JP2022010477A - Operating part unit and electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an operating part unit that is small size and low cost and controls a plurality of operating members including a forward movement operating member with one controller.SOLUTION: An operating part unit has: a controller including main body parts, a rotating member that is rotatably supported by the main body parts, a magnetic viscous fluid that is arranged between the main body parts and the rotating member, and a magnetic field generation part for applying a magnetic field to the magnetic viscous fluid; a forward movement operating member that linearly moves to perform an operation; at least one rotation operating member that makes a rotational movement to perform an operation; a first connection member for transmitting a driving force of the rotating member to the forward movement operating member; and a second connection member for transmitting the driving force of the rotating member to the rotation operating member. The controller controls the operational feeling of the forward movement operating member and the rotation operating member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to an operation unit equipped with a control device using a ferrofluid and an electronic device having the operation unit.

An operating member such as a dial or a slide lever for changing a control value is arranged in the electronic device. Some of these operating members use rubber, highly viscous grease, or the like for the sliding portion to appropriately increase the sliding torque of the operating member so that it can rotate comfortably. In addition, by incorporating a click structure, one click feeling can be obtained each time the control value is changed, and all of them are devised to improve the operation feeling of the operating member.

As a device for controlling the operational feeling of such an operating member, a control device using an MR fluid (Magneto Rheological fluid) has been proposed. The MR fluid is obtained by dissolving fine powder of a ferromagnetic material such as iron (about 10 μm in diameter) in a solvent such as oil. When a magnetic field is applied to this, the powders bond with each other and have the property of increasing the viscosity of the MR fluid. Further, since the viscosity also increases as the magnetic field becomes stronger, it is possible to control the viscosity by controlling the strength of the magnetic field.

A well-known configuration as an operation feeling control device using MR fluid is to enclose the MR fluid around a rotating moving body (rotor) and arrange a coil in the vicinity to change the current flowing through the coil. It changes the rotational torque of the rotor. By connecting an operation unit such as a dial to this rotor, the feeling of rotation can be freely changed.

It has been proposed to control the operation feeling of a plurality of operation members by arranging such an operation feeling control device according to the operation of each operation member.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2017-167603

However, if an operation feeling control device is arranged for each of a plurality of operation members included in the electronic device, the device becomes large and the cost increases.

Therefore, the present invention provides a low-cost and small operation unit unit for controlling a plurality of operation members including a straight-ahead operation member with one control device, and an electronic device having the same.

The operation unit as one aspect of the present invention includes a main body, a rotating member rotatably supported by the main body, a magnetically viscous fluid arranged between the main body and the rotating member, and the magnetism. A control device provided with a magnetic field generating unit for applying a magnetic field to a viscous fluid, a linear operation member that linearly moves and operates, and at least one rotation operation member that rotates and operates. It has a first connecting member for transmitting the driving force of the rotating member to the linear operation member, and a second connecting member for transmitting the driving force of the rotating member to the rotation operating member. The control device controls the operation feeling of the straight-ahead operation member and the rotation operation member.

Other objects and features of the present invention will be described in the following examples.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a low-cost and small operation unit unit for controlling a plurality of operation members including a straight-ahead operation member with one control device, and an electronic device having the operation unit.

The figure which shows the operation part unit of Example 1 of this invention. The figure which shows the cross section of the operation part unit of Example 1 of this invention. The figure which shows the relationship between the magnetic force applied to MR fluid and the shear stress of MR fluid. The figure which shows the operation part unit of Example 2 of this invention. The figure which shows the cross section of the operation part unit of Example 2 of this invention. The figure which shows the operation part unit in Example 3 of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
<Example 1>
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an operation unit 100 included in an electronic device for realizing the first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 101 is an operation feeling control device as a control device for controlling the feel of each operation unit in which MR fluid is sealed. 102 is a button device as a straight-ahead operation member that moves straight-ahead by a pushing operation, and 103 is a first rotation-operation member for changing parameters and the like of an electronic device by a rotation operation. The moving axis of the button device 102, which is a linear operation member, and the rotation axis of the first rotation operation member 103 are different axes.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the operation feeling control device 101. In the operation feeling control device 101, the main body portion of the operation feeling control device 101 is composed of a first main body portion 101a and a second main body portion 101b that also serve as a casing, and is a rotating member rotatably supported by the first main body portion 101a. It is equipped with a rotor 101c. The first main body portion has a two-body structure, and is composed of a core portion 101a1 and a cover portion 101a2. In this configuration, the core portion 101a1 is formed of a magnetic material such as iron, and the cover portion 101a2 is formed of a non-magnetic material such as a resin material. Further, the second main body portion 101b is also made into two bodies having the same configuration. The first and second main body portions 101a and 101b may be made of the same material or may be integrated. A gap is provided between the core portion 101a1 of the first main body portion 101a, the disk portion 101c1 of the rotor 101c, the core portion 101b1 of the second main body portion 101b, and the disk portion 101c1 of the rotor 101c, respectively. MR fluid 101d is enclosed. Further, a coil 101e, which is a magnetic field generating portion, is provided on the outer periphery of the disk portion 101c1 of the rotor 101c. When a current is passed through the coil 101e, a magnetic field M as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 2 is generated. Since the MR fluid 101d is provided in the region through which the magnetic field M passes, the viscosity of the MR fluid 101d increases due to the influence of the magnetic field, and when the rotor 101c rotates, the viscous resistance between the disk portion 101c1 and the MR fluid 101d. Can be caused. Further, since the viscosity of the MR fluid 101d increases when the current value flowing through the coil 101e is increased, the rotational resistance of the rotor 101c can be changed by changing the current value flowing through the coil 101e.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 specifically shows an operation feeling control device 101 according to the present embodiment applied to an operation unit 100 around a release of a camera as an electronic device. The button device 102 has a push button shape, and is a release device of a camera, in which the release button 102a presses the release switch 102b, which is a switch member, to turn on the switch. By operating the release switch 102b, the switch can be electrically turned on and off. Further, a first connection member 105 is arranged between the release button 102a and the operation feeling control device 101, and the rotor shaft portion 101c2 of the release button 102a and the operation feeling control device 101 is connected via the first connection member 105. Is connected. The first connecting member 105 transmits the driving force of the rotor 101c to the release button 102a of the button device 102. The button-side connecting member 105a attached to the release button 102a moves linearly, and the rotor-side connecting member 105b attached to the rotor shaft portion 101c2 rotates and moves. For example, both the button-side connecting member 105a and the rotor-side connecting member 105b are made of a material having a large surface friction coefficient, such as rubber. Alternatively, the button-side connecting member 105a is configured to be engaged as a rack, and the rotor-side connecting member 105b is configured to be engaged as a pinion. By doing so, the first connecting member 105 can have a conversion mechanism that converts the linear movement operation into the rotational movement operation.

When the release button 102a is pressed, the rotor 101c of the operation feeling control device 101 is rotated via the first connecting member 105. As shown in FIG. 3, if the current flowing through the coil 101e is T1, MR. The shear stress of the fluid 101d is σ1. Therefore, a rotation resistance R1 is generated in the rotor 101c. As a result, when the release button 102a is pressed, a predetermined resistance force is received. Further, when T2 is higher than T1, the shear stress of the MR fluid 101d becomes σ2 higher than σ1, and rotational resistance R2 (R2> R1) is generated in the rotor 101c. As a result, a force is required to rotate the rotor 101c as compared with the case where the current flowing through the coil 101e is set to T1, so resistance is felt when the release button 102a is pressed, and the pressing feeling of the release button 102a can be changed. ..

Next, the first rotation operation member 103 includes a dial 103a, which is a dial-shaped rotation operation member, and a dial brush 103c attached to the first substrate 103b and the dial 103a. A contact pattern is formed on the first substrate 103b, and when the dial 103a is rotated, the dial brush 103c also rotates at the same time and slides on the contact pattern. By detecting the connection state and timing of the contact pattern by the dial brush 103c, the rotation amount, position, rotation direction, etc. of the dial 103a can be read. As a result, various parameters of the electronic device can be changed (in this embodiment, the shutter speed can be changed, the shooting mode can be changed, and the like). A second connecting member 106 is attached between the first rotation operating member 103 and the operation feeling control device 101. The dial-side connecting member 106a is a rotating body, and rotation is transmitted to the dial 103a by a structure such as frictional contact or a gear. Similarly, rotation is transmitted to the rotor side connecting member 106b and the dial side connecting member 106a attached to the rotor shaft portion 101c2 by a structure such as friction contact or a gear.

When the dial 103a is rotated, the rotor 101c of the operation feeling control device 101 is rotated via the second connecting member 106, so that the rotational resistance of the rotor 101c can be changed by changing the current flowing through the coil 101e. .. As a result, the rotational torque of the dial 103a can be changed, and the feel on the finger during rotation can be changed.

Here, regarding the change in feel due to the operation feeling control device 101, when a constant current is continuously passed through the coil 101e, the MR fluid 101d has a constant viscosity, so that the rotor 101c has a constant rotational torque. Therefore, when the release button 102a or the dial 103a is operated, a constant operation resistance is always felt. When a time-varying current such as a sine wave or a pulse wave is passed through the coil 101e, a time-series torque change can be obtained when the rotor 101c is rotated. By passing a current that changes with time in this way, it is possible to obtain a pseudo click feeling when the dial 103a is rotated.

The operation feeling control device 101 used in this configuration has a structure in which the rotor shaft portion 101c2 of the rotor 101c extends to both sides. Therefore, by arranging it between the release button 102a and the first rotation operation member 103, it is possible to connect to the operation feeling control device 101 with a simple configuration. As a result, the operation feeling control device 101 can be efficiently arranged even in a narrow space, and miniaturization can be realized.

Since the dial 103a is a rotating body and the rotating shaft of the dial 103a and the rotating shaft of the rotor 101c are arranged coaxially in this configuration, the shaft of the dial 103a and the rotor shaft portion 101c are arranged without using the second connecting member 106. May be directly connected.

Next, as shown in this configuration, if the first connecting member 105 and the second connecting member 106 are always connected, a rotational force is also applied to the first connecting member 105 when the dial 103a is rotated. Since it is transmitted, the release button 102a may move. In order to avoid such a state, when it is detected that the dial 103a is rotating, the first connection member 105 is configured to disconnect the button side connection member 105a and the rotor side connection member 105b. There is a need. When they are connected by frictional force, the contact resistance is set so that the rotational force of the dial 103a causes the button-side connecting member 105a and the rotor-side connecting member 105b to slip, but the release button 102a operates to connect them. do. By doing this, it can be configured so that there is no operational problem even if the connection is not completely disconnected. As described above, when it is determined that either the dial 103a or the release button 102a is operated in the first connecting member 105 and the second connecting member 106, the connection between the other and the rotor 101c is disconnected. Configure to be. Further, when it is determined that either the dial 103a or the release button 102a is operated in the first connecting member 105 and the second connecting member 106, the other is fixed so as not to be operated. It may be configured. If it is determined that either the dial 103a or the release button 102a is operated in the first connecting member 105 and the second connecting member 106, even if the other is operated, the other operation is performed. It may be configured so that the control of the electronic device and the change of the parameter based on the above are ignored.

Which of the release button 102a and the dial 103a is operated can be detected by arranging a contact sensor (not shown) as an operation determining means for detecting the contact of a finger on each operating member. Further, if it is determined that the dial 103a is being operated by installing an encoder and detecting a change in the control value, it is not necessary to dispose the contact sensor with respect to the dial 103a. In this case, normally, the operation feeling of the release button 102a may be controlled, and the operation feeling of the dial 103a may be controlled only when the operation of the dial 103a is detected. By doing so, it is possible to control each operation feeling without providing a contact sensor for the dial 103a.

Further, if the button device 102 is configured to detect the movement amount of the release button 102a by installing an encoder as a detection means for detecting the movement position, the button device 102 can be configured according to the movement amount without using the release switch 102b. It can be configured to give an operation instruction.

As described above, it is possible to provide a low-cost and compact operation unit unit for controlling a plurality of operation members including a straight-ahead operation member with one operation feeling control device, and an electronic device having the operation unit.
<Example 2>
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an operation unit 200 included in an electronic device for realizing the second embodiment of the present invention. Members having the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment shall perform the same functions. Reference numeral 104 is a second rotation operation member, which is provided around the release button 102a and for changing parameters of an electronic device or the like by a rotation operation. The moving axis of the button device 102, which is a linear operation member, and the rotation axis of the second rotation operation member 104 are coaxial.

The operation feeling control device 201 is used in the operation unit 200 provided in the electronic device shown in the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, the operation feeling control device 201 is different from that of the first embodiment in that the rotor shaft portion 201c2 extends only from one side.

The second rotation operation member 104 is a zoom operation device that changes the focal length of the lens as it is called in a camera.

As shown in FIG. 4, the operation principle and the operation feeling control method of the button device 102 are as described above, and thus will be omitted. In this configuration, the button-side connecting member 105a is connected to the rotor-side connecting member 105b, and the third connecting member 107 is connected to the rotor-side connecting member 105b. The second rotation operation member 104 is attached so that a rotation lever-shaped zoom lever (zoom switch) 104a, which is a rotation operation member, rotates coaxially with the release button 102a, and is attached to the second substrate 104b and the zoom lever 104a. It consists of a mounted zoom brush 104c. A contact pattern is formed on the second substrate 104b, and when the zoom lever 104a is rotated, the zoom brush 104c also rotates at the same time and slides on the contact pattern. Similar to the first rotation operation member 103, the parameters of the electronic device are changed (in the present embodiment, the focal length of the lens is changed) by determining the connection state of the contact pattern by the zoom brush 104c.

A third connecting member 107 is attached between the second rotation operating member 104 and the operation feeling control device 201. The third connecting member 107 is a rotating body, and the rotational force is transmitted to the zoom lever 104a by a structure such as frictional contact or a gear.

When the zoom lever 104a is rotated, the rotor (rotating member) 201c of the operation feeling control device 201 is rotated via the third connecting member 107. At this time, since the rotational torque of the rotor 201c can be changed by changing the current flowing through the coil 201e, it is possible to change the feel of the finger when the zoom lever 104a is rotated.

Further, it is also possible to obtain a click feeling by passing a time-varying current through the coil 201e as in the first embodiment.

In this configuration, since the first rotation operation member 103 and the operation feeling control device 201 are not connected, the rotor shaft portion 201c2 has a structure in which the rotor shaft portion 201c2 extends only from one side of the operation feeling control device 201. As a result, when the operation feeling control device 201 is arranged between the release button 102a and the first rotation operation member 103, the space between the first rotation operation member 103 and the operation feeling control device 201 is narrowed as compared with the above-described embodiment. Therefore, it is possible to realize further miniaturization.

Further, also in this configuration, as in the first embodiment, it is preferable to retract or lock the connecting member so that the operating device side that is not operating does not move arbitrarily.

As described above, it is possible to provide a low-cost and compact operation unit unit for controlling a plurality of operation members including a straight-ahead operation member with one operation feeling control device, and an electronic device having the operation unit.
<Example 3>
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an operation unit 300 included in an electronic device for realizing the third embodiment of the present invention. Members having the same reference numerals as those of Examples 1 and 2 shall perform the same operation.

The operation unit 300 included in the electronic device of the present embodiment is a combination of the configurations of the first and second embodiments.

The operation feeling control device 101 and the button device 102 are connected via the first connecting member 105, the first rotation operating member 103 is connected via the second connecting member 106, and the second rotation operating member is connected. The 104 is connected via the third connecting member 107.

Therefore, the operation feeling of each of the three operation members of the release button 102a, the dial 103a, and the zoom lever 104a can be controlled by using the operation feeling control device 101.

Further, also in this configuration, it is not possible to determine how to control the operation feeling unless it is detected which operation member is being operated. Therefore, a contact sensor or encoder for detecting finger contact is arranged on each operating member, and a change in the control value due to the operation of each operating member is detected to make a judgment. This makes it possible to properly control the feeling of operation.

Further, as in the first and second embodiments, it is preferable to retract or lock the connecting member so that the operating device side that is not operated does not move arbitrarily.

As described above, it is possible to provide a low-cost and compact operation unit unit for controlling a plurality of operation members including a straight-ahead operation member with one operation feeling control device, and an electronic device having the operation unit.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and modifications can be made within the scope of the gist thereof.

Operation feeling control device 101,201
Straight operation member 102
Rotation operation member 103, 104
First connecting member 105
Second connecting member 106

Claims (16)

A main body, a rotating member rotatably supported by the main body, a magnetic viscous fluid arranged between the main body and the rotating member, and a magnetic field generating unit for applying a magnetic field to the magnetic viscous fluid. With a control device equipped with
A straight-ahead operation member that moves straight-ahead and operates
Rotational operation members that rotate and operate, and
A first connecting member for transmitting the driving force of the rotating member to the straight-ahead operating member, and
It has a second connecting member for transmitting the driving force of the rotating member to the rotation operating member, and has.
The control device is an operation unit that controls the operation feeling of the straight-ahead operation member and the rotation operation member. The operation according to claim 1, wherein the rotation operation member includes a first rotation operation member having a different axis from the straight-ahead operation member, and a second rotation operation member coaxial with the straight-ahead operation member. Department unit. The straight-ahead operation member is a push button-shaped operation member for operating an electronic device provided with the operation unit.
The operation unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first connecting member has a conversion mechanism for converting a linear movement operation into a rotational movement operation. The operation unit unit according to claim 3, wherein the push button-shaped operation member is provided with a switch member that is electrically turned on / off by the operation of the operation member. The operation unit unit according to claim 3, wherein the push button-shaped operation member is provided with a detection means for detecting a moving position of the operation member. The operation unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the rotation operation member includes a dial-shaped operation member for changing a control value of an electronic device provided with the operation unit. unit. The operating unit according to claim 6, wherein the parameters of the electronic device can be changed according to the amount of rotation of the dial-shaped operating member. The operation according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the rotation operation member includes a rotation lever-shaped operation member for changing a control value of an electronic device provided with the operation unit. Department unit. The operating unit according to claim 8, wherein the parameters of the electronic device can be changed according to the amount of rotation of the rotating lever-shaped operating member. When it is determined that either the linear operation member or the rotation operation member is operated in the first and second connection members, the linear operation member, the other of the rotation operation members, and the rotation are performed. The operation unit according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the connection with the member is disconnected. If it is determined that either the straight-ahead operation member or the rotation-operation member is being operated in the first and second connection members, the other of the straight-ahead operation member and the rotation-operation member cannot be operated. The operation unit according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the operation unit is fixed in such a manner. When it is determined that either the linear operation member or the rotation operation member is operated in the first and second connection members, the other of the linear operation member and the rotation operation member is operated. However, the operation unit according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the control of the electronic device provided with the operation unit based on the other operation and the change of parameters are ignored. The operation unit according to any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising an operation determination means for detecting whether or not the straight-ahead operation member and the rotation operation member are operated. The operation unit according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the control device is arranged in a region sandwiched between the straight-ahead operation member and the rotation operation member. An electronic device comprising the operation unit according to any one of claims 1 to 14. The electronic device is a camera
The straight-ahead operation member is an operation member that operates a release switch included in the camera.
The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the rotation operation member is a dial for changing the setting of the camera and a zoom switch for changing the focal length of the lens.

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