JP2013089216A - Touch panel structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a touch panel structure that enables operation of a control panel for adjusting volume of plural sound sources or plural light fixtures using a touch panel function.SOLUTION: A touch panel structure includes a touch panel display surface where a finger touch is performed. In the touch panel structure, (1) the touch panel display surface includes plural finger touch parts aligned in parallel in one direction, (2) each of the finger touch parts has a long groove shape having a depth of 0.1-1.0 mm and a width of 10.0-20.0 mm, and (3) each of the finger touch parts is provided with a multi-stage switch function on the basis of the position of a finger touch in a lengthwise direction of the finger touch part.

Description

  The present invention relates to a touch panel structure. More specifically, the present invention relates to a touch panel structure having a multi-touch function and a multi-switch function. In particular, the present invention relates to an optical or capacitive touch panel structure.

Conventionally, adjusting and mixing the volume of each sound source collected from a plurality of sound sources through a microphone and playing or recording sound via a speaker has been performed in a studio, music hall, or theater. The operation of adjusting and mixing the volume from the plurality of sound sources is performed by manually operating a number of keys provided on an operation panel called a mixer.
Also, in music halls and theaters, it is always performed to enhance the stage effect by irradiating light. In this case, the change in the intensity of the light source and the conversion of the color of the light source are performed by the operator operating a number of keys on the operation panel while observing the progress of the stage.

In these operation panels, a number of keys are operated according to the number of sound sources and the number of light sources. Many keys on this operation panel are operated by one or more people.
The operation panel is arranged at a position where a music hall or a theater stage can be seen, but the operation panel is relatively large, for example, having a vertical width of about 1 m or more. In addition, the operation panel has a large number of electric wiring cords and is difficult to install or move easily.

On the other hand, a touch panel can be displayed and input by touching a display surface with a finger, and is widely used in various fields. In particular, the resistive touch panel is most widely used because of its simple structure and low price. The resistance film type touch panel normally inputs with one finger, and simultaneous input with a plurality of fingers is difficult.
On the other hand, an optical or capacitive touch panel has been proposed and put into practical use as a touch panel capable of simultaneous input with a plurality of fingers, that is, multi-touch input. Such touch panels capable of multi-touch input have recently been widely commercialized mainly in mobile phones and game machines, for example.

The present inventor uses a multi-touch input function in an optical or capacitive touch panel to operate an operation panel used for sound and light adjustment in the above-described hall or theater. The research was advanced to the possibility of carrying out.
The display surface of the touch panel is usually composed of a glass plate or a transparent resin film, and the surface of the display surface is smooth. A user of the touch panel views various characters, figures, or patterns displayed on the display surface and touches and inputs a necessary position with a finger.

However, in halls and theaters, the person who operates the operation panel (operator) often operates the operation panel while observing the normal stage or the performer when adjusting sound and light. I have never seen it. That is, the operator often operates without touching the keys of the operation panel with his / her hands.
This means that when a conventional operation panel is simply replaced with a touch panel, the operator performs necessary input by touching the smooth display surface of the touch panel with one or both fingers. Then, when the operator observes the stage (or performer) and performs multi-touch input on the display surface of the touch panel, it may be difficult to input the input position simultaneously and accurately, and sometimes the input position is shifted. The

Therefore, the present inventor has advanced various studies on means for preventing the input position of the display surface from shifting even when the operator multi-touches the display surface of the touch panel at the same time. As a result, the display surface of the touch panel is formed with a large number of groove-shaped parts that are suitable for fingertips, so that the displacement of the input position by the finger is minimized, and the operator observes the stage and the performer. It has been found that the position of finger input can be accurately maintained even if attention is focused on the.
That is, a groove-like portion having a certain depth and a certain width is formed on the display surface of the touch panel, and a large number of the groove-like portions are arranged in parallel, so that the touch of the fingertip is based. It was found that multiple input of fingers can be performed accurately. The number of grooves is determined depending on the number of microphones and instruments in the case of audio, and is determined by the number of lights and the color of lights in the case of stage lighting.

According to the present invention, the following touch panel structures (I) to (V) are provided.
(I) In a touch panel structure having a touch panel display surface by finger touch,
(1) The touch panel display surface has a large number of finger touch portions arranged in parallel in one direction,
(2) Each finger touch part has a shape of a long groove-like part having a depth of 0.1 to 1.0 mm and a width of 10.0 to 20.0 mm,
(3) Each finger touch unit is provided with a multi-stage switch function based on the position of the finger touch in the length direction.
A touch panel structure characterized by that.
(II) The touch panel structure according to (I), which is based on an optical type or a capacitance type.
(III) The touch panel structure according to (I), wherein each finger touch portion has a groove-like shape having a length of 100 to 200 mm.
(IV) The touch panel structure according to (I), wherein the finger touch portions are arranged on the touch panel display surface at a pitch interval of 15 to 30 mm in parallel with one direction.
(V) The touch panel structure according to (I), wherein each finger touch portion has a switch function of 3 to 30 stages in the length direction.

  In the touch panel structure of the present invention, a large number of long grooves having a fixed shape are arranged in parallel on the touch panel display surface, so that various functions can be input according to the number of the grooves. Since a multistage switch function can be input corresponding to the length of the shape portion, the input position can be accurately and easily indicated with the sense of a fingertip. Moreover, the touch panel structure of the present invention is simple in structure and compact, and thus has an excellent advantage that it is easier to install and move than a conventional operation panel.

It is the top view which showed typically arrangement | positioning of the groove-shaped part 4 of the display surface 1 of the touchscreen structure in this invention. The right angle sectional view of the display surface 1 of the touch panel structure in the present invention is shown. That is, a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X ′ in FIG. 1 is shown. The top view of the other form which showed arrangement | positioning of the groove-shaped part 4 of the display surface 1 of the touchscreen structure in this invention is shown. The cross-sectional shape of the state which installed the touchscreen structure of this invention on the surface of the liquid crystal display device (LCD) 5 is shown.

Hereinafter, the touch panel structure of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing the arrangement of the groove-like portions 4 of the display surface 1 of the touch panel structure of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the display surface, that is, X in FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line -X ′.
In FIG. 1, a large number (n1 to n8) of groove-like portions 4 that are finger touch portions are formed on the display surface 1 of the touch panel structure. The groove portions 4 have a long shape and are arranged in a large number in parallel. In the case of FIG. 1, eight groove-like portions 4, n1 to n8, are formed in the vertical direction. The number of the groove-like portions 4 is not particularly limited, but is usually 5 to 30, preferably 7 to 25.

2 shows a right-angle cross-sectional view (a cross-sectional view in the XX ′ direction) of the display surface 1 of FIG. In FIG. 2, the display surface 1 is composed of a transparent substrate 2 and a transparent glass plate or transparent film 3, and the transparent glass plate or transparent film 3 is bonded onto the transparent substrate 2. That is, the groove-like portion 4 is formed by scraping off the transparent glass plate or the transparent film 3 on the transparent substrate 2.
The transparent substrate 2 on the display surface of FIG. 2 may be a transparent sheet-like material having a thickness of 1 to 5 mm, preferably 1 to 4 mm. For example, a polycarbonate sheet, a polyester sheet or a polyolefin sheet is used in addition to a glass plate However, glass plates or polycarbonate sheets are preferred. Examples of the transparent glass plate or transparent film 3 include a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, a polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) film, a polyethylene film or a polypropylene film in addition to the transparent glass plate. Practically preferred.

In FIG. 2, the depth of the groove 4 is indicated by d, and this depth d effectively indicates the thickness of the transparent glass plate or the transparent film 3. The groove part 4 depth d is 0.1 to 1 mm, preferably 0.2 to 0.8 mm. The width of the groove 4 is represented by w, and this width w is advantageously 10 to 20 mm, preferably 12 to 18 mm.
Further, the length of the groove-like portion 4 is represented by l (shown in FIG. 1), and the length l is preferably 100 to 200 mm, more preferably 120 to 180 mm. When the depth, width, and length of the groove-shaped portion 4 are the above-described dimensions, the groove-shaped portion 4 that is the finger touch portion can be accurately sensed when the display surface 1 is touched with the fingertip. In addition, by moving the fingertip along the length direction of the groove-like portion 4, a number of switch functions can be easily performed. Since a large number of the groove-like portions 4 are arranged in parallel, even if a plurality of fingers touch the different groove-like portions 4 at the same time, they are not displaced, and each finger can touch the groove-like portion 4 accurately. Easy to do.
As shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of groove-like portions 4 are preferably arranged in parallel in the vertical direction, and the arrangement thereof may be one or two. Conversely, they may be arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction.

The pitch interval P (the distance between the central portions of the widths of adjacent groove portions) between the plurality of groove portions 4 is preferably 20 to 35 mm, more preferably 22 to 30 mm. This pitch interval P is indicated by P in FIG. The shape of both end portions in the length direction of the groove-like portion 4 may be short as shown in FIG. 1, and may be elliptical or semicircular.
For example, in the case of voice, the number of the groove-like portions 4 is determined according to the position of the microphone and the type of musical instrument. On the other hand, the length direction of the groove-like portion 4 (vertical direction in the case of FIG. 1) has a multistage switch function according to the position of the finger touch. For example, in the case of voice, a switch function can be provided so that the volume increases stepwise by moving a finger from the upper part to the lower part of the groove-like part 4. In the case of illumination, the amount of light can be increased by touching the groove 4 with a finger from the top to the bottom. The switching function of each groove-like part 4 can be switched at intervals of 5 to 20 mm, and depending on the length of the groove-like part 4, for example, when switching in stages, a switching function of 3 to 30 stages can be given. It can also be a continuous switching function.

In the touch panel structure of the present invention, the display surface having a large number of groove-shaped portions may be formed in two rows as shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, the cross-sectional shape in the state which installed the touchscreen structure of this invention in the surface of the liquid crystal display device (LCD) 5 is shown. In FIG. 4, a touch panel structure is bonded on the display surface of a liquid crystal display device (LCD) 5, and a frame portion 6 is formed around the display surface 1 of the touch panel structure. In FIG. 4, the groove-like portion of the display surface 1 is omitted from the drawing and is not displayed.
The touch panel structure of the present invention is preferably an optical touch panel or a capacitive touch panel that can be applied to multi-touch by a number of finger touches. In particular, an optical touch panel is advantageous.

Conventionally, the operation panel used for adjusting the volume and lighting used in music halls and theaters is large and difficult to install and move. However, the touch panel structure of the present invention is a conventional operation panel. As well as being easy to operate, it is extremely easy to install and move, and does not require a large space. In addition, the touch panel of the present invention has an advantage that the position by the finger touch can be accurately touched since the groove-like portion that can be recognized by the touch feeling of the finger is formed on the display surface.
Therefore, the touch panel structure of the present invention can be used not only for music halls and theaters but also for ordinary halls and outdoor halls because it is easy to install and move.

1. 1. Display surface of touch panel structure 2. Transparent substrate 3. Transparent glass plate or transparent film Groove part d. Groove depth w. Groove width l. Groove length P. 4. Groove pitch 5 Liquid crystal display device (LCD)
6). Picture frame

Claims (5)

In a touch panel structure having a touch panel display surface by finger touch,
(1) The touch panel display surface has a large number of finger touch portions arranged in parallel in one direction,
(2) Each finger touch part has a shape of a long groove-like part having a depth of 0.1 to 1.0 mm and a width of 10.0 to 20.0 mm,
(3) Each finger touch unit is provided with a multi-stage switch function based on the position of the finger touch in the length direction.
A touch panel structure characterized by that. The touch panel structure according to claim 1, which is based on an optical type or a capacitance type. The touch panel structure according to claim 1, wherein each finger touch portion has a groove-like shape having a length of 100 to 200 mm. The touch panel structure according to claim 1, wherein the finger touch portions are arranged on the touch panel display surface at a pitch interval of 15 to 30 mm in parallel with one direction. The touch panel structure according to claim 1, wherein each finger touch portion has a switch function of 3 to 30 stages in the length direction.

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