JP3135346B2 - XY coordinate input device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a display device such as a CRT display, which controls the position of a cursor on a display screen according to the amount and direction of rotation of a rotating sphere (rotating ball) housed in a casing. The present invention relates to an XY coordinate input device capable of performing such operations.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As this type of XY coordinate input device,
Conventionally, what is also called a trackball, in which a cursor on a display screen can be moved to a desired coordinate position or menu position by manually rotating a rotated sphere partially projecting from an opening of a casing, is also called a trackball. Widely known. Such an XY coordinate input device makes a pair of rotating shafts arranged so that their axial directions are orthogonal to each other contact a rotating sphere made of steel balls or the like rotatably housed in a casing. The two rotating shafts are set so as to rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating sphere by, for example, elastically biasing the rotating sphere to elastically contact the rotating sphere with the two rotating shafts. By detecting the amount of rotation of the rotating sphere by an optical encoder or the like, the detection signal can be input to the display device as the X coordinate component and the Y coordinate component of the rotating sphere.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are a plan view and a sectional view showing the internal structure of a conventional example of such an XY coordinate input device.

In these figures, a casing 1 is formed by combining an upper case 2 and a lower case 3, and a rotating sphere 4 made of steel balls or the like is rotatably housed inside the casing 1. A first rotating shaft 5 supported by a pivot bearing 7 by bringing the driven portion 5a into contact with the rotated sphere 4;
Similarly, the second rotating shaft 6 that is supported by the pivot bearing 8 by bringing the driven portion 6a into contact with the rotated sphere 4 is disposed in a positional relationship in which the axial directions are orthogonal to each other. Code plates 9 and 10 are fixedly provided at one end of each of the rotating shafts 5 and 6, and a light emitting element 11 and a light receiving element 12 are arranged on both sides of the code plate 9 so as to face each other. The light-emitting element 13 and the light-receiving element 14 are arranged on both sides sandwiching. The other end of each of the rotating shafts 5 and 6 is always urged toward the rotating sphere 4 by a torsion coil spring 15 while being mounted on the ridges 3a and 3b of the lower case 3, respectively. Therefore, even if each of the rotating shafts 5 and 6 receives a strong force from the rotating sphere 4 during operation, each of the rotating shafts 5 and 6
By sliding one end on the ridges 3a, 3b with the pivot bearings 7, 8 as the swing centers, respectively, the axis can be moved while the torsion coil spring 15 is pushed in. The force received from the spherical body 4 can be reduced while ensuring the contact pressure with the rotating spherical body 4.

On the other hand, the rotating sphere 4 is a high-hardness supporting sphere 16 made of ruby or the like incorporated in three places of the lower case 3.
The rotating sphere 4 is always mounted in a stable state and has no fear of abrasion because it is mounted on and supported by the supporting spheres 16 at three points. The transmission is also stable. In addition, a part of the rotating sphere 4 has an opening 2 in the upper case 2 for manual operation.
It protrudes outward from a.

[0006] The XY coordinate input device having the above-described configuration is configured such that when the rotated sphere 4 slightly projecting from the opening 2a of the casing 1 is manually operated and rotated in an arbitrary direction, the first XY coordinate input device is rotated.
And the second rotating shafts 5 and 6 rotate in predetermined directions in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating sphere 4, so that the light emitting elements 11 and
The light emitted from the light receiving element 13 is received by the light receiving elements 12 and 14, and the rotation amount of each of the code plates 9 and 10 is detected.
The amounts of rotation of the rotating shafts 5 and 6 can be individually taken out, and the detection signals of the amounts of rotation of the rotating shafts 5 and 6 thus obtained are input to a display device (not shown) as the X coordinate component and the Y coordinate component of the rotating sphere 4. It is supposed to be. Therefore, the cursor on the display screen (not shown) can be moved in accordance with the rotation amount and the rotation direction of the rotated sphere 4 that is manually operated, and when the cursor is moved to a desired coordinate position or menu position, the rotation is performed. By stopping the rotation of the sphere 4 and switching an input switch (not shown), coordinate input and menu selection are executed.

[0007]

In the above-mentioned conventional XY coordinate input device, since the rotating sphere 4 is supported at three points by the high hardness supporting sphere 16 made of ruby or the like, the sphere 4 There is no need to worry about abrasion even if the sphere is rotated for a long period of time, so that the sphere 4 can always be kept in a stable state. Assembly work is also complicated,
There was a problem that a significant increase in cost was required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an XY coordinate input device capable of always keeping a rotating sphere in a stable state at a low cost. It is in.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide an escape hole for loosely inserting the bottom of a rotating sphere into a synthetic resin sphere support member on which the rotating sphere is mounted, And three ridges arranged at equal intervals around the periphery of the sphere. A curved surface having a curved surface approximating the outer surface of the rotating sphere is formed on each of the ridges. Top end
Is formed as an elastic projection by projecting upward, and the vicinity of the bottom of the rotating sphere is supported at three points by the curved surfaces of the projections.

[0010]

According to the above-mentioned means, even if the point of contact of the curved surface of each ridge with the rotated sphere is worn as a result of rotating the rotated sphere for a long period of time, the rotated sphere is rotated. Falls slightly downward, so that each curved surface having a curved surface approximating the outer surface of the rotated sphere becomes a new contact point immediately above the previous contact point, so that the rotated sphere always has each curved surface. The surface is supported at three points. Also, the upper end side of each ridge
Are projected upward to form elastic projections.
Use the elastic deformation of the projection to convert the rotated sphere into a sphere support member
Snap-in can be attached to the rotating sphere
The following assembly work can be performed without worrying
it can.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Here, FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an XY coordinate input device as an embodiment, FIG. 2 is a plan view of a sphere support member used in the embodiment, FIG. 3 is a side view of the sphere support member, and FIG. It is a top view of the rotation axis used for the example.

In these figures, a printed board 24 on which a push button switch 23 and the like are mounted is fixed inside a casing 20 formed by combining an upper case 21 and a lower case 22. A sphere support member 25 having a shape as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is attached, and a part of a rotating sphere 34 formed of a steel ball or the like mounted on the sphere support member 25 passes through an opening 21 a of the upper case 21. It protrudes outward.

The sphere support member 25 includes a column-shaped fulcrum portion 26 fixed to the printed circuit board 24, an annular sphere receiving portion 27 on which a rotating sphere 34 is mounted, a fulcrum portion 26 and a sphere receiving portion. Hinge portion 28 connecting portions 27
A switch driving unit 29 extending from the sphere receiving unit 27 to a side substantially opposite to the hinge unit 28 side and arranged to face the push button switch 23; and a switch driving unit 29 connected to the switch driving unit 29 side of the sphere receiving unit 27 and A pair of bearing wall portions 30, 31 whose wall surfaces are orthogonal to each other, and a fulcrum portion 26 from each bearing wall portion 30, 31.
This is a resin molded product provided with a pair of bearing arms 32 and 33 extending in a cantilever shape toward the end and bent back in a substantially U-shape. At the approximate center of the sphere receiving portion 27, escape holes 27a are provided for loosely inserting the bottom of the rotated sphere 34, and protrusions provided at three equally spaced locations around the escape hole 27a. The rotating sphere 3 is provided on each of the strips 27b.
Band-like curved surface 27c exhibiting a curved surface approximating the outer surface of No. 4
Are formed, and three points near the bottom of the spherical body 34 can be supported by the respective band-shaped curved surfaces 27c of the three ridges 27b. Further, since the upper end side of each protruding ridge portion 27b protrudes upward and has elasticity, when the rotated sphere 34 is mounted on the sphere receiving portion 27, each band-shaped curved surface 2
The upper end of 7c is in elastic contact with the outer surface above the center of the spherical body 34. Further, at positions where the bearing wall portion 30 and the bearing arm portion 32 face each other, a shaft insertion hole 30 is provided.
a and a shaft insertion hole 32a located on the distal end side of the substantially U-shaped folded portion 32b. Similarly, shaft bearing holes 31a are provided at opposing portions of the bearing wall portion 31 and the bearing arm portion 33, respectively. An insertion hole 31a and a shaft insertion hole 33a located on the distal end side of the substantially U-shaped folded portion 33b are formed. In addition,
Since the hinge portion 28 of the sphere supporting member 25 is provided with elasticity, the sphere receiving portion 27 and the switch driving portion 29 can rotate a little about the fulcrum portion 26 as a fulcrum.

A mounting hole 24a and a notch 24b are formed in advance on the printed circuit board 24 on which the sphere support member 25 is mounted, and the bottom of the sphere receiving portion 27 is loosely inserted into the mounting hole 24a in the notch 24b. The lower end of the fulcrum 26 is fitted, and the claw pieces 30b, 31b formed at the lower ends of the bearing walls 30, 31 are engaged with the back surface of the printed circuit board 24, so that the sphere support member 25 is attached to the substrate 24. It can be mounted at a predetermined position above. Even after the sphere supporting member 25 is attached to the printed circuit board 24, the sphere receiving portion 27 and the switch driving portion 29 are allowed to rotate slightly about the fulcrum portion 26 as a fulcrum.

Then, as shown by a chain line in FIG. 2, both ends of the first rotating shaft 35 are inserted into shaft insertion holes 30a and 32a forming a pair of the sphere supporting member 25, and the rotating shaft 35 is attached to the bearing wall portion 3.
0 and the bearing arm 32, and similarly, both ends of the second rotating shaft 36 are inserted into a pair of shaft insertion holes 31 a and 33 a, and the rotating shaft 36 is connected to the bearing wall 31 and the bearing arm. 33 to support. When the first and second rotating shafts 35 and 36 are mounted on the sphere support member 25 in this manner, the two rotating shafts 35 and 36 are arranged in a positional relationship in which their axial directions are orthogonal to each other. Shafts 35, 3 by the elastic force of
6 follower portions 35a and 36a are in elastic contact with the rotating sphere 34. Each of the rotating shafts 35 and 36 is shown in FIG.
The first rotary shaft 35 is a resin molded product having a shape as shown in FIG.
Is integrally formed with a code plate 35b, and the second rotary shaft 36 is integrally formed with a code plate 36b. 2, reference numerals 37 and 39 denote light emitting elements, and reference numerals 38 and 40 denote light receiving elements. The light emitting element 37 and the light receiving element 38 are opposed to each other with the code plate 35b interposed therebetween. The element 40 is arranged to face the code plate 36b.

The XY coordinate input device configured as described above, when the rotated sphere 34 slightly projecting from the opening 21a of the casing 20 is manually operated and rotated in an arbitrary direction, the first and second XY coordinate input devices. The rotating shafts 35 and 36 are the rotating spheres 3
Since each rotates in a predetermined direction in conjunction with the rotation of 4,
The light emitted from the light emitting elements 37 and 39 is
By detecting the amount of rotation of each of the code plates 35b and 36b by receiving light at 40, the amount of rotation of each of the rotating shafts 35 and 36 can be individually taken out, and a detection signal of the amount of rotation of both rotating shafts 35 and 36 obtained in this manner. Is input to the display device (not shown) as the X coordinate component and the Y coordinate component of the rotated sphere 34, and the cursor on the display screen is moved according to the rotation amount and the rotation direction of the sphere 34. be able to. Further, when the cursor is moved to a desired coordinate position or menu position, the rotation of the rotated sphere 34 is stopped, and the sphere 34 mounted on the sphere receiving portion 27 of the sphere support member 25 is pushed in by a predetermined stroke. With the fulcrum 26 as a fulcrum, the switch driver 29 rotates in the operation direction of the push button switch 23, and the push button switch 23 as an input switch can be switched to execute coordinate input and menu selection.

As described above, in the above embodiment, the rotating sphere 34
The bearing wall portions 30 and 31 and the bearing arm portions 32 and 33 are integrally formed with the sphere support member 25 on which the first and second rotating shafts 35 and 36 are rotatably mounted. There is no need to incorporate expensive bearings, and the respective rotating shafts 35, 3
6 is constantly urged toward the rotating sphere 34, there is no need to incorporate an urging roller, and even if each of the rotating shafts 35, 36 receives a strong force from the rotating sphere 34 during operation, each bearing arm Since the rotating shafts 35 and 36, whose axes can be displaced with the elastic deformation of the parts 32 and 33, are prevented from plastic deformation, it is not necessary to incorporate a spring member such as a torsion coil spring used in the conventional example. The substantially U-shaped folded portions 32b and 33b of the bearing arms 32 and 33 are slightly deformed in a direction to increase the bending angle after the mold release due to a bending stress which is considered to be generated in a process of cooling the molten resin. There is,
Even if such deformation occurs, in the above-described embodiment, the shaft insertion holes 32a, 33a are formed at the distal ends of the folded portions 32b, 33b. The shafts only slightly approach the shaft insertion holes 30a, 31a, so that there is no concern that the mounting strength of each of the rotating shafts 35, 36 with respect to the sphere support member 25 is reduced.

In the above embodiment, the sphere support member 25
Each of the three ridges 27b formed in the sphere receiving portion 27 has a band-shaped curved surface 27c which can support three points near the bottom of the rotated sphere 34. The band-shaped curved surface 27c Is a curved surface approximating the outer surface of the sphere 34. Therefore, even if the point of contact of the band-shaped curved surface 27c with the sphere 34 is worn as a result of rotating the rotated sphere 34 over a long period of time, Since each of the band-shaped curved surfaces 27c is a new contact point for supporting the sphere 34 just above the contact point, the sphere 34 is slightly down and each of the band-shaped curved surfaces 27c is slightly lowered. Three points are supported by the curved surface 27c. In other words, conventionally, in order to prevent the three-point support of the rotated sphere from being impaired by the effect of wear, a high hardness support sphere such as ruby is incorporated to support the sphere,
Although this has caused a cost increase, in this embodiment, even if the contact point with the rotating sphere 34 is worn, each band-shaped curved surface 27c can support the sphere 34 at three new contact points. Therefore, the spherical body 34 can always be kept in a stable state without using a supporting spherical body such as ruby which increases the cost of parts and assembly cost.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the upper end side of each protrusion 27b of the sphere receiving portion 27 is made to protrude upward to form elastic protrusions, and these elastic protrusions (protrusions 27b) are elastically deformed. By utilizing this, the rotated sphere 34 can be snap-fitted to the sphere support member 25 during assembly, so that subsequent assembly work can be performed without fear of the sphere 34 falling off.

In the above embodiment, the switch driving unit 29 is formed integrally with the sphere support member 25, and the rotating sphere 34 mounted on the sphere receiving portion 27 of the sphere support member 25 is moved by the operator. When the specified stroke is pushed,
Since the switch drive unit 29 that rotates about the fulcrum 26 can drive the push button switch 23, the push button switch 23 as an input switch can be switched without releasing the finger from the sphere 34.

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Even if the point of contact with the rotated sphere is worn, each curved surface supports the three points of the rotated sphere at the new contact point, so that each curved surface can be rotated without using a supporting sphere such as ruby, which increases the component cost and assembly cost. The sphere can always be kept in a stable state, and the cost can be significantly reduced. Also, the upper end of each ridge
The side protrudes upward to form an elastic projection,
Supports the rotating sphere using the elastic deformation of each elastic projection
Can be snap-in mounted on members,
Business efficiency can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an XY coordinate input device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a sphere support member used in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the sphere support member.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a rotation shaft used in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an internal configuration of a conventional example.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 20 casing 21a opening 24 printed board 25 sphere support member 27 sphere receiving portion 27a relief hole 27b ridge 27c band-shaped curved surface 34 sphere to be rotated 35, 36 rotation axis 37, 39 light emitting element 38, 40 light receiving element

Continuation of front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 3/033

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A casing having an opening, a rotating sphere housed in the casing and partially projecting from the opening, and a pair of rotating spheres arranged at a predetermined angle and rotating in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating sphere. A rotating shaft, and detecting means for detecting the amount of rotation of the two rotating shafts. When the sphere to be rotated is rotated, the amount of rotation and the direction of rotation can be detected.
-In the Y coordinate input device, a relief hole for loosely inserting the bottom of the rotated sphere into the synthetic resin sphere support member on which the rotated sphere is mounted;
Protrusions arranged at each location are provided, and these protrusions are formed with curved surfaces exhibiting a curved surface approximating the outer surface of the rotating sphere, and the upper end side of each protrusion is protruded upward. hand
XY , wherein elastic projections are provided, and three points near the bottom of the rotating sphere are supported by curved surfaces of the ridges.
Coordinate input device.