JP2019191672A - Input device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an input device which can prevent occurrence of unintended malfunction of an electrostatic touch operation part due to a touch on the electrostatic touch operation part by an operator's hand at the time of rotating operation of a dial operation part.SOLUTION: An input device 1 comprises: an electrostatic touch operation part 2 which detects a touch of an operator's finger by an electrostatic capacity sensor 4 provided on a back surface; and a dial operation part 3 which rotatably disposed on a periphery of the electrostatic touch operation part 2. A recess part 2a is formed at a part of a top surface of the electrostatic touch operation part 2. Here, the recess part 2a is formed at a portion where the finger of the operator who operates the dial operation part 3 may be brought into contact therewith. Moreover, the electrostatic capacity sensor 4 is partially provided only on the back surface where the recess part 2a of the electrostatic touch operation part 2 is formed. Further, a peripheral edge of the recess part 2a and the top surface of the periphery are smoothly connected by a curved surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to an input device including an electrostatic touch operation unit and a dial operation unit rotatably disposed around the electrostatic touch operation unit.

  For example, an input device for operating devices such as an air conditioner (air conditioner) and an audio is provided in the center console of the vehicle. Some of these input devices include a capacitance sensor that detects a finger touch of an operator based on a change in capacitance (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3). Here, as an example of this type of input device, an input device for operating an air conditioner is shown in FIGS.

  That is, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional input device, FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which the input device is operated, and the illustrated input device 101 has a capacitance not shown provided on the back surface. An electrostatic touch operation unit 102 that detects the touch of an operator's finger by a sensor, and a dial operation unit 103 that is rotatably arranged around the electrostatic touch operation unit 102 are provided.

  Here, the dial operation unit 103 functions as a room temperature operation unit. If the operator holds it with one hand as shown in FIG. 7 and turns it in the direction of arrow a (clockwise) in FIG. On the contrary, if it is turned in the direction of arrow b (counterclockwise) in FIG. 6, the room temperature is lowered. The electrostatic touch operation unit 102 functions as an air conditioning operation unit, and the operator touches the upper part of FIG. 6 with a finger or touches the lower part to select the air outlet or the inside / outside air. Can be switched.

Special table 2011-526385 gazette JP 2013-191058 A JP-T-2006-539481

  However, in the conventional input device 101 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the top surfaces of the electrostatic touch operation unit 102 and the dial operation unit 103 disposed around the electrostatic touch operation unit 102 form the same continuous curved surface. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, when the operator grasps the dial operation unit 103 with one hand and rotates it, the hand touches the top surface of the electrostatic touch operation unit 102, and the electrostatic touch operation unit 102 may malfunction against the operator's intention.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its purpose is to generate an unintended malfunction of the electrostatic touch operation unit due to the operator's hand touching the electrostatic touch operation unit during the rotation operation of the dial operation unit. An object of the present invention is to provide an input device that can prevent the above-described problem.

  In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 1 is directed to an electrostatic touch operation unit that detects a touch of an operator's finger with a capacitance sensor provided on a back surface, and a periphery of the electrostatic touch operation unit. An input device including a dial operation unit that is rotatably disposed on the top of the electrostatic touch operation unit includes a recess formed in a part of the top surface.

  The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that, in the invention according to claim 1, the concave portion is formed at a place where an operator's finger operating the dial operation portion may come into contact.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, the electrostatic capacitance sensor is provided at least partially only on the back surface of the electrostatic touch operation portion where the concave portion is formed. Features.

  The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that, in the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the peripheral edge of the recess and the surrounding top surface are smoothly connected by a curved surface.

  According to the first and second aspects of the present invention, since the concave portion is formed in a part of the top surface of the electrostatic touch operation unit (a place where the finger of the operator who operates the dial operation unit may come into contact), When the dial operation unit is rotated, contact of the operator's hand with the electrostatic touch operation unit is prevented by the concave portion, and an unintended malfunction of the electrostatic touch operation unit is prevented.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the electrostatic capacitance sensor is partially provided only on the back surface on which the concave portion of the electrostatic touch operation portion is formed, the operator's hand is not the concave portion of the electrostatic touch operation portion. Even if the part is touched, the touch of the finger is not detected by the capacitance sensor, and an unintended malfunction of the electrostatic touch operation unit can be surely prevented.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the peripheral edge of the concave portion formed on the top surface of the electrostatic touch operation unit and the peripheral top surface thereof are smoothly connected by a curved surface, the operator can operate the dial operation unit when operating the dial operation unit. There is no sense of incongruity due to the recess.

It is a perspective view of the input device concerning the present invention. It is a top view of the input device concerning the present invention. It is the sectional view on the AA line of FIG. It is the B section enlarged detail drawing of FIG. It is a top view of the input device which concerns on another form of this invention. It is a perspective view of the conventional input device. It is a perspective view which shows the state which is operating the conventional input device.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  1 is a perspective view of the input device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the input device, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2, and FIG.

  An input device 1 according to the present embodiment is provided at a center console of a vehicle, and includes a bottomed cylindrical electrostatic touch operation unit 2 and a cylindrical dial operation unit 3 disposed around the bottom. I have. Here, the input device 1 operates an in-vehicle air conditioner (air conditioner) as in the conventional input device 101 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, and the electrostatic touch operation unit 2 The operation part is comprised and the dial operation part 3 comprises the room temperature operation part.

  The electrostatic touch operation unit 2 and the dial operation unit 3 disposed around the electrostatic touch operation unit 2 can be integrally rotated around a central vertical axis, and are integrally formed of a non-conductive resin. Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the electrostatic touch operation unit 2 includes a circular flange-shaped operation touch portion 2A at the upper end and a cylindrical portion 2B that integrally extends downward from the operation touch portion 2A. Has been.

  A flexible thin sheet-like capacitance sensor 4 is attached to the back surface of the operation touch unit 2A of the electrostatic touch operation unit 2 as shown in FIG. A lead wire 5 extending downward along the inner wall of the shaped portion 2B is electrically connected to a horizontally fixed substrate 6 via a connector 7. Here, the capacitance sensor 4 includes two electrodes (not shown) that face each other in close proximity, and the operator's finger contacts the surface of the operation touch unit 2A of the electrostatic touch operation unit 2. By detecting the capacitance between the changing electrodes, it is detected that the operator's finger touches the electrostatic touch operation unit 2. Although not shown, when the touch of an operator's finger on the electrostatic touch operation unit 2 is detected on the substrate 6, selection of an air outlet (cold air or warm air) blown out from an air conditioner (not shown) is performed. A control element for transmitting a control signal for switching between the inside and outside air is mounted.

  On the other hand, the dial operation part 3 is formed in an oval cylindrical shape in which opposite sides of a cylinder are cut by a parallel plane part 3A, and a circular opening step 3a (see FIG. 3) is formed. As shown in FIG. 3, the operation touch part 2A of the electrostatic touch operation part 2 is fitted and held in this circular step part 3a. The direction and amount of rotation of the dial operation unit 3 are detected by a photo interrupter or a rotary encoder (not shown), and the room temperature is manually adjusted by the operator based on the detection.

  The top surface of the electrostatic touch operation unit 2 (operation touch unit 2A) configured as described above and the top surface of the dial operation unit 3 form a continuous arc-shaped convex curved surface, and these electrostatic touches The input device 1 including the operation unit 2 and the dial operation unit 3 can rotate the dial operation unit 3 by an operator holding the dial operation unit 3 with one hand and turning it. Specifically, the operator attaches the index finger to each top surface of the electrostatic touch operation unit 2 and the dial operation unit 3, and grasps the left and right plane portions 3A of the dial operation unit 3 with the thumb and the remaining three fingers. The dial operation unit 3 can be rotated in the state. When the operator rotates the dial operation unit 3 in such a state, the operator's finger (index finger) may contact the top surface of the electrostatic touch operation unit 2 and the electrostatic touch operation unit 2 may malfunction. As described above, there is a property.

  Therefore, in the input device 1 according to the present embodiment, a part of the top surface of the electrostatic touch operation unit 2 (operation touch unit 2A), specifically, the hand of the operator who operates the dial operation unit 3 to rotate. An elongated recess 2a that conforms to the shape of the finger (index finger) is formed at a location where the finger (index finger) is attached, and a recess (the tip of the index finger) is also formed on a part of the top surface of the dial operation unit 3 A concave portion 3b for placing the portion is formed. Here, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the peripheral edge of the recess 2a formed on the top surface of the electrostatic touch operation unit 2 and the top surface around the recess 2a are smoothly connected by a curved surface. Further, the capacitance sensor 4 shown in FIG. 4 is partially provided only on the back surface of the electrostatic touch operation unit 2 where the recess 2a is formed.

  Therefore, in the input device 1 according to the present embodiment, the concave portion 2a is formed on a part of the top surface of the electrostatic touch operation unit 2 (a portion where an operator's finger operating the dial operation unit 3 may come into contact). Therefore, when the dial operation unit 3 is rotated, contact of the operator's hand with the electrostatic touch operation unit 2 is prevented by the recess 2a, and an unexpected malfunction of the electrostatic touch operation unit 2 is prevented. Can be removed.

  Further, in the present embodiment, since the electrostatic capacitance sensor 4 is partially provided only on the back surface of the electrostatic touch operation unit 2 where the concave portion 2a is formed, the operator's hand is provided with the concave portion 2a of the electrostatic touch operation unit 2. Even if the other part is touched, the capacitance sensor 4 does not detect the touch of the finger, and the malfunction of the electrostatic touch operation unit 2 is surely prevented from occurring.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, since the peripheral edge of the recess 2a formed on the top surface of the electrostatic touch operation unit 2 and the surrounding top surface are smoothly connected by a curved surface, when the operator operates the dial operation unit 3, There is an effect that the recess 2a does not give a sense of incongruity.

  When the input device 1 selects an air outlet or switches between inside and outside air, the operator can touch the electrostatic touch operation unit 2 with a finger.

  By the way, in the above embodiment, the elongate recess 2a along the operator's finger (index finger) is formed on the top surface of the electrostatic touch operation unit 2, but the shape of the recess 2a is arbitrary, for example, As shown in the plan view of FIG. 5, a circular recess 2a in plan view may be formed. In this case as well, the capacitive sensor 4 has a back surface on which the recess 2a of the electrostatic touch operation unit 2 is formed. The peripheral edge of the recess 2a and the surrounding top surface are smoothly connected by a curved surface.

  Although the present invention has been described with respect to an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an input device for operating an in-vehicle air conditioner (air conditioner), the present invention is an input for operating any other device other than air conditioning. Of course, the present invention can be similarly applied to the apparatus.

  In addition, application of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims and the description and drawings. Needless to say.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Input device 2 Electrostatic touch operation part 2A Operation touch part of electrostatic touch operation part 2B Cylindrical part of electrostatic touch operation part 2a Recessed part of electrostatic touch operation part 3 Dial operation part 4 Capacitance sensor 5 Lead wire 6 Board 7 Connector

Claims (4)

In an input device including an electrostatic touch operation unit that detects a touch of an operator's finger with a capacitance sensor provided on the back surface, and a dial operation unit that is rotatably arranged around the electrostatic touch operation unit.
An input device, wherein a recess is formed in a part of the top surface of the electrostatic touch operation unit.   The input device according to claim 1, wherein the concave portion is formed in a place where a finger of an operator who operates the dial operation unit may come into contact.   The input device according to claim 1, wherein the capacitance sensor is provided at least partially only on a back surface of the electrostatic touch operation unit on which the concave portion is formed. The input device according to claim 1, wherein a peripheral edge of the concave portion and a surrounding top surface are smoothly connected by a curved surface.

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