JP2019169009A - Haptic presentation device and operation inputting device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a haptic presentation device that can generate a sufficiently large displacement with respect to an operation surface and can allow an operator to more clearly perceive reception of an operation.SOLUTION: A tactile presentation device is configured by adhering an annular piezoelectric element that causes a flexible plate member which is touched by an operator to deform for contraction or expansion by application of a voltage to an electrode, and presents haptic sensation to the operator by bending of the plate member caused by the deformation of the annular piezoelectric element.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a tactile sensation presentation device and an operation input device, and more particularly to an application of a piezoelectric element as means for generating a tactile sensation.

  For example, in the field of portable electronic devices having a touch panel for operation, such as a smartphone, the portable electronic device has accepted the operation by generating vibration in response to an operation by the operator. It has become common to attach a function to perceive scent.

  In recent years, as in the field of portable electronic devices including such a touch panel, even in various devices including so-called touch switches that operate by touching or pressing a flat operation surface, the operation surface is displaced or There is a demand to add a function to make the operator perceive that the operation is accepted by changing the shape.

  As an example of a tactile sensation presentation apparatus that is considered to be applicable to realize such a requirement, the cited document 1 includes a combination of a cylindrical actuator 100 and a pressure plate 200, and the actuator 100 and the pressure plate. A configuration is disclosed in which a liquid medium 300 is sealed inside 200 and the pressure plate 200 is vibrated through the medium 300 as the diameter of the actuator 100 expands and contracts (see the figure of the present application). 5).

International Publication No. 2010/058538 (paragraph 0015, FIG. 3B)

  By the way, in order to make the operator perceive that the device has accepted the operation, it is necessary to cause a larger displacement on the operation surface so that the operator can perceive the device more clearly.

  The tactile sense presentation device disclosed in the cited document 1 has a structure in which the pressure plate 200 is displaced via the medium 300, and therefore the volume of the medium 300 pushed out from the inner diameter portion of the actuator 100 due to the contraction of the diameter of the actuator 100. Therefore, each of the pressure plates 300 on both sides is displaced outward. That is, the displacement generated in the pressure plate 200 as the diameter of the actuator 100 contracts is dispersed in the two pressure plates 200.

  When it is assumed that the tactile sense presentation device disclosed in the cited document 1 is used by being fixed to a plate-like member that forms an operation surface of the device, the pressure plate 200 positioned on the fixed side is provided with a pressure plate 200. In addition to a load for displacing itself, a load for displacing the plate member is added. In such a situation, it is assumed that the medium 300 pushed out from the inner diameter portion of the actuator 100 exclusively pushes out the pressure plate 200 located on the side opposite to the fixed side. On the other hand, there is a concern that a sufficiently large displacement cannot be generated and the operator cannot be sufficiently perceived to accept the operation.

  In addition, since the tactile sense presentation device disclosed in the cited document 1 has a complicated configuration in which a liquid medium is sealed by a pressure plate, it is difficult to reduce the cost, and further, there is a problem such as leakage of the medium. May occur.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and is capable of generating a sufficiently large displacement with respect to the operation surface while having a simple configuration. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tactile sense presentation device and an operation input device that can clearly perceive acceptance of an operation.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a tactile sense presentation device according to the present invention has an annular piezoelectric element fixed to the other main surface of a flexible plate-like member having one main surface as an operation surface that an operator touches. The annular piezoelectric element has an electrode for applying a voltage, and when the voltage is applied to the electrode, a deformation that reduces or expands the diameter is generated. A tactile sensation is presented to the operator by the bending of the plate-like member caused by the deformation of the piezoelectric element.

  If the annular piezoelectric element is deformed so that the diameter or diameter of the annular piezoelectric element is reduced or expanded in a state where the annular piezoelectric element is fixed to the flexible plate-like member, it is directly bent with respect to the plate-like member. Can be generated. The bending of the plate-like member at this time is forcibly generated along with the deformation of the annular piezoelectric element, and is generated three-dimensionally around the annular piezoelectric element. It becomes larger than the displacement caused indirectly through the medium or the pressure plate as in the prior art.

  In the tactile sense presentation device according to the present invention, a plurality of the annular piezoelectric elements may be fixed to one plate-like member.

  For example, it is possible to provide a unit-like tactile sensation presentation apparatus in which a unique tactile sensation is assigned to each annular piezoelectric element. Moreover, the tactile sense presentation apparatus which can present a more complicated tactile sensation can be provided by integrating and controlling a plurality of annular piezoelectric elements.

  In the tactile sense presentation device according to the present invention, the plate-like member is translucent, and is disposed on the other main surface side of the plate-like member so as to correspond to the inner diameter range of the annular piezoelectric element. The light emitting element may be further provided, and the range of the inner diameter of the annular piezoelectric element may be illuminated by the light emitting element.

  For example, by arranging an arbitrary translucent mark in the range of the inner diameter of the annular piezoelectric element so that the translucent mark is transmitted and illuminated, the translucent mark can be made visible to the operator. For this reason, it is possible to provide a tactile sensation presentation device that is easy to understand the position where the operator should contact a finger or the like and that has high decorating properties.

  The operation input device according to the present invention may include the above-described tactile sense presentation device and contact detection means for detecting an operator's contact with the plate-like member.

  By combining the tactile sensation presentation device according to the present invention described above and the contact detection means, an operation input device having a function of presenting a haptic sense can be configured. As the contact detection means, for example, a detection electrode for detecting the capacitance is arranged inside or around the annular piezoelectric element, and the contact of the operator is detected based on the detected change in the capacitance. Thus, a so-called capacitive touch switch can be suitably applied.

  Further, the contact detection means in the operation input device according to the present invention detects contact based on a voltage generated in the electrode of the annular piezoelectric element in accordance with the bending of the plate-like member caused by the contact of the operator. It may be.

  In the piezoelectric element, a voltage is generated between the electrodes in accordance with deformation due to an external force. Based on this voltage generated at the electrode of the annular piezoelectric element in the present invention, it is configured to detect the operator's contact, so that the annular piezoelectric element can be used for both the tactile presentation and the contact detection. Therefore, an operation input device having a reasonable configuration can be provided.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to generate a sufficiently large displacement with respect to the operation surface while having a simple configuration, and it is possible for the operator to perceive the acceptance of the operation more clearly. A presentation device and an operation input device can be provided.

It is the figure which showed the structure of the tactile sense presentation apparatus which concerns on 1st Example of this invention. It is principal part sectional drawing of the tactile sense presentation apparatus shown in FIG. It is the figure which showed the structure of the operation input apparatus which concerns on 2nd Example of this invention. It is principal part sectional drawing of the operation input apparatus shown in FIG. It is the figure which showed the structure of the conventional tactile sense presentation apparatus.

  A tactile sense presentation device 1 and an operation input device 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, the tactile sense presentation device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the tactile sense presentation device 1 in plan view from the operation surface side. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the haptic presentation device shown in FIG. For convenience of illustration, the dimensions of each part shown in FIG. 2 may be different from the actual ones.

  The tactile sense presentation device 1 includes a plate-like member 11 and an annular piezoelectric element 12. One surface of the plate-like member 11 (the upper surface in FIG. 2) is a flat surface, which is an operation surface that the operator touches. The annular piezoelectric element 12 is firmly fixed to the other surface (the lower surface in FIG. 2) of the plate-like member 11 with an adhesive 13 such as an epoxy resin adhesive.

  The plate-like member 11 is formed by forming an insulating resin such as acrylic or polycarbonate into a thin plate shape, and has flexibility. The plate-like member 11 is not limited to a resin-made member, and various flexible thin plates such as a glass thin plate and a metal thin plate can be suitably applied. When a metal thin plate is used, it is necessary to ensure insulation between the first electrode 12b of the annular piezoelectric element 12 to be described later by forming a layer of the adhesive 13 described above.

  The annular piezoelectric element 12 has a base body 12a obtained by forming a known piezoelectric material such as lead zirconate titanate or lithium niobate in an annular shape, and upper and lower annular surfaces of the base body 12a. The first electrode 12b and the second electrode 12c made of a metal such as silver or tin are formed to face each other. The annular piezoelectric element 12 formed in this way is deformed so as to be reduced in diameter or expanded in accordance with the polarity of the voltage applied between the first electrode 12b and the second electrode 12c. The electrodes of the annular piezoelectric element 12 are arranged on the inner circumferential wall surface and the outer circumferential wall surface of the annular piezoelectric element 12 in addition to the arrangement arranged on each of the opposed annular surfaces as in this embodiment. There may be a mode in which electrodes arranged on the annular surface, the inner peripheral wall surface, and the outer peripheral wall surface are used in combination.

  The operation of the above-described tactile sense presentation device 1 will be described.

  When a voltage of a predetermined polarity obtained by a drive voltage generation circuit (not shown) is applied between the first electrode 12b and the second electrode 12c of the annular piezoelectric element 12, the annular piezoelectric element 12 is deformed so as to be reduced in diameter. To do. Accordingly, the plate-like member 11 to which the annular piezoelectric element 12 is firmly fixed is forcibly bent. The bending of the plate-like member 11 at this time becomes a shape that forms a convex three-dimensional curved surface in which the central portion of the annular piezoelectric element 12 protrudes most.

  When a voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the above-described example is applied between the first electrode 12b and the second electrode 12c of the annular piezoelectric element 12, the annular piezoelectric element 12 is deformed so as to expand its diameter. The bending of the plate-like member 11 at this time has a shape that forms a concave three-dimensional curved surface in which the central portion of the annular piezoelectric element 12 is depressed most.

  When the plate-like member 11 is bent in a convex shape and when it is bent in a concave shape, the annular piezoelectric element 12 fixed to the flexible plate-like member 11 is deformed to reduce or expand its diameter. The plate-like member 11 is directly and forcibly bent. Therefore, the amount of deflection of the plate-like member 11 at this time, that is, the amount of displacement is larger than the amount of displacement when the plate-like member 11 is indirectly generated via a medium or a pressure plate as in the prior art. Become. Therefore, a tactile sense can be clearly presented to the operator.

  Further, when the plate-like member 11 is bent in a convex shape, the biasing force generated by the bent plate-like member 11 against the operator's finger or the like in contact with the operation surface is larger than that of the conventional one. Become. Therefore, even when the operator is in a relatively strong contact and pressing the contact surface, the tactile sense can be clearly presented to the operator against the pressing force.

  Next, the operation input device 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the operation input device 2 in plan view from the operation surface side. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the operation input device 2 shown in FIG. For convenience of illustration, the dimensions of each part shown in FIG. 4 may be different from the actual ones.

  In the operation input device 2, four annular piezoelectric elements 22 are firmly fixed to one plate-like member 21 with an adhesive in the same manner as in the first embodiment. A substrate 23 is provided. Since the annular piezoelectric element 22 has the same configuration as that described in detail in the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted.

  The plate-like member 21 of the operation input device 2 is formed by forming a light-transmitting insulating resin such as acrylic or polycarbonate into a thin plate shape, and has flexibility. The plate-like member 21 is not limited to a resin-made member, and for example, a flexible thin plate having various translucency, such as a glass thin plate, can be suitably applied. Moreover, if the illumination function mentioned later is unnecessary, the plate-shaped member 21 does not necessarily need to be a translucent thing, and all flexible thin plates can be applied suitably.

  Arbitrary translucent marks (not shown) may be arranged within the range of the inner diameter of each annular piezoelectric element 22 in the plate-like member 21. By allowing the translucent mark to be transmitted and illuminated by the LED 24 as a light emitting element to be described later, the translucent mark can be visually recognized by the operator. Alternatively, the desired function can be easily understood and can be highly decorated.

  The printed wiring board 23 is a known one, and is formed, for example, by etching a predetermined circuit pattern made of copper foil on a substrate of a glass fiber cloth base epoxy resin laminate. On the surface of the printed wiring board 23 facing the plate-like member 21, four LEDs 24 as light emitting elements are arranged so as to be positioned approximately at the center of the inner diameter of each annular piezoelectric element 22. . The LED 24 illuminates the area of the inner diameter of the annular piezoelectric element 22. When the translucent mark is arranged within the range of the inner diameter of the annular piezoelectric element 22 as described above, the mark is transmitted and illuminated.

  A voltage detection circuit (not shown) as a contact detection unit is formed on the printed wiring board 23 and is connected to the annular piezoelectric element 22. The voltage detection circuit is a circuit for detecting a potential difference generated between the first electrode 12b and the second electrode 12c described above when the annular piezoelectric element 22 is deformed by an external force. When the operator contacts and presses the operation surface of the plate-like member 21, the plate-like member 21 is bent, and the annular piezoelectric element 22 is deformed accordingly. The voltage detection circuit detects a contact between the operator and the operation surface by detecting a potential difference generated in the annular piezoelectric element 22 at this time. By doing in this way, since the annular piezoelectric element 22 can be used for two purposes of tactile presentation and contact detection, the configuration of the operation input device 2 is simplified, and the cost of the operation input device 2 is reduced. Contribute to.

  Note that the contact detection means is not limited to the voltage detection circuit described above. For example, the contact detection means is detected by disposing a detection electrode for detecting electrostatic capacity inside or around the annular piezoelectric element 22. Even a so-called capacitance type touch switch that detects an operator's contact based on a change in capacitance can be suitably applied. In addition to this, various known contact detection methods can be suitably applied.

  The printed wiring board 23 further includes a drive voltage generation circuit for generating a predetermined voltage to be applied to the annular piezoelectric element 22, and drive control for controlling the waveform and period of the voltage applied to the annular piezoelectric element 22. A circuit and a connection switching circuit that selects a target to which a voltage is applied from among the four annular piezoelectric elements 22 and selects a target whose contact is to be detected by the voltage detection circuit are formed. (Neither shown)

  The drive control circuit is configured to be able to set a specific voltage waveform or voltage application period corresponding to each annular piezoelectric element 22, and corresponds to each annular piezoelectric element 22. Can be assigned a unique tactile sense. This is preferable in that the operator can perceive the operation corresponding to which annular piezoelectric element 22 is accepted without visually recognizing the operation surface through the sense of touch.

  Further, the drive control circuit and the connection switching circuit integrally control the plurality of annular piezoelectric elements 22 in cooperation with each other, for example, supply voltages having different waveforms to the respective annular piezoelectric elements 22 or By providing a voltage having a predetermined waveform sequentially with a slight time difference to each annular piezoelectric element 22, a complicated tactile sensation that cannot be presented by one annular piezoelectric element is presented to the operator. be able to.

  The present invention can be suitably used in tactile sense presentation devices and operation input devices used in various electronic devices or various home appliances.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Tactile sense presentation apparatus 11 Plate-shaped member 12 Circular piezoelectric element 12a Base body 12b 1st electrode 12c 2nd electrode 13 Adhesive 2 Operation input device 21 Plate-shaped member 22 Circular piezoelectric element 23 Printed wiring board 24 LED (light emitting element)

Claims (5)

A tactile sensation presentation device in which an annular piezoelectric element is fixed to the other main surface of a flexible plate-like member having one main surface as an operation surface touched by an operator,
The annular piezoelectric element is
Having an electrode for applying a voltage,
By applying a voltage to the electrode, it causes a deformation to be reduced or expanded,
A tactile sensation presentation apparatus that presents a tactile sensation to the operator by the bending of the plate-like member caused by the deformation of the annular piezoelectric element. The tactile sense presentation device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the annular piezoelectric elements are fixed to one plate-like member. The plate member is translucent,
A light-emitting element disposed on the other main surface side of the plate-shaped member corresponding to the inner diameter range of the annular piezoelectric element;
The tactile sensation presentation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a range of an inner diameter of the annular piezoelectric element is illuminated by the light emitting element. The tactile sense presentation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
Contact detection means for detecting an operator's contact with the plate member;
An operation input device comprising: The contact detection means detects the contact based on a voltage generated in the electrode of the annular piezoelectric element in accordance with the bending of the plate-shaped member caused by the contact of the operator. The operation input device described.

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