JP2017049829A - Operation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an operation device suppressing variations of tactile sense.SOLUTION: An operation device 1 includes: an operation part 10 which has an operation surface 11; a base part 40 which supports the operation part 10; an excitation part 20 which adds vibration for tactile sense presentation to the operation part 10; a viscous fluid support part 42 which has viscous fluid for changing constraint which constrains and supports the operation part 10 to the base part 40 during the excitation by the excitation part 20; and a control part 30 which controls viscosity of the viscous fluid.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an operating device, and more particularly to an operating device having a function of presenting a tactile stimulation operation feeling.

  A touch interface having a function of presenting a tactile stimulation operation feeling has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  The conventional touch interface described in Patent Document 1 has a vibration structure including a substrate on which a finger contact surface is formed and a matrix-like piezoelectric ceramic fixed to the back surface of the substrate. This vibration structure is configured such that piezoelectric ceramics alternately expand and contract by supply of a constant sine voltage to generate a steady Lamb wave vibration on the substrate.

Special table 2010-518500 gazette

  However, since the conventional touch interface has a vibration structure in which piezoelectric ceramics are arranged in a matrix on the back surface of the substrate, the distance between adjacent antinodes of vibration, or between adjacent nodes. Depends on the size of one piezoelectric ceramic. Since such a vibration structure can only obtain local vibration on the contact surface of the finger, it causes a variation in tactile sensation.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an operating device that can suppress variations in tactile sensation.

[1] The present invention provides an operation unit having an operation surface, a base unit that supports the operation unit, a vibration unit that applies vibration for tactile presentation to the operation unit, and vibration of the vibration unit. A viscous fluid support portion having a viscous fluid for changing a restraining condition for restraining and supporting the operation portion with respect to the base portion, and a control portion for controlling the viscosity of the viscous fluid. It is in the operating device characterized by this.

[2] The control unit according to [1] is generated with respect to the operation surface by vibration of the vibration unit by changing a viscosity of the viscous fluid according to a contact position of the operation surface. It has the structure which shifts the phase of the standing wave to be performed.

[3] The viscous fluid according to [1] or [2] is an electrorheological fluid.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress variations in tactile sensation of the operation unit to which vibration is applied.

It is a figure for demonstrating the typical operating device which concerns on embodiment suitable for this invention. It is a control block diagram of an operating device. It is a figure for demonstrating the vibration distribution of a stationary wave when the constraint conditions which restrain an operation part are changed. It is a control flowchart of a control part. It is a figure for explaining the arrangement position of an internal part.

  Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(Overall configuration of operating device)
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 indicating the whole exemplifies a typical operating device according to the present embodiment. The operation device 1 includes a touch panel that detects a change in capacitance when an operation such as a touch operation, a pressing operation, or a tracing operation is performed on the operation surface 11 with a detection target such as an operation finger. Used as a capacitive touch panel device.

  Here, the touch operation refers to an operation when the touch position of the touch panel is touched. On the other hand, the tracing operation refers to an operation when the touch position of the touch panel is continuously changing, and includes an operation when the touch position of the touch panel is changing intermittently or intermittently.

  The touch panel is not limited to a capacitive touch panel, and for example, a resistive film type, infrared type, SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave) type touch panel, or the like can be used.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the operation device 1 includes an operation panel 10 that is an operation unit that is touch-operated in a predetermined operation range, and a vibration unit that applies vibration for presenting tactile sensation to the operation panel 10. A control unit 30 that drives an actuator 20 under a predetermined vibration condition and a housing 40 that is a base unit that supports the operation panel 10 are provided.

  On the back side of the operation surface 11 of the operation panel 10, there are a plurality of drive electrodes (not shown) and a plurality of read electrodes (not shown) for reading out the capacitance of the detection points that intersect the drive electrodes. XY coordinates that are orthogonal coordinate systems are set. These electrodes are made of a transparent material such as ITO.

  The operation panel 10 digitizes the capacitance value sequentially read from the readout electrode for each drive electrode drive, and information including the coordinates of the detection points calculated based on the digitized capacitance value is used as the touch detection signal Sx. It is configured to periodically output to the control unit 30. For example, a weighted average method is used to calculate the XY coordinates. It is also possible to detect the touch position by photographing with a camera and analyzing the image.

  The control unit 30 determines whether or not the detection target object is in contact based on the comparison result between the touch detection signal Sx and the threshold value. When the touch detection signal Sx when the detection target object touches is input to the control unit 30, a drive signal Sd for driving the actuator 20 is output from the control unit 30 to the actuator 20.

  The control unit 30 is a microcomputer that includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like that perform calculations and processing on data acquired according to a program. The ROM selects various types of information such as electrode selection, connection control, information for determining operation modes such as touch operation and tracing operation, information indicating the amplitude, frequency and phase of vibration, and information indicating a predetermined operation range. Stores setting data. One RAM temporarily stores setting data read from the ROM.

  Between the housing 40 and the operation panel 10, a support portion 41 that supports one end portion of the operation panel 10 and a support portion 42 that supports the other end portion of the operation panel 10 are disposed. The housing 40 may be made of a material having rigidity capable of supporting the operation panel 10, and is made of, for example, a metal material or a resin material.

  The illustrated actuator 20 includes a diaphragm 21 and a single piezoelectric element 22, and generates ultrasonic vibrations by a driving voltage applied to an electrode (not shown) formed by, for example, sputtering or vapor deposition. This is a monomorph type piezoelectric actuator.

  As the actuator 20, for example, a bimorph type actuator in which two piezoelectric elements are provided on both surfaces of the diaphragm, or a laminated monomorph type actuator configured by laminating a plurality of piezoelectric elements may be used. The monomorph type expands and contracts when a driving voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element.

  As another example of the actuator 20, for example, a bimorph actuator configured by bonding piezoelectric elements to both surfaces of an elastic plate may be used. The bimorph type is curved in an arch shape when a driving voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element. In place of the piezoelectric actuator, for example, an electromagnetic actuator or the like may be used.

  The vibration plate 21 is formed using, for example, a conductive metal material such as aluminum, nickel, copper, or iron, an alloy material containing them, an alloy material such as stainless steel, or a non-conductive material such as synthetic resin. .

  As the piezoelectric element 22, for example, a ceramic material such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT) or barium titanate is used. As the electrode, for example, a metal material such as gold, silver, or copper is used. Note that the piezoelectric element 22 can be formed by forming a piezoelectric material layer on the front surface of the vibration plate 21 or the back surface of the operation panel 10 by using a film forming technique.

  The piezoelectric element 22 expands and contracts by being driven by the drive signal Sd output from the control unit 30 based on the touch detection signal Sx when the detection target object comes into contact. The diaphragm 21 is deformed in accordance with the expansion and contraction, and the operation surface 11 of the operation panel 10 to which the diaphragm 21 is attached vibrates. The operation panel 10 vibrates at the resonance frequency fn of the operation panel 10 by the vibration of the actuator 20.

  The piezoelectric element 22 vibrates the operation panel 10 or a vibration body including the operation panel 10 and the actuator 20 at a predetermined resonance frequency fn (vibration on state). This resonance frequency fn is set to coincide with the resonance frequency fn of the vibrating body. By driving the actuator 20 at the resonance frequency fn, the vibrating body is in a vibration-on state.

  The resonance frequency fn is ultrasonic vibration set to the frequency of the ultrasonic band. The ultrasonic wave is an elastic vibration wave (sound wave) having a high frequency that cannot be heard by the human ear and higher than the audible range, and has a frequency band of about 20 kHz to 40 kHz, for example.

(Configuration of constraint condition changing means)
One end and the other end of the operation panel 10 are supported by the housing 40 via the support portions 41 and 42 as described above. Due to the structure, a vibration of a stationary wave (standing wave) having a resonance frequency fn is generated on the operation surface 11 of the operation panel 10 by the excitation of the actuator 20.

  The standing wave is an n-th order vibration mode waveform having a plurality of antinodes where the vibration is maximum and a plurality of nodes where the vibration is minimum. Since the position and the position are alternately generated, the operation surface 11 to which vibration is applied has a variation in tactile sensation. Therefore, it is important to avoid problems caused by standing wave vibration.

  The main part of the operating device 1 according to the present embodiment is a constraint condition changing means for changing the constraint condition for restraining and supporting the operation panel 10 according to the touch position of the detection target when the actuator 20 is vibrated. It is in the point provided with. By changing the constraint condition of the operation panel 10, the positions of antinodes and nodes of the standing wave generated on the operation surface 11 of the operation panel 10 are displaced at a predetermined phase.

  According to the constraint condition changing means according to the illustrated example, one end portion of the operation panel 10 is in a fixed end state by the support portion 41 closer to the actuator 20 side, and the support portion 42 disposed on the opposite side of the support portion 41 includes: The operation panel 10 is configured as a viscous fluid support portion having a viscous fluid for setting the other end portion of the operation panel 10 to either a fixed end state or a free end state (hereinafter referred to as “viscous fluid support portion 42”). .)

  The fixed end state refers to a state where the end of the operation panel 10 cannot vibrate freely even when the operation panel 10 vibrates due to the vibration of the actuator 20. The free end state refers to a state where the actuator 20 vibrates. Even when the operation panel 10 vibrates, the end of the operation panel 10 can freely vibrate.

  As the viscous fluid, for example, an electrorheological fluid (hereinafter referred to as “ER fluid”) that changes its viscosity by applying a voltage between electrodes (not shown) is used. Instead of the ER fluid that changes the viscosity based on the action of the electric field, for example, a magnetorheological fluid (MR fluid) that changes the viscosity based on the action of the magnetic field can be used.

  The ER fluid is a substance that has a solid property when a voltage is applied (on state) and has a gel-like property when a voltage is not applied (off state), and is disposed on the lower surface 12 of the operation panel 10. It is enclosed in a flexible seal member. Here, the term “gel” means that the ER fluid has a certain degree of strength in a state where the fluidity is lost to such an extent that it does not leak.

  The viscous fluid support part 42 can solidify or gel the viscosity of the ER fluid by controlling the magnitude of the voltage applied between the electrodes. The viscosity of the ER fluid is controlled based on the magnitude of the voltage of the drive signal Sc output from the control unit 30 according to the touch position of the detection target.

  When the viscosity of the ER fluid is in a gelled state, if a voltage is applied between the electrodes, the constraint condition that both ends of the operation panel 10 are constrained by the free end and the fixed end (hereinafter referred to as “free end-fixed end condition”). ") Can be changed to a restraint condition restrained by the fixed end and the fixed end (hereinafter referred to as" fixed end-fixed end condition "). Therefore, when the actuator 20 is vibrated, it is possible to set the end of the operation panel 10 on the viscous fluid support portion 42 side so as not to vibrate freely.

  On the other hand, when the viscosity of the ER fluid is solidified, the fixed end-fixed end condition can be changed to the free end-fixed end condition by stopping the voltage applied between the electrodes. Therefore, when the actuator 20 is vibrated, it is possible to set the end of the operation panel 10 on the viscous fluid support portion 42 side so as to freely vibrate.

  Here, referring to FIG. 3A, FIG. 3B, and FIG. 3C, these figures show the standing wave when the restraint condition that restrains both ends of the operation panel 10 is changed. An example of a vibration distribution is shown.

  FIG. 3A shows a state where the viscous fluid support portion 42 is solidified and the operation panel 10 is restrained under a fixed end-fixed end condition. Under this fixed end-fixed end condition, the node of the standing wave generated on the operation surface 11 by the excitation of the actuator 20 is set to be the position of the viscous fluid support portion 42.

  FIG. 3B shows a state where the viscous fluid support portion 42 is gelled and the operation panel 10 is restrained under the free end-fixed end condition. Under this free end-fixed end condition, the standing wave generated on the operation surface 11 by the vibration of the actuator 20 is shifted with a phase difference θ of 90 ° as shown in FIG. The position is set to be the position of the viscous fluid support 42.

Incidentally, in the pressurized Futoki the actuator 20, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), the operation panel 10 fixed end - in a fixed end condition, the detection object approaches the touch position P ₂ to the touch position P ₁ case, the touch position P ₁ corresponds to the position of the node of the standing wave, can not be recalled feel. As the contact area of the detection object is smaller than the amplitude of the standing wave, the tactile sensation varies.

Accordingly, the fixed end of the operation panel 10 - the fixed end conditions, if the detection object approaches the touch position P ₂ to the touch position P _1, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), turning off the voltage of the ER fluid And the constraint condition of the operation panel 10 is changed to the free end-fixed end condition.

As a result of this change, the phase of the stationary wave in the fixed end-fixed end condition indicated by the solid line in FIG. 3A is shifted by 90 ° as shown in FIG. 3C, and the free wave indicated by the broken line in FIG. A vibration of a standing wave in the end-fixed end condition is generated in the operation panel 10. Fixed end - touch position P ₁ corresponding to the position of the node of the standing wave in the fixed end condition, the free end - becomes possible to match the position of the antinodes of the standing wave in the fixed end conditions, tactile variations recall touch is continuously Avoided.

On the other hand, when the actuator 20 is vibrated, as shown in FIG. 3B, the operation panel 10 is in a free end-fixed end condition, and the detection object approaches the touch position P ₂ from the touch position P ₁ . In the case, the voltage of the ER fluid is turned on. The viscosity of the ER fluid increases, and the viscous fluid support portion 42 side of the operation panel 10 is changed from the free end to the fixed end.

By changing the constraint condition on the viscous fluid support portion 42 side of the operation panel 10, the phase of the standing wave in the free end-fixed end condition indicated by the broken line in FIG. 3B is as shown in FIG. The operation panel 10 generates a vibration of a standing wave in a fixed end-fixed end condition indicated by a solid line in FIG. The free end - the touch position P ₂ corresponding to the position of the node of the standing wave in the fixed end condition, the fixed end - will correspond to the position of the antinodes of the standing wave in the fixed end condition. As a result, the tactile sensation continues, so that tactile variations are avoided.

According to the constraint condition changing means configured as described above, the constraint condition that restrains both ends of the operation panel 10 is changed according to the touch positions P ₁ and P ₂ with respect to the operation surface 11, thereby adding the actuator 20. The vibration distribution of the standing wave generated on the operation surface 11 by the vibration can be controlled. With this control, the position of the antinode of the standing wave generated on the operation surface 11 of the operation panel 10 can be displaced to the touch positions P ₁ and P ₂ .

(Control of ER fluid)
Next, the operation of the control unit 30 that controls the ER fluid will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3 (a), 3 (b), and 4.

  First, referring to FIG. 4, an example of a control flowchart for controlling the ER fluid is shown. In the following description, the tracing operation will be described as an example of the operation mode of the operation panel 10, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to other operations such as a touch operation and a pressing operation. .

  The voltage of the ER fluid of the viscous fluid support part 42 is in the OFF state, and the operation panel 10 is set to the free end-fixed end condition as shown in FIG. Now, the control of the ER fluid is started according to the control flowchart shown in FIG.

  In the process of step S101, it is determined whether or not an operation has been performed on the operation surface 11 of the operation panel 10 based on the touch detection signal Sx when a detection target such as an operation finger comes into contact. If it is determined that no operation has been performed, the process of step S101 is repeated. If it is determined that an operation has been performed, the process of step S102 is performed.

  In the process of step S102, by applying a drive signal Sd to the actuator 20, the operation surface 11 of the operation panel 10 is caused to vibrate at the frequency fn of the standing wave in the free end-fixed end condition shown in FIG. Apply. Subsequently, the process proceeds to step S103.

In the process of step S103, by referring to a table that associates the combination of the touch position of the operation panel 10 and the positions of the antinodes and nodes of vibration, the touch position P ₁ a diagram of the detection object based on the acquired information 3 ( It is determined whether the position is at the antinode position of the frequency fn of the standing wave or the position of the node at the frequency fn in the free end-fixed end condition of b). When it is determined that the detection target is at the antinode position of the frequency fn of the standing wave, the process proceeds to step S105.

  In the process of step S <b> 105, it is determined whether or not the operation with the detection target is continued on the operation surface 11 of the operation panel 10. When the operation is performed using the detection target object, the process returns to step S102, and the processes of step S102, step S103, and step S105 are repeated.

If, in the process of step S103, by referring to a table that associates the combination of the touched position and the position of the antinodes and nodes of vibration of the operation panel 10, the touch position P ₁ of the detection object based on the obtained information Figure the free end of the 3 (b) - without the position of the antinodes of the frequency fn of the standing wave in the fixed end condition, if the operation toward the touch position P ₂ corresponding to the positions of the nodes is determined to have been performed, step The process of S104 is performed.

In the process of step S104, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), in the course of the detection object approaches the touch position P ₁ on the touch position P _2, the voltage of the ER fluid by applying a drive signal Sc to the ER fluid Turn on. Thereby, the constraint condition of the operation panel 10 is changed to the fixed end-fixed end condition shown in FIG.

The position of the standing wave in the fixed end-fixed end condition is displaced with a phase difference of 90 ° as shown in FIG. Thus, the touch position P ₂ shown in FIG. 3 (b), the free end is shown in FIG. 3 (a) - to match the position of the antinodes of the standing wave in the fixed end conditions, tactile variations recall touch is continuously Is avoided.

In the process of step S104, the fixed end the operation panel 10 - after being changed to the fixed end condition, the detection target is operated toward the touch position P ₂ to the touch position P ₁ shown in is performed FIGS. 3 (a) if it is determined that there, in the process of the touch position P ₂ approaches the touch position P _1, the off-state voltage of the ER fluid. Thereby, the constraint condition of the operation panel 10 is set to the free end-fixed end condition shown in FIG.

The position of the standing wave in the free end-fixed end condition is displaced with a phase difference of 90 ° as shown in FIG. Thus, the fixed end shown in FIG. 3 (a) - the touch position P ₁ corresponding to the position of the node of the standing wave in the fixed end condition, the free end is shown in FIG. 3 (b) - positions of antinodes of the standing wave in the fixed end condition Therefore, tactile recall is continued, and tactile variation is avoided. Subsequently, the process proceeds to step S105.

  In the process of step S <b> 105, it is determined whether or not the operation with the detection target is continued on the operation surface 11 of the operation panel 10. When the operation is performed by the detection target, the process returns to the process of step S102, and the process of step S102 to the process of step S105 are repeated.

  If it is determined that the operation is not performed by the detection target, the process proceeds to step S106. In the process of step S106, if the voltage is applied to the ER fluid, the voltage applied to the ER fluid is stopped. As a result, the constraint condition of the operation panel 10 returns to the initial free end-fixed end condition as shown in FIG. All processes are completed by the series of control procedures described above.

(Effect of embodiment)
According to the operating device 1 configured as described above, the following effects can be obtained in addition to the above effects.

  By changing the restraint conditions for restraining the operation panel 10 and shifting the phase of the standing wave generated on the operation surface 11 of the operation panel 10 by the excitation of the actuator 20, the positions of the antinodes and nodes of the standing wave can be changed. . Thereby, the in-plane variation of the tactile sensation presentation using the ultrasonic vibration can be reduced, and the variation of the tactile sensation can be suppressed.

[Modification]
Although the typical structural example of the operating device 1 in the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiment, the modified example, and the illustrated example, other modified examples as shown below are also possible.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the actuator 20 and the viscous fluid support part 42 may be two-dimensionally arranged in the middle part of each of the two sides in the adjacent X direction and Y direction of the operation panel 10. The viscous fluid support part 42 is disposed along two sides facing the actuator 20 among two adjacent sides of the operation panel 10. The actuator 20 and the viscous fluid support portion 42 may be arranged in parallel only in one direction of the operation panel 10 in either the X direction or the Y direction.

  For example, the operation device 1 may select an arrangement number, an arrangement position, an arrangement form, and the like according to the purpose of use and the like, and can achieve the initial object of the present invention.

  In addition, the operating device 1 can be mounted on various interior items such as an instrument panel, a steering wheel, and a center console of a vehicle as an input device for remotely operating an in-vehicle device.

  The operation device 1 can of course be used as an input device for various portable information terminal devices such as a mobile phone and a camera.

  As is clear from the above description, the representative embodiments, modified examples, and illustrated examples according to the present invention do not limit the invention according to the claims. Therefore, it should be noted that not all the combinations of features described in the above-described embodiments, modifications, and illustrated examples are essential to the means for solving the problems of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Operation apparatus, 10 ... Operation panel, 11 ... Operation surface, 12 ... Lower surface, 20 ... Actuator, 21 ... Diaphragm, 22 ... Piezoelectric element, 30 ... Control part, 40 ... Housing | casing, 41 ... Support part, 42 ... Viscous fluid support part (support part), fn: resonance frequency, P ₁ , P ₂ ... touch position, Sc, Sd ... drive signal, Sx ... touch detection signal, θ ... phase difference

Claims (3)

An operation unit having an operation surface;
A base portion that supports the operation portion;
An excitation unit for applying vibration for tactile presentation to the operation unit;
A viscous fluid support portion having a viscous fluid for changing a restraint condition for restraining and supporting the operation portion with respect to the base portion at the time of vibration of the vibration portion;
A control unit for controlling the viscosity of the viscous fluid;
An operating device comprising:   The control unit has a configuration that shifts the phase of a stationary wave generated with respect to the operation surface by the vibration of the vibration unit by changing the viscosity of the viscous fluid according to the contact position of the operation surface. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein:   The operating device according to claim 1, wherein the viscous fluid is an electrorheological fluid.

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