is joined. The fixing member has a first surface joined to the input operation surface of the touch panel, and a second surface joined to a side surface connected to the input operation surface of the touch panel,
The input device according to claim 2, wherein the vibration motor is joined to the second surface below a side surface of the touch panel.   The input device according to claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the fixing member is an inverted L shape, a T shape, or a U shape.   The input device according to claim 2, wherein the fixing member is fixed to the touch panel such that the vibration motor is disposed on an extension line of a center of gravity line of the touch panel. The upper surface of the fixing member is bonded to the rear surface disposed on the opposite side of the input operation surface of the touch panel,
The input device according to claim 1, wherein the fixing member supports the vibration motor such that an upper surface thereof vibrates in a surface direction.   The input device according to claim 7, wherein the fixing member is fixed to the touch panel such that the vibration motor is disposed immediately below the position of the center of gravity of the touch panel. A housing that is disposed below the touch panel and the fixing member and supports the touch panel;
A sliding member that is interposed between the touch panel and the casing, and that allows the touch panel to move relative to the casing in the input operation surface direction;
With the sliding member interposed between the touch panel and the casing, the touch panel and the casing can be moved relative to the casing in the input operation surface direction. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising a fixing member for fixing.   The sliding member is an elastic member, a columnar member having a friction coefficient of a contact surface with at least one of the touch panel and the casing, or a ball plunger. The input device according to claim 9. The fixing member includes a fixture that fixes the touch panel and the casing by penetrating through a through hole provided at a predetermined position of the touch panel,
The said fixing tool has an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the said through-hole so that the movement to the input operation surface direction of the said touch panel with respect to the said housing | casing is accept | permitted. The input device described.

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