JP2678564B2 - Direction information input device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention, which is commonly referred to as joystick or the like, relates to a device for inputting information to a computer device or the like, and is specifically required when inputting graphic information or map information. The present invention relates to an input device for inputting information regarding directions.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 shows an example of the configuration of a conventional direction information input device 90 of this type. A case (not shown) has a substantially semicircular shape and has a first slit along the circumferential direction. 9
A first swing ring 91 provided with 1a is pivotally supported at both ends and attached so as to be swingable in a direction orthogonal to the first slit 91a, and one shaft is provided with a first swing ring 9a.
First rotary switch 92 that is turned on by swinging 1
Is installed.

A second swing ring 93 having the same structure as the first swing ring 91 and having a second slit 93a is attached orthogonally to the first swing ring 91, and the second swing ring 93 is attached. The second rotary switch 94 is similarly attached to the swing ring 93. At this time, the first oscillating ring 91 and the second oscillating ring 93 have slightly different radii so that their operations do not interfere with each other.

Further, the direction information input device 90 is provided with an operation stick 95 pivotally supported by a ball bearing 95a or the like at the center of the first swing ring 91 and the second swing ring 93. The operation knob 9 is provided at one end of 95.
5b is provided, and the other end 95c penetrates both the first slit 91a and the second slit 93a.

With the above structure, the operation stick 95
Can be operated in all directions centering on the ball bearing 95a, and when this operation is performed, the first swing ring 91 and the second swing ring 93 are components in two directions whose operation amounts are orthogonal to each other. Each of them swings by an amount divided into two, so that either or both of the first rotary switch 92 and the second rotary switch 94 are turned on.

FIG. 5 shows an electric circuit of the direction information input device 90. As described above, the first rotary switch 92 and the second rotary switch 94 have the first swing ring 91 and the second swing switch. It is closed according to the operation of the moving ring 93. If the operating stick 95 is operated to the left, the left contact 1 of the first rotary switch 92 is closed by the operation of the first swing ring 91. Then, the common terminal C and the left terminal L are electrically connected and input to a computer or the like.

If the left terminal L and the upper terminal U are both electrically conductive at this time, the computer determines that the operation is performed between the left direction and the upper direction, that is, the upper left direction. Then, the corresponding process is performed. Similarly, when the right contact r is turned on, the right terminal R is conducted, and when the lower contact d is turned on, the lower terminal D is conducted, and the computer responds accordingly.

[0008]

However, in the conventional direction information input device 90 described above, firstly,
As is clear from the above description, the configuration is complicated and the number of parts is large, which inevitably raises the cost. Secondly, the above configuration makes it difficult to miniaturize, especially thin, for example, to be used in portable devices. Thirdly, since the above configuration is complicated, it is limited to obtain signals in eight directions of up, down, left and right and in the middle, and it is difficult to further improve accuracy. There were points, and the solution of these points became an issue.

[0009]

As a concrete means for solving the above-mentioned conventional problems, the present invention holds an operation board in a case so as to be freely movable in one plane direction, and The operation knob provided on the operation board faces the outer surface of the case so as to be operable in the above-described direction, and the operation board has a disk-shaped or annular member formed of a member having elasticity and conductivity. A contact is attached, and the case is provided with an insulating boss that is in contact with the outer periphery of the common contact at at least three places to set an initial position on the operation board, and an outer periphery of the common contact is provided at an intermediate position between the insulating bosses. Therefore, the problem is solved by providing a direction information input device characterized in that position contacts are provided at appropriate intervals.

[0010]

Next, the present invention will be described in detail based on an embodiment shown in the drawings. Reference numeral 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2 denotes a direction information input device according to the present invention (hereinafter abbreviated as input device 1), and the input device 1 includes a case 2 and a printed circuit board 3 in an appropriate space. Is provided, and the operation board 4 is housed in this space.

At this time, an opening 2b is provided on the side of the operation surface 2a of the case 2, and the operation knob 4a provided on the operation board 4 is exposed to the outer surface so that the operation surface 2a described above is formed.
It is possible to operate from. In addition, the operation board 4 is provided with an annular ring-shaped boss 4b having an appropriate height around the operation knob 4a, and the movement direction of the operation board 4 in the space is one plane parallel to the operation surface 2a. It is limited to be

The ring-shaped boss 4b of the operation board 4 is also provided.
A ring-shaped common contact 5 formed of, for example, a pipe-shaped conductive rubber or a metal wire coil (coil spring) having an excellent spring property is elastically fitted to the outer diameter of the printed circuit board 3. Insulation bosses 3a are provided at four locations that equally divide the outer circumference so as to contact the outer diameter of the common contact 5.
Is provided.

Therefore, in the state where no external force is applied to the operation knob 4a from the outside, the operation board 4 is positioned by the insulating boss 3a and maintains the initial position, and the operation knob 4a receives an external force in a specific direction. The common contact 5 is deformed and moves in that direction when is applied, but when the external force disappears, the elasticity of the common contact 5 causes the common contact 5 to return to the initial position again.

Further, the insulating boss 3a of the printed circuit board 3
Position contact 3b is located at an intermediate position in each circumferential direction.
Since the position contact 3b is provided with a proper distance from the outer diameter of the common contact 5, the common contact 5 and the position contact 3b are not in contact with each other at the initial position. If the input device 1 is for inputting mainly in the vertical and horizontal directions, the position contact 3b is used.
Are provided at corresponding positions such as the upper position contact 3b-u, the lower position contact 3b-d, the left position contact 3b-l, and the right position contact 3b-r.

The operation knob 4a in the above-mentioned initial position
When an external force is applied to the common contact 5, the common contact 5 is deformed at the portion in contact with the insulating boss 3a, and the operation substrate 4 moves along the direction of the external force.
And the upper position contact 3b-u come into contact with each other and become conductive, so that the operating direction is input to a computer or the like.

If the operation knob 4a is operated in the upper left direction, for example, the left position contact 3bl and the upper position contact 3bu simultaneously contact the common contact 5, whereby the upper left direction is obtained. The points are similar to those of the conventional example. Further, the printed circuit board 3 is provided with appropriate wiring for electrically connecting to the common contact 5 or the position contact 3b.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In the previous embodiment, the position contact 3b is the upper position contact 3b-u,
While the lower position contact 3b-d, the left position contact 3b-l, and the right position contact 3b-r are provided at four positions, in the present embodiment, the upper left position contact 3b- is provided in the middle of each of the four positions.
lu, upper right position contact 3b-ru, lower left position contact 3b-l
d, the lower right position contact 3b-rd is provided, and accordingly, the insulating boss 3a is also provided at eight locations.

By doing so, in the input device 1 of this embodiment, direct contact between the common contact 5 and the position contact 3b enables input in eight directions, and simultaneous contact of two contacts changes the intermediate direction. By using the detecting means together, it is possible to input in 16 directions. For example, when inputting the azimuth, it is possible to input north-northeast and the like, which further improves accuracy and practicality.

In each of the above embodiments, the ring-shaped boss 4b of the operation board 4 has a substantially circular outer shape, and the common contact 5 fitted to the outer diameter of the ring-shaped boss 4b has a cross section. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the ring-shaped boss 4b may have an oval or polygonal outer shape, and the common contact 5 has a cross section. The shape may be a triangular shape or the like, and it is possible to make appropriate changes in consideration of operational feeling and the like.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, the operation board is held in the case so as to be freely movable in one plane, and the operation board is a disk-shaped member having elasticity and conductivity. Alternatively, a ring-shaped common contact is attached, and the common contact is brought into contact with a position contact provided on the outer periphery by an external force applied to the operation board to obtain a direction information input device, so that the first main component is With the operation board, the common contact and the position contact, the number of parts can be reduced and the configuration can be simplified, and an extremely excellent effect can be obtained in the cost reduction of this type of direction information input device.

Secondly, the operation board and the common contact may be housed in the case, and the operation board may be movable only in one direction parallel to the operation surface. By doing so, it becomes possible to make it smaller, especially thin, and for example, it can be used for the operation plate of portable equipment,
The direction information input device of this type also has an excellent effect in improving the versatility.

Thirdly, by simplifying the structure as described above, the number of position contacts can be increased.
This type of direction information input device is assumed to be capable of inputting 6 directions or more, and for example, when inputting an azimuth, it is possible to input north northeast etc., which was impossible in the conventional example. It also has an extremely excellent effect in improving the performance.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a direction information input device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a main part of another embodiment of the direction information input device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a main part of a conventional example.

FIG. 5 is a wiring diagram showing an example of an electric circuit of this type of direction information input device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Direction information input device 2 ... Case 2a ... Operating surface 2b ... Opening 3 ... Printed circuit board 3a ... Insulating boss 3b ... Position contact 3b-u ... Up position contact 3b-d ... Lower position contact 3b-l ... left position contact, 3b-r ... right position contact 3b-lu ... upper left position contact, 3b-ru ... upper right position contact 3b-ld ... lower left position contact 3b-rd ... … Lower right position contact 4 …… Operation board 4a …… Operation knob 4b …… Ring-shaped boss 5 …… Common contact

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An operation board is held in a case so as to be freely movable in one plane direction, and an operation knob provided on the operation board is exposed from the case to an outer surface to operate in the direction. The operation board is provided with a disk-shaped or ring-shaped common contact made of a material having elasticity and conductivity, and the case is provided with an insulating boss that is in contact with at least three places on the outer circumference of the common contact. The directional information input device is characterized in that an initial position is set on the operation board, and position contacts are provided at intermediate positions of the insulating bosses at appropriate intervals from the outer circumference of the common contact. .